User:Stelio/Bloodline (Vampire: The Masquerade)

For bloodlines in Vampire: The Requiem, see Bloodline (Vampire: The Requiem).

For other uses, see Bloodline (disambiguation).

In the fictional mythology of Vampire: The Masquerade, Caine was cursed by God becoming the first vampire. He sired three childer (turned three mortal humans into his vampiric children) who in turn sired a total of thirteen third-generation vampires. The childer of these ancients each formed a separate clan. Since a vampire is more likely to embrace a mortal that shares similar interests, and as the childe learns from their sire, so do families of vampires tend to share similar personality types and powers. The thirteen clans therefore tended towards certain stereotypes and the same basic disciplines (magical powers usable by vampires). Sometimes offshoots of these clans would develop with different powers and interests, and if they grew in number and survived they were considered to be a separate minor bloodline. In certain circumstances the bloodline outgrew the clan and took over, and the third-generation clan founder was diablerised (another vampire drank their blood and soul, thus taking their power) developing the bloodline into a new clan.

The list below is split out by the thirteen third-generation vampires (using their most common names) and describes the bloodlines descended from them. Of these, in modern times seven clans ostensibly belong to the Camarilla (Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue) and two clans to the Sabbat (Lasombra, Tzimisce). Some members of each clan may be found in either of these two opposing sects, but the remaining four clans (Assamite, Giovanni, Ravnos, Setite) are considered independent.

Clans and bloodlines

Absimilliard

• Nictuku: Nosferatu legend has it that Absimilliard blood-bound all of his childer except for one woman, embraced in a moment of passion, who managed to run away. All Nosferatu are said to be descended from her. Absimilliard's other descendants are the Nictuku: massively powerful and vastly hideous monsters who seek to destroy the Nosferatu by their founder's will. It is their existence that drives the Nosferatu to gather information.
• Nosferatu:
  • Nosferatu antitribu:
  • Hajj: Amongst Arabian Kindred (Ashirra), the Hajj are the Nosferatu defenders of Islam and wardens of the Keening, a mystical cry heard only by Ashirra that permeates the Arabian peninsula. Led by the fifth-generation Tarique, their philosophical outlook is sufficiently different to have separated them from their clan as a distinct bloodline, and they have very different disciplines including thaumaturgical powers that emulate True Faith.

Arikel (Ishtar)

• Toreador:
  • Toreador antitribu:
  • Daughters of Cacophony:

Cappadocius

• Cappadocians:
  • Giovanni:
  • Lamia:
  • Harbingers of Skulls:
  • Samedi:

Dracian (Zapathasura)

• Ravnos:
  • Ravnos antitribu:

Ennoia

• Gangrel: The Gangrel are closest to their inner beasts, often acting very animalistic in nature. They typically live in the wilderness and have a close affinity to animals, with the ability to change shape. Although one of the original Camarilla clans, these loners became disaffected and ultimately left the sect. Their historical ties to protecting Gypsies brings them into conflict with the Ravnos.
  • City Gangrel antitribu:
  • Country Gangrel antitribu:
    • Ahrimanes: Founded by a Gangrel antitribu called Muricia, this Sabbat bloodline was formed by her use of a thaumaturgical ritual that mutates a Gangrel's appearance and abilities. In particular they have a discipline that deals with spirits of nature, rather than being able to change shape. They are an artificial bloodline as they must be created through this ritual. All members are chosen to be female.

Haqim

• Assamites:
  • Assamite antitribu:

Lasombra

• Lasombra:
  • Kiasyd: This bloodline was originally created over a thousand years before the Sabbat existed, through an experiment run by the Lasombra using the blood of faeries. The fifth-generation Lasombra, Marconius, was radically changed physically, growing very tall and thin with angular features and black eyeballs. They have the ability to use a form of faerie magic.
  • Lasombra antitribu:

Malkav

• Malkavians: All members of this clan are blessed and cursed with madness of a variety of forms. One the one hand this affords them some enlightenment that others cannot see, and on the other hand makes them unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Although they are members of the Camarilla, their goals are understandably obscure. Individual Malkavians are often ignored by other Kindred, thinking them to be harmless.
  • Malkavian antitribu:

Saulot

• Salubri:
  • Salubri antitribu:
• Baali:

Set

• Followers of Set:
  • Children of Osiris:
  • Serpents of the Light:

Troile

• True Brujah: In ancient times Troile was diablerised by his childe Ilyes, from whom all Brujah descend. The so-called True Brujah are the remaining hidden descendants of Troile, not Ilyes. They have a vast grasp of power of the movement of time. Their massively long term planning within the Tal'mahe'Ra make them seem ineffectual in the short term though.
• Brujah: Often highly politically motivated and philosophical, these Kindred are typically outspoken and rebellious. They are passionate and prone to short tempers, descending into frenzy more easily. They are both skilled at rhetoric and fighting, both of which finds them a useful place within the Camarilla. Their slightly chaotic nature is tolerated by the sect.
  • Brujah antitribu:

Tzimisce

• Old Clan Tzimisce: These descendants of the Tzimisce clan founder predate the formation of the Sabbat, and even the appearance of Vicissitude (the Old Clan instead have Dominate). They are key members of the Tal'mahe'Ra, and lead the Shadow Crusade, a war on everyone infected with Vicissitude. They are few in number and remain very traditional.
• Tzimisce:
  • Blood Brothers:

Veddhartha

• Ventrue:
  • Ventrue antitribu:

Other bloodlines

• Caitiff:
  • Panders:
• Nagaraja: A group of Euthanatos mages turned themselves into vampires without being embraced, creating this bloodline artificially. They wield necromantic powers, but are also cannibalistic and must consume raw human flesh rather than just bood to survive. They are secretive members of the Tal'mahe'Ra and often reside in the Underworld (the land of the Wraiths).
• Tremere:
  • Gargoyles:
  • Tremere antitribu:
• Gaki: These Oriental vampires originally appeared in the Hong Kong section of the A World of Darkness supplement, using the standard rules for Cainite vampires (and new disciplines). Since then, many more supplements were released with majorly different rules and background that replaced this early work. For more information see: Kindred of the East.