Around the Fires

—Dr. Johnson

The Sabbat claims a very cosmopolitan membership. Composed of 14 clans and bloodlines, the sect possesses a diversity of lineage not found in any other society of vampires. However, because the sect is smaller than the Camarilla, a greater number of clans and bloodlines means that each consanguinity has fewer members. For example, while the number of "mainstream" Brujah may number in the thousands, only several hundred Brujah antitribu populate the ranks of the Sabbat.

The Sabbat has little problem with this, though, as it prides itself on the diversity, individuality and freedom of its members. Who wants to he just another cog in the Ventrue machine when one can he a member of the few, the proud, the Ventrue antitribu?

This chapter explores the new clans and bloodlines that belong to the Sword of Caine. The majority of the sect consists of members of the Lasombra and Tzimisce clans, which are detailed in Chapter Two of Vampire: The Masquerade.

Assamite Antitribu

In the nights following the Anarch Revolt and the Convention of Thorns, Clan Assamite found itself in a deadly predicament. In light of the overwhelming opposition posed by the young Camarilla, the Assamites became targets for the ire of all vampires. To temper the threat the Saracen Assassins posed, the Camarilla subjected Clan Assamite to a powerful Tremere curse, rendering the Assamites unable to partake of Cainite vitae, which was core to many Assamite's ethical codes.

Not every Assamite succumbed to the blood curse, however. A few bold Assamites, led by the first hulul, al-Numair, went into hiding. In the nights that followed, al-Numair and his band of rebel assassins joined the young Sabbat, more out of defiance to the Camarilla than support for the sect's still-nascent philosophy. Since that time, however, the Assamite antitribu have assumed an important role in the Sabbat and become some of the most feared members of the notorious Black Hand.

Assamite antitribu serve their clan first and the Sabbat second, though many of their beliefs coincide with those of the sect. Unlike members of their original clan, Assamite antitribu do not revere Haqim. Rather, they see him as they see all of the loathed Antediluvians, as a corrupt, malignant force that will one night rise and devour his children. Instead, Assamite antitribu seek to grow ever closer to Caine, whom the mainstream Assamites regard as an abomination. Regardless, the two clans seem to be on fairly civil terms, though no outsider has come up with a credible reason why. Indeed, the Assamite antitribu seem to bear a hauteur over their mainstream brethren, whom they chide mercilessly for accepting the Camarilla's curse even after they have broken it.

Like the members of their original clan, Assamites are masters of assassination and silent killing. The Angels of Caine are a valuable martial addition to the Sabbat, which would lack a good deal of prowess and tactical brilliance without them. Many Assamite antitribu attain significant military rank in the sect, and many more go on to become some of the sect's greatest killer-heroes, leaving the corpses and ashes of fallen infidels to mark their silent passing.

Assamite antitribu do not typically assume the roles of pack priests, though many become ducti, especially if combat or assassination is their pack's purpose. Most Angels of Caine belong to exclusively Assamite antitribu packs, though more and more of them have broken this mold, becoming valuable additions to more diverse packs. They do not proselytize as strongly as the non-Sabbat clan does, believing that converting others to their faith is vanity. In the end, Caine shall recognize his own, and others will have been given the choice to follow him or take their own path.

Nickname: Angels of Caine.

Appearance: Assamite antitribu hear similar appearances to their non-Sabbat counterparts, though many more antitribu bear the features of European or mixed cultures. Elders wear traditional Middle Eastern or Mesopotamian garb, while young Assamite antitribu favor a more modern wardrobe, even adopting gang or cultic garb to better hide among these violent subcultures. As with the Assamites, an Assamite antitribu's skin grows darker as the Cainite ages.

Haven: Assamite antitribu favor communal havens, which may take the form of pack havens, assassins' cells of other Assamite antitribu or other "nests" of vampires. Favored locations include refrigerated warehouses, abandoned slums and slaughterhouses, where bodies may he disposed of with minimal difficulty.

Background: Most members of the Assamite antitribu hail from Middle Eastern, North African or Asiatic cultures, though these may he several generations removed from their places of origin. More and more, however - especially among the higher generations - lineage has grown less important, taking a hack seat to ability. Newly Embraced Assamite antitribu do not typically become active in the sect immediately, serving seven-year "apprenticeships" at Black Hand strongholds or under the guidance of skilled masters instead. These mustajib - deserving ones - must prove themselves to the clan before being offered the opportunity to prove themselves to the sect.

Character Creation: Assamite antitribu can come from any racial or ethnic stock, though Middle Eastern and North African lineage is still the most common. Like non-Sabbat Assamites, many Assamite antitribu are ex-soldiers, criminals, holy men and explorers. Their Natures are usually brusque and direct (and likely violent), but their Demeanors can be anything at all. Physical Attributes tend to be primary among the Assamite antitribu, as do Skills. Common Backgrounds for the Angels of Caine include Black Hand Membership, Mentor, Generation and sometimes Sabbat Status. Many Assamite antitribu follow the Path of Caine, and as such, the Assamite antitribu are often regarded as heretical by their parent clan.

Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus

Weaknesses: The Assamite antitribu never suffered the curse that the Camarilla placed on the mainstream clan. While the Assamites are only now returning to the bloodlust endemic to those of Haqim's line, the antitribu have possessed this weakness all along.

Assamite antitribu become addicted to Cainite vitae easily. Whenever an Assamite antitribu drinks the blood of another vampire, he may become addicted. The player must make a Self-Control roll (difficulty 1 + the number of blood points taken). If the player fails the roll, the Assamite has become addicted. Once addicted, every time an Assamite antitribu partakes of vampire blood, the player must make another Self-Control roll (difficulty 6) or succumb to frenzy, in which he will take as much blood from his vessel as possible. Storytellers should encourage players to roleplay this craving for undead vitae - Assamite antitribu do not subjugate their bloodlust, they indulge it.

Organization: The Assamite antitribu maintain a structure similar to that of the original Clan Assamite. Members follow a hierarchy, unusual among the clans of the Sabbat (because most other clans devote their duty to the sect first). Instead of the Old Man of the Mountain, however, the Assamite antitribu follow the guidance of the hulul, the eldest member ñ if the clan. Every 100 years, the Assamite antitribu ritually destroy their hulul as an offering to Caine, and one member of the clan is selected to partake of the slain vampire's blood and become the new hulul. The hulul is attended and advised by the shakari, the wisest and most accomplished members of the clan. Vampires below these stations operate much like normal Assamites do, taking assassination contracts and indulging in wanton diablerie.

Quote: You are so frail, I am almost ashamed to take your blood. Almost.

Blood Brothers

Conceived and created in crumbling Old World castles and chantries by the newly vanished Tremere antitribu and a few twisted Tzimisce sorcerers, the Blood Brothers are an artificially engineered bloodline of shock troops and servitors. The Blood Brothers are the dubiously successful result of extensive experiments in blood bonding, intended to create a cell of servants that thought and acted as one.

To some degree, the Blood Brothers are a hive mind, sharing the same conscious thoughts and experiencing their surroundings vicariously through other members of their individual "chapters," known as circles. This link allows them to work effectively apart from each other - the bloodline excels at coordinated combat missions and espionage, provided no one realizes what they are (which, due to their rarity and the difficulty of their creation, is unlikely). They practice an unusual, disturbing Discipline that allows them to "loan" their limbs to one another, heal their compatriots and even capitalize on their shared minds.

Blood Brothers commonly form exclusive packs, in which they undergo Tzimisce fleshcrafting to make themselves look exactly alike - the better to unsettle their foes. The bloodline is notorious for its lack of personal drive, which makes its members ideal servants; no master needs to fear the Blood Brothers' fangs at his throat. Unfortunately, the bloodline has very little creativity, and it usually lacks the ability to out-maneuver opponents or outthink them, which is a flaw common to any enforced conformity. This is not to say the Brothers are dull-witted or slow; rather, they do not possess much self-awareness.

Few outside the Sabbat have come in contact with the Blood Brothers, and fewer still have escaped to tell about it. Indeed, not many Sabbat have dealt with the Frankensteins, or even know about them. Blood Brothers have become increasingly uncommon in the modern nights, mostly due to the fact that the Tremere antitribu no longer exist to create new ones while the existing Blood Brothers have typical Sabbat rates of Final Death. Blood Brothers cannot Embrace (a fail-safe put in place by clever experimenters who had no desire to repeat the Gargoyle fiasco), yet they are vampires in every other respect, including the ability to create ghouls.

Nickname: Frankensteins

Appearance: Barring a few scars here and there, Blood Brothers look exactly like other members of their circle. Most shave their bodies completely before the Embrace, ensuring an eternity of hairlessness, though this is not always the case. Additionally, many Blood Brothers tattoo numbers or other symbols on their bodies before their Embrace (often on the base of the neck, but sometimes on their stomachs or ankles), which identify which circle they belong to and in what capacity. Blood Brothers most often dress in sty les similar to that of the skinhead culture, wearing T-shirts, jeans, military-surplus boots and braces or suspenders. They cultivate their image for an air of obvious, but not ostentatious, menace.

Haven: Blood Brothers most frequently stay in whatever haven their master or patron keeps (or them, which may even he part of the master's own. Blond Brothers always stay with each other in communal havens. Some critics speculate that the undead mind of the Blood Brother in incapable of coping with situations of prolonged absence from other members of his circle, but the few notable individual vampires of the bloodline have proven able to adapt to this eventuality.

Background: The Blood Brother's background ceases to have relevance after his Embrace. Vampires of this bloodline become devoted entirely to their circle and sect, and all other concerns vanish. Tzimisce (and Tremere antitribu, in the past) usually select mortal families, gangs or other extant groups from which to create Blood Brothers, capitalizing on the conformity and camaraderie therein. Female members are exceeding rare, but at least one has been reputably reported.

Character Creation: Blood Brothers have uncomplicated, martial concepts, but these often matter little to the vampire in question. Most are simple vampires, with similar Natures and Demeanors. Physical Attributes are almost al-ways primary, as are Skills. All Blood Brothers in a circle must begin the game with the same Generation; the bloodline pursues few other Backgrounds other than Mentor and Resources. Few Blood Brothers have the initiative or contacts to learn Disciplines outside those the bloodline develops normally. Blood Brothers tend to uphold Humanity, often because they don't know any differently, though these scores often drop quite low before too long.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Potence, Sanguinus

Weaknesses: Blond Brothers may not Embrace - they must be created via Thaumaturgy or sorcerous rituals. Should a Blood Brother attempt to Embrace a mortal, that mortal simply dies, robbed of all her blood.

The Frankensteins also feel each other's pain. It tine takes damage, every Blood Brother of the circle suffers the same wound penalty for the next turn. Only the greatest wound penalty applies - if two are wounded, all members of the circle (including the less wounded one) suffer the largest penalty. This effect is not cumulative, though all members may feel wound penalties for multiple rounds (assuming one of their number suffers damage every turn).

Organization: For most Blood Brothers, unlife begins and ends with the circle, which consists of three to seven members. They may attend other Sabbat functions, but their master or patron dictates most of their purpose. Blood Brothers feel no inherent allegiance to other circles, above and beyond that of duty to the Sabbat. The bloodline treats others with cold deference, and its members seem somewhat reluctant to let outsiders know much about it. Perhaps their ends are best served in secrecy.

Quote: You are not supposed to be here. We will show you the way out; one peace at a time, if needs be.

Brujah Antitribu

During the Anarch Revolt, the young majority of Clan Brujah was the first and most vocal to rally to the cause. The elders of the clan, after a passing interest in the challenge to other elders' status quo, judged the anarchs to be in error. After much debate and posturing, the elders and loyal childer of Clan Brujah turned their backs of the "daft and dangerous" vampires who called themselves anarchs. As a result, the Brujah anarchs, who almost unanimously refused to bow to the Convention of Thorns, bear a tremendous grievance against the parent clan and support the Sabbat with fervor. Unlike Camarilla Brujah, Sabbat Brujah often feel very strongly for their sect - while Camarilla Brujah bemoan their apathetic elders and spend their nights fighting in the parking lots of punk rock nightclubs, the Brujah antitribu have taken the Great Jyhad to the elders and Antediluvians themselves.

Of all the clans of the Sabbat, the Brujah antitribu are probably the most like their parent clan, with a few striking differences. The clan not only supports its sect with enthusiasm, it takes an active part in the nightly conquest and Jyhad that has made the recent Sabbat war effort so successful. Although still waters may run deep, the sanguinary turbulence among the Brujah antitribu does not indicate a lack of intellect or profundity on their part.

Brujah antitribu make brutal shock troops and effective footsoldiers for the Sabbat, and they find their greatest comfort in this role. Ruthless and vicious to the last, the Brujah antitribu enjoy their martial roles. As the Damned, they reason, why not indulge in a little violence and sadism to pass the innumerable nights? Fewer dissidents find their place among the Sabbat Brujah than in the ranks of the Camarilla, but that seems to be because the Brujah antitribu have better luck - or skill - choosing childer who are not so arbitrarily contrary.

The Sabbat Brujah are likely the most numerous non-Lasombra or Tzimisce members of the Sabbat, due to the fact that the clan is the least disposed to seeing the big picture. They take what they want when they want it, whether it is new childer, desirable vessels, shares of their cities' vice trade or the money in your pocket, and woe be to whomever would stand in their way. Other Sabbat frequently consider the Brujah antitribu base and classless, while the clan sees itself as the closest in ideology to the Sabbat's original intent - freedom.

Of late, many Brujah antitribu have grown frustrated with the antiquated leadership of the Lasombra and Tzimisce, and they have plotted their own spectacular plans and won their own victories. Most members of this clan find places among the Loyalist faction, and some few manage to transcend their atavistic urges to become productive members of the Black Hand or Inquisition. Indeed, the Brujah antitribu seem to be on the cusp of something momentous, and only time will tell what their nights hold in store.

Nickname: Brutus

Appearance: Brujah antitribu want to scare the hell out of those who look on them. Shocking hairstyles, painful piercings, tattoos and severe clothing all earmark the members of the Brujah antitribu. Some packs composed exclusively of Brujah antitribu adopt similar styles of dress, like urban gangs, while individual Brutes tend to affect whatever makes everyone around them uncomfortable (which takes some doing among the Sabbat). Members of this clan may resemble punks, gangsters, Mafiosi, soldiers of fortune or anything else they feel like, pal.

Haven: When the Brujah antitribu bother with establishing a private haven, it tends to occupy the hack corners of their minds. As such, abandoned gas stations, disreputable nightclubs, churches and other "why would you äî there?" places enjoy favor among the clan. For the most part, however, Brujah antitribu don't give a toss about where they stay. After all, haven maintenance is someone else's responsibility - the Brujah antitribu have asses to kick.

Background: The Brujah antitribu select childer from a wide range of backgrounds; members have very little in common other than nasty, rebellious natures and a penchant for violence. Most Brujah antitribu hail from blue-collar upbringings, and few have completed much in the way of formal education, hut aside from those broad caveats, Brutes Embrace whomever they think would be useful or mean.

Character Creation: Brutes may have any concept, and they display a wide variety of Natures and Demeanors (which tend toward the martial or sadistic). Physical Attributes tend to be primary, as are Talents and Skills. Brujah antitribu tend to forego Backgrounds, considering them weak ties to the mortal world, but a growing minority have some form of Resources (generally from illegal or clandestine operations). Sabbat Brujah tend to uphold Humanity throughout their entire unlives, less out of moral preference than a simple lack of interest the philosophies of more rigorous ethical codes. Of course, these Humanity Traits tend to hover around the 4-6 level, and those rare Brujah antitribu who achieve more than a century of unlife have low scores indeed. Most are barely able to keep their Beasts at bay.

Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Presence

Weaknesses: Like Camarilla Brujah, Sabbat Brujah have the same undead passion and inclination toward excitement burning in their blood. All frenzy difficulties increase by two for Brujah antitribu characters, to a maximum of 10. Brujah antitribu tend to be less offended about their radical moods than Camarilla Brujah, and many take perverse pleasure in their boiling tempers.

Organization: Organization is an uncomfortable concept to many Brujah antitribu, who prefer to take things one night at a time and do what they will whenever they get the urge. Brutes sometimes support the ideals of the Loyalists, and enjoy the lack of formality associated with allegiance to that cause. The Brujah antitribu sometimes hold Raves (and, less frequently, Rants) like the Brujah of the Camarilla, though these bashes are more likely to revolve around carnage and wanton destruction than discussion and debate.

Quote: Fuck! Did you see how easy that guy's arm popped off? These fucking juicebags make me sick.

Gangrel Antitribu

Feral and untamed, the Gangrel antitribu show an animalistic face to the Sabbat. Having grown apart from the Gypsy heritage of the mainstream Gangrel, the Sabbat Gangrel have returned to their bestial sides, becoming deadly hunters whose skill in the pursuit of prey is unmatched. The clan includes subtle slayers and savage berserkers alike, and the skill with which the Gangrel take on their foes lends a powerful strength to the sect. Gangrel antitribu are not sadistic bullies like the Brujah or mindless automatons like the Blood Brothers, however. Rather, they are instinctive, predatory creatures, enjoying the thrill of the hunt almost as much as the heady rush of feeding.

The Sabbat Gangrel have seen a recent influx of defectors from the Camarilla in recent nights, though few of these vampires seem to want to share the reasoning behind the exodus. Many whisper of "sleeping horrors" awakened, and the fact that the Sabbat has been "right all along." The sect as a whole seems frustrated by this turn of events and the apparent reluctance of the defectors to speak about their motives, but whatever it is that scares these urban predators, it must be of epic scale.

Gangrel antitribu divide themselves into two sub-clans, based on a deviation of clan blood thought to have occurred in the late 18th century. The "original" Gangrel, known in the Sabbat as Country Gangrel, are similar to their erstwhile Camarilla counterparts, shunning society and eking out unlives as lone hunters. They resemble the monstrous vampires of mortal legend, possessing the abilities to assume animal forms and call on nature's lesser creatures. The Country Gangrel support the Sabbat as scouts and warriors, using their animal contacts to retrieve information and their martial prowess to rend foes to bits.

City Gangrel are rumored to have become a distinct bloodline during the time of the Industrial Revolution, when cities became larger and less dependent on the resources of the countryside. Rather than forage for themselves in the hinterlands, a certain few Gangrel made havens for themselves in the cities, becoming monsters of urban legend and spreading terror in the wake of their feeding binges. No less animalistic than their Country Gangrel siblings, City Gangrel hide among the refuse and alleys of the city rather than the Lupine-infested copses other Gangrel prefer.

More so than other Gangrel, however, Gangrel of the Sabbat realize the importance of watching each other's backs during these tumultuous nights before Gehenna. The cities and outlands alike harbor many dangers, and a pack stands a better chance of dealing with them than an individual does. In this way, Sabbat Gangrel consider themselves more in touch with their animalistic sides than Camarilla or independent Gangrel by emulating the wolves and lions of the wilds.

Nickname: Hunters

Appearance: Most Gangrel don't give a damn about their appearances, considering vanity secondary to functionality. They typically appear sloppy or disheveled. Despite their abandonment of their Gypsy heritage, many Gangrel still hear swarthy features and dark hair. Some City Gangrel have adopted the slick, fashionable styles of the mortal world, hut only as a form of "urban camouflage" that allows them to stalk their prey with greater ease. Often Gangrel are Embraced without a great deal of forethought, and many still hear unshaven beards or unkempt hair (though they may remedy these rugged features as they rise each night, if they wish).

Haven: Gangrel of both ilk are equally at home in the ground, under rocks or hidden behind garbage cans. Most Gangrel eschew permanent havens, communal or otherwise, and have adopted the nomadic unlifestyle. Any place a Gangrel may rise at sunset and stalk her prey is fine. Gangrel also keep few possessions other than what they can easily carry, so they have no real need for a place to cache large collections of belongings.

Background: Gangrel antitribu draw their childer from the ranks of those who possess a tenacity or survival instinct. Uncomplicated folk, Sabbat Gangrel often Embrace individuals like themselves when they bother to Embrace at all, so that they may have packmates of similar outlooks. Strangely enough, Hunters often act as patrons and mentors to their childer, perhaps out of animalistic duty as alpha to their pack members. City Gangrel choose particularly resilient folk for their childer, or those who would hear a grudge against the mortal world; thus, many City Gangrel come from the ranks of the homeless or foreign cultures resigned to ghettoes in the vast urban sprawls. For some inexplicable reason, many of the Country Gangrel in North America seem to have Native American ancestry, and some suspect this has a good deal to do with the Sabbat's prominence during the time of the American Manifest Destiny.

Character Creation: Most Country Gangrel are outsiders, drifters and the like, while City Gangrel favor more social concepts like soldiers or traveling entertainers. Physical Attributes are most often primary, though many Sabbat Gangrel display keen Wits and Perception. Gangrel antitribu favor Talents almost universally. As mentioned before, many Sabbat Gangrel have Mentors, and some few become Black Hand members or accomplished Sabbat with some measure of Sabbat Status. When Gangrel forsake Humanity, it is usually in favor of the Path of the Feral Heart or, far less common, the heretical Path of Lilith.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean (for Country Gangrel); Celerity, Obfuscate, Protean (for City Gangrel)

Weaknesses: As with other Gangrel, the Beast Within never lurks too far from Sabbat Gangrel, leaving its indelible mark on their bodies. Whenever a Sabbat Gangrel frenzies, she gains an animalistic feature. The Storyteller and the player should work together to determine this feature. Every five of these features acquired reduces one of the Gangrel's Social Attributes by one (Storyteller's choice as to which is most appropriate). These animal traits should be subtle yet unnerving - a tough hide, pronounced tangs, slitted pupils, et cetera. In recent nights, many City Gangrel seem to have acquired the features of urban animals, like rats, pigeons, dogs and even certain insects.

Organization: Country Gangrel and City Gangrel hear a certain animosity toward each other, which is likely a result of the clan's division so many centuries ago. City Gangrel believe their Country brethren to be bumpkins and rustics, while the Country Gangrel feel that the City Gangrel have debased themselves, becoming carrion-eaters and dwellers-in-trash. This dispute appears to be primarily a "family matter," however, and few outside the sect see it, because the Gangrel certainly don't advertise. Gangrel antitribu tend to respect accomplishment among their members, and many amass some degree of temporal power in the sect (often to their chagrin). Rather than shirk their sect responsibilities, however, the Gangrel antitribu bear their burdens with a certain savage nobility.

Quote: Watch carefully - if you bite your prey like this, you reduce the spray of blood from their veins, which means more for you and less waste. Just leave the body behind that dumpster and we'll move on.

Harbingers of Skulls

A recent addition to the Sabbat, the bloodline calling itself the Harbingers of Skulls claims a history of treachery, for which it seeks to exact a hellish vengeance. Members of the bloodline are quite powerful without exception, and they claim to have returned from their banishment to the realms of the dead. Long ago, they whisper, a rogue society of sorcerers hunted them for their blood, stealing immortality to further their own arcane lusts for power.

Few Sabbat believe this fairy tale of ancient injustice in these modern nights, but the Harbingers are afforded a wide berth nonetheless, given the immense potency of their magics and their discomforting eccentricity. The Harbingers of Skulls are necromancers on par with (and some say exceeding) the dreaded Giovanni, surrounding themselves with miasmas of death, murder and mortification, all toward the end of righting their legendary wrong. It would seem, however, that for all their polemics, something rots below the surface they present. Like the corpses they themselves resemble, something eats away at them from within.

The Harbingers of Skulls have been members of the Sabbat for only a few years, and few of the youngest members of the sect have ever heard of them, let alone seen one. Apparently, one of their number came forth with a proposition to the cardinals, prisci and regent, who conferred and welcomed the Harbingers to the Sword of Caine. Since then, the Harbingers of Skulls have amassed unheard-of power in the sect (given their small number, which is estimated in the low hundreds). The Black Hand, the Inquisition and even the ranks of the prisci now claim members of the Harbingers among them. Scions of the Sabbat appear to reap great benefits from the Harbingers' death magic, maintaining contact with fallen allies or tormenting enemies from beyond the wall of Final Death. Indeed, the Harbingers seem more than willing to offer aid to Sabbat compatriots - in exchange for favors to be determined later.

Cursed by Caine's blood with the countenances of corpses, the Harbingers often flay the tattered, grave-tainted flesh from their heads, leaving them with the grinning rictus of their namesake. Masks and ceremony play an important part in the bloodline's culture, and elders among these Cainites maintain vast collections of ritual masks and implements that they wear and use in their necromantic rites. It has been rumored that the vitae in their veins is ancient and quite potent, and perhaps their claims of grandiose history are not far from the mark. Whatever the case, the Harbingers of Skulls simply ignore inconvenient lines of questioning, preferring instead to spend their hours amid the tombstones of cemeteries or in deep contemplation of the powers of the dead.

Nickname: Lazarenes (after Lazarus, who observed Christ's return from the dead)

Appearance: The Harbingers of Skulls have an emaciated, corpselike appearance, accentuated by flesh that shrinks to fit the vampires' skulls. They are seldom seen outside their havens or the secret halls where powerful Sabbat convene to plot their intrigues. Harbingers prefer loose-fitting, flowing cloaks and burial shrouds, the better to represent their death magic and make dramatic impressions.

Haven: Harbingers of Skulls never belong to packs, and thus, they never make their havens with packs (unless doing so is temporary-the Sabbat rumor-mill is rife with tales of a Harbinger calling himself the Capuchin accepting brief hospitality from certain packs, priests or ducti). Lazarenes prefer their own, private havens, which often have laboratory annexes where they may conduct their grisly studies. Such havens tend to he tar from prying or mortal eyes, beneath places like cemeteries, mausoleums, morgues and slaughterhouses.

Background: The backgrounds of those who become Harbingers of Skulls is unknown - it is believed that the bloodline has not Embraced since its introduction to the Sabbat. If this is true, murmur the young members of the sect, the Harbingers must he ancient, accomplished and critical, as they seem not to deem children of the modem nights worthy of their brand of Caine's curse.

Character Creation: Harbingers of Skulls have morbid concepts, many of which are archaic or foreign to the modern nights. The bloodline favors Mental Attributes and Knowledges, and its members cultivate numerous Backgrounds. Few Harbingers deign to follow the tenets of Humanity; they are more frequently attuned to the Path of Death and the Soul or some bizarre variant of the Giovanni's Path of the Bones.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Necromancy

Weaknesses: Regardless of the quantity of blood a Harbinger of Skulls consumes, her skin maintains a deathly pallor. Additionally, the Harbingers' skin shrinks to make these Cainites appear skeletal, with bony limbs and faces frozen into an immortal death's grin. Because of this decidedly unwholesome and morbid visage, Harbingers of Skulls have Appearance Traits of zero. All Social rolls involving the Appearance Trait automatically fail for Harbingers of Skulls.

Organization: The Harbingers of Skulls have little organization, and most eschew social company, preferring to be left alone to study or hatch their plots. They do gather infrequently, but to what purpose has never been continued. Vampires outside the Harbingers' circles suspect everything from schemes to bring down the Sabbat from the inside to symposiums on the most recent research involving the lands of the dead. The Harbingers of Skulls do maintain some form of visible hierarchy, however, as evidenced by their masks and rituals. The more esteemed or accomplished members of the bloodline wear much more elaborate masks, and they are ritually acknowledged by lesser Harbingers, though the precise system has eluded onlookers to date.

Quote: Nothing - Nothing - burns as hot as the wound left by the knife of treachery, especially when it has been left to fester for eons.

Kiasyd

The origins of the strange Kiasyd bloodline have been lost to the passage of centuries, but their affection for pomp and their curious powers lead some Cainites to suspect that their roots lie with the Lasombra. The most pervasive theory attributes their creation to unholy experimentation with the blood of the Wild Ones and forbidden deals made with demons. Whatever the truth, the result is one of the strangest consanguinities of vampires in the World of Darkness.

The Kiasyd are scholars and keepers of secrets. They tend to be observers rather than taking an active part in acts such as War Parties. Kiasyd don't like to take physical actions against an opponent, preferring to spar with wits and words instead. They jealously guard their knowledge and their private collections. While a Kiasyd's home is always open to visiting members of the bloodline, all Kiasyd are viciously territorial, and most cities house one member of the bloodline at most. Weirdlings don't like to compete with each other for knowledge. If one encounters two Kiasyd together, it is likely an elder with her childe, who may study with the elder for upward of 50 years. Eventually, however, the time will come when the childe will seek his own haven, almost always in a different community.

The Kiasyd are well known for being very calm and studious. Their raison d'etre centers around their collections of scrolls, books, spells and vampiric lore piled high on their library shelves. Their unusual stature and unquenchable thirst for knowledge make for very high-stacked shelves indeed.

As to the Kiasyd's membership in the Sabbat, the theories again involve Lasombra influence. Whether the Keepers have struck a bargain with the Kiasyd, trading secrets for protection, or whether their relationship is a more sinister brand of master and servant, few can say. Their inquisitive natures hide devious, twisted personalities, warped by massive amounts of forbidden lore and probably the fae blood that contributed to their initial creation. In fact, some Kiasyd are rumored to be addicted to the blood of the changelings, drawing sustenance only from its magical nourishment rather than the pale, tepid taste of mortal blood. Other Kiasyd are suspected of even more perverse tastes, feeding only while violating their vessels in impotent parodies of sexual ravishment or stealing children away under the light of the full moon to eat their flesh in their own libraries. In the end, all that is truly known of them is that they are enigmas, suffered only for their knowledge.

Nickname: Weirdlings

Appearance: The Kiasyd have retained the unusual beauty of the fae folk. Their skin is a chalky white, which takes on a faint bluish glow in moonlight. Rumor has it that the tone of a Kiasyd's skin is an indication of the age of the vampire, but the Kiasyd are much too polite to talk about themselves, so no one knows for sure. They are willowy and tall - six to seven-and-a-half feet - and they have angular noses, cheekbones and ears. The eyes of Kiasyd have been similarly distorted, showing only inky blots with no discernible whites or pupils. Some Kiasyd prefer to dress in Victorian or goth clothing to reflect their studious, somber mood, much to the amusement of more modernized vampires. Long hair or a bandana, and sunglasses hide their unique appearance from prying eyes.

Haven: Permanent, nondescript havens are important to the Kiasyd. They often seclude themselves in their havens, whiling away the innumerable hours in study until forced to leave, either due to the curious prying of unwelcome guests, or to the eventually rundown condition of the haven. They often choose a private library, museum, art gallery, historical ruins or catacombs in which to establish havens. Whatever the style, the haven almost invariably has a very large and well-stocked library, and many of the accouterments of genteel "living." Kiasyd pride themselves in being gracious hosts, and some keep vintage vitae for guests.

Background: Kiasyd choose polite and intelligent mortals as progeny. Potential childer are well disciplined in their studies and share the Kiasyd's love of books and curiosity for unearthing new knowledge. Likely choices include librarians, educators, students or museum curators. These childer usually have more professional contacts that personal friends, and they value education and learning above self-gratification.

Character Creation: Most Kiasyd come from scholarly or socialite Concepts, as attractive and studious people draw their attention. Demeanors tend toward the conservative, but their Natures are often vastly different. Mental and Social Attributes arc prized, as are Knowledges and Skills. Few Kiasyd have any Backgrounds other than the odd smattering of Resources, Generation and Mentor, as they rarely traffic with mortals to the degree necessary to grow them. Oddly enough, most Kiasyd still cling to the tenets of Humanity.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Mytherceria, Obtenebration

Weaknesses: The Kiasyd's shortcoming can be attributed to their mixed blood. Pure iron causes great discomfiture in the Weirdlings. Being in the presence of iron - within a number of yards equal to the Kiasyd's Stamina - raises the Kiasyd's frenzy difficulties by one. Touching it causes an immediate frenzy roll, and wounds caused by iron weapons inflict aggravated damage.

Organization: Weirdlings have a formal, almost Victorian organization, based on numerous distinctions that have meaning only to other Kiasyd. Every 50 years, all Kiasyd attend a formal affair at the haven of a duly-selected member of the bloodline, where they discuss new lore they've unearthed and new mysteries they've unraveled. Very rarely, the Kiasyd invite an outsider or Sabbat pack, who are expected to converse intelligently in the matters the Weirdlings raise. Boorish or obstinate packs are dealt with in appropriately malevolent fashions, from wicked snubbing to unbreakable curses.

Quote: Be very careful. That's an original Gutenberg Bible you're holding. If you damage it, I shall have no choice but to exact reparation; I doubt you'd live long without your skin.

Malkavian Antitribu

Cainites are humankind's base nature made flesh, and the Sabbat are Kindred who accept their nature and revel in the power of the Beast. The Malkavian antitribu, then, are the Beast unrestrained. While Camarilla Malkavians may instruct or illustrate an idea using their madness, the antitribu seem more concerned with spreading madness, much like a disease. If a Malkavian is crazy like a fox, their antitribu are rabid foxes.

The Malkavian antitribu wield their dementia like double-edged swords. To the antitribu, insanity is a weapon, albeit one that hopelessly distorts them. Mastery of its use may take decades, or even centuries. At once completely independent, yet strangely joined to other Freaks by an inscrutable group consciousness, a member of this clan is not easily forgotten-no matter how badly one may wish it so. Malkavian antitribu are skilled at psychological abuse. By combining forceful words with subtlety, and the use of trust violated by moments of sheer terror, the Freaks can pry information from the most stoic victim or mortify even the staunchest of captives. It is for this reason the Sabbat hasn't destroyed the clan outright; it's too useful. From the most distinguished archbishop to the lowest ductus, vampires who have dealt with the Malkavian antitribu know that they are holding a weapon that may fully intend to annihilate its wielder.

Like other Malkavians, the Malkavian antitribu suffer the permanent mark of madness, though few know that they are incurably insane, and many outlets for their "philosophy" exist in the Sabbat. They seem to have the least fear of Final Death of any Cainites, both inside and outside the Sabbat. They make fine soldiers or officers in times of war as well, for they are not afraid to do what is necessary to win. The Malkavian antitribu believe that it doesn't really matter who fights the battles, as long as chaos comes out of order, and the cycle of chaos continues.

For a time the Sabbat were unsure of how to deal with the Malkavians in their midst. The Freaks could follow the rules when it served their purposes, but for the most part, they were uncontrollable. Some Sabbat packs kept their Malkavian members locked away, bound in basements and crypts until the sect needed to loose the psychotics on their enemies.

According to popular rumor, it was this lack of respect for their unique insights that promoted the great Malkavian "disease." Starting in the depths of a thought-starved delirium, the seeds of mass psychosis started to form. Maybe it was an attempt by the Malkavian antitribu to show the clans that they would not be so easily manipulated. Maybe it was just a neat thing to try at the time. Whatever the case, one thing is certain - the parent clan outside the Sabbat has become "infected." What this means, none outside the Malkavian antitribu know, but its possible repercussions set even the stalwart Lasombra on edge. Even this minuscule bit of knowledge comes only from consistent corroboration on the part of worried Cainites.

The Malkavian antitribu display a keenly vicious edge to their insanity. Rumors abound of Sabbat packs' seers who divine a War Party's success by reading entrails ripped from a still-living human and of blood-maddened prophets who presage the coming of Gehenna in this, the Time of Thin Blood. The most dangerous of all - the serial killers, suicide cultists and the like - may be "bred" for special missions into fast-held Camarilla territory, sent to spread the madness with which they are burdened, to pave the way for the Great Jyhad.

Nickname: Freaks

Appearance: A Malkavian antitribu's mode of dress depends on her dementia, from the very strange to the extremely conservative. À bag lady conspiracy theorist or crack addict holing up in ë flop house in stolen thrift-store regalia could he a Malkavian antitribu, as could a stressed-out former Wall Street stockbroker in a rumpled Armani suit or a morose housewife in suburbia. Malkavian antitribu often have a wild, savage look in their eyes, appearing on the verge of frenzy. Many are poorly groomed, wearing unkempt - or gore-spattered - clothing.

Haven: Better the devil you know when it comes to the Malkavians, reason most Sabbat. Most ducti prefer to keep their crazies where they can keep an eye on them, at communal havens or other acceptable locales. Left to their own devices, the Malkavian antitribu establish havens in asylums, the basements of clinics or in transient hostels. A Sabbat Malkavian with multiple personalities may have two or three-very different havens to choose from, depending on which personality is dominant when dawn nears.

Background: Inmates of asylums, hospitals for the criminally insane, street hums, lawyers - Malkavian antitribu choose almost anyone from any walk of life. While those outside the clan see no rhyme or reason for the selection of childer, the Sabbat Malkavian looks for individuals who are strong enough to hear the liability of their madness, while developing the clan's unique insight.

Character Creation: With the Malkavian antitribu, any concept, Nature or Demeanor may be apropos. Mental Attributes are almost always primary. Any Ability category can be primary, depending on the focus of the Cainite's derangement. Common Background Traits include Herd, Contacts and Mentor: A Mentor might he an older Sabbat Malkavian trying to attune the younger one to their own madness, while Contacts include doctors, psychiatrists or police investigators. Few Malkavian antitribu can summon the cogency to adopt a Path of Enlightenment, but those who do may most often he found on the Paths of Caine, Power and the Inner Voice or Lilith.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate.

Weaknesses: The Malkavian antitribu, like their Camarilla counterparts, are all insane. Many of them are given to bouts of extreme violence with no concern whether the carnage is being directed at packmates or enemies. When a Malkavian character is created, the player must choose a derangement (see Vampire: The Masquerade pp. 222-224) for that character at the time of the Embrace. This derangement can be temporarily overcome with Willpower, but can never be permanently "cured" or eliminated.

Additionally, Sabbat Malkavians are often too undisciplined (or too indulgent in their own monstrousness) to resist frenzy. A Sabbat Malkavian's player may never spend a Willpower point to avoid her character's frenzy. As one might think, many Sabbat Malkavians' unlives are short and punctuated by a great deal of violence. Members of this clan often lead very... dynamic... unlives and end up destroying themselves in one form or another before too many nocturnal years pass.

Organization: Sabbat Malkavians claim that no sort of organization exists within their clan. It seems that any "clan" activity that occurs is completely random and coincidental. The Malkavian antitribu agree wholeheartedly with this supposition, citing as an example the "infection" of their Camarilla peers. In tact, some Sabbat Malkavians maintain that no such things as Malkavian antitribu exist - they profess to be Panders.

Supposedly, the most depraved, dangerous members of the clan are locked well below ground behind strong metal bars, with only a few Sabbat leaders holding the keys for their release. When needed, the rumors say, these prisoners are released to be used as weapons. It is also suspected that the Sabbat Malkavians carry rabies, and create rabid human and animal ghouls.

Quote: Who would have thought a woman that size would have so much blood in her? Besides God, of course - God knows everything. Can we get someone to clean this up?

Nosferatu Antitribu

Cainite historians suspect that the Nosferatu antitribu joined the Sabbat not out of resentment for their elders, but out of something more malevolent underneath the clan's pustulant facade. Indeed, the Nosferatu antitribu seem to be on at least civil terms with their Camarilla counterparts, but this apparent cohesion may simply be due to the fact that they are beyond such things as petty allegiances and concentrate instead on the force that threatens their clan nightly. Of course, the Nosferatu and their antitribu are silent when asked about it, which inclines vampires to believe that this matter is theirs alone.

Like Camarilla Nosferatu, the Nosferatu antitribu are hideously deformed, damned to an eternal unlife of hiding from or (given their Sabbat tendencies) tormenting mortals. The Creeps make their havens in vast nests of sewers underneath their cities, forming clutches and broods that horrify those who come down to meet with them. Some Nosferatu antitribu even revel in their monstrous ugliness, going out of their way to disgust Cainite and kine alike. In this sense, the Sabbat has greatly influenced the Nosferatu antitribu; they have given up on all that is human and accepted their damnation with stoic resolve.

Ironically, or perhaps because of their disfigurements, the Nosferatu antitribu are perhaps the most humane (if not human) of the Sabbat clans. Having transcended the need for ostentatious brutality, the Creeps have come to grips with their monstrousness. They do not caper in blood or senselessly slaughter mobs of kine; rather, a Nosferatu antitribu's every move is one of calculated precision, designed to get the exact response she seeks, whether that be respect, fear or understanding. Many young Sabbat consider the Nosferatu antitribu soft - until they step into the sewers and see the true malice of the Creeps' black souls.

As the Nosferatu have since time out if mind, the Sabbat Nosferatu traffic in the trade of information. Creeps cultivate vast networks of information and secrets while permitting little of their own dirty laundry to air publicly. Many Sabbat turn to the Nosferatu antitribu when seeking information of the common variety (as the clan is not known for too much dabbling in the occult), such as who dueled whom for their position and which of the traveling templars is actually an Inquisitor. "The Creeps know everything," or so goes the sentiment, and the Nosferatu antitribu don't dispute this supposition, fading into darkness and conversing with their vermin spies.

More than any other clan, the Nosferatu antitribu fear their Antediluvian (whereas other clans may be said to despise their progenitors). To hear a Creep speak, fear is the most sensible emotion when dealing with the Ancients, and only the Nosferatu antitribu have enough awareness to realize this. In the grim legends of the clan, the Antediluvian, disgusted by his childer and scorned by Caine, turned loose a great evil on the clan, to absolve them of their heinousness. If this is true, all vampires everywhere should feel a tinge of fear, as whatever it is that hunts these hunters must surely be terrible indeed.

Nickname: Creeps

Appearance: The Nosferatu antitribu, like their Camarilla counterparts, are all blighted by the Blood of Caine. They are so unsettling to look on that other considerations such as clothing and grooming habits are secondary - what does it matter whether one wears a designer cocktail dress or a burlap bag if one resembles the twisted, broken bodies left behind in an automobile accident? As such, most Nosferatu antitribu dress for comfort, preferring loose shifts, broken-in casual clothes and other leisurely ensembles. Some Nosferatu antitribu go to the opposite extreme, however, and affect cutting-edge couture or the severe wardrobes of S&M subcultures, to better leave horrid impressions with those who observe them.

Haven: Nosferatu antitribu tend to congregate in nests and warrens beneath the cities, where few venture and even fewer return. Despite their great ugliness, Nosferatu antitribu do not tend to be morbid, and they eschew the grim surroundings of morgues, graveyards and the like. When Nosferatu antitribu reside at a communal pack havens, they tend to take the most isolated and inaccessible portions of it for themselves. Most of their packmates don't mind so much.

Background: The Creeps are hardy survivors, and they are no strangers to derision. They draw their childer from society's castoffs most often, though many still possess some small mean streak and Embrace beautiful or popular individuals out of spite. For some reason, most Nosferatu antitribu seem to be male, hut what does it matter when one's gender is practically indeterminate?

Character Creation: Nosferatu antitribu favor Mental and Physical Attributes, as eking out an existence among the rats and refuse requires sense and prowess. Most also prefer Talents, though tales of wise and scholarly Creeps who have studied Knowledges and can provide the answers to vexing questions are on the rise. Popular Backgrounds include Contacts, Generation, Resources and animal Retainers. Most young Nosferatu antitribu still maintain their Humanity, but most older members of the clan adopt Paths of Enlightenment such as the Path of the Feral Heart, the Path of Power and the Inner Voice, the Path of Cathari and the Path of Caine. There have been no reports of any Nosferatu antitribu following the Path of Lilith.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence

Weaknesses: Given their startling deformations, all Nosferatu antitribu have Appearance Traits of zero. This Trait may never be increased, though it may sometimes be hidden by disguise or magical means. Most Social rolls, with the exception of such things as intimidation or inflicting terror, tail automatically.

Organization: Nosferatu antitribu recognize age and accomplishment, often putting the needs of their clan or individual members before the needs of the Sabbat. Still, they are upstanding members of the sect, and they rarely do things half-assed. Since they often share havens, the Nosferatu antitribu have little need for formal clan convocations or self-important meetings. Most Creeps simply go about their business and keep others out of it while learning as much about others as they can.

Quote: Don't ask me why I'm looking over my shoulder, girlie; that's my fucking business. Now do you want dirt on the bishop or not? If you don't, I'm sure the bishop wants dirt on you.

Panders

Although not truly a clan in the strictest sense of the word (as they have no progenitor from the Third Generation), the Panders have made much of the Sabbat's egalitarian society, carving a niche of respectability for themselves in spite of their bastard pedigree. Like the Caitiff - which, for all practical purposes, they are - the Panders have no formal, recognized lineage. Any vampire who joins the Sabbat and doesn't know what clan she is becomes a Pander, as do those childer Embraced by established Panders. The group consists of a wide variety of Cainites, most of whom are young and untested. It should be noted, however, that Panders are True Sabbat, not just a dumping ground for rejected or unproved vampires of other clans.

The Panders arose in the aftermath of the most recent Sabbat civil war, during the late 1950s. A clanless vampire known as Joseph Pander united the clanless Sabbat under his own banner and led them against the Moderate faction at the behest of several key Lasombra and Tzimisce. Impressed with his efforts, the elders of the Sabbat rewarded the sect-loyal Panders with a formal recognition, which immediately touched off a powderkeg of ill response from more "legitimate" clans. In the end, though, the Panders won out, earning recognition time and again, through bloodshed and diplomacy. Joseph Pander still exists in the modern nights, but rumors of assassination attempts spurred by disapproving elders run rampant through the Mutts' circles.

Of course, the Panders are loose cannons and X-factors, the "rebels of a rebellious sect." Lasombra in the modern nights consider them threats to security, worrying that their lack of cohesion or millennia of tradition might make them unpredictable. The Panders understand their own position, though, and they accept their cannon-fodder role with resolve. Indeed, at any Sabbat siege, the front line is most often composed of Panders out to prove themselves. As cunning as any Lasombra and as brutal as any Brujah antitribu, the Panders do what needs to be done for the good of the sect.

Panders lack the sophistication and the years of formalization held by the other clans; they truly are a motley bunch of rogues and thugs. Unlike some of the other clans, however, they have the Sabbat at heart, and their terrible escapades are often fronts for conquest "for the good of the Sword of Caine!" With the sect's good-faith gesture in recognizing the Panders, it has earned an ally for the entirety of its existence, but the Panders are still the low Cainites on the totem pole. The Mutts almost invariably draw the worst duties, the most dangerous missions and the riskiest ritae, all because they're still the newest and least established. Those Panders who are aware enough, accept this "honor" as a badge of courage, while the dimmer ones simply do what they're told in hopes of getting to feed first from the pack's kills. It is this reason - this devout and reckless drive to get the job done - that has paid off for the Panders, and they have grown in number and power because of it.

Nickname: Mutts

Appearance: Most Panders are young (at least in terms of Cainite age), and they affect contemporary styles. Because of their rebellious natures and counterculture origins, many Panders ' wear styles adopted by "rebel" cultures - biker leathers, punk mohawks, goth makeup, skinhead boots or gang colors. In fact, the Panders sometimes seem frozen in the mindset they held at the time of their Embrace, wearing styles years, if not decades, out of mortal fashion. This is less likely a counter-fashion statement than it is a simple lack of awareness that times have changed. Many elders smirk at this, realizing that even the youngest of vampires becomes a static individual, much like themselves, who sometimes continue to wear the styles popular in their own mortal days.

Haven: Panders often make their havens wherever the pack does, and they are frequently charged with the haven's maintenance if no ghoul exists to take care of it. Panders almost never maintain private havens, finding some security in being with the pack at all times. The Mutts also prefer havens with some connection to their lives before becoming vampires-motorcycle mechanic shops, crackhouses, heroin dens, nightclubs and the like.

Background: Panders generally Embrace from the low levels of society, recruiting from the miscreants and excitable rebels who make excellent fodder for the Sabbat's war efforts. A number of true psychotics and sociopaths have made their way into the Panders' ranks, but these individuals often die merciful deaths among the fires of the sieges. Still, the Panders are hardly a stable bloodline, populated by those too angry with society at large (for whatever reason) to become a useful part of it.

Character Creation: Panders have violent or rebellious concepts, and they often possess strongly individualistic Natures (though there are a fair share of Conformists who simply want to belong). Demeanors can be literally anything. Physical Attributes, Talents and Skills are the most popular among the Panders, and few have much in the way of Backgrounds. Most Panders still cling to their Humanity, but a few of the more critical thinkers among the Mutts sometimes adopt the Path of Cathari or the Path of Honorable Accord.

Clan Disciplines: None. Like non-Sabbat Caitiff, Panders may take any Disciplines they want (subject to Storyteller approval). Additionally, Panders increase their Disciplines with adjusted experience costs, just as Caitiff do (see Vampire: The Masquerade, page 143).

Weaknesses: Panders have no inherent, Blood-bestowed weakness. Note, however, that the Panders are given only grudging respect, and they generally get stuck with the Sabbat's shit work. Also, no Pander may begin the game at better than Ninth generation (though they may increase this via diablerie or other means during the game).

Organization: The organization of the Panders depends largely on their pack. Some all-Panders packs have ganglike structures, or are organized like skinhead chapters. Others have no formal structure; they simply resemble gatherings of subcultures. When Panders become part of cosmopolitan packs, they often find themselves low in the ranks. Most Panders roughly acknowledge Joseph Pander, though many believe his time has past and that the bloodline should just get on with the business of being vampires.

Quote: I'm not interested in your holier-than-thou shtick. I have business to do, and if you're not with me, you're against me. And I break those who stand against me.

Ravnos Antitribu

There is a saying among the Sabbat that it might be better to deal with the Devil himself than to bargain with a Ravnos antitribu. You won't get the better of either of them.

In the forgotten nights of history, likely some time after the Convention of Thorns, a faction of the Ravnos split from their Gypsy heritage after discovering the Sabbat. Although the Sabbat had a grandiose ideology behind it, these separatist Ravnos found themselves more enamored of the "nightlives" these vampires led. They didn't confound themselves with complex Hindu dharma riddles, nor did they subvert their bestial natures. The Sabbat was composed of vampires through and through, and it offered many possibilities for the malicious deceit and wanderlust of these young defectors, who became the first Ravnos antitribu.

Since then, the Sabbat Ravnos have had little to do with the sect, serving it when it's convenient, and otherwise taking advantage of the lack of communication presented by constant travel. Some wonder why they bother with sect allegiance at all, but when a piece of Rogue-discovered information turns the tide in a siege or an enterprising Ravnos antitribu manages to seduce a Camarilla prince's progeny, all these fears evaporate. It would seem the Ravnos antitribu have turned their backs on their original clan, if only to be free of their elders' overbearing presence. And such is the nature of the Sabbat.

The nomadic existence of most Sabbat packs suits the Ravnos antitribu quite well. The idea of a permanent haven is almost anathema to the Rogues, who like nothing better than to serve their pack by setting up a temporary base to scout enemy territory, knowing that they can pull up stakes and move locations whenever the pack's needs change. Such pilgrimage is their preference in the modern nights, but many suspect that its roots go much deeper, possibly stemming from the prejudices of race and culture that victimized the Ravnos antitribu's human ancestors, and the centuries they spent fleeing persecution. A Sabbat Ravnos is also less likely to feel bored or stagnant than his independent counterparts, as he rarely supports the complex philosophies they do.

While the average Rogue possesses a rakish charm that may win her a temporary companion or two, the Ravnos antitribu has virtually no mortal allies she can rely on with regularity. Ravnos are very much the "love them and leave them" type. They use their smooth talents with either sex both for personal pleasure and information-gathering.

Sect notwithstanding, the Ravnos antitribu have a traditional code of conduct for dealing with their clanmates. This code may be difficult for those outside the clan to follow, but nonetheless, a Ravnos' word to his pack is his law. They follow the "spit and shake" rule of all Ravnos on verbal agreements, but the Rogues take this one step further. If a Sabbat member wants an agreement in writing, it will be signed in blood, the pen dipped in an open wound on the Ravnos' own arm. This binding in blood is as strong as the Vaulderie to the Sabbat Ravnos, and it can be broken only by Final Death. Violating the code costs the perpetrator a considerable loss of face with other Ravnos, which has been adopted by the sect at large. Few Sabbat Ravnos feel comfortable giving this guarantee to Sabbat members outside their clan, and most do get quite indignant should the other party suggest it.

Nickname: Rogues

Appearance: Ravnos of the Sabbat generally have swarthy, Romantic good looks. They often have black hair, dark eyes and olive complexions. When on the road, they dress in a functional, nondescript manner - jeans, T-shirts and riding leathers for both men and women - so as not to draw attention to themselves when in enemy territory. When they set up temporary camps or become part of founded covens, however, they tend to dress with a hit more flash. Male and female Ravnos antitribu alike wear bright colors, often ornamented with jewelry or other accessories.

Haven: Hanging their hat wherever the pack pleases works just fine for the Ravnos antitribu. They hole up wherever and whenever the need arises, in whatever accommodations are available at the time. If one chooses a permanent haven, he may appropriate a crumbling old mansion, plantation manor or similar structure, or he may prefer a simple, easily portable affair for ease in travel. Ravnos antitribu tend not to keep too many personal items - though they may steal, trade for and otherwise come into possessions on the road, Rogues rarely keep anything for very long. The challenge is in the acquisition, not the ownership.

Background: Sabbat Ravnos look to the decadent underbelly of humankind for their childer. Any young, charismatic individual with a penchant for deception may make a noteworthy Ravnos antitribu. A quick wit and callous disregard for the feelings and property of others are key elements in the choosing of someone to Embrace. Much of their mortal Gypsy blood has been forfeit, and the Ravnos antitribu are more a clan in the Cainite sense than a vampiric outgrowth of the mortal Rom families: Most Rogues are gorgio (non-Gypsies), especially in the United States and South America.

Character Creation: The Ravnos antitribu generally have loner, drifter or entertainer concepts, though a great many are criminals as well. They may have any Nature, usually juxtaposed with a radically different Demeanor (to keep others guessing). Social and Mental Attributes are most common, usually with Physical Attributes as secondary, to weather the hardships of the road. Most Ravnos antitribu cultivate Skills over Talents and Knowledges, and few have much use for Backgrounds beyond the odd Contact or Ally. Many Ravnos antitribu follow the Path of Cathari, the Path of Caine and the Path of Death and the Soul, though some retain Humanity indefinitely.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude

Weaknesses: Like their independent siblings, the Ravnos antitribu have had a long history of catering to their increasingly depraved whims. Each Rogue specializes in an area of vice in which she is particularly interested, and she takes every opportunity for practice sessions. In fact, she must make a Self-Control roll (difficulty 6) to resist her vice when given the chance to indulge it. The player decides what type of "crime" the character will he addicted to during character creation. It could he pickpocketing, con games, carjacking, murder or any other concept the player and Storyteller can agree on.

Organization: The Ravnos antitribu have little formal organization, instead making their own ways on the interstate), at night. Rogues do respect skill and prowess, however, and when Ravnos antitribu gather, they tell tales of their own accomplishments, of Lupines baited or slain, and grand schemes elaborately concocted and flawlessly executed. As is to be expected, of course, many of these tales are lies or exaggerations, hut storytelling is often prized as much as the deed itself.

Ravnos antitribu deal with Ravnos and Gypsies with great difficulty, showing a particular hatred for those of Romany descent. Many suspect that the clan had long been shunned by the vampires and Gypsy folk of purer blood, treating the Rogues as inferior, and the Ravnos antitribu have finally decided to return the antipathy. Ravnos antitribu extend a "thieves' honor" to Sabbat Ravnos, and all other members of the sect, believing that harming one's own brothers and sisters can lead only to another schism, which would leave the Rogues utterly alone.

Quote: This is what the Sabbat is all about - the freedom to roam the highway, feed wherever I will and take what catches my fancy. Thus is the best unlife could hope to be, and I would proudly die defending it. You gotta die for your own, though. You're not my responsibility.

Salubri Antitribu

The tumultuous approach of Gehenna has wrought many strange events in the modern nights, not the least of which is the introduction of the Salubri to the Sabbat. While the mainstream Salubri suffer reputations as soul-stealers and diablerists, the Salubri antitribu have put the nigh-incomprehensible practices of that bloodline behind them. With a rage borne of centuries of persecution, the Salubri antitribu have developed a consuming hatred for the Camarilla and joined forces with the Sabbat to bring about its destruction.

The Salubri antitribu have existed among the Sabbat for a mere handful of nights, and probably little before that. During this time, however, they have made names for themselves as vicious opponents of the Camarilla, whom they blame for the destruction of some powerful vampire somewhere back in their lineage, whose name has been forgotten in the modern nights. They have little love for the philosophy of the Sabbat, choosing to ally themselves with the sect out of martial necessity rather than subscription to the grand scheme. The Sabbat will take any soldiers they can get, however, and the Salubri antitribu know how strongly the Sabbat despises the Camarilla.

The Sabbat Salubri have made bold claims as to their effectiveness, saying that they have destroyed the cabal of sorcerers who brought about their bloodline hero's demise. (The name Salubri antitribu is a bit of a misnomer, as the Salubri do not have a Third Generation progenitor, but this matter is one of semantics and - if brought to the Furies' attention - histrionics.) They profess to have taken the war to the Camarilla, which they claim has hunted and persecuted them for close to a millennium. Spurred on by vengeance, Salubri antitribu have little time to pursue the rumors of Golconda put forth by the cowards of the bloodline from which they split. Indeed, non-Sabbat Salubri supposedly give themselves up when they Embrace a new childe, sacrificing themselves so that the childe may have every advantage she can get. This "sacrificial lamb" metaphor offers little to the Salubri antitribu, who reason that the flawed shall fall in battle while the strong uphold the clan's private Jyhad.

The Salubri antitribu serve the Sabbat as reluctant warriors, easily distracted by their own internal quests. The rest of the Sabbat considers them anomalies, useful allies in times of war, but intolerable proselytizers when not in combat. To the Sabbat Salubri, this is fine - unlife is a hell of endless torment, ameliorated only by glorious death or victory in battle.

Nickname: Furies

Appearance: The Furies wear motley assemblies of piecemeal "armor," to protect them in their personal crusade against the Camarilla. They may look like modern leper mercenaries, bedecked in loosely assembled scraps of sheet metal and heavy padding, or they may be grim knights, resplendent in riot gear, carrying an archaic sword at the ready. Whatever form they take, Salubri antitribu look like they mean business, and few want to stand in their way.

All Salubri antitribu acquire a mysterious third eye in the center of their foreheads when they develop the second level of their Discipline, Valeren, much like the independent Salubri bloodline. Unlike other Salubri, the Sabbat Salubri often don't bother to hide this oddity, displaying it proudly as a herald of the destruction that awaits their enemies.

Haven: Salubri antitribu generally stay in the same havens as their packs. Many Furies keep their own private havens in addition to those of the pack, however, in the cellars of museums, libraries, hospitals and funeral parlors. These places are often ramshackle, secondary affairs, used more as boltholes or weapons caches than chambers in which to spend the innumerable nights of immortality.

Background: The Sabbat Salubri choose their progeny carefully, and they never use the Mass Embrace technique so popular during sieges and crusades. They choose individuals with strong wills, passion and the drive to do whatever needs to be done. Becoming a Salubri antitribu is far beyond the scope of most mortals' philosophies, however, as their plight has significance only to other vampires. As such, most new Salubri antitribu spend many of their early nights being indoctrinated by their sires, who couch their lessons in the forms of prophecies and parables of holy war. Only when the childe has been completely fired up and instilled with a hatred for all things Camarilla is she turned loose on her unsuspecting foes.

Character Creation: Furies share no Traits universally, though many play up loner or soldier concepts. Headstrong Natures and Demeanors such as Director, Fanatic, Bravo and Monster are common. Salubri antitribu prefer Physical Attributes and Skills, and they develop few Backgrounds other than Resources and Allies. Those Salubri antitribu who exist lung enough to adopt more vampiric codes of ethics (rare, in light of their recent establishment) usually support the Path of Caine, the Path of Honorable Accord and the Path of Power and the Inner Voice.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Valeren

Weaknesses: Vitae taken outside the heat of passion offers no sustenance to the Salubri antitribu, nor does blood given freely. Unless the Fury takes blood by force, drinks in the throes of undead passion or slakes her thirst on a fallen foe, any blood points she consumes do not replenish her blood pool. Additionally, no Salubri antitribu may start the game lower than Tenth Generation or higher than Twelfth Generation, as the bloodline's vitae has yet to spread across the broader spectrum of Cainite potency.

Organization: The Sabbat Salubri organize themselves in a manner similar to the knightly orders of ages past. The bloodline recognizes foes killed, vampires diablerized and secrets uncovered in its quest to avenge the destruction of Saulot and the bloodline in its place of prominence. The eldest Salubri antitribu is Adonai, a vampire of the Seventh Generation, who awards title and honor to accomplished Furies in an annual ceremony during the Palla Grande. It is assumed that fewer than 100 of these vampires exist, and they tend to fall in battle frequently, as their fervor is not always a match for the sheer power of elder Cainites.

Quote: I have the power of gods in my veins. You have tattoos, a velvet vest, a top hat and a cane. Now get the fuck out of my way, little "vampire", or I'll cleave you in twain.

Serpents of the Light

The Serpents of the Light is an independent and proudly heretical sect of the Followers of Set. Its pride lies within its adopted independence from the Setites; the Serpents have no affiliation with their parent clan. While many Setites trace their history to ancient Egypt, the Serpents claim they originated in the West Indies.

The Serpents of the Light came into being when the Sabbat moved into Haiti in the 1960s. Before then, the group that became the Serpents may have been a rogue cult of Setites, studying voodoun and how its mysticism could be used to its undead advantage. Until the 1970s, the Sabbat was too disorganized to pay much attention to the Caribbean, despite some degree of presence there - Sabbat activity simply lay dormant. In fact, the Sword of Caine had no idea that this "lost tribe" of Setites even existed in Haiti. Once the sect became aware of the cult, however, the Sabbat recognized the ruthless strength in the group and gave protection to it in its infancy. It is possible that the first Serpents were younger Setites, who agreed with the political philosophy of the Sabbat. When the news of the Sabbat's discovery reached the Setites' ears, their elders forbade their childer's interaction with the Sword of Caine. Citing the Sabbat's "intent to destroy the god-king," they sent emissaries to Haiti who insisted that the cult disassociate itself from the Sabbat.

The splinter sect, out of habit, vampiric wile or otherwise, chose to ignore their elders, and they sought asylum in the ranks of the Sabbat. The rift grew nightly, until the Serpents of Light proclaimed total independence from the Followers of Set. This schism may have been achieved by experimenting with their ophidian Discipline and the local mysticism of the Caribbean. The modern Serpents recognize that they would have been crushed by the Setites if not for the Sabbat's intervention, and they give their undivided loyalty to the Sabbat cause.

Because the Serpents chose to ally with the Sabbat, they have earned the enmity of the Followers of Set, and vice versa. Hatred between these two now-separate bloodlines runs deep, and the Setites consider the Serpents traitors to their clan. Indeed, the Serpents of the Light consider Followers of Set to be abominations intent on destroying the world via the resurrection of their undead vampire god. The two groups spare no effort in antagonizing each other, playing out a deadly holy war across the distance of continents. Serpents of the Light also oppose the other Antediluvians for similar reasons, citing a Haitian Voodoo prophecy similar to the Gehenna foretold in the Book of Nod. As Sabbat, their ideology fits perfectly.

Manipulation by seduction is the tool of choice for the Serpents of Light, who play a dangerous game of attack and counterattack against their Setite rivals with mortal pawns. Members of the bloodline wield the weapons of addiction and decay. They are expert at discovering a target's weakness, and using that tool - be it drugs, sex, power or whatever - to gain control of the target. They relish the opportunity to bring down a prince's city from the inside out, like any dedicated Sabbat. A few Serpents set loose in a major metropolis can magnify the drug-trade substantially, entice many innocent victims into prostitution, and much more. They prefer to operate behind the scenes, extending their control through human and Cainite underlings, without becoming an obvious target themselves. Rooting out a Serpent of the Light from a city is much like peeling an onion - you must slice away many layers before you get to the core. They maintain an attitude of "fight fire with fire" when it comes to foiling the plans of the Setites and, to a lesser degree, the Camarilla.

Elder Cobras instill a great loyalty in their childer from the night of their Embrace. The Serpents of the Light compare their struggle to split from the Followers of Set to the history of their West Indian roots. Much of their speech when conversing with each other occurs in Haitian patois and Voodoo references. While they take a sybaritic pleasure in the Jyhad between Sabbat and Camarilla and make superb espionage agents for the Sabbat, their loyalty remains with their patron cult above all. A Serpent of the Light serves the need of her particular chapter of the cult she belonged to before her Embrace above the needs of the Sabbat.

Nickname: Cobras

Appearance: The Serpents of the Light wear clothing derived from their peculiar brand of Cainite voodoun. They select colors based on the symbolism of their faith; colors tie the Cobra to certain spirit loas. White follows the loa of wisdom, blue the loa of harmony, red the loa of war, black the loa of death and so on. Serpents mix these colors into their everyday clothing, even combining them into patterns in some cases. When they have no need to "blend in" with non-Serpent cultures, they adopt traditional Haitian dress, including soft caftans and linen blouses.

Haven: Members of this clan prefer structures near water to pass the daylight hours, trusting the flow of water to ward off the curse-loas of Set. They sleep with their pack when possible, preferring to at least be in a place where they can hear moving water or waves. They decorate their havens in many different ways, but often favor Caribbean motifs with macabre wood carvings, metalwork and batik wall-hangings. Many Serpents of the Light also keep secret havens, where they erect altars to their spirit guides.

Background: The Serpents of the Light often choose Haitian or North African individuals as clan members, if it is practical. Otherwise, anyone can serve the Serpents of Light, as long as they exhibit high intelligence, an aggressive bent and a willingness to learn. All Serpents of the Light must study and practice Voodoo theology, or some form of occultism. The clan has been growing in strength and number, due to its desire to become a power-player in the Sabbat.

Character Creation: Serpents of the Light may have any concept, but they often have priestly, occult or religious inclinations. Natures tend to be self-serving, though Demeanors reflect a feigned altruism. Social Attributes are most often primary, followed closely by Mental Attributes. Knowledges and Talents are equally prized. The Cobras frequently entwine themselves with the local mortal cultures, developing strong Backgrounds in Allies, Contacts, Influence and Resources. Some Serpents of the Light learn Necromancy or Thaumaturgy, specializing in the Bone Path and Spirit Manipulation. Many Serpents of the Light also find purpose and stability on the Path of Power and the Inner Voice, as well as the Path of Lilith.

Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis.

Weaknesses: The Serpents of the Light share the same weakness as the Followers of Set. They both bail from primordial darkness, and thus they react identically severely to light. Serpents suffer two additional health levels of damage when wounded by sunlight. Serpents of the Light also subtract one die from all dice pools when subjected to particularly bright light, artificial or otherwise (sunlight, spotlights, chemical flares, etc.).

Organization: Knowledge is strength, and the Cobras recognize this principle. They participate in all Sabbat pack meetings and ritae, sometimes organizing pack actions, especially War Parties and scouting sorties. They also maintain a loose communications network among their clan members, to stay informed about Sabbat and personal clan activities.

Quote: Your trial is hopeless. Only with the aid of my loa can you hope to survive. Here; carry this with you. It will keep the eyes of the hungry dead from seeing you and alert you to the barrows where the still-living are buried.

Toreador Antitribu

The Toreador antitribu were instrumental in the formation of the Sabbat, and much of what came out of the Convention of Thorns did so under the direction of Toreador anarchs who would later guide the sect. With the organizational efforts of the Lasombra and Tzimisce, and a few Ventrue antitribu, the Toreador created much of the sect's structure, as well as codifying many of the sect's beliefs. Indeed, the early, anarchic nights of the sect may have seen its destruction, "if not for the masterful misdirection of our esteemed artistes."

In the modern nights, the Toreador antitribu have similar interests as their Camarilla siblings, only their appreciation for the aesthetic has grown to include pain, savagery, cruelty and depravity. How is a rose, sonnet or portrait any more enrapturing than a masterfully executed flaying, reason the Toreador antitribu. What is beauty, if not subjective?

The Perverts' talent for torture rivals even the Tzimisce in pain and duration. Young clan members begin on human subjects, while their elders graduate to other subjects. Some of the more practiced members have actually gotten their art introduced into Camarilla salons and Elysia, where they have garnered much Cainite support, to the dismay of the vampires whose bastions have been violated. In the 1980s, an anonymous artist showed "Woman's Submission at the Hands of Man" through the medium of a dress made of raw meat. This exhibit toured several Camarilla-held national galleries and made headlines in every city it visited. No one ever questioned the type of meat used, nor the method of creating the sculpture.

Tattoos, scarification and body piercing among Toreador antitribu provide another opportunity as well - one to which very few members inside the Sabbat (and none outside) are privy. The artists have created their own language of symbols and codes, which they use to pass information to each other for their own benefit and the benefit of the pack. A certain lattice of keloids or a particular stone in a nose-stud can provide vital information to those pack members who can read the hidden message. Tattoos and piercings heal over and force themselves out of Vampire bodies unless they existed before the Embrace: Toreador antitribu can send different messages each night, relishing the exquisite pain of the process every time they do so.

Of all the Sabbat clans, the Toreador antitribu interact most frequently with mortals. They move in the most glamorous mortal circles, plying their trade in art and society, feeding as they will from the rich and indolent. Like the Toreador of the Camarilla, the Sabbat Toreador are lethal social butterflies, moving visibly yet mysteriously through mortal circles. Little do their sycophants and admirers know that behind every invitation, innuendo and expression lies the horror of the Sabbat.

Nickname: Perverts, Pervs

Appearance: Most Toreador antitribu are attractive - often horribly so - or at least flamboyant. They dress in the latest and most blatant fashions, and most have flashy jewelry in their piercings or intricate tattoos. They sport the latest hairstyles, listen to newest music, and speak the coolest street lingo. They're the people everyone else aspires to be - on the surface.

Haven: Toreador antitribu often keep lofts or apartments in the part of town known for its fashions, fine food and scintillating conversation. In cities where the Sabbat is the prominent influence, they mingle with the high-class "beautiful people," attending theater premieres, art exhibits and private balls, and keeping havens in the heart of the hip neighborhoods. If a Toreador must spend time in a communal pack haven, it is usually because he has been asked to organize an upcoming event for the Sabbat. Not that Sabbat Toreador mind their packmates, necessarily; they just don't want to share the attention or be seen someplace gauche.

Background: Toreador antitribu seem to select childer from a wider range than their Camarilla counterparts. They Embrace from the expected ranks of artists, writers and creative types, but they also select childer from the medical profession or the military - anyone they feel practices their talent in an exemplary fashion. Often they watch their potential victims for months or even years, to ensure that they have the talent and ability to sustain their fellow clanmates' interest and be useful to the pack at large. Toreador antitribu do not choose shallow childer, in spite of the image they present, and more than one arrogant Sabbat has learned painfully that the Pervs are not the "limp-wristed art fags and rotten cheerleaders" he thought they were. Allowing one's rivals to underestimate one is the surest way to maintain the upper hand, as many vampires know too well.

Character Creation: Sabbat Toreador usually have artist, entertainer or dilettante concepts, unless they are not of the traditional creative upbringings. They have flamboyant Demeanors and unique Natures, the latter of which tend to be selfish, vain or otherwise self-interested. Social Attributes are almost always primary, with a secondary focus on Mental Attributes. Talents and Skills take precedence over Knowledges, as the Perverts prefer to do rather than know. Common Background Traits include Contacts, Fame, Herd, Resources, Retainers and Sabbat Status. Toreador antitribu often maintain their Humanity for a few years, but they almost always "transcend" into the beliefs of the Path of Death and the Soul, the Path of Cathari or the Path of Power and the Inner Voice.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Presence.

Weaknesses: The Toreador antitribu once possessed the same flaw as their non-Sabbat counterparts, though their indulgence in blood-games and twisted passions has warped this tailing somewhat. While they once found beauty even in extreme violence or sadism, they have since become needlessly cruel, inflicting their own viciousness on those around them. If presented with an ample opportunity (feeding, a rival embarrassing herself, torturing a captive Cainite), a Toreador antitribu will inflict physical or emotional pain on her subject more often than not. When confronted with such a situation, the player must roll the vampire's Self-Control (difficulty 6) or spend a Willpower point. If the roll fails or the player refuses to spend a point (which must be declared before the roll is made, as leaving things to fate has its consequences), the character must indulge her need to "act out" against the subject. Whether this acting out is as simple as a devastating remark or as base as cutting the victim's thumbs off is up to the vampire in question, and is a darkness best explored by the player.

Organization: The Sabbat Toreador have their own division between poseurs and artistes, but no one on the outside can figure out exactly what it is. Most serve themselves first, the Sabbat second and their clan third, though some forego the glory of the sect for the vanity of the clan. Toreador antitribu interact with greater ease than most Sabbat do with mortals, and some distorted Perverts prefer kine company to Cainites. Most Toreador antitribu have some instrumental role in the ritae of the Palla Grande and Festivo dello Estinto.

Quote: Really, darling, you must not squirm so. It spoils the overall effect.

Ventrue Antitribu

Long ago, before the Sabbat and Camarilla existed, before the Anarch Revolt and before the Lasombra slew their Ancient and drank his precious vitae, the Ventrue were knights and lords, masters of their manors. After the powderkeg of the Anarch Revolt and Tyler's bold attack of Hardestadt the Elder came the Renaissance, and the Ventrue changed with the times. Driven by greed and power-lust, the Ventrue shifted tack. Rather than maintain their noble status, they pursued greater interests in the merchant class. Leaving behind the duty of nobility and the divine right of kings, the Ventrue surrounded themselves with excess and filthy lucre.

So believe the Ventrue antitribu. The few Ventrue anarchs who had originally opposed their elders' iron-fisted rule had grown frustrated with the static reins of power held by the aged Blue Bloods. As mortal currents changed, these elder powers still clenched tightly to their empires, forever preventing younger and more able Ventrue from taking their rightful places. By selling themselves, the Ventrue had given up true nobility. For the Ventrue anarchs, their leaders had failed, tempted by material wealth and corrupted by power. In proclaiming themselves antitribu, the Ventrue who joined the Sabbat carved for themselves a unique niche that occupies their valorous hearts to this very night.

The Ventrue antitribu practice a chivalrous noblesse oblige. They are grim knights and paladins, sworn to combat the Antediluvians and bring down the degenerate Camarilla. Although their aims may seem noble in comparison to the hellish violence of the Sabbat, they support the Sword of Caine to the bitter end. The Ventrue know, as their preserved medieval chronicles attest, that Gehenna lurks just around the corner. In these final nights of chaos and Thin Blood, the only way to avert the impending Armageddon is to pull it out by the roots. Cainites and kine alike serve the Antediluvians unknowingly, and only those with the drive to fight their secret masters shall survive past the rain of fire and blood. The Ventrue antitribu have pledged to do just this.

Ventrue antitribu see their Camarilla counterparts as failures, and they have assumed the roles of the race of Cainites' saviors to atone for this. They believe mortals to be ignorant cattle, sufficient only for food and service to their terrible vampire lords. The world will become a hell, surely, but Cainites, as tools of God's vengeance and the Devil's will, are fit to be rulers of the Children of Seth. To accept anything else is to take the path of the disgraced Ventrue of the Camarilla, and the Sabbat Ventrue are not willing to accept that failure.

Nickname: Crusaders

Appearance: Ventrue antitribu wear clothes that befit their anachronistic minor noble status. Many still have significant money, held over from nights and families long past, and they dress the part in tasteful clothes and luxurious accouterments. The Crusaders do not consider this behavior hypocritical; they present themselves as they believe they should. After all, they have the money, so what good does it do them to deny themselves ? Who commands greater respect: the knight who cleans his armor and grooms his horse, or the unkempt barbarian with stained clothes and broken talons? Sabbat Ventrue command attention, as do their Camarilla cousins, by looking the part.

Haven: Ventrue antitribu keep private havens when they can, though they have no aversion to sharing communal havens with the rest of their packs. Most Crusaders prefer lavish appointments, so that they may spend their time away from the Great Jyhad in relative comfort. They collect few trappings of materialistic cultures however, enjoying a few tine appointments rather than extensive collections of gadgets, cars and personal effects. In this manner, their havens, both personal and communal, may be described as austere. Ventrue antitribu also honor the ages-old custom of hospitality: Should another Sabbat Ventrue require a haven for the day, the Crusader will do his best to provide it.

Background: Sabbat Ventrue select childer from the ranks of high society, hut not trust-fund brats or dilettantes. A Ventrue antitribu must have the means to support his station and the strength of character to do everything it takes to fulfill his duty. Crusaders may come from any cultural or ethnic upbringing - indeed, the mortal stock from which Sabbat Ventrue Embrace their childer is probably the most diverse in the entire sect - but the potential childe must have a strong sense of responsibility, a trait that the Crusaders find of short supply in the hedonistic final nights.

Character Creation: Ventrue antitribu adhere to soldier and aristocrat concepts, for the most part. Natures reflect their unfaltering sense of duty, and most have similar Demeanors, though the clan has had its share of Thrill-Seekers, Monsters and Deviants. Sabbat Ventrue prize all Attributes and Abilities equally, considering the "true" knight to be as capable with the computer and pen as he is with the sword and automobile. Ventrue antitribu also cultivate extensive Backgrounds, among which Allies, Influence and Sabbat Status are most important. Most Sabbat Ventrue keep some semblance of Humanity for a short time after their Embrace, until they can fully devote themselves to their monstrous chivalric code, which almost universally takes the form of the Path of Honorable Accord (or, less frequently, the Path of Caine or the Path of Cathari).

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence

Weaknesses: Sabbat Ventrue suffer the same rarefaction of tastes as Camarilla Ventrue, and they may feed only from certain vessels (as decided at he time of character creation). For example, the Crusader may be able to derive sustenance from only Christians, or the blind, or perhaps might be able to drink only cold blood from crystal flutes. The character will teed on no other vessels, even if frenzied or starving. Ventrue antitribu may feed on vampiric vitae normally.

Organization: The complex neo-feudal hierarchy of the Ventrue antitribu is based on accomplishment, acquisition and enemies slain. The clan supports a fair number of warlords and administrator-lords alike, who may choose to battle in the streets or over Gross Annual Profits. Anything is acceptable as long as the Crusader keeps his cause in his cold, unbeating heart. The majority of the Sabbat Inquisition is composed of Ventrue antitribu, and some members of the clan find their calling among the ranks of the Black 1 land as well. Additionally, many Ventrue antitribu become templars and paladins for the Sword of Caine.

Quote: Heretic, traitor, spy or coward; it's all the same to me. Now stick out your hand and silence that tongue, or I'll cut it out and take off your arm at the shoulder. Accept your punishment as a true Childe of Caine.