Samedi (World of Darkness)
| Samedi | |
 Samedi Symbol |
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| Clan information | |
|---|---|
| Name | Samedi |
| Nickname | Stiffs, Zombies |
| Founder | Baron Samedi |
| Parent Clan | Unknown, possibly Cappadocian, Nagaraja, or Nosferatu |
| Sect | Independent |
| Disciplines | Fortitude, Obfuscate, Thanatosis |
| Weaknesses | Appearance of 0 |
The Samedi are a minor independent bloodline of vampires from White Wolf Game Studio's Vampire: The Masquerade books and role-playing games, native to the Caribbean.
The Samedi bloodline has a relatively short but immensely curious history within kindred society. Originating most likely in the Caribbean, the bloodline's members all seem to resemble a zombie or a corpse. Unlike the Nosferatu, who merely become disfigured, the body of the Samedi appears to be in a constant state of decay. Social interactions often fail miserably, as do attempts to integrate into mortal society. Rotting chunks of flesh fall off of their bodies with increasing frequency as they age, and the smell of death clings to them wherever they roam.
The Samedi often serve as Assassins, working for both the Camarilla and the Sabbat.The founder of the bloodline is known only as The Baron and is believed to be the source of the vodoun spirit Baron Samedi. Along with their powers of Fortitude (unnatural endurance), Obfuscate (invisibility) & Thanatosis (manipulation of the processes of aging and decay), many Samedi are accomplished Necromancers.
The Samedi were first encountered in Italy and Caribbean, and the bloodline has only been known to exist for the last several hundred years. While there is not a wealth of information available on the bloodline's history, they seem to have some sort of kinship with both the Giovanni and the Nosferatu. Like the Giovanni, they exhibit a morbid fascination with death and dying. Like the Nosferatu, they are absolutely hideous to behold. Each member of the Samedi bloodline appears as a corpse in an advanced stage of decomposition, and their bodies radiate the smell of rotting flesh.
The clan has spread slowly across the globe, though they remain quite small in number. Most progeny are picked from mortals obsessed with death and dying. Those who worked in the mortuary field during their mortal lives appear to be very common, and many members of the clan seem to possess some sort of tranquility with their own mortality.
Rumors persist of some link between the Samedi and the mysterious Sabbat bloodline, the Harbingers of Skulls. In addition, the Nagaraja bloodline may have some connection to the Samedi's origins.
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[edit] Organization
The Samedi very rarely congregate as a clan, and those chance occurrences where they meet are merely informal gatherings of two or three members who gossip and then go their separate ways. The bloodline claims absolutely no affiliation with any sect or cause, though it has members within the ranks of both the Camarilla and the Sabbat.
Many Samedi find employment among kindred society in the form of assassins or bodyguards. While not as skilled in the ways of battle as the Assamites, they prove to be potent foes. Their use of Thanatosis and Necromancy cause other clans to adopt a healthy fear of the Samedi, if not respect.
The members of the clan are often very solitary in nature, and they don't often seek out companionship. Those lucky enough to have actually conversed with a member of this bloodline often recall a certain wisdom and intelligence within them that otherwise would have been overlooked or dismissed outright. While obsessed with death, most of these vampires still seem to possess a wisdom that betrays their short existence.
[edit] Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
The Samedi also appear as a bloodline in the card game Vampire: The Eternal Struggle.[1]
[edit] Strategy
The Samedi cards mix well with the Giovanni and Harbingers of Skulls, and to a lesser extent, with the Ventrue. The Samedi can be played in a single-clan deck but, like most bloodlines, don't have the numbers to be as strong alone as when mixed with other clans.[2]
[edit] References
[edit] Further reading
- White Wolf Games Studio et al., Vampire Storytellers Companion (White Wolf Game Studio, 1998, ISBN 1-56504-259-X)
- Justin Achilli, Clanbook: Cappadocian (White Wolf Game Studio, 1997, ISBN 1-56504-280-8)
- Andrew Greenberg, Vampire Players Guide (White Wolf Game Studio, 1993, ISBN 1-56504-053-8)
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