Appendix

Here, all is darkness surrounded by cool stone. I shall rest here, and sleep. Then, when the sun sets, I will rise and walk among the huddled mortals, who have burned their homes to destroy my childer. I will exact from them the same price they have exacted from me. The difference is this: Unlike me, they have no place to run.

Alternate Virtues and Paths of Enlightenment

Some vampires forgo the petty mortal concerns embodied by the concept of Humanity. These Kindred reason that they are no longer human, thus they have no need to apply the sentiments of the living to themselves.

Whether or not a Kindred chooses to follow the moral tenets of Humanity, some sort of behavioral system must exist. To accept utter randomness is to court the Beast, and no vampire wishes to sink into the clutches of mindless depravity. Even those vampires who plumb the depths of immorality have some ethical bulwark they use to anchor themselves against the Beast.

Kindred who voluntarily abandon Humanity follow behavioral codes known as Paths of Enlightenment. While mechanically similar to Humanity, these codes have very little - in fact, sometimes nothing - to do with the mores of mortal culture. Adopting a Path of Enlightenment means giving up everything that matters to a "normal" person or, indeed, many Kindred.

So You Want to Follow a Path

Many Kindred loan themselves especially well to certain Paths. By all means, if your character concept fits a Path better than Humanity - and if the Storyteller permits - take it! It is important to know a few things before you commit to a Path of Enlightenment, however.

- Paths are advanced concepts: For beginning players and Storytellers, it's best to stick with Humanity. Not only do most vampires still maintain vestiges of their mortal beliefs, it's less difficult to portray a character who knows and believes similar things as the player.

- Paths are exclusive: Few Kindred are initiated into the secrets of the Paths. Most vampires - even those of the independent clans and the Sabbat - follow the ways of Humanity; they simply tend to degenerate to very low levels over time. Not just anyone can follow a Path; becoming such an inhuman creature requires discipline and spiritual strength, albeit of a distinctly alien sort. A person seeking to join a Path must have the capacity to discard her human nature, as well as the fortitude to survive the process.

- Paths are utterly inhuman: Players wishing their characters to adopt Paths of Enlightenment are in for extremely demanding roleplaying experiences. Absolutely nothing the player believes in will be reflected by any of these Paths. These are codes of immortal ethics that Kindred have spent hundreds of years, if not millennia, studying. It's fine and good to have an Assamite character following the Path of Blood, but the player will have to devote an enormous amount of energy toward thinking how that character really thinks.

As a corollary to this, a Path follower is treated as though he has a Humanity score of 3 when using the rules for interacting with mortals. If the Path follower's Path rating is less than 3, use that score instead.

- Paths shock conventional moralities: This cannot be stressed enough. Paths use game systems similar to Humanity, but the codes that constitute these ideas emphasize such alien ideals that anyone observing them is likely to be put off. Look over the Hierarchies of Sin for the Paths - some of them accord prestige, honor or righteousness to behavior that would cause the gods to strike a human dead in his tracks. Some codes espouse killing, while others cannot be bothered with it. Indeed, some codes are so selfish that even thinking about helping others constitutes a moral failure.

To put it plainly, this is some heavy shit. These Paths are here to illustrate how utterly inhuman and removed the Kindred are from humankind, and to give them spiritual protection from the talons of the Beast. Use the Paths when the story or character demands them, not to free the characters from penalties for wanton murder or perversion.

Systems

Characters on Paths of Enlightenment use the same systems for degeneration as characters who still subscribe to Humanity. Each Path has its own Hierarchy of Sin, which functions the same as the one on p. 221. To recap, any time the Storyteller feels that the character is about to act in a manner contrary to morality as her Path defines it (i.e., she wishes to do something proscribed at her Path level or below), he should warn her that persistence will require a degeneration check. If the character undertakes the action anyway, have the player make the degeneration check (alternatively, the Storyteller may do this in secret) and apply the proper consequences, if any.

Some Paths are so far removed from conventional human morality that concepts like Conscience and Self-Control do not apply to them at all. For these codes of ethics, different Virtues apply. Depending upon which Path a character follows, Conscience may be replaced by the Virtue of Conviction, while Self-Control may be replaced by the Virtue of Instinct. No character may have both Conscience and Conviction or Self-Control and Instinct. Which Virtues the character actually possesses depends upon which Path he follows. Remember, however, that all characters have Courage, regardless of Path.

Conviction

The Conviction Virtue quantifies a character's ability to maintain a sense of reason when faced with desire, suffering or need. Utterly inhuman, Conviction represents the reconciliation of the predatory urge with the character's capacity for atrocity.

As opposed to Conscience, which deals with remorse and atonement for Path transgressions, a character with Conviction recognizes his failure and plans to overcome it. Conviction is completely inhuman; the character who has this Trait can no longer pass for human under anything but the most cursory of scrutiny. Creatures who can sense the Beast (vampires, werewolves, etc.) immediately recognize someone with the Conviction Virtue for what he truly is: a monster. Like Conscience, Conviction comes into question when a character must check for degeneration.

Steady
Determined
Driven
Brutal
Completely self-assured

Instinct

The Instinct Virtue refers to a character's ability to control the Beast by familiarity rather than denial. It allows characters to "ride the wave" of frenzy and emotional excess by keeping a close rein on their passion, rather than letting passion control them. As atavistic as Conviction, Instinct is the Virtue of a monster who accepts his nature rather than maintaining a sense of human compassion.

Instinct allows the character to harness the Beast's destructive power; a character with high Instinct is primal and turbulent. A player rolls Instinct when attempting to control a character's existing frenzy. When a character who possesses the Instinct Virtue faces frenzy, she always enters the frenzy, unless the difficulty to avoid it is less than her Instinct Trait, in which case she may choose whether or not to frenzy. Thereafter, for the duration of the frenzy, the character is wholly under the Beast's sway, and must be run by the player (or controlled by the Storyteller) in an appropriate fashion. Any time the player wishes the character to consciously take an action (known as "riding the wave"); she must roll Instinct against the difficulty to avoid the frenzy. Frenzies affect the character normally (including ignoring wound penalties, etc.), though she may sometimes exert a bit of control while so enraged.

Intuitive
Feral
Bestial
Visceral
Primal

Creating a Path Follower

If a player wishes to create a beginning character on a Path, a few changes in the character-creation rules take place.

- Alternate Virtues begin at zero: While every human (and thus every recently Embraced Kindred) has a modicum of their "natural" Virtues, vampiric Virtues must be inculcated from the ground up. So, while a character with Conscience, Self-Control and Courage is created with one free dot in each Virtue, then has seven points to spend on Virtues, a character with Conviction, Self-Control and Courage begins with only two free dots (in Self-Control and Courage). A character with Conviction, Instinct and Courage begins with only one free dot (in Courage). All characters receive seven points to spend, but must use points to buy the inhuman Virtues to at least 1. This may seem unfair, but shunting off one's human nature is not undertaken lightly. Even monsters are not created overnight.

- A vampire following a Path of Enlightenment must begin the game with a Willpower Trait of 5, minimum: This can be achieved by spending points on Courage or raising Willpower with freebie points. Beings of lesser ego simply do not have the spiritual vigor needed to break down their very souls and rebuild them from the ground up.

- Beginning characters may not start the game with Path scores above 5: If the combination of the character's Virtues would indicate a Path score of higher than 5, simply record "5." Likewise, freebie points may not be spent to increase a beginning character's Path rating above 5, either. Beginning character vampires who subscribe to these codes still have only 25 or fewer years of experience as Kindred - hardly enough time to master the rigors of inhuman codes of behavior.

- In all other ways, unless otherwise specified, inhuman Paths and Virtues are used like their human counterparts. So, if a roll calls for the player to use Perception + Self-Control, and the character has Instinct, roll Perception + Instinct.

Switching from Humanity to a Path

A character may also elect to eschew his human nature in favor of a Path. This is exceedingly difficult, and those who fail find themselves permanently soul-scarred as a result.

A character seeking to switch from Humanity to a Path must have a Humanity rating of 3 or below, as well as ratings of 1 in whichever Virtue or Virtues are to change to their counterparts. For example, a vampire seeking to follow a Path espousing Conviction and Instinct must have Conscience and Self-Control ratings of 1.

During the chronicle, a "deserving" candidate is typically approached by a Kindred already on the Path; in this sense, Paths resemble secret fraternal orders, approaching candidates they deem worthy rather than being open to solicitation. This process should always be roleplayed. If the character chooses to initiate himself toward the Path, he begins a program of rigorous study, and a vampire already on the Path is assigned as the initiate's mentor. An initiate spends at least a year in contemplation and study of the Path's ways. During this time, the initiate must forcibly degenerate his human Virtues, dropping them to "acceptable" levels (Humanity 3 or below, ratings of 1 in appropriate Virtues), if he has not done so already. Again, this should be accomplished by roleplaying.

The vampire then undertakes a test, which must be roleplayed by the player and Storyteller. This test can involve study of forbidden lore, answering of riddles, completion of ordeals and tasks, or whatever else the Storyteller deems appropriate for the given Path. However, part of the test always involves the vampire committing an act that, in human terms, would be viewed as an atrocity. Such a deed is undertaken not for the sake of mindless evil, but rather to impart a lesson about the character's nature in relation to the Path.

Following the completion of the test, the character makes a Willpower roll. If the character's Humanity is 3, the difficulty of the roll is 10. If the character's Humanity is 2, the difficulty is 8, and if the character's Humanity is 1, the difficulty is 6. Willpower may not be spent to gain automatic successes on this roll. If the character succeeds, he sheds his human nature and the Virtues that accompany it, gains ratings of 1 in all appropriate Path Virtues, and gains a Path rating of 1. If the character scores three or more successes, he experiences a profound, if twisted, enlightenment, gaining a Path rating of 2.

If the character fails the roll, he commits a stupid, pointless atrocity without gaining any corresponding understanding. He loses a point of Humanity, fails to attain the rudiments of the Path, but may reattempt the test (at a difficulty appropriate to his lowered Humanity Trait) in a month's time. If the character botches the roll, he loses a point of Humanity and may not reattempt the test for an entire year.

Should a character be driven to Humanity zero in this fashion, his soul is lost to the Beast, and the character is permanently taken over by the Storyteller.

The Path of Blood

Hail the call of Haqim, and speak his message.
The blood of the kafir belongs in our veins; it is our right - our duty - to take it.
Restraint has no place in the heart of the killer.

- The Parables of Blood

Nickname: Dervishes

Basic Beliefs: This Path is practiced almost exclusively by the diablerist assassins of Clan Assamite, although only vampires who demonstrate true loyalty to the clan learn its harsh code. The founding principle of this Path explains that the children of Caine (or Khayyin, as the Assamites refer to him) are wicked failures, fit primarily to bring the brood of Haqim (the Assamites' name for their own clan founder) closer to "the One, " a state of mystical transcendence. Haqim instructs his childer to salvage or strike down Khayyin's other childer, drinking their blood in an effort to destroy the taint they inflict on the world.

Assamites on this Path follow two basic precepts. First and foremost, the clan seeks to convince other Kindred of their flawed, cursed nature, and thus convert them to the service of those on the Path. Kindred as a whole are blight upon the earth, and only by upholding Haqim's righteous code can they redeem themselves. Should vampires resist attempts at conversion, the Assamites kill and diablerize them, using the blood of the victims to lower their generations and thus return to Haqim's bounty. Although they are not inherently psychotic murderers, Assamites on the Path of Blood place little value on the unlives of other Kindred, and must have good reason not to slay most vampires with whom they come in contact. Vampires on this Path pose serious threats to other Kindred around them, and do not frequently associate with non-Assamite Kindred. Blood is blood, however, and Assamites are not so fatuous as to disregard the value of the vast web of Kindred society. Thus, many Assamites offer their martial expertise as murderers and bodyguards in return for payments of vitae - provided that they may harvest blood from those whom they bring down in combat.

Few young Assamites follow this Path or even know of its existence - Clan Assamite conspires to keep its beliefs secret from most other Kindred of the world. Hundreds of years ago, the Assamites' bloodthirsty ways united all other Children of Caine against them, and they are loath to face the concerted opposition of Khayyin's bastard brood again. As such, only the most accomplished and able Assamites learn this Path's tenets; young Assamites who face dire odds may jeopardize the clan's nominally covert vitae crusade.

The Ethics of the Path

- Faithfully follow the teachings of Haqim.
- Mortals are beneath the notice of vampires. Feed from them only when necessary.
- Lose no opportunity to sate the Beast with the vitae of other Kindred.
- Withstand the Beast's fury - failing to master oneself results in lessened prowess.
- Seek knowledge that may aid the clan in its war on the cursed spawn of Khayyin.
- Extend the glory of Haqim's cause to other Kindred. Should they refuse, use them to further your own journey back to Khayyin's grace.

Path of Blood Hierarchy of Sins

Score	Moral Guideline
10	Killing a mortal for sustenance
9	Breaking a word of honor to a clanmate
8	Refusing to offer a non-Assamite an opportunity to convert
7	Failing to destroy an unrepentant Kindred outside the clan
6	Succumbing to frenzy
5	Failing to pursue the lore of Khayyin
4	Failing to pursue lesser blood
3	Refusal to aid a more advanced member of the Path
2	Failing to take an opportunity to lower one's generation
1	Acting against another Assamite

Rationale

Human blood is nourishing to the body, but the murder of lesser is poison to the soul.
Solidarity is important to the Assamites' holy cause.
The childer of Khayyin are a curse and must be saved.
Those who do not accept Haqim's teaching forfeit their unlives.
Haqim teaches ascendance, not indulgence.
To oppose one's enemies successfully, one must learn all about them.
Other members of the clan may benefit from such vitae, no matter how diluted.
To act selfishly is to fall into the snares of Khayyin's spawn.
Haqim has decreed this as paramount to his child's cause.
This is treason to the Path and the clan.

Virtues

Vampires on the Path of Blood subscribe to the virtues of Conviction and Self-Control.

History

The Assamites practiced an early version of this Path for hundreds of years before the formations of the Camarilla and Sabbat. Their blood lust led them into open conflict with powerful elder Kindred, who desperately sought to stifle the marauding diablerists. The Assamites found themselves in the same situation as the anarchs during the time of the Anarch Revolt, and the Camarilla levied a curse on the clan, making it impossible for the Assamites to consume Kindred vitae. For centuries, the clan followed a debased version of the Path, crippled by its members' inability to commit diablerie directly. Since breaking the blood curse, the Assamites have renewed their support of the old Path, and pursue diablerie with deadly vengeance.

Current Practices

The fatal nature of this Path with regard to other Kindred stands behind much of the fear and mistrust of Clan Assamite. Predominantly practiced by proven ancillae and elders of the clan, the Path of Blood leads these beings into direct conflict with non-Assamite vampires. Kindred on the Path of Blood gracefully attempt to convince other Kindred of their "one true way, " so a few individuals from other clans also support this Path.

Practitioners of little understanding seek merely to follow the teachings of Haqim, doing so with little question. However, those of greater wisdom seek to explore just what "becoming One" entails. By taking the cursed blood of the Antediluvians and their spawn, the followers of the Path hope to concentrate the curse of Khayyin in the hands of those who will use it responsibly. In such a way, according to Path doctrine, can the great endgame of Gehenna be averted. Accordingly, Assamite Ancients practice rigorous purity and meditation, and rumors of a Golconda-like state among these beings have recently trickled into the larger Kindred community.

Description of Followers

Study, diablerie, proselytizing and selective strikes against the rest of the Kindred world occupy the nights of Kindred on this Path, for it is a course of righteous justice - at least to the minds of Assamites. Fanatical in their quest, the Assassins bring Final Death to those who would make the difference between growing closer to Khayyin and not. Even those of higher generation fall prey to the Kindred on this Path, for it is rumored that certain followers of the Path may preserve a victim's essence in his vitae, then send the blood back to the Assamite stronghold at Alamut to aid other members of the clan. Mostly, however, Assamites seek to convert those of high generation, as they are farther removed from their progenitors and, thus, the taint of evil.

Following the Path

This Path espouses liberal practice of diablerie, and followers should pursue that end should other recourse fail. More enlightened Kindred on the Path of Blood also seek to uncover lore and knowledge that may lead them to foes possessed of ancient and powerful blood. As such, vampires who follow the Path of Blood are not mindless monsters gorging on Kindred vitae, but would-be saviors of the entire world. All Kindred on the Path of Blood strive to attain "Oneness" with the mythical Haqim, though few who have reached this lofty goal deign to explain its nature. Most Dervishes believe that Oneness resembles Golconda, or another state wherein vampires can cast off their curse and revel in their Cainite natures.

Common Abilities: Combat and occult Abilities aid followers in their pursuit of the Path's principles. Brawl, Melee, Dodge, Intimidation and Occult are among the Abilities prized by Path of Blood supporters.

Preferred Disciplines: This Path lends itself to the refinement of Quietus, Obfuscate and Celerity. Some followers cultivate knowledge of Thaumaturgy to aid them in their bloody quests.

The Path of the Bones

The body is a shell; the mind a cell.
The soul is chaff. Death is the purpose: inevitable death.

- Alessandre Giovanni, Thanatopsis IV

Nickname: Gravediggers

Basic Beliefs: The Path of the Bones, it is believed, grew out of a warped code upheld by the morbid vampires who sired the Giovanni. Human, Kindred or otherwise, every being sooner or later ends up in death's arms. The most ardent followers of this Path espouse "giving oneself over to the comprehension of life's inevitable end. " Vampires who follow this Path seek the knowledge of precisely what death is: Is it simply the end of life? The transition of the soul to what lies after life? Is it the end of the soul's desire to be? These questions haunt the followers of the Path of the Bones each night.

Many vampires believe that the Path of the Bones is a degenerate Path that encourages followers to participate in all manner of murder and deviance. Those who uphold the Path and those who are familiar with it, however, know that it involves itself with a pursuit of life's and unlife's meaning. Followers of the Path seek to understand death's nature and purpose, and thus the roles individuals play in the greater scheme of the world. Mortality is inevitable, except for vampires, who have somehow managed to cheat the cycle.

Kindred nature, however, is generally outside the avenues this Path explores. It is truly a scholar's code, as the Kindred who follow it forsake even their own comfort to advance their understanding of mortality's mysteries. These Kindred are not necessarily cruel - they merely value comprehension more than human life.

At its simplest, the Path of the Bones seeks to define not only what death is, but also its meaning to those who have escaped it. It is a Path of knowledge and power, and many who support it learn to wield great influence over the living and dead alike. Many among the Path become quite erudite in the ways of ghosts, but even these odd beings fail to answer many of the Gravediggers' questions - what, for example, happens to a ghost that resolves its psychic struggle or discorporates into the void?

The Ethics of the Path

- Study death in all its permutations.
- Determine when death occurs; define it.
- Search for a purpose for death and the life that prefaces it.
- Quantify the differences of death by various causes.
- Achieve a comfort with death and unlife - distinguish between damnation and salvation.
- Hasten death's arrival, should it seem to be unnaturally delayed.

Path of the Bones Hierarchy of Sins

Score	Moral Guideline
10	Showing a fear of death
9	Failing to study an occurrence of death
8	Accidental killing
7	Postponing feeding when hungry
6	Succumbing to frenzy
5	Refusing to kill when an opportunity presents itself
4	Making a decision based on emotion rather than logic
3	Inconveniencing oneself for another's benefit
2	Needlessly preventing a death
1	Actively preventing a death

Rationale

Fear inhibits learning.
Refusal to learn indicates refusal to understand.
There is no opportunity to gain insight.
Denial of the self serves no greater purpose.
The Beast is irrational and emotion serves little to advance Understanding.
Experimentation proves theory, and without proof, there is no conclusion.
Vampires are dead; so, too, are their emotions.
Death is inevitable; what meaning does easing another's doomed discomfort have?
One must not prevent the cycle, but should learn from it.
Such emotional ties befit humans, not Kindred.

Virtues

Vampires on the Path of the Bones observe the virtues of Conviction and Self-Control.

History

This Path grew out of a moral code upheld by the vampires whom the Giovanni destroyed in their bid for greater power. A select few Giovanni saw more than a means to an end in their practice of Necromancy, and upheld the rituals and studies of their forebears. Although the Path is not widely practiced among the clan, followers of its precepts pioneered most of the Giovanni's advances in Necromancy.

Current Practices

Elder members of Clan Giovanni follow this Path, as do those with a sincere interest in improving their necromantic knowledge for a purpose other than temporal power. Giovanni who uphold the Path of the Bones rarely deal with mortals, as their grim inquisitiveness often proves fatal for mortals with whom they come in contact.

Description of Followers

Vampires on this Path are genuinely curious, wishing to learn exactly what purpose individuals serve. Thanatology is more a science than a philosophy to Kindred on the Path of the Bones. This Path is quite introspective, and greedy Giovanni rarely follow it, preferring the more materially comfortable outlook of Humanity. Gravediggers support the Giovanni family primarily through the knowledge they bring it, rather than through advancing the political aims of the clan.

Following the Path

Vampires who subscribe to the tenets of the Path of the Bones should be detached yet inquisitive. Although they are not cavalier about death, Gravediggers seldom aid one about to slough off the mortal coil, preferring to watch and learn. Less fatalistic vampires may take issue with this, and the Kindred on this Path will not act against them should they seek to aid the dying individual. Obviously, their time has not yet come, though were their benefactor absent...

Common Abilities: Kindred on this Path naturally specialize in those proficiencies that advance their macabre research. Knowledges are favored, particularly in the realms of Medicine, Occult and Science.

Preferred Disciplines: Followers of this Path obviously favor Necromancy, and also refine their aptitude with Auspex. As well, certain elders of the Path are rumored to have developed unique mystic arts related to the study of death.

The Path of Night

The only blasphemy one may commit is failing to acknowledge one's darkest passions. Unlife is a curse, surely, though its purpose is to master the evil within - and deliver it to the world without.

- Alexei Guylaine, Sabbat Templar

Nickname: Nihilists

Basic Beliefs: Those vampires who follow the Path of Night wholly accept their damnation; indeed, they believe that, as vampires, it is their preordained role to act as agents of damnation. Unlife is nothing without pain, and misery enjoys company. This Path is practiced largely by young Kindred of Clan Lasombra, who gladly mortify their own souls in the interests of bringing atrocity to the world.

The Path of Night borrows heavily from Catholic dogma, though it concerns itself more with abandonment and damnation than redemption. The vampire's purpose in unlife, according to this Path, is to scourge the Earth, to act as an agent of evil and, thus, ultimately to do the bidding of the greater powers that dictate good and evil alike. None lives without original sin, and those who follow this Path are beholden to expose and exacerbate that sin. Life and unlife are varying states of damnation; those who fail to realize their full potential are lost sheep, suitable only for slaughter.

This is one of the most terrible Paths in existence, as it concerns itself with the outright and intentional discomfort of others. Its followers are more than mere bullies or sadists, however, in that they are sincere in their beliefs. One who receives the curse of Caine is bound by fate and duty to wreak vengeance upon the Children of Set. In so doing, vampires on this Path hope that, by fulfilling the roles meant for them, they can transcend those roles and find ultimate peace. This final goal aside, though, the Path of Night is a Path of hostility and antagonism, and the company of those who follow it is extremely hard to abide.

For many Kindred, this is also a desperate Path, but one accessible to self-loathing vampires who seek a sense of purpose in the final nights of looming Gehenna.

The Ethics of the Path

- Leave no being untouched by your taint.
- Tempt and horrify those around you; the weak will fall, while the strong will be tempered by your testing of them.
- Inspire others to accept their inner darkness.
- Experience every sensation imaginable, and then some.
- Death is a means, not an end.
- Kindred, as souls damned by God, fulfill their purpose by preying upon mortals.

Path of Night Hierarchy of Sins

Score	Moral Guideline
10	Killing a mortal for food
9	Acting in the interests of another
8	Failing to be innovative in one's depredations
7	Asking aid of another
6	Accidental killing
5	Bowing to another Kindred's will
4	Intentional or impassioned killing
3	Aiding another
2	Accepting the superiority of another
1	Repenting one's behavior

Rationale

Dead mortals feel no dread
Gehenna is nigh - there is no time to fulfill petty agendas
Familiarity for one's vile acts breeds contempt for them in others, and they may soon fail to shock
Those who cannot provide for themselves fulfill their ends poorly
God has made Kindred horrors, not murderers
The games of the Jyhad are diversions from the Damned's true purpose
Death serves no one, it merely deprives one of a victim
Compassion has no place in a vampire's undead heart
All Kindred are equal under God's plan
The Kindred's purpose is to cause repentance, not to practice it

Virtues

Vampires on the Path of Night observe the virtues of Conviction and Instinct.

History

Few, if any, have certifiable chronicled this Path's inception or evolution. By varying accounts the outgrowth of medieval death cults, Satanic cabals, debased Methuselahs or the practices upheld by Adam's first wife Lilith and her children, the Path of Night has been forsaken by most Kindred with any sense of Humanity at all. Some suspect a coterie of Lasombra known as the Black Angels foment dissension among the clan, turning impressionable Keeper neonates down the Path's unwholesome trail.

Current Practices

No sin is too vile for a follower of this Path to indulge, and no trust is too sacred to break. Kindred on the Path of Night tie their fates very closely to mortals, who bear the brunt of their depredations. As harbingers of damnation, the Nihilists cull the secret fears and sorrows of humans around them, inflicting these terrors upon the kine as the whim takes them.

Ironically, vampires on this Path often have great reverence for those whom they perceive as truly "good" or "blessed. " Indeed, one infamous Keeper, who plagued a family of witch-hunters down three generations and was finally destroyed by a scion of the line, is rumored to have praised his destroyer for her resolve.

Description of Followers

This Path is upheld almost exclusively by Lasombra, though the Keepers find occasional converts among other clans. Lasombra who follow this Path are held in low regard by many other Keepers, as there is no room for nobility on this Path. While most Lasombra maintain other codes of morality drawn from the Sabbat, the ones who follow this Path are true fiends of the night.

Following the Path

Vampires on the Path of Night terrorize their victims, a term which may apply to anyone to whom the Nihilist is drawn. Kindred on this Path are loath to kill - that removes potential targets, though they are not above doing so if the death may cause great grief to others or if preventing it would inconvenience their own existence. To some degree, the Nihilists ironically shepherd the kine, showing them what may await them if they are unrepentant. However, no follower of this Path would openly admit such a thing. They are devils, pure and simple, in their own minds.

Common Abilities: Kindred on this Path specialize in Abilities that allow them to torment others. Brawl, Intimidation, Melee and Medicine (for physiological knowledge) all have their place among the Nihilists.

Preferred Disciplines: Followers of this Path cultivate Obtenebration for the sheer terror it inspires, as well as Potence for the pain it allows one to inflict.

The Path of Metamorphosis

We are ever t between until the chrysalis overtakes us.

- Laika, Tzimisce koldun

Nickname: Metamorphosists

Basic Beliefs: The world is made up of evolutionary chains. Animals are below humans, who are below the Kindred, who themselves are below something. The metaphysical, arcane members of Clan Tzimisce follow this Path, which focuses on defining and attaining the state of being beyond the curse of vampirism. Citing their use of the transformative Discipline of Vicissitude, the Tzimisce believe they have the potential to transcend the constraints of the flesh. Hearing Metamorphosist Fiends speak, however, reveals the true monstrosity of their philosophy; they believe that the next step is a state akin to apotheosis, and they will do anything - anything - to achieve it.

Some Metamorphosists believe that their ideology corresponds closely with the concepts of the enigmatic mages. Although their means are different - the Path of Metamorphosis leans heavily toward the passage from life into undeath and onward - it seems that both groups seek some sort of supernatural "ascension. "

The Tzimisce are characteristically thorough in their study of this Path's ideals. By coordinating their experiments on living, dead and undead subjects (as well as other curiosities they may come across, like werewolves or the errant ghost), the Fiends have formed complex theories as to precisely what the next step in vampiric transcendence is. The solitary and suspicious Tzimisce rarely compare notes, however, and the Path suffers as each follower spends much of her unlife learning the rudiments that other Kindred have already deciphered.

The Ethics of the Path

- Learn the characteristics of all stages of life and death.
- One should not concern oneself overly with mortals - they are a step below the Kindred, not above them.
- Do not share knowledge with others, as it is too valuable to trust to a flawed creature like oneself.
- Indulge the Beast and deny it; true comprehension of unlife requires a broad range of experience.
- One should alter and augment one's body - changing the flesh may pave the way toward changing the soul.
- Do not heed the needs or desires of others, as their lack of introspection may distract even the keenest intellect.

Path of Metamorphosis Hierarchy of Sins

Score	Moral Guideline
10	Postponing feeding when hungry
9	Indulging in pleasure
8	Imploring another for knowledge
7	Sharing knowledge with another
6	Refusing to kill when knowledge may be gained from it
5	Failing to ride out a frenzy
4	Considering the needs of others
3	Failure to experiment, even at risk to oneself
2	Neglecting to alter one's own body
1	Exhibiting compassion for others

Rationale

Hunger causes distraction.
Hedonism deters one from greater ends.
The lessons of Metamorphosis are secrets that must be uncovered, not copied.
Knowledge must be learned, not simply illustrated.
Before superseding death, the Metamorphosist must understand the phenomenon.
A Kindled mast know the Beast to transcend it.
Those who cannot be bothered to attain Metamorphosis are beneath one's attention.
The Path may be understood only through empirical research.
Physical change must be attained before any more significant metamorphosis.
The fates of others drag one into devolution, not transcendence.

Virtues

Vampires on the Path of Metamorphosis subscribe to the Virtues of Conviction and Instinct.

History

The Tzimisce have researched this Path in their solitary way for literally thousands of years. The Tzimisce have always been creatures of tremendous mystical potential; the followers of this Path seek to realize that potential. Followers of this Path relate very little to the world outside themselves, and many relate this fact to the inexorable decline of the clan itself.

Current Practices

Most Metamorphosists claim membership in the Sabbat but pay it little more than lip service, involved as they are in more esoteric pursuits. In truth, this Path long predates any sect, and Kindred committing themselves to it subscribe to beliefs and creeds far older than petty notions of Kindred politics.

Description of Followers

Followers of the Path of Metamorphosis are truly some of the most alien creatures any Kindred could hope (or have the misfortune) to meet. Metamorphosists are cold, utterly inhuman and exactingly scientific. Their concerns are metaphysical rather than legitimately ethical, and it is precisely this frame of mind that leads many to believe that the Metamorphosists have literally begun their transformation into something else. Some take this a step further by altering their flesh in various means until they no longer have a recognizable gender or look even remotely human.

Following the Path

Metamorphosists conduct all manner of bizarre experiments, most of which take place far from others' eyes. It is a distant, lonely philosophy, removed from any needs other than the matter of sustenance. Followers should be heedless of others around them, existing only to satisfy their personal concerns.

Common Abilities: This Path concerns itself almost exclusively with Knowledges, particularly those of Occult, Medicine and Science. Many Metamorphosists also pursue more specialized Knowledges such as Philosophy, Theology and sundry supernatural lores in hopes of uncovering secrets unexplored in larger fields of study.

Preferred Disciplines: The Tzimisce Metamorphosists favor attention to their unique powers of Vicissitude. Thaumaturgy and Auspex are also highly prized.

The Path of Paradox

Although we are locked outside the cycle, we may not forsake it

- Raj, Blood Diaries

Nickname: Shilmulo (a Romani word for vampire)

Basic Beliefs: Upheld exclusively by vampires of the Ravnos clan, the Path of Paradox concerns itself with the vampires' karmic duty to continue the grand cycle of ages. The Path of Paradox pays a heavy debt to certain tenets of Hinduism and, some whisper, to the indecipherable codes upheld by the Cathay an vampires of the Orient.

According to the Path of Paradox, Kindred are locked perpetually outside the illusory cycle of the universe (maya). Whereas most beings are reincarnated through samsara, a continual "entanglement" in the cycle of rebirth, Kindred have eluded that cycle. Every individual has his own purpose, or svadharma, according to the Path of Paradox, although vampires, excluded from the cycle, have lost theirs. In place of the dharma they once followed, each Kindred must now try to advance maya, hopefully understanding it in the process and finally penetrating the great illusions that shroud Ultimate Truth from their eyes. The means by which the Ravnos undertake this cyclical advancement, however, is by selective deception. Other vampires look upon the Ravnos as untrustworthy, and can hardly be expected to take the advice of the Gypsy Kindred. As such, the Ravnos have had to resort to elaborate ruses in order to get other vampires - or, indeed, anyone with whom they come in contact at all - to undertake a course of action. Ravnos vampires see their undead state as a curse, like many other Kindred do. However, the Ravnos believe this shruti (what has been learned from the gods) to be due to their failure to understand maya. Other Kindred, also removed from the karmic wheel, often fail to realize the necessity of their return to the cycle. The Ravnos understand this - and expedite their return by destroying them.

The Ethics of the Path

- Embrace only if absolutely necessary, and then only from the jati (family line, also referred to as the Rom in one specific case).
- Interpret the svadharma of others and aid them in their fulfillment of it.
- Destroy other Kindred, for they are unnatural to maya.
- Erase karmic debt, dispel maya's illusions and return to the samsara.
- Use deception to achieve your ends, as others bear the fault of distrust.
- Confuse the Antediluvians by returning their childer to the cycle.

Path of Paradox Hierarchy of Sins

Score	Moral Guideline
10	Embracing a woman
9	Embracing outside the jati
8	Destroying another Shilmulo
7	Killing a mortal for sustenance
6	Failing to destroy another vampire
5	Killing a mortal for reasons other than survival
4	Failure to aid another's svadharma
3	Allowing one's sect affairs to precede one's dharrna
2	Becoming blood bound
1	Embracing needlessly or out of personal desire

Rationale

Males traditionally make better offerings to the gods.
Many others fail to comprehend the depth of the Paradox philosophy.
Charity does not, as is widely believed, begin at home.
Death robs a person of the ability to fulfill their svadharma.
Those who cannot see the true way should be returned to a productive role in the cycle.
A person may not have achieved her svadharma, and preventing such is anathema.
The shruti defines this as the Shilmulo's purpose.
One's allegiance should be to the gods, not one's companions.
One may never destroy one's regnant, which is the whole purpose of this Path.
One must return others to the cycle, not extract them from it.

Virtues

Vampires on the Path of Paradox uphold the Virtues of Conviction and Self-Control.

History

This Path arose among the Ravnos during the latter nights of the Roman Empire. The deceit the Ravnos command is even believed by some to have played a major role in the collapse of the empire. The Path, according to many Ravnos, had become debased shortly after Rome's collapse and had remained so for hundreds of years until a stirring (and secret) event contrived to encourage the Ravnos to rethink their ways. Ravnos on this Path once had reputations as lighthearted tricksters, though recent reconsideration of where the clan was headed has cast a grim new light on the Ravnos and their philosophies.

Current Practices

It is too simple a conceit to say that the Ravnos destroy vampires and burn karma. In fact, the Path of Paradox is arduous and demanding, since, to truly uphold the code, one must glean important grains of information from those with whom one conspires, in order to understand their svadharma better. Many of the Ravnos' deceptions are, in reality, complicated tests purveyed to cause the subject to reveal hidden aspects of herself. Thus, the Ravnos travel the world, ousted by ignorant Kindred who fail to realize the necessity of the Shilmulo's duties.

Description of Followers

Most followers of this Path are Ravnos, though certain lines of Malkavians and Gangrel adhere to the Path. Increasingly cosmopolitan Kindred have surfaced among the Ravnos clan, indicating that either the Ravnos pay little heed to their code or that jati are more extended than one would think otherwise.

Following the Path

Kindred on the Path of Paradox commonly hold other vampires in contempt, believing that they ignorantly or arrogantly refuse to seek their reintroduction to the cycle. As such, the Ravnos have taken the responsibility upon their shoulders to do it for others. This may require concocting complex webs of deception in order to ascertain what a given person's svadharma is, or simply destroying a vampire and placing her back in the cycle, where a new svadharma awaits.

Common Abilities: Kindred on this Path focus on Abilities that allow them to gain advantage over others, such as Alertness, Empathy, Subterfuge, Stealth and Investigation.

Preferred Disciplines: Followers of this Path practice Chimerstry in order to dupe their subjects and as a means of manipulating the illusions intrinsic to maya. Shilmulo favor Fortitude as well, to protect themselves from their subjects' ire. Many also master Auspex, with which they may better divine hidden secrets.

The Path of Typhon

It is these secrets which warp our souls, these very enigmas which mark us with our master's venom Typhon is not a loving father

- Khamala Bey, The Thousand Nights of Sutekh

Nickname: Theophidians (only among themselves; the outside world knows them as Corrupters or by the Followers of Set nickname, Serpents)

Basic Beliefs: Vampires who follow the Path of Typhon have a truly sinister purpose in mind. Theophidians seek the resurrection of their patron and father, Set. Though most vampires view Set simply as a mythical member of the Third Generation, Theophidian doctrine teaches that Set was, in fact, a divine being even before his Embrace. Indeed, Theophidians view Caine as a lesser being than Set, and claim that Set in fact allowed Caine to Embrace him so that he might use the descendants of Caine to strike at his divine counterparts, such as the mythical Gaia and Lilith. In this manner does Set, and through him the Setites themselves, fulfill their place in the universe, acting as agents of entropy and breaking down the old so that the new may blossom.

Accordingly, this Path preaches the importance of influence and control. Many Setites on the surface appear to be little more than pimps, pushers and fixers; in truth, they are much more. Setites commonly view other individuals as tools or founts of information - they are resources for the Setites either way. By gaining control over others, the Setites may use them to fulfill their own ends. Thus, rather than owing those who provide them with information or services, the Setites reverse the role, and instead have their marks come to them first.

Followers of this Path revere Set as something more than a vampire - Set is attributed a deified status, almost a literal translation of the Egyptian god of the underworld Ways and means for achieving this reincarnation differ, and for this reason, the Followers of Set extend their influence far and wide in hopes of finding information wherever it resides.

The Ethics of the Path

- Gather information, secret or otherwise, and learn how it applies to the resurrection of Set.
- Contribute to the clan's greater goal of reviving its slumbering master.
- Bring others under your sway, thereby increasing your influence and capability.
- Subjugate the Beast, as its reckless wiles serve only itself.
- Maintain a veil of secrecy, for other look ill upon this Path's means and ends.
- Look for Set's hidden signs and act upon them.

Path of Typhon Hierarchy of Sins

Score	Moral Guideline
10	Pursuing one's own indulgences instead of another's
9	Refusing to aid another follower of the Path
8	Failing to destroy a vampire in Golconda
7	Failing to observe Setite religious ritual
6	Failing to undermine the current social order in favor of the Setites
5	Failing to do whatever is necessary to corrupt another
4	Failing to pursue arcane knowledge
3	Obstructing another Setite's efforts
2	Failing to take advantage of another's weakness
1	Refusing to aid in Set's resurrection

Rationale

The slide into vice is a tool, not a recreation.
Teams work efficiently to raise Set.
Those who have transcended their desires cannot brought under sway.
This is akin to denying Set.
Other Kindred are purposeless or misled, and this indolence delays Set's revival.
The more individuals in the Setites' debt, the better.
The mysteries of Set's resurrection may be hidden anywhere.
The ranks of the righteous are no place for petty power plays.
Compassion has no place in Set's greater plans.
This is the purview of unbelievers.

Virtues

Vampires on the Path of Typhon uphold the virtues of Conviction and Self-Control.

History

Theophidians claim a history dating back to nights before the First City. Whether or not this is true is a matter of much debate, especially among detractors, but the widespread presence of human myths that mimic the relationship between Set and Osiris lends credence to its longevity. For millennia, the Theophidians have plied their degenerate trade from ill-lit alleys to holy temples and everywhere in between. Many leaders among the Kindred and kine alike owe their acquisition of power to the followers of this Path, though the prices they have paid are surely high.

Current Practices

Theophidians support no sect other than their own clan, though some members have forsaken the resurrection of Set and actually oppose his quest from the ranks of the Sabbat. Many followers of this Path cultivate blood cults of devout followers and indenture legions of desperate individuals to themselves. While the Theophidians are not averse to doing "dirty work" themselves - quite the contrary - they reason that with others serving their purposes, they can accomplish much more than they would ever be able to by themselves Thus, followers of this Path play many roles: seekers, fixers, scholars, courtesans and harvesters of souls.

Description of Followers

The Theophidians are frequently social chameleons, given their need to move through many different circles. They are smooth, ingratiating and wholly inspired by their greater cause Followers of this Path rarely ask favors of others - they prefer to help satisfy the desires of others, and then call in favors based on what they have already done for those others. It is this side that non-Setite Kindred see most frequently and despise; they publicly decry the vice peddling and corruption of the Followers of Set as breaches of the Masquerade or the puppetry of the Ancients. The Setites know the truth, however Other Kindred are loath to acknowledge the desires in themselves that a canny Theophidian can satisfy Clever Setites have even managed to convince non-Setite Kindred to follow this Path after long periods of corruption, dependency and debasement.

Following the Path

Followers of the Path of Typhon are first and foremost seekers of arcane lore, though their keen social graces also make them silver-tongued diplomats These Kindred are also insidious, working their way into existing vampire societies with serpentine facades of false identities and cadres of loyal followers The eldest Theophidian in a given locale often erects a temple to Set in some out-of-the-way place, to better serve the slumbering god.

Common Abilities: Any Ability that helps the Kindred achieve her end is prized by the followers of this Path. As such, the Theophidians have very diverse and capable members. Abilities of particular favor among the Setites include Empathy, Intimidation, Streetwise, Subterfuge, Performance, Academics, Investigation and Politics

Preferred Disciplines: Theophidians are masters of the reptilian Discipline of Serpentis, though their dealings with others inspire them to pursue the Setite clan Disciplines of Presence and Obfuscate.

Merits and Flaws

Merits and Flaws are optional Traits that a Storyteller may choose to include, or prohibit, in her chronicle. Properly used, Merits and Flaws help players create and individualize their characters. Merits are special abilities or advantages that are rare or unique in the general Kindred population, while Flaws are liabilities or disadvantages that pose challenges to a character's nightly existence. These Traits can provide player characters with added depth and personality, but Storytellers should be careful to ensure that any Traits chosen will not adversely influence the course of the chronicle or give one character an unfair advantage over the rest.

Merits and Flaws can be selected only during character creation and are purchased using freebie points. Each Merit has its own point cost, while each Flaw has a point value which adds to the amount of freebie points a player can spend during the creation process. A character may take as many Merits as the player can afford, but no character may have more than seven points' worth of Flaws (which would give a character a total of 22 freebie points to spend in other areas).

Merits and Flaws are divided into four categories: physical, mental, social and supernatural. The physical category describes Merits or Flaws that deal with a character's physical makeup or abilities, while the mental category addresses intellectual abilities or patterns of behavior. The social category comprises relationships and individual status in Kindred or mortal society, while supernatural Merits and Flaws concern the paranormal abilities of vampires and the way they interact with the physical world. Storytellers are encouraged to create their own Merits or Flaws, ones appropriate to their chronicles.

Physical

Acute Sense (1-pt. merit)

One of your senses is exceptionally sharp, be it sight, hearing, smell, touch or taste. The difficulties for all tasks involving the use of this particular sense are reduced by two. This Merit can be combined with the Discipline Auspex to produce superhuman sensory acuity.

Ambidextrous (1-pt. merit)

You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with the "wrong" hand at no penalty. You must still use the rules for taking multiple actions, but will not suffer a difficulty penalty if, say, you use two weapons or are forced to use your off hand.

Eat Food (1-pt. merit)

You have the capacity to eat food and even savor its taste. While you cannot derive any nourishment from eating regular foods, this ability will serve you well in maintaining the Masquerade. Of course, you can't digest what you eat, and there will be some point during the evening when you must force yourself to heave it back up.

Catlike Balance (1-pt. merit)

You possess an innately perfect sense of balance. Characters with this Merit reduce difficulties of all balance-related rolls (e. g., Dexterity + Athletics to walk along a narrow ledge) by two.

Blush of Health (2-pt. merit)

You look more hale and healthy in appearance than other vampires, allowing you to blend with human society much more easily. You still retain the color of a living mortal, and your skin feels only slightly cool to the touch.

Enchanting Voice (2-pt. merit)

There is something about your voice that others cannot ignore. When you command, they are cowed. When you seduce, they swoon. Whether thunderous, gentle, persuading or simply talking, your voice commands attention. The difficulties of all die rolls involving the use of the voice to persuade, charm or command are reduced by two.

Daredevil (3-pt. merit)

You are good at taking risks, and even better at surviving them. When attempting exceptionally risky actions (such as leaping from one moving car to another), characters with this Merit add an additional three dice to their rolls, and negate a single botch die that may result from such a roll. Generally, such actions must be at least difficulty 8 and have the potential to inflict at least three health levels of damage if failed.

Efficient Digestion (3-pt. merit)

You are able to draw more than the usual amount of nourishment from blood. When feeding, you gain an additional point to your blood pool for every two points of blood you consume. This does not allow you to exceed your blood pool maximum.

Huge Size (4-pt. merit)

You are abnormally large in size, at least 6'10" and 300 pounds in weight. Aside from making you extremely noticeable in public, this extra mass bestows an additional Bruised health level. Characters with this Merit may also gain bonuses to push objects, open barred doors, avoid being knocked down, etc.

Smell of the Grave (1-pt. flaw)

You exude an odor of dampness and newly turned earth, which no amount of scents or perfumes will cover. Mortals in your immediate presence become uncomfortable, so the difficulties of all Social rolls to affect mortals increase by one.

Short (1-pt. flaw)

You are well below average height - four and a half feet tall or less. You have difficulty reaching or manipulating objects designed for normal adult size, and your running speed is one-half that of a normally proportioned human.

Hard of Hearing (1-pt. flaw)

Your hearing is defective. The difficulties of any die rolls involving the use of hearing are increased by two.

14th Generation (2-pt. flaw)

You were created five or fewer years ago by a member of the 13th generation. Though you have 10 blood points in your body, only eight of them may be used to heal wounds, power Disciplines, raise Attributes, etc. Obviously, taking this Flaw precludes you from taking the Generation Background, and you may not start with Status, either. You are likely a clanless Caitiff, for your blood is probably too thin to pass down the distinguishing characteristics of a clan. Most 14th-generation vampires should also take the Thin Blood Flaw.

Infectious Bite (2-pt. flaw)

You lack the enzymes that allow most Kindred to seal the wounds caused by their feeding. You may not automatically lick the wounds of your feeding closed. In fact, your bites have a one in five chance of becoming infected and causing mortal victims to become seriously ill. The precise nature of the infection is determined by the Storyteller.

Bad Sight (1- or 3-pt. flaw)

Your sight is defective. The difficulties of any die rolls involving the use of your eyesight are increased by two. As a one-point Flaw, this condition can be corrected with glasses or contacts; as a three-point Flaw, the condition is too severe to be corrected.

One Eye (2-pt. flaw)

You have only one eye - which eye is missing is up to you. The difficulties of all Perception rolls involving eyesight are increased by two, and the difficulties of all die rolls requiring depth perception are increased by one (this includes ranged combat).

Disfigured (2-pt. flaw)

A hideous disfigurement makes your appearance disturbing and memorable. The difficulties of all die rolls relating to social interaction are increased by two. You may not have an Appearance rating greater than 2.

Child (3-pt. flaw)

You were a small child (between five and 10 years old) at the time of your Embrace, leaving your Physical Attributes underdeveloped and making it difficult to interact with some aspects of mortal society. You may not have more than two dots in Strength or Stamina, except when raising Physical Attributes with blood points, and the difficulties of all die rolls when attempting to direct or lead mortal adults are increased by two. Characters with this Flaw must also purchase the Short Flaw.

Deformity (3-pt. flaw)

You have some kind of deformity - a misshapen limb, hunchback, clubfoot, etc. - which affects your physical abilities and interactions with others. A hunchback, for instance, would lower a character's Dexterity by two dots and increase the difficulty of die rolls relating to social skills by one. It is the responsibility of the Storyteller to determine the specific effects of the deformity chosen.

Lame (3-pt. flaw)

Your legs are damaged, which prevents you from running or walking easily. You are forced to walk with a cane or possibly leg braces, and have a pronounced limp to your stride. Your walking speed is one-quarter that of a normal human, and running is impossible.

Monstrous (3-pt. flaw)

Your physical form was twisted during the Embrace, and now reflects the Beast that rages inside you. Characters with this Flaw appear to be savage monsters and have Appearance ratings of zero. Even Nosferatu have difficulty interacting with such individuals.

Permanent Wound (3-pt. flaw)

You suffered injuries during your Embrace which your transformation somehow failed to repair. At the beginning of each night, you rise from sleep at the Wounded health level, though this may be healed by spending blood points.

Slow Healing (3-pt. flaw)

You have difficulty healing wounds. It requires two blood points to heal one health level of normal damage, and you heal one health level of aggravated damage every five days (plus the usual five blood points and Willpower expenditure).

Addiction (3-pt. flaw)

You suffer from an addiction to a substance, which must now be present in the blood you drink. This can be alcohol, nicotine, hard drugs or simply adrenaline. This substance always impairs you in some fashion (see "Poisons and Drugs, " p. 231, for particulars).

Mute (4-pt. FLAW)

You cannot speak. You may communicate with the Storyteller and describe your actions, but cannot talk to player or Storyteller characters unless everyone concerned uses Linguistics dots to purchase a commonly understood sign language or you write down what you wish to say.

Thin Blood (4-pt. flaw)

Your blood is thin, weak and does not sustain you well. All blood point costs are doubled (e. g., using blood-related Disciplines or healing damage), and you are unable to create a blood bond. Furthermore, efforts to sire other vampires succeed only 20% of the time.

Disease Carrier (4-pt. flaw)

Your blood carries a lethal and highly contagious disease. The disease can be anything from rabies to HIV, and Kindred who drink your blood have a 10 percent chance of becoming a carrier as well. You must spend an extra blood point each night on awakening, or you will begin manifesting symptoms of the disease (increased chance to frenzy for rabies, reduced soak rolls for HIV, etc.).

Deaf (4-pt. flaw)

You cannot hear. While you may ignore some applications of Dominate, you may not listen to electronic or vocal media, and the difficulties of many Alertness rolls are increased by three.

Flesh of the Corpse (5-pt. flaw)

Your flesh does not fully regenerate itself once it is damaged. While you are able to heal yourself to the point of regaining full functionality, your skin still retains the cuts, tears, bullet holes, etc., which you have incurred. Depending on the nature of the damage, this Flaw will make social dealings exceedingly difficult.

Blind (6-pt. flaw)

You cannot see. Characters can compensate for the loss of vision by becoming more sensitive to other sensory input, but visual cues and images are lost to them. Actions involving hand-eye coordination are very difficult to perform, especially under stressful conditions. Difficulties of all Dexterity-based rolls are increased by two. Oddly, vampires with Level Two Auspex (Aura Perception) are still able to use this ability, thought the information is interpreted via the other senses.

Mental

Common Sense (1-pt. merit)

You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever the character is about to act in a way contrary to common sense, the Storyteller can make suggestions or warnings about the implications of said action. This is a very useful Merit to give to beginning players unfamiliar with the game.

Concentration (1-pt. merit)

You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances. Characters with this Merit are unaffected by any penalties stemming from distracting circumstances (e. g., loud noises, strobe lights, hanging upside down).

Time Sense (1-pt. MERIT)

You have an innate sense of time and are able to estimate the passage of time accurately without using a watch or other mechanical device.

Code of Honor (2-pt. merit)

You have a personal code of ethics to which you adhere. The specifics of this code must be worked out with the Storyteller prior to play, and the character must follow it strictly. Characters with this Merit gain two additional dice to all Willpower or Virtue rolls when acting in accordance with their code (e. g., defending the helpless) or when attempting to avoid situations that might force them to violate their code.

Eidetic Memory (2-pt. merit)

You remember, with perfect detail, things seen and heard. Documents, photographs, conversations, etc., can be committed to memory with only minor concentration. Under stressful conditions involving numerous distractions, you must make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 6) to summon enough concentration to absorb what your senses detect.

Light Sleeper (2-pt. merit)

You can awaken instantly at any sign of trouble or danger, and do so without any sleepiness or hesitation. You may ignore rules regarding how Humanity/Path restricts the number of dice available during the day.

Natural Linguist (2-pt. merit)

You have a flair for languages. You may add three dice to any dice pool involving written or spoken languages.

Calm Heart (3-pt. merit)

You are naturally calm and do not easily fly off the handle. You receive two extra dice when attempting to resist a frenzy. Brujah may not take this Trait.

Iron Will (3-pt. merit)

When you are determined and your mind is set, nothing can thwart you from your goals. When you are affected by a Dominate power, you may spend a point of Willpower to shake off the effects. In addition, you receive three extra dice to resist the effects of any mind-altering magic, spell or Thaumaturgy path. This Merit does not affect Presence or other powers dealing with the emotions.

Deep Sleeper (1-pt. flaw)

When you sleep, it is very difficult for you to awaken. The difficulty of any die roll to awaken during the day is increased by two.

Nightmares (1-pt. flaw)

You experience horrendous nightmares every time you sleep, and memories of them haunt you during your waking hours. Upon awakening, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) or lose a die on all actions for that night. A botched Willpower roll indicates that, even when awake, you still believe that you are locked in a nightmare.

Phobia (2-pt. flaw)

You have an overpowering fear of something. Spiders, snakes, crowds and heights are examples of common phobias. You must make a Courage roll every time you encounter the object of your fear. The difficulty of the roll is determined by the Storyteller, and if you fail the roll you must retreat from the object.

Prey Exclusion (1-pt. flaw)

You refuse to hunt a certain class of prey. You might refuse to feed upon drug dealers, or policemen, or accountants, or rich people - if you accidentally feed upon such an individual, you automatically frenzy and must make a roll to prevent Humanity loss (difficulty 7). Witnessing other Kindred feeding on the object of your exclusion might also provoke a frenzy, at the Storyteller's discretion. Ventrue, owing to the limitations imposed on their feeding by their clan weakness, may not take this Flaw.

Shy (1-pt. flaw)

You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try to avoid social situations whenever possible. Difficulties for all rolls involving social interaction with strangers are increased by two. If the character becomes the center of attention in a large group, difficulties are increased by three.

Soft-hearted (1-pt. flaw)

You cannot stand to watch others suffer. You avoid any situation that involves causing someone physical or emotional pain, unless you make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). You must have a Humanity rating of 7 or above to take this Flaw.

Speech Impediment (1-pt. flaw)

You have a stammer or other speech impediment that hampers verbal communication. The difficulties of all die rolls involving verbal communication are increased by two. You must roleplay this Flaw whenever possible.

Short Fuse (2-pt. flaw)

You are easily angered. Difficulties to avoid frenzy are two greater. Brujah vampires cannot take this Flaw, as they already suffer from a similar malady.

Territorial (2-pt. flaw)

You are extremely territorial, staking out a particular area as your hunting ground and reacting aggressively to trespassers. If another vampire enters your territory uninvited, you must make a frenzy roll. If you fail, you immediately attack the interloper and continue attacking until the intruder is dead or has left your hunting grounds. You are reluctant to leave your territory except in desperate circumstances.

Vengeful (2-pt. flaw)

You have a score to settle, incurred either during your mortal days or after the Embrace. You are obsessed with taking your revenge on an individual or group, and it is your overriding priority in any situation where you encounter the object of your revenge. You may temporarily resist your need for vengeance by spending a Willpower point.

Amnesia (2-pt. flaw)

You are unable to remember anything about your past, yourself or your family, though your past might well come back to haunt you. Your origins and the circumstances behind your amnesia are for the Storyteller to determine, and she is encouraged to make it as interesting as possible.

Lunacy (2-pt. flaw)

You are affected by the phases of the moon, increasing your chances to frenzy. Under the crescent moon, difficulties to avoid frenzy increase by one. Under the half or gibbous moon, difficulties rise by two. When the moon is full, difficulties increase by three.

Weak-willed (3-pt. FLAW)

You are highly susceptible to Dominate and intimidation by others; Dominate attempts automatically affect you unless the Discipline wielder is of higher generation, and your difficulties to resist Social abilities such as Intimidation or Leadership, as well as mind-altering spells or magic, are increased by two. Your Willpower Trait may never rise above 4.

Conspicuous Consumption (4-pt. flaw)

It is not enough for you to draw nourishment from the blood of mortals - you believe you must also consume your victim's heart, liver and other blood-rich tissue. Of course, this will necessitate the deaths of all of your victims (unless you are extremely creative), which might lead to numerous problems with the Masquerade and maintaining Humanity. Characters with this Flaw must additionally purchase the Eat Food Merit.

Social

Prestigious Sire (1-pt. merit)

Your sire has or had great status in her sect or clan, and this has accorded you with a certain amount of prestige. Though your sire may no longer have any dealings with you, the simple fact of your ancestry has marked you forever. This prestige might aid you greatly in dealings with your elders or other neonates, or it might engender jealousy or contempt.

Natural Leader (1-pt. merit)

You are gifted with a certain magnetism to which others naturally defer. You receive two extra dice when making Leadership rolls. You must have a Charisma rating of 3 or greater to purchase this Merit.

Debt of Gratitude (1-3-pt. merit)

An elder owes you gratitude because of something either you or your sire did for her. The depth of gratitude the elder owes depends on how many points the player wishes to spend. One point might mean the elder owes the character a favor; three points might mean that she owes the character her unlife.

Dark Secret (1-pt. flaw)

You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment to you and would make you a pariah in the local Kindred community. This could be anything from having murdered an elder to being a member of the Sabbat.

Infamous Sire (l-pt. flaw)

Your sire was, and perhaps still is, distrusted and disliked by many of the city's Kindred. As a result, you are distrusted and disliked as well.

Mistaken Identity (1-pt. flaw)

You look similar to descriptions of another Kindred, which cause cases of mistaken identity. This can prompt numerous awkward or even dangerous situations, especially if your "twin" has a terrible reputation or is wanted for some crime.

Sire's Resentment (1-pt. flaw)

Your sire dislikes you and wishes you ill. Given the smallest opportunity, she will actively seek to do you harm. Your sire's allies also work against you, and many elders may resent you.

Enemy (1-5-pt. flaw)

You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies, who seek to harm you. The power of the enemy depends upon how many points the player wishes to spend (five points indicate the wrath of a Methuselah, archmage or other potent supernatural foe).

Hunted (4-pt. flaw)

You are pursued by a fanatical witch-hunter who believes (perhaps correctly) that you are a danger to humanity. All those with whom you associate, be they mortal or Kindred, may be hunted as well.

Probationary Sect Member (4-pt. flaw)

You are a defector. You turned traitor to the Camarilla, Sabbat, Followers of Set or other vampiric order, and you still have much to prove before you are accepted by the Kindred you have defected to. Elders, ancillae and even neonates treat you with distrust and even hostility, and your reputation might even sully those whom you regularly associate with.

Supernatural

Medium (2-pt. merit)

You possess the natural affinity to sense and hear spirits, ghosts, and shades. Though you cannot see them, you can sense them, speak to them and, through pleading or cajoling, draw them to your presence. You may call upon them for aid or advice, but there will always be a price.

Magic Resistance (2-pt. merit)

You have an inherent resistance to the rituals of the Tremere and the spells of the mages of other creeds and orders. The difficulty of all such magic, both malicious and beneficent, is two higher when directed at you. You may never learn the Discipline of Thaumaturgy.

Oracular Ability (3-pt. merit)

You can see and interpret signs and omens. You are able to draw advice from these omens, for they provide hints of the future and warnings of the present. When the Storyteller feels that you are in position to see an omen, you will be required to make a Perception + Occult roll, with the difficulty relative to how well the omen is concealed. If successful, you may then roll Intelligence + Occult to interpret what you have seen, the difficulty again relative to the complexity of the omen.

Spirit Mentor (3-pt. merit)

You have a ghostly companion and guide. The identity and exact powers of this spirit are up to the Storyteller, but it can be called upon in difficult situations for help and guidance.

Unbondable (3-pt. merit)

You are immune to being blood bound.

Lucky (3-pt. merit)

You were born lucky - or else the Devil looks after his own. Either way, you may repeat any three failed rolls per story, including botches, but you may try only once per failed roll.

True Love (4-pt. MERIT)

You have discovered, perhaps too late, a true love. He or she is mortal, but is the center of your existence, and inspires you to keep going in a world of darkness and despair. Whenever you suffer, the thought of your true love gives you the strength to persevere. This Merit grants you one automatic success on all Willpower rolls, which can be negated only by a botch die. This can be a great gift and also a hindrance, for your true love may require protection and occasionally rescue.

Nine Lives (6-pt. merit)

Fate has granted you the opportunity to come as close to Final Death as anyone can get and still survive. When a roll occurs that would result in your death, the roll is made again. If the next roll succeeds, then you live - and one of your nine lives is used up. If that subsequent roll fails, then another reroll is made, until either a successful roll occurs or your nine lives are used up. The Storyteller should keep careful count of how many lives the character has remaining.

True Faith (7-pt. merit)

You have a deep-seated faith in and love for God, or whatever name you choose to call the Almighty. You begin the game with one point of True Faith (see p. 272); this Trait adds one die per point to all Willpower and Virtue rolls. You must have a Humanity of 9 or higher to choose this Merit, and if you lose even a single point, all your Faith points are lost and may be regained only when the lost Humanity is recovered. Individuals with True Faith are capable of performing magical acts akin to miracles, but the exact nature of those acts is up to the Storyteller.

Touch of Frost (1-pt. flaw)

Plants wither as you approach and die at your touch. Your touch leeches heat from living beings, as though you are made of ice.

Repulsed by Garlic (1-pt. flaw)

You cannot abide garlic, and the smallest whiff of its scent will drive you from a room unless you make a successful Willpower roll (difficulty based on the strength of the odor).

Cursed (1-to 5-pt. flaw)

You are the recipient of a supernatural curse. The strength and pervasiveness of the curse depend upon how many points you wish to incur. Examples follow:

- If you pass on a secret you were entrusted with, your betrayal will come back to harm you in some way. (1 pt.)
- You stutter uncontrollably when you try to describe what you have seen or heard. (2 pts.)
- Tools break or malfunction when you try to use them. (3 pts.)
- You are doomed to make enemies of those whom you most love or admire. (4 pts.)
- Every one of your accomplishments or triumphs will eventually become soiled or fail in some way. (5 pts.)

Cast No Reflection (1-pt. flaw)

You actually cast no reflection, just like the vampires of legend. This can have a very detrimental effect when trying to pass as a human. Vampires of Clan Lasombra automatically have this Flaw (and you may be mistaken for one of them if you possess this).

Eerie Presence (2-pt. flaw)

Mortals have an unconscious awareness of your undead nature, which makes then anxious and ill at ease in your presence. Because of this, difficulties of all die rolls relating to social interaction with mortals are increased by two.

Repelled by Crosses (3-pt. flaw)

You are repelled by the sight of ordinary crosses, believing them to be symbols of holy might. When confronted by a cross, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 9) or flee from the symbol for the duration of the scene. If you botch the roll, not only must you attempt to flee, but the touch of the cross can cause aggravated damage (one health level of damage per turn that the cross touches your skin). This damage cannot be soaked, even if the vampire possesses Fortitude.

Can't Cross Running Water (3-pt. flaw)

You believe in the old folklore, and cannot cross running water unless you are at least 50 feet above it. Running water is considered to be any body of water at least two feet wide in any direction and not completely stagnant.

Haunted (3-pt. flaw)

You are haunted by an angry and tormented spirit, most likely one of your first victims. This spirit actively attempts to hinder you, especially when feeding, and does its utmost to vent its anguish upon you and anyone in your presence. The Storyteller determines the exact nature of the spirit, its powers, and whether or not it can eventually be laid to rest.

Grip of the Damned (4-pt. flaw)

There is no ecstasy in your Embrace - only terror and pain. Mortals upon whom you feed struggle and shriek all the while as you attempt to feed, requiring you to grapple with them for as long as you wish to take their blood. For vampires with high Humanity, this experience may require a Humanity roll, at the discretion of the Storyteller.

Dark Fate (5-pt. flaw)

You are doomed to experience Final Death or, worse, suffer eternal agony. No matter what you do, you cannot avoid this terrible fate. At some point during the chronicle, your Dark Fate will come upon you. Even more ghastly is the fact that you occasionally have visions of this fate, and the malaise these images inspire requires an expenditure of a temporary Willpower point to avoid, or else you lose a die from all of your actions for the remainder of the night. It is up to the Storyteller to determine the exact nature of this fate, and when it will occur. This is a difficult Flaw to roleplay; ironically, though it may seem as though it removes all free will, the knowledge of one's death can be quite liberating.

Light-sensitive (5-pt. flaw)

You are even more sensitive to sunlight than other vampires are. Sunlight causes double normal damage, and the light of the moon can cause lethal damage in a manner similar to the sun, though it must shine directly upon you. Even bright lights hurt your eyes, requiring the use of sunglasses.

Bestiary

Vampires are creatures of the cities and rarely interact with the beasts of the wild. Indeed, most animals fear the Children of Caine, hissing or snarling as the unnatural creatures approach. Nonetheless, certain vampires, particularly those with the Animalism Discipline, employ animals as companions, spies or soldiers. Then, too, animals are occasionally changed into ghouls, particularly by the vampires of Clans Gangrel and Nosferatu.

For the most part, normal animals are best described with only Physical Traits. Few have Intelligence scores higher than 2, or Perception scores lower than 3. Social Traits, of course, are purely subjective. Damage inflicted by animals is lethal, although small creatures might inflict bashing damage at the Storyteller's discretion. Any of the beasts below can be turned into ghoul retainers with occasional meals of vampire blood; such companions gain Willpower, a dot of Potence, a blood pool of 10, and some "trained" Abilities that wild animals lack. Assume that any Trait in parentheses is instilled through human contact and training; an animal in the wilderness does not have these Abilities unless there's something magical about it. Animals whose health levels include Incapacitated can survive longer than those without it - others die when they run out of health levels. The Blood Pool Trait reflects how many points a feeding Cainite can drain from a beast. Note that animal blood is far less satisfying than human vitae; some animals that have more blood than a human actually have lower blood pool ratings.

Alligator

Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4
Willpower: 3, Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, -1, -1, -1, -2, -5, Incapacitated
Attack: Bite for seven dice; tail slap for six dice
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Stealth 3
Blood Pool: 5

Note: Alligators and crocodiles have one soak die of armor, usable against bashing or lethal damage. Big reptiles (Nile or estuarine crocs) might have higher Strength, Stamina and damage scores.

Bat

Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Willpower: 2, Health Levels: OK, -l, -3
Attack: Bite for one die
Abilities: Alertness 3, Dodge 3, Stealth 2
Blood Pool: 1/4 (1 blood point equals for bats)

Note: Bats can fly at 25 mph. Vampires who employ the Protean Discipline to transform into bats are larger and more aggressive than normal bats.

Bear

Strength 5, Dexterity 2, Stamina 5
Willpower: 4, Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, -1, -1, -1, -3, -3, -5, Incapacitated
Attack: Claw for seven dice; bite for five
Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, Intimidation 2, Stealth 1
Blood Pool: 5

Big Cat

Strength 4/5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3/4
Willpower: 5, Health Levels: OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -5, Incapacitated
Attack: Claw for four/five dice; bite for five/six dice
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 3 (Intimidation 4, Stealth 3)
Blood Pool: 5

Note: This template represents a leopard, panther, jaguar or other "smaller" big feline. Traits to the right of the slash represent a tiger or lion.

Bird (large)

Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Willpower: 3, Health Levels: OK, -1, -1, -2, -5
Attack: Claw for two dice; bite for one (desperation)
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 1, Dodge 2, Intimidation 2 (Brawl 3, Empathy 4, Intimidation 4)
Blood Pool: 1/2 (1 blood point equals two large birds)

Note: This template can represent a hawk, crow, raven, owl or even vulture. A bird can typically fly at 25 to 50 mph.

Cat

Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Willpower: 3, Health Levels: OK, -1, -2, -5, Incapacitated
Attack: Claw or bite for one die
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 3, Climbing 3, Intimidation 2, Stealth 4 (Empathy 2, Subterfuge 2) Blood Pool: 1

Dog

Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Willpower: 5, Health Levels: OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -5
Attack: Bite for five dice; claw for four
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 3 (Dodge 3, Empathy 2, Intimidation 3, Stealth 2)
Blood Pool: 2

Note: These Traits reflect a large hound, such as a mastiff or hunting dog. Smaller, domestic canines will not be as formidable.

Horse

Strength 4/6, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3/5
Willpower: 2/4, Health Levels: OK, OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -5, Incapacitated
Attack: Trample or kick for six/ seven dice; bite for three Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 1 (Brawl 3, Empathy 2, Intimidation 2)
Blood Pool: 3/4

Note: Horses typically fear the undead, but can be trained as mounts. The Traits to the right of the slash or in parentheses represent a Clydesdale or similar large stallion.

Pig/Boar

Strength 2/4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4/5
Willpower: 3, Health Levels: OK, OK, -1, -1, -2, -4, Incapacitated
Attack: Bite for two/four dice; boars gore for five
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2 (Intimidation 2)
Blood Pool: 3/4

Note: Traits to the right of the slash or in brackets represent boars.

Rat

Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3
Willpower: 4, Health Levels: OK, -1, -5
Attack: Bite for one die
Abilities: Alertness 2, Brawl 1, Dodge 3, Stealth 3
Blood Pool: 1/4 (1 blood point equals 4 rats)

Note: Rats are often turned into ghouls and used as spies and guards by Nosferatu. They often attack in swarms (see the rules below).

Wolf

Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Willpower: 3, Health Levels: OK, -1, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated
Attack: Bite and claw for four dice
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Brawl 3, Dodge 1, Stealth 2
Blood Pool: 2

Note: Vampires who turn into wolves move at double normal running speed.

Packs and Swarms

Although the Traits listed above detail individual creatures, some animals attack en masse. Also, it's quite atmospheric for a vampire elder to overwhelm his victims with rodent or canine minions. If a swarm of hornets or horde of rats accosts the characters, use the rules that follow.

Instead of trying to determine what each and every member of a pack or swarm does, simply roll to see if the swarm itself harms a character. Narrate the results from there.

Each beast type is given a listing on the chart, below. Roll the damage dice pool listed once per turn (difficulty 6), and allow the characters to try to dodge or soak the result. This damage is lethal, or possibly bashing in the case of small or weak creatures. Packs attack once per turn per target, and act on the initiative given on the chart.

If a character dodges, he can move normally for the remainder of the turn. Otherwise, his attackers slow him down to half his usual movement. If they score more than three health levels' worth of damage in one turn (after the target soaks), or if the player botches an appropriate roll, the character is knocked down and overrun. He can only move a yard or two per turn and the swarm's damage difficulty falls to 5. Efforts to get back up and continue moving have higher than normal difficulties (typically difficulty 7 or 8).

The health levels listed reflect the amount of damage it takes to disperse a pack or swarm. An additional two health levels destroy the attackers completely. Pistols, rifles and small melee weapons (knives, brass knuckles, bottles, claws, bare hands) inflict a single health level per strike, no matter how many attack or damage successes are rolled (that is, the strike hits only one creature). Shotguns, submachine guns and large melee weapons (swords, staves, boards, chain-saws) do normal damage (each damage success rolled eliminates one health level of the swarm as a whole), as do large-area attacks (Molotov cocktails, frost storms, gusts of wind, explosions). Swarms and packs don't soak.

Depending on the size of the pack, two or more characters might be affected by it and can attack it in return. Anyone who helps an overrun character can be attacked as well. A human can outrun some packs or swarms (those consisting of rats or bugs), but can't hope to outrun others (those consisting of hyenas or birds).

Animal	Damage	Health Levels	Initiative
Small bugs	1	5	2
Large bugs	2	7	3
Flying bugs	2	5	4
Birds, bats	4	9	5
Rats	3	7	3
Large rats (one of more feet long)	4	9	3
Feral cats	4	6	6
Wild dogs	6	15	4