Julii
The ones you owe Allegiance.
He always hosts the grandest parties. The novus homo shares
his good fortune so generously, it’s no wonder he is so popular
with the nobilis. But somehow, you had always pictured him
being gentler, more jovial. Sure enough, he wears a wide grin
across his plump face, but his eyes are joyless, vacant, and stained
yellow from over-indulgence in wine. “Come,” he invites you,
“let me show you where we keep the finer vintage.”
Something dead approaches. It wears the robes of a Patrician,
but its skin is pallid, its movements stiff and forced. As it comes
towards you, you catch a brief flash of torchlight reflected out of
its pupils, like the eyes of a wild animal. That’s when its taught,
colorless lips part and it hisses a command. Its voice sounds
muffled, as though you’re hearing it from across a great distance,
but even without hearing you understand. Your body moves on
its own to comply with its instructions. You barely register the
needlelike pain on the side of your neck as it stands close and
your vision begins to fade.
The Julii are a monument to the glory of Rome. Hand-
chosen from among the empire’s finest citizens, they are
preserved like immaculate statues for all eternity. Their flesh is as
cold and unyielding as marble, their likenesses captured in detail
no sculptor can match. But their will, their will remains alive,
and strong enough to supplant that of any lesser being with the
audacity to meet the eyes of their betters.
The story of the Founders is inextricably linked to the story
of the Camarilla. Without one, the other could not exist. To
hear them tell it, there were no Kindred before the Julii; all
vampires were not but risen corpses that fed on the blood of the
living. The Traditions laid down by Aulus Julius Senex are all
that separate modern Kindred from mindless, slavering beasts.
But just as Kindred civilization depends on the laws made by the
Julii, so too do they rely on a civilized society in which to carry
out their Masquerade; and thus the Camarilla was founded, out
of a mutual need. But at what price was this security purchased?
Some legends say that Remus, the first of their line, made a pact
with birds of smoke and shadow, so that he may rule over the
dead just as his brother ruled over the living. Others suggest that
Remus is just a myth; that it was Julius Caesar, from whom the
Clan derives its name, who sought out these dread Stirges to free
him from the tyranny of conscience, so that he could do what
needed to be done to forge his empire. A few rumors tell that the
alleged Founders have no true claim to their title, though the
Julii would call them heretical. They whisper of some strange
variant of Clan Gangrel in Greece that share the Founders’
ability to bend others’ minds to their will. Perhaps it was the
birds of Chaos that granted them their power. In the end, it
“You should consider this an honor. Few
men possess blood pure enough to serve a Patrician.”
matters not. Their power and influence cannot be denied,
regardless of the means by which they acquired it.
See the senatore. The forum falls silent as she opens her
mouth to speak. By her word, arenas are built, armies are
mobilized, and cities are brought to their knees. She need not
speak louder than a whisper, as the whole crowd holds their
breath in anticipation of her verdict. The corners of her mouth
twitch almost imperceptibly upward as she relishes the power she
holds over the plebian masses.
See the praetor. The legions he commands are as loyal as
trained hounds. See the tricks he has taught them. With a click of
his fingers he can have them salivating for blood. With a whistle
he can call them to heel from a hundred leagues. With a single
word, he can command them to sit, stay, speak, or play living.
See the bastard child. His sire may deny his claim to her
blood, but his bearing belies his true heritage. Who else but a
Founder could have such a mind for politics, such a tongue for
debate? Who else but a descendant of Mars could endure the
slings and arrows of life as a peregrini with such composure?
Who else but a Julii could inspire such obedience in man and
beast alike? Surely, the Camarilla is weaker for denying him the
title his sire won’t admit is his right.
Let the other Clans live within walls built by our ancestors, by
laws we enforce. The Founders have done what no other Clan
before had dared to dream of, let alone actually accomplish – the
establishment of a society of the dead, spanning the whole of the
civilized world; an empire every bit as immortal as its citizens.
Glory to Rome! Glory to the Camarilla!
Why you want to be us
You were born, bred, and embraced to rule. The blood of
Mars flows through your veins, and by that right you lay claim to
the throne of the greatest empire the world has ever seen. It is
your place to give orders, and the place of lesser men to follow.
Who wouldn’t want that?
Why you should fear us
The Julii have power. Not just wealth, or status, or strength
of arms… Oh, they have those things too, but that’s just for
show. No, the real power the Julii command is the
unquestioning obedience of every man, woman, and child in
Rome. Authority so absolute, even wild beasts take heed. The
Julii fiddle while Rome burns, and still they walk away un-singed.
Why we should fear ourselves
Just as we inherit our foresires’ power, we also inherit their
debts. Everything we have, we owe to those that came before us,
and the deal that they made with dark forces long ago. The same
blood by which we claim right to rule over the dead bears the
taint of the Stirges. If we succumb to it, we may lose all that our
ancestors worked so hard to achieve.
Clan Origins
• Here lies the son of Mars, slain by his twin and left to the
vultures. But what birds are these that circle overhead, their
feathers like smoke and their eyes like flame? They
whisper to him, tempt him with promises of
power and glory greater than his brother
will ever achieve, and he, in his jealousy,
agrees. To this night, his spawn still dwell
in the shadows of their cousins, a twisted
mockery of all that they once were.
• The king of Rome, betrayed by his most
trusted advisors, wandered, starving through
the darkest depths of the underworld.
There he came upon the blackfeather
court, and beseeched they spare him
from his torment. And they, in their
mercy, agreed. One by one the birds
took wing and passed through the fallen
emperor. They took with them all that
was once human, and left a bit of
themselves in its place. Now his kind
exist free of guilt and conscience.
Free to feed and to kill. Never
again to know the cold emptiness
of humanity.
• Once upon a midnight darkly, a
king feasted on a meal that his
queen had lovingly prepared for
him. It was like nothing he had ever
eaten, and he greedily devoured
every bite. When the king asked for
more, she replied she could not
make a second helping, for he had
only one daughter. Although the
very thought drove him mad with
guilt, the king could not deny that he
had known nothing sweeter than the
taste of his own daughter’s heart.
Now his descendants consume
nothing but the blood of their
former kin, for no other delicacy can
compare. Decadently ever after.
How to make a monster
The Julii embrace only from Rome’s
elite, though precisely what marks a Roman
citizen as elite has varied from one
generation to the next. Historically, noble
birth was the one and only requirement,
so older Julii may favor Attributes and
Skills of any category. More recently, this
practice has fallen out of favor, with younger Julii being chosen
for their sharp minds or charismatic bearing. Mental and Social
Attributes tend to be favored over Physical, as there is little need
for athletic prowess in the political arena, and even those Julii
who join the ranks of the Legio Mortuum tend to be placed in
positions of command, where their combat abilities are rarely
put to the test.
Julii that wish to command the people of Rome would do well
to hone their Skills at Expression and Subterfuge, while those
that wish for control over beasts should focus on Animal Ken.
Politics is a must for any Founder who wishes to claim a seat on
the Senex, and at least a few dots of Religion and Warfare would
not be amiss. Social Merits are paramount to the Founders; even
neonate Julii typically have Status and Contacts in human and
Kindred circles alike, and many are heirs to respectable
sums of Resources. Very rare indeed is a Julii without
Dynasty Membership, so give some thought to your
character’s heritage and where she fits into the family power
structures.
The one trait that all Julii have in common without
exception is that they were Roman citizens in life. More often
than not, they come from strong Roman stock, and no self-
respecting Founder would admit to having embraced a
foreigner. As such, unless your character is a bastard, she
likely has prominent Roman features. Julii dress to fit
their station. Generally, this means imitating the
fashion of Rome’s upper class, but above all the
Founders aim to blend in with the mortal citizens. As
such, dressing down may occasionally be necessary for
Julii who lack good breeding. This is only done when
absolutely necessary to protect the Masquerade,
however.
Nickname: The Founders
Stereotypes:
• Daeva: Use discretion. More than one
respected senator has had his reputation
tarnished by their “associations” with a
Courtesan being brought to light.
• Gangrel: Even a tame hound may
bite its master if provoked. The
Wanderers are no exception.
• Mekhet: Their visions are
undeniably valuable, but do not accept a
Seer’s portent before you’ve settled on
the price.
• Nosferatu: Don’t touch me,
you disgusting Worm! Go back to your
tunnels and stay out of sight, where you
belong.
Clan Bane (The Detached Curse):
Where other Kindred form deep bonds
with human companions to keep their
Beasts in check, you can’t commiserate
with your lessers as they do. You can
surround yourself with mortal subjects
and imitate their behavior, but to take a
human as a confidante would be beneath
Kindred of your station.
Favored Attributes: Presence or
Resolve
Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate,
Resilience
In the Camarilla
The Senex: As the descendants of Julius Cesar, all Julii may
claim blood right to a seat within the wing of ancients. The
majority of Founders exercise that right to a certain extent, even
if only to attend and maintain appearances. Those who do
actively participate generally enjoy high standing,
disproportionate to their age and experience.
The Legio Mortuum: It is very common for young Julii to
enlist in the legion as a means of proving themselves, and
earning the good will of the people, though most Ancillae grow
out of this phase and seek senatorial position in their later years.
For those who lack the talent or inclination for politics, however,
the legion is at least a respectable vocation, if not quite as
prestigious as a role in government.
The Cult of Augurs: The Julii played a central role in the
establishment of the Cult of Augurs, and some elders who were
instrumental in its inception have remained with the Cult and
brought their childer into its ranks. However, the reverence the
Augurs receive offers little actual influence within the Camarilla,
making it an unappealing option for most Julii who were not
embraced into it.
The Peregrine Collegia: As high-embraced Kindred, few
Julii would willingly lower themselves to the ranks of the
Collegia. Those few who join typically do so only because they
have no other option, having been disgraced by their sires or
found guilty of criminal acts. These unfortunate Julii find
themselves strangers among the Strangers, their prestigious
heritage breeding mistrust among those of more humble origins.
The Lancea et Sanctum: The Julii see the Chapel and the
Spear as the enemies of the Camarilla, and most of their childer
are made to swear an oath to put an end to the Sanctum’s heresy
before being released. Converts are seen as oathbreakers and
blood traitors by the rest of their kind. As a result, Sanctified
Julii are almost always extremely devout – they would have to be
to turn their backs on their own clan in the name of God.
New Clan Bane - Julii: The Detached Curse
The Julii are not human and they know it. Oh, they pretend
to be; they form councils and attend events and carry out the
masquerade in a pale imitation of humanity. But deep down,
they know they are just as monstrous as the things that created
them, and because of that they find it even more difficult than
other Kindred to empathize with humans. Julii gain no bonus to
detachment rolls for having only a single attached Touchstone.
Having multiple attached Touchstones still provides the full +3
bonus.