Credits Special Thanks

Written by: Matthew Dawkins, Steffie de Vaan, To Jacob Middleton, for his expertise and consulta-
Meghan Fitzgerald, Susann Hessen, Neall Raemonn Price, tion regarding Mogadishu and what came before.
and Malcolm Sheppard
Developed by: Matthew Dawkins
Dedication
Line Developer: Eddy Webb To the memory of Phil Hartman. You might remem-
Editor: Dixie Cochran ber him.
Art Director: Michael Chaney
Interior Art: Michael Gaydos, Felipe Gaona, Glenn
Osterberger, Brian Leblanc, Pat McEvoy
Cover Art: Michael Gaydos

2017 White Wolf Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher
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2
Introduction 6 Arcadius Rufus 28
Harbingers of the Promethean Flame 28
Theme and Mood 6 Baths Unconquered Cainites 29
How to Use This Book 7 A Beacon of White and Gold 30
The Unconquered Praetorian Guard 31
Chapter One: Cainite Factions 32
The Domain of Rome 9 The Mithraists 32
The Prometheans 33
Romes Great Cainites 9
The Tremere 33
Kine and Place 10
The Pilgrims 33
People Among the Ruins 11
The Harbingers 33
Little Lords of the Towers 11
The Mithraic Mysteries 33
The Thirteen Regions 12
Black Dog 35
The True Third City 13
Powers and Weaknesses 35
Cainite History 13
Cappadocian Apocrypha: Death Cults 36
Glorious Tradition 15
Life in Death 36
Our Fallen State 16
Ventrue Apocrypha: The Importance of Lineage 39
The Court of the Antipope 16
Noble Ancestry 40
To Dash Them Against the Stones 16
Brujah Apocrypha: The Age of Purification 18 Chapter Three:
The Pure Ones 18
Against Rex Mundi 19
The Domain of Bjarkarey 43
Path of the Pure (Katharoi) 20 Red Thors Reavers 43
The Path of the Pure 20 The Hammer and Cross 44
Nosferatu Apocrypha: The Elder Tunnels 21 Blood Feuds and Holy Wars 45
Strange Passages 21 Life and Death in Bjarkarey 46
Fossegrim 48
Chapter Two: Powers and Weaknesses 49
The Domain of Bath 25 Gangrel Apocrypha: A Wanderers Nocturne 50
Perils of the Journey 52
The Lie of the Land 25
Malkavian Apocrypha: A Soul to Bleed 53
Roman Primacy 26
The Mirror Crackd 54
Artorius and other Legends 27

Table of Contents

3
Chapter Four: A Clash of Gods 79
The Temple of Set 79
The Domain of The Hidden Shrine 80
Constantinople 57 The House Adeer 81
Ancient Faiths 81
A City of Seekers 58
The Followers of Arcus 81
The Dream of the Trinity 58
The Children of Sarapion 82
Doctrine, Dogma, Doubt 59
Seeing the Sites 82
Faded Gold 59
Old Hamar and New Shangani 82
Beyond the Cross 60
Jade Horse Inn 82
Cainite Cults 60
Dar Al-Salam 82
A War on All Fronts 61
Ceel Waaq 82
The Prince and the Paupers 61
Assamite Apocrypha: The Followers of Zarathustra 83
Thunder on the Steppes 62
The Story of Zarathustra 83
The Meek Shall Inherit 63
The Road of Zarathustra 83
Lay of the Land 64
The Road of Angra Mainyu 84
The Latin Quarter 65
The Road of Ahura Mazda 84
The Great Palace 65
Zoroastrian Rituals 84
The Grand Bazaar 65
Ramanga Apocrypha: Beholden to Darkness 86
Kallikantzaros 66
A Lineage of Darkness 86
Powers and Weaknesses 66
The Power of Darkness 86
Lasombra Apocrypha: Shadow Play 67
Toreador Apocrypha: Lost in Reverie 69 Chapter Six:
The Nephilim 69
Path of the Archangel 70
The Domain
Constantine Reverie 70 of Mangaluru 91
Sins Against the Archangel 71
A Land of Legend 91
Tzimisce Apocrypha: The Akademia 72
The Seat of Kings 92
The Scholarch 72
Nights of Blood and Spice 92
The Salubri 72
The Shape of Things to Come 93
The New Obertus 72
Holy Fools
Points of Interest 73
of Mangaluru 94
Chapter Five: The Domains Features 94
Cainite Factions 96
The Domain of Mogadishu 75 Pishacha 97
Vampires of the White Pearl 75 Powers and Weaknesses 98
Affairs of State 76 Salubri Apocrypha: The Clan of Three Ways 99
The High Clans 76 The Blooding of Samiel 99
The Low Clans 77 Ravnos Apocrypha: Caste and Karma 100
The Laibon 77 Jati 100
The Wan Kuei 77 Phuri Dae 101
Trouble in the White Pearl 77
One Masjid Too Many 78
Chapter Seven:
The Mystery of Jakuta 78 Building a Domain 105
Liberty at Sea 79
Feudal Relationships 106
Ambitions of Princes 79
Lieges and Vassals 106
Table of Contents

4
 Feudal Oaths 106 Knives and Swords 119
Vassal Quality 106 Bludgeons and Cleavers 121
Vassal Reputation and Service 106 Swords and Knives 121
Close Alliances 107 Bludgeons and Cleavers 121
Anatomy of a Domain 108 Pole Weapons* 122
The Manor 108 Pole Weapons 122
Herd, Populace and Territory 109 Ranged Weapons 123
Herd, Populace and Territory 110 Ranged Weapons 123
Urbanization 110 Armor 124
Peopling the Domain 111 Armor and Society 124
Allies and Retainers 111 Piece by Piece 124
The Helpful Masses 112 Torso Armor by Type 125
Types of Servants 113 Limb Armor by Type 125
Domain Events 113 Helmets by Type 126
Tremere Apocrypha: The House Militant 115 Shields 126
Rites of the Sorcerer Besieged 116 Swift as a Sword Blow: Streamlined Combat 127
Time, Initiative, and Actions 127
Chapter Eight: Combat Procedure 128
Art of the Battlefield 119 Followers of Set Apocrypha:
The Accursed Father 129
Weapons of the Dark Medieval 119

5
 Empires rise with the sun and fall with the onset of night.
We just give them a little push, and watch these domains and their Princes topple.
Erebus, Cappadocian Seneschal to the Consul of Bath

V 20 Dark Ages Companion explores the diverse domains

of the Middle Ages ranging from towns in Western
Europe to one of the largest cities on the Indian subcontinent,
the Consul bonds his domains populace and ensures their
loyalty to the god emperor Mithras, he suffers a crisis of
faith, leaving the utopia of Bath on the edge of civil war.
and acts as a resource for Storytellers wishing to set their The mood is desperation, as an increasing number of
chronicles in the domains profiled, or for those who wish Cainites flocks to its walls in search of a sanctuary that
to pull elements from each and form their own. It provides may soon collapse.
options for warfare both intimate and across the battlefield Bjarkarey represents the theme of savagery, as its Gangrel
along with domain building, Clan apocrypha for those ruler leads frequent raids on neighboring Scandinavian
seeking mysteries related to the Blood, and new monsters domains, and pursues crusades whenever the desire for
dwelling in the night as a threat to kine and Cainite alike. blood takes her. The vampires of Bjarkarey must embrace
violence to survive in this arduous, small domain. Yet, the
mood of Bjarkarey is one of isolation. No hope reaches
Theme and Mood the distant island of Bjarkarey, forcing it into a perpetual
cycle of bloodshed.

E ach domain profiled within this book possesses a different

theme and mood. V20 Dark Ages Companion aims
to display diversity across historic domains, showing that
The theme in Constantinople is one of faith, as its
Cainites strive to believe in something greater than their
own petty politicking and attempt to move on from the
geographical distance does more than make for an arduous failure of a Methuselahs shattered dream. As the worlds
journey it also impacts culture, hierarchy, and belief. greatest metropolis fractures under the weight of repeated
In Rome the Church is strong, yet the Prince is one of the crusades, the domain exudes the mood of hopeful expec-
greatest sinners alive. The domains theme is one of fallen tation. Its vampires are determined to reject failure, and
greatness, with its ruler driving it as far beneath holiness as embrace greatness once more.
he is able, unless stopped. The domain is afflicted with the Mogadishus theme is shadow war, as rival tyrants don
mood of grandeur, despite its obvious faults, its Cainites proud masks of piety to claim the greatest domain on East Africas
and willingly oblivious to their Princes unmitigated evil. coast and find the faith working against them. Arrayed
The theme in the domain of Bath is one of blood loyalty against the Clans and bloodlines roving the bazaars and
to an historic ideal, one that may no longer hold true. As alleys are hidden forces and an ancient monster, who on

INTRODUCTION

6
a whim could destroy all that Mogadishus usurpers hope struggles to cope with an influx of hopeful Cainites seeking
to build. The domains mood is sweltering tension, as sanctuary. The chapter contains the sinister black dog as a
opportunities in Mogadishu abound, but the hot-blooded folklore antagonist, and apocrypha for Clans Cappadocian
Cainites within violently compete for the richest treasures. and Ventrue.
In Mangaluru, the theme is that of resolve, and the Chapter Three: The Domain of Bjarkarey This
old ways inexorably passing into the new. In this domain, chapter introduces the isolated island domain of Bjarkarey,
the Long Night never ended. Old alliances hold firm, and off the coast of Norway, as its savage Gangrel ruler seeks
new bloodlines find the seizing of power difficult. Yet, the to reap the blood of all who oppose her reign. The chapter
mood is amor fati. The domains millennia-old hierarchy is contains statistics for the fossegrim, an enemy to Cainite
on a path to destruction their fate and they cannot and mortal alike, and apocrypha for Clans Gangrel and
help but embrace it. Malkavian.
Chapter Four: The Domain of Constantinople This
chapter reintroduces the metropolis of Constantinople, in
How to Use the wake of a Methuselahs failed ambition to make it a
vampire utopia. The chapter also introduces the goblinoid

This Book kallikantzaroi, and apocrypha for Clans Lasombra, Toreador,

and Tzimisce.
Chapter Five: The Domain of Mogadishu This
V 20 Dark Ages Companion offers numerous domains
with varying degrees of detail, so a Storyteller can either
set her chronicle within one, or use elements from each to
chapter covers the East African domain of Mogadishu, as
its Cainite rulers vie for power over the split city and use
faith as a weapon. The chapter contains apocrypha for Clan
form her own domain, as detailed on p. 105. Within many
Assamite and the Ramanga.
of the chapters are new creatures of the night monsters
from folklore that prey on the domains featured in this Chapter Six: The Domain of Mangaluru This chap-
book. The Storyteller can use these monsters to give her ter introduces the bustling domain of Mangaluru on Indias
games an extra edge of sinister mystery. Each chapter also west coast, as it struggles to resist the War of Princes and the
contains apocrypha for one or more Clans. In some cases, fall of Clan Salubri. The flesh-eating pishacha are profiled
this apocrypha is specific to the domain, but with all of them within, and Clans Salubri and Ravnos receive apocrypha.
Storytellers and players can take ideas and use them in their Chapter Seven: Building a Domain This chapter
own chronicles to add layers to characters and plots, and details how a Storyteller or group of players may go about
present new options. building a domain utilizing Backgrounds, and era-appro-
Chapter One: The Domain of Rome This chapter priate events and characters. The chapter concludes with
introduces the magnificent domain of Rome, fallen to the apocrypha for Clan Tremere
tyranny of Prince Camilla. The chapter concludes with Chapter Eight: Art of the Battlefield The final chapter
apocrypha for Clans Nosferatu and Brujah. handles weapons and armor of the dark medieval era, and new
Chapter Two: The Domain of Bath This chapter ways to orchestrate combat within the World of Darkness.
offers coverage for the small, peaceful town of Bath, as it The Followers of Set receive apocrypha within this chapter.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

7
 Were as ageless as emperors wrought in marble, but marble shatters.
Maginardo, Clan Nosferatu

R ome is as dead as the Damned: fallen, but restless, a

corpse roused by alleged acts of God. Three challenges
assail Cainites who dare the Eternal City. First, prideful Ro-
even though many of his followers only pay lip service to
his decadent ideals, his eloquence and political skill may
transform them into true believers, given time. Such is his
man mortals clutch the scraps of the empire. Once, Rome power that he dismisses the Gnostic Brujah Thrax, with
teemed with residents. They were crushed into apartments a laugh and wave. Other Roman vampires of comparable
called insulae or reigned over slave-filled estates. Their strength refuse to challenge him. The mighty Cretheus might
numbers and organization provided blood, power, and an- be able to overthrow him, but uses Camilla as an Antipope
onymity. Now a fraction of the old population lives here, to pit against the Pope, to inspire the drama of Golconda
providing less influence and camouflage. Even the poorest or the fall of the Church both options would please him.
believe themselves deposed lords, entitled to the riches of
Europe. They resent attempts to manipulate them.
The second challenge is faith. Rome is seat of the Cath-
olic Church (a term appropriate to the period but little
Romes Great
used, as Reformation stands centuries away). The secret
Inquisition flowers under its patronage. St. Peters Basilica
(a Romanesque church-palace that will be torn down and
Cainites
rebuilt in centuries to come) is guarded by True Faith and
soldiers who can identify supernatural horrors. C amilla, Prince of Rome (Fifth Generation Ven-
true) Titus Venturus Camillus slipped back to power
immediately a surprise for those who expected Cretheus
The third trial? The Roman Damned in their age, pride,
to oppose him. 13 years after rising from torpor, Camilla
and antique dreams. Theyve increasingly fallen out of touch
(the name hes gone by since ancient times) swings between
with the reality of 13th-century Rome. Like Romes mortals,
an Imperial court that indulges the worst stereotypes of
they often believe the rotten bones of the city are still fully
decadent Rome, and an Anti-Papacy of frenzied blood
fleshed, with the strength to claim Europe anew. They play
gluttony, which he presides over in black bishops robes.
obsessive games of faith and ideology.
Camillas pedigree is incomparable. His sire Collat founded
Under Camillas influence, the Cainite court assumes a the Eternal Senate that ruled classical Rome. In rising to
defiant anti-clerical position. The Methuselahs only been power, Camilla took his sires soul and office, but, for the
awake for a short time. He styles himself Pontiff of Sin, and great ones, even diablerie goes unpunished.

ROME'S GREAT CAINITES

9
 A master of the Road of Sin, Camilla was a student century. His delusion is that he still reigns over Germany
and lover of its alleged founder, Tanitbaal-Sahar. He leaves and Italy as the rightful heir of Charlemagne. Suggestions
Cainites to do as they please, intervening only in crises. The to the contrary prompt his clarifications: As a vampire, he
system works because Roman traditions lend stability to res- is forced to operate through mortal catspaws (which do not
ident vampires, but Camilla chafes against Christianity and exist) and he respects the suggestions of advisors such as
the dominant morals of restraint. He supports challenges to Camilla (who do not serve him). Sometimes Camilla tells
the Papacy, and in doing so risks attracting the attention of him to declare himself ruler for Cainite visitors, and even
Faiths soldiers and followers of the Road of Heaven. pretend to be Camilla himself.
Cretheus, First Senator (Fifth Generation Ventrue) Hes a skilled warrior, a creative practitioner of Dementation,
Mithras childe Cretheus was Romes de facto ruler for nearly and skilled at manipulating those who believe hes a deluded,
300 years. The Ventrue tolerated various self-styled Princes pathetic figure. He relies on the citys true rulers for favor;
but made it clear that any such government was subservient to Romes ancillae despise him, since many were once the mortal
Romes peculiar traditions. Cretheus is the only public member aristocrats Otto stepped on during his mortal days. Ottos sire
of the body that became the Ignoti, or Inconnu. When he bent is a mystic and vagabond who travels under the name Stephen
a knee to Camilla in 1229 it overturned expectations, and of Kent, but is actually a far older Phoenician vampire who was
was seen to represent the hidden ones approval. the childe of Tryphosa, Camillas advisor from pagan times.
Cretheus is an indifferent Seneschal, considering it a The Bride of Night (Fifth Generation Lasombra) I
distraction from his mystical studies. His devotion to his am only a messenger says the Bride of Night, speaking as if
absent sire Mithras resembles worship and indeed, he at- distracted by some compelling inner voice. The Bride hails
tempted to both popularize Mithraism and bend it to the from the Castle of Shadows in Sicily and is thought to represent
service of his master. His efforts failed, and the presence of either the Lasombra Ancient or one of his childer. She was
the victorious Church is one of the few things that visibly confirmed as a true representative by Romes resident Lasom-
irritates him. Cretheus is a slim man who appears to be in bra. She whispered to each of them, and they swore by their
his 20s, with pale skin and long black hair. Clan that she was truly of the Castle of Shadows. The Bride of
Maginardo, the Aedile (Tenth Generation Nos- Night dresses as a nun, reflecting her interest in the Church.
feratu) Before Maginardo the position of Aedile, master Thrax, the Rebel (Seventh Generation Brujah)
of buildings and lairs, had fallen into as much disrepair as After the fall of Carthage, Roman Brujah were forced to
the Eternal City itself. Maginardos sire Marco knew a bit suffer various indignities: taxes, rituals of submission, and
of masonry and carpentry but could most of all be counted punishment during any political upheaval, even when they
on to keep his mouth shut, since the Aedile traditionally werent responsible. Thrax came to Rome a century ago with
vows to keep his knowledge a secret. He wasnt a very skilled a simple mission: Test the fallen Clan of Scholars until they
builder, however; havens and catacombs crumbled as they rediscover their ideals or are destroyed. She discovered Rome
aged, and as rival Cappadocians and Nosferatu renovated was apathetically governed. They seized territory, and were
and destroyed structures in a war for the undercity. ignored. They ambushed, staked, and presumably slew the To-
Hearing of his fame as an architect, in 1032 Marco reador Patrician, and Cretheus did nothing. Upon awakening,
Embraced Maginardo in Ravenna and presented him to Camilla declared Thraxs efforts great sport and made her
Cretheus. In the centuries since, the new Aedile has reno- praetor urbanus against her will, though she feels responsible
vated many underground spaces and even broken through for keeping the peace nonetheless. Thrax is the local Clan
into places that even the elders have forgotten. In the process of Scholars de facto leader. Shes converted many them to
he all but ended the battle for the undercity, as both sides Katharoi (see p. 19). Thrax now believes she might reform
came to realize that, under their crude care, theyd lost the court, and challenge the Antipope, Camilla.
more than they could gain in victory. Yet peace has opened
up new secret spaces and rumors of threats in the lightless
dark, from which rats and worms flee.
The vampires face resembles cracked and smashed
Kine and Place
marble, distorting the features of a man in his 20s. By Maginardo, Aedile of Rome
Otto the Pretender (Seventh Generation Malkavi-
an) Ottos madness isnt that hes the rightful Holy Roman H onestly, I pay little attention to individual mortals.
Theyre visitors like yourself: pilgrims for a few score
years who eventually move on to the Kingdom of God. But
Emperor. By some measures he really is; he was the son of
Otto II and claimed the Eternal City itself in the late 10th if they visit the right parts of the Eternal City theyll get a
foretaste of the mansions they believe await them.

THE DOMAIN OF ROME

10
People Among the Ruins
Given your somewhat dated finery Ill assume your sire THE LATERAN PALACE
dressed you, and might have misinformed you about the
nature of the modern city. Many provincials know Rome By the Bride of Night
through their sires stories. They dont attend to later events.
Perhaps you expected a toga-wearing throng, but if you
made it this far youve already noticed that there are fewer
Iwithknow who you really are, traveler. The Lateran
Palace is not for you. There it lies across the Tiber,
countless apartments, courts, and chapels for
people than you expected, and that they dress like ordinary
the Holy Father, his soldiers in Christ, servants,
Italians. My Prince, whose wisdom is as vast as it is ancient,
others. Much of the place would burn you. Perhaps
told me that Rome once supported a million souls. Can you
its Gods kiss. Perhaps its kine prayers, surrounding
imagine it? Many of them shared small rooms in enormous
it as armor.
buildings they called islands. What was it like to live as
packed together as cut firewood, I wonder? I can show you Yes, there are ways for Cainites to avoid the fire
the ruins. Or perhaps I should show you the Colosseum? of Faith: techniques, passages. I will not teach them
Yes, that would be better. Theres a chapel, a few shops and to you. Know that even if you were to enter cleverly,
residences, but it used to be a place where Romans gathered the Holy See possesses priests who smell corruption
for gladiatorial combat, to see beasts battle everything you like brimstone, and warrior-monks whose swords
heard about in the stories. But nowadays the entire population will burn you. It is they who hunt Rome anew, now
of the city would fill little more than half the place, were we that Camilla inflicts his excesses upon the people.
to restore all the steps and such. From a million weve fallen Tell your servant to abandon his plans, and my
to 30,000 or so. Be advised that you cant win anonymity in a masters have given me permission to describe the
crowd. When people go missing, Cainite and kine alike know true nature of the place: the difference between
it. Fortunately, foreign visitors come and go all the time, so the Templars and the Knights of Acre, and of the
someone as unfashionable as yourself can probably walk among demonologists and their books. Until then, you will
them without drawing excessive notice. only know the Churchs fire.
Rome has more buildings, catacombs, ruins, and hiding
spots than anyone knows what to do with. I can find you
a place to rest thats as humble or opulent as you desire.
By ancient custom I am compelled to keep the location of shit, or dig trenches. All the pilgrims, officials, and formal
your repose a secret. I do not advise you to manage your retinues wander around and spend money freely, so Romans
own shelter. You might find an uninhabited place, certainly, cleave to gentler professions unless forced to by the patricians.
but it is in the nature of Roman Cainites to claim the most About 100 years ago they cut high nobles out of gov-
beautiful and useful ruins. You might ignorantly trespass on a ernment completely. They founded a new Roman Republic,
place one of them cherishes. Furthermore, the kine are always complete with senators. They revived the Augustan custom
scavenging marble and stone from the old buildings for new of splitting the city into districts; we adopted these to satisfy
ones. You never know when a laborer might reintroduce you old Clan-related customs. Eventually the Roman Senate
to the sun. They say its how the last Prince went to God. became Papal vassals and were reduced in number until
just one existed to agree with the Pope about things. The
Little Lords of the Towers arrogant dream collapsed into typical Roman chaos. We
Cainites cannot claim too much superiority, however. We
Romans love three things: their lost Empire, their families,
once possessed an Eternal Senate, and like mortals, allowed
and rioting. The order of these preferences depends on current
it to collapse into one elders office.
affairs, but they all come before their traditional enemy: high
nobility. They got rid of their duke 400 years ago, and found Families indulge in little wars from time to time, so we
no use for a replacement. Popes, neighboring lords, and even have a custom of fortified mansions. The building of towers
emperors tried in vain to command the people. Italians only eventually became a war of its own, with rivals competing
respect the ones they break bread with. In Rome, every uncles for height and splendor. Ive arranged for certain towers to
a lord. Get enough money and Romans behind one banner be built deep underground as well as high, and to connect
and that uncle becomes a patrician. They run the kines day- to certain convenient tunnels. When patricians fall, their
to-day affairs. The city needs close supervision; Romes filled towers lie abandoned until someone salvages the stone. The
with artisans, thieves, and priests who dont like to farm, haul opportunities are obvious.

KINE AND PLACE

11
 The Trivii et Vie Late is the second region, named in
The Thirteen Regions part for the Via Lata, the great road emperors used to march
When Romes kine revived the custom of regions we down for their Triumphs. It also contains the Aqua Virgo,
adapted it, and renewed the tradition of giving each region to a last of the functioning aqueducts. The road and water sup-
specific Clan. That comes from the time of the Republic, when ply make it a place where kine congregate in number. It is
the Eternal Senate declared Rome a nation for all Cainites given to the Brujah to administer, though this is a recent
in theory. Even then, the less honored Clans rarely claimed development. Before that the Toreador reigned, but civil
their rights, and the rest brawled over territory piecemeal. unrest prompted a reordering.
The specifics? Theyre complicated, and set by Imperial Third in traditional order, the Columpne et Sancte
tradition few remember, but at minimum Cainites of a Marie in Aquiro is held in trust for the Followers of Set,
particular Clan enjoy the right to dwell and feed from their who have never inhabited it in number. I have renovated
region, subject to the security of the city and any additional chambers within the Temple of Hadrian for their use, but
contracts. The last condition protects ancient arrangements, of course I may lend them at need.
so Ventrue dwell in the Cappadocian region, for example. The Campi Martis et Sancte Laurentii in Lucina
I know subtle ways to travel between them, should you includes portions of the old Fields of Mars, where soldiers
seek to avoid mortal attention. Know that the Vatican stands once mustered. This is given to the Gangrel to honor them
apart from all these regions. Cainites should travel there as warriors, and to note that just as soldiers from afar became
cautiously, for it burns with Faith. It is said the Lasombra Romans through service, Gangrel might join us.
have greatest access, though I would dispute that. The old The Pontis et Scorteclariorum takes its name from Ne-
tunnels are known to me, and are owned by neither mortal ros Bridge, now broken to allow the passage of large ships.
nor Cainite. I cannot explain further. Significant trade comes from the river, so the residents here
The first region is the Montium et Biberatice, where the prosper. The Lasombra reign here, though I think the Bride
Ventrue reign, and one may come to court at the Forum. is more interested in the Vatican across the river.
Until a decade ago we used one or another of the towers The Sancte Eustachii et Vinea Teudemarii is named
kine built to honor their own political might, but when for the basilica honoring Saint Eustace and is given to my
Prince Camilla returned, he desired the ancient halls. The own Clan. We Nosferatu have little ambition to meddle in
ruined exterior conceals comfortable, beautiful chambers. mortal affairs, so of course this is an unexceptional region.

OF SECRET AND NOBLE PLACES

In old ruins or new towers, Maginardo and the architecture of Rome might inspire the following stories.
Ancient Rights: Throughout the 13 districts, the Roman court pretends to hold the city for all Cainites, but if
one of the largely-absent Clans claimed its due, it would upend the political situation. The districts dont override
individual favor trading so would-be colonists might discover that their district is already controlled by members
of established Clans. Significant numbers of Assamites and Tzimisce would be particularly unwelcome. Cretheus
might broker compensation, but Camilla could overturn it in exchange for a number of favors.
Builders and Burrowers: Maginardo doesnt have nearly enough allies to do his job. Too many of Romes ruins
and secret ways lie unattended. They say Constantinus perished because of his ill-tended haven, and the Aedile isnt
eager to have another Cainites home collapse. He needs skilled builders to assist him, and they must vow, as he does,
never to reveal the secrets of Cainite havens. Hes especially interested in a Cappadocian aide, to smooth over remain-
ing tensions with the Clan of Death over Romes catacombs. Should an assistant prove untrustworthy, it would throw
the Aediles office into disrepute, disrupt efforts at renewal, and renew Nosferatu-Cappadocian hostilities.
Down, Down, Down: Romes endured layers of building and digging, and contains more underground passages
than any Cappadocian catacomb or Nosferatu warren could utilize. They fought for territory because some of these
places are far more desirable than others. But the waterlogged tunnels, rock-strewn caverns, and tight boltholes
they abjure contain rewards and threats to anyone who cares to explore them. Maginardo knows where these con-
nect to the Elder Tunnels (see p. 21) and their weird features.

THE DOMAIN OF ROME

12
 Flood-soaked sand plagues the Arenule et Cac- where you see ruins, I see secret configurations. The Roman
cabariorum. The Tiber throws its waters onto the streets Empire is strong, but it sleeps, preparing for new ascendancy. I
frequently, inviting insects and plague. We hold it in trust have had dreams. Yes, dreams. A new temple. A black moon.
for the Tzimisce, who of course threw their lot in with the In sleep, one appears weak, but grows strong. I see you are
Eastern Empire. perplexed, and therefore will attempt to describe the face of
Long held by the Toreador, the Parionis et Sancte Rome as it appears to you, despite your limited vision. Even
Laurentii in Damaso houses the Theatre of Pompey and in ruins it remains the Third City. The First City was for the
Stadium of Domitan, both in ruins, though I have preserved dread Dark Father and the Second was for his childer, and
certain features in secret. the revelation of their sins. Now we live within the gates of
transformation, of redemption of a reckoning with God.
The Pantheon is the most notable structure in the Pinee
et Sancte Marci. The kine made it a church to Mary and the
Martyrs, and moved hundreds of bodies from catacombs for
Cainite History
reinterrment. The Cappadocians reign here, many of whom Rome was nothing, as far we blood drinkers were con-
bear the name Rosselini, or variations on it. cerned. Nothing. Just another warlord-run settlement among
The Sancte Angeli in Foro Piscium contains the fish others, exploited by Cainites and other monsters. Wolves.
market. Its a center for low trade and held in trust for the Witches. Romes warlords were too smart for their own
Ravnos, should a suitable representative demonstrate his good. Other petty kings satisfied themselves with crowns
Clans honor. and wealth and the right to murder whoever they wanted,
The Ripe et Marmorate is named for high riverbanks and but the Roman monarchy made a fatal mistake: They tried
the marble-clad ruins here. Remnants of grand mansions, to make something of their people. The last one, Tarquin,
theyve been depopulated by invasions and civil unrest, their pushed his subjects through wars and public works enough
stones seized for newer towers. Nevertheless, one might to enrage them. He built sewers and temples. He founded
find refuge here if he avoids the citadel of the Templars, colonies and great alliances. The Senate loved the kingdom,
who have their headquarters here. We hold this region in but hated the king. They killed him, and inherited a mighty
honor of the Salubri. It may be claimed by no other Clan, dominion. And now ah, now! the children of Caine
true or pretended. took notice. After the usual secret alliances, wars, and
Diablerie the great Ventrue Collat bound our kind into an
Between the first and second regions, the Campitelli Eternal Senate, based on the mortal institution with but a
et Sancte Adriani has been ruled by Malkavians since the few adjustments, suited to our natures.
age of the Caesars. Many beautiful shrines have been built
under their secret patronage. All the Clans elected senators and all Cainites wanted
to be senators, since in his wisdom Collat refused to set a
The 13th Trastavere region lies on the West bank of the fixed number of them. In happy, blood-soaked times there
Tiber, and also claims Tiber Island. This region is held in trust were plenty of favors to go around, and plenty of senators,
for the Assamites, though tradition dictates that members staining their togas with the bounty of the Republic. Collat
of the Clan confer with other Cainites on the island, while understood the system best, manipulated its players, and
Cainites are cautioned against entering Trastavere. With so became first among them. They elected him dictator many
few Assamites, however, the policy is rarely enforced. times. He might has well have been king!
Unfortunate. He suffered the fateof the mortal King

The True Tarquin, for he prepared a prize worth stealing, and so his
childer did. First among them was our own Antipope, my
reluctant vassal Titus Camillus Camilla. 200 years or so
Third City before the Lord sent his only begotten Son (not counting
the Dark Father, if you believe certain heresies) Camilla and
By Otto III, Emperor two other Ventrue supplanted his sire, who of course had
the good manners to mysteriously vanish. This triumvirate
R ome? Fallen? Its a pose. A conspiracy! My Imperium has
roads of shadow. My commands reveal themselves in
wolf howls and worm wriggles. You, who have not been given
ascended; Camilla became princeps officium of the Eternal
City and permanent dictator during the Punic Wars, when
supremacy by the Vicar of Christ and anointed with the fire of the Eternal Senate fought Carthaginian Brujah, and their
God, much less followed the Son beyond death, to confront competing Third City. Camilla turned war leader, succeeding
sin, cannot comprehend the mysteries of power. Indeed, not just as a politician but as a strategist. He had a keen
insight on the enemy, you see, having entertained one Tanit-

THE THIRD TRUE CITY

13
baal-Sahar: a decadent, a demon, a Carthaginian through the secret signs given to true members of the Senate. The
and through. Thus, one wonders if the battle between Rome Ignoti became the majority, and then gradually withdrew their
and Carthage was as much a lovers quarrel as a war. servants. Cretheus is all thats left now. He minds the city
Rome won, Camilla ruled, and this time mortals took and manages such offices as are necessary for its upkeep. He
inspiration from us, for soon enough they made their own bent a knee to me when I adopted the Blood, and I cherish
dictator for life out of a warlord, and founded the Empire. Yet him as a servant, even to the point of tolerating his excessive
in triumph Camilla grew bored, full of the caprice lesser minds familiarity. He advised me that one Ventrue, Constantinus,
confuse for weakness. The Great Fire of Rome supposedly served as princeps in Rome, but of course that was just a title
took him, especially since his enemies servants sifted through to placate barbaric Cainites who lack the imagination to
the rubble of his haven, exposing every stone to the sun. As recognize a grander ruler.
you know, he only slept, awaiting more interesting times. I never liked Constantinus. He took his office far too
After that, nothing in particular happened until I arrived, seriously. I admit it: Im glad the earthquake got him! That
about 1,000 years later. Anyone can tell you my history under was an eyes blink ago, in 1229. Mortals yelled, ruins fell, and
the sun, my ascension to Emperor, mortal Romes rebellion in digging through rubble to save the living (or at least, steal
that sort of thing. I know now my apparent failures were the marble) they exposed poor Constantinus to the noonday
foreordained, so that I might be given Eternal Rome, Night sun. Yet it was truly an act of God, for that selfsame earth-
Rome, and unite it with my mortal divine right! Thus I rule quake awoke Camilla. I was concerned at first. I knew his
the Roman Empire through subtle means. illustrious history and prepared for usurpation. Yet my First
Senator, ever-perceptive, told me, Let him become Prince.
What? Oh yes. The Eternal Senate never exactly dis-
Hell attract assassins and consternation that would other-
banded. Many of them left Rome, installing emissaries to
wise strike your Imperial person. Furthermore, Cretheus
represent them. These proxies often refused to identify
reminded me Camilla had been Pontifex of the Damned,
their ruling elders, who were called Ignoti, yet they knew

THE DOMAIN OF ROME

14
and therefore could crown me Imperator Augustus for the
Damned, just as the Pope had sanctified my rule for the living.
It was an understated ceremony. Would you like to see
RECKONINGS
the crown? WITH HISTORY

Glorious Tradition
Im afraid I must conceal the highest secrets of governance
A s interpreted by Otto, Romes history and Cainite
traditions can complicate visitors lives in a num-
ber of ways.
from you. I cant have you turning pretender on me! So Ill
The Ignoti, the Inconnu: Rome witnessed the
limit myself to well-known Cainite offices.
Eternal Senates transformation into the Ignoti or as
The Prince: Camilla puts on a show of holding the they are increasingly called, the Inconnu. As First
barbaric office known throughout Europe, though of course Senator, Cretheus is the only accessible member of
from my point of view hes the princeps officii, who deals with this group of elders. He has witnessed their transfor-
purely local affairs. I let him have his court and pleasures, mation from power-hungry Cainites to mystics. Yet,
and you should direct high petitions to him. the 13th-century Inconnu doesnt have the same sin-
First Senator: Cretheus is the last of the ancient order, gular devotion to Golconda as it will; some of them
princeps senatus, and only senator now the rest have gone would be perfectly willing to return to Rome in power,
Ignoti, dispersed into the wilds. Yet the Eternal Senate never especially now that Camillas returned. Cretheus
formally abandoned their positions, and Cretheus commu- belongs to the groups mystical faction and, through
nicates with them from time to time. Perhaps once in a full various schemes, prevents would-be Eternal Sena-
moon an emissary who knows the old forms appears, calling tors from retaking office. To maintain the fiction of a
Cretheus Monitor, and speaks to him privately. Indeed, this united body, the First Senator may employ trusted (or
is how the Bride of Night presented herself. He advises the safely ignorant) coteries to stymie such efforts.
Prince and acts in his stead, when necessary.
The Rogue Praetor: As a joke, Camilla made
Pontifex: Cursed by Caine, we Damned have a great need Thrax praetor urbanus. Thrax feels morally obligated
for religion. But which religion? Mortals may claim one faith or to carry out the offices duties, but hardly acknowl-
another, but we of the ancient lineage must celebrate the many edges the Prince at all. The fact that her Brujah were
faiths given to us through historys trials. Camilla is the most allowed to kill the Toreador Patrician set a message
learned in these matters, and holds this office as well. I must say, that the Prince would let Thrax and her gang do
however, that he is hardly unbiased, calling himself Antipope whatever they wishbut, led by Katharoi on the
and saying that we exist to explore base passions such as the Road of Heaven, they dont abuse their power much.
living must ban from their philosophies, lest they degenerate. Even the Toreador, Myrna, isnt ashes, but stowed in
Dont bother me with the details; his sermons bore me. the tower of an extinguished Roman family. Thrax
The Praetors: God gave us the Beast to humble our immor- had planned to bring Myrna under the Blood Oath
tal intellects. We love battle and blood. The Praetors maintain and convert her to the Pure religion, but her own
the balance between violence and pure thought. The praetor spiritual journey has since convinced her that doing
urbanus enforces the Princes decrees within Rome. The praetor so would be wrong however, releasing Myrna with
peregrinus protects our borderlands, and is our warrior emissary no guarantees would be a disaster.
when we must fiercely assert Romes prestige against invaders. The Secret Emperor: Dont treat Otto III as a
The Brujah who calls herself Thrax is praetor urbanus. I think joke. While Cainites have been known to grumble
that was meant to be a joke, but shes an excellent mediator. when they bend the knee and indulge him, many
The latest peregrinus is a Gangrel, Maria, who rarely enters Malkavians do treat him as the true Holy Roman
Rome proper. Mithraic Praetorians occasionally present their Emperor. Due to his Clan, Cainites from the old
credentials here, but note the distinction. The Praetorians families who refuse to let the Curse interfere with their
serve Mithras; the Praetor serve Rome. traditions, and their mortal relatives and catspaws,
Aedile: Youve met Maginardo. The mans as cold as a Otto really does have a vast network of loyal agents.
statue, and as intimate with stone and carvers tools. This city Through Dementation and Dominate, he has a knack
of ruins and tunnels needs such a functionary. I disapprove of for drawing Cainites into his delusion, so his presump-
all this secret construction. It encourages skulking and con- tions of supremacy may take on a pressing reality.
spiracy. In any event, I keep ordering him to build me a palace
but hes always making excuses about why it cant be done.

THE THIRD TRUE CITY

15
 Patricians: Like mortal Romans, we rely on patricians to I cannot allow Rome to become a devil-haunted ruin for
take care of night to night, Clan to Clan business. Though I the sake of enlightenment to come, but I have prepared the
am no patrician, I understand the use of the title refers to way for Cainites to debase themselves as Saulot did, so they
my dominion over the Children of Malkav. You may use it in can be mightily purified when Fate demands a reckoning.
that context without offending me. Romes full of pilgrims This is why I resurrected Camilla. As the lover and student
and wayward souls, Cainite and kine, and we represent of Tanitbaal-Sahar, no vampire knows the Road of Sin as
them as well. Sadly, this means certain patricians are barely he does. At your command I transfixed him in his lair as
Roman, and when their interests change, they leave. Beyond the Great Fire burned, and buried him deeper than mortals
my Imperial personage, the only patricians worth noting are can dig. I revived him without your leave, and ask your for-
Cretheus, who assumes such duties for the Ventrue, and that giveness. The Tremere appeared, the moon shone black and
irritating Lasombra nun, the Bride of Night. the little Prince I installed perished. I took these as signs of
urgency, and perhaps movement among the Thirteen, and
the Dark Father above.
Our Fallen State Camillas subjects explore all the passions that separate
mortals from the One Above. Youll have to see for your-
By Cretheus, First Senator self; my words cannot convey the inventive ways in which
My Sire. My God. Redeemer. Camilla weaves together pain and pleasure, taxing even the
Yes, I see your gaze in this blood drinkers eyes. Did you natural endurance of a vampires body. This is the sacrament
not teach me the gods were not bound to flesh and thick of his court, which he officiates dressed sometimes like a
blood but spirit to spirit, as dreams? So it is with you, who bishop, and sometimes in a purple toga, wreathed like the
moves secretly among your descendants. What is it like to emperors of old. He declares himself his subjects priest:
fly swifter than birds or lightning from far Londinium? Pontifex Maximus of the immortals. Attendees are often
too cowed by his power to refuse his debauched ministry,
I beg your forgiveness. Cloaked in anothers flesh, you were
and he knows it. Hes a master of his Road, disciplined in
forced to listen to fools and pretenders: the Nosferatu builder,
pleasure-seeking. He cannot be blinded by lust. He doesnt
the Malkavian who calls himself Emperor. Let me wash away
remember that I revived him but knows hes part of some
the lies. I trust that once Im done youll remove the memories
greater scheme and he knows Rome belongs to me. I hide
from your servants body. I do not wish to destroy her.
the defiled bodies. I conceal the indiscretions of maddened
Cainites. He chooses indulgence over struggle because it is
The Court of the Antipope expedient for him to do so.
I was a mere sorcerer, dreaming of secret knowledge even I made him Prince to test vampires. Some recoil from the
as my body decayed, and ensured Id never live long enough to Antipopes court. Others lose themselves in lust. Theyre
win the prize of enlightenment. You Embraced me, saying, I failures. A few might become Camillas disciples, masters
give you 1,000 lifetimes to seek out the knowledge of 10,000. of Sin, but in keeping with the practices of Saulot we must
You charged me with discovering an escape from damnation. destroy that attachment as well. Only those who possess
Ive followed your commands without diversion or distraction. the strength to climb back to virtue from the deepest pit of
I went into the desert where flies sing the names of demons, iniquity are fit for salvation. Therefore, I must overthrow
and learned the sorcery of the Banu-Haqim. I took ships and Camilla. But not yet.
blood-quickened horses to the origin of silk, following the travels
of Saulot. I buried certain secrets liturgy in your cult, so follow- To Dash Them
ers of your Mysteries would know the way beyond damnation.
You know why you slay the bull, Redeemer: in memory of
Against the Stones
the Great Flood, and to remind us that salvation and sin are You know my loyalty, but you endure my weakness. Rome
one, drenched in purifying blood. The unity of good and evil is my place of penance, for it should have been your capital.
was Saulots way, and with study, your true followers know Your Pontifex Maximus should be preaching the way of puri-
it. In the city of Golconda, Saulot realized that to know the fication, of the Scorpion and the Bull. I spread your doctrine
One Above, one must study the Lords Below. He listened among the living and dead, and in Byzantium when Rome
to desert insects as I did, and gave them a home in Damned weakened. I devised Mysteries to conceal blood-drinkers
flesh, in pits of sacrifice. You know of the vile bloodline he presence, so that they could celebrate with the kine. That
made, and their secret reign in Carthage. Thus he shed the was my mistake; they used the cult as an opportunity for
great evil he cultivated, and prepared for peace. personal enrichment, and fighting among themselves, they

THE DOMAIN OF ROME

16
 BETWEEN SIN AND VIRTUE

Cretheus is a gateway to great secrets. He knows the disposition of the Ignoti, and entertains emissaries from the
Manus Nigrum. In Rome itself, Cretheus provokes intense conflicts.
Against Christ: While hes too sophisticated to believe that Mithras is literally God, Cretheus thinks his sire is
an emanation of a greater Mithras-principle, who suffered the Embrace to offer Cainites salvation. To the First Sen-
ator, Christianity is a deceitful abomination, designed to turn mortals and Cainites away from enlightenment. One
of the reasons he revived Camilla is that he knows the Prince of Sins matchless capacity for corrupting others. In his
private war on the Vatican, Cretheus sets Camillas vampires against the Church. He believes that no matter who
wins it will weaken the Holy Sees grip on Europe, allowing him to revive Mithraic practices. Soldiers of Faith stalk
Rome in search of heresy and supernatural dangers, threatening all Cainite residents. It will only get worse.
Romes Apocalypse: Cretheus believes Saulot found Golconda by immersing himself in evil. He studied it,
conquered it, and therefore gave a full account of his sins to the One Above. The First Senator wishes to imple-
ment Saulots way on a social scale, by exposing Romes vampires to Camillas extreme vice, then purifying them
when the Church exacts vengeance. Mortals will riot and vampires will burn, and a minority of Cainite survivors
will understand their sins and follow him to redemption, and Golconda. If characters discover the scheme, they
might oppose it by allying with Camilla, but throwing their lot in with the Prince of Sin presents its own compli-
cations.
The Silent Bride: Through the Bride of Night, the Lasombra have made it clear they have a certain inter-
est in the Vatican. The Bride visits regularly, taking secret paths that bypass the burning of Faith within. For all
his power, Cretheus has no idea what shes doing, though he believes she wouldnt welcome his plans to set the
Church against the citys Cainites and weaken it for Mithras sake. Cretheus thinks he sees on older, coal-black
gaze in her eyes. The Bride speaks with Thrax about unknown matters. She seems to be gathering Cainites of a
certain spiritual disposition as a third faction, in case of a struggle to come.

destroyed it. The Christians pretended to be weak but re- I foresee two possible outcomes. In the first, the soldiers
sisted every persecution, as if possessed by some mania for of faith attack in force, culling the weakest members of the
suffering. Even before the Lasombra threw their lot in with Road of Sin. In that chaos, Camilla loses many of his loyal
them, Id failed you and your true religion. revellers. I will return him to the earth until we have need
I cant deny the Christians faith. My cursed flesh burns of him again, and we shall see which of the surviving Sinners
in its presence. The One Above rewards sincerity more than are fit to follow the way of Saulot, from darkness to liberation.
truth, it seems. His power resides in more than shrines and In the second, Camilla revives the power he displayed during
relics, however. Certain holy orders refine this raw faith into the Punic Wars. His followers on the Road of Sin take up
a form of sorcery. You would think that enslaving devotion the sword and liberate Rome from the Christians. Many
to fallible mortal will would be blasphemy, but no: They pray mortal Romans will join him, for they love the memory of
for fire and thunder with carefully rehearsed words, and often the Empire more than their Holy Father.
win such blessings. These Knights of Acre, Messianic Voices, We will be surrounded on all sides by mortal and Cainite
and Templars are restless in Rome, far from their Crusades. enemies, but let them come, bulls to the slaughter. Let them
I will test their faith with Camillas sin. The Prince is too come from the Castle of Shadows to defend their pet clerics.
disciplined to be baited, but his cult of Sin already defies We will show them the sun. Let Brujah gnaw at the corners
the Silence of the Blood in small ways. Ive stopped hiding of our efforts. We will show them pits of sacrifice to remind
the bodies. The involuntary Praetor Thrax wrestles with them of the sins of Carthage, but fill them with their ashes.
uncooperative Cainites to suppress every report of killings, By the way of Saulot or the fall of Christian Rome, we will
of fanged women and other terrors. Warriors clad in faith prevail. No matter what transpires, the results will be pleasing
and mail already explore the catacombs. to you, my God, my Sire, my Mithras.

OUR FALLEN STATE

17
 Brujah Apocrypha:
The Age of Purification
ic as we suppose,
Learned Sire, fear not. The Franks and Lombards are not as barbar
great faith to their Holy Father
though I admit theyre a tumultuous people. They profess
ambit ions demand it.
when it suits them, but wallow in heresy and violence when their
to survey its spirit.
As we agreed, I have come to Rome, the cracked stone heart of the West,
to Ireland. I studied
This is the conclusion of a wider journey ranging from the Black Forest
e of observations, listed
the state of our Clan in the West. My servant brings another volum
ce in Toulouse. Their
kingdom by kingdom, with special attention for our Clans presen
our kin drink deeply of the wine of Western
philosophical focus is an exception. More often,
Ambit ious kine seek co-conspirators
disunity. Desperate mortals ask for their protection.
against weak kings. Our power-drunk brethren serve them all.
blows from its master.
The state of the West might be likened to a cur that withstood many
discipline, but soon find the beasts
Men who beat their dogs thus tell themselves they instill
s raise hands for any reason. We
impossible to train, for they shudder and flee when their master
ons passed from mother and
must not forget that even the kine have long memories, in traditi
ss disease of the soul,
father to child. In that sense they remember Rome. Through some wordle
ment. The pretender
so many know they were once slaves that they refuse all effective govern
h dukes and clerics.
Emperor in the West rules through military strength, negotiated throug
truly free, for fear, not
The paradox of the beaten cur is that although untrainable, he is never
a slave to men, but fear.
reason, inspires his rebellion. Yet we must give him this: He is no longer
seize such opportuni-
Our Western kin, Embraced from such, wallow in personal rage and
cannot build new
ties as can be had from kine who tire of their lords but, lacking in spirit,
informed by philos-
lives for their followers. Yet they have begun to understand their flaws,
who have by your grace come to the Blood
ophies theyve rediscovered after their Crusades. I,
my purpos e. The Clan of Philosophers
in your unbroken lineage of scholars, now understand
to chang e the order of things.
must be tested and trained. Only then will they prove worthy
h, provides an
A sect of Paulicians, called Cathars by enemies in the Western Churc
closely joined to Greek thought. I will
opportunity, though its simple faith must be more
teach them to control intem-
apply such principles to inspire our Western cousins. I will
and undisc iplined
perate desire and stand with Wisdom against the falsehoods of lust
be strong er for it. To
ambition. Untrainable curs must be destroyed, but the Brujah will
though the current
them and to our enemies, the coming age will appear disordered, even
state of affairs is truly fallen. I name myself for the turmoil I bring.

She Who is Called THRAX, of the line of Procet, Critias,

Menele and Troile, and of the Antediluvian Philosopher

reassert Brujah power in lands they believe are beset by oppor-

The Pure Ones tunistic warlords. That the Ventrue and Tzimisce seem to enjoy
Thrax is one of many colonists, firebrands and secular Cru- this state of affairs is a strong argument for such political projects,
saders whove come West to reinvigorate the Clan. Zealot elders particularly since Cainites at the bottom of these arrangements
sent some forth, but many travel of their own initiative, eager to increasingly chafe at bending a knee before their betters.

THE DOMAIN OF ROME

18
 The Brujah long harbored these ambitions, but in the past
they lacked a common philosophy. Western Zealots learned WHAT HAPPENED
the Clans Hellenistic heritage from their Sires anecdotes,
fragmentary texts, and legends. In the last case, this was not
TO THE PURE?
especially helpful. Its hard to argue for Carthage when an In future centuries, some vampires follow the
educated Ventrue can answer with tales of the citys corruption. Path of Cathari, but theyre nothing like the Pure
For many Eastern Brujah the trigger was the sack of of the dark medieval era. Instead, they follow an evo-
Constantinople in 1203. Before that point, the Clan believed lution of the Via Pecatti, indulging every lustful whim,
Western Europe wanted to unite under the rule of law, and and see themselves as monsters predestined to sin. If
could become a worthy groom for the Roman Empire in the history follows this path it seems that Katharoi fire-
East. After all, the West had thrown off widespread chattel brands will fail catastrophically. This need not happen
slavery and, through the Papacy, rebuilt a common culture. in your chronicle, but the possibility suggests serious
And unite they did as marauders against the Saracens, challenges ahead that can drive your stories, such as:
then Byzantium itself. Camilla and the Court of Rome: In Rome,
These wars produced one favorable effect: They provid- Thrax contends against Camilla, the second greatest
ed access to philosophical texts long lost to the West, but practitioner of the Road of Sin to ever exist. Perhaps
preserved under Islam. They opened the way to scientific Thrax grows powerful enough for the eccentric Ven-
discoveries, too, but most of all presented the idea that true to notice, and he thoroughly corrupts her. In
knowledge could exist beyond the framework of the Word of Rome, certain powers seek to explore the nature of
God and its clerical interpreters. Brujah harness these ideas. Golconda, and perhaps challenge the Church itself.
In an era of increasing resistance to clerical authority, theyve If the Pure Brujah resist manipulation, they might
chosen Gnostic dualism as the sword best forged for their overthrow it all.
aims. The Zealots build religions with almost cynical calcula-
The Cainite Heresy: In exalting vampires
tion, drawing from Neoplatonism, apocryphal Scripture and
above other beings, the Gnostic Cainite Heresy is
other obscure sources. Although Thrax herself remains in
a likely culprit for the destruction of the Katharoi.
Rome, many of her compatriots have gathered in southern
They use similar teachings, but direct them against
France, where theyve named themselves Katharoi, and
everything the Pure Brujah stand for. The Cainite
support mortal Cathars (the same word, spoken in French
Heresy has many allies among vampires who are ei-
and Latin) not as patrons, but spiritual guides.
ther eager to be worshipped, or who honestly believe
Thrax is typical in her use of the philosophical sword. She that theyre saintly monsters preparing the way for
holds one edge forward, against capricious tyranny among the third coming of Caine (according to Cainites,
Cainite and kine, but the other faces her Clan, to cut down the second coming was Jesus Christ).
the unworthy. Theres no room for corruption in the move-
ment, no tolerance for Brujah whod ape lordly selfishness. The Secret Inquisition: Southern France
Better the few and strong, than an undisciplined mob. endured the Albigensian Crusade against mortal Ca-
thars. The Church fails to destroy them completely,
however, and founds the historical Inquisition
Against Rex Mundi to mop them up. Yet even before this, the Secret
Katharoi battle many enemies. They promote heresy, Inquisition and other sects powered by Faith not
earning ire from the Church and Christian Cainites. Theyre only do the Churchs work, but specifically seek out
hated by aristocratic Cainites for rejecting the materialistic supernatural influence. What depths could the most
tools mighty vampires use to manipulate supposed inferiors. idealistic vampire sink to, once provoked?
Finally, the Cainite Heresy uses Gnostic sources to make
vampires objects of worship, and opposes Katharoi equality
rhetoric. Followers tailor sermons to local political condi-
perfection, beyond matter and desire. Brujah Katharoi seek
tions, but the main body profess a few teachings in common.
unity with the true God as Sophia, the wisdom principle
The Reign of the Demiurge: The world was made by personified, which they believe is equivalent to beholding
the Demiurge: a being subsidiary to God (and perhaps the the Platonic Forms. Mortal Cathars rarely entertain these
same as Lucifer, and sometimes called Rex Mundi, king of more abstract ideas.
the world) who hides the true nature of the world in a cloak
Denying Material Things: To conquer matter, a human
of matter, pain, and lust. God represents absolute truth and
or vampire must deny worldly pleasures: fine clothing,

BRUJAH APOCRYPHA

19
 PATH OF THE PURE (KATHAROI)
Score Minimum Wrongdoing Rationale
10 Desiring a material object or person. Wanting the things of this world blinds us to true
wisdom.
9 Feeding beyond satiation (that is, filling more than Feeding beyond need is gluttony.
half of ones Blood Pool).
8 Lying by omission or passive deception (such as by Deception is an act of the heart.
employing stealth).
7 Giving ones blood to another. It is a sin to ensnare another in the illusions of this
world.
6 Telling a lie; tricking a person. Blinding another to the truth is the work of the Demi-
urge.
5 Accepting a position of authority or honor, except Pride is the Demiurges motive, for he pretends to be
as a teacher of the Path. God.
4 Engaging in sexual congress or drinking another Lust is of the world, and impure.
Cainites blood.
3 Feeding for pleasure. Gluttony weighs us down; we ingest the worlds
foulness.
2 Stealing or killing for pleasure. You give reign to our material lusts, like Caine.
1 Torturing a person or ravaging a community for You condemn others to the prison of this world.
pleasure or personal power.

food and drink, sex, the lust for power, and pride in ones escaping his world of lies. Cainites who choose the hard
accomplishments. Thus it is necessary to live communally, road of rejecting matter become wiser than mortals, for they
respecting knowledge over birth. Mortals should eat, drink, overcome greater lusts and temptations.
and dress plainly, and engage in sex for reproduction alone.
Cainites must follow similar strictures, feeding only when The Path of the Pure
necessary and refusing to accept or receive the Blood Oath,
which Katharoi call a lustful and foolish attachment. Cainite Katharoi may belong to the Path of the Pure. This
is a variation on the Road of Heaven, similar to the Paths of
Cainite Damnation: Vampires were raised from Caine, Life, Christ, and The Prophet followed by Jewish, Christian,
the mortal most seduced by matter, to blind humans as he and Muslim vampires, and not a wholly autonomous Road.
was blinded, and are part of the corrupt world of desire. They Beyond the details of the Path, use the same Aura (Holiness),
serve the Demiurge. But Rex Mundi is not omnipotent, and Virtues (Conscience and Self-Control) and general ethics
cannot keep anyone who was once a child of Adam from found on pp. 119-120 of V20 Dark Ages.

THE DOMAIN OF ROME

20
 Nosferatu Apocrypha:
The Elder Tunnels
My Brother in Penitence, I hope your nights are peaceful, and that you
may find balance
between dread hunger and your meditations. I thank you for your advice and
hope for my soul. Al-
though I do not hope for redemption in Christ, I strive to be a good man in
an evil place. I think you
would approve of my acts even though I do not pray.

I can explain what you find perplexing. I have given your servant certain books,
translated from
Arabic. I copied the pictures myself. In them you will find descriptions of the oldest
Greek, Roman, and
Egyptian buildings, and of new palaces of the finest design. I have taken special
care to describe the
nature of their supporting structures. These will be of particular use when you attemp
t to repair and expand
your crypts. Furthermore, I can explain the nature of the curious objects you sent
to me, which speak
of our Clans ancient presence in your homeland. They must have seemed to depict
some twisted autumn
wood, with unusual tree branches that turn and separate the way they would on
no true tree, and some-
times terminate in fruits of stone and bone, or boxes. They are not branches. They
are maps.
I possess a collection of such carvings, given to me when I assumed my master
s duties minding
Romes ruins and catacombs. They describe other structures, however. Imagi
ne a system of tunnels,
all flooded, turning to ice. Think upon how the ice would appear if the surroun
ding earth and stone
wore to dust and blew away. Imagine oneself a giant, able to hold these threads
and lumps of ice in
your hand. They would resemble the objects I describe. Some are strange trees
with dozens of branch-
es, taller than a man, but others might fit into the folds of a robe, and only
contain a few branches.
Some have other symbols carved upon them. I cannot read them.

These artifacts will not describe tunnels built during the reign of Rome, nor
of any kingdom known
to kine. They are maps to ancient ways, found beneath the deepest catacom
bs not only in Christen-
dom, but in the lands of the Turks. In some places a Cainite can travel many
miles without seeing
the sky, though he might be forced to break his own bones to fit through the
smallest passages. I urge
careful exploration, however. Long has it been the tradition of ancient Cainit
es to construct labyrinths
as refuges. Creatures who seek to hide from the sight of God dwell underground
out of the sight of
angels, they say, and closer to Hell. The Kindly Ones have mounds and
crypts. I need not remind
you of the great enemy of our Clan, which also seeks refuge in the dark. Explor
e these secret ways
cautiously. Use the arts I have described to make them large, safe, civilized
dwellings.

Maginardo, Aedile of Rome

even warrens created in the memory of known elders. Ancient

Strange Passages Cainites are but one of the monsters one might encounter.
Nosferatu know secret ways: tunnels beyond the usual To the Dark Medieval mind, Hell lies underground, and
catacombs and sunken ruins they make their lairs in, beyond superstitious Nosferatu fear to tread in the lowest places,

NOSFERATU APOCRYPHA

21
lest a wall crumble to reveal infernal fire. Even reasonable wriggle down. The more comfortable a network is, the more
vampires proceed with caution. They are not the only mon- likely it is to have other inhabitants.
sters crawling inside the Elder Tunnels.
Dwellers Below
Walking the Depths Nosferatu are one of many groups that claim underground
Elder Tunnels can be found near the oldest settlements, places. Others may be found exploring the Elder Tunnels,
either dug below their oldest structures, or extended from and claiming portions as exclusive territory.
natural caves. In many cases kine know of their upper Cappadocian Catacombs: The Clan of Death digs
reaches and make them into storage sites, catacombs, or underground havens for shelter and to study their morbid
shelters. German-speakers call them erdstelln (earth- arts. These are less wide ranging but more elaborate than
steads). Elder Tunnels arent natural features, but may Nosferatu complexes. They sometimes intersect the Elder
intersect with or expand upon them. They bear chisel Tunnels. Cappadocians traditionally believe underground
marks, or scratches mortals would assume come from places belong to them and lie close to the lands and energies
tools, but wise Cainites recognize as signs of bare-handed, of death. They especially resent Nosferatu intruders.
inhuman strength.
Fae Mounds: Some of the so-called Fair Folk build their
They extend a much greater distance than many would keeps beneath earthen mounds. When they connect to the
believe possible. Miles. Sometimes Elder Tunnel networks Elder Tunnels, safe passage usually requires some obscure
connect, making lightless travel between cities possible. The ritual, honoring ancient oaths between the Fae and Cainites.
farther the tunnels extend, the more difficulties a traveler Bringing any sort of iron into a Fae mound is a grave offense.
encounters: darkness greater than any night, mud, submerged
Ghosts: At certain natural caves and underground
byways, sharp rocks, and passages barely wide enough to
springs, the shroud between life and death is thin, so

THE DOMAIN OF ROME

22
 WAY UNDERGROUND

T he Elder Tunnels described here are exaggerations of real ancient and medieval tunnels that can be found
throughout Europe. Known as erdstalls in modern German, theyre less extensive than in the dark medieval era,
but their purpose is a mystery, even though many appear to have been constructed as late as the 11th to 13th century.
Conspiracy theorists argue that these are part of a common tradition with older underground structures, and form vast
networks and thats the approach taken here, combined with other sites mentioned in the World of Darkness.
Taken together, these open the possibility of exploring a vast underground network, confronting its dangers,
and returning with elders blood and strange artifacts. This of course is similar to another style of game, whose
conventions we certainly would never encourage you to emulate. Of course not.

ghosts freely manifest. These were often important strange songs and bloody sacrifices. Sometimes they actually
places during pagan times, when kine would come to honor a Cainite, witch, or fairy.
offer sacrifice to their ancestors. These sacrifices cause Orphic Beasts: Some things are simply monsters. Nosfer-
ghosts to become attached to the place long after their atu hold a number of theories as to why the Elder Tunnels
descendants forget them. Furthermore, it is said that some serve as their refuge. Some report wereanimals who, when
deep places provide swift passage to the true afterlife, made ghouls across generations, bred true with the curse
across the River Styx. Cappadocians often build havens within them, like revenants. Others blame monstrous ghosts,
near such places. renegade Tzimisce creations, or fallen pagan gods.
Labyrinthine Havens: Some Methuselahs keep elabo-
rate underground havens, sealing off and expanding Elder Bracchia: Maps of the Dark
Tunnels. Most of these were built during the decline of Nosferatu rarely map the Elder Tunnels. Knowing of them
the Western Roman Empire, but a few date from earlier is considered a Clan privilege, given to well-regarded ancillae
times. They began as wild bolt holes for vampires whose and elders. Therefore, those favored are supposed to rely on
influence collapsed, but were expanded to include audience memory. But in forgotten times, the Priors ancestors created
chambers, defensive features and ritual spaces. peculiar artifacts to guide the way. Theyre called bracchia,
Lupine Spirals: Vampires know that werewolves are because they often resemble branches or misshapen limbs.
mighty warriors who despise them, and not much else. But A bracchium is a three-dimensional model of a tunnel
the Nosferatu are aware of a clan of Lupines similar to system carved of stone, bone or wood. A rare few are made
themselves, with distorted visages and knowledge of un- of copper or bronze instead. The largest are only practical
derground places. Theyve reworked portions of the Elder for ceremonies and meetings. Explorers can carry smaller
Tunnels into circular mazes. Nosferatu keep clear of these, ones. With practice, they can be read by touch. Most are
since the Spiral Clan Lupines within are as unfriendly as not accurate to scale. They might omit a mile of uninter-
the others, and keep monsters as guardians. esting tunnel, or possess thicker portions than they should
Mystery Cults: Descendants of cults that trod under- to prevent breakage.
ground for their ceremonies, secret mortal sects claim parts Some Nosferatu refuse to use bracchia and destroy them
of the Elder Tunnels still. They may have replaced the Old when they find them. They believe Niktuku made the brac-
Gods with saints, but even then might still worship with chia, and they sense when prey use them.

23
 The colour of the water is as it were a depe blew se water, and rikketh like a sething potte.
John Leland, poet and antiquary writing of medieval Bath

T owns exceeding Baths size dot the British Isles, many of

which boast markets more grandiose, cathedrals of greater
magnitude, and more defensible walls. Few share its beauty,
spring streams of pure water; the well-appointed town har-
bors little appearance of grotesqueries. Yet beyond its walls
is naught but darkness for miles around. Even villages are
history, or symbolic importance to the Baronies of Avalon. scant, as dead battlefields stretch from coast to coast. For a
A Cainite might dismiss Bath as a curiously small domain for vampire, such isolation is both warming and alienating. The
such a sizeable Cainite populace, and swiftly move on. Baths domains Consul makes clear all who haven within Baths
Cainites confidently scorn these cretins. Londinium may be Roman-built walls must treat their home as sanctuary and
Mithras seat, but Aquae Sulis is his crown, is a common keep no secrets. Bath is a domain of truths. Privacy is a
phrase. To its vampires, there is no domain more important. luxury granted to few. The outside world offers only threats.
Something of Bath, and the outposts standing in its Absolute loyalty to Mithras and the Baronies is a realistic
place prior, draws Cainites like parasites to an open wound. expectation, yet menacing the domain from within Pro-
A Celtic shrine settlement existed long before the Romans methean Cainites attempt bloody revolt. The Winchester
arrived. Even then, vampires in the region were many, and Tremeres overtures, growing discontent over the taxed
of diverse Clans. The lands and waters spoke to the mystics feeding stock, and the ancient plans of necromancers start
among them, and others mortal or otherwise. the unwavering domains slide into disaster.
In Bath, belief in Mithras is power. Within the town boundaries,
the Unconquered Suns Praetorians train to fight in service to
their god. Plotters from across the land make Bath their meeting
point, its inviolability as the Baronies sacred ground unmatched.
The Lie of the Land
Mithras cultists offer any sharing Avalons foes a refuge, if they As told by Evnissyen the Bloodied, Lhiannan Promethean of Sul

T
accept Mithras as their liege and divinity. An army of Mithras his is a domain of truth, the Consul claims, and so I
fanatical subjects grows behind Baths creamy golden stones. shall tell the truth as my line knows it.
The settlements traffic, by way of its position wedged Sul was once this settlements name. The Welsh of old
between Wales and the south coast of England, is one of worshipped a deity named Sul, as did the native vampires,
several reasons Bath sustains its impressive Cainite popu- and other beings of mystical significance. My sire Eirianwen
lation. Fair meadows flank it on either side, set in a fruitful tells me the deity is one of the oldest, torpid Lhiannan, but
and pleasant valley, and great hills surround it, out of which evidence is scant. The holdfast of Sul was divine ground to

THE LIE OF THE LAND

25
those who stood upon it, all thoughts of bloodshed abandon- Given the prevalent Mithraic worship among our kind, the
ing their minds as they met with those they would typically impossible reach of his powers, and influence he exerts by just
oppose, break fast, and enjoy tales from other cultures. Sul sitting a throne in London, Mithras receives praise for all. Few
was significant before the Romans brought their columns are immune to the glory of his existence. It is a constant battle
of sandals down upon it. It was a fine time to be a scholar to remain free of his will. I find murdering his offspring helps.
of magic and blood. Only in this place could we meet with When slaves built the domains impressive walls two centuries
security, and no fear of reprisals for past slights. into Roman occupation, the stone boundary acted as a clear sign
Or so Im told. I was Embraced after the Roman arrival, to those with aspirations of the domain becoming peaceable. Sul
and my sire is prone to poetic nonsense. I do know magicians was a Mithraic town. A war town. A handful of temples to the
of the Old Faith hold designs on Suls springs, but find no vampire emperor scarred the domain, most underground, some
ground exempt from Arcadius gaze. carved into the soft rock of the surrounding hills. When Marcus
Roman dignitaries fooled the native Celts under banners Verus Embraced the retired Praetorian Arcadius, he created
of peace and joy. Claudius Caesars men were somehow ex- a Mithraic Consul for Bath. Suls High Queen disappeared
empt from Suls bonds of pacifism. Romans seized this town overnight. Her name was Eanfld, her Clan now stricken from
through deception and slaughter. They followed their acts records. Even tonight, Eanflds cultists appear, though their
with supplication to Sul, associating the goddess with their mistress proves elusive. Aspiring Unconquered hunt them for
own Minerva, ultimately merging the two and renaming sport across moorlands and beneath the town. A great many
the town as Aquae Sulis the Waters of Sul. The Romans vampires go missing on these chases.
appropriated the name as insult. They stole the settlement, Assassination attempts were common until Arcadius
butchered the peaceful pact, and raped our goddess; forcing declared the Brujah Olwen his consort, and won that Clans
her into another. Roman sorcerers cursed the natives and favor. Cappadocians began clinging to him like flies after
their brethren with tablets buried in the Sacred Spring, the Ventrue-Brujah union. Some suspect a form of blood
dedicated to Sulis Minerva and sapping her strength to fuel magic warding defended him against our daggers, but this
their petty vendettas. Many of these tablets remain, buried is a time well before Tremeres advent. Look to the stinking
in the underground channels. Cappadocians and their dark magic.
Naturally, the native vampires were far from paragons of The Great Bath and its many sisters were all children
the Via Humanitas. Some still roam these lands, especially of Sul, ripped from her womb in attempts to emulate the
farther west in Cornwall, Devonshire, and blessed Wales. sunken chambers Romans used in their homeland. These
One such vampire devil, Meryasek ap Ninmug, refutes the baths were among the first projects Roman mortals undertook
term Cainite. He claims the moorlands as his domain. upon settling, the springs of varying temperature wondrous
Meryasek waits on ill-trod trails, encountering unfortunate in a land so often overcast, the air filled with damp.
wanderers, and demands of them enthralling tales. A fe- Baths location, in the deepest well of a valley, with
rocious killer engages those who fail to entertain, though warm springs and verdant hills surrounding it, is a boon to
accounts conflict over whether the attacker is Meryasek, or mortals from farmers tilling the land to diplomats seeking
his fae twin born of shadow. respite from the cold. It is however uncomfortably humid.
I cannot say if Sul was Lhiannan or something other. We Blood-draining bugs regularly congregate on this town, the
make sacrifice to the goddess to this night. Drag a Cainite warm mists sunken, with us often bearing the blame. Truthfully,
from his haven and stake him over the sacred springs. Watch the fetid Osfryth summons them. She is an unpopular Prior
the vitae run through the stream and towards the town. of our domain, but as a Mithraic adherent most tolerate her.
Allow the kine to drink back what was taken from them, I spit on her name, too.
before the scum greets the dawn. I concede the baths are a thing of beauty. To rest ones cold
frame in a sink of naturally hot water, the odor of the earths
Roman Primacy depths clinging to your skin, is a chief enjoyment. Arcadius
Mithras. The first name you hear upon being Embraced himself holds court in the Great Bath, expecting all comers
in these Baronies of Avalon, likely before even that of your to strip to their skin and bathe with him as he presides over
sire. This dragon would take credit for Baths existence, if disagreements and Mithraic mandates. Outwardly, he does so
he could. As he secreted himself to these isles in the guise to rid potential assassins of their weapons. In fact, his rationale
of a Persian slave or foot soldier, his designs on the land is to put the prudish Cainites of recent centuries Embraced
materialized. Mithras is our jailer and executioner. I spit nuns and priests among them in a shameful position.
on his name. I have no compunction over unveiling my body, I assure you.

THE DOMAIN OF BATH

26
 arrows illuminated Badon Hill and the screams of the dying
Artorius and made it seem alive. We watched from the safety of Aquae
Sulis as the first siege failed spectacularly, and recovered
other Legends many of the bodies for our own purposes. They rest still in
our catacombs, awaiting a time to rise.
As told by Erebus, Baths Cappadocian Augur of Harbingers The Romans were victorious in the towns defense, the
Christian Artorius leading them while wearing the image
I nfighting between Roman Britons and Germanic mer-
cenaries began with the Empires western decline. The
breadth of the British Isles became awash with blood, not
of the Virgin. This sign of faith bolstered the mortal militia
as once did the faith of Sul. It was around this time Consul
merely a colorful turn of phrase. Britons not slain on the Arcadius grew wary of Christian worship in his domain.
battlefield were taken to the great rivers and run through, As the second siege bore down, Consul Arcadius offered
poisoning the waterways with their bodies. I know of many his internal enemies the Christians specifically as
Cainites who partook in this decades-long war, leeches resting sacrifice to the Saxons. The town passed between mortal
in the silt of riverbeds, awaiting their next meal. I admire hands with no further bloodshed, but the Cainite vitae spilt
their wits, if not their dignity. was copious. Consul Arcadius retained power; his loyalists
Aquae Sulis a domain of consequence to both Ro- and the Saxon Cainites who owed him for over a dozen
mans and Saxons was subject to siege on two separate staked vampires bolstered him. It was an admirable display
occasions. The fighting was an event to behold as flaming of tactical brilliance, made under my Clans supervision.
Artorius fate is a mystery, as he disappeared from Aquae
ARTORIUS AND OTHER LEGENDS

27
Sulis between sieges. Local Sarum now Salisbury sup- true represented stability. He brought with him a philosophy,
posedly became his seat. His ascension is a possibility, as the and a promise: those who followed him as a Praetorian of
Britons claimed many kings, and readily venerated warlords Mithras would find permanent sanctuary within Baths
who could sit a horse. More than simply proficient in swordplay, walls, an eternal position in the shieldwall of the domain,
Artorius was an unmatched manipulator of his own legend. His and respite from all hunters.
legacys followers hunt Cainites to this night. Some claim blood
lineage to him, or the knights once in his service. His famed Arcadius Rufus
blade passes from inquisitor to hunter. It cuts vampires with
ease, never mind their methods of protection. This weapon Mortal interest in Bath remained as Hwicce passed into the
and the notorious Sword of Nul seem capable of similar feats. kingdom of Mercia, and finally into the lands of King Alfred.
Alfred oversaw the reconstruction of the town, rejuvenating a
One of Artorius allies was a magician of repute born long withering settlement. The town once again became paramount
enough ago to recall Bath as Sul. Many a time he visited the when Edgar was crowned king in Bath Abbey. Though Bath
domain and counseled sorcerers; my line benefitted greatly avoided the Norman Conquest, the civil rebellion aimed at
from his wisdom. Cainites still seek this sorcerer out, as deposing King William Rufus led to the sacking of the newly
rumors hold he dwells near Glastonbury Tor, perhaps with- rebuilt town. Those of us with wealth and properties lost much
in the tower atop it. They believe he knows the secrets to to that petty mortal conflict. Graciously, Consul Arcadius
immortality, and reprieve from our Curse. These myths are compensated all for resources lost using coin from his personal
fanciful distractions. This Myrddin exists, but always takes treasury, housed at the town mint.
more than he gives. Ask the Cainites no longer capable of
crossing the Avon, or hearing the bells of the abbey without The Consuls largesse was a calculated move, modeled on
their skin sloughing off all for the dubious boon of being the actions of William Rufus. In order to quash his barons
able to eat a meal or father a child. rebellion, Rufus offered to pay the rebels off. The tactic worked.
Bribes, bad weather, and disharmony on the part of Williams
Artorius actions in battle proved something to Consul enemies secured the kings triumph within half a year.
Arcadius. The Consul was enforcing Mithraic rituals, but
had not stopped to encourage our faith. With belief, Artorius Shortly after Rufus awarded the town to his royal physi-
warriors were unstoppable. This revelation was integral to cian, my network discovered Olwens killers in Gloucester and
Consul Arcadius future reign. He delegated oversight of Deheubarth. Serens Malkavians kindly staked and delivered
the domain to Olwen, and disappeared from sight. In his them to us. Consul Arcadius offered mercy if they agreed to
absence, the nascent Anglo-Saxon rule renamed the domain accept Mithras, along with high positions as Unconquered
Bath, within the mortal kingdom of Hwicce. Celtic Chris- Praetorians. They all accepted. Again, he emulated William
tianity took hold over the mortals, but we Cainites never Rufus, who spared his enemies to appease the people.
took up the cross, having witnessed the fate awaiting those I wonder at the timing. Olwen falls, the Consul returns.
who stepped from Mithras shadow. Only in these nights do Her killers are found, and they become Consul Arcadius
Christian vampires tentatively trickle in, short shrift greeting chosen vampires. Some Cainites seek to avenge Olwen,
any designs they have on the domain or our herds. but doing so would require crossing Consul Arcadius. Not
As a realm, Hwicce persisted over two centuries. The baths a decision lightly undertook. I understand at least one of
became unpleasant, the walls crumbled, and ecclesiastical her assassins remains in the wilds between Bath and Bristol,
dominance stripped away the careful Roman planning of somehow broken free from her captors. I would pay hand-
the town. The kingdom was in a perpetual state of warfare, somely for time with that one.
but, as with times past, Bath was a secluded island, at least One of his own archers shot Rufus dead while hunting in
for the mortals. Some fools believe Consul Arcadius was forests not far from Bath. This is one of the kings features
communing with Sul, and she enforced an aura of peace. Consul Arcadius elected not to imitate.
Ridiculous.
Bath avoided the worst of Hwiccian plots, but Cainites Harbingers of the
grew restless. Vampires descended to old ways, striking each Promethean Flame
other over territory and feuds of epochs past. Olwen fell as
the Brujah turned inwards, blaming her for the domains The Ventrue Triumvirate of Geoffrey, Roald, and Liseult
deterioration. The accusation was unfair. She was ever kind arrived with William of Normandy. They sought to win the
and just, but lacked strength to rule. favor of Mithras barons during the Unconquered Suns torpor,
first through diplomacy, then through war. Their actions were
Consul Arcadius returned the night following Olwens
bold, and briefly successful. After they cut a crippling swath
death. We greeted him warmly. For all his tyranny, the Ven-

THE DOMAIN OF BATH

28
through our lands, the only domains that refused tribute were Soon, our stocks will thin. Rebellion will occur. Mortal hunters
London, Chester, Gloucester, and the small holdout of Bath. draw closer to our domain. Perhaps if we rely entirely on the
A coterie of the Consuls guard was in Glamorgan at the Unconquered for stability, and his tyranny is just, we will not
time Roald Snake Eyes met his destruction in that same greet chaos. Yet, did Praetorians not slay their own emperors?
domain. Mithraic loyalists crushed the Triumvirates forces I foresee doom. This ideal domain of Bath will not hold.
after Roalds destruction, confirming Mithras as our one
true god and Prince. The Praetorians reputation spread,
and Cainites from across the Baronies of Avalon journeyed
to Bath to join their ranks. Mithras satraps rewarded our
Baths
domain, declaring it autonomous from the barons demands,
creating the free fiefdom of Bath. Unconquered
I am told that after the failed invasion, Mithras and his
brother in blood Alexander of Paris never spoke again.
The reign of Henry Curtmantle was a time of great honor,
Cainites
A
as brilliant architects planned and constructed the bishops rcadius (Sixth Generation Ventrue) Consul of the
palace and further baths during his reign. We exulted in luxury. free fiefdom of Bath and Pater of Mithraism, Arcadius
Bath was once again a place of peace and diplomacy. The is alternately seen as an unwatched tyrant or a champion
Brujah Lady Gwenllian entered a position of prominence as of faith. Arcadius is restless, chafing under the permanent
domain peacekeeper. We Cappadocians made inroads into our observation of his ancestors. Hes under orders to steadily
studies, and continued advising the Consul. The Mithraists bond every Cainite in his domain to Mithras, before sending
welcomed the Breton Malkavian Judikael into their ranks each one to new domains as Mithraic loyalists potential
as Heliodromus for the domain. He was long an enemy of assassins, spies, and heirs should their new domains fracture.
Consul Arcadius stretching back to their mortal days, but Arcadius respects Clans Brujah and Cappadocian, taking
the two made peace through shared faith. Bath grew stronger. advice from the latter at his grandsires encouragement, and
Come the reign of Henry of Winchester the monarch the former due to his own, defiant leanings.
of these nights Bath is greater still. Erebus (Ninth Generation Cappadocian) One of
Bath is a fortress. Here is where we train our soldiers; here Consul Arcadius three Cappadocian advisers, Erebus has
is where we worship Mithras in chambers directly beneath served Arcadius for close to five centuries, acting as oracle
the Christian cathedral. We practice our faith flagrantly and administrator for the domain, while secretly loyal to a
before Cainites of opposing beliefs, but welcome them all Cappadocian sect known as the Harbingers. He intends to
the same. The domains Cainites tell no lies, and plot openly subvert the domains Cainites, their Mithraic faith, and the
in the tepidarium. Unconquered to serve his Clans ancient schemes.
Some express concern at the number of Cainites drawn to Gwenllian ferch Arwyn (Seventh Generation Bru-
Bath. With one mouth we preach sanctuary, with the other jah) Prominent among the Unconquered for her forgiven role
freedom. Discontented Cainites of oppressive domains, exiles in Olwens murder, Lady Gwen is a skilled diplomat and the
from distant courts, and demon-worshipping vermin make Consuls favored peacekeeper. Gwenllian settles conflicts with
their way here due to promises of protection. They bring their a balance of passive resolutions and clandestine executions.
herds at this time, but eventually this influx will test our ranks. Tales of her emotional sway over Arcadius are common, as
We face threats from within and without. The self-styled are those of her historically pursuing campaigns of violence
Promethean Cainites of our domain speak openly of removing against mortals and Cainites throughout England and Wales.
the Consul and imposing their own rule. Yorks Prometheans Judikael (Tenth Generation Malkavian) Heliodromus
plot autonomy from tyranny; ours conspire to crush the of Mithraism and Arcadius former blood foe, the two warred on
freedoms of non-native Cainites. They possess a deluded opposing sides in times both mortal and unliving. They found
agenda of self-interest. The Winchester Tremere help little, an accord in recent centuries, though courteous relations rarely
and the Salubri exacerbate the situation. Mithras personal escalate to warmth. Judikael is actually one of few confidantes the
agents his satraps recently proposed the Baronies Consul maintains. He knows all but the Malkavian attempt to
as a safe haven for all persecuted Salubri, no matter their manipulate him. Judikael and Arcadius agree that in the event
sins, and so naturally Salubri travel here. We currently play of the Ventrues incapacity, the Malkavian will act as Consul.
caretaker to half a dozen, and their numbers are growing. Evnissyen the Bloodied (Tenth Generation Lhi-
I foresee pandemonium. We are not creatures of peace. annan) Only his loathing for Roman Cainites rivals the

BATH'S UNCONQUERED CAINITES

29
Promethean Evnissyens reputation for savagery. All expected favored less than ale, wine, and other drinks requiring boiling.
Evnissyens imminent destruction after the discovery of his The water contains incredibly high concentrations of minerals
political allegiances, yet Arcadius extended the peaceful pact and so tastes bitter and carries a rotten odor. Its conveyance
to the Lhiannan. Evnissyen believes Bath will soon fall to via lead pipes adds toxicity, albeit at a level unknown to the
ruin if increasing numbers of refugees arrive. Even he does people of medieval Bath. Compared to the water in other
not know why Arcadius gifted him mercy. settlements of Britain, however, it will not kill you quickly.
Bethany of Ely (Eighth Generation Salubri, Healer This somewhat morbid difference makes bathing, drinking,
Caste) Bethany led the Cainite Heresys believers in Ely before and respite in the town an appealing factor to mortals. They
Tremere persecution drove her to fall on Mithras mercy, and would think twice if they knew Baths Nosferatu and distinctly
excommunication from the faith. Initially forced into making amphibious Gangrel slept within the pipes, their fleshy tissue
a haven in Salisbury under the gaze of Mithras satrap, the shedding and clogging the towns waterways.
Lasombra Hywel of Wessex, Bethany, and her loyal Nosferatu
page Tobias journeyed to Bath. They now occupy the monastery
Bath Abbey
haven of Matthias, a fellow Salubri who traveled to London Bath Abbey stood as a Mithraic temple before its Chris-
to plead alms for his entire Clan. Matthias has not returned, tian consecration. The Mithraists permitted its shift in faith,
but Bethanys presence draws increasing numbers of Salubri as they moved their sacrificial chamber underground. As
to Bath. She is unaware that to protect her, Tobias intends the buildings purpose altered over the centuries between
to gift the Tremere any arriving Salubri. convent, monastery, Benedictine-run church, and abbey,
the blood flowed beneath. Mithraists ritually drew fervent
Christians below the flagstones and ripped them apart as
A Beacon of sacrifice to their god.
The rich abbey, from which the bishopric secured sizeable

White and Gold tithes, was ultimately raised to cathedral status, though its
name remains Bath Abbey due to the presence of close
to 50 monks living within its cloisters. Beneath its grand,
B ath is remarkable for its architecture. Even before future
planners reach the town and determine each building
should be made of the same type of stone, a golden hue colors
white-golden stonework, Cainite adherents of Mithras plot
and perform their own rites. Arcadius and Judikael devour
enemy warriors as Mithraists revel on the consecrated land;
much of Bath, the rocks of nearby quarries contributing to the aura of faith surrounding the cathedral has no effect on
its unique appearance, making it stand out in daytime as worshippers of the Unconquered Sun.
gleaming white when compared to other domains of dark
earth, wood, and gray stone. At night, the stonework gives As the focal point of Mithraic ceremonies, Bath Abbey
the buildings from the illuminated abbey to the small is where belief is truly tested. To those not ritually sworn
houses on its outskirts a dappled, shadowed appearance. as Unconquered, the True Faith of Bath Abbey causes two
Pockmarked structures line the streets, sometimes indent- points of aggravated damage for each minute one stands in its
ed with natural rock alcoves, creating an unusual urban immediate area. The other churches in Bath share this effect,
environment. but cause one point of aggravated damage instead of two.
Bath is a small town, with hundreds of buildings tightly St. Johns Almshouse
packed within its walls. A full quarter of the town remains
unmodified since its Roman foundation, while the rest has This hospital stands unique in the British Isles for its
grown upwards and closer together. Beneath the cramped use of hot springs as a restorative aid. Built under order of
buildings lie lairs for guarded mortals and Cainites. The soft the Church, the stark white structure sits atop the Cross
earth and rock gives way to cellars, underground streams, Bath one of Suls springs and provides aid to any in-
and passages running from one end of town to another. The firm Christians, whether titled or poor. The range of social
Consul declares these tunnels open, to allow transit and classes present in the almshouse wins it favor in the eyes of
sanctuary in case of fires and hunters. In truth, Arcadius any who would see the strata of power leveled.
has no knowledge of the number of hideaways and tunnels Theres rarely an occasion where the almshouse is not
beneath the town, or their secretive users. in use, thereby making it a popular location for vampires
The flow of water to the pump chambers in Baths various with unrefined palates. The hospital is a place of disease
bathhouses provides a feature unlike any other in the British and watery blood, but also acts as a communal haven for
Isles water clean enough to drink. Despite its purity, it is still vampires of low standing and a common meeting place for

THE DOMAIN OF BATH

30
Prometheans. The water has a necromantic effect on vam- it for similar purposes. Somehow, the Goblins Hobs withstood
pires flesh when they bathe in it for over an hour, granting centuries of competing cultures, as the town grew around it.
a thick-skinned toughness equivalent to 1 dot of Fortitude, Despite it being more a drinking hole than resting place these
lasting the remainder of the night. nights, the Hob is a place where both mortals and vampires con-
vene, often to the sounds of minstrels and bawdy conversations.
Bath Guildhall Christian Cainite-backed monks of the cathedral would
Standing apart from its sister structures, the wooden love to tear the Hob down. They object to the Mithraic cere-
Guildhall in Bath shares little of the religious buildings op- monies openly taking place in its cellar. Judikael forces mortals
ulence. No single guild claims the hall. Instead, merchants into drunkenness before binging on their blood and entering a
both local and foreign use it day and night to discuss the flow trance where he sees visions and hears Mithras voice. Erebus
of trade and timings of markets. Mercenaries and artisans wants the Malkavian collared, as Judikaels visions have driven
are hired here for their services. Peasants and nobles alike more than one band of aspirant Praetorians to foolish quests.
must enter the Guildhall to pay their taxes.
In recent months robbery struck the hall, the crime at-
tributed to newly-arrived pilgrims. As the primary location for
arranging transit of merchandise, the Consul now places ghoul
The Unconquered
spies within the hall during the day, and encourages its use as a
place for Cainite favor trading at night. Feeding takes place in Praetorian Guard
the alleys outside the Guildhall, and never within, the number
of potential witnesses too dangerous to consider. Olwens haven
was once beneath the hall. Arcadius has not granted the haven B ath is more than a sanctuary for the persecuted. Hunted
vampires receive schooling in tactics, warfare, and the art
of the battlefield. Indoctrination into the ranks of Mithras
to anyone since her death, but with the vampire population
growing, it swiftly becomes sought-after territory. Unconquered Guard is encouraged, with those who refuse
facing penalty of exile. Not every vampire is suited to combat,
The Great Bath so the Unconquered house spies, commanders, priests, and
diplomats, all of whom stand at equal rank with soldiers and
Pillars and sculptures flank a large pool, designed with rich assassins. The Unconquered are the elite among Mithraists, who
mosaics and frescoes. Musicians stand around the bath enter- do everything possible to strengthen the Baronies of Avalon.
taining patrons while they recline in the waters. Noble mortals
On the interior of Baths sturdy walls are numerous bar-
from miles around travel to experience the curative waters of the
racks, each of them bearing the symbol of Mithras dining
Great Bath. Crusaders returning from the east carrying leprosy,
with an ancient sun deity. These have always been there, as
variola, and other diseases pay the Church heavily for use of
far as the mortal guards and militia are aware. Baths Cainites
its waters. Chances of recovery do increase after time spent in
know the carvings mean the place is a training school and
the Great Bath, though this is more due to the comparative
sanctuary for the Praetorians, who muster for drills within
dirtiness of water elsewhere. If it provides no greater restorative
these buildings. The garrisons participate in bloody rivalries
aid, the waters of Sul are at least relatively pure.
with each other, testing candidates by hunting for Lupines,
Arcadius and his council meet guests in the Great Bath, waging battle on the nearby hills, and dispatching ranging
bathing in the waters to discuss matters of politics and faith, missions into the western moorlands to test control over
and settle disputes in a place where one vampire is ostensibly waning blood levels. After five trials, the losers award the
as vulnerable as another. The bath comfortably fits over victorious cohort gold and territory. Historically, this territory
30 bathers, so most announcements for the domain take was a permanent boon. The increase in Praetorian numbers
place there, entertainers on hand, with feeding permitted now sees boons gambled between cohorts every three years.
both in and out of the waters. Complete submersion in the
Unconquered must drink a vial of Arcadius vitae, participate
waters increases restorative speed in supernatural creatures,
in the seasonal Mithraic ceremonies, and accomplish an arduous
removing a level of aggravated damage across one night,
task the Consul, Heliodromus, or Mithras himself sets to test
with no requirement for blood expenditure.
loyalty. If successful, they drink a mouthful of Mithras blood
The Goblins Hob from a sealed store the Mithraists keep near Bath. To command
a cohort of Praetorians, a vampire must follow the Road of Kings.
This inn stands as one of the oldest in the British Isles. Celts The Unconquered are distinct from Mithras satraps.
used the original building for festivities and community declara- The satraps serve to spread Mithras influence and convince
tions, before Baths subsequent occupants took it over and used rebellious Barons to fall in line. The Praetorians serve de-

THE UNCONQUERED PRAETORIAN GUARD

31
fensively: preventing revolts, murdering rebels before they Arcadius loyalty to Mithraism is unwavering, but he slowly
develop followings, and accumulating evidence on all notable disconnects his worship of the god Mithras from his bond to
Cainites in the Baronies of Avalon. the vampire of the same name. Arcadius wishes to depart his
Every Praetorian receives a brand of Mithras slaughtering prison of responsibility, and attempt an escape into obscurity
a bull, the scar applied directly over the vampires heart. Any and real freedom. He believes his time as Baths caretaker is
traitors to the Praetorians suffer horribly. Their heads are flayed at an end. Only Judikael and Gwen know his feelings. Both
with a heated blade. Betrayers often take their own lives, as the debate whether to allow them, or bring him to heel.
unmistakable traitors face is a fate worse than death in Bath. Judikael is dedicated to Mithras in all forms, and recog-
nizes the faith must be unassailable in the event of Arcadius
departure. The Malkavian intends to blood bond the Prae-
Cainite Factions torians, and avoid turmoil. As a prominent Unconquered
commander, Gwen abhors Judikaels plans. She is committed

A s the population increases, and the Consuls promises of peace to preserving Arcadius legacy, and fears the Malkavians
become strained, numerous factions move to influence Baths subversion will cripple the domain.
power structure. The town is presently stable, though many vampires If Arcadius can be convinced to stay even with his
suspect a single unified coterie could swing the balance of power. drawing away from his ancestor Bath might maintain
stability. The Consul does not realize it, but Mithras lost
The Mithraists interest in Bath long ago. The stabilizing force, the peace
decrees, the Praetorians foundation all were Arcadius
Arcadius and his council have ruled Bath for close to a
initiatives, not those of Mithras. The Consul suspects he is
millennium. The satraps backing keeps Bath a jewel in Mi-
a puppet, but truly he operates with enough autonomy to
thras crown, with Arcadius the appointed warlord, religious
make Bath into anything he wants.
leader, and favored grandchilde.

THE DOMAIN OF BATH

32
 THE ROAD OF MITHRAS

A rcadius long contemplated the formation of a philosophical path dedicating adherents to the worship of Mithras
as war god and father of vampires. He consulted the spiritual Cainites of his domain and wrote to the zealots
forging their own paths elsewhere, yet over the centuries he failed to develop a singular Road of Mithras.
Arcadius is not a philosopher; he is a warlord, dedicated to the service of a god, but no pioneer of organized
faith. He believes accomplishing deeds as an Unconquered, rather than meditation, study, or contemplation, are
what makes a Mithraist. Jealously, he has blocked the attempts of other Mithraists to form a Road. As far as Arca-
dius is concerned, his way even if it is flawed and offers little spiritual succor is the only way.

play their part in defense of the domain, and within three nights
The Prometheans of their arrival introduce themselves to Arcadius or his council.
Evnissyens Promethean faction fears the influx of new arrivals The domains existing Mithraists funnel pilgrims into rituals
in Bath, and pursues a twofold agenda: make Bath less appealing designed to foster loyalty to Bath, the Consul, and Mithras.
to pilgrims by removing all pretense of sanctuary, and maintain the Some travelers seize the opportunity to join a force offering
fiefdoms freedom without the pernicious influence of Mithraism. them protection, while others rebuke these offers. Judikael and
Evnissyen is aware one course may disrupt the other. Erebus judge those who refuse the Mithraists, and if deemed
The Prometheans primary focus on destroying Arcadius to offer nothing to the domain, they cast the pilgrims out.
and his Mithraic religion trumps all other schemes. Evnissyen The Salubri Bethany seeks to force pilgrims into cohesive-
and his followers firmly believe the Consuls removal will give ness for their own protection, while encouraging the growth
pilgrims pause, and destabilize the ranks of those once blood of Baths mortal side, to bolster the herd for all. She requires
bound to the Ventrue. Their actions may bear fruit, if they assistance in rallying support for her schemes, though has
can recruit suitably-inclined assassins. The destruction of his little to give as payment.
grandchilde is bound to draw Mithras attention, however.
The Harbingers
The Tremere
Erebus and his fellow conspirators play a dangerous game,
The Winchester Tremere look enviously upon Bath, as a but he recognizes the promise of Bath as domain, and will
place of mystical importance and a domain housing at least not be swayed from the mission his ancestors decreed.
five Salubri. Through careful rites, the Usurpers seek to
The Harbingers seek an opportune time to drive the Bar-
weaken the bond between the Unconquered and Arcadius,
onies of Avalon into civil war and simultaneous conflict with
so they may influence the Mithraists loyalties and secure
outside domains, knowing their cause will thrive on a great
control over the domain. They require a vial of Arcadius
number of vampire deaths. Erebus steadily pushes the domain
vitae to complete their ritual, though they are unwilling
down a chaotic path. He needs to discover Baths wellspring
to attack the Consul, given fragile relations with Mithras.
of necromantic power, and when he does, he intends to reap
Baths Tremere chapter house fell silent just over a decade bodies and souls of all those fallen for miles around from
ago, the Winchester Usurpers blaming the now disappeared diseased peasants to kings dropped on the battlefield.
Cyclops, Matthias. Tremere pay well for the delivery of Sa-
lubri pilgrims, set their thaumaturgic creations on travelers
making journey to Bath, and exchange weighty favors for
information relating to traveling Souleaters.
The Mithraic
The Pilgrims Mysteries
Not a unified bloc, except through their desperation or cu-
riosity; the pilgrims are all who make their way to permanently
haven in Bath. There is no restriction on Clan, background,
M ithraism is a faith practiced by few mortals in 1242
CE, but remains prevalent among Cainites. The
Roman and Persian Mithraic faith is alternately attributed
political or religious inclinations, but pilgrims are expected to
to Mithras dominion over the sun, feasts, blood, war, and

THE MYTHRAIC MYSTERIES

33
fertility. This god with so many aspects received worship for chaos. Parallels exist between Mithraists and Setites, though
close to a millennium, his appearance often associated with the former advocate order over Setite anarchy. Unconquered
a great hunter or warrior slaying a bull, bursting free from must never be afraid to draw a blade in defense of their king-
the earth, or feasting opposite the sun. dom and faith. The Baronies of Avalon are unbreakable due
Romans devoted shrines to the Unconquered Sun from to the number of Unconquered not only within their ranks,
their homeland all the way to the British Isles. In underground but also acting as spies, ambassadors, and assassins abroad.
chambers, warriors pledged their swords to the deity, so he might The Unconquered:
make their blades strong, their loins stronger, and award victory Always obey the word of Mithras line, and the Paters
on the battlefield with feasting and revelry. Mithraic rituals who carry his vitae.
involved blood sacrifice, of either a fertile bullock, or enemy
warrior. Murder in Mithras name was a great honor, though this Make every killing a tribute to Mithras. They do not
acted as cold comfort to the soldier receiving a blade through kill, if the death would make a poor sacrifice.
the heart. The blood gathered in a bowl, and the faithful painted Never destroy the articles of other faiths per-
it on their faces. The Pater prepared the remaining blood with forming ceremonies in their sight.
wine, and the attendees consumed the concoction. Some claim
this ritual influenced the Catholic Eucharist. Recognize fire as purity. They build resolve and bear
Cainite Mithraists assert Mithras, Prince of London witness to it often.
and the Baronies of Avalon, is the embodiment of a god. A hierarchy exists within Mithraic worship, with the
Debate exists as to Mithras vampire origins. Some state following ranks represented widely across the known world:
the deity Mithras possessed a powerful Cainite, and chose Neophytes to the faith receive the suffix Corux on
to exist in symbiosis with the Ventrue Methuselah. Others their name, and have the caduceus sigil branded on
claim Mithras walked the Earth in mortal form when he was their right forearm.
Embraced, and became trapped in an undying shell. The
ardent faithful announce the Ventrue Methuselah forged After siring a fledgling, the Mithraist is called Nym-
the Mithraic faith, and all talk of divinity is the whim of phus, and wears a bell or veil for the next month. To
Mithras, Prince of London. Mithraists the adornment is an act of great pride and
Only male mortals practiced the rituals of bloodletting. celebration. The Nymphus and Pater act as surrogate
Vampire Mithraists impose no such gender restriction on sires to Unconquered without active sires, and may
their practitioners. Mithras states he expects all to fear him, give permission to Embrace.
though his thoughts on Mithraic worship are debatable. Mi- A pouch of gold and a belt emblazoned with a
thras wants all subjects to remain loyal, but he lacks respect Mithraic symbol are awarded to proven warriors.
for those who blindly follow. Miles becomes their title, to represent their rank as
Cainite Mithraists practice rituals designed to foster both soldier. Many wield lances, to represent the weapon
loyalty between the faithful and preparedness for battle. Mithras used in his slaying of the bull.
Communal bloodletting is favored, followed by drinking The Leo wear a laurel wreath like Caesars of old, and
from a shared chalice. The rite is largely symbolic, but learn an art, often music. Among the most trusted
believers feel they share an unbreakable bond. Mithraists Mithraists, Leo travel long distances to rival courts,
stake infamous foes of the faith and the Baronies of Avalon, and therefore must entertain hosts. Leo are utilized
bringing them to a Mithraeum for sacrifice. If the sacrifice as messengers and spies.
is a worthy bounty, the Mithraists drink from the paralyzed
vampire in turn, with the right to the final drink reserved Mithraists titled Perses lead bloodletting ceremonies,
for the most honored faithful among them. Mithraists forbid and act as assassins for the faith. Gifted a short sword,
the Amaranth, without decree from Mithras himself. sickle, or dagger marked with their name, Perses
Unconquered worship Mithras as both god and Cainite, receive a branded crescent moon on the left breast.
and commit blood sacrifice in exchange for future victories. Those awarded the suffix of Heliodromus receive
Unconquered are firm believers in servitude to elders, but a branded full sun on their right breast, and are
specify in their code that respect is owed only to elders in awarded a bronze sun mask, scourge, and toga. The
the service of Mithras, or elders of a followers own ancestry. Heliodromus acts as agitator and military command-
Unconquered are taught to fight the servants of gods and er, rallying the faith and orchestrating violent acts
masters who would corrupt and destroy the world through to secure Mithraisms position. Even Mithraists fear
the Heliodromus.
THE DOMAIN OF BATH

34
 Mithras awards the suffix of Pater only to the wor- hounds are known as barghests, while in Wales they call a
thy. Paters are leaders of the faith, wear ruby rings, black dog a gwyllgi or Dog of Darkness. In other places its
elaborate robes encrusted with jewels and metallic known as a grim, Shuck, the Moddey Dhoo, or a wisht hound.
threads, and keep the sacrificial blood crucible. Cainites wear death like voluminous robes, dragging
The Pater must be present for acts of sacrifice, and long and bloody chains behind them. Black dogs harbor a
through the Pater prayers are conveyed to Mithras. particular enmity for the nights parasitic masters and stalk
them with relentless purpose whenever they cross paths.
Vampires of the Isles disagree on whether the beasts hate
Black Dog them for defying true death or for killing so many before
their allotted time, but they tell similar tales: a phantom
Travelers lost in the gloom of the moors and forgotten hound with a Cainites scent dogs her steps and inflicts bouts
byways of the British Isles catch sight of a pair of fiery red of guilt, paranoia, or fear as punishment for her crimes. A
eyes that never cease watching, no matter how far or fast black dog wont willingly give up the chase on a Cainite until
they run. Fearful peasants speak in hushed tones of huge forced, or until it has driven her completely mad. Malkavians
black bestial shapes looming out of the fog on nights when and other vampires with strong psychic abilities sense these
the moon keeps her face veiled in gray. These tales and more creatures from miles away.
tell of the black dogs, canine harbingers of death stalking
the wild places of Wales and Britain. Powers and Weaknesses
Whether they are creatures of flesh or spirit, none agree. The black dog recoups spent blood points by
Black dogs normally stand as large as an adult human, with slumbering or successfully stalking prey for at least
eyes that glow like embers and shaggy fur as black as pitch. six hours continuously.
Their cavernous mouths hold massive fangs designed to rip
through flesh and crunch bone to bits. Omens surrounding A black dog does not count as a spirit or a ghost for
people destined to soon die attract a black dog, as it inter- the purposes of Disciplines and other powers that
cepts them along the paths leading to the Underworld while interact with these beings specifically. However,
walking firmly in earthly realms. When it attacks physically, anything that works on immaterial beings generally
its a sign its victim fights to avoid some prophesied doom. can target and harm it while its using Spectral Body,
The black dog chases its quarry effortlessly, like a wind and it otherwise counts as a normal physical entity.
flitting from hill to hill, then fixes him with a mesmerizing Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina
stare that paralyzes him with fear before tearing him apart 2, Charisma 5, Manipulation 1, Appearance 4,
in its enormous jaws. Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
More often, though, it simply follows its prey from the Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 4, Awareness
shadows, showing itself just enough to cause mind-blanking 4, Brawl 2, Empathy 4, Intimidation 5, Stealth 3,
terror before vanishing back into the darkness whence it Subterfuge 2
came. Frequently, reports of a black dog sighting precede the
poor souls demise by mere days or weeks. On rare occasions, Equivalent Disciplines: Celerity 4, Daimonion
the sighting instead precedes a near-miss, leaving the victim 2, Protean 7 (Eyes of the Beast and Spectral Body
alive. Survivors of such events claim the dogs are angels of only), Serpentis 1, Valeren (Watcher) 1 (see note)
death, warning them away from premature fatalities. Repeat Road: 3, Willpower: 7; Blood Pool: 5
encounters like this lead some to believe they are chosen as
Note: The version of Sense Cycle that a black
a black dogs ward, under its protection until such time as dog uses grants it omens with insight into when
their fated ends come to pass. and where its target may die, rather than the usual
People of different regions have various names for the effects.
black dogs their stories describe. In Yorkshire these phantom

BLACK DOG

35
 Cappadocian Apocrypha:
Death Cults

lan Cappadocian summons you home.Your mission is at its end.

Retire your duties. You are to be Harbinger no longer. Become

C one with your mask. Your true face must never be shown hence.
None may know of your role. Harbingers must fade as dreams.
Attend the conclave in Kaymakli. Father shall absolve you of your sins.
These are the words of Caias.

G.
Study the scroll I send you.
It speaks of our sacred mission ending as the War of Princes draws near. I cannot believe the words
I read. They tell me our service was for naught. We failed our mission. I write hastily, for I suspec t if I
took time to deliberate I would snap every quill in hand.
Does Father experiment with us? Does he test our resolve? How many Harbingers will attend his
conclave? Will warmth or punishment greet them for abandoning their masks?
I convince myself this is a trial. We grow so close to our augured destination, and Father seeks to
remove the rotten meat from the Cappadocian carcass. I cannot surrender my cause. Our destiny is to
witness the impossible deaths and divine meaning. We grow so close, and cannot now stop.
A trap awaits those who believe the words of Caias. We must stay true to our cause. We grow so
close, brother. Let not trickster words sway us from our mission.
E.

Cappadocians struggle to maintain interest in the Via

Life in Death Humanitas. As with any vampire, they are Embraced from a
Vampires exist in a state between life and death, drinking vast range of mortal stock, and the first years of darkness are
mouthfuls of hot blood one night, sleeping beneath mounds of the greatest struggle. At this time, even a Graverobber clings
earth and stone on another. Cappadocians lean closer to death to mortal trappings: family, profession, and love. Steadily
than life. They barely condescend to raise an eyebrow or roll though, the Clan indoctrinates the Cappadocian. The death
their eyes as fellow Cainites play with mortals hearts and enjoy cult of scholars, nihilists, killers, and occultists welcomes the
their petty political games, for when a Cappadocian plays with fledgling to their ranks. The Cappadocians appear passive,
a mortals heart, she handles the muscle between thin fingers, almost voyeuristic to the War of Princes while others rage at
probing it, scratching it, listening closely as it strains to beat one another, but truly they work their own wicked schemes
against her strong grip. When a Cappadocian endures political in the shadows of other Cainites flagrant actions.
tribulations, she does so to achieve a long-term aim, pushing Princes patronize Cappadocians, installing them as
pieces into place that might trigger a war or spread of pestilence. trusted servants, assured they will never aspire to more.

THE DOMAIN OF BATH

36
Cappadocians are vultures, fit to scavenge the scraps falling the art of hiding in plain view. Cappadocian games of decep-
from the rulers table or on the edges of her territory. This tion are so clear, yet so understated, that only a minority of
underestimation plays into Cappadocian hands. Cainites attribute the Necromancers with designs on power.
The Cappadocians want certain tales spun and spread. They are just Graverobbers, after all.
Necromancers are responsible for locating mortals skilled There exist Cappadocians who take the groveling role
in their arts the Giovani and Rosselini are prominent of servant, but serve higher causes. These Cainites smile
examples of families Embraced for their dark talents. The broadly at their masters, listening to every proclamation
rumor of Cappadocius plans for godhead is true, though his and nodding at each edict as they calculate their own plans.
narcissistic actions do little to define an entire Clan. The The Harbingers
same Antediluvian did organize the purge of hundreds of
Cappadocians, though understanding his motives is unlikely. In the centuries before Romans swept through Europe,
a wanderer named Sargonnezhad discovered two shrewd
These fables garner incredulity over fear, for as long as
Cappadocians in Persepolis. He offered 10 carts filled with
these tales are heard, and doubted, Cappadocian studies
bodies: a combination of healthy nobles, dying natives,
and agendas continue without disruption.
and dead foreigners. Sargonnezhad offered this bounty to
The Political the Necromancers, and promised more, if they followed his
edict. He explained the key to life and death. As bystanders,
When Cappadocians appear in court as chief stewards or Cappadocians witnessed the scythe. As secret rulers, Cappa-
regents, the other Cainites take little notice. As kingmakers docians wielded it from the shadows spreading plagues,
and whisperers in the ears of Princes, Cappadocians master fomenting wars, the deaths of thousands at their command.

CAPPADOCIAN APOCRYPHA

37
 One of the vampires proclaimed Sargonnezhads plan act of desperation. The Necromancers difficulty in blending
as madness, destined to drive a vampire into the Beasts in among the healthy kine forces them to such beggary.
jaws. The other Cappadocian listened attentively, and un- It is not forlornness forcing Cappadocians to feed from and
der Sargonnezhads guidance formed a cult of like-minded consort with weakened vessels it is experimentation and study.
aspirants. The Harbingers grew in the following centuries The Graverobbers spend so much time among the dying, their
dedicated to divining their own triumphant fate over life physical resemblance to corpses acts as a form of camouflage.
and death. The Harbingers would not concern themselves The Necromancers blend in among the dead. Intimate with
over the deaths of mere individuals; they would orchestrate the departed, they obsessively pry free their secrets.
and witness the death of empires, cultures, and races.
Fratres Plaga
Harbingers ingratiate themselves with other Clans, intent
on winning the friendship and trust of their targets. Their The world grows ever larger. Mortal pilgrims claim to
unseen influence persists as their grip on humanity decreases, be of lands thousands of miles away, bringing with them
their fledglings often Embraced from the ranks of warlords, fascinating histories, maps, beliefs, and promises of trade.
ambassadors, and spies: those acting as deaths harbingers. They also bring disease.
Their eschatological knowledge exceeds that of most living Maladies have long captivated Clan Cappadocian. The
philosophers, and adoption of the Road of Kings or Road of study of why pestilence might strike and destroy an entire
Bones is prevalent within their numbers. city of mortals, but allow the Cainites within it to persist
Erciyes monks tell of a sharp decrease in Harbinger influ- without harm enthralls them. Necromancers likewise
ence in recent years. Harbingers believed they were closing chronicle instances where infection does afflict vampires.
on the greatest epoch of death, when humanity would lose The transmission, cure, or weaponization of epidemics
over half its numbers, and the dead would become dominant. intrigues the Clan.
Something in their facade cracked, and their decline was Emerging from Florence, the Fratres Plga three Cap-
unexpected and severe. Many Harbingers simply disappeared. padocians dedicated to epidemiology naming themselves
Some allege their Clan betrayed them. The abrupt Carnifex, Gentilman, and Holiman spread outward,
reduction in their number as they neared a zenith pushed examining reports of widespread pestilence in person, and
them to work against fellow Cappadocians and their vogue investigating tales of kine and Cainite who suffer from in-
bloodline the Giovani. They enthusiastically pursue triguing illness or injury. The Fratres Plga study mysteries of
campaigns of death in their roles as seneschals and fifth the body and make connections with questions of the soul.
columnists. Pushing fiefs and baronies into slaughters, they The cult coldly fixates on understanding whether mortals
jealously target their rival Necromancers. afflicted with deleterious illness are spiritually deficient or
Other Harbingers believe the next epoch of death is still at hand. whether plague is an arbitrary leveler. Crucially, they wish
They position themselves to seize power in domains on the edge of to know whether spirits can pass on the ravages of plague
war-torn kingdoms. They want to stand with eyes open when death and pox, as Cainites seem able to do so after feeding from
stalks the Earth, and record the fall of men and Cainites. These an afflicted victim.
Harbingers believe their numbers reduce as a test of commitment, The Fratres Plga pursue the mysteries of disease, recovery,
and will not avert their gaze. With their claws buried deep in the and death as philosophy, attempting to ascribe higher pur-
courts of Princes, they will rule over human and vampire alike when pose to the crippling swaths of pestilence that wipe domains
war consumes the world, the only beings who know the journey a clean of feeding stock. The cult divides itself into a trinity
civilization or culture makes as it suffers annihilation. of schools. The three vie for true understanding, and each
For centuries Harbingers have been embedded in domains, century convene to discuss their discoveries.
wearing their ornate death masks and robes of state. They An emaciated child takes the title Holiman. He schools
absorb responsibility for lives, deaths, blood, souls, and their his fellow Cappadocians on the idea of plague being Gods
domains fates. Harbingers discuss their plans with few. Their punishment on mortals for their lack of faith, and Cainites
own Clan believes the Harbingers a myth or dead legacy. In for their slothful, parasitic existences. His faction believes
truth, they just obscure their exploits as masters of deception. in baptismal purity via Gods elements. Immersion in water,
No one suspects the corpse in the corner. walking through fire, inhaling smoke, and burial in earth,
bring all beings closer to death and God. God is immac-
The Pathological ulate, therefore mortals and Cainites can be also, if they
divest themselves of weakness. Clan Cappadocian hosts a
Other Clans see the Cappadocian willingness to drink strong contingent of ardent Faithful on the Via Caeli and
from the sick, injured, and expired as a lack of refinement, or its associated Paths, including some among the Cainite

THE DOMAIN OF BATH

38
Heresy. Cappadocians following Holimans teaching find designs on initiating a new plague, through which both his
an evangelical way of remaining true to their faith, despite faction and the Harbingers will gain unequaled studies and
their sacrilegious necromancy. material power.
The beak-masked Gentilman resolutely separates faith The mummified Carnifexs view is one of natural philos-
and science. His followers believe living decay is a condition ophy. His faction teaches necromancy as a facet of nature.
of the body, and commit themselves to the Graves Decay The lands uses plague as a weapon to purge away harm,
and Path of the Twilight Garden. Gentilman commands his and Cainites are as natural as the kine. Carnifexs school
followers corral the sick and dying, not to prevent the spread teaches Cappadocians and gods are weaker than the living
of illness, but to study and control it. Gentilmans faction world. Though many vampires dismiss them as nihilistic, his
Embrace from the ranks of the diseased, attempting to pre- faction displays unusual preponderance for introspection and
serve sickness in an immortal shell. Gentilmans faction makes connection to humanity. While the faction acts as assassins
inroads into understanding the Plague of Justinian, leprosy, and necromantic savants, they also neurotically protect their
and variola. They dissect the bodies of the still-living, tasting herds, looking to strengthen the kine against natures wrath.
the blood of those with different symptoms, and exposing Carnifex believes that nature can never be tamed, but it can
ailing kine to others of different ages, genders, and races. be balanced, and aberrant elements require culling in order
Sympathetic to the Harbinger agenda, Gentilman harbors to preserve purity.

Ventrue Apocrypha:
The Importance of Lineage
To my blood elder Cretheus, First Senator of Rome
It is with humility I write, and trust this letter reaches you seal unbroken. The messen
most honored Leo. Please return her unharmed. ger is a

Not long after my Embrace, my sire remarked that our line is one of titans. I retorted that
Ventrue must be gods, foolishly believing flattery might endear him. For the affront, I becam surely all
ject to his chastisement. As thrall, he forced me to humiliation and education. He willed it e sub-
learned. After five decades in slavery, he took me in arms once more. The titans fought the so, and I
he. Those who call themselves Ventrue fight their masters. We fight gods, and wrest power gods, said
grasp. There is only one god worthy of the titans worship, and he is Mithras. from their

Until now, our Clans pact of titans against gods remained in place despite Arakurs
The new wars between our lineages imply an awakening. The gods rise. Antasians battle chaos.
Gauls dreamers. We war with Alexanders Triumvirate. The rival lineages of Tinia, Artemthe
Orthia, and Medon grow in strength. We believed Hardestadt free, but activity within is
doms of the Black Cross implies the influence of his sire, who we believed destroyed. Ourthe Fief-
was through unification. I fear the Clan is provoked to war from beyond. power

Mithras gives guidance. He commands all must look to him, if we are to survive his
gods wrath. We must protect the titans from themselves, and force the gods into the fellow
quered Suns light. It is the path with which I tutor the loyal Praetorians, and it is how Uncon-
you to stabilize Rome before Camillus places it in Veddarthas grip. Mithras sees the I urge
hand, and wishes it cut off. masters

VENTRUE APOCRYPHA

39
 We start in Rome, and in Avalon, and from there take Mithras word to our fellow titans.
Unified under Mithras we might stave off the gods.
With sincerest respect,
Arcadius Pater, Consul of Aquae Sulis
Childe of Marcus Verus, Baron of Deva Victrix
Grandchilde of the God-Emperor Mithras, Unconquered Sun,
Prince of Londinium and the Baronies of Avalon, Progenitor of our Line

Ventrue exalt in the glory of their lineage. A Ventrue in a neither torpor nor Final Death removes the impression a
Toreador court may bore the Queen of Love with recitations Methuselah ancestor makes on their line. The following are
of ancestry, but that same Patrician in a Ventrue court will renowned Ventrue lines, though more exist.
be expected to recount not only the names of her forebears, Optional System: Ventrue may not use temporary Willpower
but their achievements and misdeeds. Woe betide the Power points when opposing another member of their linear ancestry,
Monger who misremembers. from sires to grandsires and above, straight to the Antediluvian.
In truth, there is little to do but take many Ventrue The Line of Alexander
proclamations of lineage at face value. When summoning
a vampire of the Eleventh Generation to recite her great, Foolish Cainites mistook Alexander for Toreador the
great grandsires domain name and deeds, it is more a test recently destroyed Prince of Paris being a patron of arts, pos-
of the Cainites ability to tell a convincing tale than a sessed of youthful beauty and golden curls. The warrior tyrant
memory exam. Presentation only becomes a factor when saw to the tortured destruction of all who made that faux pas.
naming notable Ventrue. If a Patrician claims their sire as He long sat the throne of one of the most powerful domains in
Francis the Woodsman, murdered by Lupines one night the Western Roman Empire, encouraging the formation of the
following my Embrace, few Ventrue would shift in their Courts of Love, and the pageantry taking place within them.
seats. If instead she names an ancestor such as Titus Alexanders line possesses passion, oratory resonance, and
Venturus Camillus, Prince of Rome, the claim will draw skills in convincing even the clenched fists of nobles and bish-
questions, interest, and where the declarations are believed, ops to give up coin and deeds to territory. Alexanders brood
approval and hospitality. Even rogues are acclaimed, if their also possesses a reputation for loose tempers and fits of frenzy.
legends are known. Optional System: Lower the difficulty of Etiquette and
No ancestor is as important in the Ventrue lineage as Expression rolls by two when making declarations before
the Fourth Generation Methuselah. Each of the Fourth an audience. Roll to risk frenzy, if someone successfully
Generations lines habitually manifest certain traits, fuelling interrupts said oration.
claims they possess blood more potent than other Clans. The Line of Antonius
Scholars of the vitae postulate each Methuselah spawns a
Antonius the Gaul the second of Michaels Constanti-
new bloodline, but learned Ventrue refute such speculation.
nople Triumvirate, and stoic rock against which the Toreador
Ventrue vitae is pure and never spawns a bastard line, they
tested his Dream was a great thinker and tactician. Indomi-
say, but the Ventrue progenitors minds are strong, and leave
table to a fault, he failed to react to his lovers increasing mania,
impressions on all but the thinnest of blood.
thinking only of the Dreams architecture, and the survival
of the city. Rather than bending with the flow of Michaels
Noble Ancestry ideas, he snapped, lashing out as his own plans went awry.
Each of Ventrues childer made a play for power. Some His own childe staked him and left him to the suns mercy.
succeeded, building great cults of personality, constructing Antonian Cainites possess a predisposition towards tactical
empires, and steering armies. Others failed, their efforts thinking and administration. They recognize how things work,
brought low by hubris, bloody feuds, and misfortune. Few and enjoy setting wheels in motion from a distance, only to
of the Fourth Generation are active in the Dark Ages, but see plans come to fruition in lands far away, or at times far in

THE DOMAIN OF BATH

40
the future. Some of Antonius plans are still on course to see Nefer-meri-Isis descendants exhibit acute awareness.
conclusion, despite his supposed death in the eighth century. Taking one by surprise is uncommon. Many do their ancestor
Optional System: Lower the difficulty of Politics and proud by picking up a sword and fighting for themselves, or
Seneschal rolls by two when examining or planning domain building a haven stone by stone, but this is not evidence of
hierarchy. Roll to risk frenzy, if someone disrupts a long-term humility. Nefer-meri-Isis line is convinced none are remotely
scheme. capable of matching their achievements.
The Line of Arakur Optional System: Lower the difficulty of Survival and
Investigation rolls by two, when pursuing them without aid.
Arakur was among the most ancient Ventrue, ruling in Ur Increase the difficulty of Social-based rolls by two, when
openly as a vampire, claiming hundreds of brides and Embracing having to follow orders. Many Ventrue descended from
each. Cainites were gods, mortals supplicants at their feet. Despite Nefer-meri-Isis have Auspex as a Clan Discipline, instead
his empire, Arakur was a coward. When his enemies rallied to of Presence.
destroy his kingdom, he fled and hid, only to be diablerized by
his own childe, who consorted with a demon to overpower him. The Line of Orthia
Arakurs line holds a reputation for diablerie, communion Ventrue proudly declare that Orthia was beloved by Ventrue
with devils, and hubris. It also boasts the most warlords and and was his first Embrace, but a great betrayal ripped the two
Road of the Beast adherents among the Ventrue, alongside apart. Orthia was a battle maiden, who saw inaction as a cow-
prestigious rulers, mighty warriors, and vampires of terri- ards way and overlong planning as prevarication. She led the
fying age. Ventrue to victories, playing a role in the Clans influence over
Ancient Rome. Her impulsive desire to clash with foes pushed
Optional System: Lower the difficulty of Self-Control
her to doom, as she led the charge against Brujah Carthage. Her
and Instinct rolls by two when attempting to direct the
destruction or torpor occurred within the first minutes of battle.
Beast. Make a Courage roll at the start of a battle in which
you are outnumbered. Orthian Ventrue share their Methuselahs desire to destroy
enemies through force of arms and men, building great warrior
The Line of Mithras herds and fanatically loyal armies. Orthians seize thrones, and
Mithras is among the most active Fourth Generation rarely bide their time when a blade can quicken the process.
vampires, keenly ruling the Cainites of the British Isles, styling They believe they are due glory, and take it without pause.
his empire as the Baronies of Avalon. Mithras has traveled Optional System: Lower the difficulty of Presence rolls
far and picked up powers from beings of all types. He acts by one, when using them in efforts to seize power. Roll to risk
slowly, but deliberately, crushing all foes and brooking no frenzy whenever someone other than you harms a valued
attempts on his kingdom. retainer or haven.
All Ventrue descended from Mithras proudly assert the
The Line of Tinia
identity of their ancestor. His line exemplifies pride and power,
displaying unassailability both in the court and on the battlefield. Tinia believed the route to power was through discovery.
Cainites claim the line of Mithras is impervious to flame, due She led the Etruscan people as a god, acting as teacher and
to Mithras being a god of the sun. It is true Mithras encourages student to human invention. At the peak of her power, she
hardiness, but his chosen punishment for disappointing childer lost the innovation to create, and began stealing concepts
involves greeting the dawn, thus quashing such rumors. from the best mortal minds. After draining her vessels of all
independent thought, she grew bored, and moved to explore
Optional System: Lower the difficulty of Courage rolls
new lands and untouched people. Tinia disappeared east
by two, when facing fire. Increase the difficulty of Willpower
of Persia, with tales of her leaving settlements filled with
rolls by two, when another member of Mithras line attempts
mentally-vacant slaves in her wake.
to exert influence or control over you.
Tinias childer cling to the passion for discovery, seeking
The Line of Nefer-meri-Isis new powers and ever expanding their domains. The eldest
This Ventrue has stalked the African continent for among them find this hunger ceases whenever they rest for an
centuries, never sitting a throne, unlike many of her peers. extended period. They often rank as the most megalomaniacal
Nefer-meri-Isis reputation is one of self-sufficiency. Where Ventrue, possessing wanderlust uncommon among their peers.
other Ventrue Methuselahs throw armies at problems, Optional System: Lower the difficulty of Dominate rolls
Nefer-meri-Isis tackles them herself, leading to tales of her by one, when using the Discipline to obtain new information.
singlehandedly incapacitating Set after he attacked her sire. Increase the difficulty of Conscience and Conviction rolls by
She still roams to this night. two, when tested by something you have experienced before.

VENTRUE APOCRYPHA

41
 How kind of you to visit here to minister to us heathens, bishop.
Now, how does it go again? Hoc est corpus...
Queen Valborg of Bjarkarey

O and Red Thor ended. King lfr the Holy drove out Red Thors Reavers
ver 200 years ago, the war between White Christ

the Old Gods. At swordpoint, Christianity conquered

Stiklarstair, the holy king, died at the hands of Thorir the QGangrel) The foremost Cainite of Bjarkarey is a for-
Norway. But sword is met by sword, and so it was that at ueen Valborg Crooked-Eye (Eighth Generation

Hound, chieftain of Bjarkarey. But that did not stop what midable lfheinn who fights without thought for her own
had been set in motion. safety. She is aided by preternatural senses, keen reflexes,
One night, Valborg Crooked-Eye and her band of and her trusty hammer, Kristrbani meaning Godslayer,
warriors came to Bjarkarey. Old and scarred, the Gangrel Christslayer, or weakling-slayer a weapon too heavy for
Viking had seen the warring kingdoms united, and then mortal hands. A Viking at heart, she spends most of her
Christianized. She had forgiven neither. She conquered time on raiding expeditions, using mercenary contracts
her new island kingdom, and set about restoring the old and the Crusades as an excuse to murder and pillage. Her
ways as through a darkened, twisted mirror. The last of the greatest fear is the distant call of torpor, which would tear
Einherjar states was born. her domain from her and leave Kristrbani unbloodied. She
And so, the long-dead heart of the Viking age has been has no doubt that the old ways would die without her strong
brought back to unlife, beating and squeezing and spraying arm to uphold them.
stagnant blood through cracked veins. Here, Valborgs Kindling-sgeirr (Eleventh Generation Toreador)
Cainite reavers and their blood-thrall companions feast and Charismatic and likable, the horrifically scarred sgeirr
laugh and venerate their old gods, and their shadows cover is the face of Valborgs band to the world of mortals. He
all. The followers of the sir have long since sacrificed earned his unhealing scars when he accidentally set himself
the clergy at the midwinter blt, and any missionaries or on fire during a raid in Karelia, and his comrades find that
traveling monks who might pass through suffer the same fact hilarious. As the mockery piles up, so does sgeirrs
fate if they still linger at nightfall. The Christians among the bitterness one night, it might go too far, especially if some
population keep it to themselves, and travel to the church new Cainite warrior decides to egg on the jokes.
at nearby Thrndarnes on Sundays. The kine dress, speak, Mikkel (Eleventh Generation Gangrel) From
and act as their ancestors did 200 years ago, and mortal far-off Ireland he came to find a place where his terrifying
travelers find themselves quietly advised to be gone by dusk. violent rages would not hamper him. Here, they bring him

Red Thor's Reavers

43
great honor in battle and laughter in court, and he likes it. Kearte (9th-Generation Brujah) One night, a Sami
His violent episodes make him the most feared and hated hunter and scout named Kearte came from the north, seeking
Cainite in the domain among the mortal population, most to join the queen in stopping Christianitys advance. An
of whom have lost someone to this Gangrel. More than any idealist and a romantic at heart, though, her heart bleeds
other thing, his unprovoked spells of rage cause discontent for the suffering of the kine. She has come to hate her liege,
among the kine, and push them towards rebellion. and wishes deep down to see the Final Death claim her or
Gurunn (Fifth Generation Cappadocian) Bjark- possibly simply to leave the northern lands and travel to far-
areys court vlva is a withered old Cappadocian who once away Miklagard to seek her fortune in the Basileus Varangian
was one of Norways most respected sorceresses and seers. Guard. She will aid anyone who comes to Bjarkarey to see
Now she is a relic, a remnant of a dead tradition, and in the Queens downfall. Her actions poorly hide her misgivings.
this she finds meaning. She casts runes and provides cryp- Though Valborg and her court, already familiar with Kearte,
tic snippets of prophecy, as likely to be genuine as simple see them as simply part of the Zealots personality, new blood
manipulation. A contrary old hag, Gurunn has left most might recognize them for what they are.
worldly scheming behind now, her true agenda is to lead
her faith to a dignified end, and to bring other Cainites pain
or petty annoyance for her own amusement. She arranged
for sgeirrs accident, and if he ever finds that out the
The Hammer
and Cross
Queen will have to choose between her court vlva or her
diplomat. She is tired of unlife, and more than happy to
aid young vampires who wish to change the status quo, so
long as they show wit and subtlety. She responds well to
clever banter, even if it is insulting towards her. IbellstForhasblanketed
been 200 years since the cross came to Bjarkarey.
a century and a half, the protective peal of the church
the town come Sunday and holy days, a
Ormr (Eighth Generation Nosferatu) A levelheaded
sound said to banish evil wherever heard. Though the new
and soft-spoken young Nosferatu ancilla, it is Ormr who
faith was ripped out as brutally as the old one was, it had
most draws the scorn of the Viking court. In secret, though,
already been the religion of generations. Like the dandelion
he is a passionate believer in Jesus of Nazareth, and the
covering the island in summer, it proved hardy. The Holy
head of Bjarkareys hidden Cainite Heresy. He is an ally of
Trinity still sees reverence here, and not just among mortals.
Gurunn, and they both work toward the end of the old
faith in Bjarkarey. He is charismatic and dignified when away There is a Cainite church here, headed up by the char-
from Valborgs warriors, with features that are unusually ismatic Nosferatu priest Ormr, the only vampire who lived
symmetrical for one of his Clan. When under the Queens here in life. There are around a dozen Cainites in Bjarkarey,
eye, he is servile and pathetic, acting as the courts jester, and Ormr is not the only one of that number present at
but this is an act, and one he does not mind after all, his sermons. Some of the Queens blood-thrall hirmen
he is outwitting her. He has a collection of hiding places and a few mortals attend this hidden church, where open
all over the island, and uses some of these for his masses. rebellion against the Cainite rule is preached.
Israel (Tenth Generation Follower of Set) This Among mortals, churchgoers mainly travel to
strange creature, seemingly made of solid marble, appeared Thrndarnes by boat on Sundays, suffering the perils of the
from the sea one night and proclaimed itself to be the arch- sea to hear the psalms, partake in Communion, and have
angel Israel. It offered communion, and many drank from their souls salved and consecrated. At home, they quietly
the cup laced with its vitae. Since then, Israel has appeared intone their prayers in the evening, hoping to draw the
many times, always in the open, always offering communion attention of a distant god to their darkened houses and
from its chalice of blood, and the Queens forces have never be safe from the ravages of midnight. They pray to Saint
been able to catch it. In truth, Israel knows it is not an angel, lfr to return and deliver them from evil, preferably by
but believes that so long as it does an angels work, the dif- the sword.
ference is meaningless. It has gained many followers but no Not all of Bjarkareys kine believe in the White Christ
allies. Rumor insists that members of the hir have partaken and his milksop promises. The old gods are still in mem-
in Israels communion, but so far it seems to be hearsay. But ory, and some never left behind their bitterness over the
Israels time is running out Valborg has sent forth word conversion King lfr the Fat forced on them. Most of
that any neonate who slays this archangel will earn her them know that Queen Valborgs faith is a twisted version
favor. It is only a matter of time before an ambitious coterie of what their ancestors believe, and so they, too, hope for
decides to secure for themselves a patron of elder rank. deliverance. Red Thor was always a friend of humanity: a

THE DOMAIN OF BJARKAREY

44
heroic, if dimwitted, champion who would kill and drive Nevertheless, Bjarkareys Queen is no diplomat, and
out the creatures of darkness wherever he went and it even Kindling-sgeirrs easy charm can only smooth over
is to Bjarkarey, they hope, that he will come next. Then, so much. The fiefdom has made many enemies already,
they will take up their swords, and hope to die in glorious and makes more each summer, when the longboats launch
battle, so they may sit at Odins table in Valhll. again. Much raiding happens north and east, into lands held
Some mortals have come to believe in Valborgs version by pagans or the Russian Orthodox patriarchate. Notable
of the old faith, and for them, the Queens blood-soaked enmities therefore exist within the burning wreckage of
longhouse is a beacon in a world turned to evil. The Church the Kievan Rus. The Swedish war against the Novgorod
is conquering the world, they believe, and it is but another Republic provides a similar excuse to raid in the north as
face of that old beast, Rome, and its quest for power. It is the Crusades do in the south. Both the Republic and Karelia
that old monster that drove the ancient gods out of their are nursing growing grudges against Bjarkareys raiders,
ancestral homelands and sent them up north, and now dangers of which the Queen is not yet aware. The ever
it has pursued them even to the very heart of their new more settled Cainites of the Crimson Horde are looking for
domain. They believe that here Queen Valborg and her younger vampires to send west and judging possible assaults
exalted companions will stand firm as the bedrock, rallying on the Queens court. In her eagerness to avoid Catholic
the faithful and driving the besieging tyranny back even to ire, she unwittingly stirs up Orthodox wrath.
the cradle of White Christ himself. The ancient freedom For mortals, two centuries is a span of generations. The
that all humankind once enjoyed will be theirs once more. Christening of Norway has long since passed out of living
It is a crimson, death-soaked creed, washed clean in the memory but unliving minds still remember. Among older
tides of blood and fire, and it gives the faithful any reason Scandinavian Cainites, the Viking Queen finds respect, even
they might want to take to arms and cleave some skulls. Red admiration. Many vampire jarls still believe in the old ways,
Thor, blood-soaked Thor, strong Thor blood is bound into and Bjarkarey captures what sentimentality they have left in
the very fabric of Valborgs cult, considered sacred and pure. them. Still, they are hardly true allies, and those who would
White Christ, bloodless and feeble, represents the weakness join her cause already have. She sees a potential ally in her
that the lazy and enslaved embrace and name civilization. fellow Gangrel pagan Werter of Uppsala, but he is suspicious
Valborgs followers know true civilization it is the civiliza- of the Queens version of the faith and its emphasis on only
tion of the strong, the pure, who build it on the bedrock of two of the gods. The Gangrel outlaw Eirik Longtooth, while
their own strength of body and mind. It is freedom, where all an ally of Bjarkarey, is not likely to be in the right place at
men have their say and justice is swift and harsh. It embraces the right time should the island domain come under attack.
the rain and wind and thunder, and the right to go where Among younger vampires, Christianity has taken root
you will and take what you want as their ancestors did solidly, and they chafe at their elders heathen ways. The old
before them. It is heady and intoxicating, especially to the war over Norways soul still shambles along in its unliving
Cainite once chained by self-denial. society, and Valborg is one of the most visible symbols of
the old guard. While older Cainites often look at Bjarkarey
Blood Feuds and Holy Wars fondly, the young despise it. Many daring neonate Promet-
heans dream of taking that throne for themselves.
As a small island of heathens ruled openly by an unholy
abomination, it is Bjarkareys isolated position at the very Perhaps Valborgs most staunch political opponent is
northern edge of Christendom that has thus far prevented the Setite prince named Rlfr. He has given himself the
the heavy gaze of the Church or pious Cainites. Queen title Hlairjarl, considering himself the night jarl to his
Valborg and her hir are also avid crusaders, eagerly smiting mortal counterparts day jarl. Though he only controls
the Saracen in the name of the cross, which also stymies the western islands around Lofotr, he considers the whole
Christian wrath. Naturally, it is not loyalty to the religion jarldom of Hlair to be his, and that most emphatically and
the Queen despises motivating this piece of apparent especially includes Bjarkarey. He has maneuvered against the
piety it is the promise of plunder and blood without Gangrel Queen before, trying to cut off potential alliances
repercussions. Valborg is cunning enough to know that and raiding trade vessels running to and from the island,
openly warring upon her Christian neighbors would be a but the Queen cares little about such matters. She is aware
swift way to face the dawn underneath a heavy stone slab, of his designs and has enacted schemes against him in her
whether at the hands of a pious adventuring captain or the own exceptionally unsubtle way. They hate each other with
much-rumored shadowy hand of the Church. She has set the bile only elder vampires can summon up.
out on several years-long expeditions to slay the Serkir of Rlfr has been a Christian since the battle of
Outremer under the false flag of the Cross. Stiklarstair and has old alliances to call upon. He could

THE HAMMER AND CROSS

45
easily seize Bjarkarey, were it not for his fellow Serpents. an insult were she not so amused by the situation. As it is,
Once a rising star, his conversion has earned him the enmity this reputation is greatly useful to her, so she encourages
of the Children of Loki, and they wish to see him replaced it with distaste, and hopes one day to be in a position to
with a more faithful Setite jarl. Already, they slither into his truly damage the decadent Church.
court and spread venomous rumors, seeking to undermine When the ships sail home, they are laden with gold
him. But in his final hour, he might find an unexpected ally: and captives, thralls for the Queens service, and trophies
Queen Valborg herself. As a faithful follower of Thor, she and all manner of goods the hir might need in Bjarkarey.
has no love for the Midgard Serpents get. Those Children of Valborg makes a point of targeting mortal friends or rela-
Loki are southerners, and whatever else he might be, Rlfr tives of Cainites who annoy her, some of whom intend to
is a true man of the north. Meanwhile, the jarl himself seeks retrieve their lost ones.
to claim Bjarkarey without expending precious resources.
He is currently seeking younger vampires to send into the
Queens court as spies and saboteurs. Even if they should
Life and Death in Bjarkarey
decide to keep the fiefdom, he knows it will be far easier to Bjarkarey is a fishing town defined by its despot, and so
oust some upstart than the weathered old queen. it is somewhat ironic that she spends less time here than
she does adventuring. Even elder vampires must respect the
Blood and Glory might of the weather and of the deadly sea, so her ships only
set sail in spring, and mostly return in fall. Most times, both
When Valborgs longboats leave, sgeirr, Mikkel, and
happen in the same year, but sometimes Valborgs raiders
Kearte are on board. With them sail around a hundred blood-
spend years raiding and killing in the warm south. When
thralls and mortal hirmen, Viking warriors all. Wrapped
she sets off on one of her expeditions to faraway Serkland
in thick sheepskins, the Cainites slumber away the days.
to slay the Muhammedans, it will be five or more years
At night, the boats pull onto shore so the crews may rest.
before the longboats return. When they return, they act
At that time, Kearte heads off into the countryside to find
as though Bjarkarey is hostile land, as it often is.
sustenance for the other three. Should she find kine, the
vampires sneak into their homes and drink their fill; should When this happens, the old ways grip on Bjarkarey slips.
she find four-legged quarry, she slays it and brings it back Most vampires who are truly loyal to Valborg are part of
to the boats, for the Cainites to drink their blood and the her hir, and they leave with her, leaving Bjarkarey lead-
mortals to feast on their flesh. So pass the weeks at sea. erless. The Queen sees no pressing need for night-to-night
governance of her kingdom, and so that situation suits her
When the boats land, Kearte scouts to see where they
fine. In her absence, the town is vulnerable, and easy to
are. If any undefended settlements are nearby and the
seize. Many vampires, and even some mortals, successfully
Queen thinks it wise, the whole bands bloodlust rises,
conquer the island kingdom, thinking themselves clever,
and they descend on any local peasants and monks. The
but Valborg is a formidable warrior. She is a Gangrel elder
Queens preternatural senses ensure none escape. Should
whose focus has been raiding and war throughout her exis-
the settlements be larger or guarded, the Queen instead
tence, and she returns each time with a small army. Many
sends Kindling-sgeirr to shore to offer the bands services
conquer her small domain, but none hold it.
as mercenaries in whatever local conflicts might be ongo-
ing. Even in the Levant or Karelia, Valborg prefers to take With the Queen gone, Bjarkarey heaves a sigh of relief.
mercenary contracts, as she sees no reason to go unpaid The nights seem brighter, and the population dares to almost
for doing what she would do otherwise. openly follow their own faiths. There are open debates
about the comparative merits of Queen Valborg and King
Most seasons, the longboats sail south to offer the raid-
Hkon IV, and those vampires left behind become much
ers services to Christian lords, or east to raid in Karelia
more active, bargaining and building, and occasionally
and Novgorod. Sometimes, they strike the northern Sami,
leaving. Mortals, too, depart Bjarkarey in these times of
though Keartes strongly-voiced disapproval, and the lack
reprieve, but for them, the journey is hazardous. These are
of notable riches, has led the old Gangrel to reduce such
poor folk, many of them fishermen or farmers, and without
attacks Kearte is valuable, after all. Should they enter
their homesteads they have nothing. The remaining ones
the so-called Holy Land, they hoist the cross and set off on
have homes, businesses, and families to lose, their ancestors
a rampage across Muhammedan and Orthodox lands both.
having lived here far before the Queen conquered them,
It is these raids the Queen enjoys best. She has earned some
and the ocean is dangerous. To leave means risking death
recognition as a stalwart crusader in the courts of Europe,
from starvation, cold, or drowning, and most mortals have
riding on the good name of King Sigurd Jerusalem-Farer,
had family taken by the waves.
also known as Sigurd the Crusader. She would consider this

THE DOMAIN OF BJARKAREY

46
 In these times, it is Gurunn who makes the decisions their own right, each of which can house dozens of peo-
needed from a ruler, and she cares little for preserving Val- ple. Dotted around the shores of nearby islands are other
borgs domain. Instead, she focuses on making choices the farmsteads, clinging precariously to the roots of the majestic
Queen will not disapprove of overmuch, along with silently mountain ranges, and the people from these farms gather
orchestrating her lieges downfall. Mainly, though, she abus- in Bjarkarey to trade and drink. Fashions and language are
es her position to play tricks on the vampire population. old-fashioned here, kept so by threat of death, but despite
These range from the truly sadistic to mildly annoying, and the danger overshadowing their lives and the harshness
she takes care to make it all seem like accidents. For that, of their surroundings or maybe because of these the
she often uses Ormr, who becomes bolder and uses the people enjoy drinking, brawling, and loud, raucous laughter.
Queens absence to try and shore up the Christian cause in Violence, even lethal, is common Valborgs reign attracts
his beloved hometown, often traveling to nearby settlements those who ill fit in elsewhere.
to build alliances, as well as building secret tunnels and When the Queen is at home, her hall is lit by a great
underground chambers within the islands bedrock. The bonfire set at the opposite end from her throne. Those
gifts of his blood allow him to go where he wishes unseen, hirmen of lower status sit closer to the fire, and farther
and he willingly lends this ability to Gurunns mischief in away from the Queen. The light from the fire is visible
exchange for her help with his plans. across the whole town, a reminder of both who it is who
On a hill where the towns church used to stand sits sits in judgment of the population, and the peoples lowly
Valborgs longhouse, and it overlooks the town center. From status as mere kine. Formality does not exist here all
here, it is but a short walk down to the shore, and the rows members of the hir laugh and joke and insult each other
of boathouses lining the waters edge where Valborgs fleet of freely. The experienced ones know to jest about the Queen
dragon ships rests, as well as those fishing boats belonging to as well, though they also know over which topics to spare
the closest farms. Most of the population lives in scattered insults. All Cainites dine in the longhouse, with the Queen
farmsteads around Bjarkarey itself, almost tiny hamlets in providing refreshments from the ranks of her thralls and
THE HAMMER AND CROSS

47
those she convicts of crimes against her domain. The court
spares more valued prisoners, such as Christian clergy or TRUE COMPANIONS:
Saracen nobility, for feast days, with the most important
ones saved for the sacred midwinter blt. Here, priests,
THE GANGREL HIRD
imams, bishops, Capets, counts, and even one particularly Drawing from its Viking roots, the hir is a Clan
unfortunate Holy Roman Prince-Elector have met their tradition followed by more Outlaws than just Bjarkar-
end. These, the reavers kidnap in secret to avoid provoking eys ruler. It is the custom of gathering mortal followers
the ire of the mighty disappearances happen, especially and improving their ferocity by the gift of blood, dear
in wartime, and the hirmen are quite skilled at clandes- to warlords and raiders of Wolfs-Head lineage. More
tine kidnappings. Even so, the Princes of the Black Cross Gangrel choose to be solitary these nights, preferring
know of the captivity of one bishop, and they look to hire the company of perhaps an animal or two, and so the
mercenaries to rescue their holy man. tradition seems to be fading from the world. Even now,
While the power in Bjarkarey is mainly vested in the more hirs appear among steppe nomads, bedouins,
Cainite hirmen, the blood-thralls are the eyes and fists and Europes dwindling pagan peoples.
of the Queens rule. The more junior ones patrol regular- Three ranks are observed: kertilsveinr, hirmen,
ly, checking in on each and every farmstead within the and skutilsveinr. A kertilsvein is a warrior who has not
Bjarkarey demesne. All homes on the island itself see a partaken of the commanders vitae, and it is her job
hirman visit every week or so. The town itself, and those to hold a candle at hir ceremonies. She is also not
farms belonging to the hir, see many of the more senior permitted to partake in the blt. A hirman is a blood
blood-thralls as well. These are vicious and brutal warriors thrall of the commander, and has partaken in at least
of inhuman physical ability and a violent temperament, and one proper blt. A skutilsvein is a Cainite lieutenant
they are often drunk. The mortals of Bjarkarey know to of the hirs commander, and he outranks the mortal
stand well clear of weapon range when a senior hirman warriors. Many hirs have no skutilsveinr, and smaller
walks by to do any less is to invite an attack. Some ones often make do without kertilsveinr as well.
respect and admire these awesome figures, but most see
them with resignation and resentment. Theres no use The Gangrel hir is bound together by the blt,
getting angry nothing can be done. where every member slashes her wrist and bleeds into
a chalice. For Norse hirs, the blood of a human sac-
Fortunately for these people, Valborg is disinterested in
rifice then sanctifies the chalice, and every hirman
quelling grumbling and discontent. So long as one makes at
and skutilsvein drinks a sip. Christian hirs often
least the halfhearted appearance of following the old ways,
replace the sacrifice with the blood of Communion
worshipping Thor and the sir, and disliking King Hkon,
instead, and other customs exist outside either faith.
she simply ignores sedition. So long as they are prepared for
the hirs inspections, and otherwise stay clear of Valborgs All members of the hir are bound to its
blood-thralls, most can go about their business freely. The skutilsveinr, though first and most strongly to its com-
Queens shadow is dark indeed, but she has little interest in mander. Hirmen created in such a manner display
active governance beyond levying taxes and punishing the an uncanny aptitude for animals, and may always
crimes she considers most severe, and even these activities purchase Animalism as though it was a physical Dis-
bore her. Mikkel arranges the patrols and the defense of the cipline, regardless of their domitors Discipline ranks.
realm, Kearte keeps tabs on potential threats, and sgeirr
handles diplomacy with any other rulers. So long as they
have nothing to report, the Queen would rather not be
bored with the details.
While this state of affairs provides some small measure
of freedom for the people, it also brings conquerors and
Fossegrim
Ibeautiful
adventurers to Bjarkarey, seeking to claim it in Valborgs n Scandinavian waterways untouched by human civilization
absence, or simply to slay the old beast. Such conflicts are lurk the fossegrim, creatures appearing as nude, ethereally
the main danger the mortals of Bjarkarey face Valborg men playing stringed instruments such as the fiddle,
draws trouble to her, and revels in it. So long as she rules, lyre, or harp. Their alluring music floats through thick forests
there will never be peace. and across river valleys, luring the unwary to their pools

THE DOMAIN OF BJARKAREY

48
and waterfalls, seducing them with dance and melody. The A fossegrims performances are supernaturally com-
fossegrim are fickle, deciding on the spot whether to drown pelling, drawing listeners toward him and weakening
the unfortunate souls or keep them for a time as favored their wills. He can only use his Presence Discipline
partners or pets. Sometimes, one offers to teach a visitor to while playing a stringed instrument or dancing to
play music as sublime as his own, in exchange for favors, love, music played by another.
or sufficiently-enticing luxuries like fine food or wine. He can
For every week a fossegrim is away from his native
leave his watery home for a time but must return eventually,
waterway be it river, lake, pond, spring, or water-
making his love affairs tragic as a matter of course.
fall he loses one point of permanent Willpower.
The true nature of the fossegrim is lost to history, such If he drops to zero permanent Willpower this way,
that only the oldest Cainite scrolls and the longest of the he dies.
kolduns memories tell their story. Long ago, one of the
first koldunic sorcerers experimented with the limits of his By spending at least a few hours in some form of
power, bewitching a water spirit by coating the strings of communion with someone, the fossegrim can teach
his instrument with his own vitae and playing a mystical her to be a world-class performer, although he must
lay that compelled it to do his bidding. He forced the spirit accept a meaningful payment or service in exchange,
and a human to merge painfully into a single being that beyond the communion itself. This communion could
he kept as a plaything. This fused being became the first involve inflicting mental or physical anguish, sex
fossegrim, and ever since then, they have spontaneously and other pleasures, ritual worship, mutual medi-
emerged from rivers, falls, and lakes throughout the Norse tation, or any other intense interaction that forges
world. The lay they play tonight to lure their prey is the a spiritual connection between the two characters.
same one the ancient Cainite sorcerer composed. Once completed, this unusual mentorship allows the
Every fossegrim has inherited a vendetta against the student to immediately purchase a dot of Charisma,
koldun from the first of his kind, and knowing little of Empathy, Performance, or the Presence Discipline
Cainite ways, he blames all Tzimisce for the atrocity. He at half its normal experience cost. A character can
senses the difference between a Fiend and other vampires only learn once this way from any given fossegrim.
in his vicinity. Whenever he learns one of the hated Clan Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina
is anywhere close by, he entices others to his demesne with 2, Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 5,
his enchanted music to convince, coerce, or manipulate Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 2
them into helping him plot the Tzimisces downfall. Fos-
segrim seek out Toreador in particular as partners in crime, Abilities: Alertness 2, Animal Ken 3, Awareness
knowing how easy it is to gain their cooperation. 3, Brawl 1, Empathy 4, Etiquette 3, Expression
2, Hearth Wisdom 2, Legerdemain 2, Occult 2,
Performance 5, Subterfuge 2
Powers and Weaknesses
Equivalent Disciplines: Animalism 1, Auspex 2,
A fossegrim replenishes blood points by sleeping Potence 2, Presence 1, Spiritus 2
or playing music for at least six hours continuously.
Road: 5, Willpower: 7; Blood Pool: 6

FOSSEGRIM

49
 Gangrel Apocrypha:
A Wanderers Nocturne
My good friend,
You asked for my recounting of the events following our parting. Naturally, it is a tale full
and bravery, and I fault you not for desiring the full tale told. of heroism
We left in good spirits that eve, and went our separate ways, sated and happy. You headed
the northwest, and I east towards the Vistula and Gdansk. I came across some bandit vermin, toward Prussia in
enced great merriment! I stuck their ratty faces on poles, and held a puppet show for the next and all experi-
turned out to be a group of monks. They seemed shocked, but one laughed, so I left him alive. travelers, who
I came across a village for the night. They offered to lodge me, and I agreed. It turns out they
problem with some sort of crazed loner wolfman, but no longer! Sated on the shit-stained dogspa had a
left the peasant maggots alone. They promised to honor my name. I made sure they remem wns blood, I
bered it.
In Gdansk, I hunted a giant sewer leech. The sewers smelled better than the inbred stench
and spew above ground, and the people werent the only thing that smelled up there! The of shit
uneven teeth set inside some slimy, fleshy orifice. I shoved its ugly maw full of lamp oil and thing had long,
local drink called gorzalka. It burned for hours! Truly glorious I spent the rest of the a truly terrible
gutfaced Nosferatu, trying to see which of us could get the closest to the thing. One of usnight with some
won decisively.
Further on, I slew a rogue bear menacing some travelers. The shit had spines of bone stickin
it at every which angle, and was as tall as a house, but I prevailed, my sword slicing its head g out of
The travelers praised me and held a celebration in my honor at the next town. I am a celebraneatly off!
friend! I got drunk on poisoned vitae and defaced some graves, but nobody saw me. I repaire ted hero, my
could, of course, being a pious and humble man, but it was too great. Ah, no doubt they will d what damage I
bear it must have come through here before. Besides, you are supposed to respect theblame it on the
not? And, if anyone had complained, that would have been downright disrespectful! dead, are you
Heading through the forest, I found myself waylaid. Christs testes, it seems nobody can do anythin
these days, but this lowlife set a proper ambush! I won, of course, but these fought like no mortal g well
a sip of their blood told me why I tasted Cainite vitae in their vein. Some shitstain actuall men, and
of their own blood on these worms, and had the gall to try and ambush me. Me the great y wasted drops
Thibault dArmagnac! Well, it seems the ghouls were attempting revenge for the bears death. chevali er Sir
Tzimisce dung fly held it as a pet! The Tzimisce paid, of course and it turned out she was Some twisted
ladder to the First Corpsesucker! Praise God and me, I have ascended! above me on the
It seems these pseudo-vampires come in neat rows. How very convenient. The next one, though, was far
commodating. He thanked me for destroying his rival and asked me to perform another service. I am hardly more ac-
one
at mercenary work tis beneath me, true, but I can simply lean over somewhat and the job seems to sneer
To slay another Tzimisce! And so to the battlefield I go, to engage in the sublime art of combat. fairly facile.
Ah, a glorious battle! The shitworm sneered and postured, so I lit his manorhouse on fire.
to resist the terror, and he had not. He rushed for the exit, so I kicked his feet out from under I have trained
he fell headfirst into the fire. How I laughed as I strode away from the inferno. The pay-wo him, and
rm was good for

THE DOMAIN OF BJARKAREY

50
 may God shit
his word, as well, and rendered the agreed-upon reward unto me. It seems these Tzimisce,
upon their souls and cut their toes off, are good for something after all.
He remained
I arrived at my fathers estate, and found him holding court. Naturally, he had not changed at all.
I corrected him
insistent that I marry and squeeze out larvae for the good of the house. How horrifically revolting! forcefully
decisively by pulling off my britches. Hah! He looked as though small imps were ensconced in his skull,
bawdy song that
pushing his eyeballs out! I danced a little dance, swinging my manhood about proudly and singing a mouth in
I once learned from a demure little nun with the Devils own sense of humor. My mother pursed her
bemusement, but deep down, I think she approved of my lan.
her mon-
And of course, my father chose just this moment to sip his wine. The assassin was well worth fucked
who
ey. The physician declared his heart had given out from the shock. Thank Maria and the One most somber
her that my father placed wealth above health, and never hired a Moorish doctor! I put on my
and fled before
demeanor, and voiced my sincere condolences to my mother. Then, I pulled my britches back oncaution, and it
I could be declared heir to fathers estate. Not that it was likely, but I find it wise to exercise
would be a shame to deprive the world of the amazing knight-errant I am.
for slaying.
The aforementioned Tzimisce told me of a Roman ruin, containing some manner of fell beast ripe the beast it-
The rubble town smelled like Satans anus during a particularly bad bout of dysentery. I came across
of poverty.
self wallowing in a pile of bones, interspersed with wood and decayed leaves in a particularly sad display
and crowned by
It was gigantic! A pustulent sac of tumors and despair, perched atop six fluid-bloated, stubby legs
four bent, twisted, batlike wings the very picture of majestic beauty!
As it spotted
Oddly enough, the beasts roar was just as I had always fancied a dragons call ought to sound. muster
y could
me, it roused itself to instant life, and I was astonished that a creature so sickly and ungainl y allowed me to
up such speed and grace! It spat its vile concoction towards me. Only my great skill and alacrit . The Beast
evade, and grateful I will forever remain, as the piss burned like Greek fire wherever it struck
inside reeled, and the dragon took flight before I could wrestle my inner demons into submission.
struck, I
I scrounged up two fairly-fresh heads from the dragons victims, and when the dragon next of fire. I
the flow
gave the monkfucker two new friends straight upon the mandibles, thus stymying and embedded
took a moment to laugh so much more the fool, then, when the dragons tail whipped out
a sharp, dry vertebra in my gut. No knight is perfect, my friend!
and
The dragon had now made me angry a fatal mistake! I leapt upon it, snarling, abandoning my sword I then
which
baring claws! I shredded my way into its pus-ridden sac of a body, and dug my way in to its very core,of tar and vomit
cut loose and brought outside. The beast died looking upon its own heart. The dragons blood tasted
and curiously sweet spiced apples. It was revolting, but I drank it all, and feasted upon its heart.
scum.
And now, my friend, you have heard the tale. Tell it to your fellow nobles, your servants, your version by
own
Retell it as your own, and embellish it, for it is our way. I dearly look forward to hearing your
return, so I may add to it further!
Yours truly,
Sir Thibault dArmagnac,
Knight-Errant
Dragonslayer

GANGREL APOCRYPHA

51
 reward on the vampire who slays a truly ancient monster,
Perils of the Journey and drinks of their power or wisdom. Thus, a dichotomy
Gangrel are the Outlaws, and they wander. A Tore- exists within the Clan: a sect within the Gangrel known as
ador court darling or Nosferatu plague doctor shudders the Monstrous Few, based primarily in the Italian city-states,
in horror as the city walls end and the featureless void of attempts to parlay with these creatures, making common
the wilderness takes hold. They know the Gangrel rove, accord in the night. Another group, who name themselves
but they imagine little Gangrel hide, Gangrel feed, and the Honorborn, advocates killing every monster, carrying
Gangrel prowl. Yet, there is more to the Clan. The Gangrel trophies to mark their successes, and sharing tales of their
see things other Cainites can scarcely imagine. The road adventures. The Honorborn exist across the Kingdoms of
offers much, but the dangers are grave. Poland and Hungary, though they spread far and supposedly
Bandits are the most obvious of hazards on the roads act as guardians to the waning Telyavelic Tremere.
across Europe and farther still. Gangrel guides and travelers The Clans of Caine offer both danger and opportunity
never underestimate them. Most bandits are veterans of any to wanderers. Most of the other Clans dwell in places where
of 100 wars, and not simple peasant rabble. Some Gangrel they feel the influence of many other Cainites, finding succor
choose to rule them. The Gangrel of the Fiefdoms of the in the company of fellow Damned. The Gangrel travel to
Black Cross and the Voivodate often form their hir with the small and isolated places, where one single Outlaw is
bandits, following in Attilas footsteps with disparate armies a power with which to be reckoned. The Gangrel have a
spread across entire nations. code: Weigh the risk and the reward before staking a claim
Animals seem natural bedfellows to the Gangrel, due or disappearing into the night. Allowing oneself to be pulled
to their Blood-borne powers. A sage Outlaw advises his into the games of rural vampire lords brings risk, but the
fledgling brethren to not be deceived on such matters: the rewards can be quite worthwhile. Unlike their sedentary
deepest forests and deserts hold animals beyond definition, cousins, they can simply leave with their spoils when the
manipulation, or control. Sometimes, the beasts of the land time is right, and let the lordlings suffer the consequences.
will stop and stare, all at once. If this happens, a Gangrel Gangrel do not hesitate to act as mercenaries if they have
finds shelter. It is rare, but if a vampire is unlucky, these ambitions or desires to fulfill. Vampires among the Ravnos
beasts attack with savagery and no regard for their own and Lhiannan commonly join the Gangrel in these roving
health. They will be cunning, using stratagems, and then, bands of Cainite mercenaries, putting aside blood feuds
suddenly...they simply return to normal. Wherever a wise for the chance to profit. Mercenary groups such as the
Gangrel takes shelter, she makes sure to leave a faithful Shieldless a coterie holding over a score of vampires
hound outside she will not be untouched by the madness, hailing from the so-called Low Clans rides across the
and may act as an alarm before a horde of beasts attacks. Courts of Love and Sea of Shadows working for the highest
bidder, making their number as rich as any stagnant Prince.
Monsters are not mere creatures of myth and legend. Many
vampires see only two kinds of monsters: the kine and the Fellow Gangrel are among the greatest threats a wanderer
Cainite. Some know of the demons, as well. Gangrel lore might face. The Outlaws are of a kind. That should be all
tells of protean forces, however. These remnants of ancient the warning a Gangrel needs. Though they are kindred,
times stalk the lands. Unlike other Clans, the Gangrel pe- they are monsters. Hunters. They share tales and revelries
riodically send out emissaries and offer to meet with these freely, but always remember that dogs kill each other on
fae creatures, shapeshifters, and will-workers, though they occasion. It is in their nature. Gangrel elders impart a piece
are careful some creatures of the darkness are far more of advice to every childe upon Embrace: Be wary of betrayal,
terrible than the Gangrel. The Clan places great honor and never turn your back unless you wish to lure a Clanmate
into attacking, and always have an escape route.

THE DOMAIN OF BJARKAREY

52
 Malkavian Apocrypha:
A Soul to Bleed
Dear childe,

Sloth is your guide, and will lead you into damnation lest you slay
him. Simple tasks:
Change the path of the world and bring the moon to Earth, but
you refuse. Why? Kill
him, my childe. The hooves, I hear them thunder, and their name
s are known to you.
Kill Sloth, the archbishop incumbent, and put a torch to his pyre,
that fires come swift
and burn swift. Bid them speedy passage, and mark the falling
of the star, ere the sky
stands empty. Do not trust in carpenters or masons, my childe, bright
ly lit behind veils.
Their table holds seats for 12 kings, and the last seat is Caines.

The 13 sons of 13 sons will come of age, and sunrise will catch sunse
t. The stars turn red
once, twice, thrice, and the wagoner claims his prize. Thistles grow,
one patch wild and
one well-kept, in soil made fertile by ash. Kill the messenger, my
childe, or all this will
come to pass. And watch yourself ever for rats you know how
ill they fare by you.
Ever yours devotedly,

Saint Thomas Aquinas circum deo inter viis

Dear sire,
o as I believe you
As always, your wisdom is both profound and cryptic, but I have proceeded to Tarnov
d guest of Patriarch
desire. The bishop is here, indeed, lodged in the Patriarchal Cathedral as an honore
watchful eyes trained
Joachim. A touching example of the schism being bridged, to be sure. I intend to keep
on the cathedral the bishop must eventually emerge, and I may strike then.
a brothel! A
O, woe to the world! I stalked the bishop tonight with lethal intent, and then he entered
indeed, his very soul.
man of God, abandoning his faith and his flock in the embrace of simple whores
Such piety, such virtue as was once known to humankind is now surely lost.
ful reverie between
It is now with regret I pick this letter up and realize I have spent a month in sorrow
to you, dear sire, for
writing each paragraph. Worthless creature! I humbly prostrate myself in apology
set out over a week
your being saddled with such a useless and pathetic excuse for a childe. The bishop
ago, and I know not where.
soul.
I shall attend confession at the earliest opportunity, to scourge the weakness from my
Yours truly,
Maria v. H.

MALKAVIAN APOCRYPHA

53
 Dear childe,
vexatious, but expected. The
The hourglass has run its course. Your failure is perplexing and
you must travel to the river of
titan eagle shall pluck out your eyes, but that must wait. Now
can turn it to its wicked ways.
pharaohs, and there break the pyramid ere the Typhonic beast
hing. Its gaze shall pierce
Should you fail, this ancient power shall reveal to the serpent everyt
of old and this unholy relic.
all veils, and creation shall crack and fall. Curse those princes
e. I grow weary of slaying
Your confession is well advisable, but do not confess to your natur
priests.
Yours in haste,
Saint Thomas Aquinas circum deo inter viis

Malkav was once struck down by Set in order to preserve

The Mirror Crackd him and spread his madness. But these Coronati childer are the
Though the madhouse and its howling inmates is an sinful, and theirs is scorn to reap. Among Cainites, the Coronati
iconic image, it remains a thing of the distant future in childer are often compared with the Nosferatu. Their minds are
the Dark Medieval world. Disease of the mind is a strange not sick, but twisted and warped into unholy patterns. Their
concept, and alien to the cultures of this era. Instead, there souls carry the ugliness inside that the Nosferatu carry openly.
is insanity and while every Malkavian suffers from some Sin and pain stain their souls, whether they suffer uncontrolla-
form of mental illness, not all are considered insane. ble bouts of rage or megalomania, or obsessively arrange their
The Embrace of Malkav crashes into the mortal soul as possessions just so. They manipulate the madness in others,
a storm batters the elm. The mind buckles and warps under spreading insanity like a plague.
the onslaught. From this crucible, a Seer emerges bent, or Even those whose predilections do not run towards true
broken. While the Clans most esteemed scholars have a view sin will face the same stigma among vampires if a Childe
of insanity centuries ahead of their time, those hallowed few of Malkav does not display the touch of true madness, then
are alone. The vampire who arises where the human died will her peers consider her one of the sinful.
certainly know nothing of his new state...or far too much.
The Broken
The Bent Those who bend with the storm hold uncanny insights.
For each deadly sin, there is a Malkavian who represents It is the broken who give the Clan its reputation.
it. The very sin of sloth is called dejection in some Orthodox Mad prophets rambling somewhere between truth and
writings, and one who suffers from depression will certainly delusion; their reality has shattered, and in its place they
be judged slothful rather than ill. When a neonate emerges see something else. Something similar to what they once
and finds his new mind inextricably tied to one of these saw, perhaps, or far removed indeed, but always twisted.
sins, he will regard himself as wicked or cursed. While other The mirror is cracked, but the Childe of Malkav sees an
vampires will see in him the mark of Malkav, they too will unbroken whole. They will see great significance in minor
consider him stained with wickedness, not illness. Kine coincidences and work out elaborate theories to explain
are less merciful yet knowing nothing of the curses of them. And sometimes, these theories are right.
Caine, they will see sin without reason.
Mystics afford this sort of madness importance in the
This state is a mixed blessing. Most Cassandras of any notable Middle Ages. Madmen are not simply mad, but touched, their
station come from these ranks they are the ones who most minds influenced by angels, demons, or those once-angels
readily accept the premises of their surroundings, and they are who chose to side with neither Lucifer nor God: the fae.
the ones who seem most rational. Some believe such Seers only Or perhaps they bear the mark of witchcraft, whether the
descend from those Malkavians among the Coronati Malkavs practice itself or a malign witchs curse. They are not so much
childer who sucked vitae from the earth surrounding where

THE DOMAIN OF BJARKAREY

54
ill as transcendent, their minds seeing the world in
two ways at once. They are prophets and warlocks,
saints and devils, and they are greatly feared, more
so if they seem perfectly rational at the surface.
These charmed souls find awe and fear in equal
measure among the sane. They are divine, or demon-
ic, and the difference is so hard to tell. They may
suffer upon an Inquisitors rack or be considered a
holy outcast, or both. They will face violence, and
find followers who find marvels in the half-coherent
philosophies of Malkavians. It is the duality of their
lessons which mark the Clan as Seers, and it is the
same duality cursing them to be also Cassandras.
Others easily dismiss their lessons as empty delusions
when they are disagreeable, because most of their
ideas are empty delusions. But only most and
when the Children of Malkav are right, that is when
the wise Cainite trembles.
Whether seemingly touched by angels or de-
mons or something else, the Church objects. An
unsanctioned prophet is a heresiarch, spreading
the seeds of foul lies, and heresy is a grave threat
indeed. Much discontent exists regarding the
Churchs wealth and power. Indeed, many among
the Inquisition root out heresy not to hunt the
spawn of Satan, but to preserve their own influence.
The simple shape of a cup, to those touched by the
beyond, contains truths marking them for death by
the powers that be. The broken are doubly hunted
by the Church once for the vampire, and once
for the mortal it pretends to be.
This does not stop the common folk from showing
reverence when they believe it due. For the uniniti-
ated and illiterate, it is difficult to discern between
the religious authority that flows from the Church
and that which does not. Many such Malkavians
find themselves in the center of a cult, whether
cultivated or accidental, and their ability to work
miracles makes them local saints. When they bring
someone back from the dead in a ritualistic blood
ceremony, Malkavians find themselves revered, even
if the resurrectee returns with an aversion to the sun.
Those who do not appear to be saints are the
ones who face the fear and hatred of the common
folk. Others pity, shun, or subject these broken
Malkavians to violence. For many, the Church needs
do nothing mortals eliminate these dangerous
Cassandras without its aid. Those unfortunate few
who are too alien to even hide their Cainite nature
need not even wait that long their fellow vampires
will handle it themselves.

MALKAVIAN APOCRYPHA

55
 I came seeking God. In the fading gold of the Queen of Cities, I saw only His reflection, broken into pieces.
One for the Archangel, one for the Venetian, and one for me.
Josselin the Blessed

O nce, Constantinople dreamed it was Heaven. Then it

fell, and imagined it was Hell. Tonight, it wakes up and
takes its place beside its earthly brethren. Cainites who spent
For the childer of Caine, two Constantinoples rise behind
nigh-impregnable walls. The fabled wonderland that bestows
riches, influence, and mystical might upon the worthy is the
centuries carried on the wings of Michael the Patriarchs Megalopolis of the Dream, a flame, the embers of which
daydream recover now from their crash landing and look refuse to fully die. But the sobering reality is that of a dec-
for a future amidst the rubble. adent fallen utopia where blood and sharks mingle in the
The city the city, to so many toils under Prince Alfon- water and faith struggles for expression. Its Prince jealously
zos iron fist by night, but wonders and terrors escape through guards his domain against hidden daggers within the citys
the cracks between his fingers. A Christian heart pumps tainted walls and brandished swords without. The war drums of the
dogma through its veins while its byways play host to a myriad conquering Anda, the whispers of the united Nosferatu, and
of other faiths. It stands as the last intoxicating bastion of lost the righteous war cries of the Nicaeans all haunt Alfonzos
antiquity to Western Europeans, an opulent prize to be won dreams when the sun shines. By night, the citys Cainites
for the Eastern Mongols, and the sleeping promise of a return quarrel and kill over meager pickings when the crusaders
to paradise for the Romaioi who call it home. came, swaths of the population died, fled, or were exiled,
The Latin Empire occupies Constantinoples golden and more continue to seek greener pastures all the time.
throne, but its pockets are emptying and Emperor Baldwin The influx of foreign vampires aiming to capitalize on New
II pawns everything from sacred relics to his own son to Romes weakness exacerbates conflicts over blood and power.
keep would-be invaders at bay. Ironically, the Fourth Cru- Despite its troubles, Constantinople remains the cov-
sade that ripped the city from the Greeks cold dead hands eted, awesome epicenter of East and West. It captures the
came to fill its coffers, but those coffers sailed back to the imaginations of mortals and Cainites everywhere. Nova
Doge of Venice. Ancient artworks, marvels of architecture Romas vibrant history and divine countenance still draw
and sculpture, and even holy sites many of which were countless travelers and pilgrims. Its conquered citizens yet
brought originally from Rome were looted, despoiled, carry pride in their peerless home, knowing God lives there
or given away in the wake of the crusade. The Empire with them. Even in decline, this dizzying height of culture,
cannibalizes lesser wonders to restore greater ones, lacking commerce, and religion endures as a gleaming capital of
the resources to rebuild properly after fire, ruin, and four Christendom, and though its shadows grow long, its siren
decades of decline. call still echoes near and far.

A CITY OF SEEKERS

57
 a risky gambit against her fellow Lasombra, asserting her
A City of Seekers influence over the mortal emperor and his court from the
shadows. Baldwin II proves a pathetic excuse for a ruler, but

P rince Alfonzo (Seventh Generation Lasombra)

Once instrumental in bringing down the Hellenic
old guard, Alfonzo secured control of the city through
Gabriella hopes she can mold him from hopeless liability
to pliable asset. Together with her loyal lieutenants, she
combs the Cainite population for any who might prove
intimidation and spectacular intrigue, and asserted it as a useful in her bid to seize the princedom, stabilize the city,
gesture of defiance against his sire in Venice. Now, bereft of and exact vengeance.
the allies upon whose backs (and coin) he built his victory,
he clings to his power with all the exigency of a cornered
animal, playing the tyrant to hide his fears. The tighter he
clutches his worldly authority, the more voracious his unruly
The Dream of
the Trinity
Beast becomes.
Malachite, the Rock of Constantinople (Seventh
Generation Nosferatu) Malachite leads his hidden follow-
ers in the long game to resurrect the Dream that birthed the
citys legend. As Michaels last true faithful, the enigmatic Istantine
was not here when the ancients came with their Dream. I think
it not irony, but pointed message, that the one they call Con-
the Great saw his vision of the holy city he would build in
but earnest Nosferatu keeps a close watch on every Cainite
that crosses through the Golden Gate. His subtle nudging the burning sun. What Dream of the Damned could survive, set
among the vampiric rank and file gradually marks the path upon such a vision? That it would end in flames seems obvious to
toward a new Dream to honor the old. me. But some seek it still, like penitents calling for the Revelation to
bring them salvation. Thus did the childer of Caine stand behind
Scholarch Elaiodora Sophida (Ninth Generation
the Eastern empire of New Rome. Though their cousins in the West
Tzimisce) As the self-styled inheritor of the Obertus leg-
fell to barbarian wars, Byzantium took up the torch.
acy in New Rome, Elaiodora eschewed the exodus of her
I was not here when the one they call Patriarch, radiant Father,
Clan to pursue her conviction that the Queen of Cities is
and Michael the Archangel, called his Council to set the three
the rightful heart of all knowledge. She stalks and recruits
Clans above all others: Toreador, Ventrue, Tzimisce. I never saw
scholarly kine alongside her Salubri lover, seeking a cadre of
him or his lovers, the pragmatic Antonius, the uncanny Dracon
worthy childer to help rebuild the Library of the Forgotten
Methuselahs all. To hear the tales, this Trinity was as a black
as students and masters in her Akademia. She cares not
mirror held to Heaven. They built a paradise on Earth! At least,
whose ghouls she plunders in the process of pursuing this,
so say the Greeks. Certainly, one cannot deny the symbiosis they
her own image of the Dream.
enjoyed with the kine as their secret keepers. Artisan muses fostered
Bishop Paul Bathalos (Fifth Generation Toreador) unparalleled arts and culture, while their Lasombra and Tzimisce
In nights past, Paul sacrificed his treasured beauty to pre- allies shepherded mortal faith beyond mere words. Under the Ventrue
serve the divinity he believed Michael the Patriarch held and their Brujah scions, imperial law and vast wealth far surpassed
within, denying them both a love that neither realized was anything Constantinoples peers could hope to achieve. But do you
predicated upon a fantasy. Now he leads his fellow griev- believe a society molded by our kind was free of corruption and
ing Toreador in melancholic worship of the Archangel, strife? Ah, good, you are not as witless as you look.
perceived by these deluded devotees as a celestial martyr I was not here when, at the turn of this century, omens of
who gave up his earthly seat in exchange for the glories of doom came to pass one by one. Antonius, betrayed and destroyed.
Heaven and paved the way for them to follow. The Dracon, vanished forever. And Michael himself, madder
Josselin the Blessed (Tenth Generation Ventrue) than a Cassandra and dragging all his Toreador down with
The Frankish Josselin skirts the edges of heresy, gathering him, until someone visited upon him the Amaranth. Then came
a blood cult of mortals and vampires alike to worship him the machinations of the Venetian, Alfonzo, eroding the purity of
as a risen saint and professing Christian piety. Having faith the Romaioi prized. Then came the Fourth Crusade from
arrived with the Fourth Crusade and watched his faith Europe, and the city burned. The Greeks would have you believe
crumble with the sacking of the city, Josselin envies the it was all for gold, but if you ask the Franks, it was just as much
awe he sees still accorded the destroyed Patriarch by the a release of frustrations at the Latin nobles treating their holy
Romaioi and has stepped into a maelstrom of floundering pilgrimage as a plaything. They all grasp at what was lost in shock
faith to claim his share. and despair, and blame the other side. The Hellenes may have
Gabriella of Genoa (Eighth Generation Lasom- lost a Dream, but the crusaders lost their homes and livelihoods
bra) Ever the thorn in Alfonzos side, Gabriella employs to a fools errand. Alas, nothing is forever.

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

58
 I was not here when the Nosferatu leader Malachite, disciple devotions may receive an angelic visitation. Devout Tore-
of Michael, embarked upon his quest to find the Dracon and ador say that Constantines companion was Michael the
restore the Dream. I have met him though, and in his eyes I see Archangel himself. As the first Roman emperor to convert
true resolve such as one rarely sees among the Damned. Even to Christianity, Constantine raised a Megalopolis to glorify
now, after his visions and portents brought him nothing but a the Lord and it became the beating heart of the Eastern
riddle, he sifts through the dust for the 1,000 fragments of his Orthodox Church. Frankish emperors and Latin patriarchs
shattered Dream. brought their Western Catholicism and now the two sects
Now, I am here. The Queen of Cities and I, we are as sisters. coexist uneasily, with the conquerors occasionally making
I, too, must leave the past behind and find a way to start over. I halfhearted efforts to subdue the stubborn Romaioi. Western
am Rakhama of the Salubri. Together we step into a night darker vampires who pilgrimage to the city vie constantly with the
than any we have yet known. native Cainites to control the doctrine of the churches and
monasteries that litter the seven hills.

Doctrine, Dogma, Faded Gold

Despite their refusal to submit to the Catholics, the
Doubt Greeks faith wavers. The holy city endured fellow Christians
murdering, pillaging, and profaning their way into its most
sacred places, ignoring the crucifix banners it hung over the
W hen Constantine I abandoned Rome to found a new
capital for his empire, he claimed the Christian God
guided him to build at ancient Byzantium. Tales say he
walls to show its solidarity and plead for mercy. The pope
excommunicated the Latin crusaders for these sins, but as
soon as they took power he welcomed them back to the fold,
walked with an angel to mark the boundaries of its first
further inflaming the conflict between the Eastern and West-
walls, and even now some claim that those who circum-
ern churches. The Hellenes believe the Virgin Mary herself
scribe the old city along the same route and pay the proper
DOCTRINE, DOGMA, DOUBT

59
protected the city from other invaders with miracles; why, Under East Roman rule, Muslim prisoners of intermittent
then, did she abandon them to the Latins? Has God, they wars with the Seljuk Turks were allowed to worship in a make-
wonder, turned His back on His chosen people to favor the shift mosque, and while lowborn prisoners were put to work
papacy instead? Two score years of excess and ruin have only as slaves, aristocratic ones were treated like imperial guests.
intensified their resentment, tainting the citys Christianity Textile merchants from Islamic lands kept their own mosque
with bad blood and turning many to seek a truer expression of in the Mitaton, a richly-appointed house of commerce sidled
their religion. Opportunistic Cainites take advantage of this up against the shore of the Golden Horn, as their coveted
desperate need for untarnished faith, dangling bloodborne wares earned them respect. Muslim visitors to the city now
devotion before the kine like a Rapture. They push mortal are few, thanks to the Mongol riders defeat of the Seljuks
fervor in whatever direction they choose. just last year, but refugees from the petty warlords that now
A gap wants filling in the citys numerous Orthodox squabble over Anatolia arrive now and then.
monastic orders. The monks of New Rome have long been Among the refugees is newcomer Bakhtyar, an Assamite
scribes, historians, ascetics, and artists. They have champi- vizier who claims the rubble of the Mitaton as his haven. There,
oned learning and iconography throughout the centuries. In he operates a mosque and infirmary with a staff of ghouls to
nights past, the eremites of Constantinople belonged to the tend the sick, lead calls to prayer, and safeguard the kine from
Obertus Tzimisce, who avidly took up their causes. When the the predations of Latin and Hellenic vampires. He demands no
Fourth Crusade struck, the Obertus packed up and left for gold from patients or worshippers, instead claiming his due in
their ancestral homeland. The mortal monastics remaining blood freely given. He takes his duty to protect mortals deadly
suffered a loss of direction they couldnt fully explain, as many seriously, and uses his own vitae to nurse to health those whom
of their leaders were ghouls who departed with their masters. ordinary medicine cant save. Attendance at daily prayers and
For now they follow tradition with no real agenda. They were quiet conversions to Islam steadily grow as a result. Any who
drawn into eerie rites of scarification and self-torture as the threaten the safety of his sanctuary face the punishment of
practice of ritual Vicissitude grew among the Tzimisce, and death or diablerie but the larger his community grows,
though the vampires have gone, those rites remain. Thus the more likely it is to attract the wrong attention.
far, the major players largely ignore them, as they pose no
immediate threat, but the Cainite who claims their pens Cainite Cults
gains control of the citys primary source of knowledge and
education, potentially exerting a great deal of influence A good number of Constantinoples vampires are Chris-
not to mention the lingering fragments of Obertus secrets tians of one stripe or another, but for many of the Romaioi,
she can glean from unknowing kine. the Trinitys Dream supplanted true Christianity long ago
and haunts their prayers still. Every nook and cranny hid-
den from the light hosts another cult dedicated to some
Beyond the Cross obscure aspect or interpretation of the Dream. It was always
In the several centuries prior to the Frankokratia, or rule nebulous, moreso the farther from Michaels inner circle a
of the Franks, the Eastern Church was relatively tolerant Cainite languished, and was only ever defined in the context
of other religions within Constantinoples walls. All that of the Three themselves. Without them, everybody and
changed when the Latins took over. Jewish persecution their grandsires have their own competing ideas of what
runs rampant and the citys two mosques lie in ruins. Pagan the Dream really meant. Malachite and his Nosferatu are
worshippers grieve for the wanton destruction of their gods widely recognized as harboring the most authentic flavor,
statues during the sack of the city and retreat further into but Cainites care less for authenticity than for what the
its hidden pockets as fragmented mystery cults. Once the Dream represents to them personally.
head of the erstwhile Cainite Heresy in the city, Prince
Alfonzo has long earned the animosity of every religious The Cult of the Archangel
group; he plays catch up now by siding with the winners The Cult of the Archangel is also known colloquially
and hoping to earn their grudging support. He takes his cues (and derogatorily) as the Martyrs or, to a chosen few, the
from the Church and cracks down on the open practice of Nephilim. In the Patriarchs latter nights, his torpid delusions
non-Christian faiths outside designated districts, capturing touched the mind of every Toreador in the city, convincing
anyone caught in the act and forcing them to play prey to them he was truly the Archangel Michael. Their worship
his nightly blood hunts not because he holds any faith of him overpowered civic duties, creative endeavors, blood
of his own, but because he fears that some self-proclaimed bonds everything. His Final Death hasnt cured them
Cainite champion will organize these so-called heretics of their devotion, just turned it to a new purpose. Two of
and make a play for his base of power. his childer, Paul Bathalos and Pakourianis the Dove, lead

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

60
the remaining Michaelite Toreador in a fervent quest to
find his divinity reborn into a new Cainite prophet to lead
them back to the Archangels side in Heaven. They seek
A War on
their prophet by intercepting every Aesthete entering the
city and performing blood experiments to gauge her souls All Fronts
likeness to that of their Martyr.

Josselin the Blessed F or all its ragged edges and abandoned districts, Nova
Roma still commands the fascination of the Dark Me-
dieval World. Its worldly advantages are plain: whoever
For those vampires who came to the Queen of Cities controls Constantinople controls the bulk of trade and
more recently, the temptation to step into the void of Mi- travel between East and West. Its imposing fortified walls,
chaels destruction and gather cults of personality wearing moat, and secure harbor form a defensive front that boasts
the trappings of mortal religion is strong. Few can match the the ingenuity of antiquity and has only been breached once
Methuselahs talent for appearing truly divine, but blood and that through the failings of untested soldiers more
and obsession substitute well enough. The most successful than stone and sea. Beyond these, the city occupies a place
and notorious of these selfmade idols is Josselin the Blessed. of reverence for all of Christendom, and a place of enticing
Once, a Frankish second son of noble birth coveted his mystery for Cainites consumed with curiosity and desire.
elder brothers inheritance and plotted murder. The plot failed, The thought of throwing open the gates and laying bare all
but the marquis advisor was a Ventrue who saw potential that three powerful Methuselahs had kept to themselves for
in the frustrated young man and Embraced him. Josselin of so long is hard to ignore.
Touraine devoutly believed God punished him with the curse A pall of dread hangs heavy over the mortal populace.
of Caine for trying to kill his brother, and vowed to atone. Only 40 years have passed since the Latins brutally sacked
The neonate joined the Fourth Crusade in Venice and made the city, and everyone can read the writing on the wall:
the sea voyage to Constantinople cooped up in a ships hold. the conquerors hold their prize by the skin of their teeth.
Watching the kine despoil and burn Christendoms greatest People still remember sword and flame, screams and the
treasure poisoned his faith how could true Christians act trampling hooves of horses. They remember the invaders
thus, out of base greed? He agonized over the answer until the melting sacred relics down for coin and performing lewd
papacys reversal of its excommunication order for the Latins acts on the altar of the great cathedral of Hagia Sophia.
made it clear to him: religion was naught but a lie, a tool at None among the ordinary citizens wants war to come again,
the bidding of humanitys narcissism. but with all the enemies the Latins have made, they fear
Josselin mingled with the Romaioi, learning about the its inevitability.
Dream and the Patriarch. The veneration in their eyes as
they spoke of Michael amazed him. Here was a vampire The Prince and the Paupers
turned to dust, who hadnt been active in over 300 years,
and they still adored him! From then on he fashioned himself The citys first Prince has seen his victory tempered with
as Josselin the Blessed. His blood cult is predicated upon paranoia, as major players on all sides watch him thirstily
the idea that he achieved consecration, then returned from for any sign of weakness. The new law of the land is every
death to guide the flock as an unliving saint. He enacts vampire for herself gone are the nights when belonging
twisted versions of the Catholic sacraments, presiding over to the right Clan meant the protection of the Legacy of
a Eucharist that offers his own vitae in lieu of wine and Ashes, which prohibited the destruction of a family member
using his Disciplines to wring awe and fear from penitents. unless the Council condoned it. Tonight, only the Nosferatu
He invites mortal sinners to make confession by allowing claim any sense of fellowship.
vampires to drink from them in ritual blood orgies. Then, Alfonzo responds to these stresses with despotism. He
the vampiric sinners fast in chains under his chapel to chooses his inner circle with a suspicious eye and keeps it small,
repent. He pushes the boundaries on perversions of liturgy preparing contingencies to pit them against each other at the
ever further to see how far he can warp their faith and still slightest hint of treachery. He plants ghouls throughout the
receive their worship. Alfonzo knows about the Ventrues imperial army, influencing its movements and shoring it up
blasphemy, but has no official route to declaiming it since for the inevitable wars that threaten the Empires doorstep.
technically the cultists are Christians. The Lasombra worries He passes strict laws that micromanage restrictions on Cainite
about suffering the wrath of the Franks rabid devotees, were behavior within the walls and heavily police who may enter and
he to interfere unofficially, but hed take the opportunity to leave though keeping his middle management sparse has
use others with an interest in liberating them if presented. hurt his effectiveness with such tyranny. He imposes stringent

A WAR ON ALL FRONTS

61
zoning boundaries for vampires and their agents, pressuring of finding some unaffiliated coterie already in New Rome
various groups to keep to themselves. to act in his interests for a hefty reward.
Any Cainite violating Alfonzos rules is arrested and
dragged to the dungeons under his mansion to suffer pun-
The Latin Dissenter
ishments and indignities suited to his cruel, moody tastes. The Magister Gabriella of Genoa has opposed Alfonzo
When his agents catch mortal servants breaking his laws, one way or another since she arrived in Constantinople in
he hunts them along with any other kine he chooses the late 1100s. She believes in the Dream, not as the Greeks
for sport at midnight blood feasts, where sadistic courtiers know it, but as a practical goal of restoring the city to its
drink them dry. These degenerate affairs, dressed up in the former prosperity and working together with the Romaioi in
accoutrements of nobility, are traditional for the Venetian a powerful alliance. First, though, she must become Prince.
Prince, but as the anxieties of his precarious situation press When Alfonzo began his ascent to the throne, Gabriella
down upon him, his fetes grow more self-indulgent by the and her trusted lieutenants moved against him quietly, trying
night. His Beast becomes harder to appease with each to outmaneuver him with subtle manipulations in his own
hunt he leads, and some whisper that hes already cracked, backyard. It backfired disastrously when Alfonzos followers
ready to succumb entirely to it at the slightest provocation. captured one of her people and used him as collateral to
Rumors fly with the names of important vampires hes said secure Gabriellas surrender. Since then, she has watched
to have murdered in a frenzy, though so far no one has him squander his power with disgust and has resolved to
proven anything. renew her efforts through loftier means this time, hungry
One of his courtiers, the Lasombra Matteo, seeks aid in for vengeance. Over the decades she has gained influence
doing something about it. As a mortal, Matteo was a loyal in the mortal emperors court, and now her coterie advises
ghoul in Alfonzos employ. Another Magister eventually Baldwin II on all matters of state. To stall the draining of
Embraced him in the plot that led to Alfonzos princedom. Constantinoples treasury, she convinced Baldwin to sell
When his sire left the city, Matteo chose to remain as one of his infant son Philip to merchant princes across the Sea
the Princes most trusted lieutenants, and though hed follow of Marmara or at least, so he believed. In reality, she
Alfonzo to the ends of the Earth, he sees a bloodbath on the mortgaged the child off to the Amici Noctis to be raised
horizon if current trends continue. Among other concerns, among the Lasombra elite and later Embraced if he proves
Alfonzos excesses strain relations with the papacy, which worthy, in exchange for coin and favors. Philips location is
has already sent several Inquisition agents to investigate a secret she keeps close to her chest; if it got out, Alfonzo
the bizarre murders and copious reports of missing people. would retaliate through his own Clan contacts and nip her
Matteo puts out feelers for any who can propose a better conspiracy in the bud.
solution than a stake through the Princes heart. Thus far, the Prince ignores the imperial court as
useless, and the Genoese schemer intends to keep it that
Lasombra of Venice way until shes ready to strike her final blow. Baldwin is a
Originally, Alfonzo came to Constantinople on the orders weak and ineffectual leader, which would suit Gabriellas
of his sire Narses, representing the interests of Venetian purposes fine if he werent also reckless and unpredictable;
vampires and the Cainite Heresy both. Narses influenced the as a result, too much of her energy is spent keeping him in
Fourth Crusades path to land on the shores of the Bosporus, check, and progress is sluggish. To hurry things along, she
jealous of the Dream and its influence over the collective plies Cainites of other Clans with promises of positions in
Cainite imagination. When Alfonzo declared himself Prince her court if they support her bid for the praxis, and plots a
after the crusaders success, he acted against his sires plans, slow and agonizing end for the Princes entire entourage to
abandoning the Heresy he didnt believe in and ceasing all satisfy her lust for revenge. Her lieutenants worry amongst
tithes back to his Clan. Another childe of Narses, Guilelmo themselves that the latter takes priority over the former, as
Aliprando, committed diablerie on their shared sire a few she becomes more bloodthirsty and impatient with each
decades ago and took his place as the Prince of Venice. He passing night that she remains uncrowned.
immediately initiated maneuvers to take control of Constan-
tinople away from Alfonzo, viewing it as rightfully his. At first, Thunder on the Steppes
Alfonzos arrogance moved him to send his broodmates ghoul
diplomats back in pieces. Now that matters are direr, he fears Every night, it seems, a messenger brings the news:
that what comes across the water next will be deadlier than the Mongol horde has conquered another land. First the
diplomats. Guilelmo is not above hiring vampire hunters, horselords came for Transoxiana and the Khwarezmid Em-
assassins, and saboteurs, nor has he ruled out the possibility pire. Then they came for the Rus, the Georgians, and the

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

62
Armenians. Then Hungary and Bulgaria, and finally, even
Anatolia and Trebizond fell before the khans. Tonight, the IS IT TRUE?
Empire is nigh surrounded, and all can hear the thunder
of hooves rolling on the steppes. All know that soon, the
Mongols come for Constantinople.
The kine assume its a simple matter of expansionism,
T he only witnesses to Michaels destruction
are dead or long gone, and the only one with
relatively solid evidence is Malachite, who saw the
but Cainites wonder what drives the Anda to risk the events in a vision brought on by a Cappadocian
combined ire of Latin and Hellenic vampires of every with plans of her own. It could be that Malachite is
Clan to target the Christian capital of the Eastern world. wrong and the Obertus was right. Perhaps the Trini-
Certainly the horde has numbers and military might, but ty did discover the secrets of mythical Golconda and
the Tatar vampires are comparatively few. Arguments conceal them in the cryptic wards of the Patriarchs
among the Constantine Cainites flare over whether to sepulcher. Its up to the Storyteller to decide which
help defend against the invaders or let them have the version of the tale is true for her chronicle.
city after all, some say, how much worse than the Ve-
netian usurpers could the Anda be? Others insist that at
least under the Latins, New Rome remains in Christian rides to unite Tengris chosen with their ultimate destiny,
hands, and letting the Mongols in would constitute out- and elevate the Mongol people to a new state of being.
right blasphemy. Schemes and alliances abound in every
In Alfonzos mind, the Anda are the greatest external
corner of the city to prepare for the arrival of the Tatars
threat to his rule, but not the only one. Although the walls
one way or another. Some hedge their bets on both sides
of New Rome repelled a siege by the allied forces of the Ni-
of the question just in case.
caean emperor Vatatzes and the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen II
A cadre of Frankish Cainites brings tales of a fierce in 1235, Alfonzo has no illusions of security from the Greek
mercenary queen from the island of Bjarkarey, offering Ventrue or the Bulgar Tzimisce, and believes both harbor
her bands services as crusaders. They campaign among designs on his princedom. He would give a great deal to
Alfonzos court for support to offer her a substantial portion any Fiends or Ambitiones willing to infiltrate his enemies
of their remaining riches to bring her bloodthirsty brood strongholds and report back on what they find. Alfonzos
south and slaughter Mongols in Constantinoples defense. coffers are lighter than they once were, but he still has plenty
The Prince refuses to give such a volatile outsider a chance to offer positions in his court, favors, and blackmail fodder
to threaten his position and many agree that Valborg is on other Cainites in the city are just the tip of the iceberg.
too dangerous to trust. Others ready their coffers anyway,
considering the less numerous Swedish barbarians preferable The Meek Shall Inherit
to the horse lords. If they find emissaries to bring their offer
north without Alfonzos knowledge, the Vikings could be A circuitous web of sewers, aqueducts, and Cainite-made
the spark that lights the flame of open war and hopefully tunnels runs beneath the city, with hidden entrances in
divides the Mongols attention. If so, Valborgs supposed every forgotten niche. For 400 years the Nosferatu have
ally Kearte intercepts the emissaries with a counter offer: claimed this undercity, and few contest them for it. The
Shell convince the queen to help Nova Roma in exchange subterranean territory is the one unchanged corner of
for their aid in double crossing Valborg afterward. Constantinople amidst the new centurys upheaval. From
In truth, the Anda counsel their mortal siblings to here, Malachite directs his family of leper knights, outcasts,
ride against Constantinople for a larger prize than gold or and Michaelite loyalists in the business of preparing future
renown. During their campaigns in the Balkans, they took nights for the rekindling of the Dream.
prisoner one of the Obertus Tzimisce and questioned her to Once, Malachite drank of Michaels blood and knew
determine risk versus reward when it came to the Queen peace. The Final Death of the Patriarch devastated him,
of Cities. They learned a rumor they and many within but he clung to hope and sought the vanished Dracon for
the city itself believe is true: Michael the Patriarch was help. At the end of his long and painful journey he found
not destroyed, but instead achieved Golconda, and the the Methuselah truly gone, and all he could show for his
Trinity hid the secret of ascension in his sepulcher beneath trouble was the Tzimisces final message: Everything must
Hagia Sophia. The Tartars became convinced the Romaioi change. Malachite took it to heart. The Dream could not
encoded this secret in the complex rites the Dracon laid die, he decided, as ideas do not die, but simply change
upon Michaels sanctuary and they resolved to claim it. The form. He and his long-suffering Nosferatu play the role of
rumor spread from Noyan to Noyan and now the horde the citys largest and best-hidden information brokerage.

A WAR ON ALL FRONTS

63
They infiltrate every institution, every cult and company,
and they listen. The monasteries are their favorite hunting
grounds, but Malachite has agents everywhere: Alfonzos
Lay of the Land
court, Baldwin IIs court, the military, every major religious
sect, the merchant guilds, Elaiodoras Akademia (p. 72),
everywhere. For now, the Priors trade secrets sparingly
C onstantinople occupies a peninsula jutting into the
Bosporus, the strait that separates the Western world
from the Eastern and serves as a major trade route to and
to those they judge worthy in exchange for resources the from the Black Sea. The citys northern shore runs along the
Clan needs. Occasionally, they act on their own to protect Golden Horn, an inlet of the Bosporus, and its southern wall
Hellenic interests, according to Malachites vision. borders the shores of the Sea of Marmara. To the west, the
The other powers of the city largely ignore the Nosferatu. city of Adrianople and the land of Thrace once part of
Their activity is subtle enough to go unnoticed and few even the Eastern Roman Empire lie under Bulgarian control.
know how to contact them, although most agree that the The suburb of Galata perches just across the Golden Horn,
Rock of Constantinople still lurks around somewhere. He another victim of the Fourth Crusade; its Megalos Pyrgos,
knows every Cainite who comes and goes, and his people or Great Tower, once controlled a massive chain stretching
investigate them all. If someone catches his eye who might across the waterway to stop enemy ships from reaching
have something to offer the Dream or threaten it he New Romes northern harbors, but the crusaders brought
sends an agent to find out her intentions and whether she the tower down and have not restored it. Under the rubble,
intends to stay. Over time, he builds a small but dedicated a powerful Cainite who made her haven within now lies
group of allies that will one day form the backbone of the torpid, awaiting the arrival of saviors who may never come.
new order. One by one they come, the forgotten and the A moat separates the great double landside battlements
lonely, the wanderers and the lost. Malachite welcomes of the Walls of Theodosius II from the ruined Industrial
any Nosferatu and other outcasts seeking haven, provided Quarter that used to thrive on the outskirts of Constanti-
they in turn accept his Dream as their own. nople. In that decaying neighborhood, noxious waste from

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

64
abandoned tanneries and smithies soaks into the land and and where much of the imperial courts work went on.
attracts all manner of foul, unnatural creatures. The sea and An extensive complex of stately halls interspersed with
land walls both are dotted with gates and military posterns, an assortment of pleasing structures sprawls near the
the most elaborate and celebrated of which is the Golden southeastern tip of the city, just south of the Hagia Sophia
Gate on the land side near the Marmara shore. Some two and just east of the Hippodrome the massive circus
kilometers east of these walls rises the older Wall of Con- where gladiatorial fights and chariot races once thrived.
stantine, and still farther east is whats left of the original The crusaders tore the whole area apart, selling valuable
walls of Byzantium. Like Rome before it, Constantinople pieces of architecture for coin and leaving everything to
is built atop seven hills and separated into 14 numbered rot in disrepair. They installed their own emperor at the
districts including Galata as well as a few additional Blachernae Palace in the far northwestern corner of the
regions, like the Exokionion in the Lycus River valley and city instead. Chapels attached to the palatial buildings lie
the area around the central Mese, or main road. abandoned now, including several that were once home to
a trove of sacred Christian artifacts. The mortal Orthodox
The Latin Quarter Church devoutly protected such marvels as the original
Crown of Thorns and the Rod of Moses, which were strictly
In the nights before the Fourth Crusade, Galata and the off limits to Cainites when the Trinity ruled.
four districts opposite it were known as the Latin Quarter,
with segregated neighborhoods belonging to various reli- Baldwin II, in his ongoing desperation to recoup the
gious and ethnic groups. Since then, the entire city has empires funds, has pawned the lions share of these ar-
more or less been Latinized, but Cainites with their long tifacts to foreign powers in exchange for gold. Imperial
memories still refer to the area by its older name and the soldiers have removed those that remained, guarding them
segregation continues. Galata houses a flourishing Genoese closely in Blachernaes vault for later peddling. The Grand
quarter under Gabriellas de facto leadership, while the Palaces empty chapels would provide excellent havens
Venetian vampires claim the seventh district wholesale. for the overabundance of vampires in the city, but none
Other mortal groups gather in smaller pockets along the have taken refuge there. Whispered tales speak of baleful
Golden Horn, including the Jews, the Pisans, the Amalf- curses befalling any who trespass curses that blind or
itans, several pagan sects, and the Muslims; each hosts a strike one mute, inflict unbearable agony or wounds that
few Cainites battling over feeding grounds within. never stop bleeding, transform bones to ceramic so brittle
that it cracks under the slightest strain the list goes on.
Alfonzo and his Latin compatriots have a history of According to those in the know, angry angelic spirits in-
running the deeply corrupt underworld in this region, habit these oratories, waiting to dispense swift retribution
dating back to 20 years before the Fourth Crusade. Their to anyone handy for the despoiling of their sacred spaces.
coin sponsors taverns, brothels, opium dens, gambling dens, Any unfortunate Cainite who hasnt heard or willfully
blood harems, black markets, smugglers havens, and any ignores the superstitions may be in for an unpleasant
other establishment they can devise that preys on vice. days sleep.
They make a killing on these illicit businesses and suck
the economy of this area dry, which is why everything that
isnt a Latin racket has devolved into slums, ragged tent
The Grand Bazaar
camps, and abandoned gutters where the poor scrape by For all the wrack and ruin festering behind Constanti-
many of whom are Greeks left destitute and homeless noples walls, nothing has yet been able to snuff the spark
by the crusaders predations. The Venetian district is more of the Grand Bazaar, the commercial hub where Latin and
richly appointed than the rest but tends toward ostentatious Hellene, east and west, mortal and Cainite, all commingle
facades masking dens of depravity, with Cainite nobles at in a glorious urban cacophony. Thanks to centuries of vam-
their centers. Even on nights when the Prince doesnt host piric influence, the Bazaar never sleeps. During daylight
a blood feast at his extravagant estate, others in his court hours, merchants from every far-flung corner of the world
hold exorbitant affairs of their own. Ironically, the long unpack their wares and sell, sell, sell. Wagons and carts,
tradition of wanton violence in this part of town makes tents and shacks, mats and carpets, makeshift booths, stands,
Alfonzos strict rules harder to enforce than anywhere else. storefronts, squares, and even the merchants themselves
bedecked from head to toe all offer a whirlwind of goods
The Great Palace local and foreign.
The Great Palace, or Sacred Palace, of Constantinople When the sun sets, the market grows quieter but no less
was where many of the Eastern Roman emperors lived teeming with merchandise. While the Latin Quarter holds
the record for common illicit business, oddities and horrors

LAY OF THE LAND

65
found nowhere else in the known world crawl out from correlation between habitually-practiced religions in an
the cracks of these night-brokers shops. They have been area and a kallikantzaros habits not just its appearance
serving the perverse needs of the Cainite set since Byzar and the timing of its visits, but its general desires and long-
first planted his flag, and each year they get more creative. term behavioral patterns. When an empire is conquered
Thats the part all Cainites know. What most dont know and converted to a new faith, the kallikantzaroi subtly shift
is that the Grand Bazaar also hides a grim order of vampire their tactics and even personalities to reflect the religions
hunting maniacs with dead vitae in their veins and murder themes and values. A kallikantzaros forces those it kidnaps
in their hearts. These fanatic kine were once starry-eyed to worship it throughout the rest of the year once the winter
ghouls in the company of undead gods, serving the Trinity ends, or else die abandoned and lost in labyrinthine tunnels
families loyally for decades before it all came crashing down miles below the surface.
around them. Left behind when their regnants burned or Every winter in Constantinople, a rumor circulates that
fled in 1204, they pined and wept for years before the loss some Cainite or other has seen a kallikantzaros masquerad-
of their dark masters drove them to a hateful, bitter rage at ing as Michael the Archangel, or the Dracon. Such rumors
their own survival. Taking their own (or each others) lives remain unsubstantiated, but theyve spawned the theory
seemed like a waste of the sacred trust their lords bestowed that the kallikantzaroi began as some kind of egregore born
upon them, so instead they have vowed to cleanse Constan- from the Cainite Trinitys own usurpation of Christianity
tinople of the vulgar filth calling themselves Cainites in these for itself. Smart vampires dont mention this theory in front
debased nights. The order has no name, communicating of New Romes Nosferatu.
only through subtle signs and signals scattered throughout
the Bazaar. They work in tandem and in numbers to lure Powers and Weaknesses
vampires away from the crowd, falling upon them with
stakes and fire once theyre alone. The only Cainites safe The kallikantzaros replenishes spent blood points
from their predations are the Nosferatu, known to them by feeding on worship. It recoups one point per
as true allies of the vanished Dream. minute of worship directed toward it, regardless of
what identity it presents at the time.
A kallikantzaros can only work its unholy magic on
Kallikantzaros holy days, depending on the religions the people in
its area practice, and only during the winter season.

A cross Greek and New Roman lands, the kine fear the
kallikantzaroi as malevolent goblinoid creatures who
appear during the winter season to trick and terrorize people.
The kallikantzaros effective Appearance depends
on the form it projects at any given time. Characters
with the ability to pierce its illusions, such as those
Those who pay close attention see more in these devious with the Auspex Discipline, see a monstrous, vaguely
beasts. A kallikantzaros spends most of its time holed up humanoid creature with mismatched animalistic and
in its subterranean sanctum, fading from the memories of demonic body parts, which has Appearance 1.
surface-dwellers until it emerges on the winters first holy
day, according to any faith the people of the region practice. Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3,
It feeds on worship and knows whenever prayer or sacrifice Charisma 3, Manipulation 5, Appearance (varies),
to any deity is offered nearby. By masquerading as gods, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4
prophets, devils, and saints, they steals the worship of the Abilities: Alertness 4, Athletics 2, Awareness 5,
pious from their lips and then round them up to drag them Brawl 3, Empathy 4, Etiquette 3, Expression 4,
back to their sanctums. Intimidation 3, Melee 2, Occult 3, Subterfuge 5,
Because the kallikantzaroi are talented illusionists, few Theology 3
know what they truly look like. Sketches of them in occult
Equivalent Disciplines: Auspex 6, Chimerstry 6,
tomes usually depict them as various types of devils and
Dominate 1, Obtenebration 2
demons, but one could just as easily appear as Apollo or
Jesus Christ. Those who study these creatures find an eerie Road: 4, Willpower: 9; Blood Pool: 9

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

66
Lasombra Apocrypha: Shadow Play
Raphael,
I know youre enjoying yourself, but its time to move. Baldwins talking about taking
another trip to Europe in the spring to prostrate himself for more French money
, and if he
takes half the relics with him that he plans, the Romaioi will tear the Blachernae
Palace
down with their bare hands. Before he goes, we must find a way to keep those
mercenaries
he hired from returning home to their kings. Alfonzo has the army crushed tightly
in his
meaty fist and he isnt going to lift a finger; we need those soldiers to keep the
peace.
In the meantime, have you found out yet who his supplier is for that foul brew his
peo-
ple are distributing in the foreign quarters? I want a stranglehold on his underworld
trades, and I want it now.

My dearest lady,
into the under-
Im afraid the days when my partner and I could simply waltz
e has everyone
world and crack it open like a pungent egg are over. Our esteemed Princ
pass for mere cus-
fearing for their lives, and our faces are too well known to easily
to replace your last
tomers. Its been quite the dance, identifying reliable candidates
know ! Or at the least,
ghoul spy. So hard to find good help these nights, as you well
up waylaid by one
help who wont carry everything we say back to Alfonzo, or end
a fine line between
of those fanatics along the Mese. And goodness knows, we walk
we lose him to the
someone lettered enough to write reports but not too lettered, lest
Tzimisce! This place has become quite a mire for the poor kine.
the harbors and
But not to worry. As I write this, were embarking on a survey of
a simple matter
doubtless well be able to find a sailor or two to fit the bill. Then its
find that supplier.
of monitoring incoming ships and caravans. I promise you, we will
g Giovani you
Not to pry, but may I ask whats happened to that clever youn
seems to have gone
had on payroll? Id thought to ask her to lend us a hand but she
missing. Nothing serious, I hope?
Yours as ever,
Raphael

I dont know whats become of Matelda Giovani. I worry Alfonzos put his claws into
her at
last. Give it another week and if she doesnt surface, shut down anything she had
a hand in.
If I had a ducat for every plan Ive had to abandon since I came to this cursed
place,
Baldwin wouldnt have had to sell the Crown of Thorns.

LASOMBRA APOCRYPHA

67
 And I dont want to hear find Malachite again, please. Ive already told you he
intention of supporting me. He has no love for Alfonzo, true, but he wont settle for has no
anyth
less than a Greek on the throne. The less reason we give him to send his people poking ing
our business, the better. about
We need a new ally. I want a diplomat who can approach the Anda and negotiate an
alliance.
I know what youre thinking, but I certainly wont let them have the city. Once we open
the
to them, Alfonzo loses any illusion of stability he has left along with his head, of course gates
I, longtime ally of the Empire, can rally Latins and Greeks both in a spirited defens . Then
e, turning
the Mongols back and graciously accepting the proffered praxis.
Ive had a messenger from the Amici Noctis. Theyre sending a party to negot
iate the
remaining terms of Philips mortgage. I need you to meet them when they come
and bring
them to me. Ian will bring you the details.
Ive also heard a rumor that a faction in Genoa wants to ally with Nicaea
against Venice. It sounds convenient, but the Greeks return delegitimizes any
possible claim I have to rule here. We must act more swiftly than this. I will see
Alfonzo burn.

Lady Gabriella of Genoa,

Your Giovani cohort has proven to be surprisingly resilient. I had expected to hear a great many
fascinating things about your business at Blachernae, but she remains silent.
So far.
Meet me at the ruins of the Megalos Pyrgos in three nights time, if you wish to see her again. I have less
pleasant ways of extracting what I want, but we neednt be barbaric about this. Come alone, if you please.
With great anticipation,
A Friend

Find Matelda Giovani immediately. You have two nights. I dont care what you have to do.
Do exactly as I write here, no more, no less.
Take the enclosed missive to Lady Eliana. Tell her to read it immediately and to stay put until I arrive.
Choose one of the slaves an attractive one to give to her. Make sure she knows the gift comes from me.
The envoy from the Voivode Makovka is no more. Our Prince reduced him to a pile of disintegrating bones
over an unpaid debt regarding last nights hunt. Send a servant immediately to clean up the mess in the solar.
Break your silence and I shall break your neck. If the Tzimisce discover the murder, the Mongols will be the
least of our concerns. I must find trustworthy agents to spread a believable story.
I am at my wits end, Giulia. Alfonzos Beast has a mind to doom us all. I worry for him. But to whom
can we turn? Cainites in this city either fear and loathe him, or take obscene pleasure in the status quo. The
streets will run red if we dont do something soon!
We have only a few hours until dawnand I still must decide how to approach the Prince.
Matteo

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

68
 BYZANTINE INTRIGUE

A mong Cainites, a few strong Lasombra personalities dominate the secular power in Constantinople. As a result, the
character of the citys vampire politics is figuratively quite Byzantine, despite the Latin perpetrators. These Magis-
ter games are wide open for a coterie to take up roles in, from acting as diplomats and agents to curry favor, to bartering
secrets to the highest bidder, to playing every side against the middle and risking everything to come out on top.
The Storyteller should work with the players to fill in the particulars for her game. Who is A Friend and
why is this person lying? Where is Matelda Giovani and whose side is she really on? How much of all this do the
Nosferatu know? Who knows Philips true fate and how can the coterie find out? The Storyteller can adjust the
details throughout to fit the story, all the way up to deciding how soon the conflict between Alfonzo and Gabriella
will explode if the players characters dont interfere (or if they do) and who gets trapped in the blast.

Toreador Apocrypha: Lost in Reverie

S ee the martyrion church, its mosaics charred and broken,
its bells cracked and silent. Hear the whispered prayers
and dread hymns of its empty grave. Here worship the Ne-
the Songs vitae. In those others who are not the prophet,
it cleanses them of impious passions and prepares them
for their eventual deification, christening them childer of
philim, childer of Michael in blood or baptism. Michael in spirit, if not literally. No one has quite yet caught
on that the sacrament itself is transformational, changing
The Nephilim these Toreador into something else.
O sire, send to us thy Song and lead us to salvation. Witness Bishop Paul Bathalos could almost be mistaken for a
thou the gathering of thy blood. With thy wings we ascend. With Nosferatu, to those who know no better. Hideous of face and
thy blessing we die. monstrous of form, he begged a Tzimisce fleshcrafter to take
Few know the fledgling Toreador bloodline as anything away his ethereal beauty to stop the Archangel from wanting
more than a handful of delusional holdovers of the Dream him. With this sacrifice, Paul removed himself as an obstacle
clinging to their dead idol. On the surface, these devotees to Michaels ascension to glory, and the Nephilim consider
seek reunification in death, and so theyre known to out- him a martyr in spirit for this, the ultimate renunciation of
siders as the Martyrs. Paul Bathalos, the sects bishop and a his earthly Aesthete nature. His broodmate is the Presbyter
master sculptor, and his right hand the painter Pakourianis Pakourianis, also called the Dove, a perpetually childlike
the Dove were Michaelite muses during Constantinoples Cainite who despairs over his failure to learn how to fly, that
golden age. Like their Toreador peers, they came to believe he might follow his sire into the heavens. His meditations
Michael was the Archangel of the same name, come to Earth temper his anguish, but the flight of birds, Tremere gargoyles,
to guide his chosen Cainites until his ascension back to and other winged things fascinates him.
Heaven. Now, in the Eastern Orthodox tradition of theoria, The Nephilim keep their true name and liturgies secret,
they lead their fellows in ecstatic prayer and meditation lest the heretical Latins interfere. They communicate with
to seek a true vision of the Archangel, to be reunited with one another across the city in encrypted letters marked
him through the mystical transformation of theosis. with their sigil: a stylized humanoid form with wings and
After several decades of failure, the Toreador accepted fangs, befitting those who will someday ascend as vampiric
that, as the Damned, they couldnt achieve this on their angels. All Nephilim come from Toreador stock and start
own. They believe a Cainite prophet of their Clan, whom off on the Path of the Archangel (below), on the Road of
they call the Song of Michael, will inherit the Archangels Heaven. Whether the bloodline will breed true for their
divinity and raise them up. The Song will appear to them childer remains to be seen.
in the purification of the blood, as their dreams have re- Sobriquets: Martyrs (to outsiders), Childer of the
vealed. To find this prophet, Paul and Pakourianis aim to Archangel
bring every Toreador in the city to their haven in the ruined Disciplines: Auspex, Chimerstry, Presence
Church of St. Demetrios for the katharsis. This baptismal Weakness: The Nephilim are afflicted with a profound
rite of their devising is supposed to reveal the divinity in ache, a yearning for the touch of a departed sire they can

TOREADOR APOCRYPHA

69
 never know in the flesh. Heaven is not a place, but an angel with a
vampires face, and they exist only to join with him. To be found
unworthy is anathema. The base difficulty of rolls made when a
Childe of the Archangel sins against her Path is 7 rather than 6,
and losing a dot of her Path inflicts a +1 increase in difficulty
on all actions she takes for one full chapter thereafter.
A Nephilim who becomes an Apostate suffers the difficulty
increase at all times until she becomes at least an Adherent
on another Road or gains a dot in the Path of the Archangel.
However, she doesnt increase the difficulty of sin rolls on any
other Road.

Path of the Archangel

The Nephilim are the primary devotees on the Path of the
Archangel, but not the only ones. Other Toreador who have
so far avoided the cults baptism nonetheless remember their
godlike patron and quietly strive to emulate him still. Foreign
Vanitas come to Constantinople and find the tragic romance
of the Archangel irresistible, falling into step out of fascination.
Cainites of other Clans who were loyal to Michael or one of his
scion families, or those strongly dedicated to the Church but
seeking vampiric inspiration in it, follow this Path when they
reach the end of their rope and seek an example to uphold for
themselves. The Nephilims aggressive proselytizing snares others
with their ability to appear as truly divine messengers.
Following in Michaels footsteps means acting as muse and
shepherd to all, and as martyr when need be. As adherents to the
Road of Heaven, the Archangels Faithful view Michael as the risen
Christ of the Damned and believe vampires must act the part of
angels to the mortal herd. Some even believe all the angels were
vampires, with Michael as their greatest example.
Virtues: Conscience and Self-Control
Aura: Melancholia. A Childe of the Archangel applies
modifiers whenever her great loss and longing would engender
a reaction, or when being seen as a martyr is relevant.

Constantine Reverie
My childe, I assure you that all the tales you have
heard of this mesmerizing city are absolutely true.
Last night I took in the sights at the Grand
Bazaar and there I found a small den hung with
tapestries, where one of our Clan entreated
me to join in what she called the Constantine
Reverie. A Milanese, you know, not one of the
natives. Im told the Greek Toreador here labor
under a terrible curse of madness! I regret
not to have seen them yet.

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

70
 SINS AGAINST THE ARCHANGEL
Score Minimum Wrongdoing Rationale
10 Indulging in any temptation True katharsis purges all passions.
9 Going one day without performing any creative In art, we illuminate truth.
work
8 Turning away from those who need inspiration An angels work is in guiding the lost.
7 Refusing to make a minor sacrifice Shedding earthly things brings us closer to divinity.
6 Leaving fellow Toreador to languish unbaptized We are all Michaels chosen.
5 Going one week without performing any creative Art is how the soul worships.
work
4 Indulging in temptations of the flesh In katharsis we renounce carnal passions.
3 Abandoning any in your charge We must earn the worship of the flock.
2 Giving in to your Beast, such as frenzy Katharsis purges our basest urges first and fore-
most.
1 Refusing to make a major sacrifice We follow Michaels example in all things.

The den was lit with blue lanterns and incense smoke rose like a thick mist. My host invited me
to enjoy the company of carefully-selected kine who partook of every pleasing substance imaginable
the servants brought opium, khat, hashish, belladonna, mandragora, and creations of their own
unfamiliar to me. Beautiful boys danced for our pleasure and an oud player performed exquisite
music to tantalize the ear. At midnight, a series of chimes signaled us to begin the feeding, and
you cannot imagine the euphoria. Such seduction of the senses I have never before found, nor I
fear will I ever find again. No mere vitae, this, but a sublime nectar that utterly hypnotized me.
It was then that I first saw the true Constantinople, the paradise touched by the hand of God
that you hear of in the verses of the trobairitz. The hand of GodI tasted it, then, in the blood
of these Hellenes, and I wept.
Once we all had fed, the chimes sounded again and our host led us on a tour of the citys most
captivating corners. I swear to you, the curtain of time parted for us. I saw the Dream they mourn
painted in gold and silver before my eyes. We watched the gladiators fight for our amusement, we
rode with the charioteers and felt the wind lash our faces, and we heard the haunting eventide
hymns of the ghouls at the Hagia Sophia. We basked in the beauty of vibrant statues and mosaics,
and sampled the Bazaars most forbidden wares. We dallied in the private pleasure gardens of
the Roman villas and marveled at the hues of Syrian silks. As the night wore on and we saw the
past fade, we sought comfort in each others arms at the great loss we suffered. I have walked
the night for centuries, and in all that time I have never felt such an emptiness.
My host opens her doors every night, choosing with a discerning eye from among those mor-
tals and Cainites who flock to the Bazaar. Amidst our kind were those of many Clans I never
thought to see a Gangrel brute sobbing in the embrace of a Tremere sorcerer, but such is the
power of the Constantine Dream. I pray you find your way here someday, and I pray you stumble
across the hidden jewel of the Grand Bazaar as I did.

TOREADOR APOCRYPHA

71
 Tzimisce Apocrypha: The Akademia
I n the valley of the Lycus River, Roman monasteries and
villas lie in varying states of ruin and disrepair, their skel-
etal towers exposed to the sky, their crumbling foundations
believes that to fully embody the lore of Constantinople
and its vampires, the Akademia should be a trove not only
of knowledge but of treasures and artifacts not these
blasted by fire. This area, called Exokionion, was home to holy tokens of mere Christianity that the kine covet, but
Greek pagans and wealthy citizens for centuries, set apart true wonders.
from Constantinoples numbered regions. It was also home
to the Obertus Tzimisce and their Akoimetai monks, who The Salubri
were collecting and scribing copies of priceless tomes from the
great library at Alexandria and other institutions of learning It was during a chase for one such wonder that Elaiodora
across East and West. The Akoimetai took great pride in met Rakhama, a Salubri healer from Egypt on a hunt of
preserving knowledge for future generations, copying works her own. The Tzimisces blunt manner and singleminded
originally written on less stable materials to parchment and obsession drew Rakhama to probe for more, and her tales
vellum to ensure their longevity. It was with heavy hearts of Constantinople and its lost Dream resonated with the
that the Obertus saw all their hard work go up in flames Salubri, who mourned the noble history of her Clan and
when the Fourth Crusade came, along with their leader everything that died with it. Elaiodora came to see Rakha-
Gesu, childe of the Dracon. The remaining Tzimisce in the ma as an exemplar of unliving history, precisely the sort
city agreed to return to their ancestral Carpathian homes, of Cainite she wanted to create for her own Dream. She
rescuing those few scrolls they could smuggle out of the fires. invited the healer to return to Byzantium with her, and the
two became lovers and partners.
The Scholarch Rakhama presented herself to Elaiodora as a wandering
tomb raider when they met, but in truth she seeks something
One refused to go. Elaiodora was born a mortal in specific: the Skull of Saulot. She has unearthed a whispered
Constantinople and lived her life as an orphan there, rumor that when the Usurpers stole the soul of the Salubri
raised by the Akoimetai before her Embrace and induction Antediluvian, they used their foul magics to preserve his
into the Order. She dedicated herself wholly to the task of skull and with it, a fraction of his power. According to her
safeguarding knowledge, if not to the Obertus cult known sources, the skull fell into the hands of a faction known
as the Divinity Within or its worship of Vicissitude as a as the Harbingers. She pins all her hopes for the future of
sacrament. She instead viewed the practice of fleshcrafting the childer of Caine on finding the skull and using it to
as an opportunity to recreate the forms of those lost to reunite the Salubri. At the start of her partnership with
time, ensuring that their memory would persist for as long Elaiodora, she couldnt bring herself to trust the Tzimisce
as Cainites could remember them. When her Clanmates enough to tell the tale. Now, she fears hurting her lover
departed for the cold and distant Balkans, she opted to with the truth that someday her Clan will come first, and
remain and rebuild the monastery of St. John Studius, that in small part shes using the Akademia to further her
where Gesu and his Library of the Forgotten made haven. own goals so she puts off the conversation indefinitely.
Her passion for Constantinople guided her toward a new In the meantime, she helps with recruiting and building
incarnation of the Dream: She would transform New Rome their collection, while keeping a sharp eye out for any hint
into a paragon of enlightenment and education to rival the that might lead her to the Skulls location. She keeps up a
great Athenian schools of Plato and Aristotle, preserving its pretense of being Tzimisce in the city and uses her hijab to
glorious history and legacy forever. Tomes alone were not hide her third eye, not wishing to draw attention to herself.
equal to this solemn mission, she reasoned, but Cainites
were immortal vessels that could hold vast centuries worth The New Obertus
of knowledge. She would shape a new generation of Obertus
Tzimisce into repositories of lore. She called her Dream So far, Elaiodoras efforts have yielded an impressive
the Akademia and adopted the name Elaiodora Sophida, collection of repatriated New Roman history and academia,
naming herself Scholarch of the new Cainite university. but not a lot of Cainite support. She believes religion has
Recruitment has been slow, partially because Elaiodora little place in an institution of learning and condemns her
spends as much time out searching for books and relics to predecessors for letting Gesudian fanaticism distract from
add to her collection as she does teaching, and partially their true purpose. Since historically, religion and education
because her social graces leave something to be desired. She have gone hand in hand, and the mortal monastic orders

THE DOMAIN OF CONSTANTINOPLE

72
throughout the city continue as they always have, she events are worthwhile to her. She especially covets artifacts
declines to court most of the already-established scholars of vampiric power as vessels of living history. Below are a
within the walls. Her student body currently consists of a few subjects of particular interest that the Akademia has
few scribes apprentices, one or two ghouls, and one young marked for investigation. Anyone with information about
Malkavian recently arrived from France. Frustrated by what them or the right Disciplines and magic to properly
she perceives as a lack of suitable Cainite initiates, she has study them would attract the Scholarchs attention and
devised a new plan: What better way to shape the new could bargain for research rights at the cloister of St. John
Obertus Tzimisce in Constantinople to match her Dream Studius, allowing access to any number of unique resources.
than to Embrace them all herself? Ghosts of Byzantium: Between the several times old
Ignoring Rakhamas misgivings, Elaiodora now stalks Byzantium was razed and rebuilt, Constantinoples long and
mortals who have promise as potential Fiends. She research- torturous history as a playground of inter-Clan intrigues, and
es them extensively and follows them around every night the Fourth Crusade, ghosts linger under every rock in the
to gauge their habits and circles. She has proven willing to city. The recent unprecedented explosion of atrocities and
interfere in their lives if it means pointing them toward more profound ruination has woken things that have been buried
scholarly pursuits one young man had, in her estimation, for a millennium or more, emerging now from the broken
too many suitors to focus on his studies, so she visited him foundations of their tombs and looking for vengeance.
in his bedroom in the middle of the night and mutated his Many of the more recently deceased remain as well, as the
flesh to make him less appealing. She has no compunctions Latins had no care to perform the Byzantine funerary rites
about raiding other Cainites entourages, either reasoning these dead expected, and all their loved ones were killed
that if they were good enough for someone else, they might as well. Each spirit has a story to tell.
have something to offer her and keeps careful tabs on Abyssal Shrines: Before Constantine the Great came
the comings and goings of various dignitaries in case they to found a legendary Roman capital, a group of Lasombra
have kine servants she might like to poach. She has thus under the leadership of one Ectoris ruled the small city
far chosen three candidates for the Embrace, and those she of Byzantium. They cemented their influence over the
keeps as mortal students for now until theyve advanced kine by posing as a pagan cult to Aphrodite, and a few of
sufficiently in their curricula to earn it. their number became involved in a Cainite religion that
Rakhamas concern for Elaiodora and her Dream grows was part Hellenistic sect, part Abyss Mysticism. Hidden
nightly. She believes the Tzimisces preoccupation with in the ruins of ancient Byzantium lie abandoned shrines
seeking perfection and building the Akademia primarily that blend blood sorcery rites with worship of the Greek
from her own childer will tarnish her noble goals. She tries goddess, harboring strange untold power that could yet be
to convince her lover that Embracing with such abandon unlocked with the right occult keys.
will put both the Cainites and the mortals of Constanti- House of Broken Lamps: For centuries, this unnerving
nople in danger, but has met with no success. Now she shop served as the base of operations for a demon and its
seeks suitable members of other Clans to enroll and excel, thralls, including a mage and a Baali. Standing between
to show Elaiodora the value of cooperation with others. the Grand Bazaar and the central Mese, it spawned Cainite
She worries the Fiend has put herself on a new Road, one legends of things much worse than vampires lurking in its
leading inevitably to the same kind of monomaniacal ob- rooms filled with nothing but lamps of every description,
session that she scorned in the Divinity Within, and one that nevertheless couldnt banish the hollow darkness be-
that will ruin her as surely as it ruined Gesu. tween them. By the time the Fourth Crusade stampeded
through the city, the House of Lamps yawned empty but
Points of Interest waiting the demon and its servants were gone, but the
Elaiodora is willing to trade a great deal for rare and dormant power that pulsed within the buildings walls was
valuable scrolls, books, journals, relics, and anything else ripe for the taking. Crusaders set the shop ablaze and it
that documents or represents the Cainite or Constantine exploded in a spectacular display of colored flames, burning
experience. Even transcriptions of personal anecdotes from for three days and three nights. Now, Cainites and kine
long-lived Cainites and people who were present for major alike give the ruin a wide berth, terrified of what might
come crawling out of it.

TZIMISCE APOCRYPHA

73
 Welcome to the White Pearl. We specialize in wild dreams and wilder nightmares.
I wonder which you are here for, hm?
Saruuro, Quadi of the Red Sky

T he twin cities of Mogadishu, Hamar and Shangani,

are beautiful in scintillating hues of light that lend Vampires of the
the domain its nickname the White Pearl. Ships carry an
unrelenting stream of mortals in and out, to try their luck
and make a fortune. In their wake follow the children of White Pearl
Caine, eager to expand their domains, only to find Africa
is already home to vampires of its own. Clan Assamite
emerged victorious from this clash of continents, after five F arnaza (Seventh Generation Assamite) The Naib
has not heard her birth name spoken since she claimed
power (and the title) over a century ago. No one in the city
centuries of careful maneuvering rising on Islams tide to
defeat the Ramanga. Now the Naib looks out over her city dares speak her name, and neither her sire nor her fellow
to the new masjid dedicated to Allah, and wonders if she Viziers have visited. This initially unnerved her, as if the
can control what she started. hammer of Alamut would come down at any moment, but
she realizes now that her ostracism isnt a sign of disapproval.
Vampires of every ilk live together in Mogadishu.
Rather, her Elders are confident in her control over Mogadi-
Theyre all smiles in public, for the Naib demands they
shu and loyalty to Haqim, and see no need to visit the den
keep the peace, while relentlessly plotting in private.
of infidels the domain has by necessity become. This leaves
Neonates flock to the domain to escape their sires
Farnaza with great freedom, which she relishes perhaps more
tyrannies. Ancillae, recognizing that Mogadishus trade
than she should, but has also left her feeling adrift. She finds
routes bring the entire world within their grasp, come to
solace in the company of an ancient Laibon named Jakuta.
make a name for themselves. Elders seek new horizons
and new experiences an exceedingly rare commodity Mazigha (Sixth Generation Ramanga) Mazighas
after eons of night. Tensions rise as the Jyhad follows the sire lost Mogadishu to the Assamites, and she is determined
newcomers, chipping away at the Naibs dominance and to wipe that stain from her lineage. Older and more powerful
laying the path for the Laibon to finally drown their rivals. than Farnaza personally, Mazigha nonetheless struggles to
oust her rival. Storms rage when her traders are out at sea,
lightning strikes as her crew finishes the masjids dome,
and famine decimates the Hawiye with whom she makes
alliances. A lesser woman might believe destiny itself is
poised against her, but Mazigha is no fool. She recognizes

VAMPIRES OF THE WHITE PEARL

75
an ancient force working against her, and sends her vassals
to find and convert (or destroy) this creature. THE STRUGGLE OF
Aphobis (Tenth Generation Follower of Set) Every THE SHADOW KINGS
linen merchant worth his salt traces his business to Aphobis,

T
whose control over fabric trade to Egypt is indomitable. he Magisters fail to gain a foothold in Moga-
Aphobis abhors the slave trade, since he views the subver- dishu, despite their and Aphobis best
sion of freedom an abomination against Apep, but his best efforts. Their agents are murdered, their ships sunk,
efforts to stop it have been futile. He also owns the Jade and their traders constantly undercut. The Clan
Horse inn, which serves as a gathering place for vampires blames their eternal rivals the Ventrue for this. In
disenchanted with Mogadishus balance of power. Patrons truth though, their struggles are born from Ramanga
believe the big-bellied Egyptian is a dupe for assuming sabotage, as the Laibon are disinclined to share their
hosting duties (and potential blame) for a group so eager dominance over shadows. Never one to take no
to dethrone the Naib, but Aphobis is keenly aware of the for an answer, the Clan sends Fatimah al-Lama to
risks and rewards of his position. Mogadishu to try again.
Bantu (Eleventh Generation Impundulu) and
Esihle (Bomkazi Witch) This husband team has been
together since they were babes. Their mothers raised the
boys together, fully expecting both of them to take up the departure also opened a path for the Emozeidi Arabs, and
mantle of the Bomkazi witches. For Bantu, magic never they brought Islam and the children of Haqim. The Hawiye
took, and the Impundulu chose him to join their ranks culture eventually gave way before the Ajuran Sultanate,
beyond death instead. The pair left their home in the Cape and the Assamite Naib now rules the night.
to seek an answer to the Impundulus plight, and believe The Naib adheres to the Zoroastrian faith, but she
they found it with an elder of the children of Cagn. They believed Islam offered a way to dethrone the Hawiye kings
first encountered this creature, ancient and steeped in and Ramanga behind them. She tied Mogadishus trade to
death, on the Swahili coast where locals named it devour- cities on the Persian coast where her Clan was strongest,
er of human flesh or Mla Watu. Mla Watu abandoned so she could further undermine the Ramanga hegemony.
them before they learned everything they needed to, but Her success is perhaps over-complete though, and Moga-
they have since tracked it further north to Ceel Waaq and dishu became a haven for Muslim Assamites. Mistakenly
finally, Mogadishu. believing that the Naib herself is Muslim, they flock to
Sarapion (Laibon, lineage and Generation un- the city to celebrate their religion away from disapproving
known) Sarapion is ancient beyond measure, predating elders. Disavowing Islam now would alienate them, perhaps
the Hawiye people by millennia. The creature traveled the even incite rebellion, leaving the Naib between a rock
breadth of the African continent and crossed the ocean and a hard place. Meanwhile, the Ramanga have caught
to Persia and Europe, though it was ill-impressed by the on to the religious game and are outwardly abandoning
latter. Mortals built the city of Sarapion atop the creature their matriarchal religion for adherence to Muhammads
after it returned home to rest, and its felt connected to the teachings. Should the Naib ever move away from Islam, the
place ever since. Sarapion guided the domain from its first Laibon are poised to pick up any disenfranchised followers.
incarnation to the glory that would become Mogadishu,
and manipulated the Assamites to topple its erstwhile (and The High Clans
unwitting) Ramanga stewards. Sarapion does not meet with The Followers of Set, dominating the linen trade with
local vampires, who are like ants to it, but the creatures Egypt, add to the Naibs woes. Islam took hold in the an-
dreams do bleed into their nightmares. cient lands of the Snakes long ago, and they certainly take
offense. If they can knock the Saracens down a few pegs,
they gleefully do so. The leader of the Setites is Aphobis,
Affairs of State whose good-natured demeanor hides a talent for stirring
up trouble. His current project is inciting the Toreador

S arapions lineage ruled the ancient city that predated

Mogadishu, until the ancient left the region and the
Ramanga came from Madagascar to fill the void of power.
and Lasombra in rebellion against the Naib. Aphobis is
eminently subtle, though, and the Naib (while she does
suspect him) cant retaliate lest she appears tyrannical and
They, led by Arawelo and creating childer amongst the Haw- fuels the Lasombra and Toreadors simmering resentment.
iye people, held power for nearly five centuries. Sarapions As tensions come to a boil, Mazigha is laughing all the way

THE DOMAIN OF MOGADISHU

76
to the bank for surely her lineage stands well poised to
take advantage of any resulting unrest. TAKE CENTER STAGE
The Cappadocians also maintain a heavy presence in

T
Mogadishu. The Ajurans are consummate builders whose he Setites manipulate the Toreador and Lasom-
faith demands interment of their deceased a combination bra, the Ramanga manipulate the Setites,
that sees intricate pillar tombs and necropoleis erected in Sarapion herself works against the Ramanga, and
the region. The presence of Laibon necromancers willing so on. These layers of intrigue should not merely
to trade secrets only adds to Cappadocian enthusiasm. The serve as a backdrop for a coteries exploits. Quite the
Clan offers a generous non-aggression treaty to the Naib opposite: the key to Mogadishu relies on getting a
in exchange for access to the region, which at least does coterie involved. When Mazigha wants to sabotage
not compound the troubles she already has to juggle. They the Assamite masjid, she tasks (or manipulates) the
steadfastly refuse to commit to more than a non-aggression characters to do so. This makes an enemy of the
pact though, as theyre unwilling to upset any Clans poised Naib, but provides invaluable blackmail material
against the Assamites. The Cappadocians obey the Naib on Mazigha. They hear how Bantu and Ehsile are
as long as her Clan controls Mogadishu, but would show looking for Mla Watu, and offer their services in
Aphobis the same deference if the tables turned. tracking the ancient down. If they are Lasombra,
drop Fatimah al-Lama and send the coterie to take
The Low Clans the city instead. Mogadishu is rife with conflict and
the protagonists should be smack at the center.
All Clans venture in and out of Mogadishu (some more
successfully than others,) yet the domain is strangely devoid
of Nosferatu. The Priors instinctively avoid the city, and those
who do visit often disappear. The Ravnos, always ready to jump their power, which is exactly the point. Their lineages clearly
on opportunity, have taken over as information brokers. The number (far) greater than three though, and they would
self-appointed leader of the Vagabonds is a woman named really like for the invaders to take a step back. The Ramanga,
Amaria, whose melodious bass voice is the only remnant of her playing the long game, have so far managed to hold their kins
birth-assigned gender. Amaria holds a wealth of information resentment in check, but its quickly reaching a crescendo.
on whos who in Mogadishu, and shes surprisingly willing to
share with any newcomers. All she asks in return is a friendly
conversation a gambit that turns out well for visitors who
The Wan Kuei
can steer the subject to philosophy or religion (subjects Amaria A single Wan Kuei makes his home in Mogadishu. Bai
loves to discuss) and poorly for visitors who end up talking Qi of the Hungry Ghosts arrived on a trade vessel from
about themselves. Amarias sharp wit and natural charm the Song Empire. He shows little interest in meeting with
mask a darker nature, as she is responsible for slave trade from Cainites, and claims he knows about them already, though
Mogadishu to her childe Sridhar in Mangalore. he is willing to meet with Laibon. The Laibon, however,
see no point in making either friends or enemies with one
The Laibon lone vampire, and largely ignore him. The Naib is aware of
Ban Qis presence and keeps track of his endeavors, even
In addition to the Ramanga, who refuse to give up if she sees no reason to act against him (yet).
their former stronghold, Mogadishu sees a steady trickle
of Bonsam. The Stalkers seldom stay long: They hear the
dead footsteps of an ancient hunting them, and while
Mogadishu offers a reprieve from that particular threat, Trouble in the
they sense Sarapions lingering presence. The Impundulu
stay, even if they have to travel a long way to reach the
domain, as the Cappadocians make natural allies to them.
White Pearl
U
Their leader Bantu actively seeks out the Necromancers, nderneath Mogadishu lies the ancient city of Sarapion, and
and he finds them agreeable so far. They remain such a below that are even older secrets. The constant building
small group, however, that their political impact is limited. projects of the Ajuran Sultanate disturb the land, and ancient
Other Laibon also wander in and out of the city, and they things stir underneath. Laibon arrive in the city and carry tales
plainly refuse to name their lineage. This obscurity makes it of stalkers in the dark. Trouble is aplenty is Mogadishu.
hard for Cainites to quantify the Laibon, or assess the depth of

TROUBLE IN THE WHITE PEARL

77
 by the dark power of the miasma (Disciplines: Fortitude 1,
One Masjid Too Many Potence 1, Presence 1, Chimerstry 1). No one remembers
Mogadishu is home to not one, but two masjids or making him a ghoul, though, and the trail ends there.
mosques in mid-build. Assamite neonates pushed the
Naib to approve construction of the Fakr ad-Din masjid The Mystery of Jakuta
in Hamar. Assamite sorcery, enhanced by azure spires
From the personal records of the Naib
mimicking the sacred geometry of Alamut, calls the favor
Well. Never a boring night. Weve been overrun by refugees
of Allah to the mihrab in the masjids inner sanctum.
for weeks. They rarely stay long (luckily too, or they would sorely
Meanwhile, Mazigha commands her vassal Khusran ibn
tax our resources,) nor are they happy to speak with us. I know
Muhammud to construct the Arba a Rukun masjid. At
very little about them, and what I do know comes from Amaria.
the heart of this white-stoned construct lies a well of liquid
She seems to have set up a rapport with these Laibon, and even
darkness connected to the source of all Ramanga power.
arranged passage to Mangalore for one of them. Why she would
Both Assamites and Ramanga use the power inherent to
do that is a mystery to me, but who am I to complain as long
their vitae to propel the idea that their build started first,
as she sent him to her homeland rather than mine? Either way,
creating an (admittedly unintentional) miasma of confusion
she tells me most of the refugees are from a lineage called the
surrounding the two masjids.
Bonsam, and all of them are fleeing something called the Hunter.
The player of a character caught in the miasma (which She also assures me, as far as I can trust her, that this crisis is
covers the entire city,) makes an extended Road roll at of no threat to Mogadishu proper. The Hunter, she believes, is a
difficulty 7, with one roll per night and 20 successes re- Methusaleh recently awoken in the heartlands of this continent.
quired. Failure causes the character to gain the Obsession The creature pursues a pogrom against its own kind. What makes
derangement focused on the masjid that is nearest when it no immediate threat to us is that our refugees traveled months
she fails. She becomes emotionally invested in her masjid, to put as much distance between the creature and themselves as
arguing that it is the true one while the other is an affront. possible, while it seems to be heading towards the Lands of the
Her arguments need not be rational (at all,) but they are Kru rather than Mogadishu. All would be well, then, if not for
passionate. She turns her obsession into actions (i.e. by the latest refugee arriving.
throwing a stone at the builders of the false masjid, or
Jakuta is without doubt an elder. I scent his blood, heady and
worse) depending on her Nature. The effect ends when the
thick, whenever he is near me. He is also utterly confused, and
character spends a year away from Mogadishu, which she
barely aware of where and when he is. He is unfamiliar with the
isnt willing to do as it means abandoning her beloved masjid.
teachings of Islam, and tells me he learned our language by eating
Destroying either the Assamite mihrab or the Raman- a foreigners tongue. From the way he looks at me, I suspect
ga well ends the miasma permanently (and defaults the he consumed much more than the tongue. He is dangerous a
remaining one to the oldest masjid forever,) but neither situation only mitigated by his seeming attachment to me. Im
group would ever consider this. Until then, the miasma not sure how I became the object of his affection. Amaria usually
turns mortals and vampires into obsessed zealots one by gets everyone fawning over her, regardless of their gender, but she
one, and keeps them all trapped in its honeyed venom. passed Jakuta onto me as soon as he mentioned eating tongues. I
cant say Im entirely sorry for it he is powerful, an excellent
A Slaughter of Builders philosopher (much more interesting than the usual religious drivel),
Its only a matter of time before someone snaps under and not entirely unattractive. I look forward to getting to know
the miasmas effects, and builders from both masjids him better, as long as my own tongue remains safe.
turn up dead. Their corpses hang upside down on the
build sites, blood and entrails pooling underneath. Strange Getting to know Jakuta
and esoteric scribblings in blood desecrate the half-finished The Naib, for all her power, cannot contain Jakuta to
masjid, and speak of Sarapion who Dwells Beneath after her palace. He wanders the city at night, alternately keen
an Intelligence + Occult roll at difficulty 7. to devour or converse with passing vampires. The player of
While the Naib and Mazigha both find this development anyone speaking with Jakuta makes a Courage roll, or the
troubling, neither is willing to halt construction. The Naib character flees before the diablerist. Those engaging him with
doesnt want to rile the Muslim Cainites in Mogadishu, nor interesting conversation by making a Charisma + Expression
is Mazigha willing to abandon her play for the faithful. Both roll (difficulty 7) are perfectly safe from the ancient, and he
would welcome any group that makes the problem quietly go recognizes them favorably the following nights.
away. If the characters volunteer (or are assigned) to track Tidbits that Jakuta might reveal in conversation:
down the killer, their hunt leads to a rogue ghoul imbued

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 He is from the Yoruba people of the Kingdom of Ife. shipments of Indian marble, hoping to delay the building of
the Fakr ad-Din masjid and incite unrest amongst the Muslim
He spent measureless time in torpor before the
neonates. They have identified one of the Naibs favorite
Hunters rampage woke him.
ghouls, a woman named Vesal Sahbazi, and consider whether
He suspects the Hunter is older than him by far. to Embrace or kill her outright. Theyve also made overtures
to Mazigha, promising to return control of Mogadishu to the
He is an accomplished Thaumaturgist.
Ramanga, and to Aphobis with the promise of a temple to
He is not Bonsam. Set under their rule. Neither Mazigha nor Aphobis believes
them, but the unrest they cause is too good to pass up.
He claims no lineage at all. This is a source of em-
barrassment for Jakuta, and he doesnt reveal it in At the other end of this spectrum are the Cappadocians,
a first conversation. whose leader Eriz negotiates a non-aggression pact with
the Naib. The Brujah Letha offers the same, though the
He has carried many titles over the centuries, in- Naib is reluctant to accept as the Zealots have a budding
cluding Chang, Xang, and Shango. reputation as troublemakers. Neither would be pleased with
the Lasombra and Toreador upending what little headway
Liberty at Sea theyve made with the Naib. Characters hailing from Cainite
Clans are pressed to the forefront of this brewing conflict.
Sheer distance from European Princes and an air of
benign neglect from Alamut make Mogadishu a haven for
disenfranchised ancillae and neonates. Or at least it once
did. Fear of Gehenna leads elders to seek far horizons, as A Clash of Gods
if global annihilation will pass Africa by. With these elders
come the same institutions Mogadishus Cainites do so
eagerly without: an emphasis on lineage, ancient boons
ITheslam is the prevalent mortal religion in Mogadishu, and
the few Christians and Pagans learn to disguise their faith.
vampire population is not nearly as homogenous, and
passed from elder to elder and suddenly called in to an ancilla
many elders and ancillae adhere to other faiths.
(your grandsire owes me a favor), and a strong-arming
of neonates into the service of older Generations. Realiz-
ing that nowhere on land is safe from the elders tyranny,
The Temple of Set
a group of neonates and ancillae now take to sea. They The Temple of Set hides in a warehouse near the beach
band together in a small fleet of ships (and wrecks) off the of Shangani. The building is unassuming not fancy,
Somali coast. Their location is ever-mobile and they might not run down, just perfectly normal and average. Wards
have escaped scrutiny if not for one overwhelming need: repel anyone who would enter, perpetuating an air of utter
blood. The fleet turns to piracy of both seaward ships and disinterest. Inside though, lies an opulence of riches. The
coastal towns to feed, and rapidly attracts the enmity of sanctum itself consists of three parts: the first for mortal
Cainite traders. Their saving grace is the secret aid of the faithful, Cainite initiates, and rare visitors, the second for
Ramanga, who are more than happy to fan the flames of Cainite acolytes, and the third is intended for Set himself.
inter-Cainite conflict. Sweet incense fills the air of the first sanctum, and
The Liberty Fleet offers a reprieve to characters who bite murals depict the glories of Set as he battles the oppressor
off more than they can chew in Mogadishu. Its residents Ra. Sets brother Osiris makes a rare appearance on one of
offer money, information, and boons in exchange for blood the tapestries, depicting a scene of closeness between the
granting the characters more resources than they could two siblings. Assorted statues that dot the room represent
have gained in the city proper. Sets deific allies, including a Mithraic statue prominent in
bronze. Aphobis keeps servants at hand to provide food or
Ambitions of Princes blood, to visitors he values highly. The second sanctum is
smaller and dominated by an eight-foot-tall statue of Set,
Cainites, other than the Assamites and Setites, have a
hewn in red stone. Only Sets childer could say if the likeness
hard time gaining a foothold in Mogadishu. Two fared better
is true, but the statues powerful build is certainly fit for a
than most though: Fatimah al-Lama of Clan Lasombra, and
god. On dark nights, when the moon hides her face, the
Atilia Priscian of the Toreador. Arriving in Mogadishu at the
statue oozes thick, putrid blood from its stone skin. At the
same time, they struck a bargain to work together. Their
statues feet lie gifts for the god: arcane statuettes, gemstones,
relationship alternates between uncomfortable and hostile,
and bowls filled with the blood of innocents. Great pillows
but theyve kept to their deal. The pair waylaid the last two
and more statues, these representing the cohorts of Set,
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fill the inner sanctum. Aphobis keeps the room pristine for why now, but when I arrived it just seemed like the perfect place
Sets arrival, despite the gods disappearance centuries ago. to hide from the Naib and her prying eyes.
The Temple of Set, while hidden from prying eyes and So Ive been exploring, mapping the entries and exits, and then
ears, is surprisingly popular in Mogadishu. Aphobis is a one night I got lost. I never get lost, but there I was inside these
true adherent of Apep and preaches freedom in all things. carved round halls. Theyre not too big and perfectly circular,
Faithful must cast off the shackles of society, morality, and like a giant worm burrowed through. I know, crazy right? Im
(finally) of self. He is a remarkably apt teacher, who pushes not really sure how I got there and then I heard it. Her. Him. I
his students well beyond their limits, but not (or at least dunno, but it was just inside my head. Like waves of the ocean
since his arrival in Mogadishu) beyond their breaking point. rolling in, or the most beautiful sunrise. So I obeyed the call.
Cainites seeking to change Roads under Aphobis tutelage I could already feel the lethargy of the day when I got to the
ignore the effects of one botched roll when they experience room. Circular, with the same odd rivets as the passageway,
their Moment of Truth (see V20 Dark Ages pp.112-115,) but larger. In the middle stood a statue of the most beautiful
in addition to the normal benefits of studying with a mentor. creature I have ever seen. Remember that time you had a crush
on Alexander of Paris? Well this was much, much prettier than
The Hidden Shrine him. The most perfect creature ever. So I started weeping and
then the statue smiled at me. Admittedly, beauty overcame me,
Told by Nikolai of Clan Nosferatu
but Im no fool. I hightailed out of there.
We have to go. Now. Leave and never come back. Dont
I know. I thought I was crazy at first, too. That I imagined
give me that look, I
it. But I didnt. I know because Ive seen it since. Well, them.
Fine, Ill tell you. But then Im leaving. You stay or go. People wearing masks looking exactly like it. I have a snack and
You know Mogadishu is part of the Ajuran empire, right? just as Im getting up from the ground: a masked face looks at
Theyre these great builders and paragons of architecture and me. I turn a corner to avoid that bore Aphobis and another
whatnot. Well its not just big on the topside. Mogadishu is rife mask is waiting for me. Theyre everywhere. They whisper, too,
with tunnels, like a good cheese, and no one claims them! I know

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repeating the same thing over and over: guruh guruh. Whatever a Ramanga, albeit one born, raised, and Embraced in the
the heck that means. Shut up, Im not imagining it! I wait. Horn rather than Madagascar. Arawelo ruled Mogadishu
Did you hear that? Theres <abrupt silence> from the shadows for a long time, until the Naib rose to
power and forced her to abandon the city. Worship of
The House Adeer Arawelo continues to this night though, and is especially
popular amongst women (including her childe Mazigha).
Much as the Naib cant disavow Islam for fear of alienat- Arawelo, having experienced the transformative power of
ing her Cainite followers, so too the Ramanga discover that the Embrace firsthand, believes identity is fluid, and hijra
religion is the best way to their little unbeating hearts. Hence find a warm welcome in her cult.
the great pomp and circumstance about building the really
the first masjid. The Puppeteers dont stop there though. The Birds of Huur
While Mogadishus vampires grow accustomed to the new,
more kin-spirited face of the Ramanga (and hopefully come Huur, the messenger of Death, has a large following of
to trust them as confidantes and advisers,) the Laibon are Laibon further inland, and his children travel as far as
already moving in on a promising lineage of mortals. The Mogadisu. They call themselves birdmen or kinyonyi in
House Adeer is devoutly Muslim, and a steady stream of their own tongue. Claiming the country around Mogadishu
vitae lifted them to the top of the mortal hierarchy. Their as their own, the birdmen clash with Cainites venturing
proclivity for True Faith only adds to the appeal. too far outside the city. First and foremost amongst these,
of course, are the eagerly wandering Gangrel and Ravnos.
Vampire allies to Mazigha find themselves tasked to aid
So far their encounters with the birdmen range from openly
House Adeer. Arrange a marriage here, tutor a child there.
hostile to downright violent, with little sign of improvement.
Nothing so overt that it reveals the Puppeteers plans, but
enough to move the wheels. Vampires posing a threat, Eebo and Nidar
however, find themselves hunted by the religious killers.
Mazighas ultimate goal is to replace the Ajuran Sultanate The Hawiye believe Eebo is the god of the sky, who grants
with House Adeer. Such an effort will be centuries in the rain and thus life. For vampires though, he is also god of the
making though, and shes happy to use her Revenants as sun. Not wanting to anger Eebo, Laibon elders pay homage in
blunt weapon until then. a subdued fashion designed to draw neither ire nor attention.
Nidar on the other hand, is popular among Laibon.
Ancient Faiths Nidar is champion of the downtrodden, exploited, and
betrayed. Laibon followers call themselves the punishers,
The mortals and neonates of Mogadishu may be over- and they actively resist the takeover of their culture and
whelmingly Muslim, but the older vampires in the domain are religion. Theyre a small group, but efficient in their attacks
decidedly not. The Naib is a Zoroastrian, Mazigha adheres on Cainites. Once allies of Mazigha, they now rebuke her
to the matriarchal ancestral worship of Arawelo (who later patronage of the new masjid and no longer believe she will
became her own sire), and other Laibon worship Hawiye gods restore Mogadishu to proper Laibon rule.
like Huur and Nidar. Yet the Naib hasnt publicly spoken
about her faith in two centuries, and Mazigha has commis-
sioned the construction of a masjid. Religion to these elders
The Followers of Arcus
is both a tool and a crutch. They use Islam to sway neonates Arcus is a Malkavian, one of the first of his Clan to
to their side, and then discover their numbers are such that arrive in Mogadishu, who believes the continent holds the
they can no longer disavow Islam. This balance of power secret to Cainite origins. Africa is a very big place and Arcus
shifts even more as Muslim Cainites flock to Mogadishu. isnt sure where he should look, but he reasons Mogadishu
is as good place as any. As the Children of Malkav pile up
Zoroastrians and loiter around the city, the Naib becomes increasingly
The Naib, her two childer, and one of her advisers are eager for Arcus to leave. Mazigha is of a different view.
Zoroastrian. They practice their religion behind closed The Ramanga was initially merely gleeful at another
doors only. For more on the Cainite brand of Zoroastri- Cainite making trouble for the Naib, but she has come
anism, see p. 83 to take him seriously ever since Arcus spoke of Sarapion
of the line of Loz. She doesnt know who Loz is, but she
Daughters of Arawelo does know Sarapion is the old city underneath Mogadishu.
Both names send chills down her long-dead spine, and she
Arawelo was a powerful queen who defeated all the is determined to know more.
men in her kingdom to create a matriarchy. She was also

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 Characters allying themselves with the Laibon are likely
The Children of Sarapion to make their Haven in Hamar, while those beholden to the
Sarapion is still awake. Still active. The creature ac- Cainites lair in Shangani. This division is not absolute in
knowledges no lineage or Generation. The mention of Cagn fact, the Naib deliberately erects the Fakr ad-Din masjid in
Who Wrestles the Sun only elicits bitter laughter from it. the heart of Hamar, as an assault on Mazighas hegemony
The Laibon is ancient and immeasurable. And it still calls but its a good rule of thumb. Most of Sarapions (now
Mogadishu home even as it wanders the breadth of Africa. abandoned) tombs lie below Hamar, with only one below
Sarapions influence over Mogadishu is subtle, but persistent. Shangani. The latter is the most recent though, as a nod
It is the heady toxin trickling down through Assamite and to the shift of power from Clan Ramanga to the Assamites.
Ramanga sorcery, causing the nebulous miasma that spreads
like a cancer. It is the whispered refusal to accept Allah, Jade Horse Inn
allowing the cults of Set and Guruh to grow nightly.
Neither horses nor jade see much use in Mogadishu, and
Since the nights of Ptolemy, the Children of Sarapion it isnt lost on the Laibon that a foreigner named this inn. As
have maintained a presence in the city. They recognize Allah a result, they rarely set foot in the place, which is just how
and Set as false gods, unworthy of the attention heaped upon Aphobis likes it. Aphobis offers aid to all Cainites making
them. The cult of Sarapion passes from parent to child, and their first forays into Mogadishu. He demands a modest fee in
its roots run deep. The cult works to enhance the power of return, which is entirely a smokescreen for his true purpose:
Mogadishu through trade, alliances and prestigious building to sow dissent and create chaos. Without the Setites careful
projects. They topple creatures that become too powerful, for nudges the Toreador and Lasombra might have given up on
none may rival Sarapion in its glory. The Ramanga ruled from Mogadishu already. As it is though, theyre ever so subtly re-
the shadows for nearly five centuries, until the Children moved minded of the glories of Monada of Madrid and Alexander in
against them. The Naib rules for now, but the continuing rise Paris, and what a pity it is that the Saracens rule here. Aphobis
of Islam grates on the Childrens nerves another regime fails to mention that any war between East and West would
change might come soon. leave him supremely situated to take over, as he believes his
Laibon characters find a ready place amongst the Chil- ties and pockets in Mogadishu are second only to the Naibs.
dren, who see them as Sarapion kin. This overt acceptance
even allows Laibon to move against Sarapion without being Dar Al-Salam
suspected (at first). Cainites have a tougher time, and they
must prove their dedication to Mogadishu and Sarapion. Mogadishu holds two official vampire gatherings called
Even if they are accepted, they carry the stigma of foreigners dr al-salm, meaning home of peace. The names are
in Sarapions ancient domain. steeped in Muslim faith another sign of the Naibs
reliance on the religion. Two Quadis, judges appointed by
the Naib, oversee the dr al-salm and they have complete
Seeing the Sites autonomy in granting or denying access.
Saruuro of Clan Ramanga rules the Red Sky in Hamar. Her
Mogadishu and its surrounding countryside are full of position is both a leftover from Arawelos nights, as well as an
places to visit. Some places are distinctly friendlier than olive branch offered to the Ramanga by the Naib. Red Sky
others, though. is the oldest dr al-salm, and a second home to the rich and
powerful. Saruuro judges supplicants on their personal worth,
Old Hamar age, and power, and does not seem to care much about Clan.
Amaria of Clan Ravnos runs the Hanging Gardens in
and New Shangani Shangani, and everyone is welcome here. The Hanging
Mogadishu has no natural harbor, forcing merchants to Gardens sees as much wheeling and dealing as Red Sky,
ferry goods with smaller boats to and from anchored ships. but visitors scrape more to get by. Saruuro and Amaria can
Vampires and mortals rationalize this situation, as Mogadishu supply temporary havens as well as blood dolls on request,
is one of the few places in the Horn where treacherous reefs though both consider such dependency a sign of weakness.
let ships pass at all, but its really Sarapions blood that draws
them. The creatures call created the old Hawiye city of Ceel Waaq
Hamar, as well as the new Persian mercantile center of Shan-
Down the Southern coast lies the town of Ceel Waaq,
gani. Regardless of the citys origins though, the Naib now
which means the well of God. Its a small trade port, no-
rules both even if Mazigha holds to some power in Hawiye.

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82
where near as important as Mogadishu, and mostly a place The sunken stelas hold knowledge of life, death, and
for cattle traders. A long-abandoned well in the countryside, divinity, and Ashur himself directs his Clan to catalog
however, has attracted the attention of both Impundulu them. The Graverobbers, unable to fully translate them,
and Cappadocians. The wells waters are putrid, smelling of turn to the Impundulu for help as theyre more versed in
sulfur and rot. Mortals give it a wide berth, and they consider the languages of Africa. The Laibon accept this request
the water unclean and cursed. Below the water lies a vast and seem happy, even eager, to aid. What the Cappa-
network of tunnels, some rising up to dry caverns. Shrines docians dont know is the Impundulu have their own
hide in this darkness, marked with the ancient names of problems, as their feeding exclusion slowly drives them to
Loz and bearing arcane symbols. One vampire even claims extinction. The Laibon are using the alliance to measure
to have found an abandoned city down there, though she the Cappadocians trustworthiness before negotiating
hasnt been able to retrace her route. direly-needed help.

Assamite Apocrypha:
The Followers of Zarathustra
Zoroastrianism ruled in Persia long before the rise of he underestimated the impact his actions would have.
Islam, and many Assamite elders adhere to the religion. Her violent death elevated Tehmina to a martyr amongst
The Clans Muslim neonates have time on their side and Zoroastrian Cainites. This early overreach acts as a buffer
their numbers are growing, but real prestige in Alamut for the Zoroastrians today, as Haqims other childer adopted
for now lies with the followers of Zarathustra. a wait-and-see approach that allowed the Zoroastrians to
rise to the top of the Clans hierarchy unchallenged.
The Story of
Zarathustra The Road of Zarathustra
Zoroastrians believe that they beholden to the Beast,
Zarathustra lived 2,500 years ago in Persia. Born a shepherd
Hunger, and eternal night are cursed by Angra Mainyu.
of common birth, he abandoned his people and wandered
They must explore this state of being and, once they fully
for 10 years until the god Ahura Mazda spoke to him. God
understand evil, choose to be good and return to Ahura
told the prophet that he was the spirit of goodness, but that
Mazdas grace. Of course, not all make it there.
he had an opponent: Angra Mainyu, the god of darkness.
Mankind, the only species capable of free choice, is crucial The Road of Zarathustra is mechanically two roads.
in this divine battle and must choose between the two gods. Every Zoroastrian starts her path on the Road of Angra
Mainyu. She fully experiences the evil of Angra Mainyu,
Zoroastrianism is a highly ethical religion, and its
recognizes his hold over her and, finally, rejects him.
followers must do good deeds and think good thoughts.
When the Zoroastrian feels ready (usually when she has
Ahura Mazda judges the balance of their actions, words,
reached at least the 5th rung,) she switches to the Road
and intentions at the end of their lives, and commends
of Ahura Mazda without penalty. She now begins her path
them to either heaven or hell.
to redemption and Ahura Mazda. This switch is free only
The Story of Tehmina once. The Zoroastrian can revert back to the Road of Angra
Mainyu at any time (and many do as they chafe against the
Tehmina lived 1,000 years after Zarathustra, and she was burden of doing good amidst damnation), but returning to
a devoted follower and scholar of Zoroastrianism. She dis- the Road of Ahura Mazda later suffers all the difficulties
pensed food in times of hunger and founded a free hospital. a normal Road change (see V20 Dark Ages p.112-115).
Tehmina was far from perfect, but her efforts were sincere.
Sobriquet: Zoroastrians, Penitents (Road of Ahura
It was this sincerity that attracted her sire, who Embraced
Mazda,) Corrupters (Road of Angra Mainyu)
her either as an anchor for his own humanity, or as a cruel
experiment. From here Tehminas fate becomes murky. She Initiation: The initiate of the Road of Angra Mainyu
fades from history, until she runs afoul of ur-Shulgi, who buries herself in infertile dirt, where she remains for five
saw her faith as sacrilege to Haqim. Disposing of Tehmina days and nights a mockery of Zoroastrian funerary rites
was small work for a creature of ur-Shulgis prowess, but that last the same amount of time. She spends this time
contemplating the evil of Angra Mainyu and exploring the
ASSAMITE APOCRYPHA

83
 THE ROAD OF ANGRA MAINYU
The Road of Angra Mainyu is mechanically similar to the Via Apophis
(V20 Dark Ages, p.449,) but with these replacements:
Score Minimum Wrongdoing Rationale
10 Committing any act of kindness The vampire is a servant of Angra Mainyu, the bringer of evil.
2 Feeding on evil men The vampire must not harm other servants of Angra Mainyu.
1 Fearing Frenzy Rage and Hunger are gifts from Angra Mainyu, and the vampire
must embrace them.

THE ROAD OF AHURA MAZDA

The Road of Ahura Mazda is mechanically similar to the Via Humanitas
(V20 Dark Ages, 123,) but with these additions:
Score Minimum Wrongdoing Rationale
10 Fearing Final Death The vampire has worked her way back to Ahura Mazda.
Heaven awaits when she dies.
8 Speaking evil words, speaking ill of Words carry to the ear of Ahura Mazda.
others
1 Feeding on good men The vampire has chosen Ahura Mazda, and must protect the
good and righteous.

darkness in her own heart (which is easily done after five the Road of Ahura Mazda gain an aura of goodness. They
nights without sustenance). can spend two Willpower during frenzy to name something
The initiate of the Road of Ahura Mazda cleanses herself they absolutely wont do, i.e. I wont harm that child. (I
extensively with water. She can be alone while she does wont harm any children is too broad, and the child of the
this, or request the company of a Dastur to discuss the first example is still fair game in a later frenzy.)
road ahead. Once her body is clean, she purifies her spirit Virtues: Conviction and Self-Control
with fire by placing her hand in a flame. She must do this
freely, without restraints (and requiring all the necessary Zoroastrian Rituals
Rtschreck tests). Failure does not carry a penalty, but she
must pass the test before progressing further on the Road. The Zoroastrians have their own Dur-an-Ki rituals. Any
Assamite can learn these in theory, as can non-Assamite
Organization: Some of the oldest active Assamites fol- sorcerers on the road of Zoroaster (since their shared faith
low the Road of Zarathustra, giving the sect great prestige transcends the normal boundaries of blood magic). Both
and power. Knowledge is highly valued amongst them and require a Zoroastrian Assamite teacher though.
mentors of both Roads are beholden to teach those below
them. Even so, the Road of Angra Mainyu is often lonely, Vampires are beholden to Angra Mainyu by their own
as evil seeks little company. By extension the mentors of the damnation, and many of their rituals require a sacrifice
Road of Ahura Mazda are called Dasturs and their wisdom to serve as conduit to Ahura Mazda. The Zoroastrians
is highly valued. Four Dasturs lead the Zoroastrians, along on the Road of Ahura Mazda abhor this and perform all
with the highest ranking adherent of Angra Mainyu whose sacrifices cleanly, without causing pain or fear. Even those
task it is to constantly challenge and tempt them to evil. on the Road of Angra Mainyu dont needlessly hurt their
sacrifices, since harming animals is really beneath them.
Aura: Vampires on the Road of Angra Mainyu carry an
aura of corruption. Their voices are honeyed and they gain The caster may cast all these rituals on herself, or on
a +2 dice bonus to persuade people to evil. Vampires on another beneficiary.

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84
 THE GUIDES OF FRASHOKERETI

F rashokereti is the time when the world is stripped of evil and everything reunites with Ahura Mazda in
perfect unity. A small cult of Zoroastrians believes that Gehenna is a vital step in achieving frashokereti, and
they actively work towards it. They try to discern the resting places of Methusalehs and Antediluvians so they
can wake them in time, and push towards anything that fits the (known) signs of Gehenna. These adherents add
Fearing Gehenna to the Via Humanitas at Rating 10.

Guardians Gaze () sins, and his player rerolls any Degeneration those acts
would cause (judged on the victims Road). Creatures with
The vampire finds a four eyed dog (i.e one with spots a Road rating of 10 are immune to this ritual.
above his eyes) and spends an hour or longer bonding with
it. She then kills the creature and places its head to oversee Tower of Silence ()
her resting place. The dogs spirit guards her as she sleeps,
This ritual, based on Zoroastrian funerary rites, works
and wakes her if she is in danger. The vampire remains awake
on creatures who carry the touch of the grave vampires,
until she has dealt with the immediate threat, though she
ghosts, and ghouls. The vampire draws three concentric
still cant have a dice pool greater than her Road rating.
circles on the ground in vitae, denoting them with the
Vengeance of Angra Mainyu () Persian words for male, female, and child. She kills a
vulture and distributes the remains over the three circles.
The vampire calls on Angra Mainyu to give her victim a
She then places a piece of her victims body or one of
glimpse of the hell that awaits. He relives his three greatest
his treasured possessions in the circle that matches his

ASSAMITE APOCRYPHA

85
spiritual gender (this may call for improvisation if the target and soak are rolled normally).
is gender fluid,) and calls on Ahura Mazda to claim the This ritual ends immediately once the effect is triggered,
dead. Her victim suffers aggravated damage equal to the or when the vampire next sleeps.
successes the player rolled on the ritual activation, though
he can negate or soak as normal. Padyab ()
Yasnas Protection () The Zoroastrian cleanses herself through elaborate
bathing. She then sacrifices a dog, and mingles her blood
The vampire slices open her hand and pours vitae onto with the creatures. She cuts off its left ear and keeps it
a fire dedicated to Ahura Mazda. (This incurs a Rtschreck with her during the day. When she wakes the next evening,
test as normal). The ritual strengthens her bond with Ahura her player rolls Conviction (difficulty 7) to shed all effects
Mazda, and offers protection against the destructive forces of coercing the characters spirit (i.e. Dominate, Presence, and
Angra Mainyu. She may invoke Ahura Mazdas protection Thaumaturgical curses that affect her mind.) Preparation
at will to ignore all damage from one source (after attack for this ritual takes at least half the night.

Ramanga Apocrypha:
Beholden to Darkness
Deep in the Abyss lies a nameless, faceless horror. It left her side immediately after. The oldest ventured west
spawned from the darkness before time, and survived to the lands of the Kru, while the youngest traveled north
against all odds through each rebirth of the universe. Its to the land of Persia. They have not returned since.
power was siphoned with every change, though, until it
was a mere shimmer of its former malevolence it. The The Power of Darkness
creature despaired, slowly sinking into lethargy, until
a single mortal voice called out to it. It now rises again Aizina comes from a different source than Obtenebra-
from the depths, and draws ever closer to the veil to seek tion. Lasombra harnessed the power of the Abyss through
escape. It will use the woman whose blood it cursed as a his own vitae and will, and Obtenebration remains a tool.
vessel, and remind the world what true darkness is. Aizina, on the other hand, is darkness incarnate it is the
shadowy embodiment of the Faceless, and that creature
Ramanga made a deal with the devil, gaining access to has plans all of its own.
great power and immortal life. She must be faithful to the
creature, or lose her power (and possibly forfeit her entire The Ramangas Discipline is close enough to Obtenebra-
lineages power). Fortunately for her lineage, she bears the tion to allow access to Abyss Mysticism, but the Faceless is a
brunt of the deal. Individual childer have more leeway, al- jealous creature. The lineage carries a strong taboo against
lowing them to ignore the creature if they desire. It whispers Abyss Mysticism (even going so far as teaching neonates
to them when they sleep, offering praise if they please it they cant) and all Ramanga suffer a +1 difficulty penalty on
and persecution when they dont, but has no actual power Abyss Mysticism rolls. They have, however, developed several
to compel them (other than through their progenitor). unique Discipline powers of their own. These arent sorcery
(though other vampires often mistake them for such, and the
Ramanga dont correct them,) but the tightly-knit nature of
A Lineage of Darkness the lineage grants them power beyond that of an individual
Ramanga tied herself to the Faceless mind, body, and vampire. Other vampires may learn these powers only from
soul yet not her childer. It is entirely possible that neither a Ramanga teacher, and the Laibon are not keen to share.
she nor the Faceless ever foresaw that she could pass on her
power. After all, these deals dont have much precedent. Compelling Darkness
But since she clearly can and did why does she allow Aizina Presence
her childer to remain unbound? Its a curious oversight.
The Ramanga, clever and secretive, learned to project
Ramangas two favored childer are the only ones to the force of her will without drawing attention. She can
ever broach this subject with her. Neither of them shared even use this power to compel her victim even in the
what their sire told them (or did not tell them,) but both closed sanctity of his room.

THE DOMAIN OF MOGADISHU

86
 CAGN WHO WRESTLES THE SUN

D oes this mean Ramanga really dont descend from Caine? They certainly believe so, and this chapter reflects
their own interpretation. If you want to make them a Cainite bloodline though, their progenitor used blood sor-
cery to summon an Abyssal creature to imbue the Ramanga with power.

System: The player rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge she overplays her hand and makes too big an impression.
against a difficulty of the targets current Willpower. Success While this Discipline does not erase her actions, it does
allows the character to use Presence based powers without erase her presence.
interacting with her targets, though she must be in the same System: The player names a scene and rolls Wits +
room (and the player must make all rolls as appropriate). Subterfuge (difficulty 7). Characters present in the scene
The player can combine this power with Shadow forget the Ramangas name and identifying features, but
Communion to negate the need to be in the same room. not her actions or words. Players roll their characters
Experience Cost: 21 current Willpower roll (difficulty 7) opposed by the Ra-
mangas roll to resist, as does the Storyteller for noteworthy
Obscurity of Shadows supporting characters.
Obfuscate Presence The number of successes determines how far back the
Ramanga can alter perceptions.
The Ramanga prefers to remain unseen and unnamed as
she turns kings and queens to her will. Sometimes though,

Ramanga Apocrypha

87
 Successes Result Weight of Shadows
Botch The power doesnt work, and cant be Obfuscate Presence
used again for the remainder of this The Ramangas influence extends far beyond one
story king. Working with her brethren she pushes her ideology
Failure The power doesnt work onto an entire domain, making them believe what she
1 success One hour wants them to. The Ramanga in Mogadishu utilized
this power to make mortals in the domain believe the
2 successes One night
Arba a Rukun masjid is the oldest mosque in the city.
3 successes One week System: The player rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge
4 successes One month (difficulty 8) to determine how long this power works.
5 successes One year She names one idea and the vampire plants it in the
minds of all mortals in the area. Players of non-mortal
Experience Cost: 14 creatures, including ghouls, roll their current Willpower
(difficulty 7) opposed by the Ramangas successes to
Shadow Communion resist. New arrivals make this roll when they enter the
Aizina Presence affected zone.
The Ramanga knows the darkness that dwells beneath Successes Result
all shadows. This allows her to cast her presence through
Botch The power doesnt work, and cant be
one patch of shadow and out of another. She can use this
used again for the remainder of this
to communicate with other Ramanga, or relentlessly pursue story
her victim with whispers.
Failure The power doesnt work
System: The player rolls Perception + Occult (dif-
ficulty 7) to cast her characters voice into one shadow 1 success One hour
and out of another. She indicates the shadows general 2 successes One night
location (i.e. the shadow under the kings bed) and
3 successes One week
the roll fails if such a shadow doesnt exist. A Ramanga
player on the other side can automatically make the same 4 successes One month
roll to speak back, even if his character doesnt know 5 successes One year
this power (though he must have an Aizina rating of at
least one). All voices through Shadow Communion come The number of Ramanga successfully supporting her
out as a whisper, no matter how loud the participants determines the area of the effect. They need not know
are actually speaking. this power, but must have at least Obfuscate 2 and
The player can combine this power with Compelling Presence 3. Their players make the same Manipulation
Darkness. + Subterfuge roll. The effect ends immediately if the
leading Ramanga leaves the area.
Experience Cost: 24

THE FACELESS

T he Faceless is one of the oldest dwellers of the Abyss. Its power was once limitless and it enjoyed tormenting all
creatures that dwell in light, yet now it is banished to the outer reaches. Its goal is to return to the world and
usher in a new era of complete darkness. Storytellers can use the Road of Apep (see V20 Dark Ages, p.449) as a
basis for the Road of Darkness. Ramanga on the Road of Darkness gain a -2 difficulty bonus on all Aizina rolls and
combination Disciplines that utilize Aizina. This even offsets their weakness for Abyss Mysticism, taking them from
a +1 penalty to a -1 bonus.

THE DOMAIN OF MOGADISHU

88
Participants Area of Effect thirst for war, or the worship of a goddess. The target
still believes the idea was his when the effect wears off.
1 Room If he was neutral towards the idea before, he undertakes
2 Building no effort to undo his work. If he was hostile before, he
4 City Block / District believes that he genuinely changed his mind and now
changed it back again.
8 Half a City
16 Entire City Successes Result
Botch The power doesnt work, and the
Experience Cost: 35 subject becomes aware the Raman-
ga tried to influence him (though he
Whispered Passions doesnt realize she did so supernat-
Obfuscate Presence urally). He cant be affected again
The Ramanga is at her best when she rules from for the remainder of this story.
behind the throne. She leaves a barely noticeable trail Failure The power doesnt work
of whispers that slowly turn the king from his passions 1 success One hour
to hers. Her target integrates her desires as if they were
his own, and begins to genuinely work towards their
2 successes One night
fulfillment. 3 successes One week
System: The player rolls Manipulation + Empathy 4 successes One month
(difficulty the targets current Willpower) to determine 5 successes One year
how long this power works. The vampire can tie her
target to an emotion, i.e. a love for infrastructure, a Experience Cost: 21

89
 We next arrived at the city of Manjarun, which is situated upon a large estuary of the sea,
called the estuary of the wolf, and which is the greatest estuary in the country []
The king of this place is the greatest of the kings of Malabar.
Ibn Battuta

G ods and heroes have walked the shores of Mangaluru for

thousands of years. The coast, known as the estuary of
the wolf, was reclaimed by the immortal incarnation of a
reign openly, claiming their share in praxis unseen outside
Outremer. They own the nights in a triumvirate, joined by
the Danava and the Ravnos, joined in secret by the Nagaraja
god. Named for the famed temple dedicated to Shakti in the and forming a bulwark against the West. In Mangaluru,
form of Mangaladevi, Mangaluru is as eternal as Rome or loved by the Greeks for its pepper and disdained by the
Constantinople, if not entirely as prominent. Indeed, temples Romans for its pirates, the Clans of Ventrue and Toreador
dot the countryside, thronged by the pious and the priestly. are low, for they have no purchase and no appreciation of
No less than a Pandava was the citys governor, and many the history. Gods walk the soil of the estuary of the wolf
Alupa kings have made their seat within the city. still, under a blanket of stars, prayers on their bloody lips.
Only the pious come for the temples, and only the Their hegemony does not go unchecked. Their bulwark is
political come for the Alupa courts. Everyone else comes under siege. The long and storied trade allows the Trembling
for the spice. Ones to gain a foothold in the region, setting the Shepherds
Mangaluru is one of the beating hearts of the spice on edge. In the wake of the Usurpers come Toreador and
trade, sending saffron, ginger, and black pepper flowing Ventrue, seeking to profit from the trade of gold and spices.
westward with every high tide. The people passing through The Ravnos are ever untrustworthy allies, and the Nagaraja
Mangaluru continue eastward, links in the great chain of keep their own counsel. The ruling triumvirate has history on
humanity. Persians and Yemenites, Jews and Muslims and their side, but the Salubri know the past is merely prologue.
Christians, all endure months of hard travel for the priv-
ilege of stepping into the shade of Mangalurus coconut
palms. They leave with flavor to their ships and gold in
their futures. Home to merchants and the final stopping
A Land of Legend
point for traders bound by sea and earth, the ancient yet As told by Malsang of the Nagaraja

T
humble streets swell with caravans and goods, fresh and he peoples flesh is hot. The spices, you see? Can you not
different with every day. The nights never change, though. taste the pepper amidst the copper, so like sun-warmed
They have remained the same for centuries. blood even on the most rain-soaked evening? Ahh, those
The War of Princes has not touched Indian shores. In are the only delights left to me. The night is still beautiful,
Mangaluru the Long Night never ended. Here, the Salubri but how I wish I could see the green of the trees once more,

A LAND OF LEGEND

91
how the rain must cause the light of the sun to shatter found it: sacrificed and consumed to fuel the Sadhana of the
into a thousand colors. What some call our curse abates in deva Danava. Those blood sorcerers, in turn, protected the
this place, for the lands blessings are manifold. The sage prophets from all enemies. Both hold the Ravnos, commoners
Parshurama himself reclaimed this land from the sea and in status if not in caste, under their taloned thumbs, much to
built the temple where the Danava now dwell. The sea has their chagrin. We came much later, and only the insistence of
blessed us further. Spice has been the blood of Mangaluru, the Salubri that the city was welcome to all was our salvation.
literally and metaphorically. It pools in their livelihood and Common vampires coming to Mangaluru must bring a
in their meat. The people pole down the rivers Gurupuru mortal with them as tribute, one whom they will not miss.
and Netravati, walk through the rolling hills to come here If they fail in this, they must procure one from outside
and ply their wares. When the Empire of Rome was late a the city, for many of the lesser mortal traders who come
Republic, that elder of theirs, Pliny, spoke of fearing our to Mangaluru fall under scrutiny as soon as they step off
pirates. Even then proud Roma refused to face our sailors on their ships. The Salubri judge their impact on the city, the
equal seas. Lasombra, Ventrue, and Malkavian from Rome, Danava scry their karma, and if the trader suffers under
Brujah from Carthage, each sent their childer to our shores, the weight of his sins, Ravnos take him in the night. The
foreign leather planting into the sands over red clay. The majority of these sacrifices go to the Danava, the smallest
Greeks recognized us as one of the greatest fonts of pepper remainder to we, and by our combined patronage Man-
in the entire world, and what their swords could not take galuru remains safe by blood sorcery. We make more of it
their coins bought instead. The Byzars of New Rome come than the Danava, clearly not blood, nor meat, nor soul
here now, Greek as ever, as do Persians, Muslims, Jews, and is wasted by we but their magics are empowered by their
Christians. gods, so clearly the sacrifices seem worthwhile. They are
The triumvirs have been here as long as Mangaluru, and the only mortals who perish at the fangs of vampires within
Mangaluru has always been here. How not? The Salubri the city, though an unholy murder, performed without
and the Danava have been close since Saulot received sanction, will only result in the swiftest and most terrible
his revelations within the city of Golconda. They and the vengeance. The travelers and traders taken are relatively
Ravnos are all enemies of the hated asuratizzaya to the few in number, while the residential people of the city and
east, driving deep the alliance between the three lines of dedicated herds keep safe Mangalurus Cainites.
the Blood. Danava and Salubri have always ruled this land, Peace and prosperity guide the nights activities. Divi-
and the jati of the Ravnos have been their strong sword natory magics allow the Salubri to guide foreign vampires
arms. They rule with sorcery and legend, demanding blood to auspicious victims, enriching the capability of the city to
as payment and giving health as the best of kings. The support a Cainite population. Even a Trembling One visiting
Children of Danu are not like the Ventrue, lurking under the city (and there are many) can expect an ironic smile and
the grand castle of the Premysls, or the Toreador in their warm welcome from a Salubri. And why not smile, for are they
fine courts. They garb themselves as holy men, calling not victorious? What the Hellenic Cainites deemed Elysium
themselves Brahmins when they deem to do so at all, and rules over the city entire. The combined power of Sadhana
slumber amidst the temple of Mangaladevi, greatest of the and Valeren find any who seek to break the peace before
Kerala temples. The Kshatriya Unicorns rise in the palaces the thought even occurs to them. The Shepherds are open
of kings, existing among the people, hiding in plain sight about their challenge, telling every Tremere neonate who
but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting. comes to take a message back to their chantries: Mangaluru
is a refuge, one the Tremere may assault if they dare. The
The Seat of Kings Children of Saulot are there, and they are waiting.
The Salubri have named themselves rulers since Ku-
lashekara Alupendra, king of the Alupas, made the city his
capital. The Alupas were always second to the Chalukyas of Nights of
Badami, the Rashrakutas, the Calukyas of Kalyani, and the
Hoysalas whichever dynasty held the imperial throne, the
Alupas were quick to bend the knee, and so remained favored
Blood and Spice
B
signatories. The Shepherds attached themselves to Alupen- eing outsiders albeit ones cunningly favored by the
dras court, ensuring their pawns and hangers-on remained Salubri to keep the Danava in line and fortify their
strong and in good health. They made sure the kings political defenses against necromancy we Nagaraja tend to take a
enemies and those traders who faltered in their profits made more nuanced view of the citys politics than the triumvirs.
their way to Mangaladevi, to pray for holy deliverance. They From our mountain huts and rocky tombs, we wait and watch.

DOMAIN OF MANGALURU

92
It is not so different from the conditions of our sorcerous They covet the blood of Saulot, seeking to complete their
forebears in Tibet, though the Ghats are warmer and ever claim on the mantle of Clan. They are wizards, creatures
more hospitable. Maybe it was our nuanced view and similar of pride and avarice, and we know them as kindred.
heritage that led the Tremere to reach out to us when they The nights are as quiet as the days are noisy, though
finally did arrive on Mangalurus shores. theyre still full of activity. Sailors sit upon the coasts and
The Trembling Ones came subtly at first, sending allies drink in their camps, bonfires blazing into the night. Be-
such as blood-bound Gangrel and Western Ravnos, even tween these fires walk the Danava and the Salubri, and in
once a Gargoyle clinging to the underside of a ship. The their wake follow the Ravnos, bringing the power of life and
Danava and Salubri greeted those subtle slaves as they did death in judgment to the foreigners. Their orange garb and
all others with a friendly smile and fangs out, Sadhana pious behavior increasingly marks them as outsiders, not
detecting their intentions almost immediately. Yet the the foreign visitors. Merchants grown wealthy with trade
Tremere are cosmopolitan in the Embrace and, like all drape themselves in rich fabrics, the scent of spice clinging
Hermetics, eager to fold diverse magical traditions into to their elegant clothing. Sailors shuck salt-stained tunics
their Blood. Mangaluru has ever been friendly to the Jewish for native silks while they drink liquor in ancient temples.
people, who maintain a large community there; even with The religiosity so ubiquitous to the area is slowly receding
knowledge aforethought of Tremere malice, they could do into the background, as trade waxes prominent.
little once the Jewish Tremere vanished into their insular
communities. The peace enforced by the Shepherds with The Shape of
such daring has allowed serpents more treacherous than
we to coil against their breast. Usurpers covet the magics Things to Come
of the Danava, seeking to turn orisons to Shiva and Agni As told by Amichai of Clan Tremere
towards formulae of Hermes and Thoth, to reduce a re- Even without our influence, the Blood of Saulot was
ligions mysteries into blocky symbols and brutal efficacy. doomed to lose its grasp on this region. The Danava are

NIGHTS OF BLOOD AND SPICE

93
potent in their magics, but like the Salubri, philosophically and fears what the shortsighted Tremere will do to the region.
riven in twain down their descent in this case, half of Pabrakhar (Tenth Generation Salubri Watcher) One
their brood believe themselves angels, the other half demons. of the only members of his rare caste within the city, Pabrakhar
The Salubri have an alliance with the former, devas, while does what he can to ensure things run smoothly. While the
the asuras consider themselves to be a scourge on humanity. Thaumaturgy of the Danava sees into samsara and can judge the
Over the course of the last decade, the deva elders have path of karma for those they target, only Pabrakhars mastery of
fallen into torpor while the asura neonates surge in power Watcher Valeren can reveal and neutralize threats outside the
and strength. The Salubri have never been able to properly limited scope of Thaumaturgy. A devout Hindu, Pabrakhar is
set aside their morals without destroying themselves, which continually discomfited with his great-great grandsire Rodriels
is why we will triumph over them. They have reached out Christian sensibilities and lack of respect for the Danava.
to the Flesh Eaters of the Ghats, sought to hew closer to the
Sridhar (Eleventh Generation Ravnos) Dealing with
Ravnos who thickly populate these forests, never realizing
the Nagaraja isnt easy; it requires a lot of patience, a lot of
that overcoming historical ostracism requires an improvement
obeisance, and a lot of flesh. Being one of the untouchables
in conditions, rather than maintenance of the status quo.
in a land that never cared much for traditional castes,
Our mortal herds merchants and scholars are Sridhar has taken easily to his task as emissary, even when
spreading outward from their enclave, slowly extending he finds it difficult to deal with Rodriels disrespect. The
their influence. Meanwhile, our Clan smiles back at our Nagaraja necromancers, for all of their petty demands for
weak and feeble progenitors, respecting their peace as we supplication, have always treated Sridhar warmly and well.
lick our fangs. We speak to the Ravnos and the asuras, to
Chaitra (Tenth Generation Ravnos) Bloodbound to
the Nagaraja, offering feast rather than famine. The night
Rodriel, Chaitra remains his foremost enforcer. As skilled
is already ours; all that remains is to gently remove it from
with Potence as she is with Chimerstry, Chaitra grew up
the withered hands of our feeble progenitors.
in Mangaluru, becoming a ghoul as a teenager and then a
childe-by-proxy of Rodriel due to the lack of suitable Salu-

Holy Fools bri Warriors. She remains fanatically loyal to the nominal
Prince, though her streak of sardonicism makes it difficult
to tell how much of that loyalty is due to the blood bond.
of Mangaluru As a consequence, she finds herself increasingly ostracized
by her Clan, as more and more start to associate with Daitya
and Tremere rather than the Children of Danu and Saulot.
K iaan (Seventh Generation Danava) Highest among
the deva Danava still active within the city, Kiaan is
a master of several Thaumaturgy Paths, and uses them to
Amichai bani Tremere (Ninth Generation
Tremere) A skilled mage and Kabbalist, Amichais talent
support the will of the Salubri and thwart the Tremere. with magic vanished utterly upon his Embrace, but his facility
Kiaan respects Rodriel, but is keenly aware the Shepherd with Dominate and Auspex proved to be prodigious. Unable
doesnt share his faith, chafing at the commoditization of his to progress through the House and burgeoning pyramid,
religious rites to another vampires end. Hes aware that he, his sire turned what could be an embarrassment for her
too, would perish under trembling fangs, so he continues to into a boon, dispatching her childe to colonial outposts
support the alliance, but the seed of disloyalty threatens to to pave the way. Ensconcing himself within the Chochin
sprout any night. With his elders having met Final Death or Jewish population, Amichai has successfully enthralled
having sunk into torpor years ago, Kiaan finds it more and several mortals of import within the city, acting as patron
more difficult to control the asura faction of his bloodline. for merchant caravans. His lack of magical prowess causes
Rodriel (Sixth Generation Salubri Healer) Rodriel the Danava to dismiss him, even as he maintains a casual
has been in Mangaluru for nearly 900 years. A Saint Thomas and cordial relationship with the Ravnos of the city.
Christian, he accepted the Western nomenclature of his Clan,
taking a Hebrew name on his conversion. Unlike many of his
Clan, Rodriel walks the Path of Kings, seeing ruling as the best
way to shepherd mortality and protect the land. Were he to falter,
The Domains
the Danava and Nagaraja would consume all, sacrificing souls to
their pagan gods and consuming the flesh left over. Despite this Features
belief, he is tolerant and knowledgeable about Hinduism, and the
Mangalurus port is eternal, being at the confluence of
strange ways of the Nagaraja. He keeps the peace by praxis alone,
two great rivers and resting on an easy current from the

DOMAIN OF MANGALURU

94
Arabian Sea. Its not uncommon to see traders from Mog-
adishu or the Crusader States end their trip in Mangaluru,
so the city takes on a cosmopolitan atmosphere. The city THE RAINS
itself has never been large, with the greatest population
concentration being the great colorful marketplaces near
the port. Wood structures predominate, flowing inland M angaluru remains relatively warm year round,
with summer being oppressively hot and humid
during the evening. Of the many Clans and blood-
from the sea in a riot of styles and languages. The goods are
what make Mangaluru great, not the buildings themselves. lines who practice blood sorcery in Mangaluru, the
Ships flow through the harbor year round, coming from a Tremere alone possess the Thaumaturgical prowess
massive number of lands and disgorging their goods. Gold and to affect weather, but they often choose to withhold
textiles and food flow into Mangaluru, while spice flows back their miracles unless its a dire necessity (and un-
outward. Its not uncommon for Cainites themselves to visit the less theyre well compensated). Even the Trembling
city, both on the peaceful reputation enforced by the Salubri Ones magic cant stop the rains, which though
and to protect their investments in the mortal spice trade. constantly at a low amount year round truly start
in June and last until October, swelling the rivers and
The grand exceptions to this trend are the temples. It is no
whipping the ocean waves into frothy breaks. The
surprise the Danava and Salubri cleave so tightly to the religious
cold, clear rains reach waist depth, driving foreign
aspects of their praxis, for religion grips this city, and holds the
merchants to high ground. Natives and Cainites dont
people in a cultural identity in the face of the seas onslaught.
care, though mortals know to stay off the roads at
Dozens of smaller temples sit around the city, most of them
night. The Children of Saulot have made it known
in the wooden, two-storied Kerala style. During festivals, the
that those who wander during the floods are liable to
sound of drums rises slightly above the normal sounds of the
disappear.
deep green forest that grows between the rivers and the temples.

Mangaladevi Temple
A short distance from the city, along a well-worn path, nos, and the Nagaraja, bloodlines generally discouraged from
lays the temple dedicated to Shakti in the form of Man- entering the city itself, and they commiserate in their shared
galadevi. Its popular to claim the temple was built by the fate and brighter future. The Nagaraja take care to never feed
sage Parashurama, but King Kundvarma Alupa ordered it within the caves, to avoid offending the Danava or giving the
built four centuries ago to solidify and sanctify his rule over Salubri reason for permanent expulsion.
the entirety of the region.
Kukke Subramanya Temple
Mangaladevi presides over the temple, resting within the
central shrine. Other deities possess shrines all around the The deep greenery of the forest gives way to the banks of
temple, tended by priests mortal and immortal. Connected the River Kumaradhara and the sacred temple of the Lord
from the start to the Nagaraja, their mortal monks and Kukke Subramanya, a fixture in various forms for nearly 4,000
ghouls guard the temple and the shrine to the god Nagar. years. The river rushes down from the Kumara Mountains,
In a city of Elysium, the Mangaladevi Temple is dou- and bathing in it is sacred. The Kumaradhara remains a place
bly sacrosanct. All are allowed here and are expected to of pilgrimage for this temple and the nearby, smaller temple
maintain the holiness of the temple, lest the deities within dedicated to Adi Subramanya. Its commonly thought that
take offense to the region entire. a trip to this temple cures diseases and heals the afflicted, a
belief the Salubri eagerly take advantage of. The Shepherds
Pandava Caves hold this temple and several others around the area, one of
the only places where the Danava do not hold hegemony.
Originally the center of worship for a cult of Manjusri
of the Sword, the holy caves near the Kadri Manjunath The Western Ghats
temple replaced their icon of the Buddha with one of Shiva
on the orders of King Kundvarma Alupa. The Ghats Sahyadri mountain range runs parallel
to the western coast, easily visible from the ocean. Verdant
The caves themselves are clean and often dimly lit, making and green, they rise steeply, making it appear that much
them an easy diplomatic ground for Cainites normally forbidden of the coast is walled off from the rest of the world. The
from the city. Carvings of myths and religious stories break the storms sweeping in from the sea break upon the ranges and
smooth cave walls, closing off rooms where discreet meetings flow back westward, making the Ghats an area of constant
can take place. And meetings do take place Daitya, Rav- storms, never without the cacophony of water drops smack-
THE DOMAIN'S FEATURES

95
ing green leaves. The near-constant rainfall produces truly encouraged by hungry Tremere. Trembling neonates excited
spectacular waterfalls, even during the evening. by the possibilities of foreign magic have begun converting the
The Nagaraja walk the Ghats, traveling north from the Path of Praapti, which would give the Tremere rapid transit
peninsular domain of Nagercoil, where they reside around the back to their chantry strongholds in the Carpathian Mountains.
great temple whose name they bear. Outcast from the city itself,
they consume unwary travelers and live humbly off the generosity
The Nagaraja
of the Salubri, carving refuges for themselves in a foreign style. For as long as the triumvirs have ruled the city, the
Nagaraja have stood apart. 400 years ago, they managed
Kadri Manjunath Temple to indelibly associate their mortal lineage with the main
The fall of Buddhism didnt result in a great deal of temple of Mangaladevi; since then, the Salubri grudgingly
turmoil in Mangaluru, as it did elsewhere. Instead, the accept them, and finally turn to them for aid against the
temple changed hands not bloodlessly, but the process Tremere as the Danava fall to infighting. The Nagaraja
wasnt as violent as it could have been. Previously dedicated have a secret agenda preservation of the apocalypse
to the Buddha, King Kundvarma Alupa made the temple city of Enoch, within the Underworld but have long
another target of religious conversion, subtly repurposing fought for a place within Cainite society, opposed by the
the history and culture of the temple towards Hinduism. conservative Salubri. The asuras and the Tremere alike
consider the Nagaraja to be kindred spirits, the former for
A natural spring sits in the back of the temple at the
being fellow inhumans, the latter for being fellow wizards
center of a massive garden, letting water into nine different
who claimed the mantle of immortality from the Blood.
pools. Supplicants to the temple must wash themselves in
successive pools during the day, but during the evening the As ever, the Nagaraja keep their own counsel, even
pools are the stronghold of the Danava bloodlines within as they bargain with the Clans and bloodlines as clients.
the city itself. The Children of Danu teach Sadhana within The Serpent Kings prize Mangaluru as a port, one giving
the garden to the few worthies, spilling blood under the them access to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It
moon, the stars, and the auspice of Manjunatha. is a vital link, allowing them easy reach to ancient sites of
mystic power within Egypt, yet remaining close to their base
Cainite Factions of temporal power at Nagercoil. The Nagaraja are perhaps
the most devoted to maintaining a vital and steady amount
As the domain sits, it rots from within. The pressure of mortal commerce. If Mangaluru becomes a ghost town,
subtly exerted by the Tremere accelerates this decay, driving they will lose their lifes blood.
the city gradually towards instability.
The Salubri
The Devas and the Asuras
For centuries, the Shepherds have guided Mangaluru,
The split within the Danava bloodline hearkens to most butchering and preying upon the mortal population with
ancient roots of the Hindu religion. Half the Cainites of impunity. They weigh the kharmic debt of visitors to the city
the bloodline believe themselves divine, blessed inheritors even as they neglect their own. Their ancient mandate to
of righteous might; the other ones believe themselves the keep the liminal balance between Cainite and kine allowed
descendants of demons, a scourge on humanity. The blood Mangaluru to prosper, without the folly of Carthage or the
magic they share, Sadhana, is relatively neutral in the split. gilded degeneracy of Rome. But in ages past, the Salubri
For centuries, the asuras were marginalized, leaving the city kept their numbers only as large as their pride allowed, for
to walk the peninsula in the face of the elder devas inhabiting the Blood was precious and rarely shared. Now, they prey
Mangaluru. Yet, curiously, the elder devas have fallen into upon the less worthy, not to turn over to the Danava but to
torpor over the last decade, leaving precious few practitioners claim as childer. The three eyes of the Salubri turn to the
of Sadhana to ally with the Salubri. And so, the asuras are West, to the resurrection of their Clan and their vengeance
beginning to return, one by one, to the land of their Embrace. against the Tremere. The Healers and Watchers of Mangal-
The idea that they are even capable of holiness is anathema uru have long held the preservation of the peace in the city
to them, and the Tremere known for binding demons as their highest priority, but for all their shortsightedness,
are a far more palatable option for association. they are not blind to the threat of the Trembling Ones.
In these nights, the Danava have nearly fallen to a state To that end, they Embrace, and send more roughly-hewn
of open war. The devas are unwilling to admit how deep the childer bloodied sailors, pirates, and the traditional
division in the bloodline goes, but asuras have begun hunting thieves Embraced by the Watchers in the company of
their torpid elders and committing the Amaranth upon them, disgruntled Danava. The Healers childer more often than

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not fall prey to Tremere hunters without Warriors to protect centuries past, many neonates find the nascent Tremere to
them, but the Generation of the Mangaluru Salubri is low, offer better terms for Indians, both Cainite and mortal. Even
and the Blood of Saulot is an infinite font. within the same caste, the Children of Danu and Saulot
In this endeavor, they have turned to their ancient rarely give the Ravnos their due, despite being the most
allies, the Daitya: the Followers of Set who converted to populous Clan in the area (and indeed, the entire land).
Buddhism in the wake of hunting the Children of Osiris Neither Clan in the triumvirate has ever taken seriously
to extinction in the Himalayan Mountains. The unity the role the Ravnos play in opposing the asuratizzaya east of
with humanity preached by the Penitents deeply offended the Indus. The Tremere dont much care either, but they do
the Salubri, and they assume the ancient pacts they made respect the Ravnos enough to offer the Charlatans a bigger
with the Daitya still hold true. Yet the mortal suppression portion of the pepper trade and help ensure safe passage
of Buddhism rankles the Daitya, many of whom suffered for jati returning from the morally-corrupt Mediterranean.
greatly under the Kshatriya yoke in their breathing days.
They find greater common cause with the Jews of Manga-
luru themselves an oft-maligned social group than
with the ruling Salubri, who were princes and high holies.
Pishacha
Any mention of the pishacha prompts Cainites to spit
The Ravnos in disgust as a ward to keep them away. These debased
The Ravnos exist within all the castes of the Hindu vampire cousins plague charnel houses and funeral pyre
religion, though the degree to which Buddhism still re- grounds throughout India, mindlessly feeding wherever
mains within Mangaluru makes caste divisions somewhat they can and spreading infectious diseases as a terrible side
irrelevant. Across caste lines, the jati of the Ravnos are effect of their miserable existences.
tightly-knit within Mangaluru, making them a relatively The pishacha feed not on blood, but on raw flesh dead
unified bloc. Allied with the Salubri and the Danava in or living, they dont care which. They appear as humanoid

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creatures with pulsating veins standing out in grotesque vitae cannot create blood bonds or childer, and they
relief against stretched skin and blood-red eyes that bulge cannot imitate life. Pishacha replenish blood points
from their skulls like glistening abscesses. The presence of by consuming human flesh, and are considered vam-
human bodies burning or rotting and the emotional residue pires of the Thirteenth Generation for mechanical
left behind in places of great anger or grief both attract these purposes. Living flesh counts as fresh blood, while
pitiful creatures, lending them vitality. They are intelligent corpse flesh halves the number of effective blood
and know how to manipulate other thinking beings on a points available for every hour the body has been
basic level, but rarely speak except through the mouths of dead. Consuming the flesh of a vampire or other
others, and they stay hidden whenever theyre not actively supernatural creature provides one extra blood
feeding. A pishacha possesses humans by projecting its point per turn.
consciousness into the persons mind and forcing her to say,
Whenever a pishacha first enters an area tainted
do, or feel things against her will, although the pishacha
by particularly gory death, mass execution, burning
itself is vulnerable while it does so. Victims of possession
flesh, or violent negative emotion, it gains one tem-
are susceptible to infection with diseases of the body or
porary Willpower point. It can sniff out such areas
mind, carried by the asymptomatic pishacha without any
from up to a mile away. Using its Dementation or
intent on its part.
Dominate (Possession) Discipline successfully also
Pishacha suffer the same weaknesses and enjoy the earns a Willpower. It can only earn a Willpower this
same benefits as their vampiric kin. They burn in the sun, way once per scene.
fly into frenzies, and shrug off damage the same way. One
major difference is that pishacha cant sire childer the Pishacha suffer all the weaknesses of the vampiric
way a vampire does. Corpses fed pishacha blood wither condition with some differences, as follow: Instead
and contort as though wracked by a fatal illness, but they of falling into torpor when it mummifies after reach-
dont rise to unlife. ing Incapacitated while staked, a pishacha simply
crumbles to dust, it can enter frenzy from hunger
The Cainites of India and nearby regions argue vehe-
but not from anger, and it cannot soak damage from
mently over where the pishacha come from and how theyre
sunlight at all.
made. Some claim theyre nothing to do with vampires and
the similarities are mere coincidence, citing Hindu myths Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2,
about the spirits of depraved sinners who leave behind the Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Per-
pathetic remains of their souls when they die. These spirits ception 5, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
merge with corpses and walk the earth, eating flesh in a
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 2,
wretched attempt to regain life. Others say the pishacha
Brawl 4, Intimidation 3, Leadership 2, Melee 2,
are the product of Cainite souls trying to reincarnate as
Occult 1, Stealth 5, Subterfuge 1, Survival 3
human beings, or that theyre vampires that came to be
without anything like a soul at all. Cainite fables in ancient Equivalent Disciplines: Abombwe 3, Celerity 1,
records tell of similar creatures that resulted from botched Dementation 1, Dominate 5 (Command, Subjuga-
diablerie. Certain Clans whisper rumors that the pishacha tion, and Possession only), Obfuscate 2, Potence 2
are Tremere castoffs, the remnants of unstable blood sor- Road: 1, Willpower: 4; Blood Pool: 6
cery or the Embrace gone wrong. An urban legend among
Cainite circles claims a normal vampire who drinks the Note: The pishachas consciousness leaves its
blood of a pishacha deteriorates into one. In places where
body while it uses its Dementation and Dominate
Disciplines, rendering it unable to use any defen-
other Clans particularly look down upon the Nosferatu,
sive maneuvers. If it successfully uses one of these
stories link them to the pishacha as close kin or even their
Disciplines, the victim must succeed at a reflexive
ultimate fate, though so far no evidence suggests this is true. Stamina roll, difficulty 6, when the Discipline ends
to avoid contracting either a Derangement or a
Powers and Weaknesses physical disease of the Storytellers choosing. The
Pishacha spend blood points on Disciplines and pishacha uses Intimidation instead of Empathy to
other innate abilities as vampires do, though their activate Incubus Humor.

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 Salubri Apocrypha:
The Clan of Three Ways
Matthias
I think of you, dear Matthias, and my eyes remain dry, for I know your cause is righteous. You are a
true scion of Rayzeel, possessing the certitude of saints promised Heaven, our final victory in death safeguarded
by Raphaels promise. Yet when I feel my forehead, our Clans eye weeps, and it pours onto these pages
like an offered drink. For whom do I weep? You, Matthias, lost to London? Our Progenitor, lost to hungry
fangs? The brethren of Samiel, dying in their rage? If there is one boon from an unbeating heart, it is that
it cannot beat with false hope. You will meet Final Death in London, a sacrifice to the Unconquered Sun.
You will burn in the Mithraeum, a lamb instead of a bull.
For we are lambs, my dear departed Matthias. The Childer of Samiel would have us be lions instead, but I
have seen the carnage left when the lion fights the eagle over scraps. The absence of the Salubri and Assamite
Warrior Castes in Ely brings both comfort and clarity to me. In the Reconquista, we Healers clashed with
both, all of us chafing under the rule of the Clan of Night. We believed the Warriors split our Clan when they
left us in the shadow of Acre, but it was Samiel taking up his sword and willing his Blood to change that
split us. With right hand and left, we Shepherds judged those who stressed the kine unduly, acting to keep
the Blood of Seth warm and vital, still tasting of the holy sun when we supped in the night. The Childer of
Haqim held all of Caines brood to be in their purview, though. Conflict is inevitable, no matter the stories of
brotherly love between Saulot and Haqim. We fought while shadowed ears heard darker promises, and now
the Tremere hold high office in the Sea of Shadows.
It is in our nature to seek peace, Matthias, so I pondered this when the Crimson Curia pronounced my
exile. I saw hate in Nikita of Sredetzs face when she spoke of my excommunication, but in truth I felt no
fear, having left the bosom of Caine long before. Our Clans course set us before the Clans and their fangs, our
care of the Childer of Seth brought us to this end. It was when I stumbled on the shores of Rennes, seeking
to wrap the thickest of blankets around myself so the boat across the channel would keep me safe from the
suns immortal gaze, when I realized the truth.
Sacrifice is our purpose, my sibling in Saulot. We are the lambs in Blood as well as in fact. Saulot
did not struggle when Tremere consumed him. We felt his placidity, his peace within us, even as we rent our
garments with our eyes shot through with blood. Samiel was wrong to defy Saulot, and he delayed our fate
for centuries. The Childer of Caine do not deserve redemption, and the Childer of Seth will defend themselves.
I wish you could see that happen in the nights to come.
In too many places, we must hide our lamps under bushels, our eyes under wimples. Mithras has opened
all of my eyes to walking openly in the light. I do weep for you, Matthias, but they are tears of joy. Our
lords flames shall be a crown of righteousness upon your brow. Soon, I shall walk and feel the sun upon my
face once more. Whether I survive is up to my lord Mithras in his bounty.
With hope of our reuniting soon
Bethany

against the kine without a powerful rejoinder from the

The Blooding of Samiel Warriors themselves.
The Code of Samiel was a unique Road practiced by Only after a customary apprenticeship of seven years is a War-
Samiel, but his childer attempted to recreate it. Whether rior considered worthy of the Blooding, though that requirement
or not they succeeded is a matter for sages and Watchers, continues to decline in these degenerate nights. The ritual itself is
for the Warrior Caste was too busy meeting evil with bared simple yet secretive, attended by every Blooded Salubri Warrior
steel and furious hearts to ponder overmuch. Righteous within the area: While her mentor recites the words of Samiel,
vengeance was their pride and purview, and none could heard by his childer or apprentice and all others, his third eye
contest their right to punish those who transgressed opens and weeps a single, lambent blood tear. This is the Blood

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99
of Samiel, transubstantiated by his childer. It is customary for the Trackers Mark (2pt. Merit)
Blooded to tenderly embrace her mentor (the last vestige of her
compassion shown without steel drawn), and then to tenderly Well attuned to the soul of her quarry, the Salubris third eye
lick the tear from his face. From this night onward, she carries sees the influence of her opponent in the world, rather than mere
Samiels Blood within her, and she is considered properly Blooded. signs of his physical passage. When attempting a tracking roll (see
V20 Dark Ages, page 337,) the Salubris player rolls at -2 difficulty.
There have been vanishingly few Bloodings since the
Ephemeral signs of a quarry are considered valid evidence to follow,
first Siege of Acre in 1191, when the Clans victory in the
even if a Salubri cannot normally detect them; for example, if an
city was overshadowed by their decision to go their sepa-
irate Brujah disturbed a markets peace, the Warrior can discern
rate ways. In these dark nights, the few remaining Blooded
his presence from the still-irritated traders hours later, making the
Warriors refer to their Code as Via Dolorosa, the Path of
intuitive leap to relate the event to her quarrys passing.
Tears, and refer to themselves as Noddists. They claim the
mandate of judging Cainites who stray from moral Roads, Blooded by the Code (5pt. Merit)
or who prey upon their herds unduly. Some are rumored to
have lost their way, inviting demons to possess their souls Inducted by a true Salubri Warrior, rather than a mere member
so they may end their unlives and thus permanently slay of the bloodline, the young Cyclops possesses supernatural might
the foes of Satan. far in excess of what she might otherwise wield. She is allowed
Two powers are afforded to those properly Blooded by the to purchase and use the Discipline power Song of the Blooded
Code; both function so long as the Salubri Warrior remains at normal cost (45 experience points), irrespective of Generation.
at a rating of 6+ on the Road of Heaven, Kings, or Samiel. No other Valeren Discipline power may be purchased unless
the Salubri otherwise qualifies for it. Additionally, her Status is
accounted as two higher when interacting with other Salubri.

Ravnos Apocrypha: Caste and Karma

To my dear childe
You are as ever correct in your repeated statements that our alliance with the Nagaraja
has consumed a great number of slaves and my profits along with them, yet has borne no fruit.
Your apologies are noted, but unnecessary. You are my childe, and I have known you since
taking you into the jati. So what if more of our Clan step off the boats of Mogadishu every
evening, Brahmin twisting at their robes and bleating piously about their lack of power, at
how the asuras have shut them out of the nights of Mangaluru? If each holy step withers
our Clans claim to primacy and with it the spices and slaves that keep the jati breathing
with both lungs, then such is our karma. If you cannot supplant the Children of Danu, or
break their withered souls as Mohammeds followers did hundreds of years ago, I am sure you
will find some other way to make peace with their enemies. I have every faith in your capa-
bilities, even if they have faltered and failed our Clan for 1,000 nights before this one.
Remember that you are of the Kalderash jati, Sridhar. We are Vaishya always and forev-
ermore, so long as we remain upon the wheel. So long as your eyes flutter open and your fangs
still work, you will do your duty to your jati, to your sire, and to yourself. I know you can
do nothing less so long as my Blood is within you.
-Amaria

charitable, they disrupt the social order wherever they do not

Jati define it. They exist according to their own codes, and worse,
Ravnos cleave together. Where there is one of Zapathasuras they rarely betray one another. The loyalty of the Clan to other
childer, there are three more you never see. Even when they are members is yet another reason to distrust the Clan of Seekers.

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 More so than other Clans, the Ravnos are family, and
you betray family at your own peril. Alone among the JATI EAST AND WEST
Clans of India, the Seekers Embrace their childer across
caste lines, deferring not to mortal castes but to a structure
of bloodlines already extant within their own Clan. Clan
Ravnos refers to these lineages as jati, a term encompassing
S ome names demand recognition on both ends of
the Silk Road. Some sprawling, famous lineag-
es hold as exceptions to the rule of the distrusted,
both caste division and family group. deceitful Ravnos. Many of these jati Embrace Ravnos
Most jati travel together, roving bands of sires and of any mortal caste, but like seeks like, and they have
childer bound together by common ancestry and caste settled into a pattern of Embraces that ensures the
origin. Sometimes, they will form semi-permanent enclaves wormy apple never falls far from the bloody tree.
within Cainite society, ensconcing themselves within cities
Alexandrites: The eldest jati in the West embraces
along trade routes so that traveling Clanmates will be able
the Hellenistic ethos espoused by their namesake. Hailing
to find a kindred bloodline.
from Ptolemaic Egypt, they were the first Ravnos to adopt
Ravnos Jati (2pt. Merit) Greek culture and Embrace Greek childer, and maintain
an air of exception and distinction from their oft-distrust-
You belong to a widely-recognized Ravnos jati, affording ed Clanmates. An offshoot jati, the Phaedymites, adheres
you some measure of status with your Clan members. When- strongly to principles of knighthood and chivalric honor;
ever you interact with another Vagabond, treat your Status they have managed a persistent presence and power in
as one level higher; if they also belong to your jati, treat your Francia, despite Toreador bias.
Background as two levels higher and your Allies, Contacts,
or Mentor as one higher where your jati is concerned. Once Bashirites: Also known as the Lambs of Bashir,
per session, if youre in a city with a significant Ravnos pop- these Charlatans exclusively Embrace Christians,
ulation, you can find one member of your jati with no issue, and follow the Road of Heaven as often as they do
who will likely help you out with no questions asked. Once the Roads of Paradox. They tend towards excessive
per chapter, a member of your jati will seek you out for help self-sacrifice and charity as their vices.
with a troublesome and dangerous task. Sybarites: If any of the Ravnos jati embody the
Clan stereotype, it is the Sybarites. Self-obsessed and
Phuri Dae vice-driven, they ensconce themselves in criminality
and pursue narcissistic ends, stopping only to aid a fellow
The Indian caste system is somewhat muted in Man- member of their jati. They have recently come into con-
galuru during the Dark Ages; the cosmopolitan air of the flict with the Phaedymites, leading to open war between
city lends itself to a blurring of mortal castes. This is not so the two jati in every city from Marseilles to Alexandria.
among the undead the jati system is still intact, and fur-
ther divides into prominent bloodlines within Clan Ravnos. Yoryari: Related to the Sybarites (by blood, if the
The Phuri Dae, named in nights hence, were renowned for rumors tell it true) are the Yoryari, the philosophical
their perceptive nature and command of blood magic. In heart of the Road of Paradox within Europe. Most
these nights, they are merely brahmin Ravnos. of the ashen priests of the Ravnos espouse the Road,
and many take it upon themselves to instruct other
Brahmin Ravnos substitute Auspex for Fortitude as an
Seekers. Yet the jatis long association with the Syba-
in-Clan Discipline; many learn Sadhana as a cultural magic
rites (who mainly follow the Road of Sin) is beginning
and rite of passage.
to twist the Road of Paradox into a fundamentally
Sadhana broken and self-serving philosophy, rather than the
purer belief found in the Clans homeland.
Both the Danava and the brahmin Ravnos, the Phuri
Dae, claim to have created the proprietary magic of Sadhana.
Both wield it in these nights, along with the few brahmin
Salubri Watchers inducted into their rite. The blood sorcery heat that allows them to work their magic and worship.
involves mantras, mudras, and ascetic magic empowered by Consequently, a sadhu cannot cast a level of a Sadhana Path
blood sacrifice. Their Thaumaturgy has proprietary versions higher than her Theology Knowledge. Their other Greater
of Potestas Motus and Potestas Elementorum (see V20: Dark Path involves analysis and manipulation of an individuals
Ages). A sadhu must develop their magic through asceticism fate through the cosmic sum of their spiritual actions, called
withholding pleasures in order to generate a spiritual karma. A rakta-sadhu must engage in grueling austerities to

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101
unlock these specific powers of the Blood. Typical exercises Blood Nectar allows a sadhu to grant a mortal, ghoul, or vampire
include fasting near to torpor, yoga extended over the course of a measure of their supernatural might along with their vitae.
several weeks, and exposure to fire while resisting Rtschreck. System: Each level of Blood Nectar allows the sadhu to
Besides the Lesser Path of Blood Nectar and the Greater confer one level of a Discipline or blood magic Path to a
Power of Karma (as the Tremere would classify the magics; recipient, be it vampire or ghoul. These levels may be used
the Indian Cainites make no such distinctions), the Children for a single Discipline or split among different Disciplines,
of Danu are also the inceptors and masters of a third Greater however the sadhu prefers, though the sadhu cannot confer
Path, called Praapti (see V20: Rites of the Blood), blood a level of a Discipline they do not know.
magic that allows instantaneous teleportation. Created to Blood Nectar may only confer certain Disciplines:
compete against their rivals among the asuratizzaya, this magic Animalism, Auspex, Chimerstry, Fortitude, Potence, and
has garnered the greatest interest of the Hermes-focused Sadhana. Blood Nectar is an exception to this, and cannot
Tremere, who learned of it while hunting a Watcher Salubri. be itself conferred upon another.
All Sadhana Paths are activated as Thaumaturgy pow- The sadhu spends one blood point and one minute in
ers (see V20: Dark Ages, pg. 297), save that rituals are concentration per level of nectar created (three blood points
performed with the player rolling Intelligence + Theology and three minutes for a third-level potion, for example).
rather than Occult. At the end of this meditative period, the sadhu must offer
a recipient a draught straight from their veins, a sweet
The Power of Blood Nectar and thick potion of vitae. The drinker of the blood nectar
Amrita is the nectar of divinity, the elixir of immortality, generated by the sadhu receives both the vitae used to make
co-opted by the asuras after being created with the aid of the devas. the nectar, carrying with it all the normal effects of a vitae
The Danava alternately believe Blood Nectar to be a distillation transfusion, and the power to use the Discipline itself as
of amrita or a crude replacement, depending on which side of if the recipient had learned it themselves. The power of
the bloodline tells the story. Whatever the genesis of the power, blood nectar lasts for an evening, fading upon the dawn.

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The Power of Karma (for example, His gambling problem will lead him to the
secret dice games played in the market.) For three or more
We are trapped in samsara, the cycle of reincarnation, successes, the sadhu is informed of the most likely manner of
though the power of karma. Every deed is weighed, demand- the subjects death and whether or not the subject is destined
ing equal compensation. Good karma ensures favorable to become a Cainite, ghost, or one of the Wan Kuei.
reincarnation in the next life; bad karma ensures our lives
will worsen until we are animals, or worse, insects. Both the Past Lives
Ravnos and the Danava believe Cainites are paradoxically Sadhus know they have stepped off the wheel of reincar-
a part of and separate from the cycle of rebirth but while nation temporarily, yet they are still very much a part of the
the rakshashas hold that Cainites have lost their path, a cycle of karma. With a masters practiced hand, they may
sadhu believes their separation allows them to grasp the turn the wheel back, however briefly, to taste of lives past
wheel and turn it in accordance with their karma. and bring their hard-won experience to bear in the present.
Threads of the Past System: Each success rolled by the sadhus player allows them
to gain one dot in any Ability or dot in the Language Merit, up
The weave of the world becomes clear with sufficient
to a limit of three dots gained (other Abilities may be chosen
scrutiny. The first siddhi of the path reveals the most recent
with excess successes). Knowledges chosen generally reflect
steps on samsaras wheel what has brought the target
those known during other times. The sadhu may briefly assume
close to the sadhus own steps this night.
personality tics, speech patterns, even other languages (even
System: Unlike most blood sorceries, this power does not without choosing the Merit, a sadhu may briefly lapse into patois).
require the expenditure of a blood point. The player rolls
Perception + Theology, difficulty 5. Each success on the roll Master of Samsara
grants the sadhu one glimpse of an important event in the The master of samsara commands the wheel of rebirth,
targets past, a brief impression of what brings them to this understanding karma as the gods do. Moreover, a master
place tonight. Generally, this is either the most important sadhu gains the ability to influence this wheel, apportioning
formative event in their lives, or the most direct reason for cosmic power and prestige according to their whim.
the target to be in the area. Cainites targeted with this power System: All applications of the power require five
always have the Embrace as their most formative unlife event, successes (at difficulty 8,) or the expenditure of a single
giving the sadhu a glimpse of the intimate transmission of permanent Willpower point. Once expended, however,
the Curse. Threads of the Past also reveals the targets name. the player may choose from any of the following effects:
Weave of the Future Ordain one fact about a persons future; this effec-
The turning of the wheel reveals all. A sadhu cannot tively grants them the Dark Fate Flaw at no benefit.
know what will befall a community, a continent, or the It could grant a more esoteric Merit like True Love,
world entirebut she can know what will befall a single but it is rare for a sadhu to be so benevolent.
man, and that is enough for many treading the Path. Preordain that the target becomes a wraith or a Wan
System: After spending a blood point, the player again Kuei upon death.
rolls Perception + Theology, difficulty 5. Each success allows
Transform a mortals mind, briefly, into who they were in a
the sadhus player to ask the Storyteller one yes or no question
past life. This grants them the equivalent of the Past Lives
about the subjects future. Will the merchant see his daughter
Sadhana power, above, lasting a week. Their current
again? is a valid question, but When will the merchant see his
life is only a dim, dreamy memory. Cainites targeted by
daughter again? is not. The Storyteller should take the nature
this power do not assume the mind of a past life; they are
of the story and the circumstances of the sadhu players question
instead transformed briefly into their human selves, with
into account, answering with a clear, Yes, No, or, Irrelevant.
their time spent as vampires effectively a haze. This trans-
Certain Fate formation affects their body as well, setting the Curse into
Samsara ultimately means wandering, but few wander far abeyance. This only lasts until the next sunset, however.
from the path they are set upon earlier in life. The turn of the Set the circumstances of the targets next incarna-
wheel is obvious to a sadhu, who has already learned how to tion, including the sadhus own. Most elder sadhu
read where a subjects life or unlife will take them. Now, she may use this to craft the lives and unlives of favored
allow herself to see where upon the wheel the target will fall next. servants-to-be, and take a cavalier attitude towards
System: Each success informs the sadhu of a certain the prospect of Final Death, having already crafted
relevant fact of the individual they are scrutinizing, and how an elegant and important incarnation to come.
that fact plays out into some part of the individuals future
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103
 The King desires our money/ The Queen our manors too/
The writ of By what warrant/ Will make a sad to-do.
Eleanor of Castile, as recorded by Walter of Guisborough

T he core V20 Dark Ages rules use pooled Backgrounds

to represent massed character resources in an abstract
way, and can be used as such, but there may come a time
unto itself, as Cainite masters develop it across generations.
A properly cultivated domain extends influence into others
until rivals strike it down, dissent tears it apart, or it calls
when a coterie wants to understand its holdings in terms itself a state, even if only in whispers in the catacombs of
of land and people. Their domain may become a character the Damned.

NEW RULES FOR BACKGROUNDS AND MERITS

The following new rules for Backgrounds and Merits apply to the systems in this chapter:
Parallel Backgrounds
Note that in many of this chapters systems, characters may possess multiple ratings in the same Background.
These ratings do not stack as pooled Backgrounds because they stand for different aspects of the characters
holdings which cannot be readily combined. They do, however, allow for multiple uses of the same Background
in situations where one rating would be occupied, drained, or damaged. They may also stand for advantages that
apply in different places and sectors of medieval society. For example, a character with access to two Resources
ratings can fully invest one rating in a project, while enjoying the assumed wealth of the other. Two Influence
ratings may affect different groups, such as clergy and commoners, or the peoples of Calais and Brittany.
Experience and Maturation
Its not normally possible to purchase Backgrounds and Merit dots with Experience, but maturation (see V20
Dark Ages, p. 185) provides an exception. The Backgrounds in this section, along with the Vassal and Settlement
Merits, may be purchased with maturation Experience at the rate of 2 Experience for the first dot, and current
rating x2 for subsequent dots. This represents time spent improving the domain. The Storyteller can award Merit
points and Background dots over the course of the story for no Experience, but can take them away as well.

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105
 Note that the Domain Background represents the ma- Background. In cases where the liege allowed another
norial heart of a greater domain, represented by the sum of vassals Background to act as an anchor, the loss affects
its Backgrounds, detailed in the following sections. Theres the vassal, and the liege must provide compensation or be
no hard and fast rule as to which Backgrounds belong to branded an oathbreaker and fraud. And yes, it is possible
the domain. The important thing is how theyre explained for a liege to lend Background dots between vassals, and
in the story. When multiple characters manage a domain, even to use them to satisfy her own obligations as a vassal.
some backgrounds will be pooled, with an Anchor Back- Such arrangements may come crashing down in time, and
ground limiting their integration. earn the wrath of everyone involved.

Feudal Oaths
Feudal All these Background transfers take place under
oaths of service. These lay out the duties owed by vassal
Relationships and liege. The vassal promises some form of service and
general homage to the liege, within boundaries set much

T he systems in this chapter build upon the rules for feu- like a contract. The vassal might need to provide military
dal relationships introduced in V20 Dark Ages Tome service, gold, or certain trade goods. Neither party can use
of Secrets, which this section describes in compact form, transferred Backgrounds in ways that would violate these
slightly adjusted and expanded. Note that term feudal arrangements without being counted as violating their oaths.
and the concept of overarching European rules are foreign
to the period. Instead, characters think of individual rela- Vassal Quality
tionships that follow local customs. Not all vassals are created equal. Some provide great
riches, while others have reputations for excellent service
Lieges and Vassals that take the place of their Background value.
Feudal arrangements involve a liege and her subordi-
nate vassal. These are relative terms, and a liege might be
New Social Merit:
a vassal to some other lord: a link in the chain wrapped Vassal (1-5; Special)
around Dark Medieval politics. One or more vassals serve your character in exchange for
As a vassal, a character may offer access to 2 dots of patronage and favor. For each point of this Merit, your char-
Backgrounds to a liege for every 1 Background dot the acter receives 2 dots of Backgrounds to use as a liege, but she
liege provides in an Anchor Background. This may seem must offer half as many Background dots. Some of these form
like an unequal trade at first, but as long as neither party an Anchor Background combined with some of the vassals
attempts to use the same Background dots at the same time, offered Background dots, settling a limit on the combined
it increases the flexibility both parties possess. Some vassals Backgrounds the vassal enjoys. This takes place under the
are extraordinarily valuable, and trade on their reputations terms of an oath of fealty devised by the player and Storyteller.
in lieu of Background dots. See Vassal Reputation and
Service below, for details. Vassal Reputation
The vassal may borrow Background dots on an ongoing and Service
basis, pooling them with her own. The liege may not pool
Background dots, but may use them in parallel with her Instead of Background dots, certain vassals may offer
own. For example, if the liege possesses Resources 4 and the their reputations for loyalty, bravery, or sheer power. This
vassal provides Resources 3, the liege may make Resources category includes military vassals and supernatural beings
3 expenditures twice as often as usual. such as other Cainites, as follows:
The liege may split Background dots to lend some to Cainites and Other Loyal Horrors: The mere fact that
the vassal, but may provide no more than half of one of a vampire is an immortal predator with unnatural abilities
her personal Backgrounds. Furthermore, she may make makes her a valuable vassal. Give Cainites 1 to 5 phantom
one vassals Background dots anchor to anothers, leav- Background dots that can be given to a liege instead of true
ing her personal resources out of the mix. The liege may Backgrounds to satisfy their obligations. 1 dot indicates
cut off access to an Anchor Background at any time, but minor service, while 5 dots represents a willingness to risk
doing so costs the liege 1 dot from the proffered Anchor near-certain Final Death for a liege. Other supernatural

BUILDING A DOMAIN

106
beings may require similar superior terms. See V20 Dark ing sir Gyslain access to Resources 4. (The liege required
Ages Tome of Secrets for more detailed guidelines. Retainers 4 and Resources 4 in order to make this offer.)
Knights and Warriors: A willingness to shed blood In an oath of fealty Sir Gyslain promises to provide 40
sets these vassals apart from others. They may offer 1 to days of military service per year. The knight is now a wealthy
5 dots of phantom Background dots representing their man with a significant force to deploy for his own purposes,
reputation. The Storyteller may base this on dots of Fame, but also to serve his liege. Outside of direct service, the
representing legends of martial valor, or use the guidelines new liege may demand the use of his Backgrounds, but in
in V20 Dark Ages Tome of Secrets. those cases they are not pooled.

Example Vassal: Close Alliances

Gyslain of Brittany (4 Point Vassal)
Not all Background pools require feudal arrangements.
A battlefield veteran, Sir Gyslain lost his immediate The following situations are commonly seen among Cainite
liege when he was slain while on pilgrimage. He technically and kine alike. Their combined Backgrounds may be used
serves the King of France nonetheless, but this doesnt to fuel arrangements with lieges and vassals.
count as vassalage for the purpose of the game systems in
Clerical and Knightly Communes: Monks and mo-
this chapter.
nastic knighthoods pool Backgrounds normally, to support
Sir Gyslains career as a knight (experienced, but not common living arrangements and objectives. Once pooled,
heroic) is equivalent to 2 Background points. Hes earned these Backgrounds cannot usually be separated without ac-
Resources 2, but his real assets are his men at arms (Re- rimony. The character who removes her Backgrounds might
tainers 4). He can offer 8 points of Backgrounds to a liege. suffer Social Flaws unless he acquires permission from the
In exchange for it all, the liege offers 2 more Retainers dots recognized leader of the community. If the character perishes
for further men at arms, increasing the shared Background or disappears, her Backgrounds stay with the organization.
to 6. The liege also provides 2 more dots of Resources, giv-

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107
 but others are just close friends. Homosexuality is defined
INHERITANCE by publicly-known acts instead of an identity in medieval
society, so while enfrerement may be used to secure a
In most of Europe, upon the death of a dy- household for lovers, it is not automatically assumed to
nast an estate goes to sons, brothers, and deceased do so.) Characters joined by marriage or enfrerement may
brothers sons before wives and daughters of any divide their Backgrounds once again, but unless their union
age. Its often a winner take all affair. The firstborn is annulled by the Church, they might suffer Social Flaws
son inherits. A lucky second son wins some portion and various disputes over who owns what. Inheritance law
of the estate and tries to marry well. Other sons varies from place to place.
often get nothing; they join the clergy or otherwise
try to make names for themselves. Daughters enter
political marriages. Anatomy
This sexist system often cuts women out of
politics and finance, but in many cases, an estates
lady is its only stable management figure. Feudal
of a Domain
obligations and rivalries send men to battlefields
where they can be killed or taken hostage, or require
personal attendance at an allys court. Women
A basic domain consists of the holders pooled Back-
grounds, their vassals Backgrounds, and everything
they represent. The rules in this section describe what
exercise regency in right of absent or underage dy- these Backgrounds mean in greater detail and, in some
nasts, and continued influence over their relatives. situations, expand their scope.
Furthermore, examples like Eleanor of Aquitaine
demonstrate that not all estates go to men. El- The Manor
eanor was not only the full-blooded heir, but her
half-brother was never acknowledged as having a The heart of a domain is its manor, represented by
right to the estate. the Domain Background on. p. 180 of V20 Dark Ages.
Cainite manors are places where the undead possess ex-
Cainites prefer absolute inheritance, where the
clusive feeding rights according to elders of consequence.
oldest childe (measured by time in the Blood) in good
Mortal manors are their masters personal estates. They
standing of a vampire inherits her sires holdings,
own the land, hold court, and deliver justice on behalf of
regardless of gender. The vampire herself may specify
the monarch. Its possible to hold multiple manors, paying
alternate forms of succession. In many cases, these
Background costs separately for each. Without dots in Re-
are designed to manage holdings in periods of extend-
sources, Servants (see below), and other complementary
ed torpor as well as Final Death. Of course, Cainite
Backgrounds, these rules assume a manor possesses just
politics being what they are, rivals devise ways to
enough staff to maintain itself in a decrepit state, overgrown
challenge heirs presumptive.
and with crumbling fortifications.
The V20 Dark Ages core rules allow characters to
measure a manor through the Domain Backgrounds area
Coteries: This basic Cainite alliance uses the normal and security aspects. The following systems expand on these
rules for pooling Backgrounds. Coteries enjoy varied levels basics. Divide Background points into the following aspects.
of official recognition among vampires. Some elders refuse to
recognize anything but individual homage but outside their Area (Domain)
reach, some coteries even devise their own heraldic arms This aspect determines the size of the manor and its
and are considered to be equivalent to a military order. In outlying territory. The Domain Merit must include 1 dot
the case of a split, matters are theoretically adjudicated by of Area, and it is equivalent to the description of Domain
the local Prince, but vampires tend to keep things bloody in the core rules.
and informal. A single tower, tiny hermitage, or fortified cot-
Marriages and Enfrerements: Married characters tage: the smallest structure that could support an
pool their Backgrounds as usual. In some parts of the impoverished knight or prior. 10 residents could
Dark Medieval world, two men may enter into bonds of squeeze into such a place. This includes fields
enfrerement, combining their holdings just as if they were and other means of supporting its inhabitants.
married. (Some men thus bonded share true romantic love,

BUILDING A DOMAIN

108
 A keep with one or two towers, a small abbey The estate is blessed with a gold mine or some
or some other structure capable of supporting other exceptionally valuable resource, or pro-
50 inhabitants, including servants. It stands at duces exceptional crafts, such as fine armor.
the heart of fields and other means to support The estate harvests or produces goods famed
its residents. for their rarity, beauty or skilled construction.
A significant castle, monastery, or other struc-
ture, and outlying fields and trade capable of Secret Ways (Domain)
supporting around 100 residents total. Manors with this aspect possess secret rooms, hidden
A large structure including multiple outbuildings doors, and well-placed tapestries to help those in the know
and areas for agriculture and/or industry. Unless eavesdrop and stealthily move from place to place. Each dot
its kept secret, the manor is a major hub for provides a -1 difficulty on rolls to hide or evade attention
trade and culture, and can support around 500 for characters familiar with the manors features.
inhabitants. The manor contains a secret door or tunnel.
A walled town, district, or vast complex that The manor contains a few secret doors and
supports up to 1000 residents. false walls that might allow someone to squeeze
through, from room to room.
Defense (Domain)
Secret passages connect important places or
This aspect determines both a manors physical for- provide an escape route in emergencies. A tiny,
tifications and the precautions inhabitants take to resist hidden room might hold emergency supplies or
assault. Each dot imposes a +1 difficulty penalty to intrude a Cainites coffin.
by stealth or direct assault.
Cunning construction conceals at least one
Walls and a sparse watch. sizeable secret room.
True fortifications and a well-organized watch. Virtually every room has a hidden exit, and that
Residents and neighbors trained to look out for includes multiple secret rooms inside the manor.
trouble enhance extensive fortifications and a
strong watch program. Herd, Populace
The manor could resist a concerted siege and and Territory
is built in a strategic location.
The estate is always prepared for war, and takes The Herd Background represents mortals a vampire
clever precautions against stealthy invasion. may feed from with little chance of reprisal. These kine
are normally small groups whove become inured (or re-
[END TAB SEPARATED COLUMNS] signed) to the Cainite predation. If appropriate, this may be
modified into a Populace Background. Populace represents
Prosperity (Domain) the total number of common kine the Background owner
holds sway over, with each member of the herd representing
Estates with this aspect possess natural resources or other one household of around five people. This in turn defines
economic advantages that might be exploited. These dont the size of the rulers territory. Small territorial values rep-
automatically provide Resource dots, but allow characters resent a densely-populated area, such as most of France.
to purchase Resource dots up to the aspects rating for half Large values exist in wild areas, undeveloped by peoples
the normal maturation Experience costs. Each Prosperity recognized as having rights to the land.
dot also provides a -1 difficulty for Commerce rolls. The number of vessels listed as Herd also represents the
The estate has fertile land, good hunting, and number of people who can be called up to fight for a lord
perhaps decent wood to harvest. without imposing undue hardship. Its possible to press even
The estate might be prosperous in livestock, more into service, but more fields go untilled, and crafts go
contain a copper mine, or host skilled vintners. unmade, causing the domain to suffer poverty and hunger. In
The estate might be blessed with exceptional such cases, the Storyteller may reduce Populace/Herd dots.
natural resources: a good mine, famous cattle or A basic population consists of commoners, serfs (when
horses. It might host a family of skilled trades- allowed by custom), and a few wealthy families with petty
people such as dyers or weavers. honors who organize communities, but dont need to be
detailed as full vassals. These people farm, gather, and
ANATOMY OF A DOMAIN

109
 HERD, POPULACE AND TERRITORY
Populace/Herd Households/ Total Population Territory
Vessels/Levies (Square Miles)
3 15 1
7 35 1-2
15 75 1-3
30 150 2-5
60 300 3-10
120 600 6-25
250 1250 10-50
500 2500 20-100
1000 5000 40-200
2000 10000 80-400

otherwise exploit the land to provide for themselves and dont stack with them except under the rules for feudal
local aristocrats, and engage in basic trade. Without addi- relationships and Anchor Backgrounds.
tional development, the local population is vulnerable to The Merit can be measured on a 1 to 5-point scale, as
starvation, invasion, and other catastrophes. follows:
1 Hamlet (Populace/Herd to ; six months). This
Urbanization settlement includes a church, well-maintained roads,
To properly harness the populaces potential, a domain and simple facilities for industry, such as a smithy or mill.
needs places for people to gather, make things, and trade 2 Village (Populace/Herd to ; one year). A
them. It needs towns and cities. When people build them, village contains room for several local-scale industries
others gather. Artisans ply their trade. In game terms, this and storage.
takes the form of a new Merit: Settlement. Without it,
the populace lives in crude thorps between rough trails, 3 Town (Populace/Herd to ; five years).
incapable of supporting enhanced trade. A town is a larger version of a village, and usually
supports simple fortifications and a market.
New Social Merit:
4 City (Populace/Herd to ; 10
Settlement (1-5; Special) years). Cities possess walls, multiple industries, so-
The character reigns over a well-developed settlement. phisticated markets, and migrants. Half or more of a
The player may choose to either purchase this Merit (indicat- citys population exceeds the numbers indicated by
ing a pre-existing settlement) or earn it through developing Herd/Populace dots. These dont provide free dots
territory. Each level possesses the minimum Populace/Herd however, as they possess weak fealty to their lords,
Merit dot required to support it, as well as the time needed and might be transient or criminal.
to develop it. If the Herd/Populace rating drops below the
5 Great City (Populace/Herd to
necessary level, the settlement shrinks. This Merit must be
; 20+ years). After a generation or
purchased once for each significant settlement.
more, a city might evolve into a rare population
The primary benefit of a settlement is that it provides its center with 100,000 inhabitants or more. The
rating in Resources and Influence dots. These are counted Populace/Herd rating only covers a fraction of the
separately from the characters other Backgrounds, and inhabitants, who defy easy counting or rule.

BUILDING A DOMAIN

110
 between greater and lesser people is largely a matter of
Peopling perspective, but biases hide talent in humble places. There
might be geniuses hidden in the countryside, or retainers

the Domain
whose abilities conceal significant flaws.

Allies and Retainers

A domains Herd/Populace rating determines its loyal
population. Outlaws, tribal peoples, or nominal vassals
who ignore central authority (a common situation outside of
The Allies and Retainers Backgrounds may be used to rep-
resent a domains skilled staff. In the systems here, characters
Europes dense heartland) arent counted. Much of a large and allied groups may purchase these Backgrounds multiple
citys population technically labors under the rule of a local times. Each acquisition represents a different cohort of staff.
lord, but cannot be readily exploited and, consequently, Allies arent bound to the domains rulers except by
escape accounting. Despite their infancy, the urban medieval self-interest. They might be mercenaries, clergy, or staff lent
bourgeoisie and guilds exert an ever-stronger challenge to by a friendly lord with the understanding that they wont
aristocratic rule. work for free. To obtain Allies services, the character must
Naturally, characters will want to focus on domain possess sufficient Resources (1 dot per Merit dot) or offer
inhabitants skilled or loyal enough to be counted and services in kind. In addition to their abilities, Allies bring
exploited. The following systems provide starting details. independent Backgrounds they might use in exchange for
These Storyteller characters stand in addition to full vas- such considerations.
sals, but are not so powerful or dramatically important to Bound to the domain or its masters, Retainers dont
require so complex a treatment. possess their own Backgrounds (any they might have are
Note that these categories classify individuals based assessed as part of the domain) but will employ their talents
on what they offer to the domain holder. The difference without expecting a reward.

PEOPLE OF THE DOMAIN

111
 Staff possess a variety of Traits. Assess their character- mads, and groups who habitually avoid civilization for the
istics as follows: wilderness.
Ally Backgrounds: Allies have access to 2 + Allies dots Ally Backgrounds: Allies, Contacts, Retainers.
in Backgrounds, split between one or more individuals. No Dice Pools (Pick Three): Alertness, Animal Ken,
Ally possesses more than 5 dots in a single Background. Archery, Crafts, Hearth Wisdom, Ride, Stealth, Survival.
Choose between the Backgrounds listed by Ally type.
Dice Pools: A single Ally or Retainer possesses dice pools Scholars
of 4 + Background dots in three Abilities (including base Most European scholars are technically clergy, even if
Attributes) from the list for their type. If the Allies or Re- theyre disinterested in holy vows and religious matters.
tainers Background represents multiple individuals, reduce They might have attended a university, mastered the
these pools by 1 for each additional person. There can be contents of books from obscure monastic libraries, or
no more than one person for each dot in the Background. follow unexpected passion for knowledge, no matter their
No single individual can possess a dice pool higher than 10. personal backgrounds. They might explain Plato or design
Example: Lady Kaethe decides her Allies 4 Background siege weapons.
supplies three mercenaries. These are armigers (see below) Backgrounds: Allies, Contacts, Influence, Retainers.
with Allies 3 (their mercenary company) and Resources
Dice Pools (Pick Three): Academics, Commerce,
2 between them. They possess Brawl, Melee, and Ride
Crafts, Enigmas, Investigation, Law, Medicine, Occult,
dice pools of 6 (a base of 8 for the Background, -2 for two
Politics, Seneschal, Theology.
additional staff).

Armigers The Helpful Masses

By dint of wealth or inheritance, armigers are trained in Between vassals, skilled individuals, and a faceless pop-
and entitled to wear arms and armor. They typically split ulace, a legion of others performs numerous essential tasks.
their time between personal business and performing various
military and security duties for a liege lord. They arent as New Background: Servants
well trained as knights, but their duties arent as onerous Your character controls a retinue of useful servants.
and thus, they dont need to be details as full vassals. (Your domain might possess servants without this Back-
Ally Backgrounds: Allies, Resources, Retainers. ground, but they do nothing more than keep the place from
Dice Pools (Pick Three): Alertness, Athletics, Archery, utterly collapsing, and frequently display disloyalty.) The
Brawl, Intimidation, Melee, Ride. exact number doesnt matter; they come and go as estate
business demands. Children replace their parents. On the
Courtiers other hand, when your character needs them to perform
a specific task or travel, only a limited number can obey,
These politically astute merchants, wealthy common- lest the estate fall into disrepair or suffer various calamities.
ers, disinherited children, and clergy are usually wealthy In matters relating to the domain, servants reduce the
and socially connected. They help build alliances, spread difficulty of Seneschal and Leadership rolls equal to their
rumors, and pluck information from high or low places. dots. Servants need not be limited to a single manor, and
Theyre advisors, diplomats, and spies whove come to the might represent ordinary townsfolk, cottagers, and others
character for their mutual benefit. pledged to the characters service.
Ally Backgrounds: Allies, Contacts, Domain (Manor), Servants are loyal, but not slavishly so, and might disobey
Herd (Populace), Influence, Resources, Retainers. their masters if they feel threatened or offended. A Cainite
Dice Pools (Pick Three): Commerce, Empathy, Et- may use servants as vessels for her thirst, but the player must
iquette, Expression, Leadership, Performance, Politics, purchase an equal number of dots in the Herd Background
Seneschal. to ensure their discretion. Purchasing both Backgrounds
together also means servants replace themselves should
Foresters your characters attentions cause their deaths, but the most
Domains employ foresters to aid noble hunters, protect extreme cruelties will never go unanswered. Servants who
the wilds from poachers, and act as scouts during wartime. are not a Herd resist predation, spread rumors, and must
This category might include allied outlaws, hermits, no- be managed accordingly.

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112
 You have a few servants to deal with light, routine Cottagers: Poor free farmers usually serve the estate
tasks. They cant handle emergencies Some of with the bounty of their labors. Much of the time their
them attend you part time, working elsewhere business ends at the lords gate, but they also know much
to support families. You can call three of them about the land and common people. Laborers might come
together for a trip or dedicated task. from cottages to dig ditches and perform other muscle-ach-
Your servants can keep a small manor or set- ing duties, or if necessary, settle close to the estate. Such
tlement running smoothly, and even provide obligatory labor is known as corvee.
comforts for a small number of guests. You can Guards: Settlements choose local toughs to break up
wrangle seven of them to work on some unusual fights and protect communities, but night watchmen are
task or travel with you. often elderly, since the position rarely requires more than
Your servants manage all aspects of a large manor, good eyes and the ability to cry at the approach of danger.
and at least one stands on hand to receive your Hunters: The master of the hunt (called a veneur)
commands. You might gather as many as 15 to oversees hunting, perhaps with the assistance of a falconer.
travel or work on an unusual project. Kitchen Staff: The chief cook prepares meals in con-
Your servants could keep a large castle running junction with a host of specialized servants, including a
smoothly. Multiple attendants stand by to an- pantler, who keeps bread, and a butler (named for butts,
ticipate your needs and obey your commands. or barrels) who manages the estates alcohol.
You can be assured that taking a retinue of 30 on Minor Clergy: An estates chaplain technically serves
the road wouldnt bring estate business grinding the church, but when a lord provides for him his true loy-
to a halt. alty transfers to his benefactor. Clergy often supplement
A veritable legion stands by to ensure your estate their incomes with agriculture, brewing, and other rural
functions. They stand in every room, and to get trades, and they may include barber-surgeons who treat
some privacy youll have to send them away. You illness with a mixture of inaccurate theory and practical
can take a retinue of 60 servants with you. experience. This category also includes hermits, sin-eaters,
pardoners, and other purported clerics of uncertain lineage
Types of Servants and orthodoxy.
Servants dont have the skills or Backgrounds of full vas- Serfs and Slaves: Serfs are obliged to labor for their lord
sals, Allies, and Retainers, but unlike the domains Populace, in virtually any capacity required, but they usually work
they have the time and inclination to aid characters. They the land. Theyre entitled to protection and a portion of
typically possess dice pools of 4 in their primary function, the common fields to work for their subsistence. If the lord
but only 2 or 3 in any other task. They own the minimum sells his land, his serfs go with it, to serve a new master.
equipment needed for their jobs. This sets them apart from slaves, who may be bought and
sold individually and possess no rights whatsoever. The
Even though not all of the following are technically Church forbids the enslavement of Christians, including
servants, characters might make use of them through converts, but this stricture is occasionally ignored and
the Background. When these characters prove to have doesnt restrict the enslavement of Muslims, as occurs in
exceptional characteristics, they should be reckoned as the Crusader States. In Muslim nations, many slaves possess
Retainers instead. rights granted by religious and social convention.
Administrators: Under various titles, one or more
stewards serve as an estates chief of staff, relaying the lords
orders. Under them, marshals manage horses and arms,
chamberlains account for finances, and wardrobe servants
Domain Events
manage clothing and many household purchases. Valets The following events might occur within a domain as a
attend nobles, and pages carry messages. In great estates, natural part of the chronicle, but unrelated events and raw
these positions became honorifics given to other nobles, and fate might trigger them as well. Theyre just a few incidents
eventually they can become military and political positions. out of many, and the Storyteller should use them and their
Cleaning and Maintenance: The scullery is a washing systems as starting points. The duration or fallout of an
room that might be used for dishes or clothes, Maids clean event usually lasts for a season or more. Once one event
and transport them. Large households might have separate takes place, others may follow, and might affect domain
facilities and servants for linens and other items. A chandler Backgrounds and other Traits, as described below.
makes soap and candles.
DOMAIN EVENTS

113
Curse characters immediate control. Even in victory, stray troops
may become Outlaws.
Unlucky stars, raving witches, or the Devil himself might
curse the domain, or it might be the result of an entombed Itinerant Court
Methuselahs Disciplines, reaching out while he dreams.
A king or other noble the domains ruler owes fealty
A curse takes many forms, from birth defects to strings of
to brings his traveling court to the estate. The local lord
unlikely accidents.
must prove himself a loyal, generous host and of course,
Systems: A curse reduces Herd/Populace or local Re- defend the liege against assassins and embarrassments.
sources by 1 or more dots (people and/or livestock leave or
Systems: The overlords Status or Influence (whichever
die) until resolved. It might bring a Faithful One to drive
is higher) determines the minimum number of Servants
the evil out.
dots required to properly host the ruler. Resources may be
Disaster used to shore up the difference on a dot-for-dot basis by
hiring servants, but this is expensive, reducing the hosts
An earthquake, massive storm, or flood takes lives and total by 1 dot. Failing to properly host ones overlord invites
crops. all manner of punishments. Exceeding expectations may
Systems: A disaster reduces Herd/Populace or the Do- win the character Resources, Influence, or extra standing
mains Size and/or Prosperity by 1 or more dots. Servants can as a vassal.
mitigate the damage and rebuild, restoring lost Background
dots equal to their own dots. If left in disrepair, the domain Heresy
invites Invasion and Outlaws. Flooded crops and damaged A new religious movement offends the Church or, in
stores lead to Famine. the case of Cainites, is considered so anathema to a Road
that its devotees wish to destroy it. Like the Cathars, it
Faithful One might serve as a useful political tool for a time.
Someone with True Faith visits the domain. Why? She Systems: Supporting the heresy grants Influence over
might be following a vision to heal and preach, or destroy its followers, but of course risks social consequences such as
a monster preying on the land. excommunication. Orthodox followers may refuse to serve
Systems: True Faith allows the visitor to perform various an excommunicated lord, causing loss of Influence in other
miracles. If the character settles for a season or longer, her areas, Status among Cainites, and Resources controlled by
benedictions and visitors improve Resources by 1 for as long doctrinaire populations. An Invasion in the form of a Cru-
as the Faithful One stays. She might attract a significant sade might follow, or Outlaws may argue theyre doing Gods
number of Pilgrims or found a Heresy. work. Then again, the heresy might have real supernatural
power under the leadership of a Faithful One. It might be
Famine founded on a Miracle, or profane the land with a Curse.
A bad harvest, rats, and trade interruptions can all
shrink the food supply.
Miracle
Systems: Famine reduces Herd/Populace by 1 or more A supposed act of God manifests in the domain. The
dots. Over time, the famine claims Servants dots as well. miracle could have been a one-time event, or it could
Outlaws might scour the land for food. persist in relics or springs. A Cainite miracle might bring
signs of the Dark Father and Mother.
Invasion System: A genuine miracle is True Faith embedded in a
A military force enters the domain, intent on taking place or object, but this event doesnt need to represent the
part of it or inflicting mayhem. real thing. Other powers or wishful thinking could be the
cause. In any event, beyond any supernatural properties,
Systems: See V20 Dark Ages Tome of Secrets for
the miracle may make additional Resources, Influence, and
systems you might use to resolve mass combat. As noted
Status available. Pilgrims may visit and, of course, idolaters
in this chapter, the number of families in your Populace
might found a Heresy around it.
determine the size of the local peasant levy, with Servants
acting as additional troops and Allies, and Contacts and Outlaws
vassals providing other forces. The longer the conflict
lasts, the more it reduces the Herd/Populace. Sieges reduce Brigands, pirates, rogue knights, and other outlaws steal
Domain dots and block access to Resources outside the cattle, raid caravans, strong arm peasants for supplies, and

BUILDING A DOMAIN

114
otherwise prey upon the domain. A Cainite might be a Pilgrims
brigand of blood, murdering another vampires Herd for
sustenance and pleasure. On the way to a holy place in or on the other side of
the domain, a significant group of pilgrims passes through.
Systems: Outlaws might deprive the domain of any
combination of Domain Prosperity, Resources, and Herd/ Systems: Pilgrims need food, lodging. and all manner of
Populace. In the last case, the decrease isnt necessarily supplies. They donate to clergy and pay whatever dues the
the result of a true population decrease, but a disruption local lord commands. Pilgrims increase one of the domains
of their ability to work. Rampant lawlessness ultimately Resources ratings by 1 for the duration of their stay. If the
damages the lords Influence and Status. Outlaws might domain proves to be a hospitable place, pilgrims might
be outriders or remnants of an Invasion. visit regularly, making the increase permanent. Dishonest
pilgrims might become Outlaws. They might follow a Her-
esy. Perhaps a Faithful One walks in their midst, or their
concentrated faith attracts a Miracle.

Tremere Apocrypha:
The House Militant
es who
The magus should not forget that he is more than a student of the Arts of Herm
e that
has attained the immortal state by the grace of his House. Nor should he assum
who acquired
upon attainment of the perfection House Tremere offers, he is like vampires
s provid-
their state through the natural Curse, and should trust in the instincts and power
ced beyond
ed thereby. Rather, he is a magus of House Tremere specifically, as far advan
ex Art,
mortal magi as magi are from the unlearned. He is obligated to master a compl
who
greater than that Hermes Trismegistus grants, under the strict guidance of those
serve the
possess greater knowledge of the Mysteries. His dedication does not merely
s become
goals of the House, for in attaining the state beyond death, the magus desire
that of the House. Why is this so?
h al-
It is a matter of unconquerable reason. The magus acquires many enemies throug
hate his
legiance to his House. He suffers the envy and violence of natural vampires, who
r Art he may
freedom from the full Curse, and from magi, who are most jealous of the greate
would break
now practice. It would not be sufficient for the magus to enter hermitage. This
es it would
his sacred vows and ensure his destruction, but even without these consequenc
of Tremere
be an irrational strategy. Within the degenerate Order of Hermes, the followers
all enemies
were the House Militant, governed under the strictest Rule so they might resist
ted House
like a shield wall, or a sword of incomparable sharpness. This is why the perfec
Militant,
prevails still against all enemies. The way of the Tremere is the way of the House
in war.
and its true and rational students should master the Arts that provide strength
.
Reason is loyalty. Loyalty is immortality. Disloyalty is madness. Madness is death

TREMERE APOCRYPHA

115
 Like a ward, a ban can be cast on an object or an enclosed
Rites of space. After one hour of preparation, the Tremere draws a
the Sorcerer Besieged sign in the occult Enochian language that symbolizes the
phenomena to be banned.
In the 13th century the Tremere are a fresh, bloody
wound in two societies: of the Cainites, from whom they Each category of power must be learned as a separate
usurped Clan status, and of the Order of Hermes, a fel- ritual, with a level set by the maximum strength of the
lowship of magi that once counted them as one House, phenomena to be banned, which is one dot lower. Thus,
among many. The Tremere not only survive out of careful a Level Two version bans first dot phenomena from one
strategy and bursts of desperate innovation, but because category. The categories are:
they were particularly disposed to conflict. Within the Infernal Powers: Demonic powers, Infernal magic
Order of Hermes, the Tremere were known for their of all kinds.
competitiveness and quasi-military structure. Before they
The Kindly Ones: Powers of the Fae
became vampires, they led Hermetic efforts to annihilate
rival fellowships, and purge enemies from within. Indeed, Sorcery: Mortal magic as learned by Path or Pillar
before their treachery (from the Orders point of view) the
Spiritual Malice: Lupine and spirit Gifts.
House exterminated another Hermetic House, Diedne, who
might have exposed their plans. They didnt steal the curse Wrath of the Dead: Ghostly Arcanoi
of Caine; they invaded it with the organized implacability
Wisdom of the Curse: Cainite Disciplines.
of a Roman legion.
If the power does not possess a dot rating, use the high-
Tame the Maddening Flame est Trait rating involved in its operation. Powers within
(Level One) the category cannot affect a banned object, or cross the
Note: This is a Haven Ritual (see Dedicate the Haven, threshold of a banned space in either direction, but may
V20 Dark Ages, p. 310) still be used within it. For instance, a mortal magus might
read a Tremeres mind while both stand in a haven Banned
Fire lights the Dark Medieval and, though Cainites against Sorcery, but not while one stands outside and the
fear it, they can usually control their response in the face other inside.
of a tamed campfire, hearth, or torch. This ritual protects
them when fire might spread unpredictably, such as on a Similar to wards, bans may be resisted with an extended
battlefield or when its otherwise used as a weapon. Willpower roll with a difficulty of 4 + ban level, accumulat-
ing successes equal to the ban casters Thaumaturgy rating.
The Tremere pollutes a jug of water with a trivial The character challenging the ban must be able to see or
amount of his blood, and uses it to wet the perimeter of touch the object or threshold, however. Success destroys
a room or outdoor location. An enclosed space of almost the ban, and no matter the casters location, she hears a
any size can be protected, but an outdoor area is limited sharp cracking sound when it falls.
to a 150 foot (roughly 50 meter) radius. New or existing
fire in the protected area takes on a greenish hue and its Bans last for a number of weeks equal to the successes
smoke smells sweet. It can no longer provoke Rtschreck. scored on the casting roll.
Furthermore, reduce the damage of all injuries inflicted by Wield the Spear of Damnation
fire within the area by one Health Level. This lasts for as
long as the caster is present.
(Level Three)
This ritual recalls the legend of Caine itself, dedicating a
Banning Rituals weapon to satisfy a vampires nature just as the Dark Father
(Level Two or Higher; See Below) cursed himself, when he raised a sharp stone against his
Note: This is a Haven Ritual (see Dedicate the Haven, brother. The Tremere writes Genesis 4:10 (And he said,
V20 Dark Ages, p. 310) What hast thou done? the voice of thy brothers blood
crieth unto me from the ground.) upon an edged weapon
Where wards (see V20 Dark Ages, pp. 305-306) hinder in purported angelic script, during a meditative trance.
mundane intruders and thieves, bans target supernatural This requires one hour. From that moment forward, half
powers such as Disciplines and the mortal magic the Tremere the lethal damage inflicted by the weapon (rounded up)
once practiced. Without bans, the Tremere would have converts to blood points, filling the wielders pool. This
been at the mercy of mortal Hermetic sympathetic magic, persists until the weapon has harvested the casters Thau-
which can annihilate enemies from vast distances.

BUILDING A DOMAIN

116
maturgy rating + ritual successes in blood points. Blood so while invoking the names of earth spirits stolen from the
harvested doesnt inflict extra damage (it comes straight lore of the Tzimisce. For the rest of the night, anyone
from blood shed by the wound), but is of the targets type. touching or climbing the wall for the first time is drained
Lupine blood remains doubly potent, and other blood types of one blood point.
have their signature effects. Immune to the rituals effects, the caster may touch
the wall and harvest the stolen blood at a rate equal to her
Ravening Walls of Ceoris Generation-based expenditure limit, as an instant action.
(Level Five) Each section of wall can hold as many blood points as the
Note: This is a Haven Ritual (see Dedicate the Haven, casters Thaumaturgy rating at any one time. The wall
V20 Dark Ages, p. 310) keeps draining excess blood, but sheds it in the form of a
This ritual is named for the fortress it was first used to foul black ooze that cannot be used for sustenance.
protect. The caster sheds one blood point per 50 feet of For every dot of the casters Thaumaturgy above 5, she
a stone walls length (and spends 15 minutes per section) can designate one additional Cainite as immune to the walls
blood-draining effects, and able to harvest blood from it

117
10. Item, the justices shall have proclamation made in the counties through which they are to go that, with respect
to those who do not have such arms as have been specified above, the lord king will take vengeance,
not merely on their lands or chattels, but on their limbs.
The Assize of Arms of 1181, proclaimed by King Henry II of England

T his chapter takes V20 Dark Ages arms and armor out
of a generic medieval setting to describe what characters
wear and fight with in the 13th century. It provides weapons
Ages core describes weapons and armor in an accessible
way but its not strictly accurate. For instance, in everyday
English a broadsword describes any wide, two-edged
that conform to the period and rules for appropriate armor. blade, but the term technically refers to a weapon that
An alternative combat system reduces the number of dice didnt exist until hundreds of years later.
rolls and dice pool adjustments required.
Knives and Swords
Weapons of the Virtually everyone in the Dark Medieval owns a blade
of some kind, even if just to harvest herbs or skin rabbits.
Some may be little more than sharpened scrap but a skilled
Dark Medieval smith makes swift, sharp blades suitable for war.
Dagger and Short Swords: This category of long pointed

Theencounter
following section describes weapons characters will knives are specifically designed for fighting. The misericorde
in the 1200s and beyond. The V20 Dark (mercy knife) possesses a thin blade to penetrate eye slits in

BEARING ARMS
After the Assize of Arms in 1181, all English free peasant households are obligated to keep a lance (spear),
gambeson, and iron cap. Wealth and title add other mandatory equipment. But Jews are required to sell any mail
they own, and freeman arent allowed to stockpile more weapons and armor than the law requires. This isnt a
modern right to bear arms, but commands families to keep just enough equipment to meet their obligations
but no more than that. Many kingdoms enforce similar requirements.
It wouldnt be considered unusual to carry a knife or cudgel for self-defense. Wealthier individuals wear swords,
though theyd be asked to surrender them when visiting an important figure or unfamiliar community. Unless theres
a nearby battle or tournament, walking into town armed with multiple weapons indicates a desire to cause trouble.

WEAPONS OF THE DARK MEDIEVAL

119
helmets. In the 14th Century the rondel dagger will deemphasize Estoc (14th Century): In a century or so, plated armor
blade sharpness, and some will only be intended to kill with the will resist cuts and impact so well that soldiers will develop the
point. The old gladius, seax, and other blades blur the line between estoc. Its the size of a longsword but its unsharpened blade
knife and sword. Peasants and soldiers both have uses for very has a thick diamond cross section, tapering to a wicked point.
long knives (or short swords) as traveling weapons, or to finish Soldiers use it to thrust at weak points in enemy armor. An
off deer and boars. These may simply be shorter knight-style estocs metal blade cant immobilize Cainites like a stake, but a
swords, often used with a buckler in the other hand. Potence-strengthened thrust might pin a victim to a stone wall.

TWO WEAPONS
Did European medieval warriors use a weapon in each hand? Viking sagas record combatants using an ax in
either hand, or even a sword with a spear. Late medieval and early Renaissance texts indicate that it was already
a well-known fighting method. For example, the 14th-century master Fiore dei Liberi describes using staff and
dagger, dagger and club, and twin clubs to defeat a spear-wielding opponent. Later manuals describe double sword
and dagger techniques. Yet it should be remembered that the shield was used as an offensive weapon in the off
hand and that, in any event, manuals urged fighters to either do something with the off hand or keep it out of the
way. These techniques were generally reserved for duels and desperate measures, not pitched battles.
If a character using two weapons earns one advantage: In multiple actions, she may attack twice in a row
(but no more), instead of waiting for the turn to cycle around as usual. Two weapons are ideal for the Riposte ma-
neuver (see V20 Dark Ages, p. 347) so you might give double weapon users a -1 difficulty advantage, cancelling
out the usual +1 difficulty penalty for the maneuver (but not the difficulty penalty for multiple actions) as long as
the defensive maneuver used to set it up is a parry.

ART OF THE BATTLEFIELD

120
 SWORDS AND KNIVES
Weapon Damage Conceal Min. Str Notes
Knife Str P 1
Dagger/Short Sword Str + 1L C 1 Armor Piercing: 2
Estoc Str + 2L N 2 Armor Piercing: 3
Falchion Str + 2L L 2 Shorter than other swords
Knightly Sword Str + 2L N 2
Longsword Str + 3L N 3
Saif Str + 2L N 2

Falchion or Messer: Although it usually sports the same and North Africa, though its not all they use. (Straight
cruciform hilt as a knightly sword, a falchion is a single swords similar to European types are also used, and are the
edged weapon, its cutting abilities enhanced by a curve or dominant form in many places.) Theyre usually wielded in
a broadening of the blade near the point. A 14th-century one hand and are useful for both mounted and foot combat.
German weapon called a messer is functionally identical.
Knightly Sword: This weapon is often misnamed Bludgeons and Cleavers
longsword. Its a familiar weapon, with the cruciform Swords are favored general purpose weapons, but theyre
hilt popularized by the Normans and a double-edged blade expensive. Axes and clubs are often cheaper, and sometimes
tapering to a point. The hilts long enough for one hand defeat armor that resists sword cuts.
for two, youd have to grip the round pommel. This is
almost always used with a shield. Battle Ax: Between long poleaxes and throwing axes,
the typical battle ax is a one-handed weapon whose blade
Longsword: Also called a war sword, this is a length- usually thickens into a metal socket for the haft. The
ened version of the knightly sword it might be called a Scottish heavy infantry soldiers called gallowglasses wield
bastard sword in future eras (the hilt type is wrong, though the two-handed sparth ax, based on the Danish poleax but
its long enough). This sword can be used in one or two shorter. Some axes are capable of thrusts using the upper
hands, with or without a shield. Very long swords only see corner of the blade. Bearded axes with long lower blades
common use centuries from now, against pike formations. are uncommon now, but hooking a shield or weapon is
Saif or Shamsir: These are, respectively, the Arabic and still possible. Double-headed axes are almost unheard of.
Persian words for what Europeans will call the scimitar. Its Flail: The most common form of flail is a pole weapon
an increasingly popular weapon in the Middle East, Asia, adapted from the farm tool, but soldiers use cut down ver-

BLUDGEONS AND CLEAVERS

Weapon Damage Conceal Min. Str Notes
Battle Ax Str + 1L N 2 -1 diff. to make Disarm attacks
Two-Handed Battle Ax Str + 2L N 3 -1 diff. to make Disarm attacks
Club Str + 2B L
Flail Str + 1B L 2 +1 diff. to opponents defense
Mace Str + 2L N 2 Armor Piercing: 2, bashing damage
against Class 4 or better armor
Throwing Ax Str+1L L 2 Throwing weapon
Warhammer/Pick Str + 1L N 2 Armor Piercing: 2

WEAPONS OF THE DARK MEDIEVAL

121
sions. The ball and chain variety is rare (and not called a Lance: The classic lance is a heavy spear modified
morningstar); instead, a few iron rings join a short handle for cavalry use but in some cases theres little difference
to a weighted wooden wedge. between the foot and horse weapon, and lance is a
Mace: Many maces are simply iron-shod clubs, but the generic term for any spear. Knights use them in massed
flanged version spreads to Western Europe from Kievan cavalry charges to break infantry lines and defeat other
Rus. Like the battle ax, this weapon surges in popularity mounted soldiers. In the 13th century, jousting isnt a
after the rise of plate armor. popular tournament game, but a side spectacle where
knights might blunt their weapons.
Warhammer and Pick: These are essentially the same
weapons, as the hammer (in some cases a configuration of Maul: The two-handed version of the warhammer
sharp metal wedges) is backed with a spike. Most warhammers features a heavy striking surface (sometimes with a back
can be used in one hand. In contrast to popular stereotype, spike, sometimes not) on a pole.
their heads are usually not any bigger than those of a practical Peasant Flail: These are staves connected to a
tool, though they have longer, metal-shod handles. weighted length of wood by a short chain. Beyond
simple reinforcement, they can be taken straight from
Pole Weapons peasant farms to battlefields, where they are often used
in formations.
Reach, ease of construction, and formation tactics
make pole weapons as popular as they have been since Poleax: The long version of the battle ax will evolve
ancient times. Complex pike formations will take over a into the halberd and other cleavers. This weapon was
century to evolve, but armies remember phalanx tactics once favored by the Danes.
and experiment with new methods. Pole weapons are also Spear: On foot, soldiers use spears in small, close
useful in individual combat. This list is greatly simplified formations, similar to ancient phalanxes. The Byzantines
from numerous variations. Some include hooks to trip or maintain old Greek and Roman techniques, but other
dismount enemies. soldiers as far away as Scotland have developed circular
Glaive: This weapon is a single-edged slashing blade and rectangular sheltron formations of braced spears.
on a pole. In many cases, broken swords and long knives Staff: Stick fighting is a common pursuit among all
are mounted as glaive blades. classes, but the staff (not yet called a quarterstaff) is
Halberd (14th century): A halberd is essentially a particularly admired for its utility. Staff fighting passes
poleax with a spike. It eventually evolves into a shape that on skills useful for all other polearms.
allows it to hook and slash opponents.

POLE WEAPONS*
Weapon Damage Conceal Min. Str Notes
Glaive Str + 3L N 2
Halberd Str + 3L N 3 Armor Piercing: 1, -1 diff. to make disarm attacks
Javelin Str +1L N 1 No Sweep bonus, throwing weapon
Lance (Mounted) Str + 4L N 3 Armor Piercing: 3, use spear traits on foot
Maul Str + 5B N 4 Armor Piercing: 2, reflexive Str + Athletics or take 1 action
to ready each turn
Peasant Flail Str + 3B N 3 Armor Piercing: 1, +1 diff. to opponents parries
Poleax Str + 4L N 3 -1 diff. to make Disarm attacks
Spear Str + 2L N 2 Throwing weapon (except for very long spears)
Staff Str + 2B N 2 +2 dice to Sweep instead of +1 die
* All pole weapons are two handed, but can be used one handed at a minimum Strength of 2 higher than normal.
All pole weapons except for javelins gain +1 die to Sweep maneuvers. A pole weapon may be given a hook, pro-
viding a -1 difficulty break to the Sweep maneuver and the ability to use it at an additional +1 difficulty and -1 die
penalty against mounted opponents, unhorsing them.

ART OF THE BATTLEFIELD

122
 RANGED WEAPONS
Min.
Weapon Damage Range Conceal Str Notes
Bow (Compound or Self) 2L 60 N 2 Compound usable from horseback
at no penalty; self at +2 diff. Armor
Piercing: 2
Crossbow 3L 90 N 2 Usable from horseback at no penalty
but must be reloaded on foot. Reload
takes one turn; Armor Piercing: 2
Heavy Crossbow 4L 90 N 3 Reload takes 5 turns - Archery dots;
Armor Piercing: 3
Dagger Str + 1L C 20 1 +1 difficulty
Dart Str + 1L 30 L 1
Hurlbat Str + 2B 30 L 2 Sharp metal versions inflict Str + 1L
Knife Str + 0L 15 P 1 +1 difficulty
Javelin Str + 2L 50 N 2 Armor Piercing: 2
Rock Str + 0B 40 N 1 +1 difficulty
Spear Str + 2L 40 N 3 Armor Piercing: 2
Sling 2B P 2
Staff Sling 4B 50 N 3
Throwing Ax Str + 1L 20 C 2 +1 difficulty

bows due to their power and ease of use. Knights avoid

Ranged Weapons massed crossbowmen because bolts can pierce their armor.
In V20 Dark Ages default year of 1242, the longbow Dart: These heavy arrows are hurled by hand or with
has yet to appear and gunpowder is a rumor born of the a sling, at short range.
Mongols. Ranged combat is most often a prelude to close-
Hurlbat: A weighted club designed for throwing, the
ranged battle.
hurlbat will eventually evolve into an all-metal throwing
Compound and Self Bows: The main advantage of a ax similar to those used by the Kongo people of Africa.
recurve compound bow is that it compacts the power of a
Javelin and Spear: The javelin is a light spear, designed
self bow in a shorter weapon. That makes these laminated
to be thrown. Skirmishers harass enemies with hit and run
wood, horn, and bone bows ideal for horse archers. Self
attacks on foot or from horseback. Heavier spears might
bows are easier to build and require no modifications to
be hurled when necessary, but are more useful as a close
be switched from hunting to war.
range weapon.
Crossbow: Crossbows arent new weapons, but by the
Sling: People make ordinary slings to hunt small game,
13th century ratchet and strap-levers have made it prac-
but rarely use them to fight. In battles, a staff sling allows a
tice to create stronger examples that can be reloaded in a
slinger to throw a heavier projectile farther. Stones are easy to
reasonable amount of time. (The weapons table assumes
gather, but lead shot tapered on both ends is more accurate.
light crossbows use the strap lever, and heavy crossbows
use a ratchet.) Crossbows are considered superior to other Throwing Ax: The francisca-style ax is an antique weap-
on, but is still occasionally thrown or used as a small battle ax.

WEAPONS OF THE DARK MEDIEVAL

123
 armor penalties arise due to weight and bulk; helmets im-
Armor pose them because they limit vision and head movement.

Torso Armor
F or mortals, armor is a virtual necessity on the battle-
field. Cainites knit together flesh with their Vitae, or
develop the Fortitude to break blades against their skin,
Torso armor protects against the majority of life-threat-
ening strikes, save for those aimed at the head.
but kine break and tear.
Armored Surcoat: For extra protection, knights add metal
plates to their surcoats. In the next century this will evolve into
Armor and Society a full coat of plates. A very thick surcoat might both conceal the
Armors expensive. Mail requires steel, skill, and time. plates within and provide enough padding to make a gambeson
Knights seize armor as spoils of war or tournament victory. unnecessary, making it excellent armor for traveling incognito.
Heavy armor is a sign of wealth or theft from the dead, is The plates normally cover the chest and belly, and can be by-
uncomfortable to wear for long periods and takes time to passed or ripped out of place by a clever enemy.
don and remove. Wearing anything heavier than a gambe- Plate Cuirass (late 14th century): Armorers develop
son means you expect a fight. If youre an armored stranger single piece steel breastplates by the end of the 14th century,
you must be a significant enemy: an errant soldier from a inaugurating the era of plate armor. Breastplates must be
nearby conflict, or a knight turned marauder. worn over gambesons.
Yet for everything armor signifies, it also obscures the Cuirboilli: Cuirboilli relies on techniques that turn
wearers identity. Women wear the same armor as men, and leather into hardened, smooth plates, sewn onto a soft
even open-faced helmets make it difficult to determine the leather or cloth garment. These turn aside light slashes
shape of the wearers face or her hair color. 13th century and scrapes, but remain vulnerable to strong blows from
heraldry isnt the complex art form developed in subse- any weapon.
quent years, but an emblazoned shield and surcoat should
Brigandine and Coat of Plates (14th century): In
honestly declare the knights identity. Black knights are
Western Europe the armored surcoat evolves into a coat
products of legend; anonymity is usually associated with
of plates. Coats of plates cover the torso with overlapping
shame, not romance.
strips of metal bolted into a stout jacket, typically worn
over a gambeson to further protect against blunt impact.
Piece by Piece The metal plates usually sit on the inside of the coat, so
V20 Dark Ages simplifies the wide variety of armor the studs keeping them in place are visible on the outside.
into five classes and indeed, the topic of armor is complex. This armor is also known as brigandine, and is popular
If Storytellers wish to detail specific pieces of armor, the among Eastern European and Asian soldiers.
existing rules provide a solution. Wearing armor of a partic- Gambeson: This basic form of padded armor is a jacket
ular class indicates, at minimum, protection for the torso. made of layers of linen with pockets of stuffing. Gambesons
Attacks are assumed to either strike the torso or be hin- are warm; wearing one on a chilly day usually doesnt invite
dered by the need to aim for other areas, resulting in strikes extra scrutiny. Most forms of heavy armor only function
that arent as precise or injurious. To bypass torso armor, the properly when worn over a gambeson. This will eventually
character should target another part of the enemys body, evolve into the Renaissance doublet.
using the targeting maneuver on p. 346 of V20 Dark Ages. Lamellar and Scale: Lamellar consists of small metal
Attacking a limb imposes a +1 difficulty penalty; striking at plates laced together side by side. Scale armor uses overlap-
the head adds a +2 penalty. In these cases, apply the armor ping plates fastened to a cloth or leather backing garment.
of the targeted area to any damage. Anyone who sees an Mongol, Rus, and Byzantine warriors wear this form of armor.
enemy wearing mail but no helm is bound to stab for the Mail Hauberk: This is the most common form of heavy
face. Attacking a vulnerable part of an armored area (such as armor in Europe and parts of Asia. Mail is synonymous
an eye slit or joint) levies a difficulty penalty of +3 or more, with chainmail, to the point where it would be considered
and can only be done with a thrusting attack. redundant to use that word. Mail provides excellent protection
Only torso armor and helmets impose initiative and from cutting blows, but can be defeated by thrusting attacks. It
Dexterity-based roll penalties, but these are not cumulative must be worn over a gambeson. Most mail links are closed with
with each other. Apply the worst between each type. Torso rivets; unsecured butted mail tears apart much more easily.

ART OF THE BATTLEFIELD

124
 TORSO ARMOR BY TYPE
Class Rating Penalty Torso Armor
Class One 1 0 Gambeson
Class Two 2 1 Cuirboilli, Armored Surcoat
Class Three 3 1 Gambeson with Cuirboilli or Armored Surcoat
Class Four 4 2 Gambeson with Mail
Class Five 5 3 Gambeson with Mail and Armored Surcoat, Gambeson with Brigandine,
Coat of Plates or Lamellar,
Class Six* 6 3 Gambeson with Mail and Brigantine, Coat of Plates or Lamellar, Gambe-
son with Cuirass**
* In Western Europe, this class cannot be acquired until the 14th century.
** Plate Armor reduces the penalty to 2.

Limb Armor hang from the cuirass to cover the thighs, cuisses, or plates
for the upper leg, poleyns that cap the knees, and metal
Armor for the limbs may use a combination of types. Use greaves. In the transition to plate, soldiers adopt greaves
the dominant armor on the limb to determine its overall and poleyns, and protect the upper legs with armor that
rating, though you may make exceptions if an enemy aims hangs under the belt or chausses.
for a specific, small body part.
Sleeves, Vambraces and Rerebraces: In the 13th
Chausses: Chausses are padded or armored hose. Most century, mail hauberks usually include long sleeves. Better
armor requires gamboissed (padded) chausses to protect examples add shoulder, elbow, and forearm plates. After
against pinching and impact. Mail and other heavier chauss- the invention of brigandine and later, plate armor, arm
es fit over these. Knights armor adds plate reinforcements protection consists of plated pauldrons for the shoulders,
for the feet and knees. rerebraces for the upper arms, vambraces for the forearms,
Gauntlets: The dominant gauntlet is a thick leather and cowters for the elbows. Mail might also be reinforced
glove. This may be covered by a mail mitten, perhaps with splints, or long attached plates.
with a few plates of armor. By the 14th century, armorers
develop plate gauntlets in the form of segmented mittens Helmets and Neck Protection
or articulated plates for the fingers. Medieval helmets trade clear vision and comfort for protec-
Plate for the Legs (14th century): After the rise of plate tion. Thus, while open-faced helmets invite brutal strikes for
armor, wealthy soldiers wear metal strips called tassets that the face, they also provide the ability to see the shot coming.

LIMB ARMOR BY TYPE

Class Rating Type
Class One 1 Gamboissed Chausses, Gambeson Sleeves
Class Two 2 Leather Chausses and Heavy Boots, Cuirboilli Sleeves
Class Three 3 Partial Mail over Padding (arms or legs)
Class Four 4 Mail Chausses over Padding, Mail Sleeves over Gambeson
Class Five 5 Mail Chausses with Plates over Padding, Mail Sleeves with Plates over Gambeson
Class Six 6* Plate Armor for Arms or Legs
* In Western Europe, this class cannot be acquired until the 14th century.

ARMOR

125
 HELMETS BY TYPE
Class Rating Penalty Type
Class One 1 0 Arming Cap
Class Two 2 1 Arming Cap and Iron Cap, Arming Cap and Mail Coif
Class Three 3 1 Arming Cap, Mail Coif and Iron Cap, Arming Cap and Open-
Faced Helm
Class Four 4 2 Arming Cap, Mail Coif/Aventail and Open-Faced Helm, Great
Helm over Arming Cap, Bascinet* over Arming Cap
Class Five 5 3 Great Helm over Arming Cap and Mail Coif, Bascinet* and
Aventail over Arming Cap
Class Six 6 3 Great Helm over Arming Cap, Mail Coif and Iron Cap, Bascinet
and Gorget**
* In Western Europe, the bascinet and gorget cannot be acquired until the 14th century. If the bascinets visor is up,
reduce its penalty and rating by 1.
** A bascinet and gorget reduces the penalty to 2.

Arming Cap: Leather or cloth arming caps are essential eye slits. This is the dominant knights helm of the 13th
if one is to wear a metal helmet comfortably. They also century, and is worn with an arming cap, coif, and in some
provide minor protection against blows, though this is not cases, an iron cap underneath.
their primary purpose. Iron Cap: This iron skullcap protects the top of the head
Aventail and Mail Coif: Often worn under a solid from blows but leaves everything else exposed. Its worn
helm, a mail coif is a hood that fits over the head, neck, beneath a great helm or by itself, among poorer soldiers.
and upper shoulders. An aventail is a length of mail that Open-Faced Helm: Numerous examples of open-faced
hangs from an attached helmet to the neck and shoulders. helmets exist. One of the most common is the wide-brimmed
Bascinet (14th Century): In the 14th century the iron kettle-helm, which wards off blows with its brim. Nasal
cap evolves into a full helm with a faceplate that can be helmets are named for the thick piece of metal that falls
raised and lowered. over the nose, guarding it and deflecting blows from the face
Gorget (14th Century): By the later 14th century as a whole. These helmets are vulnerable to face thrusts,
armorers incorporate the gorget: a solid metal collar. This but offer unimpeded vision.
is worn with transitional armor and later, plate.
Shields
Great Helm: This one piece, close-faced, bucket-shaped
helm offers excellent protection but a poor field of vision Shields are exceedingly useful defensive and offensive
combatants use ventilation holes to see as often as the weapons. A skilled shieldbearer not only deflects blows,

SHIELDS
Attack
Min. Parry Penal-
Shield Damage Str. Conceal Diff. ty Notes
Buckler Str + 1B 1 L 4 0
Pavis Str + 2B 3 N 7 +1 Good cover vs. ranged when planted;
+2 diff to use as weapon
Standard Str + 2B 2 N 6 +1 +1 diff. to use as weapon
Shield

ART OF THE BATTLEFIELD

126
but smashes enemies and traps their weapons. Knights only Multiple Action Phases
abandon them after plate armor is perfected, but Europeans
carry bucklers for self-defense up until the 17th century. Each character acts once in initiative order, initiative
modifications and reactions notwithstanding (see below). As
Buckler: This small shield is about a foot wide and might
soon as a character is called to act, the player must decide
be made entirely of metal, or include a metal boss (a round
how many standard actions she wishes to attempt. This
cap). Bucklers are often used when traveling light, or for
choice imposes the penalties listed on p. 322 of V20 Dark
duels. Techniques use the buckler to cover the sword hand
Ages. Nevertheless, each character acts once at first.
or strike the opponents weapon and hands.
After every character acts once, the Storyteller calls for
Pavis: This oblong shield has a flat bottom so it can
second actions, and again resolves them in initiative order. She
be wedged into the ground and used as cover for archers
then calls for third actions, fourth, and so on, again resolving
and crossbowmen. Once planted, the pavis provides Good
them in order, until no player has multiple actions to resolve.
cover (see V20 Dark Ages, p. 348) to a single person
crouched behind it. Pavises are made of wood, with some A few actions call for exceptions to this, including
metal reinforcements for striking surfaces. hustle actions (see below) and certain maneuvers that pair
multiple actions, such as the Riposte maneuver on p. 347 of
Standard Shield: The two types of shields in common
V20 Dark Ages. It also applies to all defensive maneuvers,
use are a round shield with a boss that Scots call a targe
which respond to incoming attacks at any time.
(though it is found elsewhere) and the shield Victorians
will call a heater, though it has no special name during the Tagging, Delaying,
Middle Ages. Shields are typically made of wood, though
Interrupting and Reacting
they might be reinforced with leather, a center boss, or a
metal edge. Players may modify initiative and the order of actions
in a number of ways.
Tagging: The first (and only the first) player-controlled
Swift as a character to act in a turn may tag another character, if his
player (or Storyteller, for Storyteller characters) consents.

Sword Blow: That character gains the tagging characters initiative

number. The tagging characters number drops by one;
shell usually go next. This change lasts until some other
Streamlined circumstance modifies the characters initiative again.
Delaying: On the characters initiative, the player may

Combat choose to act later. Pick a new initiative number, lower than
before. This new initiative count lasts until altered by some
other circumstance. The character may now interrupt (see

Isystem
n V20 Dark Ages combat, every exchange involves up
to four dice rolls: attack, defense, damage, and soak. The
in this section reduces the number of dice rolls and
below) during that turn, but not in future turns. Characters
may not delay more than once every other turn, and may
not drop their initiative counts below zero.
calculations, while adding a few tactical tweaks. Interrupting: A delayed character may interrupt another
character who acts after that characters original (not delayed)
Time, Initiative, and Actions initiative count. This takes place after the interrupted char-
Roll initiative as usual (see V20 Dark Ages p. 343) but acters player declares an action, but before it gets resolved.
only once for the entire combat scene. Count down from The delayed character may attempt one standard action
the highest result to 0. before the interrupted character. After that, the delayed
When a combatants number comes up, her player characters original initiative resets to the delayed count,
declares what the characters going to do, and then per- and she cant interrupt again on this turn. The rest of the
forms the necessary dice rolls and other procedures. If two delayed characters standard actions (if any) take place at
characters act on the same initiative number, their actions the delayed count in that and subsequent turns.
take place simultaneously. This means that (for example) Reacting: Two situations change the order of actions
if one combatant kills the other, the other combatant still without changing characters initiative counts. First, a
acts, even if the dead characters player hasnt had a chance character may perform a defensive action such as a block
to roll dice yet. or dodge, even if it isnt her turn, in response to an earlier

SWIFT AS A SWORD BLOW

127
attack. Second, if a character has a longer range action Perform a number of standard actions, depending on how
ready to go (such as a bow with an arrow nocked, a long many the player declared she would attempt. Standard
spear, or a ranged Discipline), she may use it before a char- actions are those already described in V20 Dark Ages.
acter with a higher initiative count attempts to affect her
Perform as many reflexive actions (see V20 Dark
with a shorter range action. Thus, a character could strike
Ages, p. 321) as the Storyteller allows.
with a spear before a sword-wielding ghoul closes. In such
cases, the shorter-range attack or other action takes place
immediately afterward. Neither of these conditions change Combat Procedure
characters initiative counts, but do use up actions as usual. Streamlined combat cuts soak and damage rolls, limiting
Time and Actions dice to events that reflect character activity.
When a character attacks, roll the standard dice pool for
Streamlined combat takes place in standard turns. that attack. When a character defends, roll the dice pool
During a turn, a character can: for their defensive maneuver. If the defender scores more
Move at jogging speed (see V20 Dark Ages, p. 333) successes, she evades the attack. If the attacker scores more
or less. A character may run instead, but this counts successes, the attack strikes. Note the difference between
as an standard action. In an exception to the usual attack and defense successes, which affect damage.
multiple action rules, a character may hustle, and
perform an additional action in a set of multiple Damage and Soak
actions at the end of a run during standard initiative Do not roll damage. Instead, add difference between
(by, for example, charging and stabbing an enemy) attack and defense successes to the attacks damage rating
instead of waiting for all initial actions to finish. This to calculate the damage before soak.
replaces the usual penalties for acting while moving.
Do not roll soak dice. Instead, characters possess the
following soak ratings:
ART OF THE BATTLEFIELD

128
 Bashing Soak Rating: Stamina + Fortitude (+Armor If the damage before soak is the characters hardened
for attacks that must penetrate armor). Remember that, in rating or less, the attack inflicts zero damage.
addition, Cainites halve bashing damage.
If the damage is higher than the characters hard-
Lethal Soak Rating: 0 for most mortals. Half Stamina ened rating, subtract the characters full soak rating
(rounded up) for ghouls and exceptional mortals. Stamina from the incoming damage. The character suffers
+ Fortitude (+Armor for attacks that must penetrate the remainder of any incoming damage, but even if
armor) for vampires. soak would reduce it to zero or less, the character
Aggravated Soak Rating: Fortitude for vampires (+Ar- still suffers one level of damage.
mor for attacks that would be protected by it, such as a Example: Yodok slashes Arnaut with bone talons. Yodok scores
blessed blade). The aggravated damage category usually 5 successes against Arnauts 3 successes to block. Yodoks Vicissi-
doesnt exist for mortals. tude-shaped claws inflict Strength + 1 lethal damage. Yodoks Strength
In addition, write down a hardened rating equal to half is 3, making it a 4-damage attack. Two successes over Arnauts defense
the characters soak rating, rounded up. You can list it with increases the damage to 6. Fortunately, Arnaut possesses Stamina
the soak rating, after a slash. 3, Fortitude 3 and is wearing a light chain hauberk that provides 2
To determine the amount of damage inflicted, use the levels of armor, for a lethal soak rating of 8 and a hardened rating
following rules: of 4. Yodoks damage is less than Arnauts soak, but more than his
hardened rating, so he inflicts 1 level of lethal damage.

Followers of Set Apocrypha:

The Accursed Father
A tale told in Egypt, beneath the sands of the Valley of Kings.

Childe, I bring you beneath the sands to read the language of the gods, lost to all others. You learned
the rites. You penetrated the veil of lies surrounding them, to protect them from unready hearts. Youve
earned the right to question me. The Nebthet bared her fangs at the torch for a moment, against its fire,
and placed it in the bracket. I felt I should sweat in fear of her but there was nothing, and I was comforted
by my bodys defeat of mortality.
I can speak freely?
She nodded. Thats what this chamber is for.
I say the words, I make the gestures, but Ive also studied the old walls in Abydos. Ive spoken to the mad
ones, chained beneath Heliopolis. Ive meditated upon the Father of Fear to understand the knowledge within
me. There are. . .contradictions. I have praised Set as the father of all blood drinkers, yet I know the mystery of
the Bite of Apep. I know the tale of the Contending with Horus, who was forever made inferior to the Father
by it, but I have read of the battle with his priests, who abjure age and ashes. I have read the lost language,
but also an older language still, and it speaks of us as brothers with the Clan of War, under their Khayyin.
Ah, but you know we lie. The gods taught mortals the art of naming things truly, to gain power over
them. Naming them falsely, we take power away.
Yes, but were the Mighty Ones priests. Shouldnt we know the truth? Again, I felt none of the old
animalistic fear, but my blood shuddered.
No, she said. You proceed from a fundamental error. You believe we earn true knowledge because
that is a route to power. But the power of such truths cannot be controlled. So I will tell you: Set is not

FOLLOWERS OF SET APOCRYPHA

129
 one before him, and others
the father of all blood drinkers in the crude sense of the Embrace. There was
on over, when he was
above him, though they perished in their folly. Do you know who he held domini
given sacrifices in the sun?
The desert. Strangers. Kings.
, never given to him
Yes, and fools believe they are separate things. But this was one responsibility
desert, of the possibility of
but seized, for the fools of the oldest court cared not for the sounds of the
. For each of the Great
foreigners, and did not acknowledge that their rule could be anything but eternal
Set believed their wisdom
Nine were sorcerers, given the secret of naming things true, and all but mighty
river, until the sand turned
encompassed the world. Only he ventured beyond the sound of the rushing
into a substance beyond mortal description.
the finished portions
He saw beings in the dark beyond, mighty as gods but fragile as gossamer before
ce their own true names,
of the world. These strangers, these kings beyond the desert wished to introdu
in the Nines names, in
which would contradict the names of the created world. They searched for flaws
Creation, so that they might introduce their own words, their Chaos-names.
Demons.
of our era acknowledge
No, she said. Demons are of the order of things. Even the deluded priests
them lords of ifrit, made
this. They call them slaves of Adversary, an office of the divine order, or declare
of our worlds invisible fire.
with them, but mortal
Set desired to enter the darkness where these Strangers dwelled, to do battle
and warned the other gods.
flesh could not withstand the place beyond places. He returned to Heliopolis
indestructible, and create
They laughed. Theres world enough for us, they said. We will make our Names
making , and cared nothing
kingdoms and slaves at need. They were divine from knowing the secrets of
for their subjects, who tilled the earth and feared snakes striking at their heels.
was another city, other
But Father Set had traveled farther than the Nine knew. He alone knew there
gods.
Nebthet dug her fingers
Beneath torchlight, I saw a flash of green, painted upon a crowned man. The
Osiris was turned to shards
into the stone as if it was dry mud. When she made a fist the wall cracked, and
in the darkness.
and took on the aspect
Im not sure I should tell you the next part, she said. Her eyes turned yellow,
of the serpent. Show me your heart, she said, beyond deception.
her enter my thoughts,
I often meditated in the desert, and imagined its vastness within me. When I felt
completely. I will continue.
my desert seemed to be a speck of dust on her finger. And then: You serve Set
she said. It was unlit
He went to the other city. It was called Stubbornness, for its ruler defied Maat,
One received his audience.
by fire. The gates opened to him and he walked alone to its palace. The Defiant
Caine?
Straightener, Redeemer,
What does that mean? In parts or as a whole, the word can be called Spear,
beloved to resist Maat. He
One Who Accepts, Lamenter. He purchased the world with the blood of his
Set demanded his secret.
was cursed, and cast into the darkness beyond, yet he returned to found the city.

ART OF THE BATTLEFIELD

130
 USING THE TALE OF THE ACCURSED FATHER

Thissetting
story highlights a problem Storytellers often encounter. V20 Dark Ages includes plenty of flavor and deep
material, but how do you bring it into the game?
First, understand that the story above is just one example of how it might be told. Characters might find it
written on a scroll, have a renegade Setite share it, or, if they belong to the Clan, they might learn it as part of a
senior initiation into Sets mysteries.
Next, ask yourself what the story suggests. The Followers of Set are inveterate liars, so you can interpret it
any number of ways. Does Set really protect the world from Strangers who threaten the world from beyond?
Was Apep a member of the Second Generation, or something else?
Finally, turn the answers and process of knowing into story events you can use. The Strangers might be
fiends of the sort Infernalists worship, and might claim Baali servitors. They make their move, and the chronicle
not only uses them as antagonists, but reveals the tale in parts to gradually present the true nature of the conflict,
including an unlikely alliance with the Followers of Set.

I cannot be removed from this world because I defiled it, and it demands a
reckoning said the Defi-
ant One. I went into the outer dark, and it abjured me. In its hate, the world
desires me, so that I may be
humbled, and one night, repent. Yet when I repent, the world will end.
Father Set saw the Defiant Ones despair, but he knew the world might end
before the time of repen-
tance, at the hands of those Strangers beyond the world. Set was unafraid of
being outcast as the Defiant
One was and told him, I will take your place, and receive the hatred of Maat
in exchange for your secret.
The Defiant One had other children, but they offered no comfort in the way Set
did, for they were mere
extensions of him, as servile as ones own hand or eye. You must share in my making
from the source, said
the Defiant One. You must be given hatred born from the soil. So the Defiant
One spoke a true name, and
it called forth the Snake, Apep, who opened Sets throat, and issued blood and
black earth into the wound.
And therefore Set became the only childe equal to Defiant One. And he journey
ed to the place where
the sand became what cannot be said. He walked beyond the world for three nights,
or six, or 40. He cast
down the Strangers so they would not invade for an age. He returned and sealed
the way behind him. He
repaired flaws in this world, acting where the selfish lords of Heliopolis would
not. And came clad in the
aspect of Apep, the snake, child of the worlds sustaining hatred. In the outer
darkness he had become
unused to the worlds light, but endured its burning.
Yes, Caine had many children. But only Set is his equal, in power and burden
s. For our Father must
bear Apep, the hate of the world. And because Set committed no crime, he must
sustain that hatred, or else
the world will forgive him, and end. Thus we profane the world with lies, and lead
kine and blood drinker to
celebrate foulness. We offend the world. They must hate us and never know why.
No being must discover
the way of Set, lest they open the way to the Strangers.
Thus are the legends reconciled.
You shouldnt have told me that, I said. You have no reason to. It cant be
true.
No story is true, she said. When you find the lies in this one, youll be ready
for the next.

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131