Vampire: The Masquerade

Created by Mark Rein·Hagen, Vampire: The Masquerade was the first of White Wolf Game Studio's World of Darkness live-action and role-playing games, based on the Storyteller System and centered around vampires in a modern Gothic-Punk world. The Revised Edition, sometimes alternately referred to as the Third Edition by fans, was released in 1998 and explains, "the setting of Vampire is a composite of its populace and their despair." The title of the series comes from "The Masquerade", referring to the Camarilla's attempts to hide vampirism from humans and their governments and media; it also serves as a double entendre, referring to vampires' efforts to convince themselves that they are not the monsters they have become.

In 1992, Vampire: The Masquerade won the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Rules of 1991. The game line was discontinued in 2004, and followed by received revised rules and a new setting in The Requiem.

'Kindred' is the term many vampires in this game use to refer to themselves. Some vampires, namely those of the 'Sabbat' refer to themselves as Cainites, as the curse that transforms them into vampires originated with Caine. The term 'Kine' (i.e. 'cattle') is the opposite of this, and refers to humans.

In general, vampiric societies consist of two levels: sects and clans. Characters within the Vampire setting are members of one of the clans or minor bloodlines offered, and usually belong to factions associated with these or that reflect a general ideological stance the characters happen to share. For example, a Brujah may belong to the Camarilla, the Sabbat, or the Anarchs, but very few Tremere would be found among the Sabbat and even more rarely among the Anarchs.

Some clans and most of the minor bloodlines declare themselves independent from any sects. In addition, the Laibon, known as Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom by Western Kindred, are not so much a sect as a cultural group bound together loosely by a powerful spiritual bond to the land and the people of Africa. The Kindred of the East, while sharing some superficial similarity to the western Kindred, are actually an entirely different variety of supernatural being.

Clans and bloodlines

Clans

Clan	Progenitor	Sect allegiance
Assamite	Haqim	Mostly an Independent clan, antitribu in the Sabbat, Schismatics in the Camarilla. Highly variable clan, containing castes of Warriors, Viziers, and Sorcerers. They are no longer the stereotyped "Middle Eastern Assassins".
Brujah	Troile/Ilyes	Mostly Camarilla, antitribu in the Sabbat; most Brujah are descendants of Troile, who supposedly diablerized Ilyes; the remaining vampires of the so-called True Brujah clan are practically extinct. The Brujah are warriors and brutes, idealists and iconoclasts.
Followers of Set	Set or Typhon	Mostly an Independent clan. Exist as Serpents of the Light in the Sabbat; this is the proper term for a Followers of Set antitribu. The two factions do not get along because of ideological differences. Known for being corruptors, sometimes in their secret endeavor to awaken Set.
Gangrel	Ennoia	Mostly an Independent clan since they abandoned the Camarilla en masse. They are known as a feral clan that hunts in the wild. Antitribu in the Sabbat.
Giovanni	Augustus Giovanni	Independent, necromancers. They are all of the same family with close ties to organized crime. Most don't want to try and find out any more.
Lasombra	Laro Somi Barra	Mostly Sabbat, rulers of the sect. Their power over shadows is unnerving to most as well as the fact that, unlike other vampires, they don't cast a reflection. Some Lasombra do cast a reflection but it is of a decomposing corpse or a skeleton depending on how long the Lasombra has been a vampire. A few antitribu in the Camarilla.
Malkavian	Malkav	Mostly Camarilla. Known for their insanity and most other vampires don't talk with them unless they must. Antitribu in the Sabbat.
Nosferatu	Absimilliard	Mostly Camarilla, antitribu in the Sabbat. Gatherers of knowledge and information. If a vampire wants information, they go to the Nosferatu — if they can find them. When a human becomes a Nosferatu, they undergo a horrid transformation and appear hideous in the end. Sometimes it is like Count Orlok from the movie Nosferatu. Unlike Tzimisce, they don't choose what they look like as no two Nosferatu have the same abnormalities. Nosferatu take any chance they can get to disgust Toreadors with their appearance and actions. They usually live in the sewers and elaborate secret tunnels.
Ravnos	Dracian (also called Zapathasura)	Mostly an Independent clan of thieves and tricksters, they are known as the Gypsy clan. Antitribu in the Sabbat.
Toreador	Arikel or Ishtar	Mostly Camarilla. Toreadors are more in touch with Kine than any other vampire clan. They are artists and lovers of beauty. Most don't have the ability to lead like the Ventrue or Tremere but are content to drink in the finer things of life that most Kindred don't care for. antitribu in the Sabbat.
Tremere	Tremere	A tightly hierarchical clan in the Camarilla, very few Sabbat members, but the real antitribu-bloodline was completely destroyed by a ritual. Their hatred for the Tzimisce knows no bounds. Their rituals and blood magic makes them most feared.
Tzimisce	^*	Sabbat, Tzimisce outside the sect are extremely rare. Their hatred for the Tremere knows no bounds. Their ability to shape the flesh and bone of others makes them most feared. Only a Nosferatu could not be disgusted with their appearance and practice of using their power over flesh and bone on themselves. If this ability is used on Nosferatu their body will eventually revert back to its previous state. Members of the so-called Old Clan Tzimisce claim independence from the Sabbat.
Ventrue	Veddhartha	Mostly Camarilla, they are known to be nobility, natural leaders, and business-oriented individuals who are in charge of many aspects of power and society. They are the founders and generally leaders of the Camarilla. Antitribu in the Sabbat.

Names in brackets are placeholders for the unknown real names of the progenitors.

Augustus Giovanni was the patriarch of a wealthy family of necromancers, who stole the power of the Cappadocians.

Tremere was a powerful mage who stole the power of the sleeping Saulot.

Minor bloodlines

These clans vary in their origins. Some were among the original major clans, but have declined or become extinct. Others are dominant in regions not central to the events of Vampire: The Masquerade.

Bloodline	Progenitor	Parent bloodline	Sect allegiance
Anda	Dobrul the Brave	Gangrel	Probably extinct before the formation of sects
Ahrimanes	Muricia	Gangrel	Sabbat
Akunanse	Unknown	Gangrel	Laibon
Baali	Shaitan, Moloch and Seker	Origin Unknown.	Independent. Very few Baali survive to this day, as their conspicuous devil-worshipping practices are both a threat to the Masquerade and an abomination to the Sabbat.
Blood Brothers	Artificial	Tzimisce & Tremere antitribu	Sabbat
Cappadocians	Cappadocius	None	Once a major clan, they were considered extinct before the formation of sects; the Giovanni are their successor bloodline; a small group led by Lazarus survived in Egypt and resurfaced in 1998
Children of Osiris	Osiris	Followers of Set	Independent
Daughters of Cacophony	Lilith	Toreador	Independent
Gargoyles	Artificial	Gangrel, Nosferatu and Tzimisce	Gargoyles usually adhere to the sect of their creators. Few stay loyal to their creators as many break off on their own. Many become hitmen or bodyguards if a life of solitude does not suit them. A large group of Gargoyles, freed by Ferox, is independent
Guruhi	Unknown	Unknown (possibly Nosferatu)	Laibon
Harbingers of Skulls	The Capuchin	Cappadocians	Sabbat
Ishtarri	Unknown	Toreador	Sabbat
Kiasyd	Marconius	Lasombra	Nominally Sabbat
Kinyonyi	Unknown	Ravnos	Laibon
Laibon	Fakir Al Sidi	Gangrel	Unknown
Lamia	Lamia	Cappadocians	Considered extinct before the formation of sects
Lhiannan	Unknown	Gangrel	Considered extinct before the formation of sects
Mariner Gangrel	Unknown	Gangrel	Unknown
Mla Watu	Unknown	Cappadocians	Laibon
Nagaraja (World of Darkness)	Unknown	transformed eutanatos mages; can't sire others; flesh eaters	Independent
Naglopers	Unknown	Tzimisce	Laibon
Nkulu Zao	Saulot	Salubri	Laibon
Osebo	Unknown	Brujah	Laibon
Salubri	Saulot	None	A major clan driven to the brink of extinction by the Tremere; the few survivors joined the Sabbat or are independents
Samedi	Baron Samedi	Cappadocians	Independent; Some associate with the Camarilla
Shango	Unknown	Unknown, possibly Assimite	Laibon
Sons of Discord	Lilith	Toreador	Destroyed by their sisters, the Daughters of Cacophony
Tlacique	Unknown	Followers of Set	Independent
Xi Dundu	Unknown	Lasombra	Laibon

Theories as to the founder of the Baali include Saulot and Cappadocius. Although the Chaos Factor book for the Ascension, shows Ashur “Cappadocius”, the progenitor of Cappadocian line, as the sire of Shaitan one of three first Baali.

Clanless

In the World of Darkness, there is an increasing number of "clanless"—vampires who were abandoned by their sires immediately following the Embrace and who are ignorant of their clan status; a vampire cannot choose to become clanless. They are called Caitiff by the Camarilla, and regarded as a sign of the Masquerade spiralling out of control, therefore gaining little respect from their elders. The Sabbat, on the other hand, gladly embraces the clanless (which they call Panders) into the sect. The more superstitious see the growing numbers of these vampires as an omen of the coming Gehenna, the Final Nights of prophecy when all children of Caine will be destroyed.

Tie-ins and adaptations

Under the title Mind's Eye Theatre: The Masquerade White Wolf also provides a Live action role-playing game in the same setting, using their Mind's Eye Theatre system.

the Embraced, a television series based on Vampire, was produced by Aaron Spelling. A video game based upon the Vampire milieu is The Masquerade - Redemption, developed by Nihilistic Software and published in 2000 by Activision. Another game followed in 2004: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. Developed by Troika Games and published by Activision, it uses Half-Life 2's Source engine. A compilation album, called Music from the Succubus Club, was released by Dancing Ferret Discs to serve as a soundtrack for the Vampire RPG.

The Apocalypse, The Ascension, The Oblivion, The Dreaming, The Reckoning, The Resurrection, Kindred of the East and The Fallen are other RPG titles set in the so-called World of Darkness.

In August 2004, the now-defunct game set in the original World of Darkness was replaced by The Requiem. Although it is an entirely new game, rather than a continuation of the old, it uses many elements of the old game, including certain clans and disciplines.

References

Justin Achilli Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition (White Wolf Game Studio, 1998, ISBN 1-56504-249-2)

External links

White Wolf Wikia
Giovanni.Net A website with many details and info about the vampire clan Giovanni.
Darkness Whispers: LA - An exciting roleplay game loosely based on Vampire the Masquerade ((c) White Wolf Publishing, Inc) and set in L.A. Many areas, active plots, great writers, friendly players and helpful staff.
List of books on Pen & Paper
Music from the Succubus Club home page
Vampire: The Masquerade Based Role-playing Game set in London in modern days the RPG is an active project and welcomes all to play. Friendly role-play is assured and we are open for all players.
Original Sin An IRC-based 24/7 roleplaying game network running a Vampire: the Masquerade game.
Port Lussuria A moderated chat and forum based 24/7 roleplaying game network running a Vampire: the Masquerade game based on the east coast.
Club Noir A Vampire: The Masquerade based message board.

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