CLANS
F
or the Nosferatu the Embrace is a journey
through abjection, as the Blood of the hor-
ror gradually deforms the struggling tissues
of the human body into grotesque abomi-
nations. Weeks of pain result in deformities similar
to terrible birth defects, cancer growths, crippling
injuries, and leper-like sores. Those who endure it
find themselves as monstrous echoes of Murnau’s
silver-screen vision. But perhaps pain and humiliation
teaches compassion. The Nosferatu, as they jokingly
call themselves, are the most humane of the Kindred,
wearing their curse on the outside rather than the
inside. To blend in, some call on the Blood to wear
the borrowed faces of their victims or disappear from
sight, while others rely on prosthetics and heavy
make-up.
I guess those inquisitorial cunts can be thankful to the good
Lord above for the curse we Nosferatu bear. Of all their
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targets, we’re the easiest to identify. It’s not like my face is a
subtle examination in horror. Yeah, once they learned to look
at us without fleeing, they started posing a few problems.
Still, what’s fucking new? If we weren’t hunted by our bet-
ters, by mortals, shapeshifters, or our ancestors, we’d come
up with something else to run away from.
Does that make us cowards or doomed to final
death? No, on both counts. Of all the clans, we’re
the most likely to survive this new purge. Roaches
and nuclear bombs, baby. We screwed it up with
SchreckNET being compromised, but guess who took
the brunt of that blast? Not us, because we were long
gone by then.
We know to go to ground before the panic
starts spreading. Why would we go and try to
explain our case in a crowded Elysium used as a
hideout when we can just as well send a servant
and not risk the anger of our more attractive
cousins? No, we’ll kindly refuse the outreached
COREBOOK
hands of those who would throw us in
the path of danger. And as of right now,
that doesn’t just mean the Brujah, it
means everyone outside our clan.
We wait. We put up walls, take
stock, and adapt to the new reali-
ties. And that’s why we’re a clan of
survivors because we’ve learned to like
it underground, in sewers, catacombs,
and deserted subway stations. Person-
ally, I prefer an abandoned rowhouse
basement, while my sire occupies an
old bunker, but the concept is the
same.
We may not be pretty or able
to blend in with the kine. We can’t
pretend to be anything but degenerate
monsters. But you know what? That
gives us perspectives every one of those
other deluded bastards lacks.
Nosferatu Archetypes
information hub
When the Second Inquisition
found SchreckNET, many of the
Toreador secretly proposed a toast
to the collapse of Clan Nosferatu.
The clan lost credibility and many
members, but those who endured
and flourished had mastered the
arts of secure archiving, physically
and online. They bolstered their
existing bonds with contacts and
clients, and steadily regained the
trust of Kindred who value a cen-
tral information hub for research
and the exchange of secret mes-
sages. In an era when contact and
movement between domains grow
more precarious by each night,
Nosferatu like these have become
invaluable. If they can guarantee
privacy, they can name their price.
domain gumshoe
Nosferatu make superb inves-
tigators as long as they stick to
the shadows and wear plenty of
layers. The gumshoe is comfort-
able stalking the streets, darting
from doorway to doorway in the
rain, and shows no qualms about
breaking into homes, havens, or
vaults for that precious last piece
of the puzzle. Sometimes recruited
as domain sheriffs, this Nosferatu
emphasizes research and inves-
tigation, preferring to take the
thinker’s route to most answers
over violent means. The domain
gumshoe likely comes from law en-
forcement, was an amateur sleuth,
or has an academic background.
more animal than man
This Nosferatu identifies more
closely with the creatures scurrying
beneath the city or flying through
the suburbs at night than with the
kine wandering the streets. Maybe
a former pest controller, vet, or
simply an antisocial individual
this Kindred speaks to animals,
controls them, and likely acts like
one. Some Nosferatu do not limit
their animalistic urges to behavior
but become literal hives for bugs
and nests for rats. They reason that
their stomach and lower abdominal
cavities were being used for little
before, and at least the infestation
benefits from the vitae.
hunter of monsters
Having for so long been associ-
ated with animals and isolation,
many forget that the Nosferatu
can smash through a wall, break a
spine, or rip a door off its hinges
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with minimal effort. With many of
the Brujah and Gangrel gone from
the Camarilla, Nosferatu now ex-
ercise their capacity for brutality
at much higher rates. Often Em-
braced from criminal or survivalist
stock, such Nosferatu suffer little
conscience over beating an enemy
to ash.
rat
The comparison of Nosferatu
to rats goes further than sewer-
dwelling and extended incisors.
History reveals repeated instances
when horrors turned on their
masters for their own preserva-
tion, betrayed their own for a little
extra, or attempted to play both
sides of a conflict. The rat may be
involved in corporate espionage or
claim to be Anarch but scurry to
their Camarilla prince at the first
sign of trouble. Some rats do what
they do just to stay alive and are
not beyond sympathy.
Disciplines
Animalism: The Nosferatu treas-
ure the Discipline of Animalism
for its utility in increasing their
spy network, gaining familiars,
allowing the delivery of messages,
and granting the ability to sud-
denly swarm an opponent with
a horde of rats, bugs, or birds. Ani-
malism also assists the Nosferatu
who wishes to feed from animals
– it is often easier, and arguably
more moral, to summon a pigeon
and drain it than to stalk a mortal
and feed from their neck.
 CLANS

Obfuscate: The Nosferatu have

mixed opinions on Obfuscate, as
the Discipline enables them to
blend in with others, but also mas-
querades that which defines their
clan – some Nosferatu are proud
of their unconcealed monstrosity,
while others take every effort to
hide it. Regardless of the contro-
versies, Obfuscate is an excellent
tool for hunting and feeding, as
few other methods allow a sewer

Bane
rat to interact with the kine.

Potence: Nosferatu use Potence Hideous and vile, all Nosferatu

to rapidly neutralize foes. The
Nosferatu understand the merit
of hit and run, incapacitating a
vessel before feeding and fleeing,
or breaking the Anarch Baron’s
head before vaulting away from
their hangout. Many Sewer Rats
hesitate to use Potence before the
kine, as its unfiltered might op-
poses their deceptions.
count as having the Repulsive
Flaw (-2) and can never increase
their rating in the Looks Merit. In
addition, any attempt to disguise
themselves as human incur a
penalty to your dice pool equal
to your character’s Bane Severity
(this includes the Obfuscate pow-
ers Mask of a Thousand Faces and
Impostor’s Guise) ■

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