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3
A Night Like
Any Other
If I hadnt crashed my car, I might not be a vampire.
I remember standing on the street corner, waiting for a bus, thinking, Jesus, does it
always rain in this city? That was the night I died. When I look back on it now, I think
of it like all those other rainy nights as if God personally punctuated another for-
mative chapter of my life with rain because he thought the symbolism hadnt yet been bea-
ten to death. It rained when my girlfriend dumped me (Its not you, its me). It rained
when they diagnosed my mother with lung cancer and it rained when I went to the hospice
to see her. It rained the day I wrecked my car, which is why I was waiting for a bus in the
first place. Cause and effect is a strange thing: if I didnt have to wait for the bus,
would my sire have found me?
I had just stepped into the bus-stop kiosk. I collapsed my umbrella and shook the
water from my coat, doing both carefully so as not to spray the guy sitting on the bench.
The kiosk had one of those backlit mini-billboard ads a bright yellow sign advertising
some Website. The other guy sat in front of it, the light from the sign making him look
jaundiced. We exchanged empty pleasantries, consciously avoiding eye contact and
real conversation, just like everyone else in the city. Those rare times you do make eye
contact with someone, hes invariably some street lunatic, begging for money or waiting to
stab you between the fifth and sixth rib.
I checked my watch 6:27. It was winter, so it had already been dark for about an
hour. I like that, or I guess its more appropriate to say I liked it. But anyway, I figured
Clanbook: Brujah
6
Was I that obvious? I asked.
Its not that youre easy to read. You just carry yourself with a bearing that says
you want more out of life and youre willing to take a risk to get it.
Damn! I should have seen this coming. He was trying to rope me into some marketing
scheme or talk me into purchasing a time-share or something.
Dont get pissed off. It was a compliment most people you see at bus stops are
just going from home to word or from work to home, you know? Its all they want to do
make ends meet. You, though. Youre different. You look forward when you walk, not
down. You shook the water off your jacket instead of letting it make you miserable. You
wanted to pick up your magazine but still catch the bus, so youve obviously got some-
where to be.
What the hell was this? It almost made me laugh. Here I was, trying to get my sand-
wich (not magazine) and make it home in time to see Jeopardy! And this guy was making
me out to be some high-powered overachiever from a Tom Wolfe book.
But you dont see it in yourself. You dont let yourself want more.
A thunderhead broke and the rain came pouring down harder than before.
* * *
I woke to scratching at my window. I didnt think to be scared. If I had thought about
it for a moment, Id have ignored it, because my apartment is on the sixth floor; it could
have only been birds or rats. I didnt think though, and bolted up-right when I heard the
noise.
It was the guy from the bus stop.
He crouched on the sill outside, arms outstretched above his head, knees bent, legs
dangling in the air. The ledge was only about six inches wide, but he seemed comfortably
balanced.
I should have screamed or ran. Called the police. Anything. I couldnt. He waved me
over to him. I couldnt resist. He motioned for me to open the window, a growing smile
crossing his face, showing more and more teeth as I dumbly followed his instructions. As
the window came open, I heard the rain outside.
Its fucking soaking out here. Invite me in, he said. So I did.
Clanbook: Brujah
8
yours makes you unhappy, so you ignore it. But youre scared scared that I can see
it. He continued slinking forward as I stumbled backward, bumbling my way down the
hall and into the kitchen. The floodlight from the billboard across the street reflected
into the room, making it less dim than it should have been. It was a cold, sterile light, inor-
ganic and unflattering; it made my guest look positively ghoulish.
I dont know what youre talking about. I dont want anything. This apartments fine,
and I have a decent job. My voice quavered, sounding more like a sob as I rationa-
lized myself to this dauntless freak. I get all the channels. Ive got my 401(k)...
I scrabbled across the kitchen counter, grabbing a Sabatier chefs knife, but sank to
my knees on the linoleum. My eyes filled with tears. I didnt really know what I was doing
with the knife.
Are you going to stab me? Why? Because you hate yourself? Thats a stupid rea-
son to hurt me, isnt it?
I nodded. The intruder placed his foot on my shoulder and shoved me down. I tum-
bled backward from my kneeling position, landing unceremoniously on my ass, still clutch-
ing the knife. My will had vanished, and I sucked in gasping breaths like a child crying
himself to suffocation.
Take that knife and do what you need to do. Ill run a bath for you. As he turned
his back to me, I sprang from my clumsy position, burying the knife in his kidney, I
slumped to the ground, not even caring that he still stood. As I lay on the floor in a pool of
my own tears, I heard the knife clatter on the floor beside my head. I cringed at the
sound and the tang of the blood.
The man whom I had just stabbed in the back walked down the hall, past my bedroom,
and ran a bath. Before long, steam billowed from the bathroom doorway. My guest re-
turned to my side.
Come on, then. No need to delay this. He picked me up under my arms, handed the
knife back and gave me a push down the hallway. As I approached the bathroom, the trail
of his blood grew fainter and fainter, as if the wound had closed itself while he walked.
As I stumbled down the hall, I knew that what I was doing was crazy. Still, I knew that
death was better than what I had. Before I made it to the bathroom, I used the knife to
Clanbook: Brujah
10
white and red marbling of the muscle beneath. Smeared blood streaked the front of her
ruined body. Her blouse had been crudely torn sideways. The mouth hung open. Glassy
eyes peered at the room, seeing nothing.
I had killed her the nausea in my stomach was her blood warming me from within. I
vomited. Blood roared out of my mouth and all over the sheets.
Dont waste it, shithead. Like a bolt, he had risen from his seat and forced my face
down into the bloody mess. Now take it back it. Thats a good boy.
Forcing the sick back down again, I continued to retch, this time giving up less of the
delicious fluid. It was disgusting orgasmic pleasure from swallowing mouthfuls of
blood.
Keep it down. Youre going to need that where youre going.
What? Where am I going? I looked at the creature in a panic as he jerked me
from my bed and hurled a handful of clothes at me.
Come on its time for everyone to meet the new Kindred in town. Damn, if you can
do this to yourself, just think of what youll be able to do to someone who pisses you off!
Oh, and bring your raincoat.
How far the Brujah have fallen! How shiftless The story of the Brujah reads like a shadow
and impotent they are! account of human history. Every major conflict in
Such are the common impressions held by mem- the World of Darkness has likely had a Brujah on
bers of other clans, from the elders who remember one side or the other. This doesnt mean that every
previous Brujah dispositions to the neonates who battle fought for the sake of the Thirty Years War
stumble into anarchic Brujah domains. As with any had undead participants, but that some Brujah sup-
such simple generalizations, though, these are not ported the Catholics, while others supported the
altogether true. In fact, more than anything else, the Calvinists. And thats only on the surface. Like
history of the Brujah has marked them as agents of mortals and often more so, the childer of Caine
change, perhaps more so than any other Kindred. harbor hidden agendas. Those Brujah involved in
While Ventrue and Lasombra tighten their talons the Thirty Years War may well have had no reli-
around their ever-dwindling holdings in the modern gious partisanship at all, but may have supported
nights, as the Toreador squander unlife with de- German reform, Dutch mercantilism, or any other
bauches reminiscent of the aristocracies of old, as cause or combination of causes. As long as people have
the Nosferatu scuttle through their timeless subter- walked the earth, and as long as the Kindred have
ranean warrens, the Brujah evolve. From the proud stalked among them, the Brujah have agitated, ar-
philosopher-kings of Biblical times to the prophets gued for change, effected it, or been left to lick their
and revolutionaries of the Final Nights, the Brujah wounds in the aftermath of their failed revolutions.
have always embodied current zeitgeist. If the What do the Kindred truly know of the Brujah,
Brujah are raging fiends, it is because that is what the though? What do the Rabble know about them-
world now demands of them. selves? History blends seamlessly into legend when the
Clanbook: Brujah
14
Devil take your beard, wine seller! Not only do you not Kindred Embraced while Troile presumably still
bring me the goods you purport to sell, but you doubt my walked the land refer to her. A few accounts even
honesty and my bearing in the same breath! As surely as I am the
son of [Zillah], I will kill you! And with that, Brujah slew the specify that Troile had no gender, or that it changed
wine seller, drank his blood and took the wine he sought. He left at whim. Because the majority of accounts make
double the price of the wine for the merchants widow to find. Troile masculine, this text assumes such to be the case.
This story illustrates how the Kindred of the In any event, the tales of Troiles exploits have
Second City abused the mortals with impunity and more in common with the modern Brujah mindset
the hazards of not accepting their supremacy. No one than the conflicting accounts of Brujah. Most Brujah
knows why Brujah chose to torment and finally kill accept that their lineage truly descends from this
the wine seller, but he exercised his rights under the figure, instead of his equally mythical sire, for one
Second Citys law. If this tale is true, it answers other reason: foul diablerie. Troile committed the Ama-
questions, such as why the other members of the ranth upon his sire, which is one of the most popular
Third Generation mistrusted Brujah, and why they reasons accepted for the start of the kinslayer wars
might have chosen to saddle him with the guilt for that ultimately destroyed the Second City.
their own misdeeds. Troiles short temper was also legendary, corre-
Of course, as with any consideration of the Third sponding to the modern Brujahs propensity for frenzy.
Generation, other accounts of Brujah vary. In the Pervasive rumors attribute a cold, detached demeanor
parable Brujah and the Three Coins, the Antedi- to Troiles sire, which may explain why Brujah Em-
luvian appears in a much more compassionate light, braced him maybe he sought a different viewpoint
paying the magistrates legal fees for a destitute or perhaps the Embrace resulted from a simple at-
stonemason with a coin for justice, a coin for fair- traction of opposites. The Book of Nod describes the
ness, and a coin for virtue. In other tales, he appears Brujah as the Learned Clan, though none can say
as the passionate advocate for change so many of his whether this refers to the brood of Brujah or the
lineage affect, as in the case in Brujah and the Dead King. descendents of Troile. Going forward from the time
Running contrary to the rebellious image so of Troile and the Second City, the Brujah were still
often attributed to the Antediluvian is the revision- quite often philosophers, poets and historians as well
ist impression that a few Brujah uphold. These as warriors. In fact, the Curse of Troile the clans
Kindred claim that Brujah was in fact an extremely propensity for rage may be one of the more
conservative Cainite, calm and logical. They offer backhanded blights Caine attributed to his childer,
other interpretations of the parables: With his three much like the Nosferatus reputed ugliness to atone
coins, Brujah was doing nothing more than paying for their progenitors vanity. Instead of being left to
for justice as the wealthy sometimes had to do for the watch and record their world objectively, Caine may
poor in early civilizations; in Brujah and the Dead well have cursed the childer of Troile with wild passion.
King, he saw the need for stability and placed The most disturbing legends of Troile owe much
someone on the throne to keep the state from degen- to the oral history of the period. Few stories place
erating into anarchy. Troile and Brujah together at any time the Kin-
Of course, both positions rely heavily on the one dred have no accounts of, for example, Troiles
undeniable fact that arises when dealing with Embrace or the sire explaining the Curse of Caine to
Antediluvians no one can ever know for certain. his childe. Skeptics among the clan speculate that
Even fundamental assumptions one makes are Brujah and Troile are the same Kindred Brujah
based on hearsay at best, which significantly affects may have suddenly needed to change his identity or
the position most Rabble take on the matter of hide from some terrible foe, and fabricated his own
Brujahs most infamous progeny. diablerie to corroborate his disappearance. The pos-
Troile sibility, while remote, is not altogether inconceivable:
A figure surrounded in as much mystery as Brujah The inconsistencies in reports of Troiles gender may
himself, Troile represents for many Rabble what has have resulted from Brujah changing his appearance
become the modern embodiment of the clan. while he adapted to his new identity. The radical
Sources discussing Troile vary greatly, even on shift in personality from sire to childe may have
the matter of the childes gender. The Methuselah come in response to the new identity, or may stem
Meneleus refers to his sire as he, while other from a curse bestowed by the First Vampire.
Clanbook: Brujah
16
Fabled Carthage For centuries, Carthage enjoyed its debased
prominence, with Brujah and Assamites walking as
Tied inextricably to the demeanor of the clan is veritable gods among the mortals of the city. The
the fate of Carthage, a once-thriving African port Brujah Critias established a Socratic school there;
located on the Mediterranean Sea. Karthadasht, by Xenophon the historian received his Embrace there;
600 B.C., had become the capitol of Phoenician Dida raised her own cult among the impoverished
civilization, and its history before that dates back and al-Ashrad visited in the nights before becoming
perhaps 150 years, though some legends place its Kindred himself.
origins even earlier. To hear those Brujah who spent The enmity of Greece and later Rome conspired
part of their unlives in Carthage, the city was a against Carthage in the long run, however. Allied
utopia in which Kindred and kine coexisted in flaw- with the declining Etruscans, cut off from the Per-
less symbiosis. Younger Brujah, including the more sian Phoenicians, Carthage began its decline.
educated among the modern nights neonates, some- Government changed from a focused dictatorship to
times refer to the city as though they had been there, the rulership of squabbling oligarchs the sufet
conjuring an ideal Cainite city-state free from the magistrates, nobles and warmasters. As the Punic
restrictions imposed by the Masquerade. Almost all Wars came to a head, Carthages coffers had been so
Brujah, whether or not they have any grounds to do plundered by greedy nobles and selfish Kindred that
so, blame the Ventrue for the destruction of this the city couldnt afford to pay its armies. Instead, the
idyllic city. rulers threw parties and orgies for the soldiers to
Although little concrete evidence exists, most distract them from the fact that they couldnt be paid
accounts of Carthage portray it as a pit to turpitude, for their services. The Brujah had so decentralized
at least at the time of its sacking by the Romans the sufets and nobles with their own power plays that
during the Third Punic War (146 B.C.). The promi- they had no hope of winning Punic Wars, despite
nent religion, as in many Phoenician states, was Hannibals ingenious tactics and those of the cun-
Baalism, which local Cainites twisted to their own ning Cainite Dominic (see below). Meneleus left
ends. By the time of its fall, the city hosted nightly Carthage to seek aid from the Nosferatu and Gangrel
bloodbaths; sacrifices of children, virgins and slaves; of the southern continent when the citys great
demonic rites; orgies and all manner of luxurious betrayal came, some say at the hands of a beautiful
indulgence. Certainly, the city had its glories in Toreador who was Meneleuss nemesis. The Roman
her journals, the ancient Kindred Altamira described forces swept in, influenced by a queasy coalition of
Carthage as a city in perfect harmony with the Ventrue, Malkavians and a few Toreador, and de-
Canaille, free from the restrictions of any prince. stroyed the city.
Some [Kindred] had discovered how to control the Carthaginian Kindred fled as the city burned,
Beast, and others had been pulled back from the very and the Romans salted the earth to prevent any who
depths of frenzy. Together, mortals and immortals had taken shelter in the soil from rising. After the
[created] a wondrous, eternal city of peace, progress sack of the city, Carthage never again hosted the
and equality. The reality of the matter was not so idyllic conditions the Brujah ascribed to it. It came
bright, however, due to the decadent rituals de- under Roman rule after the Third Punic War and
scribed above, the Phoenician conflict with Rome, remained part of the empire, weathering an invasion
the powerlust of Cainites and the short, brutal na- of Vandals in the 5th century A.D. and finally,
ture of life during the time. destruction at the hands of Arabs in 698 A.D.
Karthadasht attracted many Kindred, though it The razing of Carthage profoundly affected the
was most thoroughly influenced by Brujah, with a Brujah, to whom it had been a sort of home city, free
significant body of Phoenician Assamites cultivat- from the ubiquitous influence of the Ventrue and
ing a distant second share. The mighty warrior, Toreador elsewhere. Since that time, many Brujah
orator and reputed childe of Troile, Meneleus made have entertained, however unrealistically, the dream
his haven there, as did the barbarian philosopher of rebuilding Carthage or creating it anew at a
Altamira. And the city suffered no dearth of mortal different location. To date, all of these attempts have
visionaries, such as the mighty Hannibal, the failed, and the Brujah still harbor a festering grudge...
scourge of Rome.
Clanbook: Brujah
18
society. Clara, recognizing that those living contem- Having fled the oppressive Ventrue presence in Rome,
plative lives could devote a few hours to this noble many Brujah relocated to the farthest provinces of the
end, put certain residents of her abbey to work empire, to the places like Pannonia, Dacia, and the
cataloguing, writing and copying books. Fergal, in lands surrounding the Carpathian Mountains the
the meantime, traveled all over Western and East- area known as Transylvania.
ern Europe, northern Africa, and the Near East in The mention of Transylvania, Hungary and the
pursuit of written treasures. Danube usually conjures images of the Tzimisce, the
As the rest of the world busied itself with wars of skulking Nosferatu and the most feral Gangrel. In
territory and the daily ordeal of survival, these two truth, the Hungarian Brujah were quite prolific,
Kindred convinced other Irish abbots to undertake perhaps equaling the populations of their fellow
the same preservative efforts in their own monaster- clans. But because they were not the indigenous
ies. As a result, the Churchs libraries were repositories Kindred of the land beyond the forest, the local
of knowledge that would have otherwise been lost to clans forced them into relative obscurity. While
the world. Without the written legacy of humanity, most accounts of Transylvania feature marauding
its quite possible that the Dark Ages may have bands Tzimisce or nests of Nosferatu, the Brujah
lasted forever. played as important role, if less legendary one, as
Clanbook: Brujah
20
Magyar Ventrue, Romanian Tzimisce, isolated
Nosferatu domains and even mortal institutions. Laurels of History
Their fury unchecked, the Brujah terrorized Eastern As has been noted before, the Brujah have
Hungary and beyond. They were as brutal as any very little resembling a clan history. Still, to
Tzimisce, but far less exacting, leaving sacked vil- use that as a basis to dismiss the contributions of
lages and exsanguinated corpses in their wake. certain Rabble throughout history is foolish
For two centuries, the Brujah plagued the area despite the lack of unity among Clan Brujah, its
before the tone of the rebellion shifted. Having members often influence the outcomes of key
already earned the reputation as anti-monarchists events around the world.
and political maniacs, the anarchistic Brujah be- Ibn-El-Sayyid
came the first anarchs. By the turn of the 13th An unnamed Brujah is believed to have
century, other Kindred who heard of them or ob- helped pen Poen of the Cid after fighting in the
served them extrapolated the Brujah cause to their
struggle to drive the Moors out of Valencia in
own ideals. More and more, Kindred attacked the
1094. The Brujah are particularly fond of this
institutions that had upheld the society of the undead
possibly mythical Kindred just as the Lasombra
for millennia. Young Cainites especially were se-
feel a great tie to Rodrigo de Vivar and a
duced by the growing revolt, left as they were to the
Brujah connection to him undermines the Keep-
mortal influences that the avaricious elders hadnt
ers arrogant claims to greatness.
already hoarded for themselves. The Brujah revolu-
The Real Robin Hood
tion had taken on an unlife as its own, creating
During the late 14th century, Robin Leeland
copycat factions and splinter groups wherever Kin-
participated in many of the peasant uprisings in
dred spoke of the matter. Young Cainites marauded
through the night in groups known as Furores, England, including Wat Tylers rebellion and
anarchs, coven and collections of anti-clans who several revolts against Edward III and Henery IV.
had forsaken their heritage and pursued unlife as Leeland is seen by many as one of the first
they saw fit. anarchs, and sired a prestigious brook of Rabble,
Themselves enamored of the Brujah resistance including Patricia of Bollingbrook (see Chapter
against their greedy elders, rouge Tzimisce, Ventrue Three).
and Nosferatu in Hungary joined the cause. While The Sun Never Sets...
they harbored little love for the out-of-control Brujah At the beginning of Indias Sepoy Rebellion
who had made a horror show of Transylvania for as of 1857, the Brujah Bankim Hapsa was among
long as they could remember, the dissatisfied Cainites the Muslim Indians who killed British officers
of Hungary saw their elders distracted by the anarch after being imprisoned for refusing to bite open
menace and used the opportunity to make a place for rifle cartridges that had been lubricated with
themselves. As the 14th century approached, the pork fat. He followed the rebellion until it was
Brujah had raged for so long that most Kindred had finally suppressed in 1859 and aided in the cap-
come to accept that Transylvania might well be a ture of Lucknow and Delhi.
battleground for undead forever. The American Revolutionary
Ever more Tzimisce revolted against their sires, and Civil Wars
and significant numbers of other Kindred proclaimed Marguerite Foccart and the Embraced slave
themselves antitribu in open defiance of the estab- Crispus Attucks led several rebellions against
lished conventions of Cainite society. Packs of young the British, including being present at the Bos-
vampires toppled their sires, while cagey elders anni- ton Massacre. They also organized guerrilla strikes
hilated entire broods of neonates and ancillae during the nights before the war itself that re-
indiscriminately. Hungarian cities like Bistritz, sulted in the weakening of British garrisons.
Klausenburg and Mediasch became Kindred cru- Likewise, just 100 years after the American se-
cibles, where anarchs terrorized the streets and princes cession from England, Foccart and Attucks
conspired against expansionist Southern Ventrue
conceived desperate counterstrikes from their castles
during the Civil War, stealing war funds, inter-
and manors. The rebellion spread to the west all
cepting missives and feeding from Confederate
over Europe childer battled their sires. Paris, Lon- soldiers to weaken them before battles.
don, Milan, Budapest, Cologne and Prague were all
hotbeds of strife.
Clanbook: Brujah
22
pleased them upon command. Seduced by his prom- looming on the horizon: the Cathayans. With Salva-
ise of wealth and pleasure, Ybalb allowed him to dor Garcias help, the Kindred of the East crippled a
Embrace her. What she found upon following him, powerful gang of anarchs, the Crypts son and moved
though, disgusted her the wickedness and treach- into positions of influence traditionally held by West-
ery of the Kindred made her ashamed of what she had ern vampires in the Anarch Free State. To this night,
become. Stalking her sire, she fled back to the lands Garcia remains firmly in the camp of the Cathayans
of her home where she had become a demon, a New Promise Mandarinate, seeing the Kuei-jins
hungry spirit. Outcast, she met a few others, follow- order as a better one than the Gangland feudalism
ers of Kagn, who were like her but not the same as her. that the Anarch Free State seemed only to engender.
To the best of anyones knowledge, she prowls the
lands of Africa to this night, counting among her allies The Contemporary
the ghosts and laibon unknown to other Kindred.
Malchus Feith Rabble
In the early part of the 18th century, before the The end of the 19th century through the turn of
King of England and the Prince of Wales plunged the the 21st bore witness to tremendous change, espe-
country into a state of civil war, Malchus Feith cially for Clan Brujah. As the Jyhad rages, the Rabble
served as the Midnight Advisor to George II, whom press on, waging their own nightly wars against the
the Hanover-allied Ventrue considered theirs. An backdrop of the most accelerated technological ad-
entente of French Brujah, Malkavians and Toreador vancement in the history of civilization.
attempted a minor coup of English lands, under the Most Kindred find such omnipresent change
guise of a pretended named Rudolph, who claimed to unconscionable. As creatures cursed with an immor-
hail from the royal family of the sovereign state of tality that traps them in time, the undead prefer
Ruritania. The English court, smelling scandal, stasis to change because it is more difficult for their
blazed with gossip. Duels were fought, lovers met dead minds to accept new environments. This is
their deaths in passion and nobles plotted and even true of elder Brujah, who may have long since
schemed how best to ally themselves with the witnessed the ascension of their ideal society, only
nascent House of Rassendyll, to which Prince to watch it collapse beneath the inexorable tide of
Rudolph belonged, without earning the ire of King progress. To most Brujah, however, the events of
George. Surely, more blood would have been spilled the last hundred years have been a culmination of
and more treacheries enacted but for Chamberlain their efforts. Even in areas untouched by the slight-
Feith, who defused the whole situation by making est Brujah influence, adjustment has been the rule of
the court aware, through ghouls, mortal servants and the era. Even as the world disintegrates nightly with
public notices that, indeed, there was no such thing as the approach of Gehenna, the Brujah hope that they
the House of Rassendyll, and no nation known as can somehow affect the fate of the world. Poverty
Ruritania. soars whole unemployment shrinks, as the working
Salvador Garcia poor displace the out of work. The mortal lifespan
One of the most influential anarchs of the falled extends, perhaps too long, as overpopulation de-
Anarch Free State, Garcia soured on the glorious vours the worlds resources. Old political institutions
struggle after decades of resistance against the Cali- come under great scrutiny during the Information
fornian princes. As one of Jeremy MacNeils Age, though the reforms that result are often the
compatriots, Garcia struck against Prince Sebastian, most popular, not necessarily the best. In light of
plotted against the malicious Lupines of Death Val- such unchecked change, many Brujah become disil-
ley and finally settled in East Los Angeles as part of lusioned and are forced to consider whether change
the Revolutionary Council. As he grew older, how- is always for the best.
ever, Garcia began to perceive the anarchs as less of Across Europe
a force fighting for a true fee state and more a
Part of the problem facing the Brujahs identity
simple-minded group of vicious thugs. No longer
and history throughout the High Middle Ages and
feeling he owed the cause any allegiance, Garcia
into the future was that the Rabble no longer had a
turned not to the Camarilla, but to the larger threat
true home. Insomuch as Carthage was the city of
Clanbook: Brujah
24
religious persecution or cultural climes. Vampires Brujah Sabbat packs expanded the sects influence
may be great manipulators, but part of prowess at into Baja Mexico while Ronald Malkmus and his
manipulation is not being known for it individual pack followed Jolliet and Marquettes expeditions
Brujah generally had the sense to avoid making and proceeded further north into Canada. In Mexico
themselves obvious movers and shakers in the City, many traveling Brujah fell under the sway of the
realms of moral politics. Sabbat Toreador who called herself Galbraith and
The New World joined the sect, while others converted to the Sword
of Caines cause on pain of Final Death. Fortified by
As is no surprise, many Kindred jumped at the
the presence of Brujah and Gangrel Cainites, the
opportunity to make a place for themselves in the
Sabbat tightened its grip around Mexico, even as the
New World as the Age of Exploration opened new
colonies (and later states) to the north slipped
vistas to Cainites and kine alike. Brujah flocked to
through its bloody talon. The Sabbat in Mexico
ships second only in number to the sleep Lasombra
loomed almost as ubiquitously as the Camarilla did
pirate corvettes, becoming scourges of the seas. Oth-
in Europe and to the north vampires populated
ers, generally ancillae and neonates looking to make
the ranks of the local Catholic Church and claimed
their own fortunes were cagey elders hadnt already
monopolized the local resources, set out to claim to be dons of their own estates. Away from the
domains in the New World. Some followed the steeples and mud-brick walls of the cities, bestial
anarchs and autarkis West; some tool the fledgling Sabbat stalked the black plains, some even capable
Camarillas cause to the far shores and still others of defending their primitive domains against the
carried the Sabbats Great Jyhad across the Atlantic. frenzied Lupines.
Within a century, the New World was rife with Brujah also gathered in New York, Providence,
Brujah, outnumbering members of other clans by as and later Atlanta and across Florida. Drawn by the
many as two to one in some estimations. readily available supplies of vitae or the throngs of
Unlike in the Old World, Brujah in the early mortal life in the cities, the Brujah generally left the
Americas centralized. This took place not so much press westward to mortals and then members of other
out of camaraderie as it did out of Embrace practices clans. The cities on the seaboard had all the wanted
faced with significant resources as far as suste- why risk unknowingly upsetting the feral Gangrel or
nance were concerned and no strong princes to worse, a den of Lupines? Inevitably, though, some
prevent them, many Brujah set foot on solid ground Brujah moved westward either out of wanderlust or
and immediately Embraced new broods. Rabble who due to the rarity of valuable domains to the east,
followed Cortez to the great cities of the Aztecs set which had already been claimed by the first waves of
themselves up among the death-witches and gold- Kindred to hit the shores.
smiths. Some settled with the Incas and feasted on Canada held little appeal for most Brujah it
was too rural, and the parts that werent were either
the hearty blood of the quinoa farmers. Still others
inhospitable due to the ravening Sabbat present or
moved further south... and were never heard from
oppressive exile domains claimed by French and
again, which causes many to speculate either that
English Toreador, Tremere and Ventrue who found
something destroyed them or they took the opportu-
the political tides of the Old World turned against
nity to remove themselves from the petty politics of
them. This isnt true universally Montreal had no
Kindred society altogether. A few followed the
shortage of Brujah both Sabbat and otherwise during
Portuguese into what would become Brazil, but even
its first nights, while Vancouver has at least one
these foresires of the modern Southern American
resident Brujah and her brood. For the most part,
Kindred know nothing of what became of the Brujah
however, New World Brujah quickly became con-
who traveled in Pizarros wake. tent to defend their more easily established domains,
To the north, the Brujah found Mexico to be forcing much of the Kindreds movements through
infested by Sabbat and anarchs. Those who had no Canada and the western expanse of the United
sympathy for these sects fled either to the South States to be undertaken by other clans. They re-
American jungles or the East Coast of what would pelled Sabbat incursions, backend princes claims to
one night become the United States and Canada. power, warred with each other and other clans, and
The Sabbat Brujah grew strong and complacent in generally behaved exactly as had their sires and
Mexico. Led by Medardo Cancarone, several nomadic elders throughout history, despite the vast difference
Chapter One: Millennia of Conflict
25
in their ages. Perhaps this reflects on Kindred nature who came to the New World during the Age of
at large, without regard to clan... Exploration and still make their havens in Mexico
The Frontier and Central America to the vast prods populating
Of course, not every New World Brujah was a the Anarch Free State, Clan Brujah has perhaps
paranoid homebody or spiteful curmudgeon. Many more than its fair share of Kindred.
ancillae who were present remember the American The Anarch Free State
frontier fondly, if a bit nostalgically. Frontier law Forced westward at the turn of the 20th century
suited the tastes of many Brujah for the most by the dual pressures of the Sabbat on the East Coast
anarchic, the law was practically nonexistent, and and Camarilla Ventrue and Toreador consolidating
reformationist Brujah often found themselves able their influence over heartland cities, the Brujah
to influence the casual justice of the Wild West finally found themselves with nowhere else to go,
with their own pet philosophies. having arrived at the West Coast of the United
The middle to late 1800s represented a wild, States. Even there, the influence of other clans kept
violent time, and not only in American history. the Brujah politically impotent. Teeming with up-
Needless to say, this suited the passions and tastes of rooted Rabble by the first decade of the 20th century,
many Rabble. In France, the aftermath of the French the cities of Sacramento, Seattle, Los Angeles and
Revolution gave rise to the Emperor Napoleon, who San Diego were ripe for rebellion.
conquered as much of Europe as was humanly pos- Princes of these cities, outnumbered but still
sible at the time, much to the pleasure of his Brujah maintaining their influence, had to be careful to
and Ventrue supporters. Some simple Brujah reveled avoid a second Anarch Revolt. In the end, their
in the violence of Napoleons conquest while it gave appeasement tactics failed despite offering con-
other cause against which to raise a hue and cry. sideration to the inordinate throngs of Brujah,
Intellectual Brujah had the opportunity to watch the violence flared. Inspired by the dissident Jeremy
theories of the progressive philosophes tested which MacNeil, a small group of Brujah staged an open
resulted in the rise of enlightened despotism in both rebellion against the Prince of Los Angeles, the
Eastern and Western Europe, and the penultimate Toreador Don Sebastian, in 1944. The event that
radical stance of communism shortly thereafter. touched off the revolt was indicative of the larger
Things were certainly no calmer for Kindred in problem the Brujah faced: Overconfident in his own
the American West. Border conflicts in Texas, New power, Sebastian ordered his flunkies to beat MacNeil
Mexico and California between Sabbat, Camarilla as a lesson to the unruly Rabble. Instead of being
and anarch vampires erupted almost nightly, with cowed into submission, the Brujah became enraged.
little being gained in terms of permanent advantage Seeing that his exercise in terror politics had failed,
either way. Brujah vampires rode with the Sebastian relented, promising an investigation and
cattleherders and outlaw gangs alike posthumous his own trial under a council of elders.
journals and newspaper reports have attributed known These promised placated the Brujah, who thought
Kindred to outfits like the Scott Cooley gang, the the evidence was so solid against Sebastian that the
Clanton clan and practically every member of the council would have no choice but to censure him.
Harrison Miner gang. Obviously, none of the Kin- One of the elders on the council was Brujah
dred outlaws were present for events like the O.K. himself, which the anarchs believed gave them a
Corral affair, but nonetheless, a band of armed noc- sympathizer on the council. Such wasnt the case,
turnal marauders with unholy powers turned many a however the elders thrived under Sabastians
wagon train or border town into a nightmare for princedom, and either had no desire to see a howling
the victims. pack of rowdy childer in charge or sincerely underes-
North America timated the threat posed by the anarchs. They made
a statement to the local Kindred that they had found
While the North American continent doesnt
Sebastian and his entourage free from any wrongdo-
have the greatest concentration of Brujah Kindred
ing. They even attempted to saddle MacNeil with
(a distinction more likely belonging to Western
trumped-up charges of conspiracy against the prince.
Europe or northern Africa), it likely has the greatest
The anarchs went ballistic. Rebels rioted in the
population of Rabble. From the childer of Kindred
streets of Los Angeles. Intellectuals derided Sebastian
Clanbook: Brujah
26
and the elders, claiming that they had turned the testaments to the fury of the disenfranchised childer.
Kindred social contract into a plutocratic govern- What the elders perceived to be a small but vocal
ment of the undead. The anarchs and Brujah rallied, faction of neonates turned out to be a vast mob of
instantly elevating MacNeil to the status of martyr Kindred. Over three years, the Camarilla presence in
and chanting his name as they rampaged through the California had been scuttled by the Brujah and their
city. The revolt grew nightly, and even the reluctant anarch allies. Rebellion spread up the coast as well,
MacNeil found himself dragged into active partici- inciting further anarch coups in Oregon and
pation. Within a week, the Brujah and their anarch Washington. When everything settled down, the
allies had overthrown the princedom, binding anarchs emerged triumphant.
Sebastian in iron chains and burning down his haven Jeremy MacNeil, having been trust into the
with him and his cronies still inside. The elders role of leadership, did what he could with the surpris-
either joined the anarch cause or fled underground. ingly successful overthrow. Assembling a
Over the course of two short months since MacNeils representative collective of anarch councilors, the
beating, the anarchs had completely undermined revolutionaries adapted the Camarillas traditions to
Camarilla influence in Los Angeles with the most suit their needs. Transcending mortal political bound-
dire of methods. aries, the strip of land affected by the revolts
The anarchs had more where that came from. proclaimed itself the Anarch Free State. They made
The Los Angeles revolt was only the beginning. it plain that while they didnt oppose the tenets to
Sebastians overthrow ignited an explosion that en- which the Camarilla subscribed, they werent about
gulfed all of the West Coast. Spurred to action by the to stand for elder domination out of obeisance. In the
events taking place in LA, anarchs, Brujah and other free state, so went the philosophy, any Kindred was
revolutionaries visited similar fates upon the princes free to make his own fortune, regardless of age, with
and elders from San Diego to San Jose. Elders were simple respect for the other Kindred present.
reduced to ash and dumped unceremoniously into The reality turned out to be less utopian than the
the sea. Princes met grisly or dramatic ends as theory, however. By the late 1950s, the free state had
Clanbook: Brujah
28
self-preservation instinct of other Kindred who
werent about to let a few foolish or maniacal vam-
pires jeopardize their own unlives. The rift between
the anarchs and the Camarilla had even started the
slow process of healing once the anarchs saw no
reconquest effort mounting against them and the
Camarilla elders realized that the anarch threat
seemed to contain and police itself, for the most part.
It seemed as if the Anarch Free State had estab-
lished itself for nothing more catastrophic than a
slow decline, if indeed, it didnt stabilize into a
virtual Camarilla. That, then, was the reason that
the abrupt shattering of the free state took so many
Kindred by surprise, anarchs and outside onlookers
alike.
In late 1998, the anarch baron of San Diego, the
Brujah Tara, made a bid for recognition that forever
altered the Anarch Free State. With the assistance of
a Camarilla archon, Tara declared herself Prince of
San Diego, returning the city to the nominal influ-
ence of the Camarilla certainly more so than any
other free-state city with the exception of San Fran-
cisco. This act shocked the complacent anarchs,
who had taken their dominance in California for
granted for so long that they didnt see Taras defec-
tion coming.
The new Prince of San Diego argues that the
shifting allegiance changes nothing about the aver-
age Kindreds nightly affairs. The Camarilla doesnt
demand anything of its Kindred or princes, but pro-
vides a network of contacts and a loose affiliation
upon which the city can rely. Trapped between
Sabbat dominance in Tijuana to the south and the
ceaseless influx of Cathayans from Asia, Tara de-
fends herself as having had no choice albeit from
a very comfortable haven.
Fractious Brujah and anarchs loyal to the cause
have become increasingly agitated with the situa-
tion, not because it changes anything for them but
because it sets an uncomfortable precedent. If the
free state depends on the Camarilla for defense or
unity, its not really a free state at all. Jeremy MacNeil,
in particular, regarded Taras decision as a great
betrayal.
Following San Diegos dramatized defection by
less than one year, the exposure of many prominent
free state Kindreds dealings with the bellicose
Cathayans has further compromised the anarch ter-
ritory. Despite strong Brujah presence and the
(admittedly erratic) support of the anarchs themselves,
Clanbook: Brujah
30
struggled against the aristocracy while modernists
like Antonin Zilkha and Leonid Borsovich champi-
oned the ideals of Marx and Engels.
It is no surprise, then, that many Brujah accumu-
lated influence among the nascent Bolsheviks and
Mensheviks and found themselves propelled to promi-
nence following the overthrow of Czar Nicholas in
1917. Although not all Brujah openly supported
Soviet Communism, most were simply satisfied to
attach themselves to the winning side or throw in
with the group proposing the most radical change.
So it was then, that an appreciable number of Rus-
sian Brujah seized the reins of Kindred power during
the early decades of the 20th century.
Seeing the need to insulate themselves against
the schemes of the ousted Kindred who had until
recently held power, the communist Brujah decided
to form a coalition. Brujah all across Russia became
part of this council, from the lowliest neonate Bol-
shevik to the most august elder who secured a place
for himself in Lenins cabinet.
The loose coalition hadnt been in place long
before the Brujah egos and tempers that comprised it
flared. To the outside observer, the council was a
monument of Kindred cooperation. To those inside
it, however, every night promised a new struggle
among the members. Genuine Kindred communists
struggled with those who had joined the revolution
for their own interests. Zilkha and Borisovichs athe-
ists matched wits with the less radical socialists.
Additionally, the leader of the revolution and new
government, Vladimir Lenin, proved remarkably
resistant to Kindred influence. Wheter he was aware
of the undead nature of the powerful council or
simply too politically agile to fall under the sway of
the Brujah, Lenin eluded them. This divided the
council even further, as frustrations over Lenins
persistent autonomy kept the Kindred from using the
communists to their full satisfaction.
Lenins tenacious freedom from the spheres of
Kindred influence proved his undoing, however.
The philosophers and idealists among the Brujah
Council resented the stance he took on intellectual-
ism many mortal Russian critics, thinkers and
scholars were sent to labor camps, as Lenin reasoned
that they might upset his plans of the state. More
radical elements among the Brujah backed Lenin but
the elders conservative ancilla believed that the
revolution had gone too far. After Lenins death in
Clanbook: Brujah
32
fabled Baba Yaga (no doubt by some ungodly en- the time of unified Brujah cooperation against the
emy), the disbanding of the U.S.S.R., the rise and efforts of other clans has ended. Indeed, the Brujah
retirement of Gorbachevs successor Boris Yeltsin Council in Russia was the last of the cohesive Brujah
the Brujah contribution to the situation has largely efforts the world has known to date.
ended. A few Brujah still exist in Russia, piecing And, as the Final Nights wear on, it may prove to
together domains or sparring with petty princes, but be the last the world ever sees.
One might suspect that a clan like the Brujah rally, though methods may differ among various
has few traditions, that its members are too diverse to gangs, cults, fronts and leagues.
share any common ground. To some extent this is One common characteristic shared by the Brujah
true the Brujah are rebels above all else; what is their close tie to the mortal world. While other
strikes one as a universal truth may seem like blas- Kindred interact with mortals through institutions
phemy to another. Certainly, the clan is one of the (like the Ventrue or the Toreador), the Brujah deal
most disorganized and informal families of Caines most often with individual mortals. A single Brujah
childer, but that doesnt automatically alienate them may very well have contacts in the police force,
from one another. comrades in the drug underworld, secret agents in
Brujah often gather in broods of like-minded the press and compatriots who are members of urban
individuals. In many cities, the majority of local gangs. Some Kindred joke that while a Toreador
Brujah descend from the same sire. A noted primogen might be able to get you on the guest list, only a
may sire every Brujah in the city and defend this as Brujah can get you through the door.
her right; a powerful elder may be the grandsire of Indeed, the Kindred may have none among them
multiple nests of Brujah in a given domain. Or, quite closer to the mortal world than the Brujah. While
the opposite, a city may have a cosmopolitan Rabble the Venture busy themselves with banks and invest-
from a variety of sires and locations. ment firms, and the Toreador disdain the common
Despite the Curse of Caine, Brujah tend to be elements of humanity, the Brujah place themselves
social creatures, which explains their congregations. right in the middle (of course, they do so almost
Young Kindred often find safety in numbers, while universally for the purpose of rebelling against the
elders cling to their dwindling humanity by sur- establishment). One needs to look no further than
rounding themselves with progeny. Even dissolute the closet in a Brujahs haven to know the impact
anarchs have a common cause against which they mortals have on their unlives Rabble follow
Clanbook: Brujah
36
are Brujah who just dont care about politics and
simply want to kick a little ass. Then again, if
you tell them that their enemy is philosophi-
cally different from them, theyll climb over
their own dead mothers to take a
shot at the guy.
Heres the truth, are you
ready? were all exactly
as individual or as assimi-
lated as we each want to
be. Thats one of the things
I hate about this century
pop-culture drivel pre-
tending to be legitimate
social science. It seems that
the modern kine need valida-
tion for their feelings of superiority
or rationale for their self-hatred.
Young Kindred follow this trend all too
blindly. Me, Id prefer a good old-fash-
ioned argument about noble savagery
any night of the week, but regrettably,
Rousseau is not among the Damned.
Listen to me! How typical of a
Brujah... Ive let my feelings on
the matter divert me from the
issue at hand. Too caught up in
my own rhetoric, dont you know.
No wonder were so fractious.
Back to the pigeonholes: In a
nutshell, the iconoclasts are your
bong-hurling anarchist types
while idealists are the brooding
subversives.
Iconoclasts
In the modern nights, must Brujah
probably fall into the iconoclast archetype,
or at least they have over the past few de-
cades. Social upheaval has long been a feature
of the human condition what is history but
a collection of problems and peoples reso-
lutions of them? All Kindred were human
at some point. To simplify the concept,
iconoclasts are the most rebellious
Brujah, quickly to rally to any cause that
espouses change. Many join anarch fac-
tions, hoping to bring Kindred social
conventions up to date. They tend to be
young, vigorous, and shortsighted agi-
tated iconoclasts happy incite riots, heedless
of the fact that their own havens might be
destroyed.
Clanbook: Brujah
40
room full of tastefully dressed officials who suddenly legends that one of my sires associates always
begin brawling and hurling chairs at each other. It happens. observed), Prince Mithras of London was apparently
Particularly agitated ancillae and neonates prob- trying to tip the balance of power in the London
ably gave the rant its appellation, and the name primogen by maintaining two Ventrue primogen.
reflects those two groups typical behavior. They Two weeks before the formal appointment, the Lon-
have a tendency to get carried away, either with their don Brujah gathered and decided that Mithras intent
own pet issue or the incendiary presentations of their was pretty much bullshit. One week later, they made
fellows. Some nihilistic Brujah even attend rants a grandiose proclamation that they would physically
just to disrupt them, or perhaps find a thrilling fight beat to Final Death any Kindred who claimed the
in which to participate. In cases like these, I wish the second title of Ventrue primogen. Naturally, Mithras
clan wasnt so egalitarian like representative de- could have demolished any of the Brujah, but none
mocracy, not every Brujah should attend these sorts of the Kindred wanted the London Brujah clamoring
of things. Not everyone has something constructive for his blood, so the secondary primogen position
to say. Some Kindred just want to yank others chains. went unfilled. Score one for the system of checks and
Still, rant hosts typically prefer to keep things balances, courtesy of Clan Brujah.
informal. Most rants are arranged around a stage or Debates
assembly-hall model in which the audience faces the Almost the exclusive purview of elders and in-
speaker. Anyone is welcome to speak. Of course, the tellectuals (because the more rambunctious elements
proceedings tend to be overshadowed by long-winded find them terribly boring), debates involve the argu-
elders of filibustering firebrands, but as long as you ment of an issue for its own sake. Although they may
can bully your way to the head of the crowd, you can lead to a policy rant afterward, the argument itself
have your shot at the podium. I remember one rant comprises the crux of a debate rant. In a debate, the
held in Italy, just after World War II officially con- attending Brujah decide which side of the rants
cluded, at which some Brujah socialist waxed at given issue they support. Each side then makes its
length about the utopian opportunity offered by case, examining or cross-examining as the partici-
Mussolinis death and why the locals should use their pants see fit. Of the debates Ive seen, I cant tell
influence to cultivate atheistic communes around whether theyre supposed to be moderated or not
the countryside. This went on for more than 45 sometimes a moderator serves to keep the debate on
minutes before some ill-tempered anarchists await- topic while at others, the gathered Brujah simply
ing their turn had heard enough and literally bombed take it on good faith that they wont deviate from the
the socialist off the stage. Their actions met with issue at hand. Sometimes, they manage to stay on
applause, even though their ensuing diatribe didnt. target. The debate goes on until one side convinces
The central purpose of the rant can take many the moderator (or, less frequently, the other side)
forms. Most rants involve some vaguely important that it is right, which may take nights or even weeks.
Kindred issue, but we afford them equal gravity when Now, because these are elders were talking about
theyre ceremonies commemorating memorable (for the most part, at least), debates rarely degener-
events or figures, like the Martin Luther King, Jr. ate into violence. Ive found it more likely for a
affair held every February in Alabama. Ive even participant to walk away with a new rival in the ever-
been to a few that didnt explicitly state their focus unfolding Jyhad than a broken collarbone. Still, the
beforehand, and the rant opened with whatever issue exception proves the rule, and more than one impas-
made it to the floor first. sioned anarch has found himself shattered over an
Policy Rants elders knee during cross-examination.
The loose structure inherent to Clan Brujah For the readers reference, I include this bit of
makes any attempt at a universal statement of doc- transcript from a debate I attended in 1992. Note the
trine impossible. Still, that doesnt mean local Brujah attention to detail the speaker (Rudolph of Melk, a
cant band together to serve a mutual purpose, at liberal French elder) maintains in his argument. I
least temporarily. Policy rants serve to galvanize can recall this only because I had written it down;
Brujah toward common causes. For example, back in the assembled vampires at a debate tend not to write
the 19th century sometime (I dont recall exactly, things down, lest they leave proof of their positions
because I wasnt there, but this is one of those Brujah or even their existence.
Clanbook: Brujah
42
minded me of sneaking out of my fathers house as a let their hair down. The typical rave offers no end of
child. It was right around the turn of the century and hedonistic excess dancing, thunderous music,
several of us young uns stole a few horses and rode drug- and alcohol-addled vessels, kine to flirt with or
like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse through bully, and perhaps a good-natured brawl to round out
the streets of New York City, kicking in windows and the experience.
bashing derelicts. What can I say? We were young, Raves, while open to all Kindred, are without a
foolhardy, and loud, but by the time we laughed it off doubt Brujah affairs. Although most, if not all, local
at the end of the night, three other Brujah had joined Brujah attend raves in their vicinity, the entertain-
our parade of assholes. ment reflects an inclination toward the younger
Ive traced the origins of the word rave back Kindred. The music tends to be upbeat and either
approximately 10 or 15 years, and it seems to have monotonous or savage. Metal, speed and thrash all
come into usage concurrent with the English all- have their places at the raves, but equally common
night dance parties of the same description. Thats are the urban, rap and Latin styles prevalent in
no surprise; the Kindred have been following and co- ethnic neighborhoods and inner cities. Most popu-
opting mortal trends since, presumably, the lar, however, is the electronic music played at the
establishment of the Masquerade. parties from which this Brujah custom was adapted.
To describe Brujah raves as anything less than One pair of Brujah promoters operates a perennial
manic parties undertaken with reckless abandon is to mobile rave that has thrown parties in Tel Aviv,
do them a disservice. Whether gala affairs or raucous, Prague, Oslo, Sydney, New York, Sao Paolo, San
secret garage parties, raves are the places where Brujah Francisco, Athens, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Ibixa,
can convene, put their ideologies behind them and and even the Cathayan cities of Tokyo and Hong
Clanbook: Brujah
44
Fine. They became upset, fought with their sires, by daring antitribu. I believe them, for the most part.
and left. Im not going to pretend to examine their To hear them till it, the Brujah of the Sabbat will
reasons. Im more concerned with their practices. soon have a greater voice, recognized as they are for
As members of the Sabbat, the Brujah antitribu their value by the current leaders of the sect.
dont typically follow the Traditions (see below) as a Do you see a pattern? Can you find a few, recur-
code. While they may observe a Tradition or two in rent notes that strike you with their clarity? I do.
practice, its because it suits them for the time being, The single greatest difference between Brujah of
not because they have any respect for the code. the Camarilla and the Sabbat looks to be the fire of
Likewise, cities infested by Sabbat tend to be more rebellion and change. Among the Camarilla, we
violent, which allows Brujah antitribu to indulge have almost as many personal causes as we do Brujah.
their vampiric viciousness more often. They dont In the Sabbat, however, the Brujah cause seems to
have to hide behind faades of social correctness or have experienced a unity, a focus. The cause of many
anti-correctness Brujah antitribu make no bones Sabbat Brujah is the Sabbat itself. At face value, this
about who they are. is neither good nor bad. Actually its a little of both,
This is precisely whats so sad about them. The which causes the moderation yes, it illustrates
Sabbat as effectively eliminated the artificial codes to that the divisive Brujah can, under certain circum-
which vampires adhere under the auspices of the stances, strive toward a common goal. On the negative
Camarilla. The much-feared Black Hand is nothing side, the common goal the espouse is the Sabbat,
so much as a survivalist religious cult; it has torn which any right-thinking Kindred immediately un-
down walls other Kindred built to protect them- derstands for the satanic lunacy it is.
selves. Where the Brujah are concerned, the result is The methodology of the bloodline, though, is
disappointing. Given the opportunity to become almost indistinguishable from that of a significant
whatever they want, most became simple fiends and portion of the Camarilla Rabble. In fact, the only
thugs. Having turned their backs on the clan that difference Ive been able to observe is the philosophy
spawned them, they also deny the history and legacy behind it. Ive watched a frenzied Brujah tear apart
of a clan that once claimed to be the philosopher- police detectives in the name of the Masquerade.
warriors of undead society. No, the Sabbat Brujah Ive seen prince-appointed sheriffs sate their undead
seem to be content with fulfilling only half of that thirsts on urban latchkey children, burning the small,
destiny, and when you call them on it, they pound bloodless bodies in apartment-building incinerators.
you to pulp. Ive witnessed recently Embraced neonates from the
Naturally, thats not always the case, just the gang culture rejoin their mortal affiliates with re-
most common. Ive spent half of my essay dismissing newed bloodlust, drinking vitae from their fallen
stereotypes and the other half reinforcing them I rivals. And Ive seen the exact same things take place
hope to leave the impression that the Brujah are half in Sabbat cities. It seems that the fight itself is
what you see and half what you cant. This isnt as irrelevant; whether the prince, the Ventrue or the
true of the antitribu, however, who seem to be three- mythical Antediluvians are the enemy, alls fair in
fourths what you see and one-forth sick in the head. Brujah unlife and war. Passion fires the soul, which
Obviously, individuals exist, but the dogma of the is what makes it possible for us to rise each night, sect
Sabbat has undeniably taken a firm hold in the be damned.
collective psyches of its Brujah. The Non-Consanguineous of Troile
In the time I spent with a coterie of Sabbat Once again, Ill spare you the history lesson.
Kindred, the two Brujah among them continually A few others wouldnt be so kind, however.
took me aside to whisper that things were going to According to a small but vocal minority of Brujah,
change in the coming nights. Apparently the Brujah mostly paranoid elders, Brujah himself managed to
of the Sabbat have made names for themselves among sire a brood that remain secret from his most noted
the traditional leaders of the sect, the Tzimisce and childe, Troile. Most of us accept the treachery of
Lasombra. My two proselytizers regaled me with tales those Biblical nights as par for the course and take it
of Brujah cunning, crusades masterminded by their on faith that were descended from Troile.
kind, significant battles and assassinations under- As the tale unfolds, the members of this hidden
taken by the brutes (as they somewhat meanly call brood have different proclivities than the rest of us
themselves) and lofty positions of responsibility filled
The Traditions time someone steps into a role of leadership, shes got
to make some significant decisions and the results
As much as any Brujah desires change and chal- are bound to piss someone off. So it is with the
lenge, only the most die-hard anarchist would dare Ventrue. You think theyd learn to quit putting
suggest dispensing with the Traditions. The Brujah themselves in the line of fire, but they like it too
joined the Camarilla after the Anarch Revolt as much. I think theyre more comfortable there.
much as certain Traditions pain us, most of us under- Same with the Toreador. We supposedly hate
stand the reason for the rule and at least pay it lip them almost as much as we hate the Ventrue. Im not
service. Not even the anarchs necessarily want to see sure why its probably guilt by association. Torea-
the stone tablets of the Traditions hurled down and dor and Ventrue have a lot of power invested in the
smashed beneath their feet (remember, I said neces- institutions that we have problems with, so that
sarily some do, indeed). Without guidelines, society might be where it comes from.
reverts to barbarism; this may appeal to some Noddist That notwithstanding, the best idea a vampires
Kindred heretics, but the rest of us see it for the ever had came from a Toreador and a Ventrue. I
devolution it is. dont remember their names only an elder would
No, most Brujah fully comprehend the need for but its pretty well accepted that the whole con-
social structures. The underlying passion of a Brujah cept of the Masquerade was a joint effort on the part
is most often not his desire to destroy existing struc- of these two clans.
tures for destructions sake, but rather as an Only the dumbest Brujah has a problem with the
opportunity to install some system that suits his own Masquerade. Rail as we might against the powers
ends. Kindred of our clan run the gamut from reac- that be, we cant find any fault with this one. First of
tionary feudalists and neofeudalists to radical all, it covers the obvious protection thing. Most of us
communists, socialists and moral progressives. The arent stupid and we understand that the minute
desire to smash the state is all too often interpreted humankind suspects that vampires walk among them,
by other Cainites as petty anarchism. Its not its its all over for us. A few of us even remember the
simply the first step toward creating an individual nights of the Inquisition, when a handful of vampires
Brujahs own vision of utopia. The six Traditions of protected their own sorry asses by feeding their
the Camarilla serve some larger purpose for the childer to the witch-hunters. Now, I might not be
Kindred, and most Brujah incorporate them into representative of the clan as a whole, but Id be hard
Clanbook: Brujah
46
pressed to suggest that a single Brujah would prefer expediters business. Convoluted? Hell, yes, but very
going to the fire to laying low every now and then. effective at hiding us. But, because its so impen-
Even when we act up, we usually do it with as few etrable, it requires a great deal of effort to affect the
witnesses as possible. You know what Im talking outside world. Its hard to bring even one small
about when some angry young Lick loses his operation under your thumb whether its a legiti-
temper and uses his vampiric strength to punch some mate business, an office of the local government, or
poor slob through a wall, hed better fake a convinc- even a rowdy bunch of street punks who specialize in
ing PCP freak-out or hes going to be a pile of ash creating insurance settlements that the Kindred
with the sheriffs footprints in it. have to pick and choose which efforts theyll focus on.
If you pay attention, you can catch vampires It also makes it easy to settle the score with your
when the Masquerade fails, and the Inquisition knows Tremere rival, should he get uppity you can beat
it. A few years ago, the Chicago Kindred had some his ass into torpor an no ones the wiser except for
trouble with the Lupines up there. Now, between the his ghoul, whos running scared without a steady
werewolves and the hunters, almost three dozen supply of vitae.
Kindred are dust. Three dozen! Your average city A great many Kindred are conspiracy theorists or
doesnt even have three dozen Licks, let alone three mythology-upholding whack-jobs. You run into their
dozen dead ones. hysterics from time to time: The Ventrue control the
But thats only part of why the Brujah generally banks! The Toreador control the mayor! The
think the Masquerade is a good idea. More so than Malkavian Primogen has Dominated the Chief of
any other Tradition, the Masquerade forces other Police so thoroughly that he cant even take a piss
Kindred to temper their affairs. Lets say one of your without consulting her! This sort of thing is, quite
Tremere rivals wants to devote his energies to ac- plainly, bunk. What, the primogen has some sort of
quiring a controlling interest in, say, a local freight remote control that she clicks and makes the chief do
expediter. He could stomp into the dispatchers of- her bidding? Do the banks set their exchange and
fice and use his formidable powers of mind control to interest rates based upon what the Ventrue decide
tell him that hes the one in charge a simple one- when they wake up each evening? No, its more
shot affair. But if he did that, the dispatcher would likely that a certain Ventrue has cultivated vast
no doubt attract some attention to himself, issuing amounts of influence in each bank, perhaps even
strange assignments, making weekly deliveries to the sitting on a few boards of directors (probably under
witches coven at 1313 Mockingbird Lane, routing several assumed names). While this sort of thing is
deliveries to other Kindred fronts through customs possible, its not practical because of the rigors im-
and insurance companies, and generally making unlife posed by the Masquerade. Then again, Kindred
a pain in the neck for everyone else. When the society is rife with such smoke and mirrors, and Ill be
higher-ups catch wind of what this dispatchers do- damned if you could convince that Ventrue to admit
ing, they call him on it, and he says, Well, that that he doesnt control the banks.
vampire over there told me to do it like this, and I And thats how the Masquerade helps us. Special
couldnt help myself. End of dispatcher, end of thanks to the Ventrue and Toreador for putting it in
vampire, end of the Kindred. place. Extra thanks for them for limiting their own
Now with the Masquerade in place, vampires interests in the process. Maybe they enjoy a challenge.
are forced to respect the unlives of other Kindred by Domain
covering their own tracks. Instead of all that stuff This Tradition constitutes one of what I have
happening because the Tremere walks in and puts a affectionately dubbed the Two Great Hypocrisies of
hex on the dispatcher, it happens because the com- Clan Brujah. It doesnt help that the Tradition itself
pany sinking its assets into the freight expediters is so fraught with ambiguity that no two princes
stock says so, and the single greatest investor in that interpret it the same way. In some cities, the Second
fund is our rival Tremere, who, through his finan- Tradition is merely a predicate to the Traditions of
cial assistant ghoul (who can operate in daytime, Destruction and Hospitality. In others, princes allow
thus protecting the Masquerade), communicates to the resident Kindred to establish their own domains.
the fund manager that this is how the investors want Whos right? Nobody, so far as I can see tight-
operations to commence, and if they dont, the fisted princes with the power to back their own
investors will back out, thus jeopardizing the claims can pretty much do what they want, while
Clanbook: Brujah
50
leave their childer to their fates. Its fairly common without much stake in the social order simply release
for these abandoned bastards to fall in among the their childer with a wave of the hand and the warn-
biter anarchs or suffer bleak, lonely unlives as Caitiff or ing, Dont get caught feeding, but others go the
Autarkis. My own sire was of this latter variety; after whole nine years. Ive attended elaborate release
a few nights of accompanying me on my railway galas everywhere from the Riviera to Stockton. Let
travels, he left me to my own devices. I learned much me be the first to tell you, when some Brujah release
from those frontier Camarilla cities and from the their childer into Kindred society, youd think it was
Sabbat-dominated streets of New York after the the second coming of Caine. Some of these ceremo-
imprisonment of Boos Tweed, choosing my fate and nies are wild revels, taking place over the span of
making a name for myself. If nothing else, I am a several nights and resembling mortal bachelor par-
testament to the fact that not ever poorly sired ties, in which the childe is kidded, embarrassed,
childe is a waste, and, after convincing the Prince of indulged, and finally returned to his haven, where-
Atlanta to recognize me in 1876, I joined the august upon waking the next night, he is a full member of
body of the Kindred. the brotherhood of the undead.
More responsible Brujah take an active and domi- Im reminded of the release rave held just a few
nant role in educating a childe about the intricacies years ago by on of the New Orleans Brujah, Jake
of the Curse of Caine. They instruct their childer on Almerson. The affair was a madhouse a three-
all matters, much as I did my own childe. Granted, night debauch to which every freak, punk, head,
sires rarely rise above the very Kindred habit of goth and weirdo in town had been surreptitiously
coloring this education with their own prejudices invited, mortal and Kindred alike. For those three
I have to admit that I instilled in Vanessa a potent days, the party raged out of control, as ghouls and
mistrust of the very idea of the Tremere but the mortals kept the place in full swing while the Kin-
fact that sires spend so much time taking their dred retired to their havens, only to return once the
childer under their wing attests to the gravity with sun had set. The venue, a dilapidated smugglers
which some Brujah sires choose childer. In many haven just a few blocks from the bay, was crawling
cases, these Kindred are not those who stand to gain with prostitutes, drug dealers, hard-core party fiends
a great deal from their childes appearance in Kin- and even a few cops who came by but decided that
dred society the childer of anarchs are as likely to there was nothing they could do to rein in the
be extensively instructed in the ways of Cainite debacle. They could have called the National Guard,
unlife as are the favored broodings of a revered I suppose, but this was New Orleans, and the party
primogen. Sires may dote on their childer or ride wasnt a threat to anyone who didnt have it coming.
them mercilessly, but the result is the same these When Almersons childe, Natasia, showed up at
Brujah choose to be responsible for their childer, at some point during the second night, the place caught
least until the release specified by the Tradition. fire as someones flaming tribute spread to what was
In one of my rare moments of pride in my clan, left of the heavy taffeta curtains. Sixteen people
I must extol the virtue of this practice. Were we were carted away to hospitals, victims of drug over-
Brujah somehow able to conjure a consistent vision doses, alcohol poisoning or Kindred-inflicted
of the ephemeral utopias we seek, I have no doubt exhaustion. Truly, it was an utter bacchanal.
that it, like our childer, would receive loving atten- On the other hand, more serious sires may make
tion, at least until we grew agitated and saw the need a grave and somber procession out of their childers
to tear it down and begin anew. The amount of love releases. This is particularly true of the more staid
we invest in our creations attest to this. among the elders and those Brujah so consumed with
I also believe this pride carries over into the their own causes that they no longer allow them-
period of Accounting. Brujah sires stoically bear selves to enjoy unlife. The aforementioned release
responsibility for the actions of their childer, even on the Riviera was one of these, much to my surprise.
those Embraced without the consent of the prince. I had expected an aristocratic soiree, but the release
Im given to wonder if the Accounting isnt a Brujah of Franois dHautmont, while scandalous in its own
amendment to the Traditions the clan is proud right (for one of the dHautmonts back in history had
to a fault, but is not without its own sense of obligation. been a Toreador), was a reserved ceremony, taking
In line with this, the Brujah release may be a an hour for the formal release itself, followed by a
grand affair. Surely, many young sires or Kindred sociable reception afterward.
Clanbook: Brujah
52
they claim as their own. Obviously, not every Brujah is a
blustering gang lord out to validate her claims to turf, but
many harbor a sense of ownership over territory, as long as
its theirs and not yours. Its enough to make one shake his
head in shame.
Destruction
Brujah reaction to this Tradition is as wide and
varied as the members of the clan itself. In the
opinion of most, this Tradition is useful, prevent-
ing, ahem, unnecessary Final Death (and believe
me, in a clan that resorts to violence as often as the
Brujah do, were no strangers to it), thereby
taking that weapon out of the hands of those who
havent earned it. Less popular is the Traditions
second tenet, which grants the right of destruc-
tion to an individuals elder, though I attribute
this lack of acceptance to the fact that some
princes have the audacity to infer that
they are the only elder to the clause
refers to. Its plain as day to me and most
other Brujah that elder here means
sire, and if it turns out that youve Em-
braced a potential disgrace or threat, its your
duty to put the matter to rest. Even as a firm
supporter of the Camarilla, I have trouble allow-
ing princes to deny or usurp the rights of sires,
under whatever pretense.
Still, most Brujah accede the Tradition
of Destruction to princes and their councils
in matters of larger Kindred concern. This
doesnt necessarily mean a blood hunt (see
below) when a Kindreds sire isnt present
to invoke this Tradition when it needs to be invoked,
then its the princes responsibility to step in and do
it in her absence. Instead of speaking in generality,
Ill give an example: When I visited Ulster,
decades ago, the citys Kindred were in the
throes of their sporadic war with the city
of Dublin. (This does become a bit
confusing. Most of the United King-
dom and Irelands princedoms
encompass wider geographical regions
than just cities, and are known as, I
think, fiefdoms. Ulster is its own fiefdom,
but Connachta, the fiefdom that includes
Dublin, is where the prince makes his
haven). When one of Usters up-and-
coming ancillae turned out to be a
Connachta-fiefdom sympathizer, the Kin-
dred had no idea what to do with her.
Destruction initially seemed a bit extreme,
Clanbook: Brujah
54
an authority against which to scheme, the Brujah are
just agitated, meaningless vampires. We need the
Camarilla, if only to use it and say we dont. Thus,
the Jyhad becomes a central facet of Brujah unlife.
Even those who do not actively take part often wind
up dragged into the schemes of another, often un-
wittingly. The rouge cell of anarchs that wants
nothing to do with elder games becomes a weapon
one Kindred uses against another. The neonate
Brujah detective who distances himself from Kin-
dred society arrests an individual who happens to
be the princes favored ghoul. Even the reluc-
tant Kindred firebrand who surrounds himself
with activism in mortal concerns colors the
political climate of his city he certainly
doesnt escape the eyes of the Kindred. From
the treacherous, backstabbing primogen to the
most seemingly oblivious fledgling, the Brujah
cannot help but play their part in the
Camarillas destiny.
I dont mean to imply that every Brujah
exists at the sole discretion of the Camarilla,
or that we run about on myriad petty errands
for our elders. In fact, the elders themselves
often have nothing to do with the nightly
affairs undertaken by other Kindred. Quite
the contrary! Because the Camarilla has
made it possible for the race of Cainites to
flourish, it makes the Kindred a part of it
unless they consciously distance them-
selves from it by actively becoming Autarkis
or joining the ranks of the infernal Sabbat.
Even if she avoids Elysium and interacts
with other Kindred only once a year, every
Brujah exists in a world that would destroy her
if it knew about her, but doesnt because of the
Camarillas efforts.
Dont misinterpret me the Camarilla is
plagued with problems. But by and large, it fulfills
its purpose, and that is precisely what keeps the
Brujah involved with it. It may not work perfectly,
but it works.
The Prince
Few cities have Brujah princes. The ones that do
probably wont have them for long. Not only do
members of other clans find Brujah princes too
capricious or emotional for (in their opinion) the
long-term safety of the city, few Brujah have tastes
that accommodate the tedium associated with
the position.
Clanbook: Brujah
56
The Nature of Sandss deal with the Giovanni
was to attack Benedict from both sides. If the
Giovanni redoubled their efforts among the casi-
nos and in the local black market, they could
make visible overtures at usurping Benedics power
base. Once Benedics ability to back his claim of
princedom came into dispute, Sands planned to
publicly call Benedics reputation into question,
further eroding his power. With Benedic on the
defensive and the Giovanni working doublt time
to hamstring him, the princedom would crumble.
At that point, with the Giovanni interests un-
challenged, and their influence so solidified, no
new prince could step in and claim the title
without the Giovanni stopping him. A nice plan,
but it didnt work.
Sands acted too early. Just as the Giovanni
began squeezing the casinos (whether they
were the dominant interest there or
not, to the resentment of many
local Kindred), Sands began his
smear campaign, starting with the
young Cainites of Vegas. The way
he figured it, the neonates were in
better touch with him than Benedic,
and his sniffing around would go un-
noticed until Benedics doom seemed
certain, at which point he would look
like he smelled disaster on the wind all
along.
The Brujah primogen, being no fool,
felt the pinch the Giovanni put on the casi-
nos and heard all manner of tales from the
streets about Sands slumming with the younger
Licks. Putting two and two together, the
primogen suspected a coup incorrect but close
enough to the truth to bring it up in Elysium.
Later, a captured Giovanni ball breaker cracked
under the pressure and owned up to the clans in-
volvement in the whole scheme. The Giovanni, not
being members of the Camarilla, hung Sands out to
dry. Benedic made Sands an object of public ridi-
cule. The Brujah primogen laughed all the way to
the bank, having crippled the Toreadors plot and
put the prince in his debt.
Thats how Brujah primogen work. Scheming
bastards to the last, but if theyre not on their
clanmates side, at least theyre against their rivals as well.
The Sheriff
The sheriff if the position most commonly held by Brujah in
the Camarilla, primogen notwithstanding. Im sure that doesnt
Chapter Two: Unlife Among the Brujah
57
surprise anyone. Given the Brujah penchant for an art museum is the best way to cripple the Toreador
violence and capacity to hurt people, the Brujah are power base in the city.
natural sheriffs. The Scourge
In fact, Id hazard a guess that most sheriffs are This is another natural fit, given the physical
Brujah. I dont have any evidence other than the nature of the job. The biggest difference Ive seen,
anecdotal to back this up, but in the overwhelming though, lies in the attitude. Whereas the Brujah
majority of cities Ive visited, the sheriff is not only sheriffs Ive dealt with have been, in a word, dutiful,
a member of Clan Brujah, hes the first to tell you most of the scourges Ive seen have been, in three
about it. Its almost like a credential: Im Steve words, sadistic as hell. Im serious. Granted, the
Reno, Clan Brujah, Sheriff of Houston, like it was scourges responsibility is less... well, just, for lack of
his last name or something. Where I come from, a better word, than the sheriffs is. The sheriffs job is
people keep their clans to themselves, unless theyre to enforce the princes interpretation of the Tradi-
trying to mislead you into thinking that theyre tions. The scourges job is to kill Kindred.
something less than they are, just another walking Killing people becomes easier the more one does
stereotype. Among the Brujah sheriffs, though, a clan it. Ive heard that from soldier types all throughout
is almost a qualification for the title. Throwing his my century-plus among the undead. I suppose its
clan into the introduction certifies that the sheriff true when its your responsibility. Me, Ive never
will fuck up someones shit if they mess with him. been comfortable with killing. I understand that Im
Its not that Brujah are unsuited to the position. a vampire and a predator and all that, but theres
Quite the opposite. The supernatural speed and nothing anywhere that says we have to kill our prey
strength that Brujah command grants us a physical if we follow reasonable unlives and dont depend
edge when fulfilling sheriffs duties, and our mystical too heavily on blood to fuel the gifts of Caine, we can
ability to increase our force of personality doesnt get by without ever taking a life. Barring the inevi-
hurt when youre yelling at some empty-headed table frenzy, no one needs to die.
anarch whos convinced himself that burning down
Clanbook: Brujah
58
Not so with the scourge. Killing becomes easier Seriously, most Brujah pass through the lower
and easier because thats what the scourge does echelons of society its what we know best, and its
not only does he become better at it, it becomes less what weve secured from the greedy talons of other
difficult for him to rationalize his murders. For this Kindred. To them, theres nothing glamorous about
reason, most of the scourges you meet who have been providing for ones unlife by selling methamphet-
at their profession for any length of time are either amines to club kinds or by pimping desperate hookers
completely alien or unapproachably cold. Killing in the red light district. In one sense, theyre right
has become so commonplace for them that the simple why squander immortality on drugs and whores?
destruction of Kindred no longer thrills them. These In another context, theyre completely wrong.
are the scourges who torment their victims, or end Like no other clan, we Brujah have made our own
unlives in cruel ways. Ive watched a scourge kills his place in the modern world. With the exception of
prey by driving over her in a pickup truck and then the Gangrel, who cant be said to make the best of
backing over her to make sure the job was finished. their unlives at all, the Rabble have reinvented
It disturbed me far more than it disturbed the person ourselves with every advancement society has made.
who actually did it. No other clan can claim that. The Toreador still
Of course, this isnt endemic to the Brujah state cling to outdated aristocracy. The Ventrue are noth-
of mind. Its just that, again, due to the physical ing more than greedy medieval merchants. The
requirements of being a scourge, many princes choose Tremeres obsession with rituals and incantations
their slayers from the ranks of the ever-capable leaves them ill equipped to function in the mun-
Clan Brujah. dane world.
The Harpies Thats why the Brujah, for all the street-level grit
And you Thought Toreador harpies were bitchy. we slog through, are proud. Im not immune to it
Brujah make very effective harpies. I dont say myself; for all the grief I give my clan, I certainly
they make fine harpies because theres nothing dont want to be part of another. Thats why we
fine about the way they act. Combining a vicious Brujah thrive. We meet the challenges the world
streak that only the dead can muster with the passion puts in front of us we dont buy our way out of
and social awareness of the Brujah results in one hell them or pretend that theyre too vulgar for us. The
of a fiendish creature. With the Toreador, all you young Kindred you see, the ones best acclimated to
have to worry about is if your ties crooked or if youre the world, who meet everything the modern nights
wearing last years fragrance. When youre dealing have to offer theyre Brujah. Until we become
with Brujah harpies, youd better tell them exactly static elders (which takes centuries), were there at
what they want to hear or your social life will consist all the parties. Were on the A-list, because were
of scrubbing eggs thrown by neighborhood kids off fashionably unconventional. Even those of us who
the front door of your tract-home haven in the still belong to the older countercultures do it because
suburbs where theyve decided you best belong. Brujah were devoted to it the Hells Angel Brujah love
harpies arent usually as susceptible to flattery as are the open road and the Luddite Brujah genuinely
harpies of other clans. Either they know theyre all believe that technology will bring about the end. No
that and dont care what anyone else has to say or other Kindred can claim that.
their harpy-ness stems from being so far removed Remember that as the Final Nights approach. As
from what others think of them that theyre hailed as the top tiers of the Camarilla rot with incestuousness
visionaries of the cutting-edge social order. Like and avarice, more and more elders turn their backs
Joan Rivers, if she drank blood. on the world to immerse themselves in their inscru-
My own experiences with harpies have not table power games. Kindred society is built upon the
been pleasant. Brujah, and the Brujah exist to tear down the old
The Rabbles Ruck and Run ways in favor of the new. And thats why, of all the
Naturally with few titles to go around and so mighty Kindred clans, were the ones who will pers-
many Kindred vying for them, some are going to be evere. Because we know how.
left without position. Indeed, more Brujah among Anarchs
the Camarilla claim no title at all, no matter how On the surface, the Brujah seem to have much in
humble, and are satisfied to deal with things that common with the anarchs. As is always the case, the
they think are important. Good for us, er, them!
Clanbook: Brujah
60
makes her haven in Lupine territory is either a afoul of Ventrue and Toreador Kindred who assume
psychotic or badass, maybe a little of both. that because the Giovanni arent part of their sect,
The thing is, Gangrel generally want to be left they arent relevant. All too often, an enterprising
alone, at least from what I can tell. I know one Ventrue may uncover a rival Giovanni in his domain
Gangrel who dwells outside Atlanta, and he says (or vice versa). Now, the Brujah arent necessarily
that this attitude was behind their mass migration predisposed toward the Giovanni, but theyre a damn
from the Camarilla. They seem to have a loose tribal sight less hostile to them than they are to the average
structure and one of their chieftain-types decided Ventrue. It wouldnt be the first time that a Brujah
that it was better for the clan to collectively mind its made some strange bedfellows simply out of spite.
own business than it was to keep its tenuous relation- Still, the Giovanni probably grew out of medi-
ship with the Camarilla. Coincidentally, I know a eval or Renaissance merchant classes, which puts
few Brujah who sympathize with them some of them in the business end of things. In these modern
them went indie with the Gangrel and a few others nights, all it takes for some Brujah to pet you as The
think the Brujah should secede, too. The Gangrel Man is a suit that makes you look presentable. As
have some kind of brothers-in-arms code of conduct, such, most Brujah have at best a neutral regard for
or maybe they just respect hardiness in other people. the Giovanni. Those of us who see past the dime-
Whatever the case, they dont seem to put much store resentment may actually profit from
stock in the concept of clans and as long as you dont relationships with the Necromancers, assuming the
bother them too much, they dont care what your Giovanni are interested. They turn up in the Mafia
politics are. at times, as well as in certain enclaves related to the
Once I stayed with a pack of anarchs just south Church, to which we Brujah are no strangers. Some
of San Francisco and they swore up and down that Brujah gang leaders arm themselves with the Giovanni-
the Gangrel were friendly with the Lupines and had smuggled guns or moved Giovanni-smuggled drugs. In
some sort of eco-terrorist agenda. To be honest, I the end, the relationship is whatever the Kindred
havent seen this, but it might be easily misconstrued involved can make it.
maybe they ran into a rouge chapter of the clan, While it may be true that Brujah have a pen-
or maybe it was one specific brood. Whatever the chant for violence, I think its safe to say that few of
case, the Gangrel dont seem to be communing with us are morbid. We have little taste for the Giovannis
nature in the hug-a-tree sense. They remind me habits we prefer the dead remain dead. Not that
more of animals who are part of nature, not necessar- this is any universal blanket statement; if the odd
ily at home in the environment, but certainly able Brujah doesnt mind the proximity of corpses and
to make the best of it. Critias suggests a similar point voodoo, thats her business, but the concept of deal-
of view that the Gangrel are more like feral forces o ing with the dead is generally as taboo to us as it is to
f nature than any individual who just likes the other people.
wilderness. Whatever the case, theyre vampires like Lasombra
the old legends suggest, turning into mist, calling The Lasombra are the leaders of the Sabbat.
upon the animals and refusing to die. Most Brujah who have spent more than a few nights
Giovanni among the undead grow to hate the Sabbat even
Here in the New World, Brujah and Giovanni if were not particularly happy with the stagnant
dont often cross paths. As far as most of the Brujah Camarilla, few of us are exceptionally interested in
Ive spoken with are concerned, the Giovanni are taking some Satanic joyride into the mouth of Hell
little more than a Ventrue offshoot with a predilec- and calling it freedom. Put two and two together,
tion of for necrophilia. In the Old World, however, and youll come to the conclusion that Clan Brujah
particularly in Italy, Brujah and Giovanni have a has no particular love for the Lasombra.
little more contact with each other. Although theyre Im given to understand that in centuries past,
not necessarily chummy, European Brujah and the Brujah and Lasombra shared some common
Giovanni often have several enemies in common. ground, particularly around the Iberian peninsula.
The Giovanni operate outside the traditional power When the Anarch Revolt took place, though, the
structure theyre not part of the Camarilla and Brujah had the sense to, ahem, see the error of our
dont have to answer to it. As such, they often run ways and rejoin the fold. The only Kindred with
more pride than a Brujah is a Lasombra, however, so
Chapter Two: Unlife Among the Brujah
61
they chose to stick it out and call the antitribu to their Be careful, though, because their wretched physical
banner. This causes more of our disfavor for them state turns many of them into utter assholes who
theyre as wed to power structures as the Ventrue, somehow believe that they have a right to be obnoxious.
which automatically makes them the enemy for The Nosferatu know everything. Nothing sur-
many Brujah. prising there. The only problem I have with them is
Malkavians that their information is useless unless somebody
Heres a clan that generally splits you down the knows it so they have this unpleasant tendency of
middle. Like the Brujah, the Malkavians do what lording their vast knowledge over you in the hopes
they want. Unlike the Brujah, most Malkavians are that youll do them a favor and buy it off them. Thats
worthless. They make a big show about, oh, the the secret to dealing with the Nosferatu and coming
wretched affliction that maddens them, and lo, cant out on top: Let them know that without someone to
we see the gilded reaper poised inside our dreams to make their precious little secrets valuable, they could
crack the foundation of the race of Caine! have the combination to every safe at Fort Knox and
Some of them have the much-vaunted insight it wouldnt matter.
that they purport makes it worthwhile to weather That said, they certainly make better compatri-
their presence, but Ill be damned if half of it isnt an act. ots that enemies because, in Kindred society,
When I made my haven outside Seattle, the somebody always wants that little scrap of informa-
prince didnt allow a Malkavian candidate among tion and youre better off if the secret has nothing to
the primogen. As a result, the city wasnt too hospi- do with you.
table to Malkavians, so only three made their Ironically, many of these Kindred also have simi-
permanent havens there. The prince had his hands lar inclinations toward compassion as we do. The
full with the depredations of a vampire no one knew only difference is that they feel it because theyve
anything about Kindred were turning up dead, or lost the ability to interact with humankind, while we
running into the sun to meet their maker, or devour- still look in from the outside. Its the ultimate price
ing their ghouls before wassailing down the streets, inflicted by denial.
thirsting for the blood vagrants. Ravnos
When things start getting unpredictably weird, The Deceivers arent usually as bad as the Powers
fingers naturally point to the Lunatics. In this case, That Be would have you believe, but you can be sure
though, the Malkavians werent acting any different that youre never going to get more out of one than
from how they normally did; they were unaffected by she wants you to. If youre after information, half of
whatever tide of madness had swept the city. By what she tells you is going to be a lie, probably
reading her dreams and divining from trickles of intended to get you killed if you let anyone know you
blood dropped into cold water, one of the local spoke with her. If youre doing business together,
Malkavians triangulated the location where this shes selling your share to the highest bidder on the
dangerous Kindred made his haven. As it turns out, side and then withdrawing all the money before
the Kindred in question was a member of the Inconnu showing you the books that say youre bankrupt.
who had been apart from other Kindred so long that For lack of anything less euphemistic to say, Ill
he had become deranged, and his insanity washed grant that theyre clever. When you work with them,
over the citys Cainites he was plagued dog of youre dealing with the devil, and no one is better at
lunacy. So some Malkavians have their uses. manipulating the emotions than a Ravnos with a
Then again, of the other two Malkavians in purpose. Recently, it seems, the clan has had its own
Seattle at the time, one was convinced that the brain civil war, and theyre not above playing the op-
of his sire had invaded his body and the other would pressed refugee shtick to bilk you out of something.
slit the throat of any woman who gave birth to a girl The thing is, their treachery is more than it
on Monday because thats when a prophecy had told seems they have a genuinely nasty edge thats
her the Antichrist would be born. going to cut you if you run across them. The best
Nosferatu advice is to steer clear, and dont upset them or give
You have to have some degree of pity for these them any reason to take notice of you. Invariably,
monsters because of what the Embrace does to them. youll get the worst end of the deal, because theyre
Clanbook: Brujah
62
that good at taking what they want and leaving you to they may be able to stomp a Toreador once, but you
bear the responsibility. can bet that Toreador has some connection in the
Setites Kindred favor network thats going to end up calling
I feel similarly about the Setites as I do about the a blood hunt on the Brujah.
Assamites, albeit with a bit more reservation. Trace No, the best way to deal with Toreador is either
any Kindred treachery back far enough and theres a to flatter them to the point of stupefied mollification
Setite in there somewhere. Like the Assamites, theyre or bring them a Trojan Horse by way of an alliance
in the Jyhad for something that suits them and them if you cant ignore them altogether. Seriously, leave
only. Unlike the Assamites, theyre willing to let you yourself an exit strategy when you find yourself
in on the secret for a price. dealing with a Toreador, because most wont hesi-
As any Brujah dopeman knows, you dont snort tate to drag you down in their place when it all goes
your own stash. When youre around a vice all the to hell. Contrary to their public personae, their shit
time, you succumb to it. So it is with the Setites. does stink, and youre liable to make more enemies
When they may have something that you want at among them by screwing on over, unless they think
first drugs, a long-lost memoir that lists the sleep- you did a good job of it.
ing place of some powerful and vulnerable Kindred, Tremere
the key to a mortal paramours heart the price The Tremere come in two flavors: very break-
always proves exacting. Additionally, that price is able and ungodly powerful. Be careful when you
contrived to keep bringing you back to the Setite, break one of the fragile ones, because he might be
because their trade isnt the merchandise or secrets one of the powerful ones bitches.
they sell. Its the people who owe them. Theyre forever scuttling around on some secret
The trouble is, its hard to pass them up, and mission to find the skills of their elders and grind
theyre well aware of that fact. Sure, you could spend them into aphrodisiac powder or something. They
a decade digging up information about the Hearts get all uppity when you interrupt them.
Blood of Mithras and spend another five years out- Whatever, Gandalf.
witting the traps and rivals who would beset you if Tzimisce
you pursued it, or you could just buy a vial of Mithras's I dont know much about these freaks, but I have
Hearts Blood from a Setite and be done with it. And a theory. Whoever made the Tremere made the
theyre not proud they gladly deal with the wants Tzimisce first as sort of trial run, and Jesus, did he
of people who arent after such lofty things as ever fuck up. Not only do they thrive on hurting
Methuselah blood, which means they cross paths people and Im not talking about Brujah-style
with many of the Brujah on the streets. They peddle punching you till you give up, I mean stuff like fang
drugs, hookers, black-market contraband, favors from extractions and external genitalia relocation but
senators, whatever. Accept them as a necessary evil, they actually wallow in it. The Sabbat deserves them
shut them down when you can, and otherwise stay and vice versa.
the fuck away from them. I feel like I should say more about them, but I
Toreador dont really want to. Lets change the subject, be-
A classic chicken-or-the-egg scenario have cause they make me nauseous.
the Brujah always hated the Toreador because the Ventrue
Toreador have always hated the Brujah, or is it the All right. Now Im supposed to have fits and
other way around? jump around and scream and shake my fist. Damn
As a group, theyre deplorable. As individuals, those Ventrue! Down with princes! Kill whitey!
most of them are still deplorable. Well, Im afraid Im going to have to disappoint
But every now and then you run across a Torea- you. I wasnt around for Carthage, version one. I
dor who doesnt buy into the bullshit and keeps so dont think its possible, given the current state of
many of them going. In fact, most of them are as Kindred affairs, for Carthage, version two, and I
cunning as Brujah they have an elaborately con- dont think anyone who we expected to actually
structed stereotypical faade that leads many Kindred dwell in that city would be too happy with it, as it
to discount them automatically. Its true that most couldnt possibly be both modern and satisfactory to
Brujah have the physical advantage over the Torea- the undead. So dont harbor any grudge over that.
dor, but thats not going to help them for long. Sure,
Clanbook: Brujah
64
their very nature, are new to the entire experience of amount about their politics, rituals and practices,
being Kindred. Elders, by virtue of having been and it still floors me that anyone ever managed to get
around forever and a night, know the state of vam- a group like this to work, however erratically.
pirism in and out. However, the neonates are far In a nutshell, Sabbat philosophy is built around
more in touch with the current state of the world, an unceasing holy war against creatures that dont
while the elders have been placed out of time for so exist, which somehow asserts their superiority
long that very few of them relate at all to the over mortals.
environment around them. Its the classical example Doesnt make much sense to me, either.
of having ones cake and eating it, too, if youll Some people seem to think that Sabbat ideology
pardon the entirely un-vampiric metaphor. fits the Brujah unlifestyle. I wont argue with that.
You can see these distinctions. Some elders are We Brujah are not stupid, however, and being told
so staid that they still wear the clothes of the times what to do with a backhanded reference to it as
in which they were Embraced, and then they cant freedom strikes us as fundamentally flawed. The
understand why the tactics they used hundreds of Brujah dont want to be part of the Sabbat the
years ago are no longer efficacious. Neonates have Camarilla works for us because it generally allows us
every available modern advantage, but they still to do what we will with unlife. Were we to join the
dont understand the gravity of the Blood, or the Sabbat, wed have to follow their party line because
predilections it indelibly imposes upon someone thats all there is to them. And have I mentioned
once they receive the Embrace. Elders havent been how misguided it is? Add to this the juvenile venera-
human for so long that they dont respond to the tion of taboo, and you lose us completely.
world like humans to some elders, its a perfectly No, we know that the best way to deal with an
acceptable course of action to behead ones enemy idiot is to let him dig his own grave.
and place his remains on a pike in their front yard. The Inconnu
Neonates know that this sort of thing gets one Im not sure there really is an Inconnu, or if its
arrested instead of respected, but their influence one of those elder stories told to keep childer in line.
over the world is too negligible to allow them to Not that theyre made out to be ravening monsters,
challenge the elders power. like the Sabbat theyre more of a boojum used to
It sounds like an endless, vicious cycle, doesnt spook the intellectual neonates. You know, Better
it? Thats because it is. However, its a vicious cycle behave or the incomprehensible elders from the Old
that, on the whole, works better than anything else World will carry out some hidden plot with you as
weve come up with. Now, before you claim that the Manchurian Candidate!
accepting it because it works well enough is contrary Until Ive met one, Ill reserve a more construc-
to my Brujah nature, let me quantify. The Camarilla, tive comment. And I dont know anyone whos met one.
if it wants to survive, has to reach some equilibrium. And Whatever Else You Can Name
It needs to evolve past its formal rules, much like Werewolves. Witches. Ghosts. Angels. Devils.
Marxism intended to. The system itself should grow Aliens. All off this may or may not exist, but to be
to be ingrained in the nature of the Kindred. Thus, frank, it doesnt concern us. Let the Gangrel chase
we would be able to eliminate the titles, positions the Lupines out of their havens and let the Tremere
and responsibilities and get back to the finer points trade grimoires with the wizards under the light of a
of unlife. harvest moon. Brujah dont deal with those sorts of
Obviously, the Camarilla has to make signifi- things except on rare occasions, and Im smart enough
cant changes before it makes the Brujah happy with not to let those few occasions form a cohesive opin-
it, but were not the only ones its got to appease. Ive ion for me. In my experience the best tactic is to
said it before its the lesser of the evils open to us, leave well enough alone. If that doesnt work, start
and not much more. singing. If you cant beat it that way, run like hell
The Sabbat and know that at least youll be around longer than
This group of maniacs earns my vote for the any of these other freaks. The Curse of Caine has its
worst idea ever. Over the years, Ive learned no small benefits, after all.
Clanbook: Brujah
66
Characters and Military Force, to represent the group. Remember
that Military Force is not necessarily a collection of
doting sycophants who follow the characters orders
Traits at the drop of a hat Military Force consists,
obviously, of people who fight for the character.
The Kindred of Clan Brujah are a diverse group,
Sycophants, yes-men and lieutenants are best cov-
differing at times as much from each other as they do
ered by an additional investment in the Retainers or
from vampires of other clans. As such, a few unique
Allies Backgrounds.
Traits have arisen that are especially appropriate to
The Military Force Background appears in the
members of this clan. Storytellers take note: While
Vampire Storyteller Handbook.
these new Traits are not necessarily exclusive to the
Brujah, all of them are options. They may be used by New Discipline Powers
Kindred of other clans, or not at all, at your discretion. The following powers are all manifestations of
Sections that make mention of MET are for use the personal nature of Disciplines as a Kindreds
with White Wolfs Minds Eye Theatre live- mastery rises to the sixth level or greater. Characters
action rules. with the ability to learn and create new Disciplines
Considerations for Existing might wish to acquire these or use them as a base
from which to explore their own options. Likewise,
Traits certain Storyteller characters may have access to
In some cases, the Storyteller may wish to make these powers.
a few adjustments or special allowances for Brujah The Gentle Rebuke
characters whose concept deserves it. As always, the (Potence Level Six)
Storyteller is the final arbiter of such situations. Facetiously named, this power allows the Kin-
Alternate Identity Background dred to physically knock another character away
Because much of a Brujahs reputation depends from herself which the slightest of touches. Although
on her deeds, misdeeds, infamy and valor, some this power does no damage in and of itself, is use is
Brujah choose to go by different names when they quite humbling, and certainly, to be hurled away
meet different Kindred. The anarch icon, Smiling from an elder in social setting has its embarrassing
Jack, for example (see Chapter Three), has conc- repercussions. Some Kindred who use this power do
octed numerous aliases to hide his identity when it so surreptitiously, touching their victims and send-
might not be prudent to be known as a rabid oppo- ing them reeling across the room. Others use this
nent of the princedom. Although it is presented in power as a not-so-subtle display of their might giv-
the Guide to the Sabbat, Alternate Identity is ing their victim as casual slap that has
certainly a valid Background for any Kindred whose overwhelming results.
name might otherwise earn her unwanted attention, System: The player spends a Blood Point and
positive or negative. the character must physically touch her target (which
Military Force Background may require a Dexterity + Brawl roll in certain
Elders arent the only Kindred with devoted situations). The character on the receiving end of
soldiers at their beck and call. The Brujah, given this power is immediately thrown a number of yards
their connections to the mortal world and their skill equal to the invoking characters Potence rating.
with the Presence Discipline, sometimes cultivate The results of this vary by situation, and are left to
groups of followers that either exceed the quantities the Storyteller a character hurled into a wall may
suggested by the Allies and Retainers Backgrounds well sustain damage, while a character tossed hap-
or are populated by people who have less versatility hazardly away might have to succeed on Dexterity
than normal Allies or Retainers. Among these are roll (difficulty 6) to remain standing.
the Brujah gang lords, capos, religious faction lead- MET System: The player spends a Blood Trait
ers, political jackbooters, entourage-bearing glitterati, and must succeed in a physical challenge to touch
activists and, well, anyone who can convince a group the target (this may be done surreptitiously, but the
of chain-swinging hooligans to fight whomever he player may not make use of other Potence benefits).
tells them to. In cases like this, Storytellers may wish The challenge is not required if the subject allows
to allow the character to invest a point or two in the player to touch him (a handshake, a friendly
Clanbook: Brujah
68
Obvious Predator (2-pt. Social Flaw) Uncontrollable (5-pt. Mental Flaw)
Either your face or your immediate disposition Rage and passion constantly war in the soul of a
lets people know that you have nothing good in store volatile Brujah. Perhaps you were ill tempered before
for them. Mortals react poorly to people who exude the Embrace, or perhaps your Brujah lineage awak-
such a blatant air of menace, and all your difficulties ened some latent fury. In any case, even more so than
for Social rolls increase by two (with the exception your clanmates, you are prone to frenzy. Difficulties
of Intimidation-related rolls). to resist frenzy are always 10 for this character.
In MET, this is largely a matter of roleplaying. A Prepare for a short, hellish ride.
player who chooses this Flaw must wear a card or In MET, characters with this Flaw always lose on
other item that identifies him as an Obvious Preda- tics in attempts to resist frenzy. Uncontrollable can
tor. Kindred with this Flaw lose all ties in social easily disrupt LARP, and Storytellers are cautioned
challenges with mortals. Obvious Predator does not to carefully consider whether its appropriate in
inflict a penalty upon Intimidation-related challenges. their games.
Of the Brujah as a whole, what can be said that That is the intrinsic horror of the Brujah clan
several outstanding members of the clan do not imme- the endless rage against the known evil for the un-
diately contradict in thought or behavior? That they known that one feels is right, but cannot know for sure.
are passionate? Well, what about the ennui of elders The idyllic Carthage was also a bloody orgy and a
or the stagnation of those who have made things crucible for infants, all in the name of vampiric gods.
comfortable for themselves? Or are the Brujah rebel- Transylvania, where the night claims the innocent,
lious for its own sake? What then of the Brujah who has haven to the Brujah who fled the tyranny of the
take positions among the social elite of the Camarilla? Roman Ventrue. Even the streets of the modern nights,
Are they all mindless anarchs, plotting the overthrow where many young Brujah claim their domains, are pits
of princes around the globe? How, then, to account for of drugs, violence and utter desperation.
those (admittedly few) cities in which a Brujah claims Brujah, then, are the Kindred who make their
the princedom? The Brujah are a clan of contradictions havens in the horror of the conscience. Let that be
and hypocrisies, fierce pride and craven treachery. The their common thread.
only difference between a Brujah warlord and his
vicious counterpart in the Sabbat may be a simple
statement of allegiance.
Self-Control Self-Control
Conscience Conscience
73
Humanity Backgrounds Humanity Backgrounds
Contacts x1 Allies x2
Generation x1 Contacts x1
Physical Influence x2 (University) Physical Fame x2
Dexterous Enduring Generation x2
Resilient Influences Graceful Influences
Wiry Steady
the Sabbat, who wanted you to be as fierce and angry as you Sabbat Status Presence
Self-Control
possibly could. While the packs insistence that you were
fighting a holy war grew tedious after a while, the frequency Courage
with which they allowed you to blow off steam Merits/Flaws Humanity Health
earned you quick recognition and respect. Before Bruised
Hurt 1
long, you had distinguished yourself enough for Injured 1
Willpower
the bishop to make you a templar, which gave you
Wounded
Mauled
2
2
great pride. Blood Pool
Wounded 5
Incapacitated
Still, you believe that you have left some
Experience
degree of unfinished business in the world of
the living. Being a Sabbat enforcer doesnt
mean youre simply a conscienceless killer.
Unlike most Sabbat, you havent
completely written off your mortal
family you still send your mother and
brother letters, describing your
wonderful life and success at work. You
dont see this as weakness; your mother
didnt raise her son to be a boot.
Concept: Your life was a never-ending source of stress, but your
newfound roll in the Sabbat provides you with a release. Unlike most others in
your position, you are not a sadist, though you fulfill your duties with zeal. For
you, the sect is not so much a holy cause is it is a group that claims you, and you
have no illusions about the real nature of the community it claims to be. The Sabbat
is little more than a collection of self-interested individuals, and you have no problem
going you own way in the sect.
Roleplaying Hints: You are at odds with your inherent clan passion. While the
Brujah Embrace may incline you toward fervor, you feel your unlife is stagnating and
that you have no real cause. After all, the sects propaganda doesnt carry much weight
with you; youve had to entertain yourself in the nights since your Embrace. Still, you
feel some sense of achievement in your appointment to the position of paladin, and
youve been trying more and more frequently to foment an interest in the Sabbats
affairs. Beneath it all, however, you know its not genuine.
Equipment: Flashy convertible, extensive wardrobe of clothes, brass knuckles,
ax handle
Self-Control Self-Control
Conscience Conscience
76
Humanity Backgrounds Humanity Backgrounds
Allies x2 Resources x1 Generation x2
Contacts x2 Retainers x1 Resources x3
Physical Herd x1 Physical
Clanbook: Brujah
Enduring Wiry Influence x1 (Street) Brawny Steady
Lithe Influences Quick Tireless Influences
Nimble Rugged x2
Tenacious Stalwart
Social Social
Alluring Intimidating Disciplines Commanding Expressive Disciplines
Charming Seductive x2 Celerity (Alacrity) Dignified x2 Celerity (Alacrity, Swiftness)
Commanding x2 Obfuscate (Cloak of Shadows) Eloquent Potence (Prowess, Vigor)
Mental Potence (Prowess) Mental Presence (Awe)
Alert Presence (Awe) Alert
Cunning Intuitive
Vigilant Rational
Abilities Merits & Flaws Abilities Merits & Flaws
Brawl x1 Streetwise x2 Brawl x2 Streetwise x1
Dodge x1 Dodge x2
Firearms x1 Drive x2
Intimidation x1 Expression x1
La Belle Dame Sans Merci Name:
Player:
Nature: Child
Demeanor: Bravo
Generation: 13th
Haven:
Quote: I dont care what you want. Youre not my concern. Chronicle: Clan: Brujah Concept: La Belle Dame Sans Merci
Attributes
Prelude: Life in the barrio trained you to watch out for Physical Social Mental
Strength Charisma Perception
yourself at an early age, and being a young woman just made Dexterity Manipulation Intelligence
it more difficult. The gangs were only part of the problem Stamina Appearance Wits
Abilities
of more concern was the daily disorganized crime that Talents Skills Knowledges
threatened you at every turn. The neighborhood was full of Alertness Animal Ken Academics
Athletics Crafts Computer
heads, rapists, thieves and two-bit criminals who took adva- Brawl Drive Finance
Dodge Etiquette Investigation
ntage of any opportunity they saw. And they almost always Empathy Firearms Law
say it in the chicas who called the neighborhood home. Expression Melee Linguistics
Intimidation Performance Medicine
The church was your sanctuary, though: a place you Leadership Security Occult
escaped the evil of the world by looking to Christ. But faith Streetwise Stealth Politics
Subterfuge Survival Science
wasnt enough to protect you. After being raped by one of Advantages
Backgrounds Disciplines Virtues
your brothers cholo friends, you turned Allies Celerity Conscience
to the gangs for your protection. You Contacts Potence
Herd Presence
had to resort to that which you hated Resources Obfuscate Self-Control
just to make life tolerable, and Retainers
Courage
even that was a left-handed deal.
Self-Control Self-Control
Conscience Conscience
79
Humanity Backgrounds Humanity Backgrounds
Generation x4 Contacts x2
Retainers x1 Generation x1
Physical Physical Influence x2 (University)
Brawny Tough Agile Resources x3
Dexterous Vigorous Influences Energetic x2 Influences
Ferocious Tireless
Clanbook: Brujah
80
The Small-Town Sheriff Name:
Player:
Nature: Bravo
Demeanor: Judge
Generation: 10th
Haven:
Quote: You want to do this the easy way or the hard way? Im Chronicle: Clan: Brujah Concept: Small-town Sherriff
Attributes
hopin you choose the hard way, myself. Physical Social Mental
Perception
Prelude: If it wasnt one damn thing in your town, it Strength
Dexterity
Charisma
Manipulation Intelligence
was another. One month, you had all the niggers getting Stamina
Appearance Wits
Abilities
uppity and rioting off the access road. The next month it was Talents Skills Knowledges
all the pinkos and hippies from the university up the highway Alertness
Animal Ken Academics
Athletics
Crafts Computer
staging some kind of animal-rights protest at the cannery. Brawl
Drive Finance
Dodge
Etiquette Investigation
Then some faggot march and, in the same month, the Empathy
Firearms Law
lynching after that child molester was acquitted. Yeah, every Expression
Melee Linguistics
Intimidation
Performance Medicine
time some group or another got a wild hair up their ass, they Leadership
Security Occult
took to the streets. Streetwise
Stealth Politics
Subterfuge
Survival Science
As the sheriff, however, you kept order, because thats Advantages
Backgrounds Disciplines Virtues
what the decent people of the town wanted. A little skull- Generation
Dominate Conscience
cracking went a long way when people knew they should fear Mentor
Potence
Resources
Presence
you and if they didnt, you and your deputies made things Status Self-Control
right for the decent people of the town.
Your fervor attracted the attention of one of these weird Courage
Self-Control Self-Control
Conscience Conscience
82
Humanity Backgrounds Humanity Backgrounds
Contacts x2 Mentor x1 Generation x3
Fame x2 Resources x3 Influence x1 (Street)
Physical Herd x1 Physical Mentor x3
Clanbook: Brujah
Agile Influence x1 (Street) Brawny x2 Tough x2 Resources x2
Graceful Influences Dexterous Influences
Resilient Enduring
Tireless
Social Social
Alluring x2 Charming Disciplines Beguiling Disciplines
Beguiling Expressive Celerity (Alacrity) Intimidating Dominate (Command)
Charismatic Ingratiating Presence (Awe, Dread Gaze) Ingratiating Potence (Prowess, Vigor)
Mental Mental Presence (Awe)
Creative x2 Reflective Attentive Vigilant
Discerning Determined Wily
Insightful Intuitive
Abilities Merits & Flaws Abilities Merits & Flaws
Academics Streetwise Brawl Security
Computer Firearms Streetwise
Expression x2 Intimidation
Performance x2 Law
The Digital Musician Name:
Player:
Nature: Child
Demeanor: Bon Vivant
Generation: 13th
Haven:
Quote: I dont care what your politics are. Im an Chronicle: Clan: Brujah Concept: Digital Musician
Attributes
entertainer. You want me to play a benefit, fine, but dont drag Physical Social Mental
Strength Charisma Perception
me into your little war. Dexterity Manipulation Intelligence
Prelude: When other kids wanted to be rock stars, Stamina Appearance Wits
Abilities
they picked up guitars. That wasnt the case with you, Talents Skills Knowledges
though. You were young enough to relate better to Alertness Animal Ken Academics
Athletics Crafts Computer
computers and satellite broadcasts than you were the Brawl Drive Finance
Dodge Etiquette Investigation
Rolling Stones. In fact, your musical heroes were Empathy Firearms Law
anonymous, hiding behind banks of synthesizers when they Expression Melee Linguistics
Intimidation Performance Medicine
played live and appearing nowhere at all on their CD liner Leadership Security Occult
notes. Beginning in junior high, you saved enough money Streetwise Stealth Politics
Subterfuge Survival Science
to buy a synth and a drum machine. Even in high school, Advantages
Backgrounds Disciplines Virtues
when the other kids were spending money on cars and Contacts Celerity Conscience
clothes, you bought computers and sequencers. Fame Presence
Herd
By the time you were 17, Mentor Self-Control
Resources
you were playing clubs that Status
legally you couldnt even Courage
Clanbook: Brujah
84
Demeanor: Demeanor: Conformist
Nature: Willpower Nature: Masochist Willpower
Age: Age:
Generation: Generation: 11th
Clan: Brujah Blood Clan: Brujah Blood
Chronicle: Chronicle:
Character: Character: Pugilist
Name: Courage Name: Courage
Self-Control Self-Control
Conscience Conscience
85
Humanity Backgrounds Humanity Backgrounds
Allies x2 Retainers x1 Fame x1 Resources x2
Contacts x1 Generation x2 Retainers x1
Physical Influence x1 (University) Physical Influence x1 (Street)
Dexterous Resources x1 Agile Tough x2 Mentor x1
Steady x2 Influences Stalwart Influences
Robust x2
Clanbook: Brujah
86
Sample Brood: revival enjoys, it is not dependable, and the group
sometimes has to face lean nights. Likewise, add-
ing other vampires to the mix threatens the already
Hezekiahs Revival weak Masquerade while Hezekiah and his brood
can pass of their own powers as miracles, if visit-
Grass-roots religious movements are nothing
new from wandering cults of pre-Christian ing Kindred among the crowd performed feats of
nights to the numerous heretical factions of the faith, the coterie would attract an uncomfort-
Middle Ages to the millennialist splinter groups able amount of attention. They dont necessarily
of the modern nights, reverence for the Powers attack other Kindred (which would be unbecom-
Above has motivated those need of something ing for a preacher and his ministry), though they
greater than themselves. And as long as these may use other tactics such as blackmail, rumors,
groups have existed, the Kindred have walked character assassination, or favors theyve accu-
among them, sometimes masquerading as the faith- mulated from other Kindred.
ful, at other times impersonating the deities A physically oriented coterie would likely be
themselves. able to make short work of Hezekiahs Revival,
Hezekiahs Revival in one such movement: an but such is not why theyre included here. The
itinerant cell of Brujah evangelists that moves revival is built around a social core the focal
throughout the United States, spreading the Word point of the group is its herd, not its capacity for
of God and taking their sustenance from the as- violence. This can provide its own hooks, as the
sembled flock. revival may appeal to anyone. Perhaps a characters
We include Hezekiahs Revival as a resource trusted ghoul becomes interested in the revival
for the Storyteller, to be used as characters in a or an elder loses significant business influence
chronicle, a source of plot hooks, or as potential when the president of his corporation decides to
background cast for a specific players character. make an enormous charitable contribution to Rev-
Although the broods histories feature some spe- erend Rutledges church. Almost any of the
cifics, the revival may show up anywhere or in any peripheral characters associated with the players
chronicle; these Kindred can make appearances characters can be affected (positively or nega-
in your own stories as needed. tively) when the revival rolls through town. Who
knows some might even join.
Using Hezekiahs Revival The most important thing to remember when
This traveling troupe can fit into the chronicle using Hezekiahs Revival in a chronicle that
as bit players or major characters. They could be they are sincere. The nomadic church is a font
used to explore the themes of the Masquerade: A for Kindred, but thats not all it is. Hezekiah and
Storyteller may wish to have them function as a his followers truly believe in God, and they hon-
walking, talking testament to the power of faith estly seek to spread His word. This calls upon the
(doesnt the flock notice how strange they act?) or most fundamental Kindred mythologies God
set them up as antagonists who threaten to expose cursing Cain(e) and his progeny for the sin of
the Cainite race with their depredations. With a murdering Abel. Each member of Hezekiahs Re-
few minor adjustments, the coterie would even vival has her own interpretations of how vampires
make a suitable pack of Brujah antitribu, who may should best do this, and certainly not all of them
be using the revival as a cover for the Sabbat are healthy, constructive or wholesome, but they
Inquisition or may be a pack of nomadic scouts have nothing if not conviction. The Kindred of
doing reconnaissance for a crusade. the revival interpret their undead state as Gods
In any event, the revival does not respond will they have literally been touched by the
well to other Kindred. While he respects the divine order to carry out His purpose. None of
Masquerade, Hezekiah Rutledge doesnt want to them have True Faith, however; no matter how
tax his already limited resources any more than much they believe in God, God must surely see
they already are. Despite the size of the herd the them as a less than ideal vehicle for His aims.
Clanbook: Brujah
90
skilled at it. In this sense, Jack has become Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Hezekiahs manservant, to a degree. He drives Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1
and maintains the RV in which the revival trav- Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
els, he sets up tents and attends to the numerous
Talents: Alertness 1, Athletics 2, Brawl 4, Dodge 2,
petty details that, if ignored, would cripple the
Intimidation 1, Streetwise 2
operation.
Hezekiah has made it plain that Jack will go to Skills: Crafts 5, Drive 4, Firearms 3, Melee 2,
Hell if he meets the Final Death, just like he will Security 3, Stealth 3, Survival 2
himself. Although hes not profoundly religious, Knowledges: Academics 1, Computer 1, Law 1,
Jack believes Hezekiah, and has no desire to meet Medicine 2
the Devil face to face. At times, this is the only Disciplines: Celerity 2, Potence 2
thing that keeps Jack from destroying himself. At Backgrounds: Herd 3, Resources 2
other times, Jack simply ignores his situation, Virtues: Conscience 4, Self-Control 2, Courage 3
doing what Hezekiah requires of him without Morality: Humanity 4
consciously considering the issue itself. Each night
Willpower: 3
Jack rises, a little bit more of him withers away.
Soon, he will either collapses under the weight of
the calamities heaped upon him and destroy him-
self, and drag the preacher to hell with him.
Image: Jack Tarver is a broken man, with the
bent posture and haggard face to prove it. He
rarely betrays any expression, having long since
resigned himself to his fate. Jack doesnt even
bother to groom himself on most nights why
bother? His hair is perpetually mussed, he wears
three days worth of beard and his clothes look
rumpled, even when theyre clean. A large scar,
earned at Bull Run, travels down from his right
eye, across his cheek, and on to his shoulder; he
was Embraced before it had an opportunity to heal.
Roleplaying Hints: Rutledge tells you what
to do and you do it. You dont do it willingly,
though, and you dont necessarily do it well. If you
can get away with doing a half-assed job, thats Marion Sisley
precisely what you do. Still, youre not the kind of Background: Sometimes, a crowd doesnt want
man to give up killing yourself means a one- to hear bleak, bombastic tirades about Gods wrath
way ticket to Hell, and thats certainly worse than and his infinite capacity for vengeance. Espe-
changing tires and setting up rows of folding cially in the modern nights, people get enough of
chairs. Once you had a sort of morbid dignity that in their day-to-day lives and turn to spiritu-
sure, you failed, but you were your own man ality to escape it. In these cases, Hezekiahs
and if you could regain that, perhaps youd be able sermons make the crowd uncomfortable instead
to escape Rutledge. of turning them to God. The reverend realized
Sire: Hezekiah Rutledge this a few decades into his undead career, but
Nature: Child chalked it up to narcissistic listeners. But in the
Demeanor: Conformist past few decades, hes learned that he needs to
Generation: 10th play the audience. Marion Sisley represents his
attempt to place a more pleasant face on his
Embrace: 1874
cautions of Armageddon.
Apparent Age: early 20s
Clanbook: Brujah
92
Backgrounds: Allies 1, Herd 5, Resources 3, Re- people away when they became too fervent during
tainers 2 the revivals ceremonies. Marion explained to the
Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 2, Courage 3 disgusted man what was truly taking place and
Morality: Humanity 5 told him that she could not allow the secret to
escape. When Marion offered Willits a choice
Willpower: 4
between death and the Embrace, he chose the
latter. She told him that he had made a mistake,
but Embraced him anyway.
Hezekiah was furious, but didnt destroy LeRoy
outright. Instead, he recalled the serenity within
the man that had caught his attention in the first
place. He instructed Willits in the art of oratory
and began his education in the Good Books ways.
Within a few years of the reverend taking him
under his wing, LeRoy was delivering sermons and
singing alongside Marion and Hezekiah.
Although hes not book smart, LeRoy is a
savvy man, and isnt oblivious to the fact that hes
the weapon Hezekiah and Marion are using to
stab at each other. While he has truly grown fond
of them both, the way then behave at times dis-
gusts him. Its unbecoming, and completely
inappropriate for people of God. Still, they are his
elders, and until he knows he can make a place for
LeRoy Willits himself in the world far away from the pettiness of
Background: From what little LeRoy has the revival, he does what he can to cope with it.
shared with other members of the brood, his mor- He and Jack keep each other company on the
tal life was certainly humble, if nothing else. The nights the revival isnt on, and the two talk long
eleventh child of an impoverished family of share- into the night about getting away from
croppers and odd-jobbers, LeRoy grew up knowing all this.
hardscrabble farm life and church faith. He claims Image: LeRoy is a huge African-American
that the family farm is somewhere in Mississippi; man with a rugged handsomeness. He dresses will,
he joined Rutledges brood in Birmingham. preferring subtle suits and well-made casual sports-
Hezekiah and Marion both took an immediate wear. Before the Embrace, a smile often graced his
interest in LeRoy when he showed up at the face, the last vestiges of which can still be seen
revival on a cool summer evening. The reverend beneath the solemn look he now wears. His hair is
saw an honest gear of God in the hardy young man. naturally long and natty, which he crops short
Marion saw a resolve in him despite his poverty each night when he rises, and he lost half of his
and hardship, he knew God loved him. During the left ear in a farming accident when he was a child.
sermon, Hezekiah called LeRoy to the stage and Roleplaying Hints: Play to both Hezekiahs
lifted him bodily over his head in a demonstration and Marions cues the more valuable you are to
of the power of faith. With that, LeRoy knew each of them, the more power you have over
the reverends congregation to be holy and ear- them. Its not about power, of course, but thats all
nest, and inquired about joining. Hezekiah happily these people seem to understand. Theyve lost
obliged. Gods message in all the backstabbing theyve
The deception didnt last long, however. done, and playing both sides keeps you from choos-
Rutledge had LeRoy working menial jobs, as- ing one over the other. When people let him, God
sisting the miserable Jack Tarver and ushering can be a potent agent of change, improving
peoples lives once they let him in. Thats your
Clanbook: Brujah
94
and theyre certainly no Gehenna freaks, so for
the time being, hes content to let them carry on Brujah of Note
business as usual. After all, it allows him to travel, Among the Brujah, fame and infamy exist side
and every now and then he runs across something by side. One night, a Kindred might find herself
completely unrelated to the revival. Still, if Bens the subject of legends, her exploits recounted in
secret comes to the fore, the revival no doubt feel reverent tones. The next night, she may find her
betrayed, and given their own problems, theres name tarnished and herself sorely out of favor. To
no telling how they react. the Brujah, reputation is a fickle thing, made and
Image: Bens been on the road for many years broken a thousand times with every mention of
of his life (and unlife), and brother, does he look the individual.
the part. His hair is a terminally knotted tangle of Smiling Jack
black wires and his riding clothes have an indel-
The tales regarding Smiling Jack are a testa-
ible sheen of grease. His skin is uncommonly dark
ment to the power of legend among the Kindred.
for a Kindred, as he spent his living days under the
By turns a 17th-century pirate, an anti-Ventrue
highway sun. When he takes the stage, he typi-
revolutionary, an anarch leader in the crumbling
cally wears a cleaner version of his normal clothes,
Anarch Free State and any number of other myths
including shiny motorcycle boots and a revival T-
which may or may not be true the renegade
shirt with the sleeves ripped off.
known as Smiling Jack inspires either loyalty or
Roleplaying Hints: Keep your eyes open. The
enmity wherever he goes.
revival folks seem pretty clear of the concerns
Rebellious Kindred have a high regard for the
your sire had, but theres no telling whether or not Lick calling himself Smiling Jack, whom they
theyre just good at hiding their secrets. Still, a regard as an anarchs anarch. Currently residing
covers a cover and you do whatevers necessary to in California, Smiling Jack has made an unlife for
fulfill your obligation to your sire. Despite the himself by striking at the institutions of the
fact that these guys are Brujah too, theyre talking Camarilla. Hes spoken out against the anachro-
about stuff thats way different from what youve nistic titles of the sect, opposed the actions of
been exposed to, which is probably why your sires individual princes and primogen, and even clashed
up in arms. with the esteemed Jeremy MacNeil, an anarch
Sire: Ahmet ibn-Ahmed ibn-Mahmoud abd-Yzir leader whose unification campaign in the Anarch
Nature: Curmudgeon Free State led to an unprecedented era of nonpar-
Demeanor: Judge tisan Kindred cohesion before the Cathayans
Generation: 11th invaded.
Embrace: 1991 Since then, Smiling Jack has been a constant
Apparent Age: early 20s thorn in the sides of both the Cainites and the
Physical: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3 Eastern Kindred, leading ragtag bands of anarchs
Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2 against the Cathayan menace. The Eastern Kin-
Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3 dred naturally hate him for opposing their attempts
Talents: Athletics 3, Brawl 4, Dodge 3, Empathy 1, to influence the American West Coast. The
Streetwise 3 Camarilla finds him to be a threat, not only for his
Skills: Animal Ken 2, Crafts 3, Drive 3, Firearms 2, vocal stance against princes, but also because he
Melee (chain) 4, Stealth 2, Survival 3 continually reopens old wounds on the West Coast.
Knowledges: Linguistics 1 (Spanish), Medicine 2, Dominic
Science 2 Although Dominics name is not widely known,
Disciplines: Celerity 1, Potence 3 his influence has survived for centuries among the
Backgrounds: Allies 1, Herd 4, Mentor 3, Brujah. Over the course of his unlife, Dominic has
Resources 3 nursed an ever-growing hatred for the Ventrue.
Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 2, Courage 4 Like many Brujah, he blames them for the fall of
Morality: Humanity 5 Carthage; unlike many Brujah, he became a vam-
Willpower: 5 pire in that fabled city.
Clanbook: Brujah
96
Camarilla as he sees it satisfying his own desires magic and one overbearing Malkavian applica-
for the time being. tion of Dominate.
Theo played an instrumental role in the Kindred with any knowledge at all about the
Camarillas recent reconquest of New York City, groups abilities speculate that it serves some
coordinating several of the sects critical battles greater purpose, as each vampire in the coterie
and working closely with the Ventrue Jan has his or her own unique talents. Mercury has an
Pieterzoon to keep the city from falling back into extensive command of the Presence Discipline,
the Sabbats talons. Of course, Theo has little and is most often the mouthpiece through which
desire to take more responsibility upon himself the coterie speaks. Certainly, all requests for aid
he has no desire to be prince and cast his vote for or favors from the collective coterie go through
the Nosferatu scout Calebros to assume the tem- her. Martin has been observed using strange
porary position until a permanent candidate makes ritual magic, which some Kindred believe is
her claim. In truth, Camarilla politics leave Theo Thaumaturgy or a previously unheard-of Disci-
cold he doesnt see the Curse of Caine as a pline. Veronica seems to be either the lover or
deathless game, but as the last opportunity to servant of the other two Kindred, though they
seize redemption. have been known to use her as bait for Kindred
Coven with whom the Coven wishes to speak.
The politics of the group calling itself Coven In the end, their purpose or agenda is un-
are anyones guess, but the coterie resembles noth- known, except for the strange messages or missives
ing so much as a small anarch pack. The coterie they sometimes deliver to Kindred across the
consists of three vampires, Veronica Go, Martin United States. A few speculations even attribute
Hyde and Mercury, all of whom claim to be some- some connection to the Inconnu, which wouldnt
how related and members of Clan Brujah. The be altogether impossible, given what little is
most prevalent theory is that the androgynous known about that mysterious sect.
Mercury sired both Veronica and Martin, as the Christof Romuald
latter two seem to defer to her. The Brujah known as Christof emerged from
Coven is a strange coterie, indeed, its mem- the Long Night of the Dark Ages as a member of
bers having seemingly little in common with each the Swordbretheren, a nightly order sworn to
other. Its Kindred travel like nomadic anarchs or fight back the tides of the paynim scourge during
Sabbat, moving across the country in a classic the Crusades. Once a God-fearing man, Christof
1970 Plymouth Barracuda convertible. Every now found his faith challenged after he received the
and then they establish a temporary haven in Embrace. How could God allow monsters like him
some city or another, stay for a few nights, then to defile His creation? How could a loving God
move on, often leaving the local Kindred no wiser turn his back on all the wickedness of the world?
as to what they did during their stay. Cainites who Christof answered these questions the same
have heard of them dont suspect that they are ones with which almost all neonates struggling dur-
Sabbat were that the case, Coven would surely ing their early years be deciding that God had
have had some more lasting effect on the cities abandoned him.
where they stop. More likely, theyre messengers Shortly after his Embrace, Christof traveled
for some inscrutable group of Kindred, as evi- Eastern Europe. He clashed with the barbarians of
denced by their standard method of operation. Hungary, leveled his sword against the Eastern
When Coven rolls into a city, its members can- Lord Ventrue, fought with Transylvanian Tzimisce
vass the local vampires for the locations that and their minions and even met the fabled golem
specific Kindred are known to frequent, despite of Prague. More and more, Christof filled the void
having never been to the city before or knowing in his soul left by the absence of God with rage
any personal details about those Kindred. The and viciousness. Even when he solicited news of
only reason Coven is known to be unanimously home, he learned that the lands of his native
Brujah in origin is the result of Tremere blood France had changed. The wickedness of the world
seemed to echo his own tarnished faith while
Clanbook: Brujah
98
Image: Tyler is a bit shorter than average,
which she makes up for in disposition. She affects
casual clothes blue jeans, T-shirts and simple
blouses and wears her long, dark hair in a
ponytail. While mortal, she contracted smallpox,
and the scars still decorate her otherwise attrac-
tive face.
Roleplaying Hints: The fiery blood of the
Brujah infuses you to such a degree that every
conversation strokes your passion. Whether dis-
cussing something as mundane as a bus schedule
or as grave as Chicagos Kindred power games,
speak with all the emotion you can muster. At
times, you must even clench your fists to rein in
your excitement. Give no Kindred an excuse to
doubt your fury.
Sire: Robin Leeland
Nature: Rebel tury, Evangeline learned quickly that unlife was
Demeanor: Conniver fraught with peril. Rather than succumb to any of
Generation: 6th the numerous dangers Italian Kindreds faced
Embrace: 1381 raging Lupines, fervent Inquisitors, frenzied sect
Apparent Age: early 30s rivals Evangeline rose to the challenge, surviv-
Physical: Strength 5, Dexterity 6, Stamina 7 ing her impetuous sire and becoming something
Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 5, Appearance 3 of a local heroine of the Italian Sabbat.
Mental: Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 7 Although her influence and power are rela-
tively inconsequential compared that of to elder
Talents: Alertness 4, Brawl 4, Dodge 3, Expres-
Cainites, Evangeline has become something rare
sion 2, Intimidation 5, Leadership 4, Streetwise 3,
among the Sabbat: neither neonate nor elder, but
Style 2, Subterfuge 2
an ancilla. In a sect comprised predominantly of
Skills: Crafts 2, Drive 2, Etiquette 1, Firearms 4, excitable fledglings and cunning elders,
Melee 5, Ride 2, Stealth 3 Evangeline has outlasted what she jokingly refers
Knowledges: Academics 1, Linguistics (Spanish, to as her trial period. While she may be too
French) 2, Politics 5, Sabbat Lore 1 inexperienced now, within a few more decades,
Disciplines: Celerity 4, Dominate 4, Fortitude 3, she plans to become one of the sects most prom-
Obtenebration 1, Potence 5, Presence 6 ising young elders. In her younger years, she saw
Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 4, Influence 3, as much action and terror as any Sabbat, but
Mentor 5, Resources 4, Retainers 7 Evangeline has placed that time behind her. In-
Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 1, Courage 4 deed, she earns the respect of younger Kindred
Morality: Humanity 5 through fighting the Camarilla and even count-
Willpower: 8 ing coup on a Lupine with her former pack. Her
Evangeline social acumen has also kept her from falling prey
to the wiles of elders schemes even Giangaleazzo
Background: Italy has long teetered between
has become unable to hunt down and destroy his
Camarilla and Sabbat influence. Kindred society
former rivals childe.
reflects the tempestuous mortal political environ-
As both ductus and priest to her current pack,
ment, and the vampires of Italy know only that
Evangeline leads her fellows on nocturnal raids
change is constant. Embraced by a Sabbat Brujah
on rural Italian settlements. She knows this makes
during a doomed attempted to oust then-Bishop
(now Prince) Giangaleazzo in the late 19th cen-
Clanbook: Brujah
100