v1.

0 – 05/31/20
Canada at Midnight
Vampire: The Dark Ages
Back to ​Player Resource Guide

Vampire: the Dark Ages

Clan Guide: Cappadocian
Introduction
ustere, scholarly, found in graveyards and
monasteries - the Clan of Death is often
misunderstood, feared, and
underestimated. Considered a High Clan
by its peers, it largely ignores such distinctions (at
least in private). Not seeking direct power, the
Graverobbers instead seek knowledge of death
through a myriad of scholarly pursuits. Masters of the
unique discipline of Necromancy, their ability over the
dead unsettles most other Cainites. But their nights of
quiet contemplation are disturbed; by invaders, by the
increasing strife between Cainites, and by the regular
directives of Cappadocius (their quite-active
Antediluvian). And so, some find themselves called to
action.

ST Warnings
Vampire: The Masquerade was first published in
1991. Since then it has gone through five editions, and
three editions for Dark Ages. That makes for a
generous depth of lore and conflicting information.
You are not expected to read or sort through all of
that. The information in this document and others like it make up the totality of official lore for
this chronicle, unless otherwise shared through an official source, like a plot kit.

1
Dealing with the dead:​ Many people die unhappy deaths in the Medieval. From disease to
childbirth, to war, to accident - not to mention those killed by the supernatural. Often these
deaths leave ghosts, and these ghosts can be unsettling. STs should be cautious in how they
portray the dead, and avoid turning it into a mere schlock horrorfest.

History
Cappadocius is loquacious on many things to his Clan, but is remarkably tight-lipped on himself
and his long-term goals. Said to have been a priest, shaman, or holy man given to radical
philosophies. Even this claim is dubious at best, as no one can name his full details. He claims
to have Sired no Childer until after the fall of the Second City, after which he Sired several, who
went on to propagate the Clan.

The first real organization took place in the first century BCE, when claiming to have had a
revelation, he led the entire Clan to a temple at Argaeus, also known as Mount Erciyes. There,
they slew 400 human residents and the sole Cainite, a Malkavian accused of being an “Osiris”,
one who fed from humans in the guise of a prophet. The temple was, overnight, changed in its
inhabitants and bent, repurposed for the Clan’s study of Death, which now required a closeness
to God. Within months, vast caverns and libraries had been built and excavated. The assembled
Cappadocians proclaimed they would return every Winter Solstice, to discuss their studies and
formalize any Clan business.

Shortly after the capture of the temple, Christianity started its spread throughout the world.
Having previously studied Buddhism and Zoroastrianism, as well as the various philosophical
schools of Greece, the Cappadocians openly embraced it (as they tended to embrace any faith
in hopes of learning more of death). They assisted in hiding many followers of this new religion;
the Cappadocian cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu sheltered many Christians fleeing
persecution. Cappadocius himself embraced the teachings of Christ, joining in the community of
Derinkuyu. After some time, Cappadocius realized that his Childer didn’t need to totally devote
themselves to studying the mystery of death, and brought Herodotus’ words to them: “In all
things, be moderate.” Thus almost all Cappadocians expanded their studies, no longer solely
focusing on death. Some early Graverobbers in this embraced travellers, warriors, and civil
servants. They reasoned this would help keep the Clan from falling into stagnation.

Eventually, the large Cainite population of Derinkuyu taxed the mortal populace. They grew
anemic from repeated feedings, and fell ill from the many corpses required for the studies of
Cappadocius. Understanding the problems the Children of Seth faced, Cappadocius realized he
might have given the Embrace too freely. Rereading the Book of Nod and its warning against
profligate Embraces, he realized he was guilty of the same error his siblings and cousins had
made in the Second City. He once more called all his Childer together, to meet in the
underground city of Kaymakli. There, 12,000 Cappadocians met, and were subjected to
questions: Who has not helped to build a church or temple? Who cannot read or write? Who
does not follow the Via Caeli? Who has not started to search for answers to the riddle of death?
All those who answered no were directed further into the city. Those who stayed behind
assumed they were to be made leaders of the Clan. In a way, they were right. Japheth was told

2
to seal those sent below in, and Cappadocius set a ward, barring any Cainites from leaving, and
any Children of Seth from entering.

Cappadocius’s Childe Lazarus and his brood conspicuously did not answer the call. Caias,
Cappadocius’ first Childe, traveled to confront Lazarus, who made his home in Egypt despite
the Followers of Set. Only rumors came from this, but neither has been seen since. Though
some of Lazerus’ brood were later seen in Erciyes, begging Cappadocius’ pardon, none were
accepted.

The latest news from Cappadocius suggests another major event is about to happen. He has
sent out his brood to look for mortal lines of Necromancers, searching far from his home in Asia
Minor - in places as far afield as Venice, parts of Africa, and the cold ice of the Scandinavian
lands.

In-Chronicle Events
Check back in a year or two.

Clan Structure / Organization

Eschatologists: ​Eschatologists follow the Cainite Heresy, claiming that it is the next logical step
in becoming closer to God, as is necessary to unravel the riddle of death. Most members of this
faction follow the Road of Heaven. They believe that by giving of their bodies to followers, they
are contributing to the consubstantiation of the Eucharist. They consider themselves agents of
God on Earth, and are exclusively Christians. They often surround themselves with cults of
ghouls, and find themselves at odds with the church, so they travel regularly.

The Cyclopean Covenant:​ This group believes that the study of magic should not simply be
limited to Necromancy. They suggest an alliance with the newly arrived Tremere, as other
magically inclined Clans, the Assamites, Followers of Set, and Tzimisce, have proven hostile to
sharing their secrets. The Cyclopean Covenant readily pursues Cappadocious’s instruction to
seek out a mortal family skilled in magic to bring into the Clan; though they do not limit their
search to Necromancers.

Transcendentals:​ These Cappadocians seek to supplement their study by dealing directly with
the restless dead, dealing with ghosts to further their knowledge. Transcendentals commonly
explore areas known to be centers of wraith activity, such as graveyards or battle sites. Where
their reports on ghosts are of interest to the Clan as a whole, the rumors of a death cult within
the Transcendentals reputedly called the Manus Nigrum have raised some concerns.

3
Infitiores: ​Those who could not, or would not, attend the Feast of Folly, they are now consumed
with hatred for Cappadocius, who they know might have sentenced them with the rest of the
Clan. They have forsworn allegiance to their Clan, and do their best to keep themselves hidden
from them. The Infitiores are the only Cappadocians known to explore or traverse lands
controlled by the Courts of Fire and Dream without great resistance. This causes some amount
of consternation with the rest of the Clan, whose members would love to pierce the depths of
Egypt’s mysteries.

Bloodlines
Cappadocians​ (​Graverobbers​)​: T​ he bulk of the Clan hold the moniker Graverobbers, and for
good reason. Most are scholarly, studious, and austere. Although they can come from a wide
variety of mortal backgrounds, they focus on the Riddle of Death, a pursuit their natural talent
for Necromancy should make them uniquely qualified to solve, yet the answer eludes them,
even after thousands of years of study.

Lamia​ (​Gorgons​)​: ​A bloodline Embraced by Lazarus; they largely disdained him after the
Embrace, and he, for his part, left them alone. More martial, they view themselves largely as
defenders of their parent Clan, as well as students of other things. They are named for their
founder, herself a priestess of Lilith in life. Perhaps because of that connection, many of this
bloodline follow the Road of Lilith.

Giovanni: ​At the start of our chronicle, the Giovanni are still a mortal family. This is different
from the canon timeline that has them brought in around 1005 CE. This change is to allow the
Cappadocian players the opportunity to influence which mortal family gifted in the
Necromantic arts Cappadocius will Embrace. Will it be the Giovanni, or another? If a different
family is chosen, will history repeat itself with the fall of the Cappadocians? And what would
become of the Giovanni family?

Traditions/Culture
Assist the Faithful: ​Faith is at the core of every loyal Cappadocian. Their own faith guides their
studies - just as they learn from the faith of others, and use it to challenge their own beliefs.
Following the first revelation of Cappadocious, Clan members are almost mandated to build
temples and churches - that they might learn at the feet of God. Even if a Clan member is not of
the same faith as their community, they will assist them in their endeavors, help them build
temples, and provide a level of safety for their priests and monks.

4
In All Things, Moderation: ​Even though the Riddle of Death is a major thing, it should not
consume every waking moment. Engage in the world, because, at the least, one might
otherwise miss other ways to unravel the riddle. Where this has led to the inclusion of
Cappadocian librarians, philosophers, theosophists, cartographers, and linguists, it swelled the
ranks of the Clan to such a degree that it precipitated the Feast of Folly. So, In all things,
moderation...even moderation.

Religion: ​Every Cappadocian is tied to a faith. Most of them are Christian, but some are Jewish
or Islamic. The Clan was instrumental in spreading and teaching Christianity and sponsoring the
construction of churches (some in the light of the sun, others in caves to give protection from
persecution). Before the Feast of Folly, there were merchants and soldiers, many of lukewarm
faith. These have been culled from the Clan, sealed beneath Kaymakli. Other than the Infitiores,
the Clan is populated by true believers, many of whom walk the Road of Heaven.

Revelations: ​Cappadocious has shaped the Clan of Death based upon two revelations. He
received the first while wandering alone seeking answers about death from mortals. He
interpreted the first revelation to mean that if he wanted to learn, he would have to listen at the
feet of God. This resulted in him taking the temple at Erciyes and guiding the Clan to a more
religious grounding.

Cappadocious received the second shortly after the Feast of Folly. This came as a vision in
which he saw the Crucifixion of Christ, then the shrieking Childer he entombed, followed by
himself and his remaining Childer walking away, and then himself on the cross while Japheth
and Caias probed his wounds and infinite mortals wept. He and his loyal Childer have
interpreted this as a mandate for Cappadocious to achieve godhead. Not all Cappadocians
devote themselves to this goal, but many do.

Study the Riddle of Death: ​Cappadocius’ first focus has always been to unravel the great
secret of death. He has been studying this since Enoch, and he Sired his brood to have more
perspectives to aid him in this. Although the individual interests and goals for this study may
vary in application from medicine to temporal power (or, in Cappadocius’s case, godhead). Most
Cappadocians haven in locations where their activities are less likely to be seen or smelled:
cemeteries, catacombs, tanniers, and the like.

The study of death has hit some barriers. The Cappadocian studies are largely rooted in the
physical form, not the spiritual. Word within the Clan is that Cappadocius has expressed an
interest in mortal Necromancers and has placed something of a bounty on such, to members of
the Clan.

Winter Solstice: ​Every year, on the winter solstice the Clan gathers at the temple of Erciyes.
This meeting is not mandatory, particularly given the travel difficulties in dark medieval Europe,
but many Cappadocians still make the attempt. The meeting is typically led by Japheth, but
Cappadocious himself has awakened to lead a few.

5
The Women of David​: The Women of David began when a mortal from the Tribe of David,
Antikleia, was embraced into the Cappadocians. The Tribe is known for adherence to traditional
customs and modes of dress. Noblewomen always appear in public with full regalia, which
includes veils or elaborate makeup. Such customs make the Tribe an easy place for Clan
Cappadocian to infiltrate, and provides a safe of travel. Their disguises often fool other Caintes
as well, allowing them to move through Domains undetected. Realizing this, Antikleia and her
Sire (along with other Cappadocians) have worked tirelessly to preserve the customs and
traditions of the Tribe. The group often works as assassins and spies for the Clan’s interests.

Clan of Death?
Prior to their Embrace of Necromantic families, much of the Cappaocian study (and mastery
of) death dealt with powers such as the Bone and Mortis paths. Mastery over the Shroud and
the Wraiths that lie beyond are still mostly unexplored territory. Cappadocians will have the
opportunity to influence the development of Necromancy, unlocking abilities that may exist in
modern vampire, but which do not yet exist in Dark Ages.

Touchstones
NPCs
Abraham (Cappadocian, 5th):​ A resident of Jerusalem, he has focused on what he sees as
the most important thing: prophecies of the future. He has involved himself in searching out
sources of Elijah’s lost prophecies.

Alexia Theusa (Cappadocian, 5th): ​A resident of Constantinople and Childe of Byzar, she is
rivals with Constancia, and has an obsession with her mortal life, embracing and staking many a
Byzantine Emperor on their deathbed because of her belief that her old lover will be reborn as
an Emperor.

Angelique (Cappadocian, 5th): ​Embraced after the Feast of Folly, Angelique has never known
any loyalty to the Cappadocians as a whole. The sole survivor of a plague, she captured the
attention of her sire, Lazarus, and for eternity granted, he holds her fealty. She acts as his eyes,
ears, voice, and hand throughout the lands controlled by the Courts of Fire and Dream. It is said
that she favors Coptic monasteries for her havens.

Apacia (Cappadocian, 6th):​ Childe of Malenchaenos, she was a guardian of the dead for the
Scythian Tombs, and her skills led to her being the general leading the attack on Erciyes.
Afterwards, her lack of interest in the philosophy of death led to her occasional sleep and
wanderings, and missing the Feast of Folly due to Torpor. She fought with Japheth, and was
named Infitiore. She remains at large today.

6
Caias Koine (Cappadocian, 4th): ​Cappadocius’ first Childer, Caias was the master of Erciyes
when his sire rested in Torpor. When his broodmate, Lazarus, did not answer their sire’s
summons to Kaymakli for what would become the Feast of Folly, Caias hunted his errant
brother, tracking him to the sands of Egypt. Caias has since disappeared. Rumors are that he
and Lazarus fought, and one slew the other, but the victor was Torpored.

Camden (Cappadocian, 6th): ​ Chamberlain to Mithras, the ancient and powerful Methuselah,
Camden has made himself useful to his former (now slumbering) Prince. He has taken a novel
approach to the riddle of death: start from scratch. Who knows what wrong assumptions may
have already been made? This has endeared him to both Neonates, who like the idea, and
Elders, who are amused by it.

Cappadocius (Cappadocian, 3rd): ​The most visibly active of any of the Antediluvians. When
he is not in his occasional slumber, he leads the Clan from Erciyes, seeking out the answer to
the Riddle of Death.

Constancia (5th gen): ​Japheth’s most prominent Childe; she resides in Erciyes, and involves
herself in the more important acts of the Clan. She is a paragon on the Road of Bones and a
learned scholar. She is currently overseeing much of the search for mortal Necromancy.

Dionysius (Cappadocian, 5th): ​Prince of Athens and Childe of Japheth, Dionysius remains on
the Road of Humanity. Although he has contacts among the dead who have passed on, he is
not publicly associated with the Transcendentals. Many within the Clan assume that he secretly
leads them, or otherwise uses them. He is rumored to have found a way to enter the
Underworld and gain the counsel of the goddess Persephone.

Guðrunn (Cappadocian, 5th):​ The court völva in Byarkarey, she is one of Norway’s most
respected sorceresses and seers. Among the few Cappadocians who follow the old Germanic
deities, she is currently leading the search for Kaldheim - although some are beginning to
question if she actually wants to find it.

Japheth (Cappadocian, 4th): ​Those who encounter Japheth are often overwhelmed by the
sensation of peace and calm his presence provides. Some remark that this is due to him being
a Paragon on his Road. Some attribute it to a preternatural level of Presence. Whatever the
cause, one would be foolish to mistake the pervasive stillness about him for weakness. As
Cappadocious’s most loyal Childe, Japheth manages most of the Clan matters.

Lamia (Lamia, 5th): ​A priestess of Lilith Embraced by Lazarus, she told him something the
night of her Embrace, causing him to flee from her as in terror. Since then, her brood, a
bloodline of the Clan, has taken their own look at the Riddle of Death. They focus more on
engaging with it in battle, rather than in dusty books. Lamia herself stays in seclusion, but her
word almost always spreads to her brood.

7
Lazarus (Cappadocian, 4th):​ The faithless yet favored Childe of Cappadocius, Lazarus was a
brilliant and driven thanatologist even before his Embrace. His keen insight into the Riddle of
Death kept him in his Sire's graces. Even though he did not go to Kaymakli when summoned,
Cappadocius did not order his hunt; that was something Lazarus's broodmates decided for
themselves. Many Infitiores seek Lazarus, viewing him as their leader, but he does not respond
directly. It is said that Lazarus seeks the Spell of Life.

Mahatama (Cappadocian, 4th): ​Also known as Byzar, he was the founder of Byzantium, and a
friend to the Antediluvian, Saulot. When the city was razed by Constantine, renamed, and taken
over by three other Methuselahs, he left. He sought to gather strength and knowledge with
which to combat the new rulers. He has traveled the known world (and some say beyond),
seeking pawns for his personal crusade. He has sent many catspaws to try and retake control of
the city, thus far, without success. His current whereabouts are unknown, but his efforts to
undermine the Triumvirate of Constantinople continue.

Troglodytia (Cappadocian, 5th): ​Cursed rather strongly by the Clan’s curse, she appears as
an actual rotten corpse. Troglydytia was a name given in mockery by other Cainites, but she
took it as a martyr’s badge of honor. Closer to the Nosferatu than her own Clan, she is a
mercenary and broker, procuring corpses, herbs, alchemical ingredients, and strange artifacts
for the rest of her Clan.

Locations
Temple of Erciyes: ​The center of Clan Cappadocian, the temple is renowned for its library. It is
home to a yearly convocation, where every Cappadocian who is able returns to the Clan’s home
to report on their progress.

Jerusalem: ​Holy city of three religions, this location has a special importance to Cappadocius,
though he has not been there in centuries. A number of Cappadocians make their homes there,
and many others pass through as their studies take them.

Kaldheim:​ A rumor that led to a handful of Cappadocians travelling into the frozen wastelands
of Scandinavia, this town is said to be home to a number of Norse Necromancers. Such are of
interest to the Graverobbers, in the search for mortal lines of Necromancy.

Kaymakli and Derinkuyu: ​The first is where the Feast of Folly was held, the second where
Cappadocius came to his fateful decision. Both are now mostly empty of both people and
Cainites, save those locked and torpid beyond Cappadocius’ ward.

Well of Bones: ​The rising number of deaths in Kaymakli and Derinkuyu led to the need for a
means to properly dispose of bodies. Found by Caias, this location became known as the Well
of Bones. It serves as a mass grave for residents of the twin underground cities. Prayers are
said for the dead, and the Graverobbers keep watch over the place (as the young are often
looking for spare components with which to experiment).

8
Artifacts
The Black Torah: ​Supposedly further prophecies of Elijah, this dense and difficult to
understand Aramaic work (written in white ink on blackened parchment) has been studied by
Abraham for centuries.

Sargon Fragment: ​A scroll believed to have been written by Cappadocius when he was still
mortal. Rumors place this document in Lazarus’ hands.

The Black Rose: ​To those who study the stories of the Holy Grail, also known as the Mystic
Rose, this item looks similar. Except it is entirely black, made of Obsidian, and any liquid poured
into it slowly fades from sight. Currently in the keeping of Constancia, it was given to her by
Lamia herself, who refuses to say where or how she found it.