Sometimes

the truth is arrived at

by adding all the little lies together

and deducting them from the totality

of what is known.

— Sir Terry Pratchett,

Going Postal
 Credits
Authors: Astrid Carter, Kelly J Clark, Astra Crompton, Roman
Lanzarotta, Mike Massiah, Sam Young
Developer and Editor: Sam Young
Additional Editing: Megan Robinson
Artists: Saoirse “Fish” Coogan, Jesse Charles Cowell, Astra
Crompton, Michael William Ilott, and Scott Paisley. Goddamn Plebs
(p. 67) by Alexander Meza.
Art Direction: Sam Young and Kelly J Clark
Design and Layout: Sam Young
Front Cover Artist: hailiiz

Special Thanks
Chris “The Doctor Is In” Handley, for beating us to the punch
on the Architects of the Monolith, and inspiring me to take ours
in a different direction.
Irva “Röck Döts” Seavers, for double-checking White Wolf’s
German.
Neil “Morituri te salutant!” Barney, for historical and linguistic
consultation.
Our noble test readers: Grace Eccleston, Jen Peters, and Christine
Rattray
The team behind Lords Over the Damned: Ventrue, for spinning
pretty little lies and kickstarting a new era of Vampire.

© 2021 Paradox Interactive AB. All rights reserved. Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf:
The Forsaken, Mage: The Awakening, Promethean: The Created, Changeling: The
Lost, Hunter: The Vigil, Geist: The Sin-Eaters, Mummy: The Curse, Demon: The
Descent, Beast: The Primordial, Deviant: The Renegades, Chronicles of Darkness,
Storytelling System™, and Storytellers Vault™ are trademarks and/or registered
trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB. All rights reserved.
This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction
and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
Check out NMD at: facebook.com/nonedarker. Visit www.storytellersvault.com for more on the Chronicles of Darkness.

2 False Gods: Ventrue

 Table of Contents
Where Is My Mind? (Part I) 6
Introduction 11
Theme: Power 11
Mood: Corruption 11
Past Masters 11
What’s in This Book 12
Ventrue in the Media 13
Where Is My Mind? (Part II) 68
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 19
Adrestoi 20
Bloodline Origins 21
In the Covenants 22
Rumors 23
Leta Corazón 23
Blood Tether 24
Lashes of Blood Tether 24
Twists of the Blood: Golden Calves 25
The Brethren of the Hundred Faces 26
Gottlings 27
Bloodline Origins 28
In the Covenants 28
Rumors 29
Virginia Knox 29
New Devotions 30
Twists of the Blood: Shadow Puppeteers 31
Keravnos 32
Bloodline Origins 33
In the Covenants 34
Rumors 34
Zahra Davis 35
Surge 36
New Devotions 36
Horror: The Powdermen 37
Malocusians 38
Bloodline Origins 39
In the Covenants 40
Rumors 40
Zachery Carter 41
Bloodline Gift: Domus 41
New Devotions 42
Twists of the Blood: Spreading the Curse 43
Melissidae 44
Bloodline Origins 45
In the Covenants 46
Rumors 46
Mary Harlwood 47
Bloodline Gift: Insectoid Kinship 47
New Merits 48
New Devotions 48
Twists of the Blood: Collapsed Colony 49
Rotgrafen 50
Bloodline Origins 51
In the Covenants 52
Rumors 52
The Commodore 53
New Merits 54
New Devotion 54
Typhos 55
Bloodline Origins 56
In the Covenants 57
Rumors 57
Margaret Sheldon 58
Arthmoic Surgery 58
Arthmoic Surgery Procedures 59
New Devotion 60
Twists of the Blood: Conspiracy Theory 60
Warumono 61
Bloodline Origins 62
In the Covenants 63
Rumors 63
Katsuo Nagoshi 64
New Merits 64
Where Is My Mind? (Part III) 68
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 73
Wild and Whirling Words 73
Secrets 73
Lies 74
Truth 74
Pathologies 74
Dementation 74
Case Studies 75
Old Glories 75
Appellations 76
The Codex 76
Vectors 76
Possible Worlds 77
The Network 77
Dominatus Delendus Est 77
New Symptom 78
Wasted Wisdom 78
Sliders 78
The Owls 79
Greater Malignancies 80
Decoding Reality: Malkavian Systems 81
Malkavia Conditions 81
Dementation 81

Table of Contents 3
 Tuning Out: Bystanders 84
Tuning In: Infection 84
Storytelling Malkavia 85
The Tiers 85
The Cure 88
Malkavia and Mental Illness 88
Affliction Is (Not) Consistent 89
The Fools’ Journey: Four Afflicted 89
The Empress: Nadia Lambert 90
The Hanged Man: Tapper 91
The Tower: Lucky Lenny 93
The World: Widelene Santil 94
Malkovians 96
Bloodline Origins 97
The Knights of the Moon 97
Bloodline Gift: Apophenia 98
Twists of the Blood: Malkavia Classic 98
Inspirational Media 98
Where Is My Mind? (Part IV) 100
Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 105
Lordly Treasures 105
Archetypes 105
Devotions 106
Merits 111
Heavy Lies the Crown: The Aloof Curse 115
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People 115
Failing Upwards: Playing the Bane 116
Common Banes 116
Where Is My Mind? (Part V) 118
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 123
Index of Conditions and Tilts
Chronic Malkavia (Persistent) 81
Directive (Persistent) 113
Pareidolia (Persistent) 98
Stampede (Environmental Tilt) 139
4 False Gods: Ventrue
Crassus 124
Where we came from 124
Who we are tonight 125
Three Caesars 125
DeRose 127
Where we came from 127
Who we are tonight 127
Three Flowers 128
Omokage 130
Where we came from 130
Who we are tonight 130
Three Stewards 131
The Architects of the Monolith 133
Sample Mason: Vikki Valente 136
Gilded Cage 136
Gilded Cage Invocations 137
New Merits 139
The Legio Noctis 140
Sample Soldier: Luna Ruiz 143
CLOTs 144
Sample CLOTs 144
The Faithful 147
Background 147
Rumors 148
Argos 148
Systems 149
Dread Powers 150
Mnemovores 151
Background 151
Rumors 152
Jonah Griffin 152
Systems 153
Where Is My Mind? (Epilogue) 156
Stolen Memories (Persistent) 154
Subsumed 26
Terminal Malkavia (Persistent) 81
Waning Mind (Persistent) 154
Where Is My Mind?
By Kelly J Clark
 Part One: The Resurrection
Where am I?
That was Thomas’s first thought as his consciousness snapped back like an elastic band.
Am I in a fucking coffin? was his second. He ran his fingers along the lid of the wooden box he
was entombed within. It was handmade, lovingly varnished, and lined with a thick, crushed velvet
that smelled of rosewater and rot. The polished wood of the lid was marred by the faint scars of
scratch marks that had been plugged with wood filler. Even in near-total darkness, he could see
the color didn’t quite match.
He had no recollection of how he’d ended up in the coffin, let alone who would’ve put him in it.
He braced himself and pushed the lid, sure it would be locked. Instead, it opened freely.
Thomas didn’t know what he expected, but it wasn’t a bomb shelter. A stylish one, to be sure,
but a bunker all the same. The room was twenty feet square with a ten-foot high ceiling, with thick
white brick walls draped cloth and sconces bearing unlit torches. A wrought-iron candelabra hung
from the ceiling above the coffin, so low the lid nearly clipped one of the lower rungs as it swung
open. The candelabra was filled with candles, and Thomas flinched away with a soft snarl before
realizing they were electric, made to resemble actual, moving flame. Nothing more. Even his Beast
felt a bit silly.
The room was clean of dust but cluttered with mountains of furniture, all covered in ghostly drop
cloths. Am I part of someone’s collection?
collection? Thomas thought as he climbed over the lip of the coffin.
caught? He dropped into a low crouch the moment the soles of
So why the hell can’t I remember being caught?
his shoes touched down on the carpet. He was alone — at least as far as he could see — and that
gave him a moment to think. He patted himself down in search of either weapons or wounds: He
found neither.
A shape moved beside him, barely visible from the corner of his eye. He spun, fist pulled back,
and was met by the same motion from his attacker. A mirror. Huge and framed in opulent gold
trim, bolted to the wall. Its ancient glass was scratched and worn, but it was obviously valuable.
Thomas admired the shadowy outline of his reflection, his Kindred nature concealing his form.
He traced the distorted reflection and focused.
The mirror refused to clear.
thought.
I’m more tired than I thought.
He wondered if he’d fallen into enemy hands. The Acolytes? He’d had a run-in with a Witch a
few months back. This place had definite Witch vibes.
The Beast objected to his lengthy investigation, growling through empty veins. His hunger drew
him to the presence of a metallic scent a few feet in front of him.
Next to a door was a minifridge with a clear glass front. It bore the jagged, angled logo reading
PREDATOR,, promotional swag for an energy drink he’d never heard of. Three bags of blood lay
PREDATOR
within like cold, red slugs. The plasma had settled a bit, but they looked fresh. A sign atop the
fridge proclaimed Drink Me. Me. Thomas’s hunger rose up, and feeling as much like Alice as he could,
he cracked the fridge open and grabbed one of the sacks. He hesitated for the briefest moment,
but his ravenous Beast quashed any concerns over drugs and poisons. He drank all three bags,
leaving the fridge empty.
He dropped the sacks into a nearby trash can and realized he was still hungry. The bagged blood

6 False Gods: Ventrue

was like water, but it would do until he could get out of wherever this was.
The door was locked to the outside world, but it opened at his touch with a mechanical whir. He
pushed it, feeling the whispered protest of cloth as the door pressed into a black tapestry behind
it. He brushed the fabric aside and revealed a broad hallway adorned with a lush scarlet carpet,
running nearly a hundred feet between two sets of thick double doors. A pair of naked bulbs
in caged sconces provided barely enough light to reveal that the bland, gray concrete walls were
punctuated with nine more tapestries. Thomas wondered how many of them also obscured steel
doors with high-security locks.
He stepped onto the plush carpet and considered his options. Of the two sets of doors, the
ones on his right were ajar and emanating a soft orange glow. He walked toward them, and upon
reaching them, saw that the room within was cavernous, lined with long wooden pews and lit by
an iron candelabra and electric bulbs. It was a church, and not just any church: Above the altar at
the head of the room hung the sign of the Dark Messiah.
Thomas was in a Church of Longinus.
He pushed the door open only enough to slip through. The room was well-used and, despite its
underground aesthetics, free of dust or clutter. As he crept down the aisle, ready to defend himself,
he smelled blood. A lot of blood. The heavy scent of iron hung in the air like a sweet, salacious
perfume. It drifted from a thick black curtain hanging behind the altar, accompanied by the gentle
sound of dripping. Thomas scanned the room for a weapon, but there was little to grab beyond
the grim symbol hanging on the wall. It would have to do. He moved forward, keeping his eyes
sharp for any sign of motion or hidden enemies. There was no sound except the liquid staccato.
Suddenly, a digital chime echoed across the chamber. Thomas froze. At his right ankle was a thin
pinpoint of red light, issuing from a black box tucked beneath the pew: an alarm. The sloshing
went deadly silent. He’d been made.
Rather than be caught off guard, he took the initiative and called out, “Hello?”
There was a pause, followed by a deep, calm voice. “Just a moment.” It was familiar, but muffled
and somehow metallic. Thomas heard liquid splashing, followed by the thud of heavy steps. A
figure emerged from the curtain, revealing a sacristy behind the altar. The man was naked, and
wore a golden mask strapped to a pale, bald head. His scarred, muscled flesh was coated with globs
of dark blood. In one hand he carried a white towel, which he used to methodically wipe away the
gore clinging to his body.
The man spoke. “You caught me in the middle of a bath.”
“Solomon Birch,” Thomas whispered, trying to keep the fear from his voice.
“Bishop Birch, thank you.” The man took stock of the newcomer, his eyes shining behind the
golden mask. “And who am I speaking to?”
Thomas averted his eyes, suddenly feeling dizzy. He grabbed onto one of the pews for support
and lowered himself into its hard embrace. Birch didn’t take his eyes off of him.
“Azazel — uh, Thomas.”
“Ah, yes, Mr. Delmar, wonderful to have you awake.” Thomas noticed a hint of disappointment
in the bishop’s tone. “I see you’re still clinging to your gang name. Quaint, though I feel as though
we discussed its intrinsic blasphemy prior to your baptism.”
“We did. It’s just… old habits, I guess.”

Where Is My Mind? 7
 “You seem unsure. Doubting, Thomas?”
“No. I’m… confused, is all. Where am I? How did I…”
The bishop reached his strong, calloused hands behind his head and unbuckled the straps of
the mask, revealing a broad face with gleaming eyes and a sharp goatee. Solomon Birch was a
handsome man, but something in the curve of his lips or the crook of his eyebrows turned his
features predatory. With reverence, the bishop laid the mask down upon his altar and reached
into the sacristy, from which he traded his blood-soaked towel for a heavy black robe. He wrapped
it around his waist and tied it with the sleeves, like a samurai relaxing between massacres. As he
did, Thomas eyed the horrible scars criss-crossing the man’s back. They looked like they’d been
painful — and deliberate. The sight raised his Beast’s hackles.
“You remember nothing?” Birch said, leaning against the altar like a professor waiting for his
class to answer a softball question.
“I remember you were missing.”
“I was, for quite some time. Torpor. An attack by the devout followers of my former nemesis,
Sylvia Raines. That was shortly after you joined the faith, I believe.”
Thomas sat up straighter and glanced back at the exit. “I didn’t have anything to do with that.”
Birch raised an eyebrow. A look of performative realization crossed his face. “No. No, of course
not. Coincidence. I remember how you were when you came to us. Damaged, abused. On the edge
of losing yourself. There are moments of darkness even the most gifted infiltrator can’t falsify. That,
and you were very adamant about not abandoning your ‘comrades’ in the Carthian Movement. We
never gave you enough latitude to betray us.”
The bishop stepped back and spread his arms wide, showing off the church. Electric candle flames
licked at the darkness, but the room was as chill as a morgue. “As for where: If it isn’t obvious,
you’re in the Church of the Dark Prophet.”
“It looks different. I didn’t recognize it with all the… candles?”
Birch grinned. “Heatless. Riskless. I even use rechargeable batteries to lower my carbon footprint
when possible. Have to plan for the future. The wax is real, so the look holds up.”
“You really redecorated.”
“Oh, no, Mr. Delmar, this isn’t the same church. That site was sadly destroyed after my
resurrection… along with a false prophet. We moved to this location about three years ago.”
Thomas’s still heart throbbed once in his chest. Years? No. It was impossible. He remembered
just receiving dark communion from one of the deacons before they…
He coughed, clearing his throat. “What year is it?”
“2021.” Birch’s eyes were locked with his. They bored into his soul in search of a reaction. Thomas
didn’t disappoint. He dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his face hard, as if he could
scrub away the truth.
“It can’t be that long. Six years?”
“It is what it is. Do you know why you’re here, Mr. Delmar?” When Thomas shook his head,
still drowning in disbelief, Birch continued. “This isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation.
You came to us during a dark night of the soul. You wanted help, and so the Church was happy
to provide it.”

8 False Gods: Ventrue

 “Why did I come here?”
“You were losing your mind.”
Thomas looked up at the bishop, no longer caring about the man’s cold stare. Reflexively, he
focused his senses, analyzing the Serpent with supernatural force. Is he lying? Thomas asked, and
the Beast replied: He’s not telling the whole truth. It dismays him. He’s regretful. The sudden clarity was
jarring, not the least of which was because he couldn’t remember learning that ability.
“Why?” he finally managed.
“I haven’t the foggiest,” said Birch. “When we speak, you seem quite confused. However, you’re
in luck! I’ve recently taken up studying clinical psychology.” Thomas’s brows bridged. “Don’t give
me that look. It’s only partly inspired by your circumstances, but it does give me an idea. Tell me
what you do remember, and we can work our way forward. Perhaps then we can both uncover the
root of your problem.”
“You’re going to be my therapist?”
Birch laughed. “Why not? Priests and therapists aren’t dissimilar. Indulge me. I swear to keep
your confession in the strictest confidence.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“The beginning. What’s the first thing you remember?”
Thomas thought back as hard as he could. The smell of weed, old leather, and gun oil flooded
his senses. His mind was drifting back into the past.
“I remember getting ready to kill someone. We did kill someone…”
“Just… someone ?”
someone?”
Thomas closed his eyes. His voice caught in his throat.
“We killed Maxwell Clarke.”

Where Is My Mind? 9
 Introduction
It was pride that changed angels into devils.
Augustine of Hippo
The Ventrue are untouchable.
That vampires still exist in the world tonight is due to the
Lords. That’s what they’d have you believe, at any rate, but it’s
a boast they bear no shame in making. Look into their eyes and
know their truth: They are old money maintaining the manse
on the moonlit hill, the new-world nouveau riche rewriting laws
to suit their schemes, and the hard yet sparkling smile that
cannot be denied.
Lords of the Dead, Lords over the Damned — no matter how
decrepit their kingdoms, the Ventrue rule from on high. They
decide what you should say, do, think, and even be… not that
you’ll ever know it. That’s how good they are. Power is a font to
be cultured and curated over long centuries, and the Ventrue
are nothing if not thorough. After all, they have a legacy to
uphold: Control.
False Gods is the definitive sourcebook for all things Ventrue
in Vampire: The Requiem Second Edition. In addition to new
Lord fiction, systems, and bloodlines, it includes a complete
update of the mechanics in their original sourcebook, Lords
Over the Damned.
This book is the third in a series that began with Strange
Shades: Mekhet and continued with Better Feared: Nosfer-
atu. It isn’t trying to be Clanbook: Ventrue Revised, but
you could call it an homage. It’s also a chance to reexamine
Ventrue material from other first edition sources, some of
which hasn’t been heard from since the very first years of the
Danse Macabre.
It’s dangerous to peek behind the curtain, but if your will
is strong enough, you might just have what it takes to become
one of the Ventrue.
Theme: Power
Power takes many forms. A school board deciding what can
and can’t be taught. A politician presenting self-serving bills
to the House. A judge setting a dangerous new precedent. But
true power is being able to write the story, erasing all competing
narratives. Using others only gets easier with practice, but power
is neither easily won nor painlessly kept. It’s dangerous at the
top — fraught and self-destructive — but for the Lords? It’s worth
every drop of blood.
Mood: Corruption
Smiles of velvet coax you in as dagger eyes watch throughout
the crowd. It’s a dance you know well. The ballroom’s heady
with well-practiced laughter, elegant crystal stained with
sanguine vintages. You’ll have the melancholic priest, on tap,
eyes fluttering. Is that God he’s calling for? He’s in luck, because
you’re here, ready to receive his confessions. What a pretty
thing, the way he trembles as you fill your glass from his wrist.
You think it might be useful to have a man of the cloth at your
disposal. It’s tempting — but, perhaps… expected. Waves of
knowing snickers break on a shore of anticipation. The others
are watching you, as if they can read your thoughts. Well, that
won’t do. You let your glass shatter on the marble floor, sinking
your fangs deep in the priest’s throat. Broken prayers bubble
into the shocked silence, and you drink deep until the last Hail
Mary gutters out. Blood spatters your formal wear as you sweep
them all with a shameless smile. You stand taller than before:
Divine. Invincible. Ventrue.
Past Masters
The Ventrue have always been autocrats, but whereas in
Vampire: The Masquerade they were magnetic leaders hungry
for adulation, in Vampire: The Requiem they drop the
pretense of noblesse oblige. The Blue Bloods know what’s best
for their Kindred; the Lords release the hounds if you look at
them funny. Indeed, the change from Presence to Animalism
expanded the clan’s sphere of influence over both Men and
Beasts, more recalling the vampiric nobles of Gothic fiction —
as well as the not-so-subtle link between parasitic ruling classes
and actual parasites.
Introduction 11
 However, while Ventrue in the Chronicles of Darkness differed from their previous incarnation, they still had room to grow.
With Lords Over the Damned, the clan’s power grabs became far more complex, and maybe just a little weirder. Through a
tapestry of pretty lies and false memories, the Lords made themselves out as bulwarks against rising tides of chaos like the Strix,
all the while drowning in the seductive delusions of Malkavia.
Perhaps most significantly, Vampire: The Requiem Second Edition ended the clan’s link to mental illness. Now as Lords
grow in age and power, they lose the things that ground them to Humanity. Alone at the top, they become increasingly isolated
in both feeling and ideal, until no one’s left to watch them fall.

What’s in This Book

False Gods: Ventrue is for players and Storytellers alike. Inside, you’ll find all the
material you need to give your Lord characters a golden touch, from bloodlines and
covenants to Merits and Devotions.
Throughout, you’ll also sit in on a little therapy session with Thomas Delmar, a young
Lord who came at the King of Chicago and isn’t sure what he’s missing.

Chapter One: Dead Dynasties

This chapter revisits four classic Lord bloodlines and introduces four new
members of the clan’s caste system. In addition, you’ll find Twists of the Blood,
mechanical Shards providing even more options for your characters and
chronicles.
Within the freedom of submission, the Adrestoi become one, and
their lashes will have you begging to join in. (Lords Over the Damned)
For the Gottlings, manipulation is performance art of the highest
caliber. The Requiem is just another stage, and all must play a part.
The sizzling Keravnos have found a new way to feed: electricity. Yet
sap too much, and they risk unleashing charred monsters who would
plunge the whole world into darkness.
Where the All Night Society boils over with chaos, the Malocusians
offer total control… if you don’t mind never stepping a foot outside
your door again. (Invictus)
The Melissidae are buzzing to know you better, but be sure not
to stir their wrath, lest the entire swarm descends upon you.
(Bloodlines: The Legendary)
When the Rotgrafen come to port, you’d best batten down
the hatches. The high seas may no longer offer a golden age
of piracy, but their wicked god plots a course to a very
bright future. (Bloodlines: The Chosen)
The Typhos push surgical pursuits into the realm
of speculative — not pseudo, if you please — science.
Just be sure to read the fine print.
The Warumono rely on tradition to ride
the line between control and calamity. Their
bravado befits their origins in organized crime,
so don’t get on the bad side of their tattooed
souls.

Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle

The Ventrue fear few things, but all of them start with M. The
Affliction has followed the clan since before they were Lords, but
no one really understands it — not yet. This chapter features the
Malkavia Chronicle, a return and reimagining of the Ventrue’s
dirtiest secret for Vampire: The Requiem Second Edition.

12 False Gods: Ventrue


Chapter Three: Crown Jewels
No clan book would be complete without a toolbox. In
addition to new Masks, Dirges, Devotions, and Merits, we
update nearly all the mechanics from Lords Over the Damned.
You’ll also find an in-depth look at the Aloof Curse, as well as
other banes common to the Ventrue.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals
Finally, we present a dossier of the powers-that-be and
soon-to-be. In addition to three ghoul families to pledge their
undying loyalty, you’ll find two new covenants to antagonize
or recruit your characters, and two Horrors to keep them from
resting on their laurels.
Ventrue in the Media
Lady Báthory. Lord Ruthven. Count Dracula. The earliest
pop culture vampires were often nobility — classy, wealthy, and
undeniable. Sure, they’re blood-sucking corpses, but they feed
with such élan you can’t help but bend to their will. Here are
but a few examples from their ranks.
Vampire Media
Blood & Gold, by Anne Rice: The eighth book in Rice’s
venerable Vampire Chronicles follows the life and death of
Marius, a former Roman patrician turned vampire by a cult
of druids. Marius’s Requiem unfolds over millennia as he
amasses wealth, shapes the covenants of vampire-kind, and
offers patronage to the greatest works of art known to humanity.
Luscious and sensual, this novel details the way Lords can
influence the turning points of human history, and why they’ll
never let you forget the debts they’re due for it.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula, directed by Francis Ford Coppola:
While there have been many interpretations of Dracula since
1897, this one adds a feverish touch of obsession. Dracula’s
longing for Mina Harker showcases the enthralling, dangerous
extremes a Ventrue’s relationship with his Touchstone can
take. Gary Oldman’s Count exudes allure, charm, and a barely
restrained primal power, attractive and horrific in equal measure.
The sumptuous score and costumes invite viewers into the
“oceans of time” that can so shape a Lord’s isolation and decay.
Vampyr, by Dontnod Entertainment: Dr. Jonathan E. Reid
gains power by preying on the very people he’s trying to save in
a disease-ridden London still recovering from the Great War.
A physician’s influence is vast in times of strife, and Vampyr
asks players to question the cost of their survival, as well as
the abuse of their authority and trust, both issues the Ventrue
tackle nightly.
Non-Vampire Media
The Borgias, created by Neil Jordan: While there are no
blood-sucking vampires here (at least not literally) the Borgias
were one of humanity’s most cutthroat, infamous political
entities. They had all the power in the world yet craved ever
more, and they were willing to bribe, seduce, and murder
their way through Renaissance Europe to get it. All the Lords’
qualities are here on vibrant display: the Machiavellian vision,
the conspiracies, the alliances and betrayals, and the obscene
wealth that makes it all possible.
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas: Easily
one of the greatest novels ever written, the titular Count would
have made a brilliant Lord. He starts innocently enough, but
when he is wrongly imprisoned, he begins a decades-long journey
of revenge. He educates himself on the world and the intricacies
of his enemies, and secures a vast fortune, all to bring about the
slow, meticulous destruction of anyone who ever wronged him.
However, the Count must also grapple with the true nature of
justice. His relentless pursuit of revenge erodes his own happiness,
and ultimately, he must discover a better purpose for his power — if
there’s enough of him left to salvage.
There Will Be Blood, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson:
Not just a capitalist fever dream, There Will Be Blood has a bleak
austerity to it: Greed, for lack of a better word, is misery. But
the Lords know big business is power, and they can display a
single-mindedness of purpose, ingenuity, and patience to see
their schemes bear fruit. This ruthless drive is reflected well in
Daniel Plainview, a silver miner who sees opportunity in the
early-1900s oil boom. Plainview is willing to climb over friends,
family, and the good Lord Himself to realize his dreams. His
adopted son also provides a chilling example of a Ventrue
Touchstone, and showcases just how untethered Lords become
when those relationships disintegrate: “I’m finished!”
Requiem Books
A Hunger Like Fire, by Greg Stolze: Even as she comes into
her own among death’s aristocracy, Persephone Moore can
never quite let go of plain old Linda. While best known as the
signature Ventrue from Vampire: The Requiem First Edition
(p. 113), Persephone’s attachment to her old life fits right in with
modern Lords and their Touchstones, especially in the way it
slips away as she makes ever more ethical compromises. Later
in The Danse Macabre, those compromises will finally catch
up to her, just when she starts to lose the one Touchstone she
thought could never fade. (White Wolf)
“Four Years, Old John,” by Greg Stolze: Collected in The
Strix Chronicle Anthology, this multi-decade story focuses
on Persephone’s sire, Prince Maxwell Clarke. In addition to
cracking open Chicago’s secret past, it provides a master class
on the highs and lows of Ventrue praxis. Sometimes being king
means taking a bullet for your people, and sometimes it means
feeding the last guy to a meatgrinder. (Onyx Path Publishing)
Finally, recommending Lords Over the Damned almost feels
redundant if you’re a Ventrue fan, but if it’s fallen under your
radar, you don’t know what you’re missing. Lords redefined
the game, laying the groundwork for Vampire: The Requiem
Second Edition (and, indirectly, V5). In addition to a web of lies
the Ventrue call history, it brought a new and terrifying version
of the Malkavians to the Chronicles of Darkness. (White Wolf)
Introduction 13
 Part Two: First Confession
Where should I start?
Tell me about the night you killed Maxwell Clarke.
It’s kind of hazy. And don’t you know it all by now anyway? What good will it do?
Minds are complex. It’s not about what I know, but what you remember. Do your best. Give me all
of the details, as if I don’t know anything about the Kindred of the city. It’ll help your memory. Start at
the beginning. What do you remember?
I remember… the SUV. It reeked of bad skunk weed. The smell hung off the ghoul behind the wheel
like an aura, and I was glad I didn’t have to breathe. We had an old mix CD in the stereo that was playing
“Regulate” by Warren G and Nate Dogg. The ghoul’s name was Marvin Van Pelt. He’d tried to rebrand
himself as MVP, but you don’t get to name yourself on the street. Or anywhere. He was from Cicero, a
short kid with a huge head, so we called him Marvin the Martian. He hated it, but that only made it stick.
He was bobbing that giant goddamn head in time to the bass and tried to act like he understood the song,
even though I was pretty sure it was older than he was. Probably never listened to anything harder than
Jay-Z. Anyway, he was our getaway once things got heavy.
Martian turned up the track loud enough that the bass pounded through the seats and shook the windows.
A huge, knotted hand reached over from the passenger seat and turned it down to a dull roar.
“I was just getting into it,” Martian protested.
A grunt from the guy in the passenger seat was enough to shut him up. Romeo Capretti was a thick-
necked Italian in a double-breasted black suit. His dirty blond crewcut was spiked up with a sweet-smelling
pomade that made his hair scrape the roof as he moved. Romeo had been a professional legbreaker in life,
and he looked it. His wide square of a face was flat from years of taking hits to a once-proud Roman nose.
He’d kept the job up after the Embrace and was one of Walt Barowsky’s best bullyboys. A Gangrel and a
certified boogeyman, but I was happy to have him with us. We needed every advantage.
“Easy to hear us coming if you’re shaking the windows. Music down,” Romeo said. He didn’t take his
eyes off the building ahead of us: the Palmer House Hilton, Prince Maxwell’s personal meeting space. It
towered over us like a beacon, its awning all glitter and gold, like a Hollywood marquee beneath twenty-
one floors of looming red brick.
Martian may have been a kid, but he was blessed when it came to parking spaces. The fact that he was able
to find us one with a vantage point in downtown Chicago was a goddamn miracle. Sorry if that’s blasphemy.
Quite the contrary. It may indeed qualify as a miracle.
I felt a nudge from my left. The butt of a huge gun prodded my ribs. It was connected to the hand of
my best friend, Dave Hooper. Hoops. He earned that name playing streetball back in the 80s and was the
fastest motherfucker you’ve ever seen. As a Shadow, he was even faster. I once saw him win a one-on-five
game without using his super speed. He could have played alongside Jordan and Pippin if he hadn’t spent
his life selling ice and running from the cops. He was a tall, lean guy with a Fresh Prince flattop he normally
shaved down, only to have it grow back every day when he went to sleep. He hadn’t shaved it tonight, which
meant he had something more important on his mind.
Like killing a king.
I took the machine pistol and rolled it over in my hands. “You don’t think this is overkill?”
“Can’t be too safe. I’d rather bring a TEC-9 than a nine mil. Output is key. Don’t worry: I made sure it
don’t pull. I know you like to shoot gangsta.”
I grinned. “I shoot like a thug. Like I come from the streets.” I didn’t.

14 False Gods: Ventrue

 “A thug from Fool Street.”
He had me there. I’d fallen into the life when my dad died, after my mom moved us to Back of the Yards.
Shooting like that was a dumb habit I’d picked up as a punk trying to look hard. Totally idiotic. If you shoot
anything with ejectable rounds, you’re more likely to take a hot cartridge in the eye than anything else.
The only reason it worked at all for me was because I’m left-handed, so the bullets eject down. I learned
real quick to always wear long pants.
Romeo turned around and changed the subject. “Any updates?”
Hoops shook his head. “He’s out and about. Went into the hotel after sundown to wait for Darcy’s childe.
Littlejohn’s guy saw her go in about ten minutes ago.”
I wasn’t happy about that. “He was supposed to be alone. If Carmelita leaves with him—”
“Then we do what we have to do,” Romeo said from the front seat. I wanted to argue, but he was right. If
the world was down a tyrant by the end of the night, taking one more Invictus flunky out was icing, even
if I’d never had any problem with her personally. It was just business.
Still, I’d heard stories about how tough both of them were. “And it’s just us?”
Hoops could see my nerves. “We’re the only ones Walt trusts to get the job done. Deuce is flipped.”
“Zhoniqua?”
“Zhoniqua is running point on his house right now, just in case.”
“What about Littlejohn? He too much of a bitch to get involved?”
Hoops gave me a look that told me I was starting to act desperate. “Bro, he’s running interference. He’s
how we got the intel. Without him—”
“Yeah, I know LJ doesn’t fuck around. Since Clarke ate the sheriff, he’s got the best info on other Licks.”
“Except Loki Fischer,” Martian offered. It was the only non-Firebrand name he knew, and he was trying
to show off.
“Shut the fuck up, Martian!” Hoops said. The ghoul looked sheepish. “But yeah, next to Loki Fischer,
Fischer, his
info is solid, and he’s keeping people busy putting out fires. Better safe than sorry and — honestly — I don’t
want Zhoniqua anywhere near this.”
“You’re sweet on her,” I said.
“I can and will pistol-whip that grin off of your face.”
I chuckled, but let it go. My chest itched something fierce, and I scratched at my collar. I’d gotten a tattoo
a few nights before and the flesh around my throat still burned. A glorious silver crown chest piece to
represent my Ventrue pride. It was my first tattoo since the Embrace, and I was surprised by how much it
itched. Or maybe I just thought it should itch.
Hoops’ phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it: one of Littlejohn Roach’s burners. Man was a creepy-
ass Haunt pimp, but his loyalty to the Movement was solid.
You’d be surprised.
Hoops tapped the back of the driver’s seat. “Martian. Go. They’re headed down Wabash.”
“Fuck yes. What’re they driving?”
“Nothing. They’re on foot.”
That made me even more anxious. Too many things were going wrong in too quickly. There was something
off about that night, and when my instincts tell me something’s wrong, they’re usually right. I tried to speak,
but Martian giggled and turned the music back up. “Let’s get this fucker!”
I’d lost my moment.

Where Is My Mind? 15
 We merged into traffic, pulling a wide circle down one-way streets at the center of the Loop, and eventually
found our way under the rusted red rails of the L. We cruised down the block, caught up in the crawl of
traffic, which was still steady even in the middle of the night.
“That the guy?” Martian asked, gesturing at a pair walking down the street.
“That’s him,” Romeo rumbled.
Maxwell Clarke wore his hair long, which always surprised me. He was a well-built man, a bit shorter
than six feet, but he parted a crowd like he was twice that height, and he wore a flowing longcoat to match.
Between that, the hair, and the goatee, he’d always reminded me of Eddie Murphy from Vampire in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn.
I haven’t seen it.
The main vampire’s name is Maximillian, if I remember right.
Interesting.
Maxwell was walking with Carmelita Rodan, a former ballerina. Robert Darcy Embraced her back in the
2000s after he’d stopped an assassination attempt on the Prince. Is Darcy still herald?
Darcy is still herald.
Some things never change, I guess. Carmelita had a Castilian complexion that’d paled in the Embrace,
and was dressed in high-end fashion I couldn’t even begin to recognize. The soles of her shoes flashed blood
red as she walked, and her ass was poured into a pair of jeans my mom probably could’ve paid her rent with.
Romeo leaned across to Martian’s ear. “Drive slow. Get caught in traffic.”
“I know. I won’t lose them”
“No,” said Romeo. “Lose them if you have to. If they don’t see us, we can find them again. But if they
do, we’re fucked. And if we’re fucked, you’re dead. I’ll do you myself.”
Martian nodded and tried to act cool, but I could see his left knee bounce. His eyes shone in the half-
light of the cab.
We trailed them for what seemed like hours. Watching. Waiting. Sometimes we’d lose them, other times
they’d surprise us by crossing a street right in front of us. We were sure we were made once, but a car alarm
pulled their attention long enough for Martian to get into a turn lane. Our tinted windows did the rest.
Eventually, we trailed them across the bridges to outside the Loop. They stopped at a nightclub, the words
Century emblazoned above the brick entryway in blue neon. I’d been to the club before. It was a bland,
seedy pit that was a barely passable front for a blood doll mall.
It’s called Station now. Much nicer.
Good to know.
They walked in like they owned the place. It was a Sunday, and from the outside, the place looked deader
than me. The bouncer pulled the velvet rope across the door, standing like a fleshy wall against the few
potentials who wanted in, and waved them away. People began to trickle out of the club. At this point, it
was just after 2 AM, and the place was apparently closing early.
Martian drove through the intersection and started for the curb, but Romeo was already out of the car
before he could pull over. I leapt out after him and tried to catch up, but he was a freight train. As he
approached, the bouncer raised his hands and said, “Hey buddy, we’re closed—”
Romeo didn’t even look at him. He just put his palm on the man’s face and pushed. The bouncer stumbled
backward, hitting the wall behind him with a crunch. Powdered brick fell onto his unconscious form.
“What happened to subtle?” I hissed.
“He’ll live. That’s subtle enough.”

16 False Gods: Ventrue

 We pushed past the last stragglers, who made panicky sounds as they climbed over the bouncer and
hurried into the street. Beyond them, the club really was dead. The only other person in the room was a
bartender with an undercut and a dyed fringe. If she hadn’t seen the bouncer go down, she’d definitely
heard it, and had already pulled a shotgun out from beneath the bar. She pumped a shell into the chamber.
“Cash is already dropped in a time release safe. Get out!” She seemed confident, but I wasn’t sure she
could do it. Romeo either didn’t see it that way, or didn’t care; he continued toward the bartender and the
barrel of her gun. His hand dipped beneath his coat and revealed a certifiable hand cannon tucked into
the back of his waistband.
“I fucking mean it.” She was serious. She was going to die if this went on.
I thought that was the point of your excursion.
No. No one innocent.
Presumptive, but go on.
I managed to reach Romeo and grab his arm. “No. I got this.”
The bartender’s eyes and the barrel tracked over to me as I imposed myself between her and Romeo.
There were about twenty feet between us — close enough I could see her eyes were a stormy gray. The perfect
range. Her finger flicked to the trigger, but my mouth was faster.
“Stop.” The voice hit her and I saw her pupils constrict. Her back went rigid and she obeyed, frozen in
place. “Put the gun away.” She did. “Good girl. I’m looking for a guy. Nice looking. Black, goatee, long
hair, long jacket. Came in with a hot chick a few minutes ago. Tell me where he is.” She pointed at a back
hallway next to the bar. “Thanks. Go home. Call in sick tomorrow.”
Without a word, she grabbed a bag from a cupboard behind the bar and walked out the front door, right as
Hoops was running in. He jerked a thumb back at the bouncer. “The fuck happen to subtle?”
“No time,” Romeo said as he stalked down the corridor, still gripping his revolver. Hoops and I exchanged
a look and followed, happy to let the Gangrel take any potential surprise attack. But this wasn’t an action
movie. There weren’t any thugs hidden behind tight corners waiting to pounce, just a back hallway leading
to a barebones office, overflowing with clutter and a pair of storage closets.
Romeo checked the office, grunted, and tried the door on one of the storage rooms. “Locked.”
I checked the other. “Same.”
“I’ll find the key,” Hoops said, then headed back to the bar. I was still pissed at Romeo, but as we stood
in front of those locked doors, we shared a moment. Both doors exploded inward as we simultaneously
kicked the locks in. Hoops reappeared, a huge ring of keys dangling in his hands and a frown on his lips.
“We found a key,” I said with a shrug. He wasn’t impressed. A quick check revealed two storage rooms,
with one major difference — in mine, one of the shelves of cleaning supplies had been pulled from the wall,
revealing an old steel door with a handle lock and three deadbolts. I checked: very, very locked.
“This is why we wait for keys,” Hoops muttered as he sorted through the ring. The door opened and
he shot a look at me. I raised my gun to cover him, and he pulled it open. On the other side was an old
stone stairwell that led down more than two dozen steps into darkness. Dank, moldy air rushed up from
below. It was the smell of the old tunnel system. The Undercity. A vast network ruled over by an eccentric
old monster named Max Maurey. The other Max. None of us had ever spent time down there for a good
reason: Kindred who did, didn’t always come back.
“What do we do?” Hoops asked.
“What else?” Romeo pointed his huge gun down the stairs. “We go after him.”

Where Is My Mind? 17
chapter one
Dead Dynasties
We were born to rule. In death, we claim that birthright. We are the gentle voice, the iron fist,
and the undeniable edict. We are the Ventrue, and in our Vitae flows the divine right of kings.
Here are eight heirs to swear your fealty:
The wolf, the puppeteer, the technophile, the swarm, the recluse, the anarchist, the scientist, the storm.
Some are ancient god-kings, their terrible reigns chronicled in history and legend.
Some are newly crowned, their thrones slick with the blood of the conquered.
All are Lords — so bend the knee, and know your place.

Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 19

 Adrestoi
the ones you submit to
Mistress walks through the pulsing lights of the nightclub. Waves of
human flesh press against her, euphoria overflowing from the pleasure
burning bright within. Her invisible threads unspool into the night,
connecting to her pack. Each member thrives on their shared desire:
the stripper in the club, the life-drawing model at the university, the
porn director adjusting the light on his latest stars. She follows each
thread, glimpsing the smörgåsbord of potential prey fawning for her
pack’s attention. Which worshipper shall they hunt tonight?
She tugs a thread: An art student lingers after class, bashful eyes
stealing glances at the dead model.
Yes, she whispers. That one. The pack’s blood sizzles. She smiles,
sending the kine in the nightclub into raptures. She will unchain the
Beast, allowing the pack’s combined fury to erupt into the streets.
They will converge at the university, slipping through the shadowed
streets to corner the student, to feast, and take satisfaction from the
shared banquet of beauty and death.
Sated, Mistress will collar them once more, and the tethers will
stretch out again between them. Separate but ever-linked, her pack
will savor emotions far more precious than blood.
The Adrestoi are Lords who use domination and submission to
forge deeper bonds than just blood ties. They know how thin the
line between pain and pleasure is, and, in death, that both can be
so sweet. Let other Ventrue aim for political mastery; the Children
of Midas have found something far more precious: mastery of
the Beast. Some would call them hedonists. Others would say
they’re reckless, playing with forces impossible to control. Forces
that ought to be feared. But the Unchained have learned to
harness the monster within, breaking it to their collective will
and unleashing it in a maelstrom of unified purpose.
The 80s club scene epitomized the heedless risks Kindred and
kine alike take in pursuit of satisfaction. In bars and backrooms,
illicit deals were harder to trace, and it’s no wonder this is where
the Adrestoi found their beginnings. Here a Ventrue hotshot
named Paul Gordon kept his hooks in every friend and foe,
spinning his web across the Motor City. He offered his clients
that elusive gold — not bourgeois material wealth, but the gold of
Vitae’s pure euphoria. All it cost was submission. Total, complete
surrender, and the world would open like a treasure chest.
“The pack’s heart beats in my breast
with the fury of a thousand lashes.”
20 False Gods: Ventrue
Everyone he anointed found the heights of success, as if they’d
made a deal with the Devil himself. For this, he called himself
Adrestos, the Inescapable, self-named for the son of mighty Midas
who turned all he touched to gold.
Except that Midas had no son, only a daughter named Zoë.
Was this oversight or misdirection? Such subterfuge was the
mark of Adrestos’ business dealings — submission sounds so
easy in the abstract — but, in the end, it’s the results that matter.
Adrestos was eager to share his gift, but only with those he
deemed worthy. To prove their loyalty, he tested his Children of
Midas with the lick of the lash, and as they explored the limits
of their flesh and the depths of their desire, they were rewarded.
Once they submitted to his will, the inducted were linked to a
whole greater than the sum of its parts. Emotion bloomed like
a white-hot flame, burning between these initiates and uniting
their Beasts into one monstrous, undeniable hunger. Exalted and
Unchained, they became stronger together. Within the Blood
Tether, they became transcendent.
The Adrestoi haven’t had long since those first fateful nights,
but they quickly established a hold in the underbellies of several
major cities. Now they hunt together, more like prowling packs
of urban wolves than those other, calcified Lords with their
withered passions. The Unchained keep watch from alleys
and nightclubs and chatrooms, waiting for their master’s com-
mand to strike. When she gives the word, the Beast’s rage rips
through the entire pack. Together they feast, relishing in the
compounded power of so many hearts beating as one.
Whatever form it takes, Adrestoi venerate the hunt above all,
and their packs prey on the ugly desires lurking behind every
impulse. As blackmailers, conmen, and even dominatrices, they
target those disconnected from their truths, bending repressed
and lost kine to their will and teaching them submission must
be earned. These “clients” don’t always know what they’ve seen —
the twisting flesh and the erotic visions and the limits of ecstasy
and pain — but if these supplicants are worthy, they might be
inducted into the pack. In exchange for their individual wills,
the Children of Midas tether them to the euphoria of unity,
seducing ever more moths to the golden flame.
Why you want to be us
We escape the isolation of our Ventrue cousins by keeping our emotions burning
bright and hot. All together. You will never know belonging like the sharp embrace
of the Adrestoi. We will strip away your masks and self-doubt, break you down until
you attain true self-mastery. Only then can you rise up, beloved of your pack, more
alive than you ever were in living flesh.

Why you should fear us

Other Kindred think their fates hang in the balance between Man and Beast, but
we know true power comes only when the two are bound into one. Domination
does not require voice; it merely requires surrender. Our Beasts are collared
under our collective command, ready to rage when we need them, only to snap
back on their leads when our purpose is served. All the wrath of our darkest
bloodlusts flows between us, connected, aware, and watching. Run afoul of
one and become prey to all.

Why we should fear ourselves

Did emotions burn like this when we still lived? Was passion
always just agony? We look for extremes to feel alive again, and
sometimes that pulls us past our limits. The union with our
packs is a high, filled with understanding and unrestrained
power — but after? When the Beast is back in its cage,
we shake in the dark like fucking junkies. It’s a trade,
this vitality. A gamble. And some night, we won’t be
able to pay off the debt.

Bloodline Origins
• Adrestos may have been the first of his line, but
he wouldn’t be the man he is tonight were it not for
Mistress Avarice. She catered to his needs when he
was still living, one of her many clients among the
justice and political systems. You might say Ava (to
her clients) taught him everything he knows about
the freedom of submission, the worth of pain, and
the strength in self-mastery. Without these tenets,
the Adrestoi would never have come to glittering
light. Unsurprisingly, she was the first he Embraced.
Nothing could have been more natural, and her
transformation into the First Lady of the Adrestoi
was swift and total. The original Unchained pack
masters were all childer to Adrestos and Avarice,
their golden pater and mater. Tonight, Avarice
runs her vast pack in Brooklyn, leaving Adrestos
to run his own in Detroit. She can take on any
form, they say, become whatever you most desire. All it costs is everything you
are, but you’ll never regret it.
• Matthias the Golden, all smiling and shining on the late-night TV screen,
promised life everlasting, an unending state of bliss on your money back.
Some say he was the first mask of Paul Gordan, while others whisper
he was Paul’s sire, or even the miracle childe of both Adrestos and
Mistress Avarice. Whoever he was, he offered to wash away the sins
of his Children of Gold — and perhaps he even did. Each initiate disap-

Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 21

 peared little by little, donating all their earthly possessions,
then cutting off their friends and families, then branding
Matthias’s seal in their flesh. They only walked among the
sinful to bring in more initiates before disappearing again
behind his compound’s walls. When the news captured
the whole complex aflame, reports of hundreds dead in
positions of surrender… well. Who could say it wasn’t all
part of the plan?
• Once upon a midnight darkly, a king longed for power
without end. He had pleased a god of plenty, one who ensured
the fonts were ever-flowing, and this divinity offered the
king a boon. Thinking himself clever, the king chose a gift
that would multiply, asking that all he touched might turn
to gold. His wish was granted. However, he could no longer
eat or drink as he once had, for the meals turned to glittering
chaff in his hands — and oh how he hungered! Delirious with
famine, he embraced his own daughter, and sent the gold
flowing through her veins. Instead of sating him, the need
between them only multiplied. The ravenous king tainted
his entire court, filling every last servant and courtier with
his cursed touch. There they remain, gilded in beauty and
bound in blood — blindingly ever after.
Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: The Unchained, Children of Midas
Bloodline Bane (The Submissive Curse): The Unchained
Beast longs for guidance. All Adrestoi suffer the Blood of the
Unwilling bane (Vampire, p. 108), but instead of their victims,
they require permission from superiors of equal or higher
relevant Kindred Status to feed. If the character is part of a
pack, the highest authority of all is the pack master (see Blood
Tether), who can rescind the permission of other authorities,
even those with higher Status. Otherwise, permission cannot
be rescinded once granted.
Disciplines: Dominate, Obfuscate, Protean, Resilience
In the Covenants
The Carthian Movement: Carthian Unchained tend
toward authoritarian structures, wherein their pack master is
first among Firebrands, leading under the pretext of “provid-
ing” for her followers. Given enough influence, these packs
become almost totalitarian states in microcosm. Their ghouls
infiltrate court bureaucracies, twisting infrastructures to the
Children’s needs, and the Kindred carry out the pack’s will
in exchange for the privileges of being true comrades. The
entire domain centers on the needs of the Unchained, and
all citizens work to their benefit or find themselves enemies
of the people.
The Circle of the Crone: Unchained Acolytes call themselves
the Order of the Golden Dusk, using high ritual to tether the
Beast and performing their bondages within the framework of
pagan rites. A few packs draw on legends of the Rex Nemorensis
and ritually murder their pack master from time to time, proving
22 False Gods: Ventrue
their loyalty to the collective and the Crone above any individual.
But even a banishing circle can’t excise the Submissive Curse, and
blood magic further drains a Child of Midas’s ability to control
herself. As such, a higher degree of trust is required for Adrestoi
to function well within the Mother’s Army.
The Invictus: Adrestos himself is a member of the First
Estate, and his own childer run their packs on Wall Street, in
Hollywood, and even through the halls of power in Washington,
D.C. Invictus packs tend to be ultra-exclusive Hellfire clubs,
requiring lump sum payments and demonstrations of forbidden
desire in return for membership. Recently, many of them have
been taking that insularity to a whole new level on the dark
web, bending digital connectivity to their advantage as they
did the Blood Tether. They arrange hunts long-distance and
share in the feasting, recorded, uploaded, and tucked away in
plain sight among more mundane Internet debaucheries. How
better to keep the Silence than just be another “fake” snuff film?
The Lancea et Sanctum: While Golden Matthias spoke in
vaguer terms than Longinus, his doctrines relied on a heavy
dose of evangelical eschatology. Since his demise, offshoots of
the Golden Cult have crept into the Church Eternal, recruit-
ing new mortals to their philosophy of godliness through
unity. Otherwise, more “mainstream” Unchained bring
self-flagellation in pursuit of atonement to the Sanctified.
Since the beginning of time, the desperate and vulnerable
have sought salvation, and those cast out by society most of
all. In exchange, all the Unchained require from their flocks
is total submission — to God. Who else?
The Ordo Dracul: Mistress Avarice still works from within
the Ordo Dracul, and many Unchained who take mastery-of-self
seriously follow her path. Adrestoi Dragons aren’t content to
settle with their natural limits of self-control, instead preferring
to play with the lines of agency and self-deprivation. Some might
consider it torture, but those Children of Midas who rise in
the Order achieve unparalleled mastery over their collective
Beast, especially with access to the Coil of the Wyrm. Defiant
packs are smaller than those among the other covenants, but
they make up for numbers with sheer precision. Some say
that, for the right price, a Dragon pack provides the perfect
assassination, one that seems like a lone gunman rather than
a pack of monsters.
The Brethren of the Hundred Faces: When a pack master
dies and the Unchained fail to agree on a replacement, some
find their way to the Maskers (p. 26). Loner Adrestoi function
with more single-minded ambitions than those in packs, seeking
out the perfect high, absolute surrender, or the ultimate hunt,
unbound from some glorified domme. Such obsessions can
be destructive, but with a Pilot, an Adrestoi never needs to
worry about taking things too far, and she doesn’t have to ask
nicely for her meals. Many neonate Unchained have joined
the Facers, but the Hundred are eager to have a pack master
undergo Alignment, theorizing that the Blood Tether has
the potential to stretch a Pilot’s influence over far distances,
entangling multiple Kindred all at once…
Rumors
“That whole opioid… debacle… upstate was the work of one
“Doctor” Deanna Belladonna, a pack master with the Dragons. The
way I hear it, it wasn’t just kine she was getting hooked.”
Sure, Dr. Belladonna made some bad choices, but she made
them in the name of science. At first, she just used dope to sweeten
her pack’s prey; said it made the blood sing with emotion, the best
feeling you ever had. The whole pack got hooked, even the ones
who’d never touched the good stuff. It was like a constant high,
one that traveled over the entire Tether. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
At least until you try to do anything except stare at your fingers.
Several of her packmates exsanguinated themselves trying to
come back down, falling to torpor and never coming back up.
Belladonna managed to get out while the going was good, but
the remains of her pack cannibalized each other in search of
their lost connection. Suffice to say, it was an intriguing result,
and others have started to take up her research.
“Being inducted into the Adrestoi is some unleaded nightmare
fuel. If I wanted someone to tell me I’m worthless every night, I’d’ve
stayed with my sire.”
Half true. Adrestoi initiates often begin as the bloodline’s
prey, and this experience can lead them to search out extremes
in the pursuit of belonging. Hopefuls submit to all manner of
indignities, peeling back strips of flesh, burning off extremities,
or even languishing for days in sunshine oubliettes — but it’s all
in an effort to master their demons. Torture, after all, is only a
means to an end. Rumor has it Paul Adrestos encourages such
excesses, and reserves a special granite chamber beneath his
estate for true fanatics. He calls his process the Midas Touch,
a second Embrace of agony beyond agony. If you can get out
alive, you’ll be beyond pain… or maybe pain is all you’ll ever
feel again. Either way, you’ll be ready for the next level.
“My sister got caught up in the Children of Gold back in the day,
before things went Waco. The stuff that Matthias creep had her spout-
ing was serious death cult shit. Like, that her emotions were really his
emotions, and that she’d never feel anything again without his love.
I don’t like to talk about this, but I felt her— well. I felt the end. All
of us did, and I don’t think we were supposed to. I know the Blood
runs deep, but the Lords around here nearly ate themselves alive that
night, and it was only me who had any kin behind the wall. Point is,
don’t let Adrestoi anywhere near your turf. There’s something fucking
wrong with them.”
Secrets were well-hidden behind the walls of Matthias’s
compound, and only cryptic phone calls sent in the minutes
before it burned lend any insight into what went wrong. “You
will never understand grief until you have lost perfect love,” said
one. “We have looked into the heart of the universe and found
it displeased,” said another. “Legion has risen,” is perhaps the
most chilling. Whatever really transpired, when the Children
of Gold went down, every nearby Ventrue almost went with
them. The frenzies that night mostly led to embarrassment, but
maybe that was luck. No one living or dead can say how big the
cult really was, and if a pack ever grew to that size again — or
beyond it — who knows what might happen if it fell.
Leta Corazón
“I couldn’t find myself until I stopped being ashamed.”
Burlesque requires craft, and Leta Corazón is a master
craftswoman. When she steps out on stage, audience hearts
beat to every pulse of the music. Those that are still living, at
any rate. She entrances them with every flash of skin, every
flick of hip, every flutter of false lashes. As the performance
unfolds, she can reach out and feel the desire building, like a
leash she’s tightening and tugging. They tease each other until
her Vitae boils like honey — then, just as they might find release,
she takes her bow. The applause thunders after her, and the
wave carries her backstage. Always keep them wanting more.
Leta’s satisfied in her growing hunger, but the performance
is only an appetizer. Tonight, out beyond the stage lights, Leta
caught sight of her mark, the daughter of a conservative lobbyist
who’s been pushing for gentrification in her pack’s territory. The
young woman accepted anonymously-gifted tickets to what she
thought was a charity performance on behalf of the local halfway
house. Instead, she took in her first burlesque show, aroused and
empowered and baffled at previously buried sensations.
Leta offers her up to the hunt. Miles away, her pack master
nods and the flames blaze between them. The Beast pads to
the fore. Leta gazes out at the pack, feeling the strength rip-
pling through the bodies of her Acolyte sisters. They will not
let their goddess be violated. Tonight, they feast. Tomorrow,
photos of the girl’s indiscretion will send a message: This
place is ours.
Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline: Adrestoi
Covenant: Circle of the Crone
Mask: Courtesan
Dirge: Spy
Touchstone: One of Josephine Baker’s fur-lined capes.
Leta doesn’t talk about how she got it, but she wears it
every night before she performs.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Crafts (Costumes) 2, Occult 1, Politics 1
Physical Skills: Athletics (Contortion) 4, Brawl 2,
Larceny 1, Stealth 1
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Expression (Burlesque) 4,
Socialize 3, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 2
Merits: Circle of the Crone Status 1, Double Jointed,
Feeding Grounds 2, Honey Trap, The Mother–Daughter
Bond, Mentor 2, Resources 1, Trained Observer 3
Disciplines: Blood Tether 3, Dominate 2, Majesty 1,
Obfuscate 1
Blood Potency: 2
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 23
 Health: 8
Willpower: 5
Humanity: 7
Size: 5
Speed: 11
Initiative: 6
Defense: 7
Blood Tether
Blood Tether is the bond that runs through an Adrestoi
pack, connecting their Beasts and allowing them to more safely
experience extremes of emotion and self-control.
This Discipline is similar to the Coils of the Dragon, but the
Blood Tether is a collective evolution, not a personal one. Unlike
a Coil, to access these abilities a character must be part of a pack.
Furthermore, this pack must have a master, the vampire who
initiated it. A pack master must be an Adrestoi, have five dots
of Blood Tether, and invest a dot of Willpower into his pack’s
creation. In addition to the benefits of this Discipline, the pack
master gains the Pack Alpha Merit (Vampire, p. 114). Sanctity
of Merits does not apply.
To add members, the pack master must feed an initiate a
Vitae and invest them with a Willpower point. Vitae can come
from any pack member, but Willpower must come from the
master. Pack members aren’t required to know Blood Tether,
or even be vampires, but they gain no special benefits beyond
being subject to Lashes (see below).
Should the master meet Final Death, the pack shatters. He
can also step down by reclaiming his Willpower dot, but if
no one else fills his shoes, the pack ends. Leaving a pack only
requires spending a Willpower point to sever the link, but this
might incur a breaking point (Humanity 3/Integrity –3).
Unchained with Bloodline Status treat Blood Tether as if it
were their primary Mystery, but they cannot learn it without
a teacher. If an Adrestoi joins the Ordo Dracul, she can keep
this cost break or pursue a new Mystery. She cannot have two
primary Mysteries.
A character can only belong to one pack.
Bound Awareness •
To gain mastery over the swell of collective emotions, the
Adrestoi must first navigate the distances between her fellows.
The vampire treats packmates as twice-removed in terms of
blood sympathy if they are not already more closely related.
Pack Extremities ••
A burden shared is a burdened lessened. When resisting
involuntary frenzy, the vampire takes her Blood Tether dots as
a bonus if any packmates are in her immediate presence. If she
exceptionally succeeds, these packmates refresh a Willpower.
24 False Gods: Ventrue
Mass Euphoria •••
The vampire channels the will of her pack to turn pain
and rage into pleasure. If the vampire exceptionally succeeds
resisting frenzy with Pack Extremities, she gains the Ecstatic
Condition. In addition, it only costs a Vitae rather than a Will-
power to initiate or detect sympathy with packmates.
Beast Mastery ••••
The vampire can draw the pack’s power into herself at the
point of the Beast’s release. The bonus from Pack Extremities
now applies to riding the wave. Furthermore, all packmates are
considered once-removed for the purposes of blood sympathy.
The Long Leash •••••
At the pinnacle of Blood Tether, an Adrestoi owes loyalty
only to the collective. The vampire gains her Blood Tether dots
as a bonus to resisting blood bonds, and if she has an existing
third-stage Vinculum to a non-packmate, it shatters. Finally,
detecting and initiating blood sympathy with packmates now
exceptionally succeeds on three successes instead of five.
Lashes of Blood Tether
Characters with dots in Blood Tether can also learn Lashes,
procedures similar to Scales of the Dragon. These ceremonies
are more akin to group bonding and hazing rituals than the
scientific systems of the Defiant, and unlike Scales, only
members of a pack can be subject to their effects. Inducting new
packmates almost always requires the performance of Lashes.
In addition to the following, Adrestoi can purchase Scales of
the Voivode as Lashes (Vampire, pp. 158–159). Prerequisites are
the same dot level as the associated Coil effects. Storytellers and
players should work together to define how those procedures
work as ceremonies in the context of Blood Tether.
Iron Joy
Prerequisite: Pack Extremities
Ceremony: With this Lash, the Unchained can offer a fleeting
sense of their emotional highs to temporarily stun, seduce, or
entice a mortal, while also keeping him safe from the will of other
predators. The vampire makes a scratch to draw the mortal’s
blood, then makes a matching scratch on herself, mingling their
blood with clasped hands or bloodied kisses. This costs a Vitae.
Outcome: The blood offering obliterates other thoughts
or goals in the subject’s mind. They become compliant and
suggestible, eager to obey the pack. In addition to the usual
effects of drinking Vitae, for the next week, any pack member
using mental or social Disciplines on the subject treats a
normal success as an exceptional success. However, the subject’s
pleasure in submission hardens his will, adding the vampire’s
Blood Tether dots as a bonus to all Resolve rolls (except when
resisting the pack’s abilities).

Shared Feast
Prerequisite: Mass Euphoria
Ceremony: To establish this Lash, the vampire and a mortal
subject feed from the same vessel of blood. The vessel must
include one Vitae each from at least two members of the pack,
including the one initiating the Lash. Performing this ritual
does not risk blood bonds, but it does risk addiction
Outcome: Once a night, the mortal regains a point of
Willpower for being fed upon. In return, the pack member who
granted this feeding gains double the Vitae she normally would.
This effect lasts for feedings equal to Vitae spent into the Lash.
Twists of the Blood: Golden Calves
Matthias’s legacy lives on. Some of his Children of Gold still
exist in schisms within the Sanctified, but a few have founded
their own enclaves around the United States, and they may
differ enough from Adrestos’ Unchained to qualify as a whole
new bloodline.
Unlike most Kindred holding to their urban jungles, the
Golden Cult aims to make a paradise off the grid, separate
from the entrenched systems of society. For the Galts, the
only way to create Utopia is to sacrifice the world entire.
These vampires prepare bunkers that can survive everything
from werewolves to World War III. They curate herds of prey,
providing “perfect” lives without want, crime, or suffering.
With their own special Lashes, they ensure their kine feel joy
at all times. All contribute and all are provided a free-run,
free-range, organic food supply.
At first, the Children tested these cooperatives in small,
rural communities, but since then they’ve advanced to full
self-sufficiency: hydroponics, low-impact agriculture, renewable
energy, and credit systems without any exchange of money. But
as technology advances, a few fanatics are working out ways to
build their society under the sea, or even in space. The Galts
know disaster is coming — whether it’s climate change or some
other errant disaster — and they aim to not only weather that
apocalypse, but thrive in the world to come. If the Kindred
want to survive, they’ll need to band together and get smart
about protecting their food supply. Otherwise, it truly will be
the end times.
Nicknames: Children of Gold, Galts, the Golden Cult
(among other Adrestoi)
Bloodline Bane: As above.
Disciplines: Dominate, Majesty, Obfuscate, Resilience
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 25
 The Brethren of the Hundred Faces
The Maskers
There used to be a me, but it was holding us back.
You want to join the Brethren of the Hundred Faces
because: You need help. You don’t care if you’re a tool if you
get what’s coming to you. You miss your soul and want to
patch over the void. You’re afraid of what the Beast might
take next. You never want to be alone.
The big picture: The Brethren are a small covenant
of hyper-individualist Kindred. Libertarian almost to the
point of caricature, Maskers believe vampires owe nothing
to nobody if it doesn’t serve their own interests. The only
issues Kindred should concern themselves with are comfort,
safety, and blood, not collectivist lies like politics and
religion. Do as thou wilt is the whole of their law. Of course,
politics and religion might be made up, but they’re rather
useful. Fucking off to your own devices is a bit like sending
up a white flag to the Beast. So, how do the Brethren keep
the dark side in check? Have they got a deal for you.
Where we came from: The Hundred Faces. Our Con-
sciences. They figured out you don’t need to play the Danse
Macabre to have a good Requiem. Quite the opposite. They
were even generous enough to share their work with the rest
of us schmucks, and now they get to sit back and watch the
cash pile up — metaphorically speaking. What they really
get out of all this is their business. No one knows how they
did it or how long they’ve been at it, but who cares? People
who ask too many questions, that’s who.
Our practices: You know how they say, “Jesus, take the
wheel?” It’s a bit like that, except Jesus is an elder vam-
pire’s personality molding your body and mind in its own
image — but that makes it sound like a bad thing. Look,
you want to get yours and to hell with the rest. Great. That
puts you above 99 percent of other Licks. But! You can’t do
it on your own. Via the ritual of Alignment, Maskers use
bio-engineered Vitae to imprint members with a backup
personality, based on one of the Hundred. It’s the Pilot;
you’re the Captain. In addition to new skillsets to get you
through the night, it keeps the Beast’s growling to a min-
imum. Maybe it’s not quite the liberty you pictured, but
what does identity matter when you can do whatever you
want, without some useless ideology nagging in your ear?
Sure, the Pilot is definitely using you, but it’s also giving you
tangible results. It’s an investment in your Requiem, and
you’ll never get a better return. Act now, before it’s too late!
When we are in power: When are we not?
When we are in trouble: You wouldn’t know if it were
staring you in the face.
Nicknames: The Maskers, the Facers, the Ciphers
(derogatory)
26 False Gods: Ventrue
The Hundred Masks
Each Masker has a Pilot, a voice in her head who acts as
an eternal-life coach. Once a scene, a Facer can spend a Vitae
to gain dots equal to her Covenant Status to distribute over
a pre-defined Skill or Skills, representing the Conscience’s
breadth of knowledge. Covenant Status for Brethren is less
social standing and more metaphysical attunement; the
higher the dots, the better the Pilot can communicate. This
boost can exceed the vampire’s usual Blood Potency trait
cap and lasts for the durations below. However, whenever
the vampire activates her Skills, roll Humanity. On a failure,
she gains the Subsumed Condition.
The Pilot also dulls the Beast’s influence, adding a +1
to all detachment rolls. If that pool is reduced to zero or
below, the player still rolls one real die, not a chance die.
In addition, the character is always considered to have one
Touchstone when it comes to staving off torpor.
However, while the Pilot offers many benefits, it also
slowly mutates its host into a creature the Brethren
derisively call a Faxist (“facsimile fascist”), a grotesque
almost-duplicate of the original Conscience. As she loses
Humanity and gains Status, the vampire more and more
resembles her Pilot physically and mentally. If she falls to
Humanity 0, the Pilot consumes the Captain’s personality.
The vampire becomes a Faxist rather than a draugr, but is
no longer viable as a player character.
Condition: Subsumed
Your Pilot is in control, whether for your own good
or on behalf of the Hundred Faces and their mysterious
agenda. Any action you take out of accordance with its will
is penalized by half your Covenant Status, rounding up, and
you do not benefit from the usual bonus to your enhanced
Skill(s), if applicable. This Condition ends without resolving
at the end of the night.
Resolution: Defend an Anchor to the point of
recovering all Willpower. Suffer a breaking point due to
the Pilot’s desires. Follow the Pilot’s directive to the letter.
Humanity Skill Boost Duration
8–10 One action
6–7 Two actions
4–5 One scene
2–3 Two scenes
1 One night
 Gottlings
the ones who pull your strings
Some artists, self-proclaimed, believe restraint is an ideal.
These people are cowards. No, moderation is an excuse to make
mediocrities feel better about their blandness. Writing, music,
and theater are all perfectly adequate mediums for such middle
talents. Like cheap wine — good enough. For true artists, only
one canvas will satisfy: life. Real life, where the actors aren’t aware
of the script, and the stage directions are compulsions screaming
into their souls. Of course, creating in such a medium means
someone inevitably, invariably, gets hurt. A necessary evil. If you
want to produce art of value, you must be fearless. Transgressive.
Perhaps that doesn’t make sense to you, but art doesn’t need to
make sense, and the Gottlings are true artistes.
Most Lords see manipulation as a means to an end, a way to
keep their subjects in line within their petty fiefdoms. For the
Directors, manipulation is the end. They crave control the way
most other Kindred crave Vitae, yet paradoxically, Gottlings
tend to have very little use for keeping their own accounts in the
black. “Order” is just a word for “squandered dramatic potential.”
Nobody cares when everything goes according to plan. A baker
goes to work and makes bread every day; who gives a shit? What
if, instead, the baker just happens to slip a pinch of arsenic in
the morning dough? He can’t say why he did it. Maybe he doesn’t
even remember. That part doesn’t matter. What does matter is
that people will be talking about the Sourdough Massacre for
months. Years! Just think of all the emotion such a small thing
can generate. The rage, the despair, the hatred… all of it fertile
ground for the Gottlings to do their work.
The Dramaturges get a thrill from creating that sort of cause-
and-effect reaction. All it ever takes is a gentle touch here or a
whispered command there. It’s not a matter of making order
from chaos, but rather of choosing the shape chaos takes.
The stories they produce can be action-packed thrillers full of
murder and destruction, tragedies rife with loss and heartbreak,
or just twisted and bloody slapstick comedies. Often, they’re all
these things; just depends where you’re sitting. Those safely in
the audience have brought much profit to the bloodline. They
really are the best show on earth, if you don’t mind a little moral
“All the world’s a stage,
and all the men and women are my playthings.”
compromise. All the Directors do is provide a service. For the
elder who’s seen the Bard a thousand times, what could match
the thrill of watching the Scottish Play unravel in real time? Or
maybe you’re just a jaded Gen-X neonate who misses the time
when “punk show” was a byword for “riot.” The Directors are
already queuing up the music.
The Gottlings have honed their craft over thousands of
years. They did it in the amphitheaters of Athens, and they
do it tonight with starlets on Broadway and silver screens in
Hollywood. They were the original phantoms of the opera: He
is an immaculate corpse using stage makeup to cover his lack
of complexion as he sweeps some wealthy dolt off his feet, only
to use make the fallout of their affair into a paying voyeur’s
thrill; she is a black-clad stagehand waiting in the wings to
hand an unwitting Juliet the knife that’s about to make her
famous. When the Gottlings look at a crowded room, they
don’t see people, just countless plot threads, and it’s up to these
Dramaturges to weave them into the most intriguing stories
the All Night Society has ever seen.
Nothing is ever really enough for the Gottlings. They have
a pursuit, but no destination. They build on the work that
preceded them or struggle to surpass dramatic events that
unfolded by chance. Boundaries exist to be pushed. Limitations
are only necessary as a challenge. The Directors are far more
interested in what happens when you cut a thing open and
turn it inside out, and nothing will stop them from sating
that curiosity.
Why you want to be us
They say history is written by the victors. A lie. History is
written by us. We choose who wins and who loses, who’s cast as
the hero and who’s remembered as the villain. We decide who
gets their happy ending and how long it lasts. Any rube can kill,
but it takes talent to turn an innocent into a predator. You want
to be us because life could be so much more interesting if you
could plot and pace it.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 27

Why you should fear us
Are you sure those words are your
own? And those odd impulses
roiling in your belly — are those
yours too? We feed your lines and
provide the motivation for whatever
rodents hired the piper to solve their problem, and so
part we need you to play. We craft
he played for them too. The rodents followed the rhythm
the narrative and play the song you
of his song — followed it right off a cliff. The piper
dance to, and if you’re lucky, maybe
you’ll even get to thank us for it.
Why we should fear ourselves
We’re the architects of our own demise.
When we scare away or break all of our many
playthings, when we’ve dissected and rearranged
everything we have, when we’re left alone with
nothing but our drive to create to keep us warm
— well, then we need to find a new subject. Art
is suffering, and our own is often our final
masterpiece.
Bloodline Origins
• You’ve heard the first Ventrue were
children of Cronus who ate their way out
of their father’s belly. This is true, but
it’s only the first part of the story. When
those first Lords rose up as gods, they
spawned more to swell the ranks of the
Pantheon. The first Gottling was one
of these creatures: Dionysus, the patron
of wine, sex, and theatre.
• At least, that’s how the Gottlings
tell it. Kindred obsessed with telling
stories being descendants of the god
of theatre? They love that shit. The
truth, as with most things, is more
complicated. They did come from
him in a manner of speaking.
The first Bacchanal in tribute
to Dionysus was a bloody affair
with a body count to match.
The worshippers were so caught
up in the throes of ecstasy that
they ripped each other to pieces,
only when not a single one was
left whole. Their blood soaked
into the earth and scavenger
birds refused to touch the meat
left behind. After seven nights,
the blood seeped back out of
the ground, and the plants all
28 False Gods: Ventrue
withered. The bodies of these worshipers began to
stitch back together, piece by piece, and when they
awoke, only the lust for more pain remained.
• Once upon a midnight darkly, a piper played a
tune. His music was enchanting, and anyone who
heard it was compelled to dance. A village plagued by
returned for his payment, but rather than pay what
they owed, the villagers attacked. They beat the
Piper unconscious and tore the limbs from his
still-living body, then left the remains outside
of town. The following night, a song of hate
and vengeance echoed through the empty
streets. The piper’s body parts began to dance
beneath the moonlight and put themselves
back together. When the piper awoke, he
had a new tune, one he played for the
children of the village. His song cursed
them with hunger, and the children
devoured their parents as they slept. The
piper left the village, the still-hungry
children dancing in his wake. They
were his now. And they all dance on
— dramatically ever after.
Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: Directors, Drama-
turges, Drama Queens (disrespectful)
Bloodline Bane (The Curse of the
Muse): A Gottling fixates on her awful
works without an anchor to keep her
steady. Whenever a Dramaturge has
no attached Touchstones, she gains the
Obsession Condition relating to what-
ever project is currently at the forefront
of her mind. This Condition lasts until
she completes the task, gains Humanity,
or acquires a new Touchstone. Work
with the Storyteller to choose a narra-
tively appropriate Obsession; long-term
Aspirations are a good starting point,
but the pettier the better.
Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex,
Dominate, Obfuscate
In the Covenants
The Carthian Movement: The revolution will
be broadcast, but that means someone needs
to hold the camera. It’s not uncommon for
Lords to join the Firebrands for the thrill
of victory, and Gottlings are similar
in that regard. It’s not enough just to
win, though — Directors want to win with style. They are the
independent reporters, the bloggers, and the influencers who
decide how the camera frames the action. They are masters of
making something from nothing, of turning meaningless drivel
into the next big hit. Firebrand Gottlings feed off outrage, and
their weapons of war are sensationalism and scandal-mongering.
“Facts” and “research” are just roadblocks.
The Circle of the Crone: Ingenuity is borne from adversity,
and technology begets lethargy. Directors who join the Mother’s
Army use these words as their guiding principle; whereas most
Gottlings have an almost fanatical devotion to innovation, their
Acolytes view it as an anchor. They believe modernism has left
the Kindred out of touch with their spiritual origins and seek
to go back to an earlier time. Directors here excel as organizers
and figureheads within cults, typically working as the driving
force behind various smaller groups under a single banner, and
making sure their rites have sky-high production values.
The Invictus: Art is the most important thing to a Gottling,
but some are quicker to recognize that resources can make artistic
pipe dreams into tangible reality. First Estate Directors are often
looked down upon by others of their blood. To outsiders, joining
the Invictus is the ultimate act of selling out. It’s a betrayal of every
principle they live and bleed for as artists. However, for the ones
on the inside, that attitude is a fantastic load of bull. Whoever
said it was necessary to suffer to be legit almost certainly died
alone and smelling of overripe fruit. When you join the First
Estate, you get backstage access to the inner workings of the All
Night Society. Every aspect of the Masquerade is a performance,
and no one’s better suited to shaping and pushing that perfor-
mance than the Gottlings. Most Kindred who play the game are
trying to win it, but the Dramaturges have no interest in that;
winning just means the game is over.
The Lancea et Sanctum: Sacred orders, religious insurrec-
tions, bloody history — it’s all so romantic, isn’t it? Gottlings
who join the Second Estate see the value in recording the
present and understanding the past. They also see the utility
such stories have in leading a congregation to God, and excel
at whipping crowds into a religious fervor, or at spreading nasty
rumors to keep living flocks behaving as they should. Whether
true believers or jaded parasites seeking a quick path to power,
these Gottlings are charismatic preachers who treat sermons
as their own personal stage.
The Ordo Dracul: Kindred too often limit themselves
according to what they already believe to be true. In order to
grow and innovate, fear of the unknown must be discarded, and
no one understands that better than the Gottlings. Directors
in the Ordo Dracul are the kind who see live vivisections as
performance art. They strive to not only push the boundaries
of their understanding, but to do so in the most visually and
aesthetically compelling way possible. They are the Dragons
most likely to preserve deceased specimens in museum-like
exhibits for others to examine. Many Dragon Directors view
their own bodies as the ultimate creative canvas, and almost
inevitably turn their scalpels on themselves. How else will
everyone see what feeding looks like on the inside?
Rumors
“Way I hear it, they barely count as vampires. How many real
Kindred need to be reminded to feed?”
Obviously not true, but this rumor has roots in the
Directors’ odd obsessions. The bloodline’s curse makes them
prone to hyperfixation, and that leads them down some weird
paths if they neglect their feeding. Plans get bigger, messier,
and make a whole lot less sense than usual. Some Kindred
say “starving artist” Gottlings can tap into a spiritual core of
art that vampires can no longer access, creating dramas that
embody truths and ideals beyond the wisest sages — or maybe
they just frenzy and call it guerrilla theater. The point is, they
don’t need to be reminded to feed. It’s just that Gottlings who
neglect to have a tendency to make themselves memorable.
“Gottlings? Shit man, those guys run the whole movie industry. I’m
not just talking Hollywood either. Bollywood, Sundance, the damn
Alamo Drafthouse. They’re pulling all of the strings.”
Half true. No major studio is run by Kindred (yet), let
alone a single bloodline. However, Gottlings do tend to be
attracted to the film industry, especially younger Directors
who are still learning the full extent of their abilities. Think
of it like a student’s sketchbook. They have talent, but they
still need practice. Gottlings tend to be less common on the
business side, but like many Ventrue, some see a certain art
in defeating and dominating lessers in the board room. More
than a few Hollywood blockbusters feature a Dramaturge in
the credits as a script doctor or an acting coach, usually under
a pseudonym — but not always. After all, some just love the
thrill of recognition.
“Couple thousand years ago, some Lord made a deal with a devil
to be the greatest artist of all time. In return, he sold his mind, and
every Lick he sired inherited both the gift and the cost. Makes you
wonder when it might come due.”
While Gottlings love to see this rumor make the rounds
(Demons? So dramatic!), there’s only a slice of truth to it.
Demons and Kindred have little in common at face value.
Different goals, different non-lives. A vampire would need
to be off her gourd to risk dealing with the kind of heat the
Unchained pull down. So, it works out that most Gottlings
are pretty off their gourds. Now, they don’t typically work
together directly; that would defeat the point. But demons
have a constant need for new cover identities, and there are
few creatures on this ball of dirt better at stealing or creating
personae than the Gottlings. It also isn’t hard to see the value
in having something as powerful as a demon in your debt.
What a show that would make.
Virginia Knox
“It’s just business, hon.”
Ginny was always looking for the easy way out. She was the
kind of person who graduates top of her class thanks to the
hard work of others, and then gets thank-you cards for providing
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 29
 them the opportunity to be her stepping stone. She could have Social Skills: Empathy (Vulnerability) 4, Expression 2,
had a comfy little life as some rich dude’s trophy wife-turned Subterfuge (Misdirection) 3
professional widow, which is why it was a surprise for everyone Merits: Invictus Status 3, Parkour 2, Resources 4,
when Ginny chose to go into the business world. She couldn’t Trained Observer 3, Where the Bodies Are Buried
help it though. Life in corporate espionage was too interesting
Disciplines: Auspex 2, Celerity 1, Dominate 4,
to pass up. Something about the pageantry of the whole thing Obfuscate 3
just spoke to her; the costumes and characters, the chance to
push wage slaves this way or that to offset blame or make an Devotions: Dream Casting, Quicken Sight, Spotlight,
opening for herself. Or just for fun. She was good at it too. For Talent Scout
a while, at least. Blood Potency: 2
One night a gig took her prowling a little too close to a First Health: 7
Estate money woman. The creature could predict the spy’s
every move, and their chase ended with Ginny backed into a
Willpower: 5
corner with her hands pinned above her head. However, the Humanity: 6
vampire saw something in the poor mortal wriggling against Size: 5
her grasp: potential. That was how Virginia Knox got the
role of a lifetime. Speed: 10
After her Embrace, Virginia’s day-to-day (or night-to-night) Initiative: 6
routine remained mostly unchanged. She kept working as a Defense: 5 (Active Defense 6)
freelance spy, but her new powers came with a new perspective
to match. It was like spending your whole career doing one-acts
in a shitty black box theater then suddenly being cast as the
lead in a Broadway smash. Now she can see the big picture,
New Devotions
the way individual scenes interconnect. She was always good
at getting whatever she wanted, but now she can really know Borrowed Talent
what that is.
Virginia excels at noticing small details and reading every (Auspex ••••, Dominate •)
petty aspect of a person’s demeanor. She knows what they want Gottlings don’t get up on stage very often, but sometimes they
in order to get what she wants. If a situation calls for a delicate like to write up a fun cameo. With this Devotion, a Dramaturge
touch, she’s also not above a little breaking and entering. While can purloin a little talent from her victim. As a treat.
her sire is pleased her investment has, thus far, paid off, she’s This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
frustrated at Virginia’s lack of direct problem-solving skills. Cost: 2 Vitae
Some jobs are best resolved by slitting someone’s throat, but
Requirement: The vampire is reading the victim’s thoughts
that’s the one thing that doesn’t come naturally to Virginia.
with Lay Open the Mind.
Perhaps it’s for the best. Being a triple threat might endanger
her sire’s position in the First Estate. Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Clan: Ventrue
Duration: Night
Bloodline: Gottling
The vampire temporarily steals a Social Skill Specialty the
Covenant: Invictus subject possesses. For the rest of the night, she can play the
Mask: Social Chameleon piano, sing opera, or whatever else her victim might have in
their repertoire, depriving him of his special talent. However,
Dirge: Spy the vampire must have at least one dot in the appropriate Skill
Touchstone: Ahmed Asadi, her friend with benefits. or else the Specialty has no effect. If the victim has more than
He’s another corporate spy, and one of the only people one Social Specialty in his traits, the vampire’s player chooses
in her former life who’d call her on her bullshit. which to copy.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 2 The vampire can only use this Devotion once a night.
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 3, Dream Casting
Composure 3
(Dominate •••)
Mental Skills: Academics 3, Computer 2, Investigation
3, Politics 3 Not every actor is right for the part, but with this Devotion,
a Gottling makes sure they can at least fake it.
Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Larceny (Breaking This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
and Entering) 2, Stealth 4, Weaponry (Garrotes) 1

30 False Gods: Ventrue

 Cost: 1 Vitae
Requirement: The vampire must have inf licted the
Dominated Condition on the victim.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Night
The vampire imbues her subject with a simple social role he
must play out over the course of the night, or until he resolves
Dominated, whichever comes first. For example, she could force
a subject to behave “hysterically,” or “as a lover scorned,” or even
“like a fool.” Regardless of his acting talents, the victim will play
his part with gusto, adding the vampire’s Dominate dots to any
Expression rolls, and ignoring any untrained penalty. If the role
involves a Specialty (Acting, Dancing, Singing, etc.) she can imbue
her victim with that quality as well, but only if she possesses that
Specialty herself, or if she stole one with Borrowed Talent.
Fulfilling this role is a temporary Anchor; once a scene, the
subject regains a Willpower for playing his part convincingly,
or all Willpower if it leads to serious drama.
Spotlight
(Dominate •, Obfuscate •••)
Instead of fading into the background, the vampire can hang
a lantern on her victims.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Requirement: The vampire afflicts her subject with the
Touch of Shadow.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Scene
The vampire inverts the muted effect of Face in the Crowd
to make a person, place, or thing grab the attention of everyone
nearby. Unlike Majesty, this isn’t a sudden charm offensive; it’s
just that people can’t… stop… staring. It’s almost hypnotic. For
the rest of the scene, the vampire exceptionally succeeds with
a normal success on any action to call attention to her subject.
Talent Scout
(Auspex •)
The vampire has a special knack for noticing vulnerabilities
in the people around them, and can guide the Beast in its
snooping.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Scene
The Gottling expands their senses to pick up on a specific
vice or vulnerability. This might be an addiction, a harmful
secret, or even a hidden talent. The vampire can be fairly
specific here (a heroin addiction, a secret lover, an abandoned
music career, etc.), but the more specific the trait, the less likely
they are to find what they’re looking for. If a person fitting this
description comes within the extent of their Kindred Senses for
heart beats, the Beast sends up a signal, and the vampire can
then use Beast’s Hackles to pinpoint their victim.
Twists of the Blood: Shadow Puppeteers
The Gottling talent for exploiting secrets bears a striking
resemblance to the Mekhet, so much so that a few Kindred
genealogists believe this lineage was a mutation caused by a
mixing of Lord and Shadow Vitae somewhere down the line.
If you want to expand this bloodline to the Shadows,
Gottlings in the Mekhet side of the family are one-person shows.
They tend to adopt multiple identities and switch between them
freely; instead of manipulating from off-stage, they play every
role, and treat the people around them as specialized props.
Use the system below with the Storyteller’s permission:
Nicknames: Phantoms, Masks
Bloodline Bane: As above, but the Phantoms crave bigger
audiences to fit their expanded parts. Mekhet Gottlings trigger
their bane when they only have one attached Touchstone.
Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Dominate, Obfuscate
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 31
 Keravnos
the ones who shock you
He prepares for his transatlantic flight, chair reclined and a
blanket draped over his knees even though he doesn’t feel the chill.
He’s made it clear the windows in the first-class compartment are to
remain shuttered for the duration of the journey. The handsome tip
he plies the stewardess with ensures his will shall be done.
He settles his hands upon the armrests, opening his awareness
to the wiring hidden beneath the plush leather. The pulse thrums
against his wrists, and, in a moment of pique, he imagines it to
be his own. He presses his thumb against the headphone jack,
the coppery tang of the port so like the flavor of fresh blood. He
breathes out, then sharply inhales.
A jolt leaps up his arm, filling him with warmth, setting his
nerves atremble and bursting stars behind his closed eyelids. His
desiccated heart turns over once inside his chest, like an old car
sputtering to life.
He dares not draw more, not when he’s drinking from engines
keeping him 31,000 feet up. But the shot of juice will keep him
going until he lands in Cairo and can have a proper meal. The
stewardess comes around with her cart, offering highballs. He
flashes an electric smile, the faint acrid smell from the jack already
recycling into the filtration system.
“Thanks, but I’ve got everything I need.”
The Keravnos are the bleeding edge of the All Night Society.
First emerging as automation exploded across the globe, it’s
a common misconception among Kindred that these devel-
opments correlate, but it’s more accurate to say the Shock-
ers thrived because of the boom in electronics. As washing
machines, then TVs, then PCs, then Wi-Fi moved into every
home, their food sources multiplied at a geometric rate — as
well as their footholds on power. The Keravnos are unique in
their ability to feed from electrical sources, an edge that (as
they see it) puts them far ahead of their rival Lords, stuck as
they are with their fragile, traditional herds.
Industry is a Jovian’s hunting grounds, not the streets or
the clubs or the squalor. Whether she’s the hands-on CEO of
a hydroelectric concern or just the “lifelong” foreman of the
plant, her influence extends as far and wide as the current
coursing from her lair. Some Shockers are union leaders
“Power runs through these veins. Literally.”
32 False Gods: Ventrue
working to liberate the means of production for their own
hungry ends, while others are tech bros developing the next
killer app to wipe out dead and living competitors. A few are
Silicon Valley oligarchs using cryptocurrencies to power their
bank accounts and corpses. Whenever technology is exalted
and human flesh is cheap, you’ll find a Keravnos.
Among the Kindred, Shockers have members in every coven­
ant, as their adaptability makes them both desirable masters
and versatile retainers. However, most Keravnos retain a link to
others of their blood, even continents away. This worldwide web
calls itself the Technopoly, a union of industrialists, engineers,
and dead nerds who keep a constant tab on the power shifts
rippling through the All Night Society. Within their circle,
they cut deals, exchange information, and share access to new
technology… for a price. Theirs is no nostalgic fraternity, but
rather a meeting of like-minds, using one another to mutually
advance their own ends. From code-crackers to bank robbers,
vote fixers to corporate spies, the Technopoly’s goals are as
varied as the mortals they once were. The subtlest among them
pass unnoticed among the lower ranks of their covenants,
sabotaging equipment with their sizzling touches, or using the
spark of their blood to gain access to sensitive records on behalf
of the highest bidder. The more overt stride into combat with
lightning lancing from their outstretched hands, destroying
anything machine or meat that gets in their way.
Like all Ventrue, every Keravnos has an angle, and to achieve
their goals they’ll bend the technological world into any shape
that serves their power lust. The more they achieve, the more
brazen they become. The more they allow the Surge to sweep
away Humanity, the more their curse haunts them. Power, as
they say, has its price. Those Shockers who lose control of the
are swallowed by the dark, becoming ravenous monsters that
threaten to destroy all they’ve worked for. Their outer façades
bursts, their flesh rent and raw, stinking of burnt fat and fried
hair, lips peeled back from permanently blackened teeth. Nothing
of Humanity remains in them, not even the desire for blood.
Instead, they siphon electricity with abandon, fearless of being
spotted, and stripping it out of their former Keravnos brethren
if given even half the chance.
 Why you want to be us
Gone are the nights of hiding behind castle
walls. If you want to survive in an increasingly
sleepless, interconnected world, you need to
use modern systems. That includes your food,
and as one of the Jovians, you’ll get your fill
without ever spilling a drop. Our lifeblood
is in the very air, from the smartphone in your pocket to
the satellites in orbit to the socket on your bedroom wall. With
us, you’ll never go hungry again.

Why you should fear us

Zeus with his thunderbolts was most high of the Olympians. Thor’s
thunder made him fiercest of the Norse pantheon. Marduk’s storms
brought glory to all of Babylon. We are their inheritors. A new age dawns,
one defined by steel and the crack of lightning, and it belongs to us. Give
yourself to the new gods and pray they’re merciful.

Why we should fear ourselves

The more we feast on the wires, the more we sink into the belly of the machine, the further
we slip from Humanity’s embrace. We’ve tamed a new monster to help us survive the modern
world and keep the Beast at bay, but it’s birthed a blistering fire within us. Drunk on our
own capacity, we tempt electrocution.

Bloodline Origins
• Ambrosios Keravnos was well-named and well-blessed. A Greek sailor in life, he made
his fortune at first smuggling, then building up a fleet of merchant ships. A bad year
of thunderstorms at sea brought him close to ruin, and so he accepted a trade with a
Ventrue prince, a man of wealth and taste in the worlds of both Kindred and kine.
Ambrosios proved himself and was Embraced, existing as one of the dead another
six decades and adding to his fortunes as he modernized his business holdings.
However, a freak summer thunderstorm redirected the path of his fate. Some
say Ambrosios survived a lightning strike; detractors say he was zapped by his
short-wave radio while calling a mayday. He survived, more vital and resilient
than ever, and with a new spark in his blood. Now his childer occupy every
corner of the world, and he still sends them out like merchant ships of old
to build his fortune further.
• Edison made his fortune on the electric light, and it was a Lord in his
employ who made the discovery that would form a new offshoot of the
Ventrue line. It started one stormy night, as things of forbidden power
so often do, with an unholy blending of science and occult, a planetary
alignment, and the unspeakable names of forgotten gods. Lightning
struck the Lord to mark the ritual’s completion, and he was plunged into
a deep, smothering slumber. There he dreamt of wires and watts, and a
world reborn in the beating of machine hearts. The years crawled by
outside his torpor, and the forgotten gods wove his dreams into reality.
None can say what they demanded in exchange, but he awoke to a
world of autonomous marvels, and the power to take dominion over
them. However, in the spaces between these wonders, a charred
thing began to stalk him like a shadow. Here was a new face for
the Devil to wear, a demon to challenge the Jovians’ ascent as
gods of the machine.

Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 33

 • Once upon a midnight darkly, a girl looked into a mirror
and saw a face that was not her own. She’d typed the words
“Bloody Mary” seven times and kept the lights turned low.
She waited, heart beating, as the cursor blinked back, sure
the legend was false. The lights went aflicker, her pulse
pounded quicker, and a sick smile was grinning between pixel
and code. She tried to scream, but shock stilled her tongue,
and her reflection warped in the screen. The creature had
listened; it had spoken all that was left to be said. Now she
just keeps going and going, click-clacking away waiting for
Mary to reclaim her. She’ll stay in her room, caught in the
wires — mindlessly ever after.
Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: Shockers, Jovians, the Technopoly
Bloodline Bane (The Voltaic Curse): For all its advantages,
electricity grounds out a Shocker’s connection to the Man.
Whenever a Keravnos incurs a breaking point for harming
mortals with or because of electricity, her Touchstones are
treated as if they attach one Humanity level higher than usual.
In addition, if she’s only fed from electricity in a given night (see
p. 36), all detachment rolls suffer a –2 modifier. Even a blood
parasite is more humane than a walking battery.
Disciplines: Celerity, Dominate, Resilience, Surge
In the Covenants
The Carthian Movement: Technocracy is alive and well
for Keravnos Firebrands, with many controlling access to
technology and electricity as social currency among their
Kindred. “Power to the People!” is more than a motto among
their coteries. Carthian Shockers coordinate petitions and
grassroots movements in support of public works and other
local industrial projects, or craft protest campaigns for workers’
rights, placing their comrades among mortals operating their
food sources.
The Circle of the Crone: Despite their thunder god pre-
tensions, the Keravnos came late to the Crone. Most of the
Circle’s Jovians are neonates, counterculture pagans who
look up rituals on Wiccan forums, watch The Craft for the
thousandth time, and straddle the line between Kindred
tradition and cutting-edge occultism. They’ve got a tarot app
and a digital astrology chart, and work “reiki” to feed off
ghouls through a bit of static shock. Many worship old gods
with a new twist, seeing various thunder deities in modern,
technological guises. Within the bloodline, Acolytes are the
most likely to eschew the Technopoly and put their lot in with
other Kindred — just so long as they agree on the same bands.
They’ll drag the Dark Mother into the 21st century, even if
she’s kicking and screaming.
The Invictus: First Estate Keravnos are kingpins of the grid.
They also tend to work alone. If they hold associations with
other Shockers beyond token obligations to the Technopoly, it’s
in the position of electro-pushers to an army of addicts. Among
the Invictus, they seek control over the surveillance state the
34 False Gods: Ventrue
kine unwittingly gifted the Kindred, extending the Conspiracy’s
love of clandestine innovation to far more grandiose ends,
purchasing cellphone networks and ISPs, and investing in
interstate infrastructure projects.
The Lancea et Sanctum: Power can go to anyone’s head,
but perhaps none so explosively as Shockers among the ranks
of the Church. Many of the eldest Keravnos came from Greek
Orthodox backgrounds, and once put great value in asceticism
— until they could literally throw thunderbolts. Maybe the
Olympians had a point. By giving in to the Surge, Sanctified
Keravnos slip in their humbleness before the divine, instead
seeing their gifts as an extension of God’s terrifying grace. Some
hone their gifts to restart mortal hearts and perform other
miracles, and rumor has it a few Sanctified Shockers make the
rounds in the Bible Belt, “laying on hands” and working other
modern-day resurrections.
The Ordo Dracul: Defiant Shockers believe their thirst for
electricity is the dawning of a new age for the Kindred. Indeed,
some think they’re close to achieving what Dracula could not.
These Keravnos unravel secrets in the Blood by studying their
own lineage with advanced technology, painstaking research,
and an obsession with Galvanism unseen since Frankenstein.
If they aren’t careful, they may find themselves following too
closely in Victor’s footsteps, making some sort of monstrous
non-life with their processes. A few reports suggest they
already have.
Rumors
“That assassination in Caracas last month wouldn’t have been
possible with kine forces alone. I heard something took out the
surveillance cameras, and that drones fell out of a clear blue sky.
It was all over so quickly, and the bodies had such strange burns…”
Los Relámpagos are (allegedly) a mercenary group of
Carthian Shockers operating in Central and South America.
They enable coups, facilitate assassinations, and stir up
revolutions among both Kindred and kine. None can say
what their underlying motives are, or their true ideology, and
no political powers will admit to harboring them; even the
Technopoly disavows them, when it acknowledges them at all.
Some Keravnos dismiss their existence, claiming it’s a little
convenient to blame Shockers for every technological glitch
that happens to lead to some dictator’s just desserts. If Los
Relámpagos exist, their support is as brief as their retribution
is violent. Attempting to control such Kindred would be like
trying to grasp a cut powerline with bare hands.
“Never thought I’d see a vegan vampire, but here we are. Shame
about that burnt-flesh stench, though. Kinda defeats the purpose of
the whole ‘blending in by not hunting’ thing. Is that just the endpoint
for every Shocker?”
The Charred are an informal movement of Keravnos
who feast excessively and almost exclusively on electricity.
Mainstream Shockers mock these odd cousins as “vegans,”
assuming they wish to protect human life through non-vio-
lent feeding. While some do walk this path to avoid harming
kine, that motive is the exception rather than the rule. Some
Charred develop a superiority complex about their capacity
to take in current, while others look at their diets in utilitar-
ian terms: Electricity is simply more accessible than blood.
However, becoming a glorified electrode disconnects the
Charred from Humanity and the Beast. Inch by inch, they sink
closer to becoming electrified abominations, cooking their
flesh and losing any ability to pass for mortal. As the charge
builds, they become ticking bombs — Powdermen waiting to
happen (p. 37).
“Technopoly isn’t just another name for a bloodline. It’s a global
conspiracy network. Teleporting through power grids? Astral projecting
into a president’s cellphone? NWO’s got nothing on them.”
So often technological advancement only asks if it can, not
if it should. That’s the Technopoly at its core, and while they
aren’t as all-pervasive as they’d like their enemies to think, some
of its members have access to the fundamental infrastructures
of their domains. That kind of power is sure to corrupt, but
the true concern is in how much. Maybe it starts with bailing
out a collapsing state, then installing massive EMP generators
to take it off the grid and letting the Masquerade collapse at its
borders. These Shockers would step out into sputtering street
lights to feed humanity’s addiction to electricity, proclaiming
themselves modern gods. The Keravnos are everywhere because
technology is everywhere, but to form an openly Kindred
nation? It seems like fantasy or hubris — or something even
more devious: possible.
Zahra Davis
“Sometimes it’s hard to resist the urge to fry all the fuckers at the
top. But then who could afford me?”
Zahra Davis was Embraced in the early 1980s, when typists
in America were making the transition to data entry. Despite
the fact that so many of them were women — and women of
color — most of the men she worked with didn’t give her the
time of day.
But Zahra was patient (mostly) and hardworking (always) and
brilliant (exceedingly). Even among the dead, she excelled at
developing coding languages, pioneering whole new tech for
her local Movement. All the while, she was writing her own
little nuggets into her programs, little switches that flip with
the right pulse of energy. With just a spark of innocuous and
harmless static, she can access a company’s databases, financial
records, and even personnel files.
Blackmail is such a dirty word, but it’s lucrative, and Zahra can
gather anything she needs from the comfort of her haven. She
had lofty goals in the beginning, dismantling the corrupt power
structures that made the sort of discrimination she experienced
a thing of the past, but the bastards she toppled always seemed
to be replaced with worse ones. Thus, the infrastructure remains
as it always has. Zahra didn’t give up, but she’s had to shift her
focus. If not, she’d lose herself in the magnitude of challenges
she couldn’t solve, even with the right bit of tech.
These nights, thousands of her little stitches are seeded
throughout countless bits of code. One flick of Zahra’s wrist,
and she can send her current surging along the information
superhighways to branch off at specific destinations. For the
right price, you can obtain her services. An exploded cellphone
here, a malfunctioning GPS system there, or just a fleet of
drones that go off protocol.
The depth of Surge she can access now is thrilling — even
awe-inspiring — a whirlpool of currents she can swirl on
her tongue with that battery-acid tingle. It’s also addictive.
These nights, she hunts kine just enough to keep from going
Powder, and hides the char-lines beneath turtlenecks and
heavy leggings.
Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline: Keravnos
Covenant: Carthian Movement
Mask: Idealist
Dirge: Questioner
Touchstone: A 1974 Altair computer she learned to
type on. It represents a pivotal moment in Zahra’s life,
and all the pivotal changes that came thereafter.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 5, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 4,
Composure 4
Mental Skills: Academics 4, Occult 1, Computer 5,
Science 2
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 1, Firearms 2,
Larceny 1, Stealth 2
Social Skills: Expression 1, Intimidation 2, Persuasion
2, Socialize 1, Subterfuge 3
Merits: Cacophony Savvy 3, Carthian Pull, Carthian
Status 3, City Status 2, I Know a Guy, Library 3,
Plausible Deniability, Resources 4, Right of Return, Safe
Place 3, Trained Observer 1
Disciplines: Celerity 2, Dominate 4, Surge 4,
Resilience 3
Devotions: Conditioning, Live Wire, Surgical Spark
Blood Potency: 3
Health: 10
Willpower: 7
Humanity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 9
Initiative: 6
Defense: 3 (Active Defense 5)
Notes: Zahra suffers the Face of Hunger bane, but no
longer suffers breaking points for accidental killing.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 35

Surge
That prickle that lifts the hair from your arms when the
pressure changes? Multiply it by a thousand and you’ll only
begin to sense the Surge. Electricity is everywhere, but the
stronger its concentration, the more it pulls at a Jovian’s dead
heartstrings. Surge enlivens the Beast, staving off its natural
hungers and unlocking access to a world of electric power.
Cost: None or 1 Vitae per active effect
Dice Pool: None
Action: None (for persistent effects) or reflexive (for active
effects)
Duration: Permanent (for persistent effects) or one turn (for
active effects)
Like physical Disciplines, Surge has persistent and active
effects. Persistent effects are always on and have no cost. Active
effects are reflexive and cost one Vitae per effect.
Persistent: The vampire can sense the presence of electrical
sources in the world around her. This constant hum is an invisible
but tangible friction against her skin at all times, and she can
use the system for finding blood with Kindred Senses to track
current. If she touches a source or endpoint of electricity, she
can draw it out, taking a Vitae per turn of contact. She can safely
take (Surge) Vitae per scene, but past that capacity she suffers a
bashing damage for each Vitae gained, with wounds resembling
Lichtenberg figures around her extremities. If a unit isn’t meant
to pump out raw electricity, exceeding its damage potential in
Vitae (see below) shorts it out until it can be repaired.
Electric Systems
Electricity is a boon to the Keravnos but deadly to
others. Electricity causes bashing damage per turn
of exposure. No attack roll is made.
If harm from electricity is more than instantaneous
— if there’s a constant flow such as through power
cables — a victim may not be able to escape. His
muscles contract, which can prevent him from
pulling away. Roll Strength as a reflexive action in
each turn of contact. Failure means your character is
still connected to the source and suffers its damage
each turn until a successful roll is made.
Worn armor provides no protection against
electrification, although specialized, nonconductive
clothing can reduce or eliminate the hazard.
Severity Example Damage
Lv. 1 Cattle prod 2B
Lv. 2 Wall socket 4B
Lv. 3 Electric fence 6B
Lv. 4 Junction box 8B
Lv. 5 Mainline feed 10B
36 False Gods: Ventrue
Active: By spending Vitae, the vampire can expel and control
electricity. For each point of Vitae spent choose one effect from
the following list. A vampire may spend additional Vitae to
invoke multiple effects simultaneously, but no effect of Surge
may be used more than once per turn.
• Redirect, shape, and move the flow of current. By touching
a source of electricity, the vampire can redirect the energy
up to (Surge * 2) meters. The vampire can even shape and
pattern it, leaving designs in the burns.
• Charge electricity. Each turn the vampire spends charging
builds up one level of electricity, but she can only charge for
a number of turns equal to Surge. Releasing the charge only
requires her to stop building up energy. For example, if she
wants to use a level 2 burst, she takes two turns to charge,
then releases it on the third. By default, released electricity
affects anyone or anything touching the vampire, but she
can use the active effect above to direct this electricity at a
distant target. Once she starts charging, a Keravnos must
expel the electricity. This effect cannot be used to feed
herself or other Shockers.
New Devotions
Live Wire
(Celerity ••, Surge ••)
With direct contact and uninterrupted focus, a human
body is an effective battery. When other energy sources aren’t
readily available, some Jovians use mortals to bolster their Surge
reservoirs, while still avoiding some of the more damaging
aspects of the Kiss. Subtly done, a Keravnos can pass her touch
off as a warming massage or a bit of reiki work.
If feeding violently, the vampire must touch her victim for
a full turn for this Devotion to function (Vampire, p. 177), or
else succeed in grappling him; if she succeeds, she can use this
Devotion in lieu of the Feed move.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Dexterity + Medicine + Surge
Action: Reflexive
Roll Results
Success: The Shocker converts latent electricity in a living
body into Vitae. For each success, she deals a point of bashing
damage to a subject and takes half that amount in Vitae
(rounding up). A victim can only be harvested this way once
per night. Succeed or fail, this Devotion has no further effect
on the same victim.
For the purposes of the Voltaic Curse, use of this Devotion
does not count as feeding from mortals.
Exceptional Success: The vampire feels reinvigorated,
regaining a Willpower point.
 Failure: The vampire’s spark sputters.
Dramatic Failure: The vampire takes no sustenance, and
causes painful burns, arrhythmia, or an epileptic episode in
her victim.
Surgical Spark
(Resilience •, Surge •)
Medical knowledge (or extensive practice) enables a Keravnos
to hone his skill with electricity to more altruistic ends. With
this Devotion, he can bring kine back from the brink of death.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: Dexterity + Medicine + Surge – damage to be
healed
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Success: The vampire heals bashing damage on her mortal
subject equal to successes, up to a limit of his Size. If the subject
is experiencing cardiac arrest or arrhythmia, this Devotion also
puts his heart back into its usual rhythm.
Exceptional Success: Flash! The subject heals all bashing
damage.
Failure: Fizzle.
Dramatic Failure: Flatline. The vampire compounds the
emergency, and the subject now requires immediate medical
attention.
Horror: The Powdermen
If Keravnos are the dazzle of a lightning flash, the Powdermen
are the charred darkness left behind. Without feasting on any
blood, Jovian flesh becomes charred and warped, making them
appear more like walking burn victims than the living dead.
Eventually, all their feeling and consciousness burns away with
the Surge, leaving only a senseless hunger in a blasted shell. Any
connections they might have had are sundered, and in search
of more power, they’ll destroy everything in their path without
remorse — without any thought at all.
Special Systems
If a Shocker feeds exclusively on electricity for more than a
week and fails a detachment roll before she next drinks blood,
she begins her transformation. Each night she takes more Vitae
from power than blood, she suffers a Humanity 1 breaking point.
If she fails, she gains a free Surge level. Her body also starts to
lose integrity, charring even when she feeds to her safe capacity.
This transformation continues until the vampire loses her last
Humanity, at which point she becomes one of the Powdermen.
Her skin is now a black carapace, and most of her hair will
have fallen out or turned into burnt stubble. In no way does
she resemble a living person in appearance, thought, or action.
Turning away from this transformation is arduous. The vam-
pire must abstain from feeding on electricity and reattach her
Humanity 7 Touchstone. This act removes any free Surge dots
and allows her flesh to heal. While in recovery, the vampire can
still use the active effects of Surge, but she cannot use it to feed
off electricity once she’s regained a Humanity dot. If she does,
she suffers a breaking point as above.
Powdermen are essentially draugr. They operate like Human-
ity 0 vampires with the following exceptions:
• Charge Capacity: For the purposes of storing Vitae, add Surge
to a Powderman’s Blood Potency. If this takes the effective trait
above 10, maximum Vitae is 90. Whenever a Powderman fills
its Vitae pool to capacity, it suffers a meltdown before the end
of the scene, giving off a level 5 blast of electricity in a radius
equal to (Blood Potency) meters. This deprives the creature
of all Vitae, but also heals any wounds.
• Perpetual Motion: Full lethal damage and stakes do not
incapacitate Powdermen. Their bodies are animated by
electricity, not the Curse, and their hearts are black hunks
of carbon. Instead, submerging a Powderman in water or
burying it beneath heavy earth will send it into torpor.
• Power Sources: Powdermen cannot feed on blood or commit
diablerie, except with Keravnos vampires.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 37
 Malocusians
the ones who invite you in
The door is right in front of you. You take one step toward
it, then another, unsteady on trembling legs. How long has it
been since you’ve eaten? You can’t remember. Ever since you
came to this place, time keeps slipping away… but you’re so
close now. The door’s even open, just a bit, letting the sweet
sounds of outside filter in with a spring breeze. You reach for
the handle — and shut it. Just like he told you.
The door closes with a soft click, and you turn away. You
feel tears trickle down your stretched-out cheeks, dripping over
cracked and bleeding lips. He only told you to smile. Didn’t say
anything about not crying. The old clock above the doorway
strikes six, and you start turning back before you even register
the action. He’ll be awake soon, you think as you trudge back
into the depths of the house.
He always wakes up hungry.
Other Kindred take their ability to roam the night for
granted. They may be restricted by domain or territory, but
they’re still hunters on the prowl. Not so the Malocusians,
bound to a single location by a twist of their blood. Unlike most
bloodlines, this one isn’t the result of a sanguine evolution,
but rather a powerful curse placed upon their founder that
spread through the rest of the line. The exact circumstances
and nature of this curse are hotly debated, but the practical
effect is universal: Every Malocusian is tethered to their haven.
It requires great resolve to even step foot outside it, and a
prolonged separation provokes the Beast to run rampant.
Over the centuries, Malocusians have adjusted to their
limitations, even developed methods to compensate for them,
but their cursed blood still defines their Requiems in ways few
other Kindred could ever understand. Given their difficulty
hunting in the manner of most vampires, Malocusians are
adept at having humans come to them. The more urbane make
their homes into hotels or lodges, sampling the clientele’s blood
at their leisure. An isolated Malocusian might lair in an old
service station. Passing motorists always seem to blow a tire or
encounter a tree fallen across the road, forcing them to stop
for assistance. The most degenerate of the line simply kidnap
people off the street, snatching whatever unfortunates they
“You really must stay for dinner!
I insist.”
38 False Gods: Ventrue
encounter in the rare moments they can force themselves away
from their havens. They keep their victims alive for weeks,
bleeding them dry while making liberal use of the Lord’s words
to ensure they can’t even try to leave, no matter how desperate
they are to escape.
However, only old or wealthy Malocusians can operate so
independently. Lacking the resources of their elders, neonates
must rely on the kindness of others for their blood supply,
which has pushed these Kindred to become deeply political.
Driven by the stubborn pride common to all Ventrue, they
work to prove their worth to the covenants despite their
restriction. The stone-faced keeper of Elysium; the shrine
maiden keeping unblinking vigil over the Dark Mother’s
temple; the Invictus notary with an encyclopedic knowledge
of his vast Oath library — all of these are Malocusians. They
barter their dedication in exchange for protection and aid
from their partisan brethren. The powers they gain while
inside their havens make them potent guardians, like Spiders
in their webs.
Despite this, Malocusians often face derision from other
Kindred, who see them as freeloaders and parasites (which is
saying something). For the most part, these Hermits ignore
such whispers. What others say and think doesn’t change their
circumstances, and they aren’t so helpless as their detractors
believe. Indeed, with no small amount of satisfaction,
Malocusians will point out that those who refer to them as
useless Ticks are still loath to ever cross the threshold into
their homes. This is the flip side of Malocusian existence,
one they’ve achieved through determination and ingenuity. A
Spider might be spiritually chained to her web, but within it,
she is the unquestioned master. Hermits have power over their
sanctums that defy normal Kindred abilities over hearth and
home. An intruder in the maiden’s shrine finds himself pierced
by unerring arrow fire, despite being mystically shrouded
from sight. The frail librarian is unimpressed with the mental
commands of a would-be thief, but his own voice crushes the
interloper’s will and squeezes out all of his secrets. Guests are
always welcome. Intruders are meat.
 former lair. Finally, out of painful loneliness, the
Why you want to be us Bastard Embraced. Intending to simply create
The world outside is chaos, and we offer control. Out a companion in his housebound purgatory,
there, you’re no one, but in here, no one’s more important. the Bastard found that, following the act, he
Absolute authority is rare these nights, but in your home could finally leave the house that had been his
— your castle — you’ll enjoy nothing less. Why would you prison for so very long. It didn’t take him long
ever want to leave? to realize that the more childer he Embraced,
the more he could stretch his leash. That he
Why you should fear us was condemning each of these new Kindred to
the same torment he himself had suffered did not,
You call us cursed, and we are, but
evidently, sway him from continuing the process. As
the struggle has made us strong. You
far as the Malocusians know, the Bastard is still
call us weak, but you do so from a
out there, spreading his cursed blood to avoid
distance. Won’t you come inside to
his just desserts.
air your grievances? I didn’t think
so. You mock us because you know • In the nights of the Roman Empire, it was
you can’t touch us. Any authority you have tradition to offer sacrifices to genii locorum,
outside ceases to be the moment your step guardian spirits of hearth and home. A
under our roof. luckless vampire thought to enrich herself
by impersonating such a spirit, demanding
sacrifices of blood from the inhabitants of a
Why we should fear ourselves grand villa. Her ruse worked, and the rich
Isolation breeds detachment. Without family bared their wrists and necks for her to
examples to emulate, we forget what it sup upon at her leisure. For generations she
was to be human, and the Beast escapes existed this way, taking credit for any good
its cage. We are Lords without subjects, fortune the family experienced, and leaving
monarchs of tiny, empty kingdoms. the villa more and more rarely. Eventually, her
It would be kinder to just stop, to let predations drained the family dry, causing them
our blood die out rather than subject to abandon their ancestral home, forsaking it
others to this lonely eternity — but as malus locus — The Bad Place. The vampire
our hubris won’t allow it. Perhaps tried to follow her prey, but found herself
our real curse is merely pride. bound behind the villa’s grounds. After so long
pretending to be a genius loci, she had become one
in truth, and was now locked within her empty
Bloodline Origins home. The first of her childer would be the last
• When they must refer to him, of the doomed family’s line, returning one last
Malocusians call their founder time only to die at the fangs of what should have
the Bastard, but whether been his family’s protector.
this is a statement on his • Once upon a midnight darkly, a brave knight
parentage or his character was out riding when a songbird begged him for
is uncertain. The Bastard help. The songbird served a beautiful princess,
was a Lord of little means cursed by a witch to sleep for eternity within
but great ambition, one a tower. Only a champion of great virtue
who sought to usurp could awaken the princess with a kiss, and
the powers of a witch by in return, her wealth and body would be his.
somehow committing When the knight climbed atop the tower, he
diablerie upon her. beheld the sleeping beauty, with alabaster
Not content to go quietly, skin and ruby lips. Falling to his knees
however, t he sorcerer beside her bed, the knight leaned down to
cursed the Bastard as she died, kiss the princess, whose eyes fluttered open at
binding him to the site of her his touch. The princess smiled at her savior, then
murder. Unable to leave, the tore out his throat with her sharp, white fangs. She
Bastard was forced to subsist drank down his rich blood and left the corpse for
on whatever sources of blood the songbird to eat in thanks for bringing her
he could command or trick new beloved. The princess sleeps in that
into entering his victim’s tower still — solitarily ever after.

Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 39

 Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: Spiders, Hermits, Ticks (disrespectful)
Bloodline Bane (The Sedentary Curse): A Hermit’s home is
the most important place in the world, and to leave its bounds
is akin to discarding a limb. If a Malocusian does not spend
a point of Willpower upon exiting his domicile, he can only
remain outside for (Humanity – Blood Potency) hours before
the Beast starts clawing at his mind to return. After this time
limit expires, and for every additional hour the Malocusian
remains separated from his haven, he suffers a cumulative –1
to all rolls to resist frenzy, to a limit of –5 (though this still
compounds with Conditions like Tempted). This penalty
remains until the Spider has rested a full day within his home.
If Blood Potency exceeds Humanity, Malocusians have a
maximum of one hour before penalties accumulate.
Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Obfuscate, Resilience
In the Covenants
The Invictus once believed the Malocusians owed them
exclusive loyalty, but modern advances in inter-domain
communication have proven that to be untrue; the First Estate
merely lays claim to the wealthiest Spiders. As it turns out, a
group with a pathological reluctance to go outside is good at
hiding their numbers.
The Carthian Movement: Not every Hermit has the capital
to maintain a sprawling manor house or stately castle — some
need roommates. Malocusians in the Movement transform
their havens into social hubs and flophouses for their fellow
Firebrands. A Carthian Spider offers a secure place to sleep away
the day (and to lay low from the Prince’s goons) in exchange
for maintenance, help with the rent, and a little blood money.
The Circle of the Crone: Acolytes look down on Ticks,
seeing them as cowardly and complacent, unworthy of the
Crone’s gifts. How can one endure the sort of adversity that
brings true growth when just walking to the corner store is
a trial? Malocusians who join the Mother’s Army argue the
opposite, that their curse gives them something to continually
challenge them, to rail against in the Dark Mother’s name.
Hermit Acolytes often seek to defy their moniker, straining
at the limits of their tethers and pushing themselves to stray
farther and farther from their homes. That this behavior
inevitably results in bloody rampages through the streets
might better explain why there are so few Spiders in the Crone
than any prejudice.
The Invictus: This is where the stereotype of Malocusians
holing up in gothic manors and palatial estates comes from.
Spiders in the First Estate usually have the money to surround
themselves with all the classical décor and cutting-edge
security. After all, if you’re going to spend eternity in one
place, why not make it comfy? This sentiment is often what
draws Hermits to the Invictus in the first place, where they
offer their services as notaries and librarians of the utmost
reliability. First Estate Malocusians usually hire extensive
staff, not only to maintain their vast holdings but to provide
40 False Gods: Ventrue
a private blood reserve, ensuring they want for nothing — or
so they tell themselves.
The Lancea et Sanctum: Those driven to isolation can find
comfort in religion. The role of a lone monk scribbling out
doctrine in his cell is one a Spider can fit with practiced ease.
Indeed, the Sanctified have vast archives of lore and collections
of ancient artifacts; who better to tend to them than a caretaker
who can’t leave? God is everywhere, and prayer can offer succor
to a Sanctified recluse who might otherwise not talk to anyone
for weeks at a time.
The Ordo Dracul: Malocusians and Defiant often seek
each other out. The former want freedom from an isolating
curse, while the latter want to employ that curse in the study
of Wyrm’s Nests. The special insights Spiders gain into their
havens are invaluable when applied to Nests, and the Order
is happy to provide for the needs of a Hermit in exchange for
round-the-clock monitoring of their most important sites. Of
course, Wyrm’s Nests are often dangerous, volatile places, and
so convincing a Malocusian to bind herself to one can be a bit
of a hard sell. In the end, though, most Hermits can’t pass up
the possibility of attaining real freedom one night, and so many
take the Dragons up on their offer.
Rumors
“You want to know why they banned the Ticks? Easy: They’re
parasites, and not just for blood. The places they settle down in go
wrong. Animals get sick, plants die, people go nuts. It’s bad for the
Masquerade, and it’s shit for property values. Don’t know which one
of those was the deciding factor for Prince I-Own-Half-of-Toronto, but
same difference, really.”
True, in part. Malocusians don’t actually curse the area
around them, but any vampire forced to feed in a small enough
area is going to have a negative effect on the surroundings.
People become anemic from repeated feedings, unexpected
deaths cause the neighborhood to fall into disrepair, and
constant use of mental Disciplines on a contained population
can sure seem like mental illness. It’s for this reason Spiders have
a reputation for “poisoning” areas, something they try to offset
by taking on important custodial roles within their covenants.
“A warning to all Lords in good standing within the Domain of
Liverpool: Do not accept the hospitality of Lucas Harrington under
any circumstances. It has been confirmed he is of Malocusian blood,
and thus any Ventrue in close proximity is in danger of conversion.
Better to burn in the sun than be so confined for eternity.”
A persistent rumor among the Ventrue says the Malocusians
can mitigate their own curse by forcing it onto others. Hermits
cannot escape their blood in this way, but that doesn’t mean
some of the desperate among them don’t try it. Spiteful Spiders
are known to inflict their condition as a form of punishment,
tricking rival Lords into drinking their Vitae and inducting
them into the bloodline without their consent. A new Spider
is then forced to either rely on his enemy for information, or
risk breaching the Masquerade with a public frenzy while trying
to understand his curse.
 “There’s no goddamn Lick living in that place, man. It’s fucking
haunted, is what it is. Thought I felt something a while back, so I went
in to take a look. Worst choice I’ve made this decade. Doors fucking
vanished, voices everywhere, spiders pouring out of the walls, and a
window fucking bit me! Place is bad news; just leave it the hell alone.”
Some Hermits lean into the isolationist nature of their
Requiems, avoiding contact with other Kindred to evade politics
they perceive as not applying to them. A common Malocusian
tactic is to disguise their homes as hauntings, something their
powers are uniquely suited to. This allows more than a few
clever Ticks to avoid blood tariffs, territory restrictions, and
other domain rules. That said, it’s a risky way to exist, as few
princes are tolerant of scofflaws. One wily Hermit managed to
exist this way for over fifty years in Montreal, only finally letting
the ruse drop when the Nameless took over. Suddenly, there
were no court-imposed restrictions to dodge, so she decided to
finally introduce herself to her neighbors. She finds the Rules
much easier to follow, especially numbers two and three…
Zachery Carter
“You know, if you book for another two nights, I can give you a
discount on your whole stay. You will? Fantastic! See you then.”
Zachery (never Zack) is a problem solver. He’s always had a
knack for innovative solutions, a trait he credits for not only
helping him survive the difficult circumstances of his Requiem,
but thriving within them. Zachery never knew his sire; he just
woke up dead one night, naked in a basement. He learned what
he was by gradually contacting other Malocusians online — as
befits their nickname, the bloodline has a disproportionate
web presence.
The Internet also provided his current business model. Not
long after he was Embraced, the Airbnb phenomenon hit
the world hard, and Zachery was fortunate enough to own a
decently-sized house in a nice neighborhood. It didn’t take him
long to figure out this could ensure a steady stream of kine,
basically paying him for the privilege of being fed on. Between
Dominate and Obfuscate, his guests never know their host is
still in the house with them, and if they wake up feeling tired,
well, jet lag’s a drag.
Maximizing his income, Zachery also rents out the secure,
windowless basement rooms of his haven to Kindred who
want a safe place to wait out the sun, or who need to lie low
from other troubles. For an extra fee or favor, vampires can
even take a drink from any guests upstairs, as long as they’re
discrete. Both the Carthian Movement and the Invictus have
shown interest in acquiring Zachery’s loyalty and his business,
but he’s maintaining his neutrality for the moment, not keen
to give up his independence.
Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline: Malocusian
Covenant: None
Mask: Courtesan
Dirge: Perfectionist
Touchstone: 3016 Quintas Street. Cozy rooms
available for single nights or extended stays. Perfect
for the traveler who wants to experience authentic city
nightlife. Close to transit. Friendly neighbor.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 3,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Computers (Online
Finance) 3, Crafts (Home Repair) 3, Investigation 1,
Politics 2
Physical Skills: Firearms (Home Defense) 1, Larceny 2,
Stealth 3
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Expression 2, Intimidation 2,
Persuasion (Upselling) 2, Subterfuge 1
Merits: City Status 1, Contacts (Carthians, Invictus,
Online) 3, Casual User, One Foot in the Door, Haven 5,
Resources 4, Safe Place 3
Disciplines: Dominate 2, Obfuscate 5, Resilience 2
Devotions: Bones of the Manor, Steel Shadows,
Written Invitation
Blood Potency: 1
Health: 9
Willpower: 5
Humanity: 6
Size: 5
Speed: 10
Initiative: 6
Defense: 3
Notes: Casual User and One Foot in the Door can
be found on pp. 178 and 187 of Secrets of the
Covenants.
Bloodline Gift: Domus
Latin for “home,” Domus is the term Malocusians apply when
referring to the extraordinary powers they gain within their
havens. Most Kindred have havens, but those are merely places
to shelter from the sun, or to provide some privacy for feeding.
They are tools, acquired and discarded as needs dictate, and
not true homes. Malocusians, however, have an intrinsic tie
to their haven that’s difficult to articulate — and impossible to
ignore. This binds them to a single location, but grants them an
awareness of its grounds and power over its occupants that other
Kindred can’t match. As such, Hermits gain several additional
benefits from the Haven Merit. The more they invest in their
manors, the more spiritually connected they grow to them.
Unless otherwise noted, these perks only apply when a
Malocusian is physically present within her haven.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 41
 • At its most basic, a Spider’s bond with her haven grants
her an awareness of everyone inside it. She always
knows when someone enters or leaves, as well as a
rough idea of their location within it. This effectively
makes her immune to being surprised within her
home. If an intruder has supernatural protection from
being noticed, such as Obfuscate, this triggers a Clash
of Wills, with the Malocusian rolling Haven + Blood
Potency. This awareness persists even if the Spider is
outside her home.
•• In her castle, a Hermit always has the home-ground
advantage. She adds half her dots in Haven, rounding
up, to her Defense.
••• A Spider’s home is a stabilizing influence, calming
both the Man and Beast. A Malocusian adds her dots
in Haven to rolls to resist frenzy.
•••• A Malocusian is the master of her domain, and draws
strength from her connection to it. She substitutes her
dots in Haven for her Blood Potency when rolling to
resist supernatural powers. Spiders who have Blood
Potency higher than five gain the 9-again quality on
rolls to resist supernatural powers.
••••• Just being inside her haven sustains a Malocusian,
reducing her body’s need for Vitae. As long as she
doesn’t leave her home, a Hermit does not need to
spend Vitae to rise in the evening, up to a number of
consecutive nights equal to Resolve. If she leaves her
home during a night where she has not expended blood
to rise, she must spend a point of Vitae or accept the
Lethargic Condition.
New Devotions
Malocusians are inventors by necessity, forced to develop
several unique Devotions to better survive their condition.
Though these powers are of limited use for those who can
leave their havens with only minor inconvenience, the Hermits
still guard their knowledge jealously, preferring to keep other
Kindred in the dark about how far their reach really extends.
As a special prerequisite, a Malocusian must have at least a
dot of Haven to access these Devotions.
Bones of the Manor
(Resilience ••)
The Spider brings her connection to her haven from mystical
to physical, able to have brick and mortar take wounds meant
for her flesh and blood.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: None
Requirement: The Malocusian must be within her Haven.
Dice Pool: None
42 False Gods: Ventrue
Action: Reflexive
Once per scene, the vampire can re-direct damage meant for
her onto her haven. For every point of damage the Malocusian
would take, instead deal a point of Structure damage to the
nearest piece of her haven, up to a maximum of the Spider’s dots
in Resilience. Windows shatter and floorboards crack as blows
hammer home, but the vampire’s flesh remains unmarked.
Steel Shadows
(Obfuscate ••••, Resilience ••)
As their Requiems are spent inhabiting such small areas,
Malocusians often lack specific tools for the job at hand. This
Devotion allows them to create their own, albeit temporarily.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 2 Vitae
Requirement: The Malocusian uses The Familiar Stranger
to create an illusion of an object, and must be within his haven.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Scene
By lending a portion of his enduring nature to phantoms
created with Obfuscate, the Spider can give them substance
enough to affect the environment. An illusory hammer will
pound a nail, and an illusory knife will cut meat. Steel Shadows
is limited to making solid only simple objects no larger than the
vampire himself, with no more than two moving parts. This
effect can’t mimic chemical reactions. Objects have the same
Durability, damage rating (if any), and Size as real examples
of their kind, but only ever a single point of Structure, due to
their ephemeral nature.
Furthermore, solid as they might be, objects created with this
power are not considered real for any supernatural properties
they might otherwise have. A wooden stake created with Steel
Shadows can still stab and cause damage, but will not render
a vampire torpid if it pierces their heart. The same goes for a
silver bullet and a werewolf.
This Devotion is particularly deadly when used in conjunction
with an Oubliette, due to the freedom with which the vampire
may use The Familiar Stranger in that environment.
A Hermit may only have (Blood Potency) instances of Steel
Shadows active at one time.
Spotless
(Animalism •••••)
This Devotion allows the Spider to imbue her haven with a
portion of her own Beast’s hunger, letting the building itself
drink up spilled blood, which the Malocusian can then sup
upon at her leisure.
This Devotion costs 4 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Requirement: The Malocusian must be within her haven.
 Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Nights equal to Blood Potency
Whenever blood spills within the Malocusian’s home, it’s
absorbed into the building, vanishing into tiling, wallpaper,
and even thick carpeting without leaving a trace. A haven can
store up to its dot rating in Vitae this way, and the vampire can
spend that blood as if it were part of his own Vitae pool. While
the haven can store blood indefinitely, it spoils somewhat being
kept in timber and brick rather than within a vampire’s body.
Blood stored for less than 24-hours counts as fresh, but after
that time it counts as cold human blood.
Written Invitation
(Dominate ••, Obfuscate ••)
The Malocusians are experts at making their food come to
them. Letters written in blood carry the power of the vampire’s
will to her chosen victim.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 2 Vitae
Requirement: The vampire must write out the message
himself, mixing whatever medium he uses with his Vitae, but
the entire text does not have to be written in blood. The effect
costs the same regardless of whether the vampire is jotting
down a short note or painting a road sign. She then rolls the
usual activation for Mesmerize, and spends any Vitae required
for Iron Edict.
Dice Pool: None
Action: None
Duration: The message retains its power to command for
weeks equal to the vampire’s Blood Potency, after which it
becomes mundane writing.
The vampire scribes a piece of writing, traditionally a formal
letter of invitation, and imbues it with his powers of Dominate.
The next person to read the message must roll against the
vampire’s successes on Mesmerize; if he fails, he must follow
the message to the best of his ability, gaining any associated
Dominate Conditions. This command can be as simple as a
hand-lettered sign that says “Take Next Left” or as complex
a set of directions through the woods to vampire-grandma’s
house. After the words have been read once, succeed or fail,
the power in them fades and the letters flake and crumble, as
if from great age.
Twists of the Blood: Spreading the Curse
If you want to make the Malocusians even more insidious,
use the following optional rule:
Just like their hated founder, Hermits can ease their bonds
by expanding their bloodline. Every time a Malocusian adds
a Lord to their ranks by acting as Avus, they gain a bonus to
Humanity in regards to the Sedentary Curse, to a combined
maximum of 10. However, the curse is a powerful thing, and
each bonus dot fades after a year. Thus, a Spider who wishes
to increase her own freedom must constantly condemn others
to the same bound existence she endures… and perhaps adds
more substance to those ugly rumors of forced conversions.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 43
 M elissidae
the ones who make you theirs
She tells you that she loves you.
Of course you believe her. What else could this feeling be
but love? Her smile is so dazzling you hardly notice the wasp
crawling from her ear, flitting up to join the others circling
her head like a buzzing halo. The wasps don’t matter. All that
matters is how she makes you feel: perfect. Just like her.
Ask for a story about the Melissidae and you’re likely to
get a sensationalist answer. They could control thousands of
insects at once and transformed into giant bugs! They were all
women, and could turn any man who fell in their clutches into
a mindless puppet! Hyperbole is all you’ll get, though, because
the Queens are dead. They were wiped out over a hundred years
ago in a carefully orchestrated extermination.
What crime the Melissidae committed to deserve this
destruction, and who carried it out, are the source of much
speculation. Did their human drones become too great a
threat to the Masquerade? Was the richness of their blood too
irresistible, a delicacy for predators lusting after a taste of honey?
If anyone remembers, they aren’t talking. For over a century,
the bloodline was considered extinct, reduced to no more than
a strange footnote in the long history of Clan Ventrue.
However, any exterminator worth her salt will tell you that,
when dealing with insects, you really have to make sure to kill
every last one. Miss even a single larva and the hive will return,
smarter and more dangerous than before.
Not many Kindred walking these nights have ever met a
Melissid. They were always isolationists, and while they were
numerous in the United Kingdom before the purge, that time
is long past. This rarity allows the Queens to take control of
their narrative as they squirm back into the All Night Society.
They present themselves now as family units, and downplay their
mastery over insects in favor of their ability to manage people
better than anyone else, a skill that’s always in demand among
the Damned. These are the modern Melissidae — charming and
humble. Nurturing, even. They don’t talk about what happened
before. Water under the bridge. They wouldn’t dream of forcing
anyone to stay with them. Perish the thought! Their followers
(“drone” is an ugly word) stay with them in their home (never
“hive” — how gauche) because they’re happy there. They need
“I’ll never let them take you away — you’re mine.”
44 False Gods: Ventrue
them too — they could hardly get a thing done without them!
Everyone is quite pleased with the arrangement. No need to
worry. If you’re still curious, you’re always welcome to drop by. Just
mind the flowers on the way in. You wouldn’t want to get stung.
It’s all a lie, of course. The need to form a hive buzzes in the
Melissidae minds like a thousand gossamer wings. They can
no more deny it than any vampire can deny her thirst. They’ve
learned from their mistakes though. Oh, yes. They understand
now that their isolated ways made them too vulnerable to
attack. While they still maintain their independent hives,
Melissidae now communicate frequently to offer each other
advice, support, and resources. The result is that anyone trying
to attack a Collector is likely to make an instant enemy of every
hive for miles. And and their bond with the swarming, stinging,
buzzing things of the world is just as strong as it was before;
they just don’t flaunt it.
But don’t be deceived — a Melissid’s haven is literally crawling
with insects, be they swarms of wasps in the eaves, armies of
ants marching between the walls, or perhaps a beehive nurtured
within the dead flesh of the Queen herself.
Even putting aside the insects, Melissidae are never alone. A
Collector surrounds herself with adoring humans, doting on
them as much as they fawn over her. This eerie co-dependence
isn’t just supernatural bondage, though. It’s a rapport. It starts
with a simple gesture, sitting next to the despondent man at the
corner of the bar, or whispering to the lonely girl in the back of
the classroom. The Queen makes them smile, makes them feel
seen, feel wanted. They don’t ask anything of them — just the
opposite. That gorgeous dress she can’t afford, or the student
loans she’s about to default on? Gifts! Think nothing of it. That
interview he was worried didn’t go so well? A honeyed word to
the manager and it’s his. Anything for the Queen’s new friend.
Once a mortal is enamored, the next step is simple: A drink
of the vampire’s sweet blood. All Kindred blood is addictive, of
course, but Melissidae blood is to regular Vitae as heroin is to
caffeine. The taste is sweeter, the high is higher, and the crash
is non-existent, so long as one keeps getting their fix. Once
the drone-to-be has their first taste, their will to leave all but
vanishes, and they’re ready for the hivemind.
 Being surrounded by the thoughts and feelings of others, all
working in harmony, is an ecstatic experience. Many humans
spend their entire lives looking for somewhere to belong,
and that’s what Melissidae offer: complete acceptance
and unconditional love. All it costs is any remaining
notion of autonomy, and a slavish devotion to the
monster that made you this way. Looking at the blissful,
happy faces of a Queen’s drones, it doesn’t seem like
they mind at all.
Why you want to be us
We are love. With us, you will know what
it’s like to be accepted without question,
to be needed by those around you. To be
one of us is to be surrounded
by countless friends crawling
beneath the ground or buzzing
through the air. Be one of us,
and never, ever feel lonely again.
Why you should fear us
Do not disturb the nest lest you rouse the
swarm. Our wrath is a thousand piercing stings,
a million burning bites. No matter how many
allies you think you have, we always have more.
Or perhaps we’ll take your little friends, or
make your loved ones our own. We think
they’d be much happier with us.
Why we should fear ourselves
We have evolved, but our need is the
same. We can’t be alone, can’t stop adding
to our family, can’t abide any control other
than our own. When does love end and
addiction begin? We don’t know, and the
answer is building up venom.
Bloodline Origins
• The Melissidae began with a failed
social experiment conducted by an
18th-century Scottish naturalist
named Catherine Dalrymple. A
radical woman for her time, Cath-
erine was convinced solving human-
ity’s ills lay in the imitation of animal
societies, namely bees. She attempted
to form a community where every-
thing — property, relationships, even
identity — was communal. Predict-
ably, it failed, but at least one Lord
was impressed enough to give
her a second chance among
the dead. Bolstered by the Blood, Catherine, now
calling herself Melissa after the mythological
nymph, tried again. Instead of a commune,
Melissa created a bloodline, one that
could turn entire groups of humans into
mindless drones. Melissa’s childer spread
rapidly across the UK, becoming one of
the region’s most numerous bloodlines, and
there were even rumors of these Kindred
forming their own covenant. The Queens
were wiped out before that could happen, how-
ever, and Melissa herself was reported to have
been destroyed in the burning of her Edin-
burgh haven. However, the re-emergence of
her line in modern nights now casts doubt
on reports of her Final Death.
• This story is true. In the time before
time, Mother Wolf stalked the Stinging
Queen through realms of shadow. The
Queen led her on a grueling chase,
but eventually, Mother Wolf shredded
her wings and tore her many legs still
twitching from her bloated abdomen.
Rather than die, however, the Stinging Queen
shattered into countless, buzzing pieces.
Mother Wolf’s children hunted down most
of the Queen’s shards, but not all. One
found its way to the world of Flesh, and
there it discovered a dead being of great
power slumbering in the dirt. Burrowing
into the corpse’s heart, what remained of
the Stinger Queen slept the millennia away
within its host, and when it woke, it had
changed — no longer two separate beings,
but one. However, its desires were the
same: feed, multiply, control. The shard
spread its hungry children across the
land, but they were met by the children
of Mother Wolf and culled down to the
last drone — only to have another shard
wake a hundred years later to start all over
again. Many shards of the Stinger Queen
have survived, you see, sleeping in the
hearts of the hungry dead. Heaven help
the world if they all wake up at once.
• Once upon a midnight darkly, the
nymph Melissa guided the souls of
those yet born to their bodies as bees.
She delighted in her work, and was beloved by
all for the life and joy she spread. However, as the
gods withdrew from the world, she could no longer
walk among mortals to guide these souls herself.
Inevitably, some were lost. These wandering
wraiths, searching for a vessel to hold them,
crawled into the mouths of the dead and bid
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 45
 them wake, so that they might walk the earth. This was not
true life, though, and so these deathless beings lured in the
living with their sweet red honey, surrounding themselves
with the life that was denied them. To this night, the bees
continue to prey upon mortals to sate a need that can never
be filled — achingly ever after.
Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: Queens, Queen Bees, Collectors, Melissid
(singular)
Bloodline Bane (The Swarming Curse): The hive is all. It’s
the only motive that excites a Queen, and to grow distant from
it risks detachment and torpor. A Melissid’s Touchstones must
all be members of her hive, or else they do not count as attached.
Furthermore, she must always have at least one attached
Touchstone or she is considered to have none at all. Characters
who begin play with dots in the Hivemind Merit (p. 48) are
assumed to have already inducted their Touchstones into the
hive. Among other things, this reliance means Melissidae can
no longer have inanimate objects or places as their Touchstones,
making them completely dependent on their hives for stability,
even as they sap away their drones’ will and blood.
Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Majesty, Resilience
In the Covenants
The Carthian Movement: Melissidae love the Firebrands.
A whole covenant dedicated to communal government and
societal cooperation? Marvelous! The fact that they fail constantly
but never give up? Adorable! Let’s show them how it’s done.
Queens in the Movement are community organizers without
peer, forming malcontented rabble into orderly ranks with the
precision of, well, a hive of bees. It would be a perfect match,
if only the Melissidae were better at curbing their controlling
natures, as they often butt in when no one’s asked for their
help, or even their input.
The Circle of the Crone: On paper, the Mother’s Army
and the Melissidae seem like a natural pairing. In reality,
the Collectors’ co-dependence with their hives makes it
difficult to cleave to the Dark Mother’s teachings. They do
make fantastic cult leaders, though, so many Witch Queens
find success as avatar figures for whatever goddesses the local
Circle worships. However, their fellow Acolytes should be
cautious that such would-be divinities don’t get too attached
to their roles. A schism within the Acolytes of Portland had
to be put down after a Queen brainwashed the local stable
of mortal worshippers. She convinced them the best way to
serve her was to turn themselves into living colonies for her
thousands of enthralled bees.
The Invictus: On the one hand, Melissidae crave hierarchies.
On the other, they resent any authority that’s not their own.
This conflict can make a Queen’s membership in the First Estate
somewhat fraught, but it can also make her into a ravenous
social climber, bending her every effort into surpassing those
who occupy a higher rung on the ladder. Invictus Melissidae are
46 False Gods: Ventrue
unbeatable talent poachers, and they excel at luring influential
mortals into the clutches of the First Estate. Of course, that
means a new employee’s first loyalty is always going to be to the
Collector who “hired” them, a fact the Conspiracy of Silence
finds… troublesome.
The Lancea et Sanctum: The Melissidae don’t get the
Sanctified. Why would you want to drive mortals to worship a
being other than yourself? Beyond that, the Spear has a rather
antagonistic history with the bloodline, connected as it is to a
Sapphic, atheist naturalist whose values are still well-represented
among her grandchilder. In Amsterdam, where the Church isn’t
particularly strong, a local Queen makes a game of tempting away
members of the flock in a mockery of the Second Estate’s sinful
tests of faith. In domains with a powerful Sanctified presence,
Melissidae tend to stay out of their way. Having already suffered
one crusade, they have no taste for another.
The Ordo Dracul: Melissidae aren’t given to introspection,
but the ones who are often find more questions than answers.
How does their hivemind even work? What drives them to
expand it? In addition, most Collectors know very little about
their origins. Cue the Dragons, promising all the answers.
The Defiant, intrigued by the possibilities of combining the
Coils with the properties innate in Melissidae blood, generally
welcome the bloodline into the fold. This partnership has
resulted in Collectors joining the Dracul en masse, and these
so-called “Dragon Queens” now represent a tiny but influential
power block within the covenant.
Rumors
“The Hounds finally found Duke Sebastian’s ashes last night, after
flipping Edinburgh upside down for a week straight — but that’s not
all they found. Sinead is an old friend of mine, and she said sitting
neat-as-you-please in the middle of what remained of the good Duke
was a dead bee. Yes, of course I know they haven’t been around for a
century! But who else would put it there?”
The Melissidae are absolutely responsible for the Final
Death of Duke Sebastian, as well as those of a handful of
other Kindred across the United Kingdom. No matter what
they profess in public, the Queens have neither forgiven nor
forgotten those who devoured them, and work behind the
scenes to even scales when they can get away with it. Of course,
the time of the purge was so chaotic, and so few of them survived
it, that who the Melissidae believe were involved is based as
much on conjecture and intuition as any actual evidence.
“You seen the buzz online? A whole suburb was taken over by some
kind of telepathic ghouls with black eyes. There’s even some pics, but the
quality’s trash. Wasn’t that near the place the Dragons were messing
around with that weird sinkhole? Man, first the bee-ladies, and now
this. Everything those dudes touch goes to shit!”
True. An Ordo Dracul chapterhouse outside Dublin went
silent a few years ago after installing a Melissid as the caretaker
of a local Wyrm’s Nest. Just before it went dark, rumors of an
entire suburb overrun by smiling, black-eyed ghouls filtered
through Defiant message boards. The last transmission from the
covenant’s holdings was a burst from an old CB radio rig: “Do
not let a Queen know the Voivode.” Now that frequency plays
nothing but a constant, cacophonous buzzing. Of course, given
the Ordo’s outlook, these happenings have made some Dragons
more eager to seek out those of Melissidae blood, not less.
“Upon review, cause of death was confirmed to be poisoning from
venom identical to Vespa mandarinia, but in concentrations higher
than even a swarm could produce. Furthermore, while most V.
mandarinia stingers measure no more than two millimeters in length,
the wound in the victim’s abdomen is 13.2 centimeters deep. Due to my
findings here, I believe this case to be related to the two other, similar,
deaths in the Greater Victoria area. It’s also my recommendation
that responsibility for this investigation be transferred to our brothers
in the Axe…”
In Victoria, British Columbia, mortals are being murdered
in gruesome ways that seem to involve insects of impossible
size. Shimizu Hitoka, a Melissid who recently immigrated to
Vancouver Island from Japan, has become the chief suspect in
the slayings, but little hard evidence links her to the crimes.
Shimizu maintains her innocence, claiming she came to the city
to scout it out as a possible new domain for her sire, currently in
torpor. If Shimizu is innocent, then what sort of monstrosity is
preying on the locals? To further complicate matters, the city’s
not-quite-Voivode, Jules d’Entrement of the Icelus, has taken
a personal interest in these murders and Shimizu’s possible
connection to them. Specifically, he’s noted that all the victims
so far shared a phobia of insects…
Mary Harlwood
“Dangerous? Me? Don’t be silly. I wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Petite and perfectly-mannered, Mary isn’t anyone’s idea of a
relentless killer. But, here we are.
Mary has a list. She doesn’t remember where it came from,
but she’s certain somebody calling herself Melissa gave it to her.
The people on this list have to die because of crimes against
her family. Mary can’t recall what crimes, exactly, but they must
have been simply horrible to deserve death. She doesn’t even
know how many people are really on the list, or where they
are, but when she encounters someone on it, her skull fills
with an overwhelming buzz. The noise doesn’t go away until
she’s “crossed them off,” but it’s only a matter of time until she
meets someone who starts it up again…
Currently operating in secret out of Edinburgh’s embattled
Carthian Movement, Mary uses their underground network of
connections to gather information on her victims. The Firebrands
suspect what she’s up to, but those she’s targeted are just the sort
the Movement wants out of the picture, so they’re turning a
blind eye for now. Mary is careful to avoid direct involvement
in the murders she orchestrates. She either manipulates existing
rivalries or hires outsiders as catspaws. Unfortunately, she’s also
afflicted by a compulsion that forces her to place a dead bee
within her targets’ remains, a habit she’s unaware of, but one
that any competent investigator can’t help but notice.
Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline: Melissidae
Covenant: Carthian Movement
Mask: Social Chameleon
Dirge: Spy
Touchstone: Ernest Cooperson, the only remaining
member of Mary’s original hive. Mary dotes on him,
though she still expects instant obedience.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 5
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 4,
Composure 4
Mental Skills: Academics (Historical Research) 2,
Investigation 3, Occult 2, Politics (Kindred) 4
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Drive 1, Weaponry
(Fencing) 2
Social Skills: Animal Ken (Beekeeping) 3, Expression
3, Intimidation (Disapproval) 3, Persuasion 2, Socialize
(Etiquette) 4, Subterfuge 4
Merits: Carthian Status 3, Close Family, Contacts
(Activists, City Workers, Underworld, Unions) 4, Haven
5, Hivemind 5, Honey Trap, Languages (French, Latin),
Plausible Deniability, Resources 3, Retainer 3, Safe
Place 3, Trained Observer 3
Disciplines: Animalism 5, Dominate 3, Majesty 5,
Resilience 3, Vigor 1
Devotions: Body Hive, Dance of the Honeybee,
Enfeebling Aura
Blood Potency: 5
Health: 11
Willpower: 9
Humanity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 11
Initiative: 7
Defense: 4
Notes: After her visit from “Melissa,” Mary was
never quite the same. Anyone reading her thoughts
or accessing her mind with Auspex is bound to notice
alterations, as well as her preoccupation with her list.
Bloodline Gift: Insectoid Kinship
Unlike other Kindred, the Melissidae are adept at
manipulating insects, specifically swarming insects such as
ants, hornets, and bees. Queens gain a +2 modifier when using
Animalism upon such creatures. Conversely, they are less able
to affect “higher” forms of animal life, and must spend a Vitae
to use Feral Whispers on non-insect lifeforms. A swarm of
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 47
 insects counts as a single animal for the purposes of Insectoid
Kinship, allowing a Queen to command entire hives, even if
she can only see a few drones.
In addition, joining the ranks of the Queens twists the Blood’s
addictive qualities into something more resembling their beloved
swarms. All Melissidae gain the Honey Trap Merit for free, as
their Vitae tastes of the sweetest ambrosia. Characters who
already have this Merit are refunded an Experience.
New Merits
The defining obsession of all Melissidae is the hive, a group
of minds bound together in thought and emotion. Members
(called “drones” within the bloodline) aren’t mindless slaves,
but they’re almost completely subservient to their Queen. A
Melissid without any dots in Hivemind is considered a favored
member of her sire’s hive; as long as her Touchstones are also
members, the conditions of her bane are satisfied. This is
dangerous, however, as these mortals owe loyalty to the sire, not
the childe, and more than a few Collectors have punished their
wayward childer by absconding with the people they value most.
Hivemind (•• to •••••)
Prerequisite: Melissidae
Effect: A hive is part social network, part labor force, part
support group, able to take on a wide variety of roles by working
together under the direction of its Queen.
At two dots, Hivemind members eagerly share resources
and information with your character, and are an easy source
of blood. Once per story/month, your drones provide support
equal to Allies 3, Herd 3, or Resources 3. They will happily help
with any mundane task that poses no significant risk, but will
not endanger themselves or risk breaking points.
At three dots, drones can share surface thoughts and
emotions, allowing for silent communication and coordination
as long as they are within about ten meters of one another. In
addition to the benefits of a two-dot Hivemind, all members
(including your character) gain a bonus to Teamwork actions
equal to your character’s Merit dots as long as all actors
involved are part of the hive. Your character also does not
have to speak to communicate simple ideas and requests to
members of her hive. At this level, drones will do virtually
anything for your character that doesn’t actively involve
harming themselves or others.
At four dots, your character is always aware of the general
location of her drones, and can take an instant action to focus
on one in particular, learning their current emotional state,
relative health, and surface thoughts. This connection works
both ways, and your drones have the same awareness of their
Queen unless your character spends a point of Willpower to
block it for a scene. Your drones are now wholly devoted, and
while they won’t sacrifice their lives, they will accept committing
major crimes (including murder) on your character’s behalf if she
can provide a reasonable explanation as to why it has to happen.
48 False Gods: Ventrue
Finally, at five dots, your drones now regard your character as
the most important person in their lives, and will risk even the
most painful deaths to protect you, though they won’t engage in
blatantly suicidal behavior at your command. If your character
is in the presence of at least one member of her hive and takes
a fatal blow, or one that would send her into torpor, she can
choose to have a drone take it for her, suffering all damage she
would otherwise suffer. However, this is a Humanity 3 breaking
point for your character, with a –1 modifier on the detachment
roll for each drone used in this way after the first in the night.
Insect Envoy (•)
Prerequisite: Melissidae, Hivemind ••, Animalism •
Effect: Your character can beguile humans as easily as
insects, provided the former is in contact with the latter. She
gains a 2-die bonus to Social actions with any human who is in
physical contact with an insect that she’s successfully affected
with Animalism within the same scene, including Devotions
that have Animalism as a prerequisite.
New Devotions
Body Colony
(Animalism ••, Majesty ••••)
This disquieting power allows a Melissid to grow a colony of
insects within the body of an unwitting victim, blocking their
perceptions of what is happening until the creatures erupt
from their flesh.
Using this Devotion on an unwilling victim is a Humanity 2
breaking point. On a willing victim, the vampire’s player gains
a +1 modifier to the detachment roll.
This Devotion costs 4 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Requirement: The vampire must inflict the Enthralled
Condition on the victim.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Special
A colony of swarming insects slowly grows within the victim,
causing a point of lethal damage per day, and will automatically
emerge from the victim once their last Health box is filled with
damage. Layers of euphoria and loyalty prevent the victim
from feeling any discomfort while being eaten alive, but even
a cursory examination of their body will reveal something is
deeply wrong.
Medical intervention can remove the nascent colony and
prevent further damage, but will almost certainly require
surgery. When in the victim’s presence, the vampire can spend
an additional Vitae to force the swarm to exit, inflicting three
points of lethal damage as they burrow through the victim’s
skin to escape.

Story Seed:
Will You Raise Good Bees?
When a Queen goes into torpor, she has limited
options on what to do with her hive. A few will
appoint their childer as regents, but this is risky, as
Melissidae can be just as cutthroat with each other
as they are with the rest of the All Night Society.
Perhaps even more so. Sometimes a Melissid will
turn a drone into a ghoul to run things while she’s
out (usually called a Dwarf Queen), but it’s rare for
a Ventrue — let along a Melissid — to trust a servant
with that kind of power.
Other Collectors have turned to more extreme
solutions. One Dragon Queen in Japan is studying
hibernation in giant “murder” hornets, but she’s also
testing some interesting hypotheses on age stasis,
using hardened, Vitae-infused honey…
To represent the Body Colony, use the rules for Swarm Form
found on p. 114 of Vampire: The Requiem with the following
addenda: The swarm has Health boxes equal to the damage
it did to its host before emerging, and uses the vampire’s
Animalism + Blood Potency as an attack pool. The swarm
counts as a single entity created via Raise the Familiar, but its
Stamina counts as 1 when determining that effect’s duration.
Dance of the Honeybee
(Animalism ••••, Dominate ••, Majesty •••••)
This eerie power allows the vampire finer control over those
she unleashes her Beast upon, imbuing them with insect-like
coordination.
This Devotion costs 5 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Requirement: Victims must be under the effects of Feral
Infection.
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Expression + Animalism vs. highest
Resolve + Blood Potency in group
Action: Instant
Duration: Scene
Roll Results
Success: Rather than just steering her mortal and Kindred
victims’ feral instincts, the vampire can put them onto more
complex tasks. The vampire inflicts the Mesmerized Condition
on all characters who failed to resist her Feral Infection,
allowing her to issue commands rather than just directing their
rage. Her victims will still be in a somewhat atavistic state, but
they can comprehend simple orders.
This Devotion does not work on werewolves.
Exceptional Success: The Queen’s authority is absolute.
She can issue a command on the same turn as she mesmerizes
her victims.
Failure: The Melissid’s victims continue to rage.
Dramatic Failure: The victims turn on their Queen with a
single-minded purpose.
Honeycomb Heart
(Animalism •••, Resilience ••)
The vampire hosts a colony of insects within her body, ready
to pour forth and do her bidding at a moment’s notice.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 2 Vitae
Requirement: The vampire consumes the live larva of the
insect she wishes to colonize her body.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Special
The vampire invites a colony of flying insects to nest inside
her dead organs, typically from the order Hymenoptera. It takes
a day for the swarm to become large enough to be of use, and it
remains within the vampire for as long as she wishes. She can
call forth the hive as an instant action, causing insects to emerge
from her mouth and nose in a buzzing hoard.
Outside her body, the swarm has Health equal to the
vampire’s Stamina, and can attack her enemies similar to
Body Colony (above); these are living insects, however, and
are not subject to Raise the Familiar. The vampire can know
the direction of any insect from her swarm on an instinctual
level, allowing her to use them as trackers by ordering them
cling to unsuspecting targets.
The vampire can recall the colony at no cost, but if it remains
outside her body for (Blood Potency) hours, it dies off.
Twists of the Blood: Collapsed Colony
If you prefer the Melissidae of Bloodlines: The Legendary,
perhaps a few members survived and still flitter through the
night. Do they see the new strain as allies or as pretenders?
Either way, use the system below as you see fit.
Nicknames: Queen Mothers, Tyrants
Bloodline Bane (The Autophobic Curse): Rather than eerie
codependency, Queen Mothers treat their drones as disposable
dolls, but they’re no less reliant on them than the new brood. A
Melissid must have at least one drone in his presence during all
waking hours. If not, his player rolls Humanity at the beginning
of each scene. On a failure, he gains the Distracted Condition
until he can summon one of his drones.
Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Dominate, Resilience.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 49
 Rotgrafen
The ones who light you up
The sails mean it’s too late. Crimson as the tides, their ships
bring the doom of all things meant to meet the torch. Their
crews lair upon the waters of the world, but fire is their only
creed, unbound and untamed like their god. Theirs is the
crucible and the cleansing flame, a votive candle and a blaze
of Hell. Theirs is the fire at the end of the world.
The Rotgrafen rule the high seas, brigands for hire or their own
piratical interests. Once limited to the frozen reaches of Iceland
and Scandinavia, tonight the Fire Lords spread far across the
globe. Their floating domains resemble the buccaneer republics
of the pirate golden age, where Kindred can live free from the
stifling mores of their so-called betters. Whether as neo-Vikings,
Somali badaadinta badah, or royal privateers, the Rotgrafen have
been pirates since the Vinland, taking plunder in the name of
the Norse trickster Loki. Their founder, Sigrún Eiríksdóttir,
claims the Lord of Lies and Fire saved her from an abysmal fate
upon the open ocean, and so her childer dedicate themselves
to spreading his influence. By reaping the world’s bounty and
sowing chaos in return, the Rotgrafen make way for Ragnarök,
when the gods will fall from their halls and fire shall reign upon
the earth. In the ashes, Loki promises redemption, a Valhalla
on earth where the Rotgrafen will do as they please ever after.
The Sea Kings believe their creation set three epochs into
motion, each building up to the time of the gods’ final battle. The
First Age was a time of glorious sagas under Sigrún’s leadership,
when all Rotgrafen fought for her banner. The Second began
with Sigrún’s bloody fall to torpor and the power vacuum that
followed. Not all Sea Kings accepted her heirs, and their unity
shattered as the age progressed. As for the Third, it’s been close or
here for two centuries. Some Sea Kings point to growing mortal
strife as a sign of Ragnarök’s approach, while others say things
just aren’t bad enough yet. Not without some help.
Despite their Norse origins, the Rotgrafen are among the
most diverse bloodlines in the All Night Society. Anywhere
the sea touches land can be haven to the Red Counts, and any
Lord can be one if she proves her mettle. See the corsair. Her
Berber blood is older than the cities she plunders, and older
still than the Eurotrash who anchor their yachts in her waters.
She uses their bone-white pleasure crafts as salvage to feed her
many childer. See the privateer. He sells his sword to the highest
“Let’s make a toast, mates! Fetch the Molotovs.”
50 False Gods: Ventrue
bidder, but he’s not above accepting late offers. Money can buy
anything, and he’ll spend his on the only thing that matters. See
the anarchist. They know the Lord gave us paradise on earth,
but in arrogance Man seeks to command it. Their gunship
targets oil tankers and aircraft carriers alike, disrupting forces
that dare take domain over God’s Country.
Tonight, the Sea Kings are ascendant. Piracy never went away;
it just traded in cutlasses for AK-47s. Even the rankest neonate
knows to fear the Rotgrafen, and many princes still pay danegeld to
keep the bloodline from their domains. However, some of these
arrangements have broken down in recent years, either after the
Fire Lords reneged on the deal or demanded impossible prices.
One by one, treaties that stood for centuries burned along with
the cities they once protected. The paranoid believe the Rotgrafen
are making preparations their Third Age, and if that time has
come, it won’t just be Kindred putting out their fires anymore.
Why you want to be us
You’re a liar if you say you never wanted to be a pirate. Ventrue
nobility is just a vestige of a warrior past, when social class was
earned with the most throats cut. We’ll cut as many as you like
for enough money — and your Beast wants in on it. Burn the
titles. Burn the whole gods damned Elysium, and take your
birthright in the flames.
Why you should fear us
Other Lords dismiss us as bomb throwers and anarchists. True
enough, but our way is a holy anarchy. We’re the vanguard party
of the world’s rebirth, and nothing will stop us from bringing it
to the light. And you? You’re just ashes on the seafoam.
Why we should fear ourselves
Liberty without structure is bedlam, and among vampires
it’s bestiality. We’re always standing on the plank’s edge, an
inch away from our god’s embrace. He doesn’t want to destroy
us, but he will if it serves his need. He’ll throw us back to the
flame that birthed us and wipe the char from his hands without
a thought. Remember: Play with fire, get burned.
Bloodline Origins
• Sigrún was ambitious. Whether she was really Erik the Red’s bastard is beside the point. All
she had to do was act like it. But, the other colonists of L’Anse aux Meadows wouldn’t
listen. They scoffed when she foretold their deaths in a harsh winter, laughed
when she said she could lead them from that fate, and drove her out when
she invoked her alleged father’s name. In the end, putting them to the
sword before the cold could take them was a mercy. The elders back in
Greenland disagreed, of course. For her crime, they sentenced her and
her followers to a barge with no food or drink. Soon, Sigrún was alone,
but her will wasn’t so easily diminished. Even death couldn’t block her
ambition, and it raged through the nine realms as her soul fell to
blackest Hel. It turned some heads. Unworshipped among the living,
Loki Laufeyjarson thought he might extract a bargain from
one of the dead, and so he returned Sigrún to Midgard as
his Kindred herald, where she and her blood would
clear the way for the fall of the gods. With
the corpses of her crew as her first childer,
the Fire Lords began their holy work by
burning down the village of her exile.
They haven’t stopped since.
• Bet ween ale-spiked blood and
that Viking tendency toward bull-
shitting, Sigrún’s told more origin
stories about her bloodline
than she’s made members
of it. Yeah, she really did
kill all those fools, but
she knew what they
might’ve done to her
if she hadn’t been
faster with the knife.
As for Loki, well, that’s
more complicated. She
met something out on the
wine-dark sea, but that’s
just the name that fits the
tale. It didn’t make her an offer so much as swallow her whole and rebuild
her from the seafloor up. Perhaps she’s its high priestess, or its beloved, or
its newest plaything (relatively speaking); she isn’t really clear on the details,
or anything else about her place in its designs. She knows what it wants,
though, and that’s anarchy — ruin. That’s the hungry pulse thrumming
through her childer’s Vitae, and every raid is a meal for the leviathan that
plucked her from the depths. One night maybe she’ll understand what it
was all for, and if that’s the end of the world, at least she had a hand in
bringing it about. But for now? Better drink up.
• There was no god. There was no pact. There was only a desperate woman with
a blade making sure bitter men couldn’t finish her off before the sea did. But
that’s the one law of sailors: The captain goes down with the ship. She certainly
doesn’t murder her crew. And maybe Sigrún didn’t set out to eat their corpses,
but she did it anyway. She fucking enjoyed it. Rules have to mean something,
though, and when you break all of them, you don’t get to just die. Damned by
her own bloody will, Sigrún walked off that barge with a new, libertine outlook.
As the flames swallowed her crimes, she finally understood consequences don’t
matter if you never feel shame.

Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 51

 Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: Sea Kings, Fire Lords (literally, “Red Counts”),
Anarchs (derogatory)
Bloodline Bane (The Recalcitrant Curse): The Rotgrafen
Beast chafes under authority. When a Sea King bends the knee
without an equitable agreement or fair compensation, her player’s
rolls to resist frenzy are limited by Humanity for the night.
This bane does not apply to other Rotgrafen, trivial requests,
or commands followed in the interest of self-preservation, but
it does apply retroactively if the Sea King is later cheated out
of her price. Due to their curse, Rotgrafen have a strong taboo
against accepting Vincula from outside the bloodline, shunning
members who accept the leash of other Kindred.
Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Protean, Resilience
In the Covenants
The Carthian Movement: The Rotgrafen joke it was the
Carthians who joined them. Long before Contre les vampires
patriarcals upended the All Night Society, the Rotgrafen had
figured out the whole equality-among-Kindred angle, but
they just called it a þing instead of democracy. Still, the rise
of the Carthian Movement refined the bloodline’s ideology
along a more culturally neutral line (at least in the West), and
many Rotgrafen took up E. B. Carth’s cause with the point
of a cutlass. Tonight, most Sea Kings are Firebrands, though
they still maintain their faith in Sigrún and her god. They
view Carthian liberty more as a means to an end, a way of
preparing the Kindred for Loki’s future. More secular Rotgrafen
Firebrands pay lip service to that theology, viewing Ragnarök
in revolutionary terms or as a metaphor for Carthian utopia.
The Circle of the Crone: The Mother’s Army drew members
from many Rotgrafen cults when it emerged in the 19th
century, and they’ve had a close relationship with the Sea
Kings ever since. However, Carthians form the bloodline’s
political core, so most religious Rotgrafen are just “lay”
Acolytes; priests and blood sorcerers are special roles reserved
for only the most devout of Sigrún’s children, and for many
Rotgrafen, the Circle of the Crone is just something you do
on Yule. Those who dedicate themselves to the Dark Mother
view her as another guise of Loki, whose gender in Norse
sagas was far from fixed. They emphasize the trickster and
shapeshifting elements of his myths, deceiving their Kindred
as a form of “evangelical” worship.
The Invictus: A surprising number of Fire Lords join the
First Estate. In the end, Rotgrafen are still Ventrue, and being a
pirate doesn’t always mean you share the plunder. Invictus Sea
Kings build pirate kingdoms among Kindred thieves, enriching
themselves with loot and maintaining the Masquerade with
threats of vicious reprisal. Maybe the pirates who stole your haul
did turn into sharks when your men fell overboard, but maybe
you should shut the fuck up about it. The sharks know where
you live. They’re fair dealers, though — a First Estate Rotgrafen
won’t screw you as long as you don’t screw her. Just don’t make
the mistake of owning anything she wants.
52 False Gods: Ventrue
A Hundred Words for Fire
In a sense, this bloodline doesn’t have a name.
Rotgrafen is an epithet their enemies gifted upon
them, though most Fire Lords wear it as a badge
of dishonor. However, many Scandinavian Sea
Kings dislike this German label, preferring to
adopt surnames like Sigrúnsson, Sigrúnsdottir, or
Sigrúnsbur as tribute to their founder. In some
northern domains, they’re referred to as Sjøkonger
and Vikingahövdingar, or just plain Draug. In a few
North American cities, they’re called “Rötgrafen.”
Neonate Sea Kings employ this heavy metal umlaut
for a Teutonic mystique, even if their elders think it
makes them look like posers.
The Lancea et Sanctum: Sanctified Rotgrafen is almost a
contradiction in terms. It’s said Sigrún’s torpor followed a battle
with Sanctified witchfinders, and no love’s been lost ever since.
Maybe a handful of Sea Kings have found their way to the
Dark Father over the last thousand years, but their names are
lost to the flames. Ventrue deemed worthy of Rotgrafen blood
aren’t likely to have any Road to Damascus moments about the
Lancea et Sanctum and its self-loathing theology, but Christian
Rotgrafen are relatively common. A few Latin American
fleets follow liberation theology and other brands of religious
anarchism, recasting their pagan past as a parable with Loki
bowdlerized as an angel and Ragnarök as the Great Tribulation.
A handful even practice Theban Sorcery, “reclaimed” from the
heretical fangs of the Sanctified.
The Ordo Dracul: Rotgrafen in the Ordo Dracul are strange
ducks. While the bloodline isn’t really known for its scientific
curiosity, it shares many of the covenant’s views on liberty,
and the Coils of the Ascendant and Wyrm are attractive tools
for a gang of Kindred pirates. Most Rotgrafen among the
Dragons are coast guards for the Sworn of the Axe, assigned
to defending remote research stations in derelict oil rigs and
Arctic hideaways. A few Sea Kings venerate Dracula as another
herald of Loki, viewing the Coils as their god’s promethean gift
to vampires in defiance of the Æsir and their curses.
Rumors
“Rotgrafen talk a big game, but it’s just that — talk. Shapeshifting
vampire pirates aren’t exactly Masquerade-friendly. Maybe they were
a big deal a long time ago, but now they’re just coasting on rep.”
The Rotgrafen run vast protection rackets across the globe,
and in some ways their modern successes come as much from
repute as spilt blood. But they still spill a lot of blood. The opinion
above is more to do with Sea Kings being selective about their
targets, and the habit of rich (white) vampires not looking beyond
their own domains. Rotgrafen conduct more traditional piracy
in the Global South, where they can field landing parties and
raid ships with less chance of effective military reprisal, or well-
funded paranormal investigators. Of course, that doesn’t mean
they never fleece the wealthy in Europe and North America.
Rotgrafen can be subtle when it serves their needs, and they can
pull off a caper with the best of them.
“I met this Shadow once. Real spooky vibe. I know that’s all of them,
but still. Blonder than a sunbeam. Anyway, said he was a ‘Follower of
Jörmungandr’ or something. Wanted me to tell him about Loki and all
the bullshit our Crone contingent like to drone on about. Told him to
fuck himself and mind his own business… but something always stuck
with me about that night. See, I saw him again a few years later, in
the middle of a raid. He was watching us. Chanting.”
The Followers of Seth (Strange Shades: Mekhet, p. 68) have
many common causes with the Red Counts. It might even be
said that they have similar origins, tasked as they both are by
gods of chaos with bad raps among their pantheons of siblings.
The Sethites are more subtle in tearing down agents of order
than your average Sea King, but the outcome’s pretty much the
same. Oddly, the Rotgrafen haven’t had much formal contact
with the cult, but Sethites sometimes make pilgrimages to the
sites of Anarch raids, or try to precede them and bear witness
to the bloodshed. Whether this is just a confluence of goals or a
true spiritual connection is unknown. It’s possible Typhon Seth
and Loki Laufeyjarson have stronger ties than a love for chaos.
“They’re not just Witches with a Viking theme. They’ve got a whole
cosmology. Have you ever seen one of those evangelical timelines of the
rapture? All the trumpets and seals? It’s like that, but the devil wins.”
Mortal Heathens wouldn’t find much in common with the
Rotgrafen religion, which seems to owe more to Christian
millennialism than Norse mythology. Indeed, the real myth
of Ragnarök ends in a deluge after the fire, and Loki dies long
before that. He’s also not a fire god except in Wagner, as pedants
are wont to point out. Rotgrafen maintain that they possess the
true revelation of Loki the Redeemer, but this only strengthens
charges of a Christian undertone. To a degree, it’s true. Sigrún
was savvy in using the language of Revelation to convert her
first childer, who came from the rapidly Christianizing populace
of Scandinavia. In recent years the bloodline’s apocalypse has
taken on a new mask to draw modern converts: accelerationism.
Many Rotgrafen believe they have a duty to bring about the
material conditions of apocalypse, emphasizing the new world
they’ll build in the aftermath. This viewpoint is becoming more
common among hardliners, and spreading further and further
as Ragnarök continues to not arrive.
The Commodore
“You smell that? That smoke in the air? That’s the fire in my blood.
Wars of gods and giants and the coals of Hell. That and the napalm.”
Names are for thieves who get caught, so the Commodore
got rid of hers. Didn’t need it, doesn’t remember it. You can
call her sir if she lets you call her anything at all, though the
crew refers to her as Shelagh for some reason. A thorn in the
side of at least three seaside Invictus domains and one small
Caribbean nation, the Commodore has commanded her navy
since the end of the Cold War, when she and her followers first
emerged from the waves in a “lost” Soviet submarine.
More than just leader of a coterie, the Commodore is
prince of a floating, mobile domain, a pirate republic made
for and by the dead. Don’t assume she’s some tinpot Ventrue
dictator, though. She’s an elected official. She’s a follower of
the immortal science of Marxism–Leninism (emphasis on the
immortal part). The Commodore is just first among equals,
and has been as far back as anyone can remember. She brings
aid and artillery to whomever needs help resisting tyranny,
and makes a tidy profit for her efforts — distributed to each
according to his needs, natch. The Commodore’s crew is an
anti-coup navy, protecting Latin American Carthian domains
from the Conspiracy of Silence and their mortal pawns; they
say she can tell CIA agents from the foul smell of their sweat.
However, she doesn’t just do it because it’s the right thing.
See, the world’s coming to an end soon, and the Commodore is
here to help prepare for it, even if that means killing every last
person who stands in the way of the revolution. Her odd form of
apocalypticism is a patchwork of Norse mythology with a Marxist
bent — the gods are figuratively and literally the embodiments of
class warfare. The new world will need someone to guide it in
Loki’s name, and every raid the Commodore leads is training
for the night she thinks she’ll take that mantle.
Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline: Rotgrafen
Covenant: Carthian Movement and Circle of the Crone
Mask: Jester
Dirge: Rebel
Touchstones: Her mortal grandchildren, living well off
the money “auntie” sends (7); her faithful gray parrot,
Loptr Jr. (6); and a spear she believes once belonged to
Sigrún (5).
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 4, Manipulation 3,
Composure 2
Mental Skills: Investigation 3, Occult (Norse
Mythology) 1, Medicine 1
Physical Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl (Drunk) 3, Firearms
2, Stealth 3, Survival 2, Weaponry (Blades) 4
Social Skills: Animal Ken (Birds) 1, Empathy 1,
Expression 2, Intimidation 5, Persuasion 4, Subterfuge 2
Merits: Carthian Status 5, Circle of the Crone Status
1, Firefighter 5, Kindred Dueling 4, Mandate of the
Masses, Mentor 5, Resources 4, Rime of Salt, Sea Legs,
Touchstone 2, Trained Observer 3
Disciplines: Animalism 3, Dominate 1, Protean 5,
Nightmare 1, Resilience 5, Vigor 2
Devotions: Face of the Trickster, Foul Grave
Blood Potency: 3
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 53
 Health: 13
Willpower: 6
Humanity: 5
Size: 5
Speed: 15
Initiative: 7
Defense: 8
New Merits
Firefighter (• to •••••)
Prerequisites: Rotgrafen, Resolve •••, Weaponry •••,
Resilience •
Effect: The Rotgrafen don’t fear flame. They respect it,
but it doesn’t rule them like it does other Kindred — at least
as long as they keep their bane in check. This Fighting Style
allows Rotgrafen to better handle their god’s favored element,
providing techniques to maximize the use of lit and incendiary
weapons. It doesn’t let a vampire control flame, but it gives her
a better chance of turning its attention on others.
Note: If your character later learns Conquer the Red Fear
(Vampire, p. 156), she refunds an Experience for the effect of
Playing with Fire. If she already knows that Coil, she treats
Firefighter as a four-dot Merit, ignoring the first level below.
Playing with Fire (•): To handle fire, one must repress base
urges. Handling a lit weapon does not provoke frenzy in your
character as long as its base damage potential is lower or equal
to her Merit dots. This also applies to seeing characters with
Firefighter dots wielding lit weapons.
Safety First (••): Your character knows how to use fire with
minimal risk. Failures and dramatic failures while wielding
flame never result in burns, as safety is always at the forefront of
her mind. However, you can choose to allow this consequence
for a Beat. Furthermore, your character enjoys a +2 on Dodge
rolls to avoid flame.
Flame Dance (•••): To attack also means to defend, and fire
is excellent for both. Your character adds her lit weapon’s Size
to Defense, applying its damage rating as general armor and
preventing opponents from applying the full force of their attacks.
Brand (••••): Rotgrafen know where to strike to make their
flames more effective. If your character is wielding a lit melee
weapon and spends a Willpower before attacking a vampire or
ghoul with Resilience, treat the victim’s dots in that Discipline
as one dot lower than usual for both passive and active effects.
Undiminished Rage (•••••): No one wants to be set
on fire… but a good burn should never go to waste. If
your character takes damage from fire, she can choose to
automatically enter anger frenzy with a goal of the player’s
choice. At the end of this frenzy, fire will have cleansed her
Beast; she’s known the favor of Loki Laufeyjarson, and gains
the Raptured Condition.
54 False Gods: Ventrue
Rime of Salt (•)
Prerequisites: Rotgrafen, Protean ••
Effect: Your character’s Protean weapons are imbued with
ocean salt. Her strikes inflict agonizing pain, and anyone she
wounds suffers a –1 modifier on their next action.
Sea Legs (•)
Prerequisite: Sailing Specialty in Athletics
Effect: Your character knows how to keep his footing in naval
conflicts. When moving or fighting on a boat in rough waters,
he doesn’t suffer circumstantial penalties to Physical actions
and enjoys +1 Defense against combatants without this Merit.
New Devotion
Form of the Trickster
(Protean •••)
If Sigrún is to be believed, Loki granted her a fraction of
his mutable nature when he saved her miserable life. With
his Devotion, Rotgrafen can call upon his infamous ability to
shapeshift, whether to infiltrate an enemy’s stronghold or just
discard the tyranny of fixed forms. Unlike many bloodline
Devotions, this one isn’t unique to the Rotgrafen, though their
blood takes to it well. A multi-formed god wouldn’t want just
one group to enjoy his gifts, would he?
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn, or 1 if the
character is a Rotgrafen.
Cost: 2 Vitae
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Indefinite
Once a night, the vampire can transform into another
person. They can be real or imaginary and of any gender, but
they can’t have any qualities beyond the human limit. To create
a flawless imitation of a real individual, the Rotgrafen must
consume their blood within the same night. Otherwise, she
takes circumstantial penalties on any Social rolls to fool those
familiar with the original, as defined by the Storyteller. This
Devotion can bestow Giant and Small-Framed (Chronicles of
Darkness, pp. 47 and 49), and either level of Striking Looks,
but Sanctity of Merits does not apply. However, it can also
temporarily remove these Merits, in which case it does apply if
the vampire permanently redefines her form.
Transformation lasts until the vampire chooses to revert
to her default, but she can only take on one new face per
night. She can also spend a Willpower while resting in her
Unmarked Grave to redefine her default body. Note that the
vampire’s Physical Attributes and Skills remain the same,
so she should be careful to play into her altered physique if
she’s undercover.
 Typhos
the ones who make you better
The clinic is spotless, all shiny glass and gleaming tile. The
magazines in their little stand are immaculate, like they’ve never
even been read. Is this your second time here or your third?
Has it been more than three? You know that answer should be
important, but it’s not — not now, anyway. The only important
thing is getting more. More of those little red pills, more of the
feeling they gave you. Every time you’re here (and it’s definitely
been more than three) you come away a little… less, but the
doctor says he can help with that, too. There’s a buzz from the
receptionist’s desk, and her gleaming smile mirrors your own
desperate one. The doctor is in.
Kindred are parasites. For all their pretension and personal
power, they’re utterly dependent on the teeming host of humanity,
and should that willfully ignorant mass ever decide vampires are
real, they would be consumed in the resulting conflagration.
Herbert Spencer Cartwright has spent his Requiem grappling
with this problem, and in the Typhos Institute, he believes he’s
found a solution: The most successful parasites are the ones that
alter their host to suit their needs.
The Typhos Institute is an international biomedical research
group, privately owned and controlled by Cartwright’s childer
and grandchilder, and employing hundreds of ghouls and
mortals. Never publicly traded, the Institute is insular and
secretive, its human experiments unknown to all but the
Surgeons themselves, and perhaps a few trusted (and blood-
bound) employees. The Institute runs several for-profit clinics
in the UK, the Americas, and parts of Asia, where it cultivates
a list of loyal clients who double as the bloodline’s test subjects.
Cartwright himself is still active, and still working toward the
goal that inspired him to found his bloodline in the first place:
— creating a better human… to rule.
The Typhos work to engineer a new breed of mortal, docile,
unquestioning, and content in their role as the Kindred’s food
source. These efforts have yet to produce satisfactory results,
but the techniques they’ve pioneered over the centuries have
been refined into Arthmoic Surgery, a collection of insidious
procedures capable of enhancing their subjects physically, but
also of making them more susceptible the predations of vampires.
“Side effects? Those were outlined in the waiver.
You did read it, didn’t you?”
Typhos exploit their patients by preying on their fear of
mortality, claiming their procedures can extend lifespans,
improve health, and cure illnesses… for a nominal fee. Unlike
many other luxury clinics looking to make money off the
insecure rich, the Surgeons’ methods actually work, but they
also extract a higher price. Arthmoic Surgery makes you better,
but what it mostly makes you better at is being a victim. Patients
find themselves losing time, having difficulty thinking critically,
and being very willing to sign up for whatever new procedure
their predatory clinician prescribes. All of which would be
alarming for the patient, if they still had the capacity or will to
question their own actions.
It’s all relatively small-scale for now. The Typhos only have so
many members capable of performing Arthmoic Surgery, and
the exclusivity of their clinics means their victims/patients’
number in the high hundreds, at best. Cartwright is always
looking to the future, however, and with technology like cloning
and gene therapy on the horizon, his ambitions to “improve”
humanity are global.
Other Kindred look upon the Sawbones with suspicion,
saying they operate too openly and that their ambitions threaten
the Masquerade. However, few can deny their effectiveness, as
their methods for creating obedient blood dolls are more than
proven. The fact that they take commissions, and will apply
their techniques to any mortal of a vampire’s choosing (no
questions asked) also has a lot to do with the All Night Society’s
continued tolerance of their work. They’re even willing to give a
down-on-their-luck Lick a break on their usual prices, so long as
the buyer doesn’t mind being a test subject himself, or making
a few bodily donations. All in the name of science, of course.
Why you want to be us
You believe in a better future for all Kindred, one in which
humans no longer fight their place in the natural order. You
tire of the nightly hunt, and wish to learn how to make your
food come to you. You enjoy opening people up to see what
makes them tick.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 55

Why you should fear us
It’s not us you should fear. Our patients are
many, powerful, and ever so loyal. Our work
is for the good of all, but we won’t hesitate to
remove any who threaten it. Do not stand in
the way of progress, lest you be trampled by it.
Why we should fear ourselves
What if, in trying to adapt the host
to our needs, it instead notices us and
crushes us before we’re ready? It’s too
late to stop now; we’re as addicted to
control as our patients are to being
controlled, and we won’t stop until
we’ve perfected it — or it kills us.
Bloodline Origins
• Herbert Spencer Cartwright
emerged onto the domain of
London in the 1860s, already
at the head of a whole brood of
childer, and spreading awareness of a problem
he called the Evolving Host Dilemma. He
claimed humanity’s continued growth and
technological progression were the greatest
threat to the Kindred, but that he had
created revolutionary surgical techniques to
safeguard against an increasingly advanced
mortal population. His practices were met
with equal parts curiosity and suspicion,
at least until it was revealed he and his
childer had staged mass kidnappings in
order to “…inoculate the kine of London
against the disease of discontent.”
Cartwright’s actions were a clear threat
to the Masquerade, but he claimed his
techniques would render the Silence
obsolete, so he was morally obliged to
continue. He managed to survive the
ensuing blood hunt, though most of
his childer did not, and he went into
hiding to regroup. Decades later, the
first Typhos Institute clinic opened in
Manchester, selling surgeries to wealthy
mortals rather than forcing it upon them. From
there, Cartwright’s clinics and childer have
slowly spread across the world, with the two so
intertwined as to be indistinguishable from one
another.
• Cartwright isn’t a scientist, he’s an experiment.
After being drummed out of the Ordo Dracul for
incompetence and radicalism, he was captured by
a wealthy cult of humans who were determined
56 False Gods: Ventrue
to use Kindred to unlock the secrets of true immortality.
He spent years as their “donor,” subject to cruel and arcane
experiments before finally managing to escape by turning
some of his captors against each other. Simply slaughtering
his old tormentors wasn’t revenge enough, though. He
subjected them to the same surgical horrors they’d inflicted
upon him, and gradually discovered methods to craft the
former cultists into obedient puppets. Embracing the most
promising of his new pawns, Cartwright emptied the cult’s
coffers to establish the Typhos Institute, the better to share
his gifts of obedience with the world at large.
• Cartwright had help. Years into fruitless efforts
to solve the Evolving Host Dilemma, and almost
lost to his Beast, Cartwright received a strange
visitor. This creature, call-
ing itself Vincent, claimed
to be an artificially created
being, once human but
now no longer. Whether this
claim was true or not, Vincent
displayed strange powers and
an uncanny insight into certain
surgical practices. He proposed a trade, vol-
unteering himself as both assistant and exper-
iment in Cartwright’s research, in exchange
for the vampire’s aid in understanding his
own existence. Fascinated and desperate,
Cartwright agreed. A years’ long collabora-
tion ensued before Vincent eventually left
to pursue his journey once more. Decades
spent studying Vincent’s patchwork anat-
omy gave Cartwright a peculiar insight
into which aspects of humanity’s form
were fundamental, and which could be
“adjusted” to better serve his purposes.
He applied what he learned from the
creature’s broken and reformed flesh
into the creation of Arthmoic Surgery
and the Typhos Institute. Cartwright
now understood humanity’s evolution
could be guided, and he determined
that it would be by his hand.
Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: Sawbones, the Institute,
Surgeons
Bloodline Bane (The Clinician’s Curse):
Typhos have trouble viewing humans through
any lens that isn’t a medical one, generally
viewing them as either flawed creations in need
of improvement or as collections of parts to be
extracted and rearranged. As such, Typhos treat all
dice pools to relate to humans as one Humanity
dot lower than usual. However, this penalty
is permanently lifted with any human a
Surgeon performs a medical procedure on,
as the vampire can better conceive of them as an individual.
For example, a thorough physical exam would count, but a
simple consultation would not.
Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Dominate, Resilience
In the Covenants
The Carthian Movement: While the Firebrands aren’t exactly
scientifically-minded, many Surgeons admire their determination
to buck tradition and re-craft domains into new and better
forms. Some tension might emerge if a Sawbones actually joins
up, however, as the Typhos Institute is just the sort of old-money,
nepotism-ridden organization the Movement typically rails
against. Still, Carthian Surgeons are more than willing to spend
some of that old money on new causes, and activists appreciate
a doctor’s services after a clash with authority. Indeed, many a
Night Doctor has been a Typhos behind the mask.
The Circle of the Crone: Beyond the usual friction of the
religious versus the secular, the Acolytes view the Surgeons’
goals as vile weakness. Making things easier for Kindred is
not part of the Dark Mother’s plan. A Surgeon is more likely
to find herself infiltrating the Acolytes as a spy rather than
out of true devotion, as it’s well-known Cartwright is keen on
deciphering the secrets of Crúac. That more than one of his line
has met Final Death trying to bring him those secrets makes
the Institute’s founder even more covetous of them.
The Invictus: Wealth and medical science go hand-in-hand
these nights, so many Surgeons find a comfortable home in the
First Estate, as long as they’re willing to follow the rules. The
Old Man appreciates the ways a Surgeon’s techniques make
the kine more pliable, but not so much their certainty that the
Masquerade will soon become a thing of the past. Still, better
to keep such idealists close; all the better to reign them in when
they step out of line.
The Lancea et Sanctum: Typhos don’t understand why the
Church is so hostile toward them. If the Spear’s goal is more
humans worshipping God, then one would think they would
laud methods that make the kine more content, not decry them
as “blasphemy” and other… rudeness. Due to this attitude,
Sawbones usually avoid the Sanctified, but some, offended by
their holier-than-thou attitude, go out of their way to antagonize
members of the covenant. In domains like Mumbai, where
the Institute is quite active, this has led to open conflict on
numerous occasions, prompting the city’s exasperated prince
to impose harsh restrictions on either group even entering the
other’s territory.
The Ordo Dracul: If rumors are to be believed, Cartwright
was a Dragon before leaving the Order to pursue his own great
work, but that doesn’t mean much these nights. Sawbones and
the Defiant view each other as hopelessly misguided, and each
laments the great minds going to waste in the employ of the
other, chasing impossible and ill-conceived goals. Still, in most
domains, Surgeons and Dragons maintain a mutual respect…
except for London. The leaders of London’s Ordo Dracul nurse
a nasty grudge against Cartwright, and have a standing reward
of personal instruction in special, secret Coils to any Dragon
who presents them with the staked body of a Surgeon. Needless
to say, London is one of the few major cities in England that
does not sport a Typhos clinic.
Rumors
“Do you really think they can just turn people into meat puppets,
and nobody is going to notice? Oh, the kine know, they absolutely know,
but they’re not shutting it down. Hell no, they’re trying to figure out
how the creepy scalpel-lickers do it! Corporations, deep government,
marketing execs — they’d all love to know how to create a better brand
of sheeple.”
Half-true, in that the Typhos Institute has drawn some
human attention, but not the passive kind. The Cheiron Group
has long been a collector of Kindred, harvesting Vitae to use
in their own grotesque surgeries. However, the international
conglomerate has taken a different tactic with the Surgeons:
scorched earth. Whenever possible, Cheiron hunters seize and
destroy Typhos assets, and burn the Sawbones themselves to
ashes. The Institute doesn’t know what they’ve done to earn
the wrath of Cheiron, except perhaps for Cartwright himself.
Some Surgeons take the antagonism of such a powerful group
as proof their research is headed in the right direction, and
news of a Cheiron attack can imbue them with a work ethic
bordering on zealotry.
“Hello? Faheera? Good, I’m glad I got hold of you before the deal
was confirmed. Do not buy that property! Yes, I know, but listen: The
development next to it is owned by the Typhos Institute. Don’t you ‘so
what’ me! Didn’t you hear about Mumbai? The Institute lab there
went up in a firestorm, took out everything in a block radius — and it
wasn’t the only one. The Sawbones are always messing around with
things they shouldn’t be, and you shouldn’t be caught holding the bag
when things go up in flames…”
True. Surgeons don’t like to talk about it, but sometimes
their experiments go very wrong. Surgeries designed to control
and subjugate instead twist their subjects in unexpected ways,
always with violent results. The Mumbai fire was a particularly
destructive example, but eyewitnesses report seeing a figure
emerge from the conflagration and stagger away into the night.
Whoever — or whatever — this survivor was, nothing Kindred
could have survived a fire of that size.
“Do you honestly think the Typhos Institute is going to all this
trouble to simply control a few mortals? Hogwash. Their prattling
about hosts and parasites is a smokescreen. This is all just practice
until they reach their real goal: Surgeries that give them control of
Kindred. In fact, if my ears in Manchester are to be believed, old
Cartwright’s already done it.”
This is, perhaps surprisingly, false. Herbert Spencer
Cartwright’s goals are exactly what he says they are. He really
does believe himself to be an unappreciated savior of the entire
All Night Society. However, the Surgeons are still Ventrue,
and insightful ones at that, giving them an incredible edge in
manipulating their fellow Kindred. What some vampires might
mistake for eerie new powers are simply clever applications of
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 57
 the Disciplines carried within Typhos blood. Which isn’t to say
some Sawbones haven’t gone rogue over the years. Cartwright’s
brood doesn’t move in lockstep as much as he thinks it does,
and many of his grandchilder have their own ideas about using
their gifts on their Kindred.
Margaret Sheldon
“Subject’s fibrous tissue seems to be accepting the grafts with
minimal complications. However, subject will not stop vocalizing
distress at frequent intervals and increasing volume. Removal of
subject’s vocal cords should alleviate the problem...”
The oldest of Herbert Spencer Cartwright’s surviving
childer, Margaret’s first minutes of the Requiem involved
awakening in a bloody pit and having to fight off the attacks
of a “sibling” who’d lost their mind to the mass Embrace.
She survived, becoming one of the very first members of the
Typhos Institute. These nights, Margaret practically runs
the company, having taken over much of the administrative
duties from Cartwright, who’s become increasingly isolated.
Margaret has a complicated relationship with her sire, seeing
him as both tormentor and redeemer. If whispers are to be
believed, she’s tried to kill him on more than one occasion,
but obviously, it didn’t take. The man himself seems to have
nothing but affection for his eldest childe, though he treats
her with a delicacy Margaret finds frustrating.
Respected for her imposing manner, cold practicality, and
mastery of Arthmoic Surgery, many Sawbones think of Margaret
as the true head of their bloodline, an impression she doesn’t
try very hard to correct. It’s unclear whether Margaret believes
in the Institute’s goal of altering humans to be better prey for
Kindred, but she’s a true artist with a scalpel. Long ago having
become bored with the “normal” techniques of Arthmoic
Surgery, Margaret enjoys altering her patients more overtly.
The beings she creates have an otherworldly beauty to them,
though that doesn’t mean they’re any less disturbing. She also
takes her role as de facto leader seriously, and, when possible,
makes a point of introducing herself to each new Surgeon who
joins their ranks. Margaret’s also not above reaching outside
her line’s relatively small numbers for assistance, often hiring
local coteries to deal with problems she can’t see to herself and
doesn’t want to risk Institute assets on.
Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline: Typhos
Covenant: None
Mask: Authoritarian
Dirge: Artist
Touchstone: Albert Kessler, her current canvas. She’s
altered his mind with Dominate almost as much as she’s
altered his body with surgery. She would never hurt him,
though. And she’ll never let him die.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 5, Wits 2, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
58 False Gods: Ventrue
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 4,
Composure 4
Mental Skills: Academics 3, Crafts (Bone, Flesh) 3,
Computer 2, Investigation 2, Medicine (Surgery) 4,
Occult 3, Politics (Big Pharma) 4, Science (Biology) 2
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 1, Weaponry
(Scalpel) 2
Social Skills: Animal Ken (Predators) 2, Empathy 2,
Expression 2, Intimidation (Cold Stare) 5, Persuasion 3,
Socialize 1, Subterfuge 3
Merits: Close Family, Cutthroat, Good Time
Management, Independent Study, Library (Medicine)
3, Language (Hindi), Resources 5, Retainer 5, Staff 3,
Surgeon, Typhos Status 5, Unnatural Affinity (Deviants) 1
Disciplines: Animalism 2, Auspex 4, Dominate 4,
Obfuscate 1, Resilience 3, Vigor 2
Devotions: Chain of Command, Conditioning, Doctor’s
Orders, Stalwart Servant
Blood Potency: 5
Health: 10
Willpower: 8
Humanity: 3
Size: 5
Speed: 12
Initiative: 7
Defense: 3
Notes: Margaret suffers the Open Wounds bane, but
no longer risks detachment for torture. She currently
enjoys the “doctor” benefits of Necrobiological
Transplant and Sanguine Sensory Enhancement, which
are both active on Albert Kessler. Independent Study
can be found on p. 197 of Secrets of the Covenants.
Arthmoic Surgery
The heart of the Typhos Institute is Arthmoic Surgery, their
method of altering humans to better suit their role as hosts to
their Kindred parasites. What makes these techniques more
insidious than simple brainwashing or blood addiction is that
they have clear benefits to the patient. Arthmoic procedures
can make your senses sharper, your limbs stronger, and your
face prettier… but there’s always a price. The side-effects of
simpler procedures are subtle, small alterations in biology and
behavior — hardly even noticeable. The more complex ones,
however, start to slice away a patient’s free will, altering them
to suit the Surgeon’s needs.
To perform Arthmoic Surgery, a character must first purchase
the Surgeon Merit. Once acquired, the character can then
perform any Arthmoic Surgery Procedures, as long as she
meets the prerequisites and has permission from her superiors
to make use of the local clinic. Each Procedure connects two
participants: the doctor and her patient. The patient must
purchase the Procedure Merit to gain its advantages; the doctor
does not.
Unless otherwise noted, the patient is always a mortal
or ghoul, and the doctor is the character performing the
Procedure. Most Procedures are temporary and must be
renewed at regular intervals, as noted in their description. Merit
dots revert when a Procedure expires without being renewed;
see Sanctity of Merits on p. 109 of Vampire: The Requiem.
Surgeon (••)
Prerequisite: Typhos Status •, Medicine ••, Surgery
Specialty in Medicine
Effect: Your character has been instructed in the esoteric
techniques of Arthmoic Surgery, and can grant her patients access
to Procedure Merits. Due to the intimate knowledge of anatomy
such practices grant, your character also enjoys the 9-again quality
on any roll where their Surgery Specialty would apply.
Drawback: The Typhos Institute guards its secrets carefully,
and always demands a cut of the profits. Sawbones discovered
instructing those outside the bloodline in these techniques,
or trying to go into business for themselves can expect swift
retribution. Furthermore, the Institute prefers not to use their
techniques on any old mortal; only those vetted and deemed
fit can undergo procedures (or survive them).
Arthmoic Surgery Procedures
The following Procedures are examples of those developed
by Herbert Spencer Cartwright, and passed on to his childer
for further refinement and experimentation. Unless otherwise
specified, all Procedures have a prerequisite of being human
or a ghoul.
Mass Expansion (••)
Effect: Using Vitae and an ample supply of donor tissue,
the doctor stimulates the patient’s bone and muscle growth
to increase their size. The patient gains the Giant Merit. The
doctor, having heavily altered the patient’s musculoskeletal
structure, now knows where their weak points are. Any physical
actions the doctor makes against or with the patient gain the
9-again quality. This Procedure is permanent, leaving the
patient with an impressive number of surgical scars.
Drawback: More body, more blood! Kindred can consume
blood from the patient at twice the normal rate.
Musculature Limiter Removal (•••)
Effect: By reworking tendon groupings and injecting Vitae
into key areas, the doctor can enhance the patient’s physical
capabilities, though doing so puts a strain on a living body.
Once a turn as a reflexive action, the patient can choose to
suffer a level of bashing damage to use Physical Intensity in
the same manner as one of the Kindred. When the doctor
feeds from the patient, she gains three Vitae for every two she
consumes. This Procedure lasts two weeks before it requires
renewal, and during that time the patient’s limbs will sometimes
twitch and spasm in strange ways.
Drawback: The patient’s body is now highly reactive to
Vitae. One drink of Vitae counts as two for the purposes of
the Vinculum.
Necrobiological Transplant (•••)
Effect: This extensive and semi-experimental surgery
implants Kindred tissue into a still-living donor, enhancing
the patient’s physical abilities beyond the human limit. The
patient gains a dot of Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina, which
can put them over the normal human Attribute limit of
five dots. The doctor now counts the patient as being once-
removed in terms of blood sympathy. This Procedure lasts a
week before it requires renewal, during which time the patient
requires twice as much food as normal, and experiences strong
cravings for meat.
Drawback: The patient’s blood becomes particularly exciting
to Kindred, inflicting the Wanton Condition on any who feed
from them. Should the patient die while this Procedure is active,
they will rise as a revenant the next evening.
Parasensory Awakening (••)
Prerequisite: Auspex • (Doctor)
Effect: With delicate brain surgery, the doctor awakens the
patient’s latent extra-sensory potential. Once per scene, the
patient can gain a burst of psychic insight that replicates the
effects of Beasts Hackles, though, being human, the patient
gains the information through hazy visions rather than the
Beast’s whispers. The doctor can spend a point of Vitae to
ride the patient’s senses for up to a scene, though she leaves
herself insensate while she does so. This Procedure lasts two
weeks before it requires renewal, during which time the patient
experiences frequent, vivid nightmares of being hunted.
Drawback: The patient’s mind is now easy prey for Kindred.
They suffer a 2-die penalty on Attributes to resist or contest the
effects of mind-influencing and reading Disciplines.
Predatory Pheromone (•)
Effect: By injecting an alchemical concoction into the
patient’s thyroid gland, the doctor alters his hormone balance
in strange ways. The patient begins exuding a subtle odor that
most humans find enticing, granting him a 2-die bonus on
Persuasion, Socialize and Subterfuge when dealing with other
people (including ghouls). When making a roll including one
of these Skills involving the patient, the doctor achieves an
exceptional result with three successes, rather than five. This
Procedure lasts thirty days before it requires renewal.
Drawback: The patient now finds the predatory auras of
Kindred alluring, and such creatures enjoy a 1-die bonus on
Persuasion, Socialize and Subterfuge rolls involving him.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 59

Sanguine Sensory Enhancement (•)
Effect: The doctor bathes the patient’s sensory organs in a
diluted Vitae mixture, granting them the effects of the Acute
Senses Merit. Use the doctor’s Blood Potency to determine the
bonus the patient receives. As long as this Procedure is active,
the doctor gains bonus dice equal to her Blood Potency to
locate, spot, track, or otherwise be aware of the patient. This
Procedure lasts thirty days before it must be renewed, and the
patient’s eyes take on a reddish, bloodshot appearance while
they enjoy its effects.
Drawback: Kindred can sense the patient’s heartbeat and
smell his blood at double the normal ranges.
New Devotion
Doctor’s Orders
(Auspex ••••, Dominate ••)
The form of control the Typhos propagate is particularly
insidious because humans often bring it upon themselves. This
Devotion is a natural extension of that philosophy.
This Devotion costs 2 Experience to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Requirement: The Surgeon must successfully use Lay Open
the Mind on the victim.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Reflexive
60 False Gods: Ventrue
While the Surgeon is accessing the thoughts of another,
she can activate this Devotion to use her powers of Dominate
directly within the mind of her victim, without the need for
eye-contact or verbal commands. This also overcomes any
language barrier between the vampire and her victim, but the
Surgeon must still roll to inflict the Mesmerized Condition and
pay any associated costs for other levels of Dominate. Victims
view commands given to them with this power as coming from
within their own mind, and so will go to great lengths to justify
their actions, even if they make little sense.
Twists of the Blood: Conspiracy Theory
Readers with access to Deviant: The Renegades may note
the similarities between the Typhos Institute and the grasping,
shadowy conspiracies that hunt the Remade. While this isn’t
their primary purpose, the Institute’s goal of creating a “better”
human could easily result in Divergence. Alternatively, if the
Typhos discovered the existence of Deviants, they might try
and capture one for study and dissection. After all, what’s
more terrifying than discovering the vampires running the
corrupt pharmaceutical company trying to capture you aren’t
just metaphorical?
Used as a conspiracy in the Web of Pain, the Typhos Institute
has a Standing of 3–5; Nodes are primarily found throughout
the United Kingdom, India, and North America; Icons relate
to extreme medical practices; and any individual Surgeon can
be a Linchpin character. See p. 217 of Deviant: The Renegades
for more on conspiracies and their plots.
 Warumono
the ones who give you trouble
You know they’ve arrived before you see them. When you
do, it’s unmistakable. Loud suits, slicked hair, and an aura of
menace rolling off them thicker than the scent of cigarettes
and old cologne. Something inside you squirms and makes you
search for an exit. The Warumono are here, and only danger
follows on their snakeskin heels.
The world is a machine that grinds down the weak and feeds
on the suffering of the vulnerable. The poor, the outcasts,
and the ostracized — for those on the bottom, the only way
out is up. The Warumono bloodline epitomizes strength
through perseverance, and the will to pull yourself up by
blood-soaked bootstraps. The Wild Ones originated on the
bottom rung of the All Night Society, but have grown into
one of Japan’s most powerful bloodlines. Their traditions of
fraternity and courage have united them against their social
betters, and as their influence grows, domains all across the
world will soon tremble beneath the pristine boots of these
immortal gangsters.
The Warumono are a troublesome, but necessary counter-
balance to the rigid hierarchies and social stratification of the
Danse Macabre. The services they provide may exist outside
the realms of haut monde, but they’re always in demand.
Their domain is the shadowy underbelly cast by the light of
society, and within this darkness they thrive. The Warumono
have no qualms about working with anyone, though they do
have a soft spot for the underdog. And with is the key word.
The Wild Ones work for themselves first and others second.
Consider the leather jacket-clad knight in San Francisco as he
runs protection for Invictus businesses; consider the shock
troop as he fights alongside a pack of werewolves in Myanmar;
consider the firebug as she burns down a prince’s blood doll
brothel. Each of them mercenary in their intentions, and each
as untamable as a storm.
As befits their sobriquet, the Wild Ones are anything but
subtle. Each member is cursed to wear their power like a
mantle, radiating outward and announcing their presence like
a trumpet. They refer to it as the mark of the dragon, a sign
of their rise against the natural order. Where they go, chaos
“You don’t want a problem? Too bad.
I’m already here.”
follows. To help contain their overwhelming power, each
member of the bloodline follows the philosophy of gokudo, the
Extreme Path, a set of principles that governs their behavior
and guides their unorthodox existences. Their devotion to
this philosophy is so ardent that it’s written into their flesh,
through ornate tattoos that grant their owners supernatural
powers beyond the ken of most other Kindred.
The Warumono have a reputation as being aggressive, brash,
potent defenders of the old and dark customs of their nation’s
criminal empires. Their progenitors were yakuza gangsters,
gifted the Embrace in order to bolster Japanese Kindred against
the influx of foreign vampires, and they soon grew to be an
institution. The Wild Ones thrive even as the mortal yakuza
dwindles in influence; the world always has room for the kind
of violence and control they bring to bear. Whether roaming
the countryside in biker gangs or stalking the back alleys of
urban sprawls, the Warumono are animate typhoons whose
passing brings peace.
One way or another.
Why you want to be us
You know there’s a right way and a wrong way to do things
— and then there’s the way that actually gets it done. You
honor what’s come before because the past has value, but the
path stretches out before you too, and you have to be a bad
enough motherfucker to walk it. And who cares what anyone
else says? If you’re tough enough, who’s going to argue with
you? Or maybe you just want all the cool tattoos. Can’t blame
you there.
Why you should fear us
Where we go, trouble follows. We wear the storm like a
fresh-pressed suit, and damn if it doesn’t look good on us. The
Extreme Path is a dangerous one, and our only companions on
it are death and despair. Whether we want to be or not, we’re
heralds of destruction with the guts to send the message. No
reason to be afraid if you shut up and fall in line.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 61
 Why we should fear ourselves
We’re the eye of a storm, but look what happens to the rest of the world when we get
together. It’s hard to build a house when you’re constantly repairing the foundation, so
we keep building empires out of powder. We follow the path to keep ourselves in check,
but maybe it’s just a way to put a leash around our necks. What would happen if we left
the path and made our own way? Would we be stronger — or would we implode?

Bloodline Origins
• Japan’s isolation crumbled when Matthew Perry ordered his iron
ships into Edo Bay in 1853. Though his fleet departed before any
real damage could be done, his promise to a return the following
year sent shockwaves through the Japanese All Night Society, who
had spent two centuries containing contact from Dutch and Jesuit
vampires. When Perry returned six months earlier than expected,
the Midnight Shogunate panicked and, fearing an invasion of
foreign monsters with hungry mouths and grasping hands,
made a terrible bargain. The Kindred turned to the so-called
chivalrous organizations of the ninkyodantai, known in the
west as the yakuza, and offered certain members a deal:
Eternal life in exchange for protection from the shadows.
They never expected the Warumono would find the
darkness so comfortable.
• The end of the turbulent Sengoku Era brought peace
to the empire, but also a great number of ronin. Many
of these disenfranchised warriors became roaming
vagabonds who formed garish mercenary gangs called
Kabukimono. It was such a gang that made the mistake
of awakening an ancient and noble Ventrue from his
slumber with a raucous drinking party one night. The
elder Lord saw the strange dress and crass demeanor of the former
samurai and flew into a wild rage. They fought from dusk till dawn,
and to the vampire’s surprise, the men’s numbers and fraternal bond
proved a match to his dead might. As the sun rose, the elder was so
touched by their display of courage that he called off the fight. He
bade the warriors follow him into his lair, an ancient cave rumored
to cage a demon, where gave them a new life under a new master,
etching their pledge into their skins. The men who emerged were no
longer samurai, but the walkers of the Extreme Path.
• Once upon a midnight darkly, a wealthy man named Sentaro was afraid to
die. His name meant “millionaire,” and he had earned his name and wealth
through gambling, killing, and other unscrupulous means. Yet for all his
wealth, he could not buy more life. He scoured the land for a way to extend
his life, and eventually arrived at a shrine of Jofuku, who was worshiped as
the god of hermits in the south. Sentaro prayed for seven days and seven
nights, and on the final night, Jofuku arrived and heard his prayer. However,
Jofuku knew Sentaro was a wealthy man who had only ever known comfort.
He asked if Sentaro was strong enough to forsake the delight of food, the
warmth of the sun in leisure, the joy of expensive wine, and the touch of
another. Thinking he’d won, Sentaro swore he could live as a hermit.
“We shall see,” said Jofuku, and then he took Sentaro to the land
of unending life, where the food tastes of ash and the drink
does not quench and all is blood. And there Sentaro remains
to this day — impatiently ever after.

62 False Gods: Ventrue

 Parent Clan: Ventrue
Nicknames: Wild Ones, Gangsters
Bloodline Bane (The Turbulent Curse): A Warumono’s
adherence to extreme action makes it difficult to fly under the
radar. Whenever a Wild One engages in violent action or draws
blood, including feeding, she exudes an aura that makes her
presence almost impossible to forget. For the rest of the scene,
the Lost Visage fails. Mortal eyes are drawn to her, and any
mundane rolls to act subtly, stealthily, or to escape notice are
capped by her Humanity.
Disciplines: Celerity, Dominate, Resilience, Vigor
In the Covenants
The Carthian Movement: Kicking open doors and flipping
tables on the status quo is the Warumono’s modus operandi, so
they’re always welcome in the Movement. Where towers need
tearing down and power requires seizing, the Warumono thrive,
which is why a large portion call themselves Firebrands. The
Wild Ones act as frontline soldiers, killers, and thugs, though
once a city stabilizes under Carthian control, they often find
themselves pushed toward another domain — either due to the
aura of trouble they exude or their desire to create more of it.
The Circle of the Crone: Warumono Acolytes are suppliers,
organizers, and fixers; after all, someone has to supply the party
and dispose of the bodies. While most Gangsters are areligious,
those who find connection within the Circle often awaken
latent abilities that make them passionate spiritualists. Many
of these Acolytes draw inspiration from Shintoism, evoking
dangerous personae like the thunder god Susanoo, rival and
brother to Amaterasu. The nature of the Mother’s Army gives
Warumono something they rarely receive: encouragement and
support. Within its blood-soaked embrace, Wild Ones find a
channel for their darker tendencies, and an outlet for the chaos
burning in their Vitae.
The Invictus: The Invictus fit the Warumono like a crisp
white suit and popped shirt collar — a little obvious, a bit
dated, but undeniably iconic. Unlike a typical Lord in the
First Estate, most Wild Ones have little time for century-long
whisper campaigns and webs of political intrigue when a hostile
takeover or a meat cleaver will do. These Warumono fight the
good fight against, unworthy superiors, rival covenants, and
Kindred who would dare breach the Masquerade. Their blunt,
brash demeanor also has the side benefit of overshadowing
their ability to engender loyalty and create cults of personality
— something their covenant rivals often discover too late.
The Lancea et Sanctum: While there’s little room for
Sanctified idolatry among most Warumono, some do find their
way to the Church. After all, the Spear’s theology provides the
perfect underdog narrative for Warumono to cling to. Rejoice,
for you are motherfucking Damned. When one of the Wild
Ones takes up the dark gospel, they’re quick to weaponize it.
Empowered by ritual and zeal, these Kindred are warriors of
faith who seek not conversion, but subservience from their
fellow dead.
The Ordo Dracul: The Dragons excel at pushing their
followers to the extremes, which fits the Warumono very
well indeed. However, the bloodline’s troublesome nature
often chafes with the Dragons’ structured, pseudo-academic
organization. When the two align, it’s usually over blood, either
through the ordeals involved in learning the Coils or in the
bloody work Wild Ones are willing to do for their covenant. The
Warumono’s mystic tattoos are also a great source of curiosity for
Ordo researchers, but as of yet none have managed to replicate
their effects outside the bloodline. This hasn’t stopped them
from rampant experimentation, and that’s led a few Dragon
domains to be flooded with tattooed Kindred. The Wild Ones
love being fashion-forward for a change.
Rumors
“Listen, those tattoos aren’t just ink. You look at them in the
moonlight and you’ll see the truth. They move. They shift. They’re
alive. I don’t know what they are, but it’s not ink.”
Warumono tattooing draws on ancient practices and evokes
mystical connections with the spirits of Japanese folklore.
They’re not living creatures… though perhaps they draw
their power from them. One Dragon Gangster in Okinawa
conducted decades of research on the tattoos, their meaning,
and their origin, and unearthed a shocking discovery: The
symbols that exist today mirror those found in scrolls more
than 2000 years ago. What’s more, there was an additional
set of designs from that era that featured what appeared to be
a yellow-eyed bird. Unfortunately for the bloodline, shortly
after this discovery both the researcher and his notes vanished
without a trace.
“I thought the yakuza were drying up, but I was in Seattle last month
and came across a bunch of them being led around by some vampire
gangster. He didn’t speak much English, and I didn’t stick around to
find out how long he was staying, or if it was for business or pleasure.
Anyway, it got me thinking: Maybe the yakuza isn’t dying — maybe
it’s just becoming undead.”
While yakuza activity around the globe is shrinking or
consolidating — and even going straight — the Warumono
are doing everything they can to expand. The world is rife
for the kind of trouble only they can provide. The bloodline’s
reputation for effective action overshadows the devastation
they leave in their wake, so they’re often hired as specialized
muscle by distant domains, and each new Embrace in new lands
expands their power as both a lineage and an organization.
They’re not trying to grow their family nearly as much as the
family business, which could sow the seeds of a new minor
covenant with enough time and care.
“Typhoons, man. Human-shaped fucking typhoons. And when you
get more of them together, the storm grows. There’s a reason they keep
sending their childer off to other domains — it’s not to invade. It’s to
stop their storms from combining into some goddamn… super storm!
True, to a point. The Warumono create trouble just by
existing, and the more of them that exist in a domain, the
greater the chance of them drawing heat. But there’s nothing
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 63
 mystical about the dangerous auras they exude, right? Of course,
when large gangs of Warumono form, domains tend to go radio
silent, so perhaps there’s something to this theory.
Katsuo Nagoshi
“Great. What now?”
Katsuo was always a bit too much. A bit too big, a bit too
strong, a bit too emotional, a bit too volatile. It got him into
trouble as a kid and would have gotten him even more had he
not joined the yakuza. He soon became a surrogate son to his
boss, who taught him how to temper his extreme personality
with a sense of duty.
So when the boss was about to go down for murder, Katsuo
turned himself in and took it like a good soldier. Six years in
the frozen hell of Abashiri prison would change most people,
but Katsuo was still a bit too stubborn. When he made it back,
his boss had died of cancer, but a young man who claimed to
be the old man’s grandfather rewarded Katsuo for allowing his
grandson to live his last years as a free man.
As a vampire, Katsuo’s still a gangster, but at heart he wants
to be a protector. He believes it’s the responsibility of organized
crime to both stay organized and out of the way of ordinary
people. Unfortunately, Katsuo’s quest for the power to protect
the innocent pulls more and more of them into his aura of
crime and peril. For every life he protects, he ruins two, and
the reality of the situation is starting to wear at his Humanity.
When Katsuo finally falls, it’ll be from his Quixotic beliefs,
not a predator’s fangs.
Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline: Warumono
Covenant: Invictus
Mask: Conformist
Dirge: Nurturer
Touchstone: The boss’s grave (7); Akane, the daughter
of an old friend he watches out for (6).
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 2,
Composure 1
Mental Skills: Computer 1, Crafts (Repair) 1, Medicine
1, Politics 1
Physical Skills: Athletics 3, Brawl (Holds) 4, Firearms
1, Larceny 1, Weaponry 2
Social Skills: Animal Ken 2, Empathy 2, Expression 3,
Intimidation (Implicit Threats) 3, Socialize 2, Streetwise 3
Merits: The Aggressive Path 3, Indomitable, Invictus
Status 2, Iron Will, Resources 2, Touchstone 1, Where
the Bodies Are Buried
Disciplines: Celerity 1, Dominate 1, Resilience 4,
Vigor 4
64 False Gods: Ventrue
Blood Potency: 2
Health: 13
Willpower: 5
Humanity: 6
Size: 5
Speed: 15
Initiative: 3
Defense: 5 (Active Defense 6)
New Merits
Tattooing is a mainstay of yakuza life. Irezumi, the art of
Japanese tattooing, is an ancient practice that dates back to the
Ainu people and the Ryukyuan Kingdom before it was outlawed
during the Meiji era. It’s an excruciating, sometimes lethal
process, where the ink is hammered directly into the flesh.
Gokudo Tattoos are specific patterns that grew out of the
bloodline’s desire to wear their dedication to their path on their
flesh. The Extreme Path guides the Warumono’s existence and
exemplifies the values they prize above all else. Each path ties
to one of the bloodline’s favored Disciplines, reflecting their
deep connection to the Beast.
To receive a Gokudo Tattoo, a Warumono must find a
master specialized in carving dead flesh with long, hollow
knives. The process of receiving one of these tattoos is
excruciating, as the pain and suffering help to bind the mystic
energies into the skin. Though masters of the art are rare,
the bloodline keeps a small stable of artisans in “perpetual”
employment back in Japan. By tradition, tattoos must be
acquired in the sequences below, with each new ability said
to be magnified by the last.
When a Warumono receives her first tattoo, she must
decide which branch of the Extreme Path she wants to walk:
Aggression, Duty, Harmony, or Vitality. Once she receives this
first tattoo, levels in all other paths cost two Experiences per
dot, and the total number of out-of-path dots can never exceed
her rating in the primary path. As such, it is impossible for a
character to bear more than two complete paths.
Unless otherwise specified, Gokudo Tattoo effects cannot
be used in frenzy, and are reflexive actions.
The Aggressive Path (• to •••••)
Prerequisites: Warumono, Vigor •
Effect: The Aggressive Path solidifies a Wild One’s
connection to the Beast. Through proper channeling of her
rage and Kindred instincts, a Warumono can endow herself
with startling physical prowess.
The Snake (•): This writhing mamushi offers a clear warning
to those who would dare provoke the Warumono. Your character
gains the 8-again quality on all Intimidation or fear-based
Persuasion rolls with those she’s injured in the same night.
 The Tiger (••): Like this tattoo, a tiger is beautiful — but
always deadly. Your character can spend a Willpower to inflict
+1L damage with her bare hands for a number of successful
attacks equal to her Merit dots, even to other Kindred. This
effect expires at the end of the scene if it isn’t used up.
The Tortoise (•••): Genbu, one of the four guardian spirits
that protect Kyoto, is a turtle entwined with a snake, and its
tenacity grants the bearer of this tattoo a deadly shield against
harm. By spending a Willpower, anyone with lower Strength
than your character takes a point of lethal damage (bashing for
Kindred) after any successful close quarter attacks they make
against her for the rest of the scene.
The Phoenix (••••): The phoenix is a symbol of the imperial
house, representing justice and loyalty. When adorned on a
Warumono, it becomes the symbol of judgment on her Kindred.
Once a night, your character can spend a Willpower to set off
a predatory blaze of glory. All vampires within sight must resist
frenzy as if they had suffered a level of damage from sunlight
(commensurate to Humanity). Anyone who succeeds this roll
suffers a –1 on all actions against your character for the rest of
the scene as their Beasts recoil in fear.
The Dragon (•••••): This incredible tattoo depicts a
flowing dragon descending into a dark inferno, representing
the power to call on the hate of Hell. By spending a Willpower,
your character deals aggravated damage with a successful
Brawl attack. Drawback: Each time she uses this ability, your
character gains the Tempted Condition, compounding its
penalty with each subsequent use. If she reaches –5, she must
resist fear frenzy, and cannot use this ability again until she
resolves Tempted.
The Dutiful Path (• to •••••)
Prerequisites: Warumono, Resilience •
Effect: The Dutiful Path represents the bonds of loyalty
between all Warumono, and grants incredible power to resist
temptation and work together against common foes.
Pack of Demons (•): This tattoo depicts writhing, blood-
thirsty demons working in concert. Your character will not
attack another member of her bloodline while in frenzy.
If another Wild One enters involuntary frenzy, their Beast
instinctively recognizes the presence of this tattoo, and will
not attack her either.
Hanya Mask (••): The bearer of this horrific demonic mask
can empower her fellows through her own intense loyalty.
Once a scene, your character can spend a Willpower to grant
another Warumono her Dutiful Path dots as a bonus to a
single roll.
Namakubi (•••): Despite its gruesome appearance, this
blood-drenched severed head represents courage and dignity.
Once a night, your character can spend a Willpower to heal
damage equal to her Merit dots, starting with the most severe, as
long as another member of her bloodline is present. Drawback:
This effect does not work if the character has any aggravated
damage in her Health track.
Story Seed: The Hidden Path
The fifth path is said to embody a virtue the
Warumono have long abandoned, and the few
scholars among the bloodline speculate this may
have been service or subservience — but to whom or
what? Perhaps the flesh of a slumbering elder bears
the forgotten designs of this path, and the pacts it
forged in fealty to something… else.
The Samurai (••••): By invoking the symbolic power of
brotherhood inherent to this tattoo, your character can spend
a Willpower to gain a bonus to one Resistance Attribute of
your choice, equal to each Warumono in her immediate
presence. This bonus cannot raise a trait above its Blood
Potency cap, and does not add to Advantages like Health,
Initiative, or Willpower. This boost lasts the rest of the
night, as long as at least one other Wild One remains in your
character’s presence. Drawback: Loyalty can be an Achilles’
heel. While this ability is active, your character must resist
frenzy each time a member of her bloodline takes lethal or
aggravated damage.
Ogre Mask (•••••): This tattoo of a smiling devil mask
symbolizes the link between a Warumono and her feral
instincts. Your character can bargain with her Beast, granting it
the carnage it desires while protecting herself from the fallout.
Spend a Willpower and name a specific breaking point, such
as premeditated murder. If your character would suffer this
breaking point before the end of the night, she instead gains
the Fugue Condition. Drawbacks: Should she be forced to
confront her actions at a later time, the Beast takes its toll.
Any detachment roll associated with this act made later takes
a –2 modifier. Your character cannot use this effect again until
she resolves Fugue.
The Harmonious Path (• to •••••)
Prerequisites: Warumono, Celerity •
Effect: The Harmonious Path embodies calm and spiritual
transcendence. Its tattoos grant the ability to control oneself
and the world around him through harmonious existence.
Immovable King of Wisdom (•): This tattoo depicts the
Fudoi Myoo, legendary defender of Buddhism, brandishing a
sword in one hand and a rope by which he binds evil in another.
Your character always gains the 9-again quality on the first roll
in attempting to ride the wave.
Black Koi (••): The koi is a symbol of luck, but a black koi
is a symbol of misfortune, and with its power, a Warumono
can turn an opponent’s fortune against her with a touch. If
your character makes physical contact with a character, he
can spend a Willpower as a reflex to reduce her next Physical
action against him to a chance die. This applies once per
victim in a scene.
Chapter One: Dead Dynasties 65
 Lion of Buddha (•••): Foo dogs are guardians of Buddhist
temples, providing fierce protection against evil. When
attacked, your character can reflexively spend a Willpower
to change the target of the attack to any person within reach.
This effect must be used before the attack is rolled. Drawback:
If the victim exceptionally succeeds her attack, she ignores the
effect of this Merit.
Crashing Wave (••••): The crashing wave symbolizes the
strength and power of the ocean. By spending a Willpower, once
a scene your character can target all foes within reach with a
single attack roll, smashing through them like a wave. Apply
the highest Defense to your roll, minus one for each opponent
after the first, and distribute total damage as you see fit.
Divine Wind (•••••): The divine wind is a symbol of
Japanese legend that protected the nation from invasion. This
massive tattoo endows the Warumono with the might of a
typhoon. By spending a Willpower, your character can take
a second instant Physical action in a turn. Drawback: Your
character must resist frenzy with a –3 modifier after using her
second action.
The Vital Path (• to •••••)
Prerequisites: Warumono, Dominate •
Effect: The Vital Path exemplifies life and harmony.
These tattoos grant powerful insight, charm, and disarming
magnetism to their bearers.
King of Flowers (•): The botan flower is a symbol of elegance
and masculine energy. Once per Social maneuver, your
character can choose to open three doors instead of two on an
exceptional success. Drawbacks: Your character must have at
66 False Gods: Ventrue
least a Good impression with their mark. This effect can only
be used once on any given character per story.
Imperial Chrysanthemum (••): The solar flower spreads
like a flame, symbolizing joy and longevity. Once a night,
your character can spend a Willpower to shine with positive
energy or the wrath of fire, gaining the rote quality on their
next Expression, Intimidation, Persuasion, or Socialize action.
Falling Blossoms (•••): Falling cherry blossoms represent
the fragile and fleeting beauty of life. By spending a Willpower
when they activate the blush of life, your character infuses their
body with that vitality, ignoring penalties to relate to mortals
due to low Humanity for the scene.
Ascended Lotus (••••): The lotus is a symbol of potential
and transcendence. With this tattoo, a Warumono can
empower their magnetic personality to nigh-hypnotic levels. By
spending a Willpower, for the rest of the scene, your character
can apply the Mesmerized Condition as an instant action on
any mortal they’ve spent at least a few minutes interacting
with, up to a number of times equal to Dominate dots. If these
characters resolve Mesmerized, they do not gain the usual +3
modifier to resist Dominate.
Maple Leaf on the Water (•••••): Falling leaves represent
the flow of time and changing of seasons. Once a night, your
character can spend a Willpower to gain limited prescience
at a crucial moment. You can choose two different Social
actions for your character and roll both, taking the result
of your choice after the Storyteller describes the results.
The other action never happened and is discarded, and any
expenditures, such as Willpower, are refunded. Drawback: If
both actions fail, it was fate. Gain the Confused Condition
for the rest of the scene.
 Part Three: The Trinity
Chicago’s Church of Longinus was a simple affair from the outside, a long-closed post office in
Bridgeport, just south of the Chicago River. The unassuming building sat in the middle of an acre
of cracked concrete, separated from the old housing across the street and the slow encroachment
of overpriced rowhouse developments. It stood like a relic to a bygone Chicago, a cenotaph to an
era no living soul cared to remember.
Inside, however, it held a secret. Past well-disguised, reinforced doors was a vast and imposing
network of corridors, chambers, and hidey-holes. The post office had been the top layer of a fallout
shelter constructed in the 50s by the now-defunct Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, and
one of the few to exist outside the Loop. Being built this far south seemed to have been a clerical
error, one that Solomon Birch discovered while sifting through the affairs of the late sheriff, Norris
Kleinspiegel. The man had been a wizard with bureaucracy, bribery, and coercion, and Birch was
more than happy to reap the benefits.
The bishop moved his church here after rising from torpor, and he’d invested considerable time
and money into overhauling it. He’d heard stories of the great Necropolis beneath Rome, where
the Sanctified rose to prominence, and he felt like he was continuing a grand tradition. In secret,
however, his love of the structure grew more from how much it made him feel like a Bond villain.
Sometimes it’s the little things.
In thrall to the bishop’s (mundane) powers of seduction and control, Thomas Delmar poured
his soul out. Birch, to his credit, did his best to stay off his phone during the interesting bits. He’d
retrieved the small black device from the back room while Thomas rambled on about 90s hip
hop, and the man hadn’t missed a beat by the time Birch returned. He wasn’t sure his momentary
absence had even registered.
The phone buzzed; his order had arrived.
He opened his security app, unlocking the main door of the compound and giving the new
arrival a ten-second window. He also paused the security protocols in the hallways to match what
he estimated was a generously slow walking speed. God, he loved technology.
On the pew before him, Thomas concluded. “We began to climb down the battered steps into
the abyss. Our night was just getting started.”
Birch eyed Thomas, amused. “So, you followed Maxwell down into the pits of Hell just like that?
How cavalier.”
“Cavalier nothing. I was terrified. But what else could I do?”
Birch leaned a hip against the pew next to him and shrugged. “You could have waited. There
were only three of you. I don’t doubt your combined might, but three against two isn’t exactly
favorable odds.”
Thomas’s face grew dark. “We… we had a limited window.”
“Oh?”
“Maxwell was going to be at Elysium the next night. We’d heard he was going to do something
drastic — something big.”
“Such as?”
“He was going to outlaw the Carthian Movement.”

68 False Gods: Ventrue

 Birch’s jaw briefly dropped. Thomas had told him parts of this story before, but it was the first
time he’d ever mentioned this. Was he making it up? Or was this a sign the regression therapy was
working?
“That sounds a bit farfetched.”
“Yeah, well, a few years ago he extolled the finer points of Amaranth in front of the entire court,
dressed like a mountain man. Nothing about him seemed farfetched anymore.”
“Point taken,” Birch said with a smile that twisted Thomas’s stomach.
The younger vampire squirmed under the bishop’s gaze. There was something wrong with the
look. It was too pleased. Birch noted his discomfort and changed the subject. “Alright, let’s continue.
What happened? What did you find in the tunnels?”
“What did I say last time?” Thomas said, suddenly feeling hot and frustrated. “I’ve told you this
story before.”
“No. I said we’d spoken about your memories before, but this is the first time you’ve ever mentioned
the Undercity.” Thomas’s head throbbed at the mention of the word. A blinding sliver of pain
flashed through his brain.
Birch noticed him wince. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“You look like you’re in pain.”
“I don’t remember,” Thomas said flatly. The pain had vanished, but in its wake was a hollowness
that left his mind fuzzy and reeling. A pressure began to build between his eyes. It hurt, but more
in the threat of pain, like the prelude to a migraine.
“Oh, come now. Surely you do. The Undercity. Maxwell. Go on.”
The pain erupted again, this time like binary stars behind his eyes. Each word was a hammer
blow to the soft meat inside his skull. He whispered through gritted teeth. “We went down, but I
don’t remember anything after that. Can’t.”
Birch leaned forward. “Please, tell me about Maxwell.”
Maxwell.” His words dripped with honey and venom.
Compelled beyond his resistance, Thomas continued. “We went down. We… found Maxwell.
We attacked him and…”
“And? Tell me something, Mr. Delmar.”
Delmar.”
The compulsion passed, and the pain tore through Thomas’s head like his eye sockets were being
flossed with razor wire. His Beast rose up, ready to tear the Serpent and his entire church apart if
it had to. His eyes flashed up at Birch, feral and on the edge of frenzy.
The bishop took a step back, all smugness vanished.
Thomas growled through gritted teeth. “I. Don’t. Remember. Ask Hoops or Romeo. Or Maxwell.”
Birch was silent for a long moment. The rage hanging in the air dissipated, but the pain in
Thomas’s head remained.
When calm returned, Birch gently broke the stillness. “Your friends never came back from the
tunnels.” He paused for a moment to punctuate the thought, as if he were presenting a sermon.
“And Maxwell hasn’t been seen since that night.”
Thomas felt the world go sideways. A flash of memory ripped through his mind. Hoops’ dead

Where Is My Mind? 69
 eyes looking up at him, the flesh aging as Final Death took him. A scream of rage. Romeo’s. And
something else.
“Eyes. I remember eyes.”
“Go on.”
“Golden eyes. Flashing in the dark. That’s it.”
“Thomas, I can’t help you without—”
Birch was interrupted by someone clearing their throat at the front of the chapel. A beautiful
woman stood at the entrance. She looked to be in her late twenties, her hair in an odd, jagged pixie
cut. Her outfit was an expensive and meticulously-curated blend of neo-gothic high fashion, from
the shoulders of her tailored satin overcoat to the heels of her black leather boots. The Kindred of
Chicago could say what they would, but Persephone Moore knew how to make an entrance.
“Ah!” the bishop said, his tone a touch too chipper. “Just in time.”
“I felt your call.” Persephone stepped into the room. “I couldn’t get away from Elysium. The
Prince was—”
She froze as Thomas looked up at her.
“Linda?” Thomas said. He shook his head. No. Her name was: “Persephone?”
“You’re awake.”
Then it was Birch’s turn to interrupt. “Yes, Mr. Delmar is awake. Awake and having trouble
with his memories. I was hoping you could help me. Help him. Your command over the mind’s
complexities far surpasses my own these nights.”
“I… yes, of course.” She made her way up the aisle and looked down into Thomas’s eyes. Internally,
he shrank from her. Persephone Moore was the Prince’s childe — the Embrace that broke his own
rule and began his path to tyranny. There wasn’t a single vampire in Chicago he wanted to tell
this story to less than her.
She stared at him, the dazzling intelligence in her eyes flashing in the false candlelight. “Where
do we begin?”
“He was telling me about the night Maxwell went missing and his own involvement. There
appears to be some kind of resistance. I was hoping you could turn the screws a bit better than I.”
Persephone made a sour look but didn’t break eye contact with Thomas. Then, another emotion
flickered across her face, but he couldn’t place it. Her dark, painted lips parted, and she spoke with
a voice that echoed in his veins. “Tell
“Tell me what happened to Maxwell Clarke.”
Clarke.”
“He died,” Thomas said. Her will was analgesic in his head, pushing the pain aside so the words
could flow out. “I killed him.”
The stillness that followed was broken by the sudden staccato rhythm of dripping fluid. Thomas
looked down to see his nose pouring old, clotted blood onto his shirt. Persephone’s compulsion
retreated and the pain returned in force. It felt like someone was expanding a vice inside his skull.
He could hear bone crunching and moist flesh squelching inside of him. The blood continued to
dribble.
“I feel wrong,” Thomas said in a shaky voice. “What’s happening?”
Persephone and Birch looked at each other in alarm; as they did, something wordless passed
between them.

70 False Gods: Ventrue

 “You said there were gaps in his memory,” she whispered.
“And there are.” Birch shrugged. “I was technically right. I usually am.”
“These aren’t gaps .” Persephone turned back to Thomas. She had the look of a doctor about to
gaps.”
break the bad news to a cancer patient’s family. “You have blocks in your mind. Someone put them
there.”
“Can you remove them?” Birch asked over her shoulder.
“Yes. I think so. But it’s not going to be easy. It’s like his brain is boobytrapped.”
The bishop nodded. “Exactly why I need your assistance.”
Persephone gently raised Thomas’s chin until his eyes were on hers. “I’m going to try to get you
through those blocks. I don’t know if there’s a way to disarm them, and I’m not sure it won’t just
kill you… but I know it’s going to hurt.”
For the first time, Thomas was truly scared. That feeling in his gut — the same one he’d felt in
the SUV six years ago — screamed up at him. “No, I think we should stop. I want to go home. I
don’t want to know.”
“I’m afraid that’s not an option, my friend,” Birch said with a look of pity.
Thomas’s eyes went wide; he tried to stand, but Persephone’s words and will were faster than his
sluggish muscles. “Remember.
“Remember. Tell me what happened to Maxwell Clarke. Remember, and tell me how he
died.””
died.
Her compulsion took hold as the pain flooded back. His wide white eyes filled with blood, the
veins bursting one by one and seeping Vitae into the vitreous humors. As the command wrestled
the writhing, contorting nothing inside his skull, his memory began to appear, fragmented and
missing pieces like a secondhand jigsaw puzzle.
With terrible clarity, and a low, shuddering voice, compelled through the power of Persephone
Moore’s words, he whispered:
“I ate him.”

Where Is My Mind? 71
 chapter two
The Malkavia Chronicle
Reality denied comes back to haunt.
Philip K. Dick, Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said

What is Malkavia?
That question haunts the Lords. That one can ask it at all puts lie to their nobility, and it’s a mystery that’s stalked their
Requiems for as long as they’ve grasped at the reins of power. Too often dismissed as Clan Ventrue’s poor relations, or just
plague rats to be purged, the Malkavians are far more dangerous (and cogent) than anyone knows.
Within this chapter, you’ll find the secrets of the Affliction laid bare — even the ones that contradict the others — along with
multiple options for bringing the M into your chronicles, from full-blown epidemics to a shunned bloodline of prophets, as well
as sample Afflicted ready to plug into your chronicles.

Wild and Whirling Words

Malkavia is fluid. Its nature shifts depending on who you
talk to and what they’re trying to sell. Does he sympathize
with the Afflicted or condescend to them? Does she know
what she’s talking about, or is she spinning bullshit to make a
buck? Maybe they just hate the Lords. You might get a straight
answer if you go to the source, but who could trust a Ventrue?
Let alone a Malkavian.
What follows is one truth of the Affliction. It doesn’t need
to be yours, but maybe it can help you find one. Perhaps it only
applies in one place or time or world. Perhaps it’s a hoax to
keep you away from the real answer.
Perhaps you’re asleep, and when you next wake, the nightmare
will end.
Perhaps.
Secrets
This is what most Kindred say: Malkavia is a supernatural
form of madness. It spreads like a disease among the Lords,
laying low their mantle of leadership in the All Night Society.
In exchange, the M grants them a kind of second sight, and the
ability to leverage their instability into powers over a victim’s
mental health. This is simple, observable fact. It’s a narrative
that fits well within an easy mortality-tale view of the Ventrue
— that they get what they deserve in the end, descending into
insanity for their power-mongering ways.
These surface details are correct. Malkavia is a disease, and
it mostly affects the Lords, but the Afflicted aren’t mentally ill.
You’re not paranoid if people are really out to get you. You’re
not crazy if you can change the world with a word.
Malkavia gives its victims the power to twist causality,
drawing on an extrasensory perception that (for all intents
and purposes) seems like foresight. The Afflicted see patterns
of probability and magic other vampires simply can’t, and in
turn, they can manipulate those forces. With self-fulfilling
prophecies, a Malkavian retunes fate when it displeases her.
Nothing is coincidence to the Afflicted. Like finding animals
in cloud patterns, a Malkavian experiences meaning in chance.
An outsider might call that synchronicity, but that implies the
convergence is meaningful only to the Afflicted. The difference
between a Malkavian’s insight and coincidence is that the
Afflicted are right. Raindrops really are forming the face of a
mortal soon to die, and the traffic lights blinking in Sanskrit
aren’t just the pressure finally getting to you. More than a sixth
sense, Malkavian perception is holistic and piercing, taking in
signals the world normally programs us to ignore. This goes
beyond even a Mekhet’s third eye. Whereas a Shadow’s Beast
screams obtuse prophecies while she lies paralyzed in a coffin,
a Malkavian just has to look out a window.
So, why are the Afflicted written off as insane? It’s not that
Malkavians are delusional, it’s that everyone else is. What others
think of as intellectual decay is their own minds not processing
a Malkavian’s power. The Afflicted know what sages and other
creatures of the night take for granted: The world is elastic. It’s a
mask you can peek behind and tear if you know the right tricks.
If you could only see its underpinnings, you could shape it too.
But you can’t — and that’s a problem.

Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 73


Lies
Malkavia is a lie. It’s the worst kind of lie because it’s built
on a seed of truth. Maybe it’s a cliché that the most effective
propaganda is based in fact, but it’s an illustrative one. Give
the people just enough truth and they’ll follow whatever cause
you pin to it. In this case, the cause is to spread. Malkavia
has no agenda beyond self-propagation, and it sells its victims
all sorts of fantasies about knowledge, beauty, and power to
meet that selfish, viral need. In this way, Malkavia might be
the purest expression of the Lords. It makes you think you’re
in control.
They say Malkavia is mental illness. Another lie. The biggest
whopper of the bunch. Mental illness has form and depth. It
has patterns and clinical diagnoses. It’s chemical imbalance and
trauma and the cost of living in this world. Malkavia is none of
these things — yet, to a rational observer, the Afflicted have lost
the plot. The distinction between a sick mind and professing
Truth with a capital T is moot if everyone else is locked out of
knowing what the hell you’re talking about.
Indeed, many Malkavians believe they really are mentally ill,
wrapped up in an elaborate collective delusion that warps the
minds of friends, loved ones, or anyone else unlucky enough
to cross their paths. That the world sometimes bends to their
wills is just further proof of their instability, and they rationalize
their reality editing as post hoc delusions.
Yet another lie: Only the Lords catch it. That’s an easy one
to debunk; just ask any Shadow who’s infected herself with the
M on purpose in the hope of finding “genuine” insight. But
debunking that lie is a secondary concern — and it’s a valuable
weapon against the Lords. They really do get it most often
though, and if you hear about an outbreak, you probably don’t
need to look much further than the local Ventrue.
Why is that? What about the Lords makes them the perfect
vectors?
Truth
Dominate.
Malkavia is an infection of the Ventrue’s unique Discipline,
extending their power’s reach beyond its grasp, from minds into
causality. All you need to know are a few of the Lord’s words
and you’re vulnerable. That’s why it seems to be attracted to
the Ventrue. They just happen to be really good at Dominate.
The Lords’ power over minds turns inward, breaking
down the self so they might see beyond the ego. In cruder
terms, it rides you, not the other way around. Malkavia
bolsters a Ventrue’s self-perception as Lord over the Damned.
What other clan can manipulate reality? Many Ventrue begin
their Affliction thinking they’ve achieved a higher form of
vampirism, a state the Ordo Dracul has chased since Vlad
the Impaler wanted to be more than King of the Cannibals.
Malkavia brings the kind of power a Lord lusts for from the
moment she died.
74 False Gods: Ventrue
The trouble is, reality persists. It does its best to repair the
damage, like blood clotting over an open wound, but more
deleterious to your standing in society. The universe gaslights
you, using its occupants to convince you the thing you just
said — the thing that came true — had nothing to do with you.
That you can’t trust your own senses. Or maybe the world just
manages to fix itself before anyone else notices, with a split
second of debugging only you can perceive.
Pathologies
Malkavia defies research. It’s all symptom, no disease. You
can’t take samples because there’s nothing to fill the beaker.
Most studies end in frenzied frustration or results that can’t
be reproduced, and some investigators say the disease mocks
their analyses, as if the question of its nature were a joke they
weren’t in on. Blood tests shift each time they’re placed under
a microscope. Equipment breaks down for no reason. Measure
the outcome; change the result.
Even the few facts are hard to confirm. Many Kindred have
cottoned on to the link between the Lords’ Discipline and the
Affliction, but knowing something is true doesn’t mean you
can prove it. Powers of the Blood aren’t any more measurable
than a disease with no apparent cause, and there’s no acid test
for Dominate. Concealing one’s ability is as easy as not using it,
or erasing memories of its use. The very nature of Dominate is
immune to truth. It’s also the primary source of a Lord’s power,
and it’s almost always in a Malkavian’s best interest to conceal
this link — if they realize it.
Not all Kindred with Dominate catch Malkavia after expo-
sure, and Lord infection rates far outpace, say, larger bloodlines
who also favor the Discipline. There are no large-scale Toreador
or Oberloch outbreaks, for instance. And sometimes a Lord
who wouldn’t know the first thing about hypnotism catches
the M. She wakes one night and can command the laws of this
world to break at her bidding. Maybe it’s better to say Dominate
is correlation, not necessarily causation.
Much like everything else about it, Malkavia progresses as
it sees fit. The infection waxes and wanes. Maybe it even lets
you think you’ve got it licked — but anyone with a chronic
illness will tell you that’s nonsense. Malkavia can simmer for
decades, or even centuries, and no known case has ever cured
itself (or been cured, for that matter). Sometimes it crescendos
over a matter of weeks after a long dormancy, destroying the
victim in quick, bloody, and improbable death.
Dementation
Esse est percipi. It follows that if you can see something, you
might be able to reach out and touch it. Dementation is the
ability, just for a moment, to take control of the narratives
passing before a Malkavian’s eyes. This ability is similar to the
fate magic of the Awakened and the Lost, but a far blunter
instrument than either. Dementation can cause flooding in
one instant and produce a winning lottery ticket the next.
 As a Lord’s power over minds grows, so does Dementation. However, as with
every other aspect of the Affliction, it comes at a cost. Each time a vampire
uses Dementation, Malkavia closes its fist just a little tighter around her
soul. Eventually, it becomes a compulsion, one that tears the vampire’s
body apart in the same way she does the world.
The odd name comes from its most obvious side effect, which is also the
only thing anyone ever knows about Malkavians: breaking other people’s minds.
Some Afflicted call it the fallout of witnessing unadulterated truth, but others
believe it’s just the waste heat of their disease. A few shrug and say the name comes
from what Dementation so clearly does — it makes the world insane.
Seeing Dementation in action is brain damage, and it’s in large part
responsible for the Malkavians’ reputation for spreading a certain folk-
definition of madness. It corrupts the hard disk of the mind, forcing it
to either justify the experience or blue-screen out and insert trauma in
place of truth.

Case Studies
In a surprise to no one, the history of Malkavia is obscure. Vampires
aren’t exactly reliable record keepers, even when they don’t have agendas,
and cataloging a disease that toys with cause and effect is a special kind of
hell. From what can be gleaned out of the few unambiguous chronicles,
the Affliction is at least as old as the Camarilla. Classical sources paint
an incomplete but tantalizing picture, that of exposure to the blood of
gods, or a curse laid down for the Lords’ hubris. Mythology is a weed that
tangles around Malkavia, but cutting out the truth often means getting
caught in the vines.

Old Glories
Malkavians have always been perceived as mentally ill, but the
M wasn’t always a stigma or a death sentence. Once, the Afflicted
were respected soothsayers in the courts of the Damned, or
even worshiped as divine beings. Many filled advisory roles
similar to court fools, speaking truth to power without fear of
consequence. The idea of a “brave political jester” was almost
certainly apocryphal among mortals, but sometimes the traditions
of the dead filter into human history. A few Malkavians were
venerated in mystery cults as avatars of divinities like Mithras,
Apollo, Huitzilopochtli, and other sun gods (for reasons Kindred
anthropologists have yet to untangle). Some were priests who
took vows of poverty to work among the destitute, their mental
infirmities the price they paid to bear such grace. Malkavia was
just another facet of Damnation — or at least Ventrue Damnation
— and while the Afflicted were often feared and misunderstood,
they weren’t the boogeymen they are tonight.
Malkavia was a blessing from God in Medieval Europe, especially
where the Sanctified held sway. Early Christians put the idea of mental
illness into two categories: divine and profane. Malkavians were
saints who represented the former to counter the latter. More
than a few Afflicted mendicants made their Requiems traveling
across the continent spreading the word of Longinus… and
their Affliction. But this was seen as a boon rather than
a bane, at least until half the Lords in town were so-
blessed. In East Africa, they were called laibon, similar

Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 75

 to mortal shamans in the Maasai religion. They acted as guides
to the spirit world and mediated political conflicts, and used
their powers to assure successful hunts among their Kindred.
This isn’t to suggest Malkavians had it easy. Sometimes
veneration made the Affliction harder to manage. Who wants
to hang up on a call from God? And, while overt hostility wasn’t
as common as in the modern nights, the disease has always been
an easy excuse for witch and blood hunts. Any Malkavian who
grew too powerful for the court’s liking soon had to fight off
accusations of heresy from rivals.
While it wasn’t a golden age, the Afflicted had their place.
However, as mortal ideas of insanity changed over the course of
history, so did the Kindred’s, and when the disease was recast
in more scientific terms (and seen as a disease at all) the stigma
increased. The Enlightenment brought many wonders, but few
were reserved for the mentally ill. When pseudosciences like
phrenology and eugenics had their days among the living, the
status of Malkavians took a commensurate dive among the dead.
Appellations
While the term “Affliction” has been associated with
the disease since at least the Dark Ages, Malkavia takes its
common name from its most infamous modern victim. Little
is known of Grigori Malkav’s Requiem before he became one
of the Afflicted; all that remains of him are too-pat records of
19th-century psychiatric barbarism, written in the self-satisfied
prose of a Kindred physician. For years, Malkav underwent the
indignities of his era’s medicine, only escaping when his captor
finally knew enough to be frightened.
This account is suspect, if not an outright forgery or fiction.
The few scholars of Malkavia — and Malkavian scholars —
question if Malkav existed at all. Even the name is dubious.
Sometimes it’s “Malkov” (a real Slavic surname), with the second
A being a poor transcription of the doctor’s florid handwriting.
It may also be a clumsy attempt at a cross-linguistic joke,
with “mal” being the Latin malus, and kav being a concept of
enlightenment in Kabbalah.
These and other inconstancies lead some to suspect Malkav
was a literary device, an every-vampire meant to illustrate the
doctor’s theories. More esoteric Afflicted believe Grigori was
a Malkavian physician’s tulpa, a metaphysical creation meant
to guide his own diagnosis. A minority argue the Malkav study
was a hit job against the Ventrue, obvious propaganda meant to
cement the idea of Afflicted as dangerous, unclean, and insane.
In any case, if Malkav was a real vampire, no one’s heard
anything from him since the early 20th century. The last
accounts place him in Eastern Europe near the beginning of
the First World War, still searching for a cure.
The Codex
The most famous source of Afflicted history is the Codex
Malkavia. Sometimes called The Malkavian Testament, this
journal is a living document of death with the M. Even older
76 False Gods: Ventrue
than the account of Grigori Malkav, it travels the world in
a small coterie of ever-shifting Afflicted. This group tracks
infections and collects testimonials in one long, disjointed
manuscript. The earliest accounts date back to the early 1800s,
and the most recent come from the mid-2010s. Travel being
difficult for vampires, some Afflicted have tried to source the
Codex online, though they’ve yet to find a way of confirming
genuine Malkavian accounts via the Internet.
To say the Codex Malkavia is rambling would be like describ-
ing the Pacific as damp. Some of its histories are clinical
recitations of symptoms and failed therapies, while others are
heartbreaking accounts of shattered Requiems. Still others are
stream-of-conscious recollections of visions and prophecies,
incoherent even to other Afflicted.
Conspiracy theorists say the Codex isn’t as benign as its
keepers claim. Rather than a chronicle, they believe it’s
an attempt to amalgamate the prophecies of all (or most)
Malkavians. Once complete, it will contain exact predictions
of the future hidden between its laments. Some Malkavians
even subscribe to this belief, but rather than a power grab, they
believe the Codex is a prophylactic measure, a way for its keepers
to prevent tragic or even apocalyptic events before they happen.
In either case, if true, this would mean the Codex is a real
version of hoaxes like the Bible code. If one could find the
key to its organic cryptogram, one could possess immense
power. Unfortunately, that might just involve becoming a
Malkavian, and if any Kindred are willing to pay that price,
few have said so.
Vectors
One of the only constants of Malkavia is a correlation
between larger outbreaks and mortal epidemics. Not every
human plague has the Affliction spreading in the shadows,
but if there’s a largescale Malkavia outbreak in the All Night
Society, a human health crisis isn’t far behind. It’s said that as
the Black Death ravaged Europe, dozens of Kindred domains
fell to Malkavia, though the devastation’s true extent may have
been exaggerated by Clan Ventrue’s many enemies.
The most recent major Malkavia outbreak coincided with
a 2010 cholera epidemic in Haiti. Allegedly, the Prince of
Port-au-Prince came down with a real bad case of the M and
spiraled into tyranny. According to accounts, the court
proceeded to eliminate him, but beyond that, the details
grow fuzzy. A few private online records suggest a conspiracy
to conceal the assassination, but the author of these reports
disappeared soon after, apparently gone to ground.
Other than being one of the bigger outbreaks in the modern
era, one curious (and alarming) factor of this case made waves in
Kindred circles: It affected mortals. Normally, humans are only
asymptomatic carriers, but according to witnesses, at least a few
normal people displayed symptoms. Whether this represented
a new strain or a fluke of nature is unknown. If the former, no
one has confirmed it ever escaped Haiti, but if that provides
you any comfort, the Ventrue have a bridge to offload.
 Possible Worlds
The above goes into the scant documented history of Malkavia,
but it doesn’t answer the question of where it comes from. Few
Kindred dig into this particular mystery, and even fewer come
back with anything tangible. There is an answer, though.
Several, in fact.
The following are seven possible origin Shards for Malkavia,
including story seeds to help you build chronicles around them,
or just to provide a thematic twist to your Afflicted stories.
The Network
Imagine a fungus. Fruiting bodies emerge from wet earth ready
to spread their spores. To a casual observer, these mushrooms
seem like discrete entities, but in reality, they’re a system, one
that spreads across yards and neighborhoods and whole cities.
A death cap mushroom’s spores can lie dormant in a tree
for years, and then one day a little green growth pops out of
the ground. Call the CDC or a mycologist — end of story.
Yet soon another pops up in Mrs. Smith’s place five houses
down; then another by the school down the road; and then,
the stretchers.
Malkavia is the multi-pronged sensory organ of an extradi-
mensional entity. It uses the disease to reach out from its pocket
world and through the Ventrue, as their powers over the mind
are on the same wavelength as its own command over reality.
It can affect other vampires, but the Lord’s words are like a
festering wound ripe for infection — Kindred too often place
Disciplines into easy categories, as if a Lord’s “Dominate” is
the same as a Serpent’s.
In this way, the Ventrue make perfect patsies and victims.
Like a fungus, the being networks through its hosts, taking in
information and feeding on mental energy whenever they use
their new abilities.
Story Seeds
• One night, every Malkavian in the world gets a message: Feed.
This comes with no context or further instructions, and apart
from a few very online Afflicted, no one realizes this was a
mass event. Not at first. However, soon every Malkavian who
heard this message starts to get hungry. Real hungry. Vitae
doesn’t sate them, though. The only way to fulfill their need
is to inflict Dementation on others.
• A coterie of Afflicted appears at the center of town, huddled
in a crude circle. They don’t bother anyone or impede
movement. They don’t do anything, though they’ll defend
themselves if attacked. Mortals ignore them, as if they were
hiding under the shroud of Obfuscate. What they do during
the day is unknown, as no one has managed to brave the sun
to see, and, like any Kindred, picking them up on camera
is futile. As the days go on, a strange high pitch emanates
from the circle, detectable only to those with Kindred Senses,
like a dog whistle for vampires. Soon, electronics in the area
start to short out, and even humans start to pick up on the
sound. As it grows louder, a strange bulge begins to form in
the concrete where the Malkavians stand.
Dominatus Delendus Est
Not all of the Julii fell. This may be the worst kept secret in
the All Night Society, one even conspiracists get right if they
say it enough. Some Founders burrowed deep into the earth
and returned when the heat died down, while others wore their
masks so well they became what they pretended to be. Others
got lucky, missing the purge in faraway havens and then seeking
out new worlds to conquer.
But some carried on in stranger ways. The last Julian Vatici-
nators, betrayed by the other clans and the Lancea et Sanctum,
conspired to have the last laugh. It was vengeance. It was a
warning. It was a mistake. These Founders would strike even
as the Striges closed in, warding off future pretenders to their
clan’s throne. In a great and bloody ritual, they tried to destroy
Dominate itself, the source of their power and the cause of all
their problems.
Perhaps to their surprise, it half-worked. With their own
bodies as the sacrifice, their forms collapsed into a horrid vapor,
their hatred coalescing into a malevolent impulse. Now they
have no other purpose than torturing those who would steal
their words, giving their victims a taste of true power before
ripping it away. They target the Ventrue most because, of all
the clans, they’ve learned the least from the Julii’s fall.
Story Seeds
• An ancient of Clan Julii reveals his heritage to the city. He
welcomes all Kindred to ask about his time in the Camarilla,
and promises to answer any questions truthfully, at least if he
can remember the answers However, he asks a favor before he
makes his wisdom available: Bring him a Malkavian. What he
plans to do with this tribute is his business, but he warns they
won’t be seen again for a long time. Unfortunately (or not), the
M hasn’t been seen in the city for decades. Getting this elder
one of the Afflicted might mean making one.
• The domain is overcome with a Malkavia epidemic. It has the
potential to become the largest outbreak in modern history,
and the court struggles to contain it before it spreads to other
domains. But then, a miracle! The Ordo Dracul finds a cure.
A mandatory treatment program ensues, and the city is freed
of its blight. However, it takes time for the side effect to
reveal itself — every treated Malkavian becomes a Julii. This
affects Ventrue and non-Lords alike. Was this the Dragons’
intent or is it an unintended consequence? Perhaps it’s just
the ultimate culmination of Malkavia, to rewrite the reality
of its victim. The more pressing concern might be the Strix,
who feel their old enemy rising from the grave.
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 77
 New Symptom
Malkavia is only the next step. Like the Julii, the Ventrue have
fallen victim to a curse — the curse of Dominate. Dominate is
the primary, and deceptively beneficial, symptom of a hereditary
disease that attaches itself to Kindred clans, raises them to the
top of the heap, then brings them low in spectacular fashion.
All it takes is enough infected in one place over a long period
for it to make its meta-progression.
Beyond the Julii, antiquity is littered with the corpses of these
clans. In Mesoamerica, a lost lineage of Dominate-users once
ruled the living, but the Mexica eventually rose up to destroy their
blood cults. Up north in the Saint Lawrence basin, the Bekaak
may have once favored the Lords’ words, ruling the forests and
other clans in a dead confederacy. A mysterious entity cursed the
Prophets by taking away their physical immortality, but perhaps
it wasn’t a punishment so much as a command.
The Ventrue are the most successful of these clans. They’ve
held off their doom by not concentrating their power in one
place, preventing the disease from entering its terminal phase.
Whether this was the intent of their elders or an accident of his-
tory is lost to the ages, but a long gestation gave the disease time
to mutate, and Malkavia is the result. Eventually, all Ventrue will
be Malkavians. Maybe they’ll even be Clan Malkavian.
Story Seeds
• One night, the Dominate of every Ventrue in the city fails.
Edicts break on resisting ears, stalwart servants talk back,
and sunken memories flood back to the surface. A violent
reckoning ensues as Kindred and kine alike seek vengeance
against the Lords. Strangely, members of the others clans
find their Discipline works as it always had — maybe even a
little better. Has the disease grown tired of waiting out the
Ventrue, abandoning them for more diverse victims? And
what happens when the other clans start exhibiting symptoms
of severe Malkavia?
• If Malkavia is a progression of Dominate, it stands to reason
it’s not the final form. Maybe the next step widens its
effect, and maybe it’s hit that tipping point before. Was the
Strasbourg dancing plague a Malkavian meeting this phase?
The Tanganyika laughter epidemic? Or how about inexplicable
events unrelated to mass hysteria — like the Tunguska Event.
Wasted Wisdom
What happens when a vampire Awakens? Malkavia. The
Afflicted are vampires who sign their names to the Watchtowers,
but unlike humans, this isn’t a voluntary action. The Dominate-
user spreads his curse through multiple minds, tapping into
the Anima Mundi or whatever else might link humans to the
Supernal. In essence, he crowdsources the human spirit.
The new Malkavian won’t remember his dreams that day,
of dripping his foul blood onto a broken, shattered tree, or a
soaring gravestone that touches the sky, but his curse is forever
78 False Gods: Ventrue
All Clues, No Solutions
Malkavia doesn’t need a single origin. Any of
these causes could be true, even at the same time.
Maybe the Affliction has a retrograde effect,
assuming new forms in different times and places to
make itself more difficult to study. This might be a
defense mechanism, the first step in a greater plan,
or just random, self-perpetuating chaos.
Malkavia also doesn’t need an origin at all if you
don’t want it to have one. No first cause is required
for a supernatural disease, especially one that defies
causality — but if nothing lies hidden at the heart
of Malkavia, what does that say about the Lords?
altered when he wakes. Which Watchtower is involved isn’t
clear. The Leaden Coin is an obvious link for dead things who
can manipulate physics, but a Malkavian’s power is closer to
the fate and time magic bestowed by the Lunargent Thorn. Or
maybe it can be any Watchtower, or whichever one the vampire
would have Awakened to in another life.
Regardless of origin, this link spreads through Vitae, making
blood ties and Vincula into sympathetic magic. As victims grow
closer to the Supernal, their dead natures try to drag them back
to the Fallen World, eventually leading to horrifying ruptures.
Story Seed
• The Tremere are a corrupt order of mages who resemble vam-
pires, much in the way Malkavians are vampires who resemble
Willworkers. The Sixth Watchtower of their mythology is said
to govern monsters, and it could be a catalyst for vampiric
Awakenings in strange circumstances. Would the Tremere
see Malkavians as just more reapers to destroy or consume,
or would they recognize the Afflicted as weapons, ones they
could turn loose on their enemies in the Pentacle?
Sliders
Malkavians are dimension hoppers, skipping through
possible probabilities rather than commanding the world to
change. The Affliction is less a disease and more a processing
error of spacetime. Whenever a Malkavian uses Dementation,
she shifts into an almost identical parallel universe, albeit
one where what she just said is true. Bystanders get caught
in the riptide, momentarily existing in several places at once,
and experiencing the aftermath as quantum brain damage.
Malkavian foresight is just the afterimage of multiple realities
coinciding in her mind.
Most of these dimensions are the same in all but minor
details, but sometimes a Malkavian notices bigger changes (the
Golden Gate Bridge is red instead of blue, Vancouver Island is
part of Canada instead of the United States, etc.), but this only
serves to cement her social designation as deranged.
 Why the disease attaches itself to vampires with Dominate
is unclear. Maybe it transfers Afflicted minds between parallel
selves, much like the effect of Possession. However, one theory
suggests it’s less dimensional hopping and more commanding
the sands of time, splitting chronological streams into alternate
possibilities and allowing Malkavians to step into them.
Story Seed
• A Malkavian shows up in town, raving about being from a
different reality. She claims to have escaped an apocalypse,
and that the same fate awaits this dimension if no one stops
it. She wants to tell the entire world — but even if it believed
her, there’s the sticky matter of the Masquerade. For now, she’s
kept under lock and key in a secret Invictus facility. The court
is willing to bet she’s mad, but not everyone else is…
The Owls
Of course it’s the Strix. Isn’t it always? Much like VII, where
the Strix show up, Malkavia often follows. The Birds of Dis are
chaos in shadow form, so perhaps it stands to reason that their
presence could destabilize the material world. It could also be
they’re just carriers, plague rats that slough off the disease as
they pass through bodies. Or maybe the Strix are Malkavia, and
the Affliction is how the Birds come into the world, a natal,
primordial form of their life cycle. Their roiling anti-reality
powers coalesce into more specific blasphemies when they take
their adult shapes. It could also be that Malkavia is the vector
they use to escape whatever hell they hail from, stripping away
their memories of it as they emerge.
As for the Dominate connection, the easy answer may be
that the Owls bear a grudge against the Ventrue, operating off
some genetic memory of their war with the Camarilla. However,
that contradicts their usual operating procedure. Strix don’t
tend to give a shit about categories like clan — with one notable
exception, but that was personal. The other possibility is more
fundamental: Dominate is like the Strix. The most powerful
Lords can possess their victims, and perhaps the Owls are just
taking back what’s theirs.
Alternatively, this Shard could combine with the one above
(New Symptom), making the Strix harbingers or parasites of
the Dominate curse. Maybe the Strix are part of that curse,
inspiring their hatred for whoever bears it.
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 79

Story Seed
• A reclusive Ventrue in the city is behaving more strangely
than usual. Never social to begin with, he starts to avoid
major gatherings like Elysium, and other vampires altogether.
One of the player characters is close to him, and tonight he
shows up at her haven looking a mess. He has to tell someone
before “they” decide he knows too much. Every Lord in the
city has golden eyes. He can’t stop seeing it. He can’t make
it go away — and that includes his own…
Greater Malignancies
The Chronicles of Darkness contain many god-like entities
who might’ve dreamed up Malkavia. Numerous religions once
viewed mental illness as a blessing, and the Affliction could be
a literal manifestation of that mythic trope. Use whichever story
seed below that best fits the truth in your chronicle.
Story Seeds
• The God-Machine has interfered with vampires before. The
Holy Engineers covenant and the Jharana bloodline are the
best-known examples, but if any clan has a metaphysical
connection to the tyrannical, impersonal Machine, it’s the
Ventrue. In this scenario, Malkavia is a piece of Command
and Control Infrastructure. It hijacks the Lord’s words in order
to alter minds and causality to the God-Machine’s inscrutable
liking, guiding the Afflicted with unique insights. However,
like all things involving the Machine, it’s unclear whether the
system is still functioning as intended or if it’s gone completely
off the rails. Or both. Either way, angels and demons alike
have a vested interest in keeping a watch on these vampires.
• Malkavians are vampires marked by the True Fae. Why is
unimportant; the Gentry mark vampires with the Affliction
for as many reasons as they steal away humans, though they
seem to prefer the Ventrue. Perhaps the Lords remind them
of themselves. Whenever a vampire contracts the M, she’s
swept off to Arcadia for… some time, and returned with no
memory of the encounter. Dementation forces temporary
Contracts with elemental forces, bypassing the usual rules
of causality, but anyone witnessing this effect gets a glimpse
at the Gentry and their terrors, though they won’t be able
to process it in such concrete terms. Unlike changelings, the
Afflicted have no Clarity to protect them against the True
Fae and their lies, but this lack of filter lets in truths as well.
• Malkavia is a side effect of the Contagion. The plague uses
Lords as vectors, spewing viral loads every time they use
Dementation. This helps the Contagion break loose bits
of reality and God-Machine Infrastructure, making even
the most passive Malkavian a potent weapon. With enough
Afflicted in one place, the Contagion can spread undaunted,
and faster than the Sworn can track the infection. Even
Malkavians keep a Masquerade, and the Affliction leaves
no obvious signs of its passing.

A Word of Explanation
Before we get into Malkavia’s mechanics, it might be a good time to unpack the reasons behind some of our design
choices. Indeed, if you’re a longtime Vampire fan, you may be wondering what’s up. Even if you’re new to the game,
you likely came here with a few assumptions about the word “Malkavian.” In Lords Over the Damned: Ventrue,
Malkavia really was a viral form of insanity. It granted Kindred a special Discipline called Dementation, which provided
prophetic insights and allowed the Afflicted to share their shattered insights with the world. So, why the change?
For one, the Revised Storytelling System did away with Derangements. While appropriate to a classical interpretation
of gothic horror, these flaws weren’t accurate to real-life mental disorders. Not to say that verisimilitude is a major
concern in a fantasy setting about blood-drinking corpses, but it’s difficult to justify presenting mental illness — something
that deeply affects real people — as just another game trait. Even a supernatural one. This isn’t to repudiate previous
works or wag our fingers; we wouldn’t include Malkavia in this book if we didn’t find it compelling. However, we were
more interested in finding new ways to explore its themes. This version of the M also lets us more cleanly separate
Requiem Malkavians from their counterparts in Vampire: The Masquerade.
From a mechanical point of view, the original Malkavia didn’t need much updating. Several Conditions can stand
in for Derangements, and the effects of Dementation are easily replicated with Auspex, Nightmare, and the Dream
Visions Merit. Indeed, careful readers may note that many of the updates to Nightmare were inspired by the
Ventrue clan book’s version of Dementation. Disciplines in the current edition are also more streamlined than their
predecessors. Trying to meld together both the oracular and “madness” effects of Dementation into a Discipline
didn’t fit with the way modern powers work, which tend to follow the Unix philosophy: Do one thing and do it
well. That said, see p. 96 if you want a few more straightforward takes on the Affliction.
Our concept isn’t the only way to update Malkavia, but it’s the one we felt we could do justice and have the most
fun with. The authors of this chapter wanted to be true to the setting material in Lords Over the Damned, but
also decouple Malkavia from dated literary tropes. The in-character fiction in Lords still works well as an outsider
view (perhaps even an unreliable insider view), and the perception of Malkavians as mentally ill remains. Personal
horror often comes from stigma, and if that’s a theme you’re comfortable touching on, Malkavia is an excellent
way to explore it.

80 False Gods: Ventrue

 Decoding Reality: Malkavian Systems
Malkavia exists in two distinct parts: the Chronic and Ter-
minal Malkavia Conditions, each representing a stage in the
disease’s progress, and the powers of Dementation a Malkavian
gains as his Affliction advances.
Malkavia Conditions
CHRONIC MALKAVIA
(PERSISTENT)
You are a Malkavian. This grants you access to Dementation,
but gravely alters the way you experience material reality.
Once a chapter, the Storyteller gains a dice pool equal to this
Condition’s progression (see below) that she can choose to roll
before a non-Dementation action. If this pool would be zero,
it’s a chance die. Each success penalizes your own dice pool by
two, distracting you with glimpses of the truth behind the world.
Should the action fail, it always counts as a dramatic failure.
The layers of reality peel back for one horrible moment, and
you experience a vision of its underpinnings. This might be
the gears of the God-Machine, a bloody hunting scene in the
Shadow, or a glimpse of the horrors awaiting all souls in the
Underworld. This vision can also be mundane, but equally
unnerving, like viewing the bacteria and parasites that exist
on everyone’s skin.
Frequent use of Dementation progresses your disease.
Except for the first use in a night, each time you spend Will-
power to use Dementation, succeed or fail, the Storyteller
secretly rolls dice equal to your current temporary Willpower
points. As above, if this number is zero, it’s a chance die. This
roll is penalized based on the level of Dementation required
to use the effect. If it only required Dementation 1 or 2, it
takes no penalty. If Dementation 3, it’s a –1, if 4, it’s a –2, and
if 5, it’s a –3. The Storyteller can apply other circumstantial
modifiers (for example, the ones found on p. 83) if the final
intent of the effect was particularly profound or subtle.
On a success, nothing happens. On a failure, the Storyteller
makes a note, keeping track of the total number of failed rolls
over the course of the chronicle. A dramatic failure counts as two
failures, and an exceptional success removes a previous failure.
When this progression exceeds your permanent Willpower dots,
you gain the Terminal Malkavia Condition and are in danger of
a fatal meltdown unless you take extreme action.
The Storyteller can allow you to buy off a level of progression
whenever you take a Beat for an action that grounds you to
reality, such as completing a long-term Aspiration.
Possible Sources: Malkavia.
Resolution: The cure?
Beat: Be significantly mistreated or harmed because of your
Affliction.
TERMINAL MALKAVIA
(PERSISTENT)
Your body and mind have been ravaged by repeated uses of
Dementation, and you’re in danger of being utterly consumed
by the M. In addition to the effects of Chronic Malkavia,
once a scene, the Storyteller can ask you to roll Resolve +
Composure to resist using Dementation when it could be used
to alter things in your favor. Every time you succeed this roll,
subsequent one take a cumulative –1 modifier, to a maximum
of –5. This penalty lasts the rest of the night or until you use
Dementation, succeed or fail.
In addition, your powers over reality no longer respect the
laws of physics. Whether you want them to or not, they twist
the world in whatever way your shattered mind conceives,
but at great cost. Dementation no longer costs Willpower,
but every time you successfully use it, you take aggravated
damage equal to successes as reality fights back, pelting you
with horrifying, impossible injuries. Maybe you experience
spontaneous combustion, or rocks fall from the sky. Whatever
else Malkavians are, they rarely die quietly.
You have one last way to halt this downward spiral: the Beast.
A thing of pure, base materialism, you can entreat it to rise
up and fight back against the delirium consuming your soul.
When you must next roll to resist using Dementation, you can
instead choose to enter the mother of all frenzies. This frenzy
lasts for the rest of the scene and cannot be ended early by
any means. Your Beast goes on a rampage, feeding and killing
indiscriminately to celebrate its freedom. Once the frenzy ends,
you resolve this Condition, but must suffer any subsequent
breaking points at a –2 modifier. This resets the progression
of Chronic Malkavia.
Possible Sources: Excessive use of Dementation.
Resolution: Give the Beast its due.
Beat: Alter reality in such an obvious way that witnesses
could never hope to rationalize it.
Dementation
Dementation is a corruption (or possibly an evolution) of
Dominate, and its power is tied to its host Discipline. The more
Dominate a Malkavian knows, the more he can do.
Dementation has two primary effects: prophecy and
reality editing. The former is far safer to Afflicted health
and well-being, though it’s one of the primary sources of their
status as mentally ill. Once a night, a Malkavian can try to
make an unintuitive leap of logic, rolling Wits + Dominate
to command the world to give her a flash of insight. On a
success, the Storyteller must truthfully answer one yes-or-no
question about their immediate surroundings and the people
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 81
 in them, including things she couldn’t possibly know. She
instinctively understands the truth of this new knowledge,
but trying to explain it makes her sound incoherent to even
the most open-minded people. Any attempt to explain how
she acquired this information is reduced to a chance die.
Note that this only happens when she tries to tell the truth.
She can still lie, concocting an explanation more plausible
than “Angels made of radio waves whispered it to me.” The
Storyteller may answer a question with a maybe instead of a
yes or no, but if so, the character refreshes a Willpower point;
for once, she isn’t burdened with some awful truth.
The other effect of Dementation is where things get
complicated. Malkavia “gifts” Afflicted with the ability to alter
the world to suit their needs, ranging from barely noticeable to
mentally traumatic. However, effects must always follow three
fundamental constraints:
• The Malkavian must be able to directly perceive whatever or
whomever he’s attempting to affect. No camera feeds, audio
streams, or pictures will do. Devices that enhance senses
(such as a rifle’s scope or a hearing aid) work just fine.
• The Malkavian must state out loud what is to occur. No
one needs to be around to hear these words (reality always
hears), and victims don’t need to understand what’s being
said to have Dementation affect them. What’s said can be as
cryptic or direct as the Malkavian wishes, but it must carry
the intent of the desired outcome.
• Dementation can influence the laws of physics and causality,
but it can’t break them. A Malkavian who wants to get through
a locked door can’t just unmake it. He can, however, declare it
to be unlocked, and no matter how unlikely it might be, that
door will be unlocked. He also can’t teleport people to his
aid out of thin air, but he could say someone is behind that
same locked door. Keep in mind the first rule, however. He
couldn’t specify an exact person; in this case, the subject is the
door (though in terms of Chronic Malkavia progression, he’s
effectively using a higher level of Dementation if his intent
is to involve living and dead beings). All things being equal,
the rule of thumb is improbable, not impossible.
Each level of Dementation is tied to the equivalent level of
Dominate the character knows. A character cannot increase
Dementation independently of Dominate.
Lucky Break •
At its basic level, Dementation can affect a single object,
though the Malkavian can attempt to alter it in any way he can
conceive while respecting the above conditions. The vampire
can affect objects up to his own Size at no penalty but takes
a –1 on the activation roll for every point of Size in excess.
Dementation cannot cause damage at this level.
Example: Sully the Malkavian needs some quick cash, so he buys a
scratch-and-win card. However, he makes sure to choose the seventh one
down the row. “Number seven is always a winner!” he tells the clerk, and
sure enough, he scratches out a pattern that earns him seventy big ones.
82 False Gods: Ventrue
Fateweaving ••
By spending a Vitae, the vampire can now use Lucky Break
to affect an area equal to (Blood Potency * 2) meters. This can
be a broad alteration, such as “All windows shatter,” or more
specific, like, “Those bottom supports will snap under the
weight of the next load of rebar.” With this level, Dementation
can inflict damage to objects.
Example: “Better not cross, the ice looks really thin!” Sully calls
back at the huge thugs chasing him, having just dashed across a frozen
river. The goons, seeing Sully run across with no problem, follow him
with weapons drawn, only to suddenly plunge through a thin patch of
ice hidden under some snow.
Schrödinger’s Cats •••
The Malkavian can now affect mundane animals. This level
of Dementation can even summon creatures where there were
seemingly none before, if the circumstances are plausible. Who
says that cupboard wasn’t full of spiders? Malkavians suffer the
same Size penalties to affect animals as they do to affect objects.
With this level, Dementation can inflict bashing damage.
Example: Cornered in the sewers, Sully tries to negotiate with the
torch-wielding hunter. “You know, we really shouldn’t be down here.
It’s true what they say about alligators in the sewers — and they’re
attracted to fire.” The hunter just snorts in disbelief as a huge, scaled
form rises from the run-off behind her.
Fortune’s Playthings ••••
Dementation can now affect humans and supernatural
animals (e.g., ghouls), though as thinking beings, they have
their own perception of how reality should work, and therefore
are more resistant than objects or mundane animals. This is
control on a more fundamental level than Dominate, as it can
affect nearly any aspect of a character’s existence, and requires
no eye contact or understanding between the Malkavian and his
victim. With this level, Dementation can inflict lethal damage.
Example: “Hey, you wanna know a fun fact?” Sully asks the
legbreaker working him over, between swings of the crowbar. “Men
your age — ugh — and weight are — ow — at a much higher risk for
heart attacks. Especially when — fuck, that was a rib — engaging in
strenuous physical activity.” The enforcer just shakes his head, then
frowns at the sudden tingling sensation in his left arm.
Lord Over Reality •••••
At its pinnacle, Dementation can now affect Kindred,
human ghouls, and other supernatural beings. In a way, the
capabilities of such creatures give a Malkavian greater leeway
with his ability. While Dementation usually has to at least pay
lip service to natural laws, it can manipulate the powers of
unnatural beings to great effect. No amount of coincidence
or happenstance is going to allow a helpful human appear out
of thin air, right when the Afflicted needs a hand. A Mekhet
with a little Obfuscate, on the other hand…
 With this level, Dementation can inflict lethal damage to
supernaturally tough creatures like Kindred, and aggravated
damage to mortals.
Example: Sully lights a match and watches the fearsome Savage
sent to kill him turn tail and run, as if he’d just ignited the sun next
to her face. “I told you!” he shouts, wincing in pain from the several
new holes in his sides. “The next flame you saw, your Beast would
see an inferno! Didn’t have to stab me over it though…” enough to be an advantage. A snippet of courtly
If this sounds like the Afflicted have a terrifying amount of
power, it’s because they do. Dementation is the ability to edit
reality with a hacksaw. As long as the character follows the
three rules above, almost nothing is off the table. This is why
the Kindred so fear Malkavia, even if they don’t consciously
understand it, and why they’ll often stop at nothing to exter-
minate those who carry the disease.
Of course, this doesn’t mean everything an Afflicted
character tries will work, or that the effect will be what he
intended. Dementation is a symptom, not a tool, and those who
use it are never in control. The Storyteller has full latitude to
make strange consequences for characters who tempt such fate,
and has the right to veto effects that violate her interpretation
of the three rules.
System
Cost: 1 Willpower
Requirement: The Malkavian must state what will happen
out loud.
Dice Pool: Wits + Resolve + Dominate vs. Resolve + Blood
Potency (for humans, ghouls, and Kindred; mundane animals
and objects have no resistance)
Action: Instant for object and animal subjects, contested
for human and supernatural subjects; resistance is reflexive.
Duration: Effectively, one turn, but circumstances will
then play out as they naturally would in the “new” reality. If a
Malkavian specifies something will happen at a later time, it
must occur before the end of the scene.
Roll Results
Success: The Malkavian warps reality in the way she desires,
but not necessarily the way she expected. Alterations occur
with little fanfare; to outside observers, things just change.
To the Malkavian, however, fundamental forces shift before
her eyes. She might see a spirit of the fire she just made bigger
cavort in the flames, or suddenly become aware of a dozen
different near futures, allowing her to slide into the one that
benefits her most. The Storyteller is the final arbiter of how a
successful uses of Dementation manifest, but the Malkavian’s
player is encouraged to give suggestions. The bigger the ask,
the stranger the result.
If the vampire is attempting to harm a victim, the level of
Dementation necessary is determined by whatever damage type
she’s trying to inflict, as set by her Dominate dots, or whatever
level of Dementation the victim would fall under, whichever
Eye Spy
Can Malkavians use their mental disturbances to
pierce veils like Infrastructure and the Gauntlet?
Sort of. Their visions do involve seeing through lies,
but this is mostly incidental, and it isn’t consistent
chatter from Arcadia isn’t much use if it only lasts a
few seconds, and Malkavians can’t choose what they
perceive anyway. However, these fragments can
lead an Afflicted character in interesting directions,
and are good devices for Storytellers to sow esoteric
clues into their chronicles.
is higher. Victims suffer damage equal to the difference
between successes on the activation roll and the resistance roll.
Remember that a Malkavian can’t just cause the sheriff’s head
to explode with a snap of her fingers, but she could cause a semi
to run off the road and plow through his haven.
If it’s unclear what level of Dementation is required,
determine the primary subject and go from there.
Exceptional Success: As above, but the vampire’s command
over reality comes as naturally as drinking blood. It behaves just
as she intended, and she regains the Willpower she spent into
Dementation, avoiding the risk of worsening her Affliction.
Failure: Reality refuses to bend to the Malkavian’s will.
Dramatic Failure: The power escapes the Malkavian’s
control, altering reality in a way that is harmful to her, often
via a twisted version of what she stated would happen.
Suggested Modifiers:
Situation Modifier
The Malkavian is alone. +1
The desired outcome is likely within +1 to +3
the current context, such as ensuring a
gambler’s next throw of the dice results
in a loss.
The Malkavian is in a locus, Wyrm’s Nest, +2
haunted house, or any other place where
the barriers between worlds are thin.
The Malkavian is attempting to make a –1 to –3
highly improbable event occur, such as
finding a loaded shotgun in a dumpster.
S omeone the Malkavian trus ts has –1
expressed doubt about her abilities within
the same scene.
The Malkavian is using Dementation in a –2
highly structured or regimented setting,
such as a laboratory or prison.
The Malkavian is using Dementation in –3
front of at least a dozen witnesses.
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 83
 Tuning Out: Bystanders
Dementation does things that shouldn’t be possible,
accomplishing them with an almost casual ease. Witnessing
fundamental forces of the universe being dissected is damaging
to the mind, and can cause violent reactions that (outwardly)
resemble mental illness. Perhaps Kindred denounce the Afflicted
with such vehemence because they recognize, on some instinctual
level, that their very presence is a threat to their sanity.
Mortals
If a mortal witnesses a Malkavian using Dementation in a
way that can’t be rationalized away as cleverness, luck, or good
timing, they suffer a breaking point as their sense of reality is
shaken. Depending on how subtle or blatant the effect was, the
witness might take a bonus or penalty to this roll.
Roll Results
Success: The witness gains the Confused, Shaken, or
Spooked Condition. They’ve managed to rationalize or repress
what they saw, but it’s affected them deeply.
Exceptional Success: The witness still attempts to rationalize
what they saw, even if their explanation makes very little sense.
If questioned, she may admit to seeing something otherworldly,
but won’t attempt to quantify it further.
Failure: The witness loses a dot of Integrity and gains the
Delusional Condition for nights equal to the vampire’s Blood
Potency. Witnessing reality bending into horrible shapes has
shattered their perceptions and forced them to question the
world; they’ll need time to recover. Ironically, this delusion is
based on a truth — it’s just a truth no one else can see.
Dramatic Failure: As with a failure, but Delusional
is indefinite, and the witness also gains the Obsession
Condition, focusing on the Malkavian. They’re convinced
she’s an important figure or prophet, holding the secret to
understanding a hidden layer of reality. How this behavior
manifests depends on the individual, but it always results in
the witness trying to get closer to the Malkavian — and getting
exposed to even more Dementation.
Vampires
Kindred are less vulnerable to Dementation side effects,
but they’ll still deny the truths the Afflicted try to show them.
When a vampire witnesses an overt display of Dementation,
roll Resolve + Composure. Apply any modifiers as above.
Roll Results
Success: The vampire recognizes what he witnessed as
supernatural, but justifies it as just an exotic Devotion, or some
other twist of the Blood. Unusual, but not alarming. Nothing
to see here. Quickly, he just forgets about it, or justifies it as
the Malkavian being a lucky SOB. He didn’t cause anything…
Exceptional Success: The vampire is so certain of whatever
rationale he’s invented to deny the power of Dementation that
84 False Gods: Ventrue
It’s All Relative
Sometimes, plausibility is debatable; people can
be more or less credulous based on any number
of factors. For instance, a vampire might find it
trivial that a Malkavian could “know” a lamp will
fall over at the right moment, whereas a mortal
would think he’s witnessed something spooky (this
is somewhat baked into the system). Storytellers
can avoid Dementation headaches by going with
their guts: If an effect doesn’t seem plausible, it’s
not. There will always be edge cases, but in the
end, the Storyteller defines the bounds of the story
and its reality.
If you have trouble adjudicating whether a use
of Dementation conforms with the three rules,
go with a solipsistic point of view: If the player
characters can’t see something, it could be true.
Unless it makes no sense to the plot, what’s
happening off-screen is much less important than
what’s happening on.
it bolsters his resolve in the face of further attempts to “trick”
him. For the rest of the night, the vampire enjoys a +1 to all
rolls to resist Dementation. This is cumulative with other
exceptional successes.
Failure: Despite his best efforts, the vampire catches a
glimpse of what all Malkavians see. His mind fuzzes out the
details in self-defense, and he gains the Spooked Condition
from his brush with the truth.
Dramatic Failure: For just a moment, the vampire sees
behind the lie of reality, and his mind recoils in horror. The
vampire gains the Frightened Condition toward the Malkavian
who invoked Dementation.
Tuning In: Infection
Malkavia is an insidious, creeping thing. It’s capable of laying
whole domains low with a bad enough outbreak, and Final
Death is its only known remedy.
How does it spread, though? Many rumors and half-truths
circulate among the Kindred on this subject: Feed on the insane
and you’ll become a Malkavian; if you were Embraced during
the full moon, you’re doomed to contract the M; destroy the
thing you love most, and its damned spirit will make you one
of the Afflicted.
Like so many things in the All Night Society, the truth
comes back to Blood. Malkavia may be tied to Dominate,
but it needs Vitae to spread to other compatible hosts. Both
the living and the Damned can carry the dread infection, but
only Kindred are at risk of becoming Afflicted. When a living
creature or a vampire drinks Vitae from an infected source, or
when an infected vampire feeds from a vessel (not just a bite),
the unafflicted subject must make an extended action to resist
the effects of Malkavia. The dice pool is Resolve + Stamina,
with a penalty equal to the subject’s own Dominate dots. Each
roll represents a 24-hour period since exposure. To defeat the
disease, the victim must accrue successes equal to the infecting
vampire’s Blood Potency plus five. If the Malkavian is Terminal,
the number is Blood Potency plus ten.
Failure on this action means different things, depending on
the state of the infected character:
• Humans and Ghouls: Become carriers. The infection
remains in their blood for hours equal to the Blood Potency
of the vampire who infected them, and during this time they
can spread Malkavia to any vampire who feeds from them.
• Kindred with No Dominate: Become carriers. They are
not Afflicted, but may spread the disease to others. Kindred
remain carriers for months equal to the original Malkavian’s
Blood Potency, but this period resets if they consume more
Affliction-tainted Vitae. If a carrier learns Dominate, they
gain the Chronic Malkavia Condition.
• Kindred with Dominate: Become Malkavians. They gain
the Chronic Malkavia Condition, access to Dementation,
and unprompted insight into the twisted truths of the world.
When the chance of infection is unclear, fall back on this rule:
If the exchange of Vitae would cause either party to fall prey to
the Vinculum, then both are at risk of exposure to Malkavia.
The most consistent way Malkavia spreads, however, is
through the Embrace. Any victim sired by one of the Afflicted,
regardless of clan (even revenants), gains a free dot of Dominate
and the Chronic Malkavian Condition as soon as they rise as
one of the dead. These poor souls don’t usually receive a lot of
Storytelling Malkavia
Whether it’s a looming threat or a full-blown epidemic, the
M injects surreal terrors into Vampire chronicles, from gothic
personal tragedies to cosmic horror stories. This section offers
advice on telling Malkavia-focused chronicles, including themes,
story seeds, and the possibility of a cure.
The Tiers
Tiers are tools to help define the scope, themes, and moods
of a story. In the case of Malkavia, they represent the scope
and relative virulence of the disease. In some chronicles, the
M is rare and moves slowly, while in others it represents an
existential threat to all Kindred in the domain.
If you’re familiar with other Chronicles of Darkness games,
you’ll have some idea of how tiers work, and how they set different
expectations and boundaries. Tiers were first introduced in
Hunter: The Vigil, but the concept isn’t unique to that game.
Setting a chronicle at a certain tier gives players an idea of what
they’re in for, but it’s also possible for a chronicle to begin at
one tier and slide up or down into another; Malkavia offers an
excellent tool to expand (or contract) the scale of your plots.
instruction and often aren’t aware of how different they are until
they encounter other Kindred. It’s a rare fledgling Malkavian
that survives that first contact.
Finally, sometimes Malkavia just happens. It’s an infection
of mind-control that has symptoms of reality-bending,
so it should come as no surprise that it can be a little
inconsistent in its manifestation. Storyteller Fiat can cause
a vampire to become infected with the M through unusual
or acausal circumstances — or disturbingly mundane ones.
The Storyteller can also decide that certain characters are
inexplicably immune.
Here are two examples of how Malkavia might appear without
the Blood or the Embrace:
• Mental Overload: The Kindred have many ways to warp
each other’s mind. Sometimes so much strain is placed on
a single victim that the only way their brain can cope is by
shattering, revealing new truths beneath the shards. The
Storyteller decides what the limit of this overload is, but
if a vampire reaches it, she must roll to resist becoming a
Malkavian as if she has imbibed tainted blood. If she had
no dots in Dominate, she gains one.
• Other Realms: There are myriads of dimensions whisper-
close to our own, from bizarre arcane domains to mazes
crafted of thorns and dreams — but Kindred seldom visit
them. Perhaps this is for good reason. Any vampire who
spends too long (again, at the Storyteller’s discretion) in the
Shadow, the Hedge, a Supernal Realm, or any other alternate
world, risks coming back with an alarmingly expanded
perspective. Roll to resist Malkavia as if they had fed from
an infected vessel.
For each tier, we also provide a few mechanical Twists to tailor
the Affliction better into these levels of play. These systems
are entirely optional, and might even change over the course
of the chronicle — never assume what Malkavia will do next.
Tier One: Index Case
Malkavia is an urban legend, or so rare that most Kindred
think it’s passed out of the world. It’s something vampires say
you’ll pick up if you bite the wrong person — the unclean and
the druggies and the whores. Maybe it’s a morality tale Lords use
to warn their childer to not be such evil bastards, or else they’ll
lose their minds. Accusations of infection flit about Elysium in
euphemisms and passive-aggressive tones, but never sincerely.
Suggesting a rival has the M is just another move in the Danse
Macabre, or a self-serving warning at best. It’s always possible
someone really does have it, but Malkavia never even needs to
make an appearance in a tier-one chronicle. Just the threat is
enough to keep the Damned in paranoid frenzies. Vampires
love witch hunts, and the Affliction provides a perfect witch.
In the rare cases where someone does become infected,
it’s a lonely existence. Vampires in tier one know little about
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 85
 Malkavia — not that they would want to. Survival means
either keeping it under wraps or becoming too terrifying to
confront. Or too useful. Malkavians have strange luck and
prophetic accuracy on their side, and used effectively, those
qualities can be a profitable niche.
This tier has the most potential to grow into one or both of
the others, but it’s not hard to keep it self-contained. Malkavia
can be a puzzle all on its own. How do you solve a mystery
that doesn’t make logical sense? When the clues never add up,
what will the characters do to make them? The answer might
be one they don’t like.
Theme
Introduce a little chaos. At base, Kindred existence is a simple
one: feed, breed, sleep. Vampires dress that up with politics and
religion to stave off the Beast, but they don’t often go beyond
the confines of the next meal or power play. Malkavia disrupts
this rhythm, representing an enemy the Kindred can’t just kill
or command away. At this tier, even a lone Malkavian can set
off a domino effect, and just the threat of the disease can upend
entire Requiems.
Mood
Acute paranoia. Ventrue elders whisper to their servants just
out of earshot, hoping no one sees how they won’t stand near
their fellow Lords. Even the kine seem rattled, like they’ve
experienced some trauma they can’t quite recall. Is the M here?
Anyone could be infected, but don’t say that out loud. Don’t
get caught even thinking it.
Twist
Slow Burn. At this tier, Malkavia might be harder to spread.
Vampires do not subtract their Dominate dots from Resolve
+ Blood Potency when resisting infection, and asymptomatic
Kindred purge the disease in anywhere from a night or a week,
depending on the needs of the story.
Story Seeds
• A rash of bank robberies makes the front pages of mortal
media and become the talk of the Cacophony. It’s a relatively
uncommon crime these days — especially at night. The
Kindred think they know what’s going on, but they don’t
know the half of it. Secret police reports describe baffling
coincidences, like how the assailant’s plans always go just right
despite a seemingly amateur skillset. A Kindred authority
decides to draft the coterie into solving this problem, and it’s
right around this time that their Requiems start to unravel
in a run of unbelievably bad luck.
• The Prince is more paranoid than usual. At court functions,
she gets a far-off expression, as if listening in on a conversation
just out of earshot, and she’s growing less and less interested
in governing. Naturally, whispers of Malkavia circulate. Her
Invictus counselors make plans for mandatory retirement;
the Carthians sharpen their stakes for an opportunistic
revolution; the Sanctified prepare to take confession; the
Circle of the Crone casts haruspices; and the Ordo Dracul
86 False Gods: Ventrue
readies its lab equipment — along with a few strong ghouls.
Everyone in the domain has a plan or a coup in the making,
but no one realizes how long the Affliction has really been
brewing in their prince. No one remembers they’ve done this
all before.
Tier Two: Outbreak
Tier-two Malkavia spreads among the Lords as an open
secret in the All Night Society. This is the default tier for
Malkavia. It’s known but misunderstood, rare but not mythic,
and largely associated with the Ventrue. The other clans
tend to think they’re immune, though this frequently leads
to nasty surprises.
Not every city experiences the M’s horrors, but the disease
is common enough that most domains have at least a few
records of it. Perhaps the Sanctified curate a collection of
Malkavian confessions, or maybe the Ordo Dracul locks up
old research data in a hidden archive, fearing that studying
the disease will cause it to reappear. The Invictus might
even have a few emergency protocols on the books in case it
threatens the Masquerade.
At tier two, Malkavia is mostly a Ventrue problem. Many
Lords have elaborate laws and rituals about what to do with
Afflicted clanmates, though in many cities having the M is a
death sentence. If a Malkavian is lucky, his fellow Ventrue merely
shun him, or place him in a position where he can’t do too much
harm. In a few, very rare domains, Ventrue consider Malkavians
the next step in Kindred evolution, proof positive that their clan
stands above the rest. These cities are rare for a reason.
If Malkavia is present in the city and tolerated, it’s limited
to a small group of Lords who shun their Kindred and act as
prophets or scapegoats when it suits the rest of the All Night
Society. They earn their keep with service to the city, but any
excuse will serve to kickstart purges.
Theme
Rot at the top. The Affliction isolates and divides the Lords,
or provides them another reason to think they’re above their
Kindred. What happens in cities where the Ventrue are the
dominant clan and all of their members come down with
Malkavia? How can you lead when the very thing that granted
your power betrays you?
Mood
Conspiracy. Malkavia invites secrets and lies even as it reveals
ever more uncomfortable truths. The Ventrue will never let the
others exploit their weakness, and they’ll burn the whole city
down even if it means ruling over the ruins.
Twist
Thus always to tyrants. In this scenario, maybe Malkavia
really does only affect the Ventrue. As such, non-Lords with
Dominate are safe from its symptoms, but they still make good
transmission vectors. Mortals and other Kindred can still
become asymptomatic carriers.

The Ventrue Aren’t Special
Don’t make the Lords out to be more than they are.
Even if you decide the Affliction only spreads among
Ventrue, it doesn’t mean they’re fundamentally
different. From a narrative perspective, Malkavia
fits the clan’s themes of corrosive ambition and
remote humanity, but ultimately that’s an aesthetic
choice, and any other clan could fit the bill with a
little finessing.
Indeed, some readers might wonder why
Malkavia isn’t associated with the Mekhet, whose
powers of foresight resemble the Affliction’s in
more than a few ways. While the Mekhet and the
M share some themes, the fundamental difference
is that Shadows are just prophets. Malkavians are
self-fulfilling ones. After all, a Lord won’t be satisfied
with any outcome she can’t change.
Story Seeds
• The Ventrue don’t exist in the city. They used to, but then
something wiped them out. Since then, the powers-that-be
have used this as an excuse to bar Lords from ever entering
the domain, and this has turned the city into a cloister, cut
off from neighboring domains with Ventrue populations.
Even the Dominate Discipline doesn’t see much use, and
when it does come up, it’s frowned upon (though regulating
an ability that can erase memories is largely futile). Any
vampire who arrives in the city must submit to a blood test,
but rumor has it “false positives” are the norm unless you
have cash or blood on hand. What really happened to the
Ventrue? Why does the court fear them, and what might
happen if they return?
• Malkavians are allowed some leeway in the city. They
maintain a territory and keep designated herds, and no one is
supposed to come near them unless it’s absolutely necessary.
While no one is about to get chummy with the Malks, there’s
a tacit understanding among Kindred that the Afflicted
have their uses, and that it’d be more trouble to purge them
than to let them be with restrictions. Most of these rules are
honored more in the breach than the observance, on both
sides, but there’s only one that really matters: Don’t spread the
disease. Ever. Now, a new case has sprung up after decades
of quiet. Worse, it’s the Prince’s beloved childe, and it’s all
the coterie’s fault…
Tier Three: Epidemic
If the M comes to town, it’s too late. Domains where Malkavia
runs rampant exist on the knife-edge of the Masquerade. Even
the kine know something terrible is happening just out of view
— if they’re lucky. If they’re not, they’re collateral damage, forced
to witness Kindred convinced of their own sacrosanct truths
duke it out with reality bruising powers. Malkavian factions
rise and fall like mayflies, but that’s just a prelude before the
real fireworks begin. The city will be lucky if it only ends up
with a cadre of Afflicted leaders, deeming what is and isn’t real
for their subjects.
Meanwhile, uninfected Kindred mete out their existences
from meal to meal. Is this mortal tainted? Is it safe to go
out? Quarantines and quarantine breaches become a fact of
death. A few Kindred might even want to give the disease
what wants, letting it wash away the old world to make a
path for the new.
In some cities, Malkavia comes in waves, or lies dormant
for decades only to reappear out of nowhere. Like the Black
Death in Middle Ages, it’s a constant threat, one that redefines
Kindred culture wherever it goes.
Theme
Apocalypse. The end times are here. That doesn’t mean
everyone’s going to die, but nothing will ever be the same.
Survival means pushing Humanity and the Masquerade to
their breaking points, but some Kindred may start to wonder
if surviving is just a fate worse than Final Death. However,
note that apokálypsis in Greek means “an uncovering.” Once
that veil lifts, who’s to say those left standing can’t take hold
of whatever lay behind it?
Mood
Doom. Third-tier Malkavia chronicles are fatalistic stories.
The characters can still triumph, but every twist brings some
new, reality-defying horror. The world is turning upside down
before their dead eyes, and each turn of the screw will be more
painful than the last.
Twist
Hypervirulence. If you want to swing for the fences, maybe
the Affliction doesn’t require characters to know Dominate
to manifest. If so, any vampire infected with Malkavia gains a
free dot of Dominate if she doesn’t have one already. In a truly
world-ending scenario, mortals exhibit symptoms too.
Story Seeds
• A neighboring domain goes dark. While that’s unusual,
it’s not unheard of, and not necessarily cause for alarm.
Cloisters form for many reasons, ranging from coup d’états,
to xenophobia, to neo-luddism. Most Kindred in the
coterie’s city pay it little mind, and those who investigate
never return. A few years later, barely anyone remembers,
but at just the moment this event fades from memory, the
phone calls begin. Thousands of them a night, all to the
Kindred of the city, and all from numbers associated with
vampires from the cloister. Silence greets pickups, and only
letting it go to voicemail provides a hint: “Seven.”
• The first Malkavian still exists. Maybe they’re a heavy hitter
like Longinus, Dracula, or the Crone, or maybe they’re just
some poor bastard who had the bad luck to be patient zero.
Whoever they are, they dearly want to die, but the disease
won’t let them. The harder they try, the more bizarre and
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 87

Tier Zero: Munchhausen by Proxy
Over the centuries, a few Lords have wrongly
concluded that they’ve contracted the M, whether
after encountering one of the Afflicted, or just due
to paranoid ignorance. Such delusions never last for
long, but Malkavia isn’t actually that hard to fake. A
vampire (or vampires) with enough Dominate and
Nightmare could make a victim believe all kinds of
things. Most Kindred don’t know the real effects of
Malkavia, and a con artist would just need to fulfill
a victim’s expectations to properly gaslight him.
Maybe an elder Lord’s retainer thinks her master
has Malkavia, and makes a few adjustments to make
sure he finally realizes it too…
destructive the fallout of their attempted suicide. Like
Cain of the Bible, anything that would strike them down
is returned sevenfold on the source. The first Malkavian
isn’t really cogent anymore — their perceptions exist in too
many places at once. But the drive to die is strong, and after
a lengthy torpor caused by the last attempt, they wake up in
the characters’ city. This time, they won’t give up so easily.
The Cure
Can it be cured? That’s up to you. Finding a cure for
Malkavia should be a chronicle or character arc in itself, and
it might change for each story you tell. Still, nothing says it
needs a remedy. Many real diseases can’t be cured, and that
might be true for supernatural ones as well. Some diseases
have inconsistent cures, with different strains responding
inconsistently to the same treatments, and a surefire cure has
the danger of depriving the M of its power. However, players
shouldn’t have the rug pulled out from under them. If their
characters earn the cure for Malkavia, give it to them, but
remember that the operative word is earn.
Tales of the Cure
Most stories about curing Malkavia begin with a player
character’s infection, or an Afflicted vampire of power needing
someone to do the legwork. That said, such chronicles don’t
require anyone to be Afflicted. Maybe the coterie is a crack team
of paravirologists looking to make a name for themselves, or a
Sanctified exorcist squad on a mission from God — a cure doesn’t
have to be scientific, after all. Vampires are magical beings, and
dealing with their diseases might require mystical intervention.
The cure could also be covenant-based. While the obvious
option is the Ordo Dracul, the other factions aren’t without
their resources. The Sanctified and Acolytes may have rites
that banish the M at a great cost, but even the Invictus and
Carthians could be the source. A powerful Law might ban it
from the domain, and an Oath could deny a vampire from
88 False Gods: Ventrue
contracting it in return for service. Like Malkavia itself, the
answer could take many shapes, even at the same time. One
story might be of competing cures, pitting Kindred against each
other to end an outbreak fast and at a profit.
Some stories of the cure might be about learning to live with
Malkavia. Not every story has to end with a neat little bow or
fantastic self-destruction. Some Afflicted (more than one would
think) survive for a long time, careful not to let their powers
and insights overwhelm them. Self-preservation might be the
strongest driving force in the All Night Society, and the Ventrue
are master survivors. Malkavia can remain a chronic condition
for the entirety of a vampire’s Requiem. True, existing with the
Affliction is very different from being rid of it, but a truce is
always possible, even if flare-ups are inevitable.
Story Seeds
• One of the covenants finds a cure. It passes every acid test and
doesn’t seem to have any side effects. However, the faction isn’t
giving it away for free. No one gets the cure without paying
up, and this has forced many Kindred without means into
predatory blood bonds. It’s not clear what the cure is, only
that it works. Can the coterie steal a sample? Can they reverse
engineer it? Or can they take control of the supply?
• Rumors of the drug Solace sometimes spread through the
Cacophony, with claims that it makes vampires feel human
for just a while — like “liquid nostalgia” for the Kindred soul.
No one really knows where it comes from, but its silver syrettes
aren’t sold on just any street corner. Even when Solace does
come to a city, it’s rarer still for it to coincide with a Malkavia
outbreak. But it must have happened at least once. If it did,
it stands to reason that one of the Afflicted gave it a shot —
what would she have to lose? And maybe at the end of this
little hypothetical, the Malkavian found her mind clear of the
visions and the voices. Never mind the thing that escaped her
soul. Nostalgia can’t hurt you, can it?
Malkavia and Mental Illness
The Affliction isn’t mental illness. It’s an illness, yes, and it
affects the mind, but it’s not insanity. A Malkavian’s visions are
more akin to a human suddenly perceiving new, debilitating
spectrums of light. Malkavians sometimes compare it to
extreme synesthesia: They hear the secrets of colors and see the
thoughts of sound. That may seem delusional to an outsider,
but opinion has very little to do with it.
Everything a Malkavian experiences is real, even if she
doesn’t understand it, but that last bit is the tricky part. The
Afflicted are vampires. They aren’t werewolves with spiritual
bonds to the Shadow, or mages carrying around the crib notes
of quantum physics. Vampires are the most earthbound of the
night folk who stalk the Chronicles of Darkness, and even
mystics like the Acolytes and Dragons tend to be ignorant of
broader viewpoints. They see occult phenomena through a
Kindred lens, and while that serves their goals, it’s usually an
endpoint rather than a beginning.
 A new Malkavian may think she really is losing her mind. Even
if she does grasp more obscure occultism, what she sees is rarely as
easy to break down as The Underworld, or The God-Machine. Most
of the time, it’s a wild confluence of phenomena, an overload of
information she would need a computer to disentangle. Some of
these visions might be very subtle, unknown to even the wisest
sages in the world. Others aren’t supernatural at all, just qualities
of mundane reality that pass beyond human perception.
All of which is to say, many Malkavians do struggle with
mental illness, albeit as a comorbidity. Seeing what the Afflicted
see is never pleasant, and these stresses can cause anxiety,
depression, and even real delusions. A Malkavian might develop
compulsions and coping rituals to keep the visions at bay,
rubbing amulets and saying blessings when more materialist
treatments fail. Or maybe she turns to quackery, consuming
snake oil or bizarre homeopathic preparations, but such behav-
ior only confirms what outsiders already think. It might seem
obvious, but Malkavians also don’t have access to this book.
Most don’t understand what their visions are, at least at first,
and realizing there’s more to them might be a story in itself.
That doesn’t mean all Malkavians become mentally ill. Many
humans learn to live with their traumas, and the Afflicted are
no different. Some find ways to get by, or even thrive, whether
through therapy, spirituality, or stranger means. That usually
means only using Dementation once in a blue moon — which
is easier said than done, even when you keep your nose clean.
Trouble loves Malkavia, and Malkavia loves trouble right back.
Still, however well-adjusted a Malkavian might be, the Afflic-
tion goes out of its way to make death difficult. If mental illness
is difficulty functioning in mainstream society, then Malkavia
more than fits the bill. If a character’s arc is about going from
enlightenment to mental decline, that’s a story you can tell. Sto-
rytellers and players are free to define the more mundane mental
downsides of Malkavia as they wish, but this should be a roleplay
exercise, not a mechanical one. Keep in mind too that chron-
ic-disease trauma and mental illness are subjects that affect real
people. Make sure to be respectful and open with your troupe.
Affliction Is (Not) Consistent
The moment the Affliction becomes something characters
can predict with any accuracy, it loses its power as a horror
device. This isn’t to say Storytellers should be arbitrary, but a
good Malkavia chronicle keeps them guessing. Nothing is ever
quite as it seems, and any patterns that form might just be the
human tendency to find meaning in random information.
Don’t feel constrained by the material in this chapter. As with
anything in the Chronicles of Darkness, your truth will always be
more interesting than the textbook answer. In particular, Story-
tellers should keep a light touch with Dementation’s mind-bend-
ing side effects when it comes to protagonists. Vampires might
have to operate under the rules of supernatural diseases, but
players don’t. “Your mind can’t process what really happened!”
won’t be a satisfying answer for long. False and blurred memories
are stock and trade of the mystery genre, but at a certain point
they become a cheap way of prolonging stories, so reward players
who’ve earned the truth, whatever it may be. That might mean
a player character becomes a Malkavian, or the coterie figures
out a way to protect themselves from Dementation. It might also
mean they’re just better able to weather its ugly visions. That’s
why they’re on the case.
At the same time, be open with players whose characters
contract the disease. A little creative inconsistency is fine to
keep a chronicle weird and interesting, but players should always
know where their characters stand. And, if they don’t want it,
don’t give it to them. Malkavia works just as well as something
that happens only to Storyteller characters, and it offers plenty of
chronicles even if you remove the risk of infection for the coterie.

The Fools’ Journey: Four Afflicted

Malkavia doesn’t discriminate. It infects neonates and elders alike, which is one of the reasons the Lords are so ruthless in
destroying outbreaks. Even those outside Clan Ventrue aren’t safe from its ravages — many Kindred find themselves regretting
the price they paid for the power of Dominate, at least when the world starts unraveling before their eyes. The four unfortunate
Kindred outlined below are examples of the different forms Malkavia takes when it grabs hold. They’re ready to be dropped
into your chronicle as-is, or to inspire your own reality-warping savants.

Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 89

 The Empress: Nadia Lambert
“Hm? No, everything is as it should be. Do not question me again.”
Not even the Baroness remembers if her title is genuine, or just an affectation that
became truth, but it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that she looks the part: Nadia
Charlotte Anne Marie Lambert carries herself with the precise grace of trueborn
nobility, complimented by a razor-sharp fashion sense and long hair black
as pitch.
A true elder of the Invictus, the Baroness survived the fires of
the French Revolution via a combination of careful planning and
raw viciousness, two traits that served her well climbing the First
Estate’s ladder. Unfortunately, neither prudence nor cruelty could
save her from becoming infected with Malkavia during an assault on
her salon. She wasn’t even the target of the wild-eyed vampire who climbed in
through a tenth-story window, but ever since the night he sank his fangs in her arms,
she’s been feeling rather strange.
Nadia keeps catching glimpses of great turning gears and fractal circuit boards out
of the corner of her eye, though nothing seems amiss when she turns to look. She’d
heard of the Affliction before, of course, but she always assumed it was something
that only affected weak-minded gutter-rabble, not society elites like herself.
Still, it’s not without advantages. Prodigious skill with the Lord’s words means
Nadia’s Dementation is already potent, and her autocratic personality can’t help
but shine when the world is forced to bow to her will. All her schemes are paying
dividends, more than they ever have over the long arc of her Requiem. Maybe
part of her is a little less than it once was, but the rewards might just even out the
balance sheet.
However, Nadia’s long climb to the top has earned her many enemies, any of
whom would use her new condition against her without hesitation. Her top priority
is to hide it from everyone she can, and perhaps she’ll start by “silencing” everyone
at the salon that night. After all, the Masquerade must be maintained.

Story Seeds
• The Baroness is a patron of the player characters. She’s always been fair with them,
but lately, she’s been handing our increasingly bizarre tasks as Malkavia takes hold
of her Requiem. Despite the lack of rhyme or reason, these random jobs have
all (somehow) led to increasing power for the Baroness. When one of her rivals
approaches the characters looking for information on her newfound insights, how
will they respond?
• Nadia is desperate to keep her condition secret, and has begun to eliminate
everyone who witnessed the attack on her salon with brutal efficiency. When
one of the coterie’s allies suddenly goes missing, the investigation leads back to
the Baroness, but instead of violence, Nadia offers the characters a deal: Help
her finish her murderous list, and they can have all of the resources and holdings
of those they eliminate. It’s a tempting offer, but Nadia can’t possibly be trusted.
Can she?
• A rival of Nadia’s has discovered her Affliction, but they need the coterie’s help
to prove it. Any accusation coming from the rival, even with evidence, will be
suspect due to their shared history with the Baroness. If the characters are the
ones to level the charges, however, they’ll carry more weight. Nadia is a fearsome
adversary, but the rival promises they’ll protect the coterie from her reprisals.
Besides, they’d be doing the right thing by exposing a Malkavian before she has
a chance to spread her disease.

90 False Gods: Ventrue

Baroness Nadia Lambert
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: Invictus
Mask: Authoritarian
Dirge: Survivor
Touchstone: The blade of the guillotine meant for her
neck. She keeps it on display in her office as a reminder
of why the Silence must be kept.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 5,
Composure 5
Mental Skills: Academics 3, Investigation 3, Occult 2,
Politics (French) 5
Physical Skills: Athletics (Horseback) 2, Drive 2,
Firearms 1, Stealth 2, Weaponry (Daggers) 3
Social Skills: Animal Ken (Horses) 3, Empathy 4,
Expression (French Ballads) 3, Intimidation (Social
Superiority) 5, Persuasion 3, Socialize 5, Subterfuge 4
Merits: Allies (European Nobility) 4, Cutthroat,
Friends in High Places, Haven 5, Herd 5, Invictus
Status 5, Languages (English, German, Latin, Russian),
Oath of Office, Oath of the Righteous Kill, Quick
Draw (Daggers), Resources 5, Safe Place 5, Social
Engineering, Ventrue Status 4
Disciplines: Animalism 2, Celerity 3, Dominate 5,
Majesty 4, Resilience 4, Vigor 1
Devotions: Conditioning, Stalwart Servant,
Summoning, Undying Familiar
Blood Potency: 6
Health: 11
Willpower: 9
Humanity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 12
Initiative: 8
Defense: 5 (Active Defense 8)
Notes: Nadia’s Chronic Malkavia progression is 1,
but only because of her high Willpower rating. She
also suffers a variant of the Bells bane: Nadia cannot
stand the sound of a cheering crowd (groups of about
25 or more), as they remind her of what the Jacobins
were ready to do to her. However, she no longer
suffers breaking points for accidental killing. Social
Engineering can be found on p. 188 of Secrets of the
Covenants. Oath of Office and Oath of the Righteous
Kill can be found on p. 191 of the same.
The Hanged Man: Tapper
“Don’t you understand? She’s out there, just on the other side! She’s
so close, I can hear her… I just need to break down the right wall,
and she shall be free!”
Once, Tapper had another name, but he discarded it. It
was a meaningless collection of letters that fettered him to
the wrong side of the wall. He earned his current moniker
for the habit of tapping his knuckles or fingers against nearby
walls and listening to the resulting sounds. Thin and ragged,
Tapper resembles some sort of long-legged bird stalking down
the street, pausing to rap on the walls as if hoping to coax
out a tasty grub.
Tapper’s always on the move because he has a mission, given
to him by a man with the moon in his eyes. The Dark Mother
is trapped, imprisoned on the other side of an invisible wall,
and it’s up to him to break it down — to make a hole so she can
finally be free to join her children in this world.
Tapper’s not incoherent. He speaks calmly and politely to
anyone willing to approach him, but it doesn’t take a long
conversation to understand something’s wrong with him. His
dark eyes never seem to settle on the person he’s talking to,
instead seeming to track something on the ground near their
feet, or in the air just above them. He’ll tell anyone who asks
all about them, the creeping, rippling, pulsing things he can see
“beyond the wall.”
Acolytes in the cities Tapper visits often dare each other to talk
to him. Those who humor the strange Ventrue usually just get a
bizarre conversation to gossip with their friends about. However,
anyone who openly expresses disbelief, or worse, implies Tapper
is unwell, is in for a bad night. He has no patience for those who
question his actions, or his mental health. The “lucky” ones
simply suffer odd accidents, like having a piece of sheet metal
shake loose from a passing truck to neatly sever an arm. For the
unlucky ones, it’s a more holistic experience. Tapper talks to
them for hours, explaining his point of view. Making them see.
They’re never quite the same.
Tapper is obsessed with pursuing the flashes of truth his
disease grants him. On top of that, he’s a diablerist, having
consumed the souls of unbelievers to grant him power to
complete his holy mission. He knows he doesn’t have much
time left, but that’s made him all the more desperate to finish
his quest before the Affliction destroys him.
Tapper roams up and down the Northwest Coast in his
mission to free the Crone, having been sighted as far south as
California and as far north as Yukon. He rarely stays in one
place for long, which is likely the reason his presence has yet
to cause an outbreak.
Story Seeds
• Tapper has settled in the characters’ domain, causing unrest
among the city’s Ventrue. They’re calling for his immediate
destruction before he can spread his condition. Eliminating
Tapper isn’t so easily done, however, as he’s convinced many
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 91
 of the local Acolytes to follow his vision of freeing the Crone. As sides are chosen, and action
demanded, which way will the coterie’s loyalties fall? Especially if they’re Lords or
Acolytes… or both.
• While it’s unlikely that Tapper will succeed at manifesting his goddess, his
efforts have had some unintentional effects. For one, he’s drawn the ire of
the Uratha. The local wolf-men are howling for his blood, and
are threatening to start hunting Kindred unless the dead put
a stop to Tapper’s meddling. However, the domain’s elders
refuse to give in to the demands of outsiders. Pressed into
helping resolve the situation, the characters must now navigate
a city beset by both enraged werewolves and a Malkavian blood
sorcerer.
• It’s not the Dark Mother, but Tapper has succeeded in
bringing something through the wall, and it’s currently
rampaging through the city. The Malkavian was the
creature’s first victim, and it seems to have absorbed his
ability to spread disorder among mortals, causing more
and more chaos and straining the Masquerade. When this
warped being enters the characters’ territory, the sheriff creates
a quarantine around the area and informs them it’s their problem
now. How will they respond?

Tapper
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: Circle of the Crone
Mask: Idealist
Dirge: Cult Leader
Touchstone: A bizarre document Tapper calls the Map of Walls.
He carries the only hard copy with him at all times.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 4, Wits 2, Resolve 5
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 4, Manipulation 2, Composure 1
Mental Skills: Academics (Theology) 3, Crafts 2, Investigation
3, Occult (Spirits) 4
Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Stealth 1, Survival (Urban) 3
Social Skills: Animal Ken 2, Empathy 1, Expression (Oratory) 3,
Intimidation (Rants) 4, Socialize 1, Streetwise 2
Merits: Acute Senses, Circle of the Crone Status 2, Danger Sense,
Direction Sense, Indomitable, Iron Stamina 3, Unbridled Chaos 3,
Viral Mythology
Disciplines: Auspex 1, Crúac 3, Dominate 5, Nightmare 1, Protean 1,
Resilience 4
Devotions: Foul Grave
Rituals: Cheval, Deflection of Wooden Doom, Donning the Beast’s
Flesh, Pool of Forbidden Truths, Touch of the Morrigan
Blood Potency: 3
Health: 12
Willpower: 6

92 False Gods: Ventrue

Humanity: 2
Size: 5
Speed: 9
Initiative: 3
Defense: 4
Notes: Tapper’s Chronic Malkavia
progression is 5; he’ll be going Terminal
any night now. Unbridled Chaos and
Viral Mythology can be found on pp. 183
and 182 of Secrets of the Covenants,
respectively. Donning the Beast’s Flesh and
Pool of Forbidden Truths can be found
on p. 184 of the same.
The Tower: Lucky Lenny
“I don’t care what the odds are, you’re
gonna want to put all your money on black.
Trust me.”
Leonard Kowalski was at a concert
when he hit it big. He was sharing a
drink with an intense vampire he was
hoping to take back to his car for some
more fun. The man with the gleaming
eyes spoke of strange places beyond
the world, of formless angels passing
between humans like a virus, and other
things you’d expect a high-as-balls Lick
to spout during a prog-rock show. Lenny
was letting him rant, still sort of hoping
to get in his pants, when it appeared:
The Citadel.
Clear as forgotten daylight, the monolithic
structure rose up from behind the stadium
to pierce the sky and tear a hole into whatever
lay beneath its spire — and just as quickly, it
vanished, along with Lenny’s would-be hook up.
After he sobered up, Lenny decided to go hit a
casino to clear his mind of the disturbing vision.
He sidled up to the roulette table, and instead of
slowly pissing away whatever cash he had, as per
usual, he started to win. Big. Every number he
called came up, and it wasn’t until security politely
asked him to take his winnings and leave that he
realized it might be something he was doing. Some
experimenting at another casino confirmed it: Any
results he predicted out loud would occur — didn’t
matter if it was craps, roulette, blackjack, poker, or
slot machines.
Like many Malkavians, Lenny has no idea what’s
happened to him, but he also doesn’t even realize his
new luck can affect things other than dice and cards.
Soon earning the moniker “Lucky” from his fellow
Firebrands, he’s been bankrolling the Movement
with his winnings ever since, quickly achieving with cash the
popularity he’d never achieved on his own.
Things would be pretty much perfect for Lenny, if it weren’t
for the fact that he keeps seeing the Citadel. Sometimes
it’s off in the distance, silhouetted against the desert. At
others, it’s reflected in mirrored windows, or the surface of
an untouched glass of scotch. It’s making him jumpy and
withdrawn, and the one time he tried to talk to one of his
new friends about it, they just looked at him like he was
crazy. Deeply, deeply crazy. Lenny knows he’s
not, though. He knows the Citadel is real —
that it means something. He just doesn’t
know what. However, he’s starting to get
the feeling that his luck may be turning
for the worse.
Story Seeds
• Lenny approaches the characters
with a deal. He’s been winning a
bit too much at the craps table, and
now the casinos have sent people
after him. He hasn’t had a moment’s
peace, and if they keep hounding
him, he’s afraid he’ll have to breach
the Masquerade to protect himself. If
the characters keep him safe until
the heat dies down, he can provide
them with a surprising amount
of cash in return. Of course,
sheltering a Malkavian comes with
its own set of complications…
• In a reverse of the above, a vampire
with deep casino and mafia connections
hires the coterie to deal with Lucky Lenny.
Their patron wants proof of his cheating,
or to have him removed from the domain
in whatever way the characters see fit. Once
they’re on the case, however, Lenny proves
remarkably difficult to pin down — things
always seem to go his way. And then there’s
the Movement, who aren’t eager to lose their
little cash cow.
• Lenny’s ignorance of his Affliction, as
well as his rampant (if unintentional) use
of Dementation has had the inevitable
consequence, and Las Vegas now has
a Malkavia outbreak on its hands. The
characters could be trying to hold the
domain together, taking advantage of the
chaos to eliminate rivals, or they could even
be Afflicted themselves. When the Prince
starts coming down hard and purging any
Kindred even remotely connected to the
outbreak, how will the coterie respond?
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 93

Leonard Kowalski
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: Carthian Movement
Mask: Rebel
Dirge: Follower
Touchstone: James, his ex-boyfriend, the one he had
to give up when he died. Flush with cash, Lenny’s been
leaving James gifts lately, knowing the struggling actor
could use the help.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 3,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics (Poli Sci) 2, Investigation 1,
Politics (Local) 2
Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Drive 1, Firearms
1, Larceny 2
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Expression 1, Persuasion 3,
Socialize 2, Streetwise (The Strip) 3, Subterfuge 1
Merits: Breaking the Chains, Carthian Pull, Carthian
Status 2, Contacts (Bookies, Event Staff) 2, Haven 1,
Resources 3, Safe Place 1
Disciplines: Dominate 2, Resilience 2
Blood Potency: 1
Health: 9
Willpower: 5
Humanity: 7
Size: 5
Speed: 9
Initiative: 5
Defense: 4
Notes: Lenny’s Chronic Malkavia progression is only 2
by sheer luck, but he’s starting to rely on his Dementation
for even trivial problems.
The World: Widelene Santil
“If it spreads like a disease, what’s the source? Are the visions a
symptom or the cause? Can its progression be halted — reversed? I
need to know more.”
An up-and-comer in the Ordo Dracul of Port-au-Prince,
Widelene is a Haitian native who was Embraced while study-
ing medicine at Harvard. Possessed of open, friendly features,
Widelene’s easy laugh shrouds a clinical mind. It was this
curiosity that saw the young Dragon focus her studies on “cryp-
to-pathogens,” diseases of unknown or supernatural origins.
She’s especially keen on those few that can affect Kindred, such
as the Chimera Virus or the Noctuku Strain.
94 False Gods: Ventrue
Due to her area of study, Widelene was part of a team assigned
to study the aftermath of the recent Malkavia outbreak that
claimed several local Kindred, including the city’s prince.
The Defiant’s working theory is that Malkavia affects only
Ventrue, and so the investigation team would contain none.
As a Shadow, Widelene was expected to observe any active
carriers the team discovered. Her recent induction into the
Mnemosyne bloodline also ensured she could then store her
experiences and submit them for peer review.
Unfortunately for Widelene, the Dragons’ theory is wrong,
and during the attempted capture of a male carrier with strange,
photo-reflective eyes, she was infected. It took Widelene several
nights to understand what had happened, but after some initial
panic, she settled on a simple plan. First, tell no one. She’s
seen first-hand what the Dragons have in store for captured
specimens, and she doesn’t want any part of it. Second, do her
job. Still assigned to investigate the outbreak, Widelene has the
perfect excuse to spend time researching the dread disease. If
she seems particularly motivated, well, it’s a publish or perish
world, isn’t it?
Unlike most Afflicted, Widelene is well-informed about
what’s happening to her, and is determined to use Dementation
as little as possible in the hopes of slowing the disease’s progress.
If only it weren’t so useful as a research aid…
Story Seeds
• Desperate for assistance in her quest for the cure, and unable
to turn to her covenant, Widelene comes before the coterie
with a desperate offer: Help cure her Affliction and she’ll
teach them Coils of the Dragon (or at least the ones she
knows). However, at around the same time, the Dragons
put out their own call. One of their own has gone rogue,
and they’ll reward her capture and return handsomely. This
could be a deadly situation for everyone involved, but can
the characters afford to turn down such a rare opportunity?
Memory Peddlers
Widelene is a member of the Mnemosyne
bloodline, a subset of Clan Mekhet who bottle
memories for fun and profit. Her bane causes her
to sometimes take on the recollections of those she
feeds from, which does nothing to help with her
growing sense of unreality. Her Devotions have the
following effects:
Claritudo: Suppresses the effects of mind-altering
abilities and substances on a subject for the scene.
Memoria Sanguinis: Bottles a memory, allowing
anyone who drinks it to experience it as their own.
This does not rewrite the subject’s memory; imbibers
will recognize the implant isn’t genuinely theirs.
For more information on these abilities and the
Mnemosyne in general, see p. 42 of Strange Shades:
Mekhet.
• Strange things have been happening to the characters of late. They find themselves missing important pieces of information,
things they’d never normally forget, like a Touchstone’s home address or the PIN to a bank card. When they realize this is
a pattern, Widelene contacts them remotely, telling them it was members of her bloodline who stole their memories. If they
want them back, they’re going to have to do some things for her…
• One of the characters has been infected with Malkavia. They’re in the early
stages, but everything they’ve learned about the condition tells them
they’re doomed. It’s at this point that Widelene reaches out, informing
them she believes she’s developed a cure. However, she needs help
assembling materials and with testing it. Signing up to be a Dragon’s
guinea pig is a good way to meet a messy Final Death, but is that any worse
than what awaits the character in the late stages of Malkavia?

Widelene Santil
Clan: Mekhet
Bloodline: Mnemosyne
Covenant: Ordo Dracul
Mask: Competitor
Dirge: Scholar
Touchstone: Her little sister, Tamara. Widelene went
to school in the hopes of supporting her, and still tries to do
so as much as she can.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Investigation 3, Medicine
3, Occult (Crypto-Pathogens) 2, Science (Biology) 3
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl (Self-Defense) 2,
Larceny 1, Stealth 1
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Expression 2, Persuasion 2,
Socialize 1, Streetwise (Spotting Trouble) 2, Subterfuge 1
Merits: Acute Senses, Library (Science) 2, Safe Place
1, Languages (English, Spanish), Ordo Dracul Status 1,
Striking Looks 2, Trained Observer 1
Disciplines: Auspex 3, Celerity 2, Coil of the Voivode
2, Dominate 1, Obfuscate 1
Devotions: Claritudo, Memoria Sanguinis
Blood Potency: 2
Health: 7
Willpower: 6
Humanity: 6
Size: 5
Speed: 10
Initiative: 5
Defense: 3 (Active Defense 5)
Notes: Widelene’s Chronic Malkavia progression is
0, but that’s making her bold with her new abilities. Her
Mekhet bane is Plague of Purity.

Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 95

 The Moonstruck
Not every troupe will be interested in the Affliction’s reality warping-aspects. That narrative element doesn’t fit in every
chronicle, and some readers might also not be comfortable with stories of disease. They might just prefer something more
in line with the default gothic horror mood of Vampire. To that end, below you’ll find a short update of the Malkovian
bloodline from the original Vampire: The Requiem rulebook. The following assumes Malkovians don’t exist in the same
chronicles as Malkavia, but you don’t have to make that same assumption. Maybe the Oracles are an outgrowth of the
virus, or a more stable form that coalesces in larger outbreaks, or even a post-viral syndrome that manifests in the rare
cases of recovery. Or perhaps the Kindred just confused two different phenomena for the same thing.

Call me “crazy” again. I predict it goes badly for you.

The derelict mumbles as you pass, a verbal ice patch tripping up
the words as they stumble through the air. “Tomorrow and tomorrow
and tomorrow…” Just noise. Just the drugs. “Watch your left. Spare
some change?” His words drag your eyes to the pavement, a shiny
penny gleaming in the sodium light your reward. You almost reply, but
a drunk in a black Jag answers instead as the driver jackknifes the
curb. “Said to watch your left,” the hobo mutters, and in red riches,
he takes his handout.
Something dead approaches. It is not well. It does not seem to
be in its right mind. It would so like for you to know its plight,
to share its truth and agony, but its words catch like a fire of
the mind. What gets through leaves only smoke, smothering
the signal into TV static. Is this a dream? You’d better hope
not, or else it’s just a prelude.
The Ventrue have enough skeletons in enough closets to
fill a crypt, but the Malkovians might be the only ones they’re
ashamed of. A Lord with no realm is no Lord at all, and the
only fortunes these Oracles can claim are the landscapes
of what-may-be. Even then, they don’t have much hope of
turning a profit.
The Malkovians are an obscure and despised bloodline of
Clan Ventrue, doomed to know the truth of the world yet never
able to share it. Their gifts make them valuable to any who wish
to cheat fate, but their bizarre curse makes their insights seem
foolish at best and incomprehensible at worst. Not all Malkavians
are debilitated by their bane, but those close to the Beast find it
difficult to relate even to other dead, let alone the living.
Other Ventrue say the Malkovians’ founder spurned his
birthright in giving up the Lord’s words, and for this sacrilege,
he was cursed to have every utterance fall on disbelieving ears.
Who or what cursed him isn’t as important as the lesson the
Ventrue take from that story: Lords rule. They don’t dick
around in what-ifs. Still, only a foolhardy prince won’t at least
humor a Malkovian, and those who dismiss them altogether
aren’t long for their thrones.
However, for all their isolation, the Malkovians are still
Ventrue. They still claw for power wherever they can get it,
especially any they lost in taking up their lineage. They master
the decayed and forgotten places of the All Night Society,
digging up truths no one wants out in the disinfecting light.
They are rat kings of splendid rot and inmates running a great
and glorious asylum. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand
their threat.
They’ll still destroy you.
Why you want to be us
You don’t. And yet? There’s strength in being an outsider.
The bastards may get us down, but they pay oh-so-well for
their fall guys. “It was the Malk! The big one! He did this
to me!” You can find freedom in that, and if they won’t play
fair, well, fuck ’em. Answer to no one and you’ll never answer
for anything. And you’ll always be a Lord. They can’t take
that away.
Why you should fear us
You spend your nights obsessing over what other parasites
think, but we bear the bitter blessing of not needing to care.
That affords a lot of mental space. Lots of time to read your
tea leaves and sell them to your enemies. It’s not personal, but
there’re a lot of dead folks for whom it deeply is. Don’t like
that? Oh no! I’m so scared for all the nothing I have to lose.

96 False Gods: Ventrue

 • Once upon a time in America, a man declared
Why we should fear ourselves himself emperor. Maybe that was an extreme reaction
Did you ever need to convince a loved one he to his lot in life, but the pauper knew he’d make
was in danger? Maybe he had an utter monster a more enlightened ruler than the ship of fools in
of an abuser, or an addiction with deep hooks Washington, or the fat cats on Wall Street bleeding
in his soul. Did he listen to you? Ignore you? the common man dry. The people called him a fool,
Or did he call you a lunatic and laugh in your yet his imperial decrees were far ahead of their time in
face. The danger isn’t that people won’t believe their demands for justice and peace. Sadly, those who
us. It’s that we’ll stop giving a damn. speak truth to power in America are meant only for
ridicule or sanitization. His Majesty was no different. He
died penniless, celebrated in a gentle, patronizing
Bloodline Origins way, and perhaps that’s the insult that brought
• What did Anton Malkov know? him back. Now he walks among the dead to
Too much. Once the Ventrue show the people what they might’ve had if
hailed the name Malkov, but only they would’ve accepted his wise rule
none now could tell you — perceptively ever after.
why or when. His past Parent Clan: Ventrue
is lost behind a veil of Nicknames: Oracles, the Moonstruck,
broken memories. Per- Cassandras (among themselves), our
haps he was once the charming cousins (among the Ventrue)
Invictus emperor, or a
Bloodline Bane (The Curse of
saint of the Dark Father.
Babble): Malkovians are privy to
Maybe he was Count Drac-
truths others can’t see, but at times
ula’s lover, or the Dark Moth-
their insights are impossible to
er’s highest priest. Or maybe he
comprehend. At the beginning
was just some unlucky Carthian who
of each chapter, the Storyteller
thought the truth could set him free.
gains a dice pool equal to
In any case, he was possessed of a keen
10 – Humanity, which she
insight, and when he had no more
can roll against any successful
puzzles to solve or worlds to conquer,
Social action an Oracle makes to
he aimed it at his own blood. What he
convince others of a truth. She can choose
saw at the heart of Clan Ventrue terrified
to mete this pool out over multiple rolls. Each
him, and he made it his mission to warn
success reduces the character’s successes by one. If
his siblings. Yet that truth also deprived
this causes the action to fail, it becomes a dramatic
him of his greatest tool. Never again would
failure, and the weight of the vampire’s prophecies
truth leave his lips, so he Embraced childer
collapses in on her. She speaks in a dead language, spews
in the hope one of them, someday, somehow,
glossolalia, or provokes a mind fog in others. Whatever
might spread the word.
it is, it makes her seem deranged. The Malkavian can no
• Cassandra of Troy was the first Oracle, longer attempt to communicate this truth until the next
long before Anton Malkov ever stuck his night. This bane only applies once per truth and does
nose where it never belonged. As a mortal not apply to the vampire’s Touchstones.
damned with the gods’ terrible gifts, death Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Nightmare, Resilience
was not to be her end. Her wound still fresh
from Clytemnestra’s knife, she rose under
a black new moon as one of the Kindred. The Knights of the Moon
Stealing into the night, she hoped to find
A few Malkovians manage better in the All Night
peace among the dead in foreign lands, where
Society than their oddball siblings in the main bloodline.
her cousin Aeneas had settled after fleeing fallen
These self-proclaimed Knights of the Moon command
Troy. Yet even as one of the Kindred, Cassandra
far more respect among their Ventrue peers — though
was twice-cursed, for the gods never took away
only just — presenting themselves as a learned order of
her awful burden, delighting all the more in her
scholars, mystics, and advisors to the rich and powerful.
sorrow as one who could not die. For this, her
Some act as infiltrators and spies, competing with the
childer still torment Aeneas’ Ventrue children,
Shadows for blood and intelligence, but they still
who broke the bond of blood in forsaking
think of themselves as Lords. Information is power;
Cassandra to her miseries.
nothing more.

Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 97

 While the Knights regain some respectability (mostly by
retaining an affinity for Dominate), there’s little difference
between them and other Oracles. They share the same curse,
but think they’re better at hiding it.
Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Obfuscate, Resilience
Bloodline Gift: Apophenia
When an Oracle finds himself at loose ends, he can pose a
question to the world and read its reactions for answers. Once a
story, he can spend a Willpower to gain the Pareidolia Condition.
PAREIDOLIA
(PERSISTENT)
Like a radio receiver for coincidences, you experience
meaning in a constant string of strange ephemera. A snippet
of conversation contains a secret message on every other word,
or traffic lights blink out Morse code directing you to places
you’ve heard of. Once per night, take a +5 modifier on any
Investigation roll to make progress on tracking down the answer
to your question. This can happen at any time, coming in a flash
of acausal logic. However, as long as Pareidolia lasts, you suffer
a –3 on all Social actions to share your discoveries with others.
Possible Sources: Malkovian bloodline gift.
Resolution: Find the answer.
Beat: Suffer ridicule for your investigations.
Twists of the Blood: Malkavia Classic
Some readers might prefer a more streamlined take on
Malkavia, more in line with the one presented in Lords Over
the Damned. If so, the system for Malkovians works well for
that purpose. Instead of the mechanics presented earlier in
this chapter, treat the Affliction as a bloodline-like disease that
spreads via the Nightmare Discipline. Early first edition material
suggested the Malkovians could inflict their lineage by cracking
enough minds, but whether the Affliction in this scenario really
is a bloodline, or just resembles one, is up to the Storyteller.
Inspirational Media
The Malkavian archetype (at least as we conceive it) doesn’t
show up much in vampire stories. However the idea of scorned
prophets revealing the truth and destroying themselves in the
process goes as far back as the written word. The following
are books, films, and other pop culture to help inspire your
Afflicted chronicles.
Agamemnon, by Aeschylus: No discussion of the Malkavians
is complete without Cassandra. Mythology is contradictory
about the crime that warranted her curse, to speak the future yet
always be disbelieved, but it made for great drama. Cassandra’s
breakdown scene is one by which others must be judged, and the
98 False Gods: Ventrue
System
Whenever a Malkavian exceptionally succeeds using the
Nightmare Discipline on a fellow Lord, there’s a chance
she might spread her curse. This must be a focused use of
Nightmare, not just a passive effect like Dread Presence. At the
end of the scene, the affected Ventrue rolls Resolve + Stamina
minus the Malkavian’s Blood Potency. If the Lord is already
part of a bloodline, she takes no penalty.
Roll Results
Success: The curse fails to take hold.
Exceptional Success: The vampire becomes immune to
Malkavia.
Failure: The vampire gains the Pareidolia Condition. The
answer to the Condition’s defining question is an important
truth about the infecting Malkavian, as determined by the
Storyteller. If the vampire lets this Condition fade without
resolving in exactly one week, or she just gives in to the M’s
insights, she becomes one of the Afflicted, using the system
for the bloodline outlined above.
Dramatic Failure: The vampire becomes a Malkavian.
If the new Malkavian was already a member of a bloodline,
infection overwrites that lineage. Any inherent gifts are
removed, but otherwise, the player and Storyteller should
work together to decide if other exclusive benefits remain.
Sanctity of Merits applies, but as compensation for any lost
Devotions, unique Disciplines, or other powers, characters
can cash in for the equivalent in Experiences to purchase dots
of Auspex and Nightmare.
Storytellers might also decide characters with active
bloodlines are immune to Malkavia. If so, an outbreak makes
a great recruitment drive.
Note that if you’re using the bloodline’s mechanics to
represent the disease, you’re not obligated to use the infection-
by-Nightmare conceit. Adapt the default infection system if that
suits your chronicle better.
If the Knights of the Moon exist in this scenario, they spread
their disease through Dominate rather than Nightmare. This
contributes to their reputation as “safe” Afflicted, as a Lord’s
words are far less obvious than a Haunt’s face.
strange, vivid imagery of her visions should inspire Storytellers
and players alike.
Akira, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo: While the aesthetics
are post-apocalyptic cyberpunk rather than supernatural
gothic horror, the Malkavian Requiem is on full display in
this animated nightmare. Tetsuo’s powers literally consume
him, morphing from psychokinesis to a reality-cracking
conflagration. His lust for power and subsequent fall resembles
any Ventrue who thinks he can use the M for his own ends.
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller: It’s not vampire media, or even
supernatural, but this classic satire helps highlight many of the
absurdities of Afflicted existence. Obvious truths are lies on the
small island of Pianosa in late World War II, and Yossarian’s
awareness of his unraveling is merely seen as proof of his sanity.
But the secret he so dearly wants to unknow drives him to reach
beyond the irrationality of the war, and the illogical brilliance of
another victim just might save him.
Dark City, directed by Alex Proyas: A man wakes up in
a hotel bathtub, a corpse nearby. Did he kill her? He doesn’t
even know his own name, let alone hers. The city outside holds
few answers, shrouded in an endless night controlled by dead
things with awful powers over mind and matter. Slowly, the
man realizes he has these abilities too, and can “tune” this world
as he likes. Aesthetically as close to vampires as it gets without
actually being about vampires, it’s faster to list the ways this
seminal mindfuck isn’t a Malkavian story, so instead we’ll just
recommend you go watch it.
KULT, created by Gunilla Jonsson and Michael Petersén:
This iconic horror TTRPG shares spiritual DNA with both
incarnations of White Wolf’s Mage, but leans into a more
explicitly Gnostic cosmology. In the world of KULT, reality is
a lie created by the Demiurge to keep humanity from its divine
birthright, and seeing past this deception requires mortals to
sacrifice their minds at the altar of truth.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, by Nintendo: By
far the darkest and strangest of Nintendo’s beloved action-
adventure franchise, Majora’s Mask takes the idea of being
moonstruck to a literal and violent extreme. Series protagonist
Link must navigate a world both comfortingly familiar yet
bizarrely different from his own, bending the laws of time to
avert a terrible fate. All the while, he fights to maintain his
own identity as he sees through ever more eyes. Meanwhile,
the lonely Skull Kid gains more power than he ever dreamed to
play tricks on the world that rejected him, seduced by an entity
that leaves only chaos and despair in its wake.
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton:
Few mysteries twist as gloriously as this Agatha-Christie-meets-
Groundhog-Day pageturner. Caught in an inexplicable, sadistic
punishment, Aiden must relive the same day eight times in a
race to solve the murder of an enigmatic heiress. His cause-
and-effect manipulations are more subtle than a Malkavian’s,
but to outsiders (and even other incarnations of himself), they
may as well be magic.
Chapter Two: The Malkavia Chronicle 99
 Part Four: Second Confession
Tell me everything.
We were lost as soon as we set foot in the tunnels, but it was too late by the time we realized it.
You’d think they’d follow some kind of logic, based on the sewers or old train systems or utility
lines, but no. Not in Chicago. The tunnels all wind and blend together like a mass of snakes,
surging out from each other in impossible, eldritch directions.
Eldritch?
Eldritch?
It means weird. I read. I went to college. I’m not just a thug. I have an MBA.
Sorry, it’s just a strange word.
It’s strange, but it fits. Have you ever been down there?
No, not really.
Then you’ll have to trust me. Chicago burned down in the Great Fire back in 1871, but it wasn’t
like the city just went up and vanished. Too much of the soil was malleable from being that close to
Lake Michigan, and the rest was ash. The city’s foundations were always sketchy, and the addition
of heat, and structural damage led to parts of it sinking either from the fire or the weight of the
years. You’d expect it all to be vaulted ceilings and sewers, but it’s just as often walking through
hotels, houses, and old stores that were swallowed up by the earth. Everything worth taking is
gone, but that doesn’t stop the people living down there from setting up traps, and even leaving old
shop mannequins out to spook passersby. It’s all pitch black, and in the thin beam of a flashlight
everything is menacing.
It didn’t take long for us to realize this was a dumb fucking idea. We’d all heard the story that
there were things down there that were older than vampires. Legends that there were ancient
spirits or graveyards from the Native Americans that had been around Fort Dearborn before the
area became Chicago. It sounds silly when I say it now, but in the deep, dark underground it was
deadly serious.
We moved through the tunnels as quiet as we could, but we weren’t a particularly stealthy bunch.
Hoops kept hitting his head every time the tunnels dropped below six feet — which was most
places. At times, the ceilings swept up beyond the edge of our vision. The difference in design
and structure was impossible. It was like a nightmare. You would have thought Romeo would be
the worst at this, but he was pretty stealthy for a big guy. Maybe it’s the animalistic part of being
a Gangrel. Close to the Beast. I asked him about it at one point, and he gave me a shrug and said
it had always been easier to do his job when people didn’t see him coming. Can’t argue with that.
I did okay, but I was nervous and jumping at every shadow. I’m normally a rock, so it wasn’t like
me to be scared. Of course, being aware of that fact just made it worse, like trying to talk your way
through a stutter. The dark didn’t help. Between us, we had one real flashlight Hoops grabbed from
the bar, and a pair of smart phones we knew were going to die if we used them too much. Kindred
see well in the dark, but there’s a limit. We passed the flashlight back and forth to whoever was
in the front of our expedition and relied on our senses to get us over the clutter and collapse. It
worked, but it was slow going.
Sometimes we’d see a shape moving in the darkness and knew our presence had been tagged.
The Undercity is flooded with illegal Embraces and Nosferatu, let alone whatever creepier things

100 False Gods: Ventrue

must go down there to hide. All we could do was hope our brief intrusion wouldn’t bring down the
attention of the other Max: Max Maurey, Prince of the Undercity and oldest Ventrue in the city.
I thought Maurey was a Haunt.
Does it help to interrupt like that?
I’m just trying to help.
No, he’s ugly and decrepit, but he’s a Lord. And terrifying. I heard he’s so old he can’t drink
human blood anymore. That only other Kindred will do.
I’ve heard that too.
Anyway, everyone knows the Undercity is his. Apparently, he doesn’t care if people come down
so long as they don’t cause trouble, but, strapped as we were, it was obvious we weren’t coming
down for a tea party. We made sure to log every potential way back up to the surface as we went,
because once we took Maxwell out, we knew we’d be surrounded by tunnel Licks in no time at all,
and dragged to Maurey’s for a quick bite.
We’d just stepped out of the skeleton of an old drugstore, into a wide-open area that had likely
been a planned subway line, when Hoops threw up a hand.
“You smell that?”
We didn’t at first, but then it came in a wave — blood. A lot of it. More than could ever fill a single
body, or even a dozen. Then we heard the screams, desperate wails of pain and worse, echoing
down the dark tunnel in front of us. Beyond the tunnel mouth, the walls became jagged, pitted,
and eroded. Long ago, someone had tried to bore a tunnel here and found an old cave system.
Whatever they found convinced them not to keep going. And now it was screaming at us with a
river of blood on its breath.
I felt a strange impulse to run toward the sound and smell, to dip my tongue in the spilled
blood, but also to flee from whatever had caused that much pain and never look back. I’ve felt a
lot of things from my Beast over the years, but never ambivalence. A glance at the others told me
I wasn’t alone. So, we took a moment to compose ourselves and then advanced, weapons at the
ready. Me and Hoops with our TEC-9s, Romeo with his impossible revolver. In his other hand, he
held something I thought was a stick of dynamite before I saw it was a road flare.
“You got it?” Romeo asked Hoops, who nodded and pulled a whiskey bottle full of lighter fluid
from under his coat. He must have hidden it with his Shadow touch, because his shirt didn’t even
have a bulge beforehand. Romeo smiled for the first time I’d ever seen, and in the flashlight beam
it was a tight, malicious sight. “Good. Better live up to your name.”
We moved forward for long, silent minutes.
And then, someone was in front of us. The arch of the tunnel loomed thirty-feet high above
him; our meager lights sent the man’s features into stark relief. Framed by the tunnel, he looked
childlike and small. Whether it was a trick of the light or the blood, I steeled myself from thoughts
of anything that would hold me back or slow me down. I prayed my friends could do the same.
Maxwell Clarke was alone. He stumbled toward us over a row of ancient bent and snapped subway
rails that lay like twigs on a forest floor. He was wounded, oozing slow lines of Vitae as he staggered
forward. His hair was a mass of dried blood, his clothes were dirty and torn, and he lacked any
trace of the opulence he once had. This wasn’t the same man from a few hours ago.
“Ah,” he said, smiling too wide and striking an imperious pose. “Mr. Delmar, Mr. Hooper, Mr.

Where Is My Mind? 101

 Capretti — wonderful to see you. I feel like this is a serendipitous event. I request your assistance.”
“Of course, my prince,” I said, trying to put him at ease. I tucked my gun behind my back as I
spoke, but I was sure he’d already seen it. “We’re here to help. We heard screams.”
“Oh that?” he said. “A disagreement. Nothing worth mentioning. Come closer; I can’t see you.”
The three of us exchanged a quick look. It was now or never. I nodded. “Yeah, sure thing.”
Hoops had the flashlight and used the opportunity to shine it directly into Maxwell’s face, revealing
how blood-drenched it really was. But as the beam reached his eyes, the normal dark sable pools
reflected gold back at us. His smile was suddenly full of fangs.
“Hooper!” Romeo yelled and struck his flare to life. Maxwell shielded his eyes from the sudden
explosion of light. I was too close to the flare and felt my Beast’s claws squeeze my heart. It urged
me to flee and I hissed in spite of myself. To my left, Hoops was already in motion, and took his
shot just as casually as he would have on any other day at the courts. The whiskey bottle tumbled
through the air and collided with Maxwell’s face, the force shattering both the glass and his nose.
The accelerant rained down on him, soaking into his clothes, flesh, and hair.
Romeo didn’t wait. He rushed forward and fired twice with his pistol, catching Maxwell in the
hip and stomach. The Prince doubled over in surprise and pain, and raised his eyes to Romeo,
ready to issue an undeniable command.
At the very last second, I got hold of myself and swung my gun back around. I squeezed the trigger
and emptied half the clip into the air around Maxwell. They were awful shots, more annoying than
damaging, but the sudden noise was all the distraction Romeo needed to land his hit.
“Been waiting a long time for this!” Romeo roared as he flanked right and thrust the flare against
Maxwell’s coat.
“As have I,” Maxwell replied with shocking calm as Romeo brought the flare to bear on a wet patch.
Clarke’s eyes were bright yellow in the light, and his face was twisted into a mask of satisfaction.
As the lighter fluid ignited, he screamed, and the shadows around him shifted. The light changed
and plunged Romeo into darkness even as Maxwell turned to light. The Gangrel leapt to the side
and rolled in the dirt, avoiding the bulk of the fire.
Things didn’t go as expected from there. Instead of turning tail, Maxwell roared and charged,
ripping his clothes off as he ran at us. The fire climbed up the fuel, but he dove forward and dragged
his face along the dirty, rocky ground, tearing the flesh but extinguishing the flame. All the while,
he kept screaming at us, “No! Stop! Please! Help me!”
I thought he was calling out for aid from people hiding in the shadows, from Max Maurey, or
from whatever loyalists might be nearby. I thought he was begging for his life. I should have known
better. I should have realized why he wasn’t attacking us, but by the time I did it was too late.
Hoops brought his light up on top of his gun and took aim, but as the beam illuminated Maxwell’s
face, his eyes had returned to the familiar dark brown, though wide with hunger and fear. His face
was charred along one side, exposing smoking white bone. Hoops ducked around to the back and
unloaded his clip into the Prince’s back, but the excitement overwhelmed me. I’d watched Maxwell
Clarke commit atrocities, and I couldn’t let this happen easily. He needed to suffer.
I hit him hard across the face with the butt of my gun. The impact snapped his front teeth in
half. Maxwell Clarke was a monster who’d given up even trying to be a man. He’d killed, bonded,
and eaten my friends.

102 False Gods: Ventrue

 He needed to know how it felt.
I lunged forward as Hoops emptied round after round into Maxwell’s back. The Prince and I
grabbed each other and spun around in a violent dance. We collided with Hoops and I heard him
go sprawling to the ground, his gun clattering into the darkness. It didn’t matter; only Maxwell
did. He was the only thing in the world. We snarled at each other and I plunged my fangs into his
throat. He tried to bite me back, but he was too wounded, too tired. Elation flooded through me
as I drank from the king’s cup. His Vitae was hot and burned my throat. I could feel his hate; I
could feel his anger; I could feel his desperation. I almost drowned in it. I wanted to drown in it.
I killed Maxwell Clarke. I ate him, mind, body, and soul.
A nd then I ate you back .

What? Who the fuck? No.

R emember , boy.

No, that’s not what happened! No!

Thomas?
NO! NO NO NO NO!
Thomas? Thomas, what’s wrong?
NONONONONONONONONOICAN’TIWON’T!
Let go!
NO I CAN’T GO BACK!
Birch! Get him off of me!
I WON’T GO BACK! I WON’T GO BACK! I WON’T—

Where Is My Mind? 103

 Crown Jewels He who dies with the most toys wins.
Malcolm Forbes

The Ventrue want it all. It’s not enough to be good or even great; the Lords need to be best, and they’ll do whatever it takes
to get to the top. Ventrue will exploit anything that gives them an edge, then discard it the precise moment its usefulness comes
to an end. The other clans don’t understand that, while they were busy deciding which piece to play with, the Ventrue went
ahead and bought the whole board. That’s why they win.
This chapter ensures the Ventrue have all the best toys, with new Archetypes, Devotions, and Merits that Lords can use
to stay one step ahead of the game. It also includes a discussion of their clan bane, and how the Aloof Curse has a far deeper
influence on Ventrue Requiems than it may first appear.

Lordly Treasures
Power might corrupt, but it’s a hell of a way to go. Below you’ll
find special Devotions and Merits for your Ventrue characters,
as well as new Archetypes to define their Masks and Dirges.
Not all of these systems are exclusive to the Ventrue, but at
minimum, they’re Lord-focused.
Single Willpower: Manipulate or misdirect someone for the
sake of your schemes.
All Willpower: Advance your plans at the expense of
someone who trusts you.

Archetypes
The Ventrue are all about control, and control over the self
is paramount. By holding themselves to rigid standards, Lords
propagate an aura of invincibility, that to even look for their
weaknesses is to waste your time. It’s a lie, of course, but one
backed up by a gaze that can make you forget about any cracks
in the armor.
How others perceive the Ventrue is vital, and it causes many
Lords to prioritize their Masks over their Dirges, sacrificing who
they really are to strengthen the implacable façade. Reputation
is everything, after all.
While the following Archetypes are available to characters of
any clan, they’re most often found among the Ventrue.
Mastermind
A mastermind sits at the center of a carefully constructed web
of influence, maneuvering people like men on a chessboard.
She’s willing to sacrifice others for the sake of her plans, but
if they could only see the whole picture, they’d agree it was all
worth it.
Miser
A miser’s wealth (whether that’s riches or something less
tangible) is the bar by which he sets himself above his peers,
and he’s loath to diminish it in any way. The difference between
misers and the merely frugal is what they’re willing to endure
in order to preserve what’s rightfully theirs.
Single Willpower: Refuse to diminish your resources, even
when doing so would solve a problem.
All Willpower: Suffer great hardship or personal danger by
refusing to part with your wealth.
Plutocrat
A plutocrat knows money is power, and anyone who thinks
differently is either a fool or poor. The accumulation of cold,
hard cash is everything, and while Plutocrats are content to
spend money to make money, profit is the bottom line.
Single Willpower: Hurt or cheat someone purely to increase
your own wealth.
All Willpower: Betray a trusted friend or sacrifice a useful
ally for the money.

Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 105


Sycophant
A sycophant gains power not through her own ability, but
by attaching herself to someone of greater skill and feeding off
their success. What separates a sycophant from a simple ally are
the lengths she’s willing to go to prove her devotion.
Single Willpower: Support your patron even though they’re
obviously in the wrong.
All Willpower: Severely damage your own reputation or
assets in order to support your patron.
Devotions
In addition to new powers, the following section updates
Devotions found on p. 109 of Lords Over the Damned:
Ventrue, as well as a few from other first edition sources.
All vampires can learn these Devotions, but they’re most
often found among the Lords, and the Storyteller might require
a Ventrue teacher as a prerequisite.
Aegis
(Resilience •••••)
A master of Resilience can heighten their body’s resistance
to harm to godlike invincibility. With this Devotion, a Ventrue
ignores even the direst injuries — at a severe cost. However,
given the circumstances that give rise to the need for Aegis,
the cost is happily paid.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 aggravated damage
Dice Pool: None
Action: Reflexive
Once per scene, the vampire can willingly suffer one point of
aggravated damage to ignore all damage from a single source.
She wills her Resilience to the site of the injury, condensing the
harm into a single grievous wound. This Devotion functions
against all sources of damage save sunlight, and cannot be
combined with other effects of Resilience.
Beast Avatar
(Animalism ••, Dominate ••)
A Lord’s dominance over lesser creatures lends her the
power to birth terrible intelligence in those beasts she claims
as servants. The unholy creatures elevated with this Devotion
are capable of understanding the world almost as a human
does, but with distinctly inhuman perspectives.
A vampire can only have one uplifted ghoul at a time.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Willpower (or none)
Requirement: The subject must be the vampire’s ghoul
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
106 False Gods: Ventrue
Duration: As long as the animal remains a ghoul.
The vampire uplifts an animal to sinister levels of intellect.
When creating an animal ghoul, he can split a number of dots
equal to Animalism among the creature’s Mental Attributes.
These dots can be divided in any combination, but they cannot
exceed the vampire’s own Attributes, or an upper maximum of
five. If the vampire raises his Animalism later in the chronicle,
new dots apply to the animal’s Attributes the next time he
feeds it. Uplifted animals often develop strange quirks as the
Vitae distorts and expands their minds, but the blood bond
will keep them loyal. However, some might become Faithful
(p. 147) given enough time and Vitae…
This Devotion has no activation cost if the vampire knows
the Beast King Merit (p. 109).
Blink
(Dominate •, Vigor ••)
Lords like to say Dominate requires finesse, but this Devotion
throws that principle out the window, and acts as an emergency
hatch to get Ventrue out of sticky situations.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation + Dominate – Resolve
Action: Instant
Duration: Turns equal to successes
Roll Results
Success: The vampire issues a one- or two-word command
without the need for eye contact. The victim must follow this
command for turns equal to successes, or until completion,
whichever comes first. If this command would put the character
in obvious danger or provoke a breaking point, she can resist
it by spending a Willpower, but otherwise the Ventrue’s Beast
is too powerful to ignore. Unlike the usual applications of
Dominate, the victim is fully aware of her body’s betrayal.
A victim cannot be affected by this Devotion more than
once per scene.
Exceptional Success: The Ventrue’s words cut through his
victim with ease. He refreshes the Willpower he spent into
this Devotion.
Failure: The victim shrugs it off.
Dramatic Failure: Not only does the victim ignore the
vampire’s command, she’s immune to Dominate for the rest
of the scene.
Dissociate
(Dominate •••, Vigor ••)
In a perverse echo of the Ventrue curse, with this rare
Devotion, the vampire’s powers of Dominate can fray the
threads of relationships other Kindred hold dear.
This Devotion costs 3 Experiences to learn.
 Cost: 1 Willpower
Requirement: The vampire must know the identity of at
least one of the victim’s Touchstones.
Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation + Dominate vs. Resolve
+ Blood Potency
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Success: The victim detaches from her topmost attached
Touchstone. This lasts the rest of the night or until the victim
suffers a breaking point, whichever comes first. The vampire
can only use this Devotion on a victim once a night.
Exceptional Success: The victim detaches from all of her
Touchstones.
Failure: The Devotion has no effect.
Dramatic Failure: The vampire is confronted with the
monstrousness of actively driving her Kindred away from
Humanity. She suffers a Humanity 1 breaking point.
Feet of Stone
(Resilience ••)
Never let the bastards get you down. With this Devotion, the
vampire can remain in place and upright when suffering force
that should cast her to the ground.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: None
Dice Pool: None
Duration: Permanent
The vampire applies her Resilience dots as a bonus to any
action to remain standing upright as a result of force. If no roll
is required, she always remains standing. This Devotion has
no effect on rolls that strictly represent balance, like walking
the edge of a building.
Hounds of Blood
(Animalism ••, Resilience ••)
It’s not always possible to feed directly. Ventrue have things
to do, people to kill. Using Hounds of Blood, a Lord can take
care of feeding without ignoring her more important work.
This Devotion has its origins with the Malocusian bloodline,
but in recent years it’s slipped into common usage among the
clan, particularly in the Invictus.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn, or 1 if the
character is a Malocusian.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Requirement: The creature must have tasted the vampire’s
blood at some point, whether as a ghoul or a familiar created
with Raise the Familiar.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Night
The vampire touches the animal and activates this Devotion.
The creature can now feed from mortals as a vampire can,
using the system for the Assault (Vampire, p. 94), and can store
Vitae equal to its Stamina. However, it cannot spend this Vitae,
or add to its reserves if it’s a ghoul. Instead, the vampire can
feed on the animal’s stored Vitae as if it were human blood or
Kindred Vitae, depending on the victim. This does not inflict
damage on the animal.
The Ventrue is still vulnerable to blood bonds and addiction
if she drinks vampire blood with this Devotion.
Hive Nexus Gestalt
(Auspex ••••, Dominate •••••)
Ventrue are often attracted to the idea of merging multiple
wills into one, so it’s not surprising the following Devotion
was “discovered” by several Lord bloodlines, as well as a group
within the Carthian Movement. With Hive Nexus Gestalt, a
group of vampires can channel their mental processes into a
powerful collective.
This Devotion costs 5 Experiences to learn, or 4 if the
character is a Carthian, Adrestoi, or Melissid.
Cost: 1 Willpower per character and 1 Vitae per night
Requirement: All members of the gestalt must be willing
Kindred participants. The vampire must be touching each
participant at the same time to activate the effect.
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: One night per Vitae spent at activation
The vampires form a temporary hive mind, combining their
mutual brain power into something greater than its parts:
• Add up the characters’ collective Intelligences, to a limit
imposed by the highest Blood Potency. For example, three
characters with Intelligence 2, one of whom has Blood
Potency 6, would treat their collective Intelligence as 6.
• When a gestalt member makes a Mental Skill roll, use the
highest Skill in the group.
• All Willpower is pooled, and can be transferred between
characters reflexively.
If a member of the gestalt suffers a breaking point, all
characters must roll to resist detachment if they are of equal
or greater Humanity. Characters are considered to have the
equivalent of a second step blood bond with each other for
the duration, overriding any natural Vincula except a third-
stage bond.
The Knight’s Example
(Dominate •)
Once nobility was linked with martial prowess and the
ability to field an army, and many Ventrue haven’t forgotten
Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 107
 that heritage. By setting the right example for her troops, the
vampire can push them on to greater victories.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: None
Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation + Vigor – number of
subjects
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Success: The Ventrue barks a few orders or makes an
inspiring battle cry. Allied characters who witness her iron
glory gain her successes as weapon damage on their next
violent actions. This lasts the scene or until the effect is used
up, including if the attack is a failure. The vampire can only
use this Devotion once per scene.
Exceptional Success: The vampire’s followers gain an
additional +1 on their weapon damage.
Failure: The vampire fails to inspire.
Dramatic Failure: The vampire demoralizes her troops, who
suffer her Dominate dots as a penalty on their next attacks.
Lord of Beasts
(Animalism ••; Special)
Some Kindred learn to raise familiars of unusual potency,
creating terrifying, deathless beasts. A familiar raised this way is
particularly sinister in appearance, having longer fangs, glowing
eyes or some other trait that betrays its supernatural nature.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn, and the vampire
must have at least one dot in a physical Discipline.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: None
Action: None
Duration: As with Raise the Familiar
The vampire spends a Willpower to grant her new familiar a
dot each of Celerity, Resilience, or Vigor, though she must have
a dot of the relevant Discipline. Using this Devotion increases
the number of Vitae needed to maintain the familiar’s existence
by one for each Discipline granted.
Memory Palace
(Dominate ••••, Resilience ••)
The Ventrue mind grows stronger and stranger with age,
and some Lords learn to meld their thought patterns with
their cursed Vitae, carving tunnels and crafting paths through
a tangle of eternal memories. Valued experiences can be
locked away from those who would tarnish them or steal them
entirely. Many Ventrue use these memory vaults to ensure that
they cannot be made to forget memories they deem valuable,
or at least not permanently; young Lords in particular value
this Devotion, since it lends them some insurance against the
wiles of their elders.
108 False Gods: Ventrue
This Devotion costs 3 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Indefinite
The Ventrue enshrines a memory in his blood, instantly
placing it at the back of his mind. He doesn’t forget it — not
exactly — but he can no longer think of it, protecting it from
Auspex and other memory-retrieval powers. This memory is
tied to a specific stimulus when the Devotion is first activated,
be it a symbol, word, or some other visual or audio trigger. The
vampire will recall the memory when the stimulus is encountered,
even if that memory would have been suppressed or overwritten
by supernatural means. The vampire can store a number of
memories equal to Blood Potency at any given time. If Blood
Potency decreases while the Ventrue is at her storage maximum,
her player chooses which memory is unlocked.
A stored memory can be up to a scene’s worth of information.
The Message
(Auspex ••, Dominate ••)
Any Lord can force the truth out of a victim, but she has
limited options when it comes to her own middlemen. Not every
vampire can tell truth from lies, and a Ventrue’s messenger
should be above reproach. On the other hand, sometimes it’s
fun to fuck with liars. With this Devotion, a Lord can bestow
an aura of veracity around her victim, making his lies (or truths)
apparent to all.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Requirement: The vampire must have inf licted the
Mesmerized Condition the victim.
Dice Pool: Presence + Expression + Dominate vs. Composure
+ Blood Potency
Action: Contested; resistance is reflexive
Duration: Night
Roll Results
Success: The vampire curses/blesses her subject so that
anyone he speaks with knows when he’s telling the truth;
anything short of an exceptional success on a Subterfuge
roll is treated as a failure. This effect doesn’t apply to lies
of omission, and only comes into play in terms of what the
subject believes to be a fact. If he really thinks the sky is green,
it comes off as true.
If you’re using the optional Malkovian bloodline (p. 96), this
Devotion does not affect rolls penalized by their bane.
Exceptional Success: The effect applies to lies of omission, as
others get a nagging feeling they haven’t heard the whole story.
Failure: The subject can tell as many lies or truths as she likes.
Dramatic Failure: The vampire curses herself with this effect
for the rest of the scene.
Messenger’s Blessing Rope-a-Dope
(Dominate ••, Resilience ••) (Resilience •••, Vigor ••)
The vampire instills a servant with her own deathly invul- Brawlers among the Ventrue know they don’t always have
nerability. Ventrue often use this Devotion when sending a to win a fight as long as the other guy loses. This insidious
message that can’t be trusted to phones, emails, text messages, Devotion allows a Lord to sap the strength from her enemies,
or even the printed word, but some just prefer their minions turning their success into their undoing.
not to be harassed. This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn. Cost: 2 Vitae
Cost: 2 Vitae Dice Pool: Presence + Athletics + Resilience vs. Stamina +
Requirement: The vampire must use Entombed Command Blood Potency
on her servant. Action: Reflexive
Dice Pool: None Duration: Scene
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Duration: Night
Success: The vampire leeches vitality through any attacks
Anyone who attempts to harm the vampire’s servant must
inflicted upon her by the victim. Each time she takes injury
first succeed on a reflexive Resolve + Blood Potency roll,
from her opponent, she inflicts a stacking –1 modifier on his
penalized by the vampire’s Dominate
Physical actions as she drives him to exhaustion. At any time,
dots. On a failure, they cannot
or whenever this penalty would exceed –5, the vampire can
attack, wasting a turn. This aura
wallop her opponent, gaining the penalty as a bonus on her
applies a number of times equal
attack. Once she attacks the opponent this way, the effect of
to the Ventrue’s Resilience.
this Devotion ends.
Once the total averted attacks
against the messenger equal Exceptional Success: The victim also suffers the Drained
the vampire’s Discipline dots, Condition.
or the sun rises (whichever Failure: The victim feels a moment of enervation, but
comes first), the effect ignores it.
ends. Dramatic Failure: The victim is energized and takes a +2 on
all attacks against the vampire for the rest of the scene.

Rumor of Dread
(Dominate •••, Nightmare •)
Sometimes it’s better to destroy an
enemy with an idea than a sword.
This Devotion lets Lords seed doubts
about their foes without ever leaving
their thrones.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences
to learn.
Cost: 2 Vitae
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Intim-
idation + Dominate vs. Composure
+ Blood Potency
Action: Contested; resistance
is reflexive
Duration: Night
Roll Results
Success: The victim becomes
a viral rumor mill. Anyone who
encounters him experiences
an effect similar to Dread

Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 109

 Presence (Vampire, p. 135), but the epicenter of this fear is not
the victim himself, but rather a rumor of the vampire’s design.
Subjects will make flimsy justifications for where they heard
this gossip, or use tortured logic to explain how they came up
with/upon it.
Similar to Dread Presence, witnesses cannot spend Willpower
to argue against this rumor until the original victim departs
their presence. For the rest of the night, they add the Ventrue’s
Nightmare dots to any roll to spread it as gossip.
The vampire has no control over where or how the subject
will spend his night, though she can easily Dominate him into
taking a particular route.
Exceptional Success: The vampire’s rumor is particularly
insidious. The duration lasts for his Blood Potency dots in
additional nights.
Failure: The vampire’s rumor is a nonstarter.
Dramatic Failure: The rumor is about the vampire, as
determined by the Storyteller.
Soul Transfer
(Dominate •••••)
Rather than submerge the consciousness of a victim when
using Possession, with this Devotion, the vampire can now
move that consciousness into her own body, providing her a
trusted servant to safeguard her usually helpless form. Dark
rumors surround this rare ability, of Kindred souls becoming
stuck in the bodies of their servants — but if there’s any truth
to these tales, none will admit to it.
Primarily a tool of elder Invictus Lords, knowledge of this
Devotion has filtered into the covenant’s general membership,
giving rise to a similar practice within dynastic families.
This Devotion costs 3 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: None
Action: None
Duration: As with Possession
After successfully using Possession, the vampire spends a
Vitae to send the possessed subject’s soul to her own body for
the duration. All the usual rules of Possession apply, though
the subject cannot return to his body without the vampire
first vacating it.
Treasured Servant
(Resilience ••)
A king must sacrifice for his people — that’s what it means
to rule. Kindred using Treasured Servant make this literally
true, allowing them to suffer harm that could incapacitate or
kill a lesser creature.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: None
Requirement: The subject must be the vampire’s ghoul.
110 False Gods: Ventrue
Dice Pool: None
Action: Reflexive
The vampire can accept a number of Health boxes of damage
dealt to their ghoul equal to Blood Potency per scene. This
damage can be negated with Resilience once the vampire
receives it. She can absorb damage from any distance, and
always knows when her servant takes a wound. However, unless
she can see her ghoul, she won’t know the source, amount, or
type of damage prior to accepting it.
Unseen Master
(Dominate •••••, Obfuscate ••••)
Sometimes it’s risky to take a victim’s body, but with this
Devotion, a Lord assures her theft goes undetected.
This Devotion costs 3 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: None
Action: None
Duration: As with Possession
The vampire activates this Devotion when she succeeds in
taking a victim’s body with Possession, creating a cloak around
her soul while she controls her meat puppet. Anyone with
supernatural powers of perception or revelation must engage
in a Clash of Wills to reveal her presence, but even then, this
only applies to active searching; passive effects simply fail.
In addition, those who might be clued-in by odd behavior
from the victim suffer the Ventrue’s Obfuscate dots on
mundane Empathy rolls to notice any personality changes, or
any other out-of-character behavior.
Voice in the Blood
(Dominate ••, Resilience •••)
This subtle Devotion lays a trap for unwary Kindred in the
blood of their prey. The Ventrue laces command into the blood
of a vessel, which then compels the first vampire to taste it. Clever
Lords use this Devotion to guard their herds from unwanted
poaching or to lay traps for specific, difficult to reach vampires.
This Devotion costs 2 Experiences to learn.
Cost: 2 Vitae
Requirement: The vampire inflicts the Mesmerized Condi-
tion on a mortal, then feeds them a point of Vitae (included
in the cost).
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: The implanted command endures in the mortal’s
blood for nights equal to Blood Potency, or until someone feeds
from them, whichever comes first.
The vampire implants an Iron Edict into the mortal victim’s
blood. The first vampire to feed from the vessel can resist
the command with Resolve + Blood Potency, contested by
the number of successes the Ventrue gained when inflicting
Mesmerized on the vessel. On a failure, the vampire consuming
the imprinted blood gains the Dominated Condition.
The Ventrue is immune to her own uses of this Devotion.
What’s Mine Is Mine
(Dominate •, Resilience •)
Some vampires guard their possessions so jealously that
their blood twists to support their obsession. Kindred use this
Devotion to weave strands of mystical connection between
themselves and the things they own, fashioning a careful web
to watch over.
This Devotion costs 1 Experience to learn.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant
Duration: Indefinite
The vampire bleeds on an object and forms a pseudo–blood
tie with it. The vampire is mystically aware if the object is
disturbed from the last place she left it. She can maintain a
number of connections equal to twice her Blood Potency and
can remove a connection by creating another.
Merits
Alongside new Merits, the following section updates those
found on p. 105 of Lords Over the Damned: Ventrue.
The original effect of Lordly Palette (sic) is covered under
Distinguished Palate on p. 111 of Vampire: The Requiem.
Bad Breeding (• to •••)
Prerequisite: No dots in Good Breeding
Effect: Your character’s blood comes from the wrong side of
the tracks. Maybe she has an deadbeat sire, or belongs to a weird
bloodline, or has to cover for a infamous sibling. In general,
Kindred in the domain treat her with a degree of implicit
disrespect, whether she deserves it or not, and she can add her
dots in this Merit as a bonus to any Social action to cash in on
that disrepute. Once a chapter, if she exceptionally succeeds
on a roll affected by this Merit, she refreshes a Willpower in
addition to gaining a Condition. Note that this Merit indicates
nothing about the actual quality of your character’s blood.
Drawback: Sometimes, leaning into stereotypes is a bad
thing. The Storyteller can apply dots in this Merit as a penalty
on Social rolls where your character needs to be at her best, or
treat her impression level as lower than usual.
Beast King (••)
Prerequisite: Animal Ken ••
Effect: Your character’s unnatural connection to Beasts runs
deep. Her Vitae calls out to wild creatures, effortlessly imbuing
them with a measure of her power. Your character does not
need to spend Willpower to create animal ghouls.
Best Fiend (•••)
Effect: Your character has an enemy. He hates this foe with
the passion of a thousand suns, and she returns the feeling with
gusto. However, this rivalry has its benefits. Treat this enemy
as an additional Anchor: Whenever your character defends
his attachment to this relationship, refresh a Willpower point,
and whenever acting on your rivalry harms your standing in
the All Night Society, regain all Willpower. The Storyteller
cannot kill this enemy without permission, but if your character
destroys him in a lasting way, you gain an Experience. Sanctity
of Merits applies.
Drawback: Your enemy has this Merit too.
Born Leader (•••)
Prerequisites: Ventrue or Dominate •, Persuasion •••
Effect: Some are born with a will to power. Your character
is one of them, drawing attention to her orders without effort
and speaking as if expecting to be heard. Once a chapter, if
she exceptionally succeeds in convincing someone to follow
her orders with the Persuasion Skill, she inflicts them with the
Tasked Condition for the rest of the night.
Cutthroat, Advanced (••)
Prerequisite: Cutthroat
Effect: The All Night Society breeds a type of competitor
beyond the imagination of most humans. Something in your
character’s blood pushes him to the bleeding edge of any
contest, making him excel even amongst other dead. Once
per chapter, take a Beat whenever you successfully invoke the
Competitive Beast in someone new.
Drawback: When lashing out with the Monstrous and
Wanton Beasts, any failure becomes a dramatic failure.
Designer Suit (•)
Prerequisite: Resilience ••
Effect: Lords consider it only right that their possessions
should also be eternal. Your character applies her Resilience to
all worn or carried items. These items gain the passive and active
effects of Resilience whenever they are applied to her person.
In most cases, this is an aesthetic/narrative advantage, but if
a system is required, worn items add Resilience dots to their
Structure the same way a vampire adds them to Stamina. This
applies no additional protection to your character.
Eternal Predator (••••)
Prerequisites: Ventrue or Animalism •
Effect: Your character never truly loses the taste for animal
Vitae, no matter their age. They always retain the ability to
Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 111
 gain easy sustenance from animal blood. They can spend a
single point of Willpower to feed on animals if the act would
normally be restricted by Blood Potency, rather than the usual
price of one Willpower per Vitae.
Don’t F linch (•)
Prerequisite: Ventrue
Effect: Lords do not suffer the indignity of retreat, even
before a superior foe. Once a night, when defending against
another vampire’s Predatory Aura, your character does not need
to spend a Willpower to react aggressively to an opponent with
higher Blood Potency. This does not apply if your character
initiated the conflict.
Ephor (••)
Prerequisites: Ventrue, Clan Status ••
Effect: A rather archaic position, but one still employed in
more venerable domains, an Ephor is a Ventrue “ambassador”
to the other clans, one for each lineage in the city. With this
Merit, your character gains an effective dot of Clan Status with
the group she’s assigned to. In addition, she gains the 9-again
quality on any Investigation, Politics, or Streetwise rolls to
interpret or track that clan’s activities around town.
Drawback: Being an Ephor is a job, and neglecting it reflects
poorly on other Lords. In addition, when members of her
assigned clan have a problem with the Ventrue (or even just a
Ventrue), they’ll always come to your character first, whether
or not she can do anything about it.

Favored Servant (••)

Prerequisites: Ghoul, Ventrue
regnant with Status •••
or higher
Effect: Longtime
Lord retainers some-
times gain enough
trust and respect to
speak with their masters’
voices. Once per chapter,
your character can “borrow”
her regnant’s dots in any relevant
Kindred Status to use in a Social
action, or to block the Merits of
another.
Drawback: Vampires resent
being ordered about by ghouls,
and your character’s regnant
will expect an explanation for
invoking his name. A wise ghoul
calls on her favored status only
when necessary, lest she fatally
oversteps her place.

First Rat off the Ship (•)

Effect: Sometimes surviving
another day is the most impor­
tant hallmark of a successful
ruler. Your character has an
instinctive sense of the closest
exit from whatever structure
she is in. This conveys no infor-
mation about the specifics of
the exit, just a sixth sense of the
direction to the fastest route
of escape. This does not apply
to supernaturally concealed
apertures.

112 False Gods: Ventrue


Good Breeding (• to •••)
Prerequisite: No dots in Bad Breeding
Effect: Your character comes from a prestigious family. She
has an illustrious sire, a respected bloodline, or just a well-liked
relative. In general, Kindred treat her with a degree of implicit
respect, whether she deserves it or not, and she can add her
dots in this Merit as a bonus to any Social roll to cash in on
that reputation. Once a session, if she exceptionally succeeds a
roll affected by this Merit, she gains a temporary dot of Kindred
Status for rest of the chapter, relevant to the character or group
she was interacting with. Note that this Merit indicates nothing
about the actual quality of your character’s blood.
Drawback: Great expectations are a double-edged sword.
The Storyteller can apply dots in this Merit as a penalty on
Social rolls where your character must go against her family’s
sterling reputation.
Kennel Master (•)
Prerequisites: Ventrue or Animalism •, Animal Ken •••
Effect: Your character has an inherent sway over domes-
ticated animals, as they instinctively recognize him as a
power to be obeyed. He gains a free Animal Ken Specialty in
domesticated animals, and achieves an exceptional success
from three successes rather than five whenever this Specialty
applies. Traditionally, this is Specialty is used to hold sway
over noble steeds or hunting hounds, but it works just as well
on house pets and livestock.
Inherited Resistance (•••)
Prerequisites: Ventrue, Indomitable
Effect: Your character’s mind is the product of Ventrue
contrarianism, and nothing gets in that she doesn’t put there
herself. When resisting powers of mental or social compulsion,
she gains the 9-again quality on any contested action as long
as she has Blood Potency equal or greater to that of the
aggressor. If the action is resisted, the Discipline-user loses
the 10-again quality.
Invisible Hand (• to •••)
Prerequisites: Manipulation ••, Subterfuge •••, no more
than Status • in the organization.
Effect: Your character is practiced in subtly shifting the
agendas of mortal social groups. This Merit allows her to hide
within these organizations, using them as cover while also
turning them toward whatever ends she wishes.
Lingo (•): Your character is aware of social causes and the
buzzwords behind them. She will never make a misstep that
outs her as an intruder or spy, and will almost always fly under
the radar even if she wishes the group harm.
Proxy War (••): Your character is skilled at implanting ideas
without leaving fingerprints. Everyone sort of knows who she
is, but no one really understands how important her advice
has become to the group. Gain a +3 modifier on Social rolls
to manipulate the chosen group subtly. No member will ever
be able to identify your character to an outsider as someone
important.
Open-Source (•••): Your character is dialed in to the
modes and methods of communication within the target
group, and can use Social maneuvering on large swathes of
its membership, changing their outlook to suit her own. Set
initial Doors as one, plus one for every ten members,. Apply
any bonuses or penalties using the group’s moral values
(Vampire, pp. 173–174).
Lingering Motivation (•••)
Effect: Your character has been Dominated by an elder
of her line to behave or act a certain way. She gains the
Directive Condition, and defines a belief or behavior the elder
has implanted within her mind. This Condition cannot be
resolved while she possesses this Merit.
DIRECTIVE
(PERSISTENT)
You have been implanted with a behavior of belief about
the world that is not your own. Once per chapter, gain the
9-again quality on any action directly related to this directive,
but suffer a –1 to any breaking points caused by following it
as you attempt to rationalize a belief that may not logically fit
into your worldview.
Possible Sources: The Lingering Motivation Merit.
Resolution: Remove the Lingering Motivation Merit.
Beats: The belief or behavior causes difficulty for you and
your Requiem.
Lordly Palate (•)
Prerequisite: Distinguished Palate
Effect: Your character is a connoisseur of Vitae. As she ages,
her taste only grows more refined. Add half her Blood Potency
(rounding up) to all Taste of Blood rolls.
Money Talks (•)
Prerequisites: Kindred, Resources •••
Effect: Your character is adept at leveraging her wealth
to get her way. Once per chapter, when making a Social roll
where Kindred Status would apply as a bonus, your character
can instead apply her dots in Resources. This must be
accompanied by some obvious display of wealth on her part
that will at least partially benefit the other party involved in
the action.
Drawback: Targeting the same group with this Merit too
often can lead to resentment, as other members start to
complain about your character buying her way in.
Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 113

Old Money (••)
Prerequisite: Money Talks
Effect: Many Ventrue trace their prestige back to dynasties,
and they can leverage these connections to impress their fellows.
When interacting with wealthy Kindred, your character gains the
9-again quality on mundane Socialize and Persuasion rolls, and
treats any relevant Status bonus as one dot higher than usual.
Owl-Blooded (• to •••)
Prerequisite: Ventrue
Effect: Your character’s connection to the Birds of Dis is
more pronounced than other Kindred. In addition to the effects
below, minor oddities occur in her presence, her like light frost,
overactive shadows, or phantom sounds issuing from thin air.
Member of Parliament (•): Your character has a natural
connection to birds. Perhaps she used homing pigeons in life, or
fed crows at the park, or just has a way about her that avians find
acceptable. Add +2 for any use of Animalism on birds. Drawback:
Take a –1 when targeting non-bird animals.
Yellow Eyes (••): Your character’s eyes have a golden hue; not
otherworldly, but definitely unsettling. Gain 9-again on mundane
Intimidation with Kindred. On an exceptional success, you can
choose to inflict the Shaken Condition. Drawback: Some elders
may suspect… things about your character.
Shadow Essence (•••): Your character’s Vitae contains the
discordant resonance of the Owls themselves. This effect
functions the same as See the Cracks (Vampire, p. 208),
allowing her to perceive the weaknesses of those around
her. Roll Wits + Composure instead of Finesse + Resistance.
Drawback: The Strix are never pleased to discover someone
stealing their tricks.
Pain Is Power (••)
Prerequisite: Dominate •
Effect: Kindred aren’t known to wander, especially Lords.
However, a Ventrue with this Merit has an ace up her sleeve
if she pisses off any strangers too badly. Instead, the vampire
draws strength from her suffering and turns it into steel resolve.
While bearing wound penalties when using Mesmerize, she
adds that modifier as a bonus rather than a penalty. If the
damage is lethal, she gains the 9-again quality.
Proclamation (• to •••••)
Prerequisites: Presence •••, Expression ••, Intimidation
••, Dominate •
Effect: By leaning into the authority and confidence that comes
naturally to Ventrue, a character trained in this oratory style can
crush anyone who dares raise their voice against her.
Don’t You Know Who I Am? (•): Accomplishment demands
respect. Your character can add dots in any Status she possesses
to rolls to improve a first impression, even if your victim isn’t
part of the relevant group.
114 False Gods: Ventrue
Bargain from Strength (••): Your character’s decrees are
unassailable. Once per scene, she can spend a Willpower to add
a single success to a contested mundane Social roll instead of
the usual +3 modifier. You must spend the Willpower before
you make your roll.
Imperious Gaze (•••): The power contained in your
character’s stare makes the weak hesitate in their words. Once a
scene, when a someone that can see your character’s eyes makes
a Social roll against her, she can impose a penalty on that roll
equal to her dots in Dominate.
Make an Example (••••): By cowing an opponent, your
character lets everyone else know that standing against her
is futile. After making a successful Intimidation roll against
a victim, your character gains the 8-again quality on the next
mundane Social roll you make with anyone who witnessed that
action for the rest of the night.
Break Their Spirit (•••••): Your character will be obeyed.
She can choose to add her Dominate dots as a bonus to any
rolls made to force a victim’s Doors. This ability counts as
using hard leverage, triggering a breaking point of Humanity 5.
Ruthless Bastard (•)
Effect: Even for a Ventrue, your character is a self-serving
piece of shit. On breaking points incurred due to fulfilling an
Aspiration, take a +2 modifier on the detachment roll.
Drawback: Your character suffers a permanent –1 modifier
on all Empathy rolls, including Disciplines and Devotions.
Saving Face (••)
Prerequisite: Composure •••
Effect: A Ventrue’s reputation is sacrosanct, and being seen as
weak by one’s peers is unthinkable. If targeted by a supernatural
effect that would force your character to back down, flee, or
submit to the will of another, she gains a +3 on any contested
rolls, but only if she is aware of witnesses that share a type of
Kindred Status with her. If the power is not contested, the
aggressor takes –3 to the activation roll instead, assuming the
above criteria are met.
Drawback: Should your character be affected by the power
despite the bonus granted by this Merit, her shame is so great
that she counts her Status in the group as one dot lower for
the rest of the week.
Show Breed (••)
Prerequisite: Animalism ••
Effect: The Lords demand excellence not only from
themselves, but also their servants — living or dead. When your
character reanimates an animal via Raise the Familiar, rather
than curse the creature with a corpse-like aspect, her Vitae
transforms it into a paragon of its kind. The animal heals any
cosmetic damage it may have suffered and gains an unnatural
vigor, requiring a medical examination (or supernatural
awareness) to reveal its true nature. Furthermore, a familiar
enhanced in this way gains an additional dot of any Physical
Attribute your character chooses, which can be changed each
time its life span is extended, but only once per night.
Drawback: You can only apply this effect to one familiar.
Silver Spoon (•)
Prerequisite: Mentor •••
Effect: Someone in your clan or lineage has taken a particular
interest in seeing your character succeed in death. She may or
may not be aware of the reason behind this interest, but the
benefits come with strings attached, manifesting as tasks or
favors this patron expects her to accomplish when the need
arises. Count your character’s dots in Mentor as extra dots in
Resources, to a limit of five.
Drawback: Refusing this patron’s tasks causes your character
to lose access to this Merit until she makes amends, which
might require a larger task than what was initially requested.
Sommelier (••)
Prerequisites: Ventrue, Bloodhound
Effect: Your character can judge the richness of a person’s
blood at a glance or with a passing sniff, allowing them to find
the finest vintages when moving among the kine. Add +1 on any
roll which you use to locate a specific kind of prey in a crowd.
Heavy Lies the Crown: The Aloof Curse
The will to domination is a ravenous beast.
There are never enough warm bodies to satiate its monstrous hunger.
Andrea Dworkin, Our Blood
If one word could sum up the Lords, it might be dissociation
— the gradual untethering of the soul over eternal nights, and
the tormented sundering that follows. The Ventrue don’t lose
their minds, but they do lose everything else.
This section discusses the Aloof Curse: what it is, how others
may perceive it, and ways you can use it to inspire drama and
characters.
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
The Lords over the Damned claim their clan alone is
unflawed, that they represent the pinnacle of death, but the
truth hiding in their blood tells a different story.
The Aloof Curse manifests at first as a kind of inattentive-
ness. The Ventrue is too busy succeeding to pay close atten-
tion to the relationships she holds dear, and fails to register
how fast those connections are slipping away. For a Lord,
holding on to the things she once valued is like clutching a
fistful of sand, forever trying to own and control rather than
experience or share.
The worst part is, she doesn’t even see it happening. Old
Knowing where to find the perfect victim makes you a fixer
for other Kindred. You know a host of people with different
traits and specialize in connecting vampires to the kinds of
people they want to partake of. As long as a vampire feeds on
the person you indicate before the end of the night, they gain
the Inspired Condition.
Survivor (•)
Prerequisite: Resilience ••
Effect: Some cling to the Requiem more tightly than others.
Your character’s curse is especially potent, making them more
likely to stand where weaker Kindred would fall. Gain one
additional Health box.
Wine Cellar (•• or ••••)
Prerequisite: Safe Place •
Effect: Your character knows the location of a torpid elder
and makes use of them for feeding. For two dots, this elder is
part of your character’s clan; for four, he’s of another, allowing
her to learn a clan Discipline from outside her lineage. She still
risks Vitae addiction and the blood bond, and must occasionally
feed the elder. If this Merit is purchased at the 4-dot level at
character creation, one of your character’s starting Discipline
dots can be spent on the unique power of the elder’s clan.
loves and treasured friends lose their luster, and the Ventrue
discovers she struggles to care about anything but her Requiem.
Some Lords see this as a wake-up call, diving headfirst back
into their mortal connections and grasping at any tie they can.
Even so, many lose themselves at this stage, never managing to
find purchase on another foothold.
The Aloof Curse is insidious because it seems so mundane to
those living with it. Perhaps they rationalize the deterioration
of their relationships as the natural wear of time, or convince
themselves they were never good with people, or that they’re
just too busy. In the constant thrill of the Danse Macabre, it’s
easy for a Ventrue to put off visiting an old friend.
From an outsider perspective, the Lord grows distant, and even
a little thoughtless, forgetting important dates or never calling
unless she needs something. And if people don’t like doing what
she tells them to do, well, mind control is a hell of a drug. Ventrue
drive people away but force them to stay close — their Beast won’t
let them have it any other way. That said, take care in portraying
such relationships. It’s one thing for a character to be apathetic,
but don’t bring these themes to the table if that’s going to make
other members of the troupe uncomfortable.
Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 115
 It isn’t just human relationships Lords struggle to maintain.
A Ventrue’s connections with places and things have the same
underlying tragedy as those she shares with living people. Over
time, the vampire loses any sense of why the thing was important
in the first place, replacing her affection with the fact that it
belongs to her. Objects and organizations twist in the Ventrue’s
mind; if they’re important, they must have intrinsic value, and if
they have value, then perhaps they can be bartered. As the nights
turn into years, a Ventrue finds it easier to trade away the things
she loves for perceived advantage. She gives up old stomping
grounds or abandons aging possessions because newer, shinier
things demonstrate her success and showcase how far ahead she’s
getting in her Requiem. Not only does the Beast make it easier
for the Lord to give up on what she once loved, it ensures those
things can’t be easily recovered, cleaving the Ventrue further and
further from the Man.
Lords need a link to Humanity just as all vampires do, but only
Ventrue are cursed with a Beast that assaults this need directly.
It may even be that this struggle is the force that drives the clan’s
constant need for success. What the Lords hold up as a virtue,
the endless striving for dominance, may be nothing more than a
need for meaning — marooned sailors drinking salt water because
they’re dying of thirst.
Failing Upwards: Playing the Bane
Your Touchstone attaches at your seventh Humanity dot.
That doesn’t sound as exciting as custom-tailoring a Nosferatu’s
mutations, but the devil is in the details. Like classic horror,
the Aloof Curse grows more sinister in the contemplation.
Creating a good Ventrue means creating a bad person.
Something in her personality moves her to be controlling,
neglectful, or to possess another harmful trait that drives her
away from the things she treasures, destroying the meaning
behind them even as she grips them ever harder.
Think about what drives your character and how that
drive pushes her to sacrifice Humanity to achieve her goals.
Also consider how this distance manifests personally.
Perhaps your Lord is a big talker, always promising to climb
mountains and only ever managing to scale a hill. Maybe
she uses guilt to sow doubt, gaslighting her Touchstones into
believing they’re the real problem. She might even realize
these are terrible things to do, she just can’t seem to summon
up the courage to change.
The Aloof Curse should drive conflict and character growth
in your stories. Sometimes good drama mean hurting the
people who care about your character, being callous when
the smallest comfort would have helped, or lying out of hand
because it’s just instinct — even when it’s the worst option.
Perhaps she tries to schedule her Touchstones’ lives around
what’s convenient for her. Maybe she’s quick to offer assurances
to soothe the people in her Requiem, only to break those
promises through forgetfulness or neglect. Some Lords forget
the people around them have lives of their own, and react
poorly when that fact inconveniences them.
116 False Gods: Ventrue
Playing the Aloof Curse this way means making the “bad”
choices when it comes to Touchstones. You don’t have to do the
wrong thing every time; Ventrue aren’t (usually) incompetent,
but strive to do so just often enough to keep things interesting.
The Beast making trouble for your Lord is no different than
risking a frenzy, and can have consequences that are just as
dire. Use the Ventrue bane to highlight the horror of being
a vampire who’s still surrounded by humans. Clans like the
Gangrel, Mekhet, and Nosferatu highlight their Damnation
through isolation and othering from mortals, but Ventrue
can be drowning in humanity and become monsters anyway.
This isn’t to say Ventrue are inherently uncaring or distant.
They want to care (they really do), but the Beast ensures a
Ventrue’s wants manifest as missed opportunities and empty
words. Play one of the Lords if you enjoy this internal struggle,
forever grasping for achievement, but never able to pay the
price of flying high.
Nasty Divorces
Here are some examples of how the Aloof Curse might
manifest for Ventrue characters.
• Holly treasures his old pistol, wearing it on his hip as a badge
of office. He cleans and maintains it, but the more he uses it,
the more blood it collects, and the more it becomes part of
the strain of taking lives instead of a reminder of the glory
days it used to be.
• How long has it been since Pavel spoke with his grandmother?
He always sends her gifts and money, but when did he last lay
eyes on her? Why isn’t her name on the mailbox anymore?
And why isn’t she answering her phone?
• Vinnie the Trailer Park King treats his prized Dobermans
like family (better than his own blood-bound one), but
as the years go on, it gets easier and easier to sic them on
trespassers, even as the scars get uglier and uglier.
• Zelda remembers the good times down at Tanner’s Pub on
Fifth. She’s been investing in the area, improving it, but she
never bought the bar. She loved it, but it didn’t quite seem
like a good investment. Now the demolitions have started,
the ones she funded, and her old watering hole is right in
their path.
Common Banes
As they fall away from Humanity, Ventrue tend to manifest
banes reflective of their growing dissociation. As such, these
curses are more behavioral than those of other vampires.
Neonate Lords are particularly vulnerable to developing
sudden, peculiar attitudes early in their Requiems.
Most of following curses originally appeared in Lords Over
the Damned as Derangements and Flaws, but are reimagined
here as banes for Vampire: The Requiem Second Edition.
Any character can acquire the banes below, but they’re most
common among the Ventrue.
 Expectations: The way the world works and the way your
character’s Beast thinks it should work often don’t match. Define
an unbending belief when your character acquires this bane.
His Social actions when dealing with people or situations that
run contrary to it are limited by Humanity unless he spends a
Willpower to overcome his narrow view for the scene.
Favored Prey: Something in your character’s being cries
out for a specific kind of blood, and she doesn’t gain full
sustenance from Vitae taken from vessels who don’t match
that preference. Use the system for Blood of the Unwilling
(Vampire, p. 108), but the curse instead applies to vessels
who do not fulfill your character’s desired vessel. Work with
the Storyteller to determine a preference that’s neither too
broad nor too specific.
Free Will: Your character’s Beast knows what Dominate
can do to a mind and has developed a defensive response to
the possibility of its use. If your character receives a direct
order from a social superior, roll Humanity. Failure causes
him to undermine the order however he can, just to prove he’s
capable of doing so. He can spend a Willpower to ignore this
compulsion, but otherwise it only fades after he’s proven he’s
capable of disobeying or when the chapter ends, whichever
comes first. Note that this bane offers no protection against
actual supernatural compulsion.
Hospitality: Your character is a predator, but she has a sense
of decorum. If she purposely injures a welcome guest within her
home, who has not also done harm to her, the Storyteller rolls
(10 – Humanity) dice in unavoidable lethal damage.
Internal Focus: Your character’s Beast no longer trusts its
memories. Whenever she’s confronted with a truth that differs
from what she knows is right, roll Humanity. Failure causes
the vampire to withdraw into herself, trying to examine her
mind and memories to test for consistency. She suffers –2 to
all mundane Mental Attribute actions for a scene.
Unstoppable: Your character has a Beast with such an
overblown sense of superiority that it thinks itself invulnerable.
Your character cannot spend Willpower to boost Defense unless
he’s have suffered at least (10 – Humanity) damage in the scene,
and he must spend a Willpower to take a Dodge action; the
latter only applies once a scene.
Chapter Three: Crown Jewels 117
 Part Five: The Last Temptation
Thomas thrashed in the pew, his fingers curling into claws that tore into Persephone’s face. His
eyes were shut tight, and Vitae streamed out of every other orifice in his head.
Birch was only a second away, but that second was disastrous. Persephone screamed as Thomas
hooked his fingers into her open mouth and pulled the flesh, tearing her lips like wrapping paper.
Fresh Vitae splashed onto Thomas’s face as the bishop pulled Persephone away, pinning the frenzied
Lord to the floor with his unholy strength. As Thomas thrashed beneath the bishop’s broad, muscled
form, Solomon dug his fingers into the man’s scalp and pulled his eyes open. Vitae pooled out, the
eyes beneath fully hemorrhaged into a dull, burnt red.
Birch grunted. “I’m not sure how much more you have in you, but we must finish.”
Persephone stumbled back and clutched a pale hand over her ruined face. The Beast was alive
in her eyes as she wrestled with the choice of whether or not to hurl herself at the man pinned on
the floor. Persephone won out, but as she forced her torn flesh to knit, a coldness settled into her
eyes. Her victory had come at a cost.
“Persephone—”
“I know!” she snarled. “We may not get another chance. Hold him still.” Persephone moved
forward and lay down next to Thomas, her cheek pressing into the pool of blood dribbling from
his face. For a brief moment, she watched her own gaze reflected in that succulent pool and, with
a strange dissociation, saw the hunger forming in her own eyes. She focused her mind and the face
looking up at her was her own again. She turned toward Thomas, her eyes dark and twinkling
with the Beast’s malice.
“Take me back to the tunnel. Tell me what’s happening to you.”
you.”

***
It hurts. Drinking him hurts. Like nothing I’ve ever felt in my life. It hurts like I’m being burned
alive from the inside, and then I drop his body into the dust and it’s like my soul explodes. It hurts
so damn much. Like a heroin high or an orgasm or a gunshot wound or the first time I realized I
was going to die someday. It’s eating me alive. How has he done this so many times?
And then what happened?
Someone’s talking, but not to me. My eyes are open and everything is tinged with red and I
see his corpse and it’s rotting away to ash. But it’s not the only one. Next to him is an old, rotted
body. Oh God. It’s Hoops! Someone’s torn Hooper’s throat out. Someone’s talking and I think it’s
Romeo, but he’s behind me and my body is fighting me. It doesn’t want to let me move and I can’t
make it. I’m panicking. I can’t make out what he’s saying.
No. You’re right there. You hear the words. Calm down. Listen. What did he say?
He… he says: “This will be much more interesting.”
And then he leaves. He fucking leaves me there! He’s moving quick and my legs aren’t working.
I try to turn but my legs give out so all I can do is look back at him. He’s moving away and all I
can see in the darkness is Romeo’s back. He hears me fall and turns back to smile at me and — oh
fuck — his eyes are glowing yellow!
He laughs and vanishes into the maze of tunnels.

118 False Gods: Ventrue

 I scream and roar and cry and everything in my body is disconnected. My hands feel around the
ground and I’m climbing over toward the corpses. I want to see Hooper. I want to smash Maxwell’s
husk to dust. But then there’s a noise beside me. Romeo’s back. The fucking traitor is going to kill
me.
A man steps into view to my right and — Oh FUCK! It’s him!
Who?
Max Maurey. He’s kneeling beside me. He’s dressed in a ragged old waistcoat and trousers that
smell of mothballs and I can smell rot on his breath. His face is sunken and pitted and his eyes are
hungry. He’s going to eat me. He’s going to kill me! I deserve this. I deserve to be eaten. I shouldn’t
have done this.
He grabs me. Shakes me. He’s yelling. “What have you done?!”
He’s spitting as he’s screaming and my face is wet. I’m crying. My body is still tingling from what
I did and I feel amazing but I can’t stop crying and it hurts so bad. I can feel clawing inside my
head. It feels like I’m going to tear in half. I shake my head and try to act tough. It’s all I’ve ever
been good at.
“I killed the bastard.”
His face is strobing overhead and his words come out disjointed, like I’m hearing them with
broken ears or like time is stitched together wrong. I can’t really understand what he’s saying. “No.
You’ve lost. Maxwell—”
delicious, I want to say, but a blade of euphoria slices my heart and I giggle as the
Maxwell was delicious,
pleasure rolls over me again. And then I scream. The pain is riding right behind that wave and
it fills my mouth and mind with screams. But they’re not mine. Someone is screaming inside of
me. Someones? My hands start shaking and then they’re clawing at my throat. I try to make them
push Max Maurey off but instead they start to tear open the skin of my neck. I’m going to tear
myself apart.
“Help me!” I beg. I’m sobbing. “Please. Not like this. Don’t let me die like this. What’s happening
to me?”
He’s looking at me. He’s sad.
I’m disappointing him.
“The man is fighting back. The Amaranth… Maxwell… the soul can only contain so much.”
“Just once.” I’m crying. “This was the first time.”
“No,” he whispers. “This was the last time.”
Did I eat them all? All of the others Maxwell ate? Are they inside of me now, trying to claw their
way out? Did I inherit all his sins?
“I’m sorry.” My breath is ragged as I beg. “Please. Save me.”
He says something, but I can’t remember. And then he tells me to sleep, so I do, and then I wake
up in the church tonight. That’s all I remember. That’s all there is.
No. That’s not what happened. Don’t lie to me. Not now.
No. It hurts. Don’t make me. I told you: I don’t remember what he said.
Your mind remembers.

Where Is My Mind? 119

 I can’t.
Remember what happened.
I—
REMEMBER.
He grabbed me and shook me. “What have you done?” He wasn’t yelling. He was afraid. It wasn’t
spittle on my face. It was blood.
But I didn’t care. I was elated. I survived everything. I won. I laughed between the screams. “I
killed the bastard!” And then he’s saying something and it’s all jumbled.
Focus on what Max Maurey says. Remember.
He says… “No, you didn’t. You’ve lost yourself. Maxwell, please, you have to pull yourself together.
Before you fall apart.”
What?
Yes. Remember.
I look up at him and smile. “I can do whatever the fuck I want, Max.” But I didn’t say that. “Some
little thug gonna take me out? Aucune chance.”
chance.”
There’s a body on the ground next to me and I spit on it. It’s almost turned to bone, but under
the jacket and tank top I can make out the shape of a silver inked crown on the desiccated flesh
of the throat.
I’m screaming again. Rambling. Begging. “Please. Save me.”
“Maxwell, the soul hungers. The weight… the boy’s will is strong, and you’ve grown weak with
indulgence. How many does this make? Three? Four?”
“…More.”
“You can’t win. He will take control.”
“No. I will. This is my city. This is my body!”
“Not for long. You’ve taken on one too many passengers. The boat is sinking and you are its
captain.”
“Maurey, you have to help me. Please.”
“I should end it and put you out of our misery.”
“I am your prince!”
Maurey looks undeterred. “I’m sorry.” He stands up and puts a boot to my throat and presses me
against one of the railroad ties. I’m too weak to fight. The pressure in my neck builds as he presses
down through my neck and into the steel behind my spine. I can feel my vertebrae beginning to
separate.
“I… no…” I sputter out between gasps of blood. “I am your guest! You are my host!”
He freezes. It’s something I know about him — a secret clause, a mental tic, a bane that binds
the Lord of the Undercity to courtesy under pain of death. It’s why so many relied on him: His
guests were his body and soul. I start convulsing under his foot while he considers me. I’m trying
to scream, in English, in French. It all muddles together.
My mother was a tall Swedish woman with a flat face. She tried to cook carne guisada like her

120 False Gods: Ventrue

mother-in-law. She never got it right, but Dad ate it anyway. He smiled with his eyes and always
laughed loud and hard. His hair was a mess, but his mustache was flawless.
No. My mother was a freedwoman in Quebec. She had a beautiful broad and broken smile.
When she was a child she’d been kicked by a cow that had knocked out two of her lower teeth.
She escaped to Montreal and met my father, a dry goods salesman. They liked to hunt on holidays
for small game. She was a better shot than he was.
Maurey finally speaks: “You will not like it.”
“Anything. Save me. Please, Max. Please!”
His eyes are locked on mine. “I can’t save your mind, but I can trap you in it long enough for
you to heal. For you to fight. Long enough for you to defeat your demons and return to your city
— should you be strong enough.”
He pulls me to my knees and looks at me with those cold, ancient eyes. He could devour me in
an instant and I could do nothing about it. In hundreds of years, I cannot remember ever being
so powerless.
“Forget, Maxwell Clarke. And sleep, sweet prince.”
And I do.

Where Is My Mind? 121

 chapter four
Friends & Other Rivals A man with no enemies is a man with no character.
Paul Newman

Authority breeds contempt. Everyone thinks they can do a better job than the guy in charge. The Lords understand this
truth better than most, encountering it on a near-nightly basis, and their backs itch for the knives just waiting to be run through
their dead hearts. Other Kindred resent the Ventrue for their power and success, but often having more just means having
more to lose. So, what does worry the Lords over the Damned? Who makes the All Night Society’s rich and powerful daysleep
with one eye open?
Let’s find out.
This chapter contains a roster of antagonists and allies to seed into your chronicles, beginning with three ghoul families,
followed by two new covenants, and introducing a pair of more disconcerting entities inspired by the Night Horrors series. All
claim scraps of Clan Ventrue’s blood-soaked authority, but they’re more than capable of casting down the so-called Lords — or
anyone else they encounter.

Ghoul Families
• The Crassus might be all cash and no class, but they sure do have a lot of cash. Thieves of fate descending from ancient Rome,
these self-named Caesars keep their wealth by ensuring that every time they lose, someone else loses harder.
• The DeRoses are a franchise of high-class adult entertainers who know family is everything, and that it has nothing to do
with blood. They might peddle in flesh, but their true trade is in the secrets their clients whisper between embraces.
• Perfect servants from an ancient tradition seeking worthy masters — that’s what the Omokage want you to think they are.
Always hustling, these con artists make suckers out of young Lords with more money than good sense.

Covenants
• The All Night Society is broken, but the Architects of the Monolith are here to affect repairs. Civil engineers, bureaucrats,
and data analysts, the Masons pursue their vision of a perfect, mechanistic society with a secular zeal.
• The Legio Noctis is rebuilding the Camarilla one bullet at a time. Since the fall of Rome, the Kindred have become selfish
and secluded, and only by accepting the Last Legion’s guidance will they be restored to former glories.

Horrors
• The Faithful are the product of generations of selective canine breeding, mixed with an unhealthy dose of Vitae. They want
to be good dogs, but they just get so hungry…
• The Mnemovores are right… they’re just… sorry, what were we talking about?

Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 123

 Crassus
the ones who play the odds
Call it.
This rich chick’s running a cold streak that’d freeze the tits off a
polar bear. You’ve never seen someone lose with such platonic self-
destruction, but the money keeps coming. She’s got bags of it, and
you’re happy to take it. You’re also happy to let her flirt with that
neckline and that trashy perfume. Not that you harbor any illusions
— no. It just spices up otherwise facile proceedings.
The river turns, and the ace of hearts sets down beside its
diamond sister. You’re sitting on jacks. Her poker face is about as
subtle as her cleavage, and the fuchsia pout is screaming “Junk!”
She flicks in the remains of her chips.
You reach for your stack and she stretches with a yawn, running
a finger down your wrist. “How about we call it here? Go get a
drink at the bar?”
Heat fills your chest. Maybe… maybe you do harbor a few
illusions. Maybe—
No. Her money pit’s run dry. She’s begging for mercy.
Hell with it. “All in.”
She smiles and shrugs, and for the first time, you see past the
soused bimbo. Like she’s a shark finally getting on with dinner.
Faster than that thought sets in — faster than your neocortex can
ask why in the name of fuck you just did that — she drops a wad of
thousands.
“Me too.”
She flips her cards with pink dagger nails, but you already know
it’s the black aces, don’t you?
A name rings out in your mind, the tone resting on the line
between self-loathing and awe: Crassus.
“How about that drink?” she whispers in your ear. “I’m buyin’.”
Where we came from
Once upon a time in Ancient Rome, Quintus Crassus was
an architect, a drunk, a gambler, and shit at all three. The last
one in particular. Apparently he’d made it his life mission to
squander a vast inheritance; when Quintus wasn’t reneging on
a contract, he was dicking around the circuses, or anywhere else
that would let him throw sesterces at a bad bet. He did have
one talent, though, if you could call it that. As much as the dice
mocked him, they reserved a greater spite for those who took
him to the cleaners. Maybe the Fates saw poor sportsmanship
in fleecing such a loser, but those who beat Quintus too badly
124 False Gods: Ventrue
suffered unexpected turns. One might break a finger on the
marble table as she pulled in her winnings, or soil fine new
clothes in horseshit as they crossed the road from the races. On
one occasion, a centurion dropped a dagger through his crotch.
Quintus had no control over these retributions, but he enjoyed
the petty thrill of them, at least until they got him banned from
every gambling house in the Eternal City. However, it also caught
the attention of a vampire called Lysander. The elder had laired
in Rome for almost as long as the Camarilla, but was not one of
the Propinqui. The Crassus family chronicle speaks of some ill
will he held for the Julii, though it’s vague on detail. Quintus’s bad
luck intrigued Lysander, and he invited the fool to come gamble
with him at the Circus Maximus. When a brazier fell and almost
burned a hole through Lysander’s chest, right after he’d finished
winning the mortal’s last copper, he knew he’d found an asset.
As a ghoul, Quintus’s star rose. The Kindred blood in his
veins put him on the straight and narrow, and he began to win
his gambles. Or rather, others started losing them. Quintus
never did improve his talent for playing the odds, but his
opponents got a lot worse. Maybe the Vitae focused his fortune,
or maybe the high just cleared his booze-addled brain enough
to weaponize it — but Crassus never thought much about the
cause. As long as he got his fix, anyone he touched fell to some
random blight.
Ghoul Family Systems
If you don’t have access to Half-Damned, ghoul
families come in two types: biological and social.
Biological ghouls breed true, have natural lifespans
of about 150 years, don’t age rapidly when lacking
Vitae, and can learn common Disciplines without
Kindred. Social families are looser associations of
humans and ghouls who band together to achieve
a particular goal, or live under the thrall of a single
regnant. They have no special qualities. Both family
types have an Integrity 6 Touchstone, a Benefit, and
a Drawback.
Families in this chapter fall under the following
categories: The Crassus are biological, the Omokage
are social, and the DeRoses are effectively both.
 The modern Crassus downplay this history, exaggerating
their founder’s rise to wealth with tales of real canny
estate deals and glad-handing with Julius Caesar.
Nonetheless, Quintus’s many children bore the
same luck-sapping touch, and it’s still their only
real talent. As for Lysander? Never heard from
again after the reign of Vespasian, but he got
what he wanted. The night
the Camarilla fell, Crassus
courtesans passed among the
Senex, offering their wrists to
all who desired them.
Who we are tonight
Po s t- R om e , t h e Cr a s s u s
rebranded and expanded. No
longer just gamblers and luck vam-
pires for hire, they built an empire
on always being able to eke out a win
or break even. The All Night Society employs
Crassus ghouls as both hexes to throw at enemies
and piggy banks for when the Danse Macabre
proves a poor investment. With interest, of
course.
The Age of Discovery only added to the
family’s coffers. The Crassus were early
investors in the New World’s plunder, and
one of their branches was fortunate enough
to be on the right side of the Revolutionary
War. These saloon owners watered and grifted
Minutemen, set up gambling dens in the
Dakotas, and made a small foothold in the early
stock exchange with uncanny investments. Most
modern Crassus descend from or were members
of this group. Unbound from European class
concerns, they embraced a corrosive American
Dream, amassing vast riches without regard to
taste or scruples.
Kindred and mortal alike know not to cross the
self-described Caesars, even if they do make tempting
targets. The Crassus are forever nouveau riche, as if the
reality of having a millennia-old fortune never quite sank
in. Indeed, their modern nickname comes more from their
Vegas interests than their imperial past. The Coolers are
sleazy at best and social blights at worst, tacking their name
to all manner of tacky projects, from Roman-themed resorts
to American-style plutocracy. And yet, the cash keeps flowing
upward. Consequences are poor people problems, and on the
rare occasion fate comes knocking, weaseling out is just a
matter of tapping the right shoulder.
The Crassus do fear one thing, however: the Ventrue.
The Caesars whore out to any vampire willing to give
them a taste, but they’re bound to the Lords in a
way few other Ventrue ghoul families are. The clan
holds all the trumps, and (not for lack of trying) the Crassus
have never found a way to cash out. The Lords only lend
their blood, and if the Crassus displease them, they’re
prepared to take it back.
With interest, of course.
Three Caesars
Augusto Bucco puts a genteel mask over
the face of his gaudy family. The Mafia
has certain standards. Augusto’s casino
shines in polished white marble, with
busts of imperial greats like Domitian,
Commodus, Caracalla, and even
Quintus Crassus himself. His particular
brood isn’t bound to any one vampire;
they’ve always preferred to take Vitae as
payment for rigging tables and letting Lords
run up big tabs. However, lately he’s been
shopping for a permanent arrangement. The
Strix have been paying him visits, upset at his
digging into the All Night Society’s Camarilla
past. Ever since he invested in an archeological
dig over a ruined temple to Fortuna, the Birds
haven’t stopped watching him.
Look up Ugly American in the dictionary
and you’ll find a selfie of Leona Crassus. The
celebutante heiress has been making a name
across gossip pages and DWI courts since she
wasn’t old enough to drink. Not even turning
100 has slowed her down, but the Internet puts
far more scrutiny on her scandals than Walter
Winchell ever did, and her behavior is starting to
alarm the rest of her normally permissive family.
But why would she want to slow down now? They’ll
never respect her, and that’s how she’s going to
get them. The glitz and disgrace aren’t masks (not
exactly), but Leona’s weaponized them into a
recruitment program, taking young allies under
her wing against her family’s calcified elders. She
got a better offer from some Lords who know
how to really party, and with her numerous
secret children and grandchildren waiting in
the wings, the American Caesars are about to
enter a new era.
Trent Crassus is the kind of guy you look
at and think “He’ll get his.” Then, he runs
over your foot with a Segway. A mediocre
computer engineer by trade, Trent’s upward
failures reached their pinnacle when a major
political campaign hired him to design
software for their candidate’s website. Or their
app. Or their polling… something. Truth is, they
haven’t told Trent to do a single thing since he started
his job. All he does is sit in his office screwing around
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 125
 Story Seed: Murky Genealogy
Ventrue love to say they came up with the Camarilla. Lords brush aside the Julii with flowery rhetoric and dubious
research, either denying the lost clan’s central role or claiming them as an extinct bloodline. Some even spread conspiracy
theories about the Founders being a fiction, dreamt up to blot out Ventrue contributions to the All Night Society.
Self-serving arguments aside, you can’t prove a negative. Maybe there were a few Lords kicking around Rome,
and maybe Lysander was one of them. The Crassus family chronicle takes it as read that he was Ventrue, and the
Caesars’ blood-connection to the clan puts weight to that assumption. Lysander also had a vague grudge with the
Julii, although that doesn’t rule out his being one. If he really was a Ventrue, what was he doing in Rome? And if he
was a Julii, why are the Crassus so bound to the Lords? The relationship between these two clans has piqued Kindred
interest for centuries, and perhaps the Crassus hold a missing link.

with his phone. Occasionally, nameless, humorless people
in suits drop by to shake his hand, make small talk, ask him
pointless questions, then leave. Not the brightest bulb, Trent
thought it was some new corporate feng shui thing, but ever
since he found the odd radio receivers behind a false panel in
his desk, he’s wondered what the Vogel campaign might really
be up to. Or be.
Nicknames: Caesars, American Caesars, Coolers
Touchstone: For all their vaunted loyalty to the Ventrue, the
Crassus would roast every last Lord if they could scrape a few
bucks off the char. Greed is the most human thing about them,
and as such, they treat their family fortune as their Touchstone.
Benefit: The Crassus are richer than Croesus, but not out
of any business sense. They strip the luck from their rivals’
souls and know just enough to spend it in all the right places.
At character creation, Coolers gain the Thief of Fate Merit
(Chronicles of Darkness, p. 60). Ventrue Kindred are immune
to this effect, as is any vampire with whom a Crassus ghoul
shares a third-stage blood bond. Other family members are
also immune. In addition, Caesars may purchase Dynasty
Membership within their local branch, substituting their
family Status for Clan Status.
Drawback: Sometimes, fate fights back. At the beginning
of each chapter, the Storyteller rolls a die for a Crassus
character in secret. If the result is 2 to 10, nothing happens.
On a 1, things get interesting. Before the end of the session,
a strange quirk of fate will disrupt the Caesar’s day, often
complicating an important task. This event should be strange,
inexplicable, and dramatic: Maybe she succeeds too well,
attracting unwanted attention, or maybe a failure causes a
domino effect and leads to fatal consequences. In addition, if
a Crassus works against a Ventrue’s interests at some point in
the session, even unknowingly, roll another die and subtract
half of that result (rounding up) from the outcome of the first
roll if the first result wasn’t a 1.
Stereotypes:
• Daeva: They don’t “need” luck.
• Gangrel: It’s nice to meet Kindred who do away with all the
hoity toity horseshit. Too bad they live in horseshit.
• Mekhet: Don’t. Touch.
• Nosferatu: How do you take from someone who’s got
nothing?
• Ventrue: Yes, sir. No, sir. Another, sir.

126 False Gods: Ventrue

 D eRose
the ones who say they love you
C’mon, you know you can tell me anything.
The air is thick with cigar smoke and perfume, and it hits you
hot and heavy the moment you walk past the velvet curtains.
You only heard of this place a few weeks ago, when a couple
work buddies started talking about some sex club with a vintage
Parisian flair. Nothing they could describe did it justice, though.
The whole interior is done up in purple and polished gold — and not
just gilding.
You’re dimly aware of other guys like you, business-types in
varying states of undress, but they don’t hold your attention
compared to the talent.
Each host — the men, the women, everything in between and
beyond — is the most gorgeous creature you’ve ever lain eyes on. It
hurts just to tear your gaze away, but then you see another and the
longing starts all over again.
Someone takes your hand and guides you to a booth. They sit you
down, slide in close so their body presses into yours. They whisper to
you, asking what you want them to do.
For a moment, your eyes meet and a voice deep down inside
screams to run and never look back.
But just for a moment.
Then the happy numbness settles back over your brain and you
start talking about your darkest fantasies.
Just one more loyal customer.
Where we came from
The DeRose family originated somewhere around the
Franco-Italian border in the late 19th century, though they’re
not exactly a family in the traditional sense. DeRose was once
a title granted to favored servants of an elite Ventrue brothel,
many of whose owners had worked as courtesans and procurers
in life. These Lords weren’t interested in the hunt, and their
living talents in the sex trade taught them it’s a simple matter
to get prey to come to you. Some Kindred keep a regular supply
of consenting, eager blood bags — and if those bags can handle
business during daylight hours? All the better.
A common conceit among Flowers is that their origin
story differs depending on how well the teller can hold their
liquor. What’s known for certain is that a minor Lord among
this group, one Guillaume Morceaux, took a liking to one of
these DeRose servants, Madeline. She had a special knack
for gaining people’s trust, and Guillaume recognized how
useful that could be if he put her in his personal employ. At
least, that’s how it started. If you were to ask a sober DeRose,
she’d recount a tale of true love overcoming the tribulations
of circumstance and global conflict. However, get one talking
after a few dozen Dark ’n’ Stormies and you might instead hear
about an overconfident regnant who didn’t know when he was
being played, and the clever servant with a skill for feigning
affection. Both versions have the couple fleeing to America
to escape the Great War, and both end in Guillaume’s ever so
tragic disappearance, not long after he and Madeline started
to expand their little family.
Regardless of the truth, a family name was born. Madeline
DeRose became the House’s first matriarch, and her “children”
inherited her unique talent for getting others to open up. Over
time, the family spread to most major metropolitan centers to
ply their particular craft. For those who know where to look
among the darker corners of a city, the House of DeRose is
always ready with acceptance and love. For a price.
Who we are tonight
If you know what to look for, it’s easy to recognize a Flower.
Are they the sexiest person you’ve ever met? The one you
and you alone have dreamed of all your miserable life? Does
that feeling immediately fade away once you take your eyes
off them? If the answer to these questions is yes, you’ve got
yourself a DeRose.
On the surface, the family’s business is sex work: high-
end brothels, exclusive strip clubs, burlesque revues, and
other hosting services. However, their primary purpose is
intelligence. Each DeRose matriarch (a position that falls
somewhere between den mother, casting director, madame,
and spymaster) controls a nest of agents trained in the arts of
seduction and snitching. For a hundred years, the DeRoses have
made postcoital conversation into a whisper network empire.
They don’t sell everything they hear, or even most of it —
they never would’ve got where they are tonight if they were
indiscriminate — but the dirt they do trade is always a cut above.
The Flowers have brought down everything from small town
mayors to state governors, and even a few princes. If you can
pay, they don’t care who takes the fall.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 127
 Most DeRose chapterhouses are a collection of know exactly what you want to hear. When they
runaways, vagabonds, deviants, and biological say it, you believe it — and if you don’t? There are
offspring… which isn’t to say they adopt just any always workarounds.
stray who ends up on their doorstep. Prospec-
tive DeRoses go through a
trial period where they take Three Flowers
on the least glamorous jobs
Danielle Eloise DeRose is the center
associated with running the
of attention in any room she enters. Wit
hottest gentle­man’s club in town,
like a rapier, laugh like champagne, and
usually in return for room and
a classic Hollywood fashion sense make it
board. Once they prove them-
all seem effortless. She’s been the matriarch
selves, they’re given a special
of the House’s New York chapter for over
audience with the chapter’s matri-
sixty years, but you’d never guess it looking
arch, wherein they’re officially
at her. If any of her longtime clients ever
inducted into the family with
wondered about that, they haven’t said
the blood of the chapter’s reg-
anything. They’d never say anything to
nant. DeRose matriarchs look for a broad range
jeopardize their relationship with her.
of traits in their initiates. Determination, wit, and
That’s just how Danielle likes it. Those
natural gravitas are sure to catch her attention, but
questions always lead to other questions, and
the most important thing is ambition. Initiates
before you know it, the initiates are dragging a
need to show how badly they want in, and they
body out through the back alley to her regnant’s
need to do it by making themselves useful — and
town car. You only make that kind of mistake
beautiful. The recruits who wash out first are
once. Waste not, want not.
always the ones who get complacent.
Marcus Jensen, now Marcus DeRose,
Family members are quick to promise wavering
was singularly unremarkable. Never the
initiates that it’s only a matter of time before
handsomest or the strongest or the cleverest,
their times come. In reality, it’s not uncommon
Marcus had a face that passed through
for them to be led on for years, and if an initiate
people’s memories like sand through
ever becomes more trouble than they’re worth,
a colander. He was an ambitious boy
one day, they’ll just be gone. Whenever this
cursed to mediocrity, and eventually, that
happens, the family reassures anyone who asks
ambitious boy grew into a transient man,
that their erstwhile companion simply chose to
one who found his way to the House of
leave of their own accord. Strangely enough, these
DeRose. To this day, no one has been an
disappearances are almost always followed by a visit
initiate for longer than Marcus, a total of
from some influential Ventrue client. But that’s
15 years — never quite failing, but never
probably unrelated.
quite succeeding either. It wasn’t until
Most chapterhouses are extensions of a local he happened to uncover a plot by several
Lord’s holdings. They either serve as spies for her other initiates to stage a coup that he
political interests or easy money to fill her coffers. finally earned his place. Who better to
Sex, secrets — whatever. It’s all the same when the keep an eye out for dissidents than the
credit card gets swiped. Some matriarchs make least-threatening guy in the club? Said
arrangements with members of other clans, and traitorous initiates were quietly removed.
indeed, Daeva often covet these ghouls, though They likely wouldn’t have worked out
Flowers tend to see Serpents as the kind of fawning anyway. They had ambition, but they
twits they pretend to be on the job (or maybe they were short-sighted, and Marcus knows
don’t like what they see in the mirror). In the end, ambition is a poison to anyone who can’t
the House gets on best with the Lords. Romantic see the big picture. Like him.
Flowers say it’s the memory of their dear departed
Ever met one of those people who
Guillaume calling out to those of his blood, though the
has everything go their way? Ariadne
more cynical just note that cold bastards tend to work well
Drakos is one of those. They’re the
with other cold bastards. All business; no sentiment. Game
most popular kid in school, a shoe-in
recognize game, as they say.
to be their class’s valedictorian, and
The DeRoses value their family above all else, but who they out-of-state colleges are lining up to
call family and who actually is family are two different offer them full scholarships. They’re
things. A certain amount of deception is integral to the the kind of person whose every
fantasy they sell. That’s why they’ve flourished. They

128 False Gods: Ventrue

ensemble becomes the next hot trend, and they have a bigger
following on socials than some professional influencers. It’s
not all sunshine, though. Their parents haven’t told Ariadne
they’re adopted. And they never will. The DeRoses know there’s
nothing like a little tragedy to get someone’s life back on track.
Family — real family — needs to stick together, whether they
know it or not.
Nicknames: Flowers, the House, Rats (disrespectful)
Touchstone: The building serving as the local family’s
chapterhouse is treated as that branch’s Touchstone.
Benefit: The DeRoses have a natural gift for getting people
to open up. Whenever a Flower initiates Social maneuvering,
always treat the target’s impression of her as one level better
than normal: Poor becomes Average, Average becomes Good,
etc. This benefit does not work on other members of the
DeRose family. In addition, all DeRoses gain Striking Looks
2 for free, or are refunded any Experiences spent into it.
Drawback: For a Flower, love is just another transaction.
While he excels at navigating parties, stages, and bedrooms,
it’s difficult for him to form deeper connections, even among
his own. A DeRose treats Empathy rolls to relate to humans
as Kindred do; that is, his level of Integrity sets a penalty (see
Vampire, p. 106). This drawback applies even to other Flowers.
Stereotypes:
• Daeva: Good for a roll in the sheets, if nothing else. I do
love Egyptian cotton.
• Gangrel: Predictable and brutish, but no one’s better at
handling dissatisfied customers.
• Mekhet: They deal in secrets; we specialize in pillow talk.
We’re a perfect fit!
• Nosferatu: Poor things. It’s good they know so much.
• Ventrue: They’re royalty, and what’s a court without consorts?
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 129
 Omokage
the ones who take care of everything
Relax. I’ll handle it.
He’s waiting for your response, face impassive. The unsigned
contract sits between you on the desk, heavy with potential.
A flicker of movement on your right side: Miyuki adjusting one of
her immaculate shirt cuffs. You press.
“Your terms are generous, Mr. Ryoksuke, but I don’t think you’re
telling me everything.” You manage to keep your voice steady, despite
your anxiety.
“Whatever do you mean? I have outlined the terms very clearly.”
His voice gives nothing away, and his gaze is steady. Miyuki
smooths her creaseless jacket with three fingers: Third clause.
“Have you, now?” You force yourself to match the other man’s
polite tones. “So, there’s nothing else I should know about the purity
of the compound?”
He hesitates.
“Well…”
Beside you, the corner of Miyuki’s mouth twitches upward in the
tiniest smile, and you know you’re going to turn a profit tonight.
What would you do without your ghoul?
Where we came from
The Omokage would like the rest of Tokyo to believe they’re
the remnants of an ancient family of vassals, dating back to the
time of Japan’s feuding nobility. Their humbleness and apparent
refinement would seem to support this claim, as would the
traditional trappings of their three Houses. In reality, however,
the Omokage have existed for less than two decades, and were
created almost by mistake, thanks to one young Ventrue’s reach
exceeding his grasp.
Hiro Yamaguchi thought he’d found a way to claim some
power in Tokyo’s underworld, outside the grasp of the
monolithic zaibatsu controlling most of the city. He attempted
to bond a minor branch of a local yakuza group, Matsuba-kai,
hoping to install himself as the gang’s leader and have them
spread his influence.
He could hardly have picked worse victims if he’d tried. The
gangsters were already well-versed in confidence games and
using addiction as a form of control; they didn’t need to know
about Disciplines and Vincula to notice the same tactics. When
confronted, Yamaguchi panicked and attacked, killing a pair
of capos. In return, he was beaten and stabbed nearly to Final
130 False Gods: Ventrue
Death, then starved and interrogated by the furious Matsuba-kai.
Eventually, the yakuza learned all about the Kindred and their
unique relationship with the human businesses in Tokyo. The
gang seized Yamaguchi’s assets and discovered the aspiring Lord
was an avid collector of historic Japanese artifacts and literature.
From their new knowledge and stolen wealth, a plan gradually
emerged among the remaining Matsuba-kai, many of whom
Yamaguchi had turned into ghouls in the course of his bid for
control. Now that they knew about this world, they wanted
a piece of it — but they couldn’t count on finding another
useful idiot. However, they saw how static the Kindred power
structure was, and how hungry younger vampires were for an
edge, especially when dealing with the human-run Hototogisu.
Remembering how Yamaguchi had underestimated them, the
gang realized there was a way they could use Kindred money
and power to their advantage. They just had to make certain
the vampires thought they were still the ones in charge.
Who we are tonight
The gang chose the name Omokage (oh-moh-KAH-gay), a
word for vestiges and fragments, to evoke an air of tragic mystery.
Presenting themselves as an venerable family of Stewards seeking
worthy masters, the former gangsters use Yamaguchi’s collection
of artifacts, Internet research, and good old-fashioned hustling to
build their reputation. With the Kindred’s reverence for tradition
turned against them, the family has found fertile ground among
the youngest Ventrue of Tokyo, who wouldn’t know an ancient
lineage if it bit them.
It’s not entirely a scam. The Omokage might not have any
real centuries-old traditions, but they know Tokyo and its
underworld intimately, and can bridge the gap between Kindred
operators and Hototogisu affiliates like few others. The first
deals they broker for a new client are always in the vampire’s
favor, to build trust. The fact that these transactions also bring
money into the family’s own illicit dealings isn’t a detail they
“trouble” their regnants with.
In keeping with their pseudo-feudal trappings, the Omokage
have divided their membership into Houses, each one
specializing in a different service to the Kindred. Houses
provide all manner of servants, from butlers to majordomos,
but the following are their specialties.
Crane House supplies bookies, money-launderers, and crooked lawyers acting as “scholars”
who can expand a Lord’s financial holdings. The wealthy rarely handle their own money; they
have people for that, and Crane House is happy to be those people for a cut.
Fox House makes informants out of escorts and hosts. The sex trade in Tokyo is vast,
ubiquitous, and mostly ignored by mortal law-enforcement. One of the main trappings of
a successful vampire is being thronged by attractive humans to feed from, and so Fox is the
most consistently popular of the three Houses.
Tiger House trains bodyguards, cleaners, and legbreakers, supposedly to safeguard their
masters’ Requiems. In reality, such muscle is almost never necessary, but the image of
being flanked by goons in mirror-shades is one many young Lords crave. Arriving
with protection implies you’re someone worth protecting.
The Omokage have invented histories, founders, and rivalries for their
Houses, all the better to make Kindred think they’re in on something
privileged and secret. Marks are made to feel like the Houses are competing
for their attention and favor, and that the highest prestige an Omokage
can earn is being selected for service. In the beginning, it was just the
best actors in the gang who would get themselves hired, the better to
play the part of the humble, loyal servant. All the Houses would share
resources to ensure the new ghoul would appear hyper-competent,
as the division between the gang members was an illusion.
However, in a case of life imitating art, in recent years the
Houses have actually grown to more resemble the
elite institutions they claim to be. With some
Stewards having worked in their professions
for years, and as various Disciplines becoming
more prevalent among them, the three Houses
are gaining some real bite to back up their bark.
Their put-on rivalries, however, remain just that — at least for now.
All this is to get their Kindred clients, usually neonate Ventrue, to trust the
Omokage with their resources and decisions. As humans (mostly) there are places in
Tokyo Stewards can access that vampires simply can’t. On the mortal side of things,
having Kindred powers provides the family an edge dealing with rival criminal
concerns. Their status as servants also means Stewards aren’t usually invited to the
truly important Kindred-exclusive meetings, but that suits them fine. They want to
avoid situations where they might have to interact with really old vampires, as such
creatures could easily disprove their ancient lineage if they cared to look closely.
However, if something does go wrong, the Omokage are more than willing to cut a
deal to save themselves by selling out their clients.
Ostensibly, the vampire is always in charge of the relationship, but as trust grows and
a Steward ghoul gains more and more oversight over their master’s operation, well…
what’s the difference between representing a vampire’s interests and actually just being
in charge? Exactly.

Three Stewards
Sying Lau of Crane is losing patience. She came out of her House ready to cook books
and fake smiles, but no one taught her how to deal with a complete fucking idiot. She
doesn’t know if it’s because she’s a woman, or if he’s just thick, but Mr. Yamada’s favorite
pastime seems to be ignoring her advice, and then getting pissy when shit goes sideways.
The only thing preventing her placement from being a complete disaster is that she’s has
found a work-around: Yamada’s sympathetic childe, Hoshi, who serves as a filter for her
advice to her twit boss. Of course, now that Hoshi is taking credit for Sying’s words,
Yamada complains that his “elite” ghoul is useless, which isn’t good for the Omokage’s
reputation. Sying is doing her best to save her regnant from himself, but she’s starting
to wonder if maybe it’s time his childe inherited the family business.

Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 131

 Hinata Ryo of Tiger doesn’t know what to do. His regnant,
Asuma, is newly-Embraced and desperate to prove himself to
a demanding sire. This would normally be an ideal situation
for a Tiger House Omokage, but Asuma is so… earnest. He
values Ryo’s presence so much that the ghoul is afraid he might
be developing feelings for his regnant, ones that go beyond
the blood bond. Worse, he thinks Asuma may return some
of those feelings in those long glances and lingering touches.
Ryo’s responsibilities to his House require him to exploit
this connection and take Asuma for all he’s worth, but what
happens when you’ve fallen for the person you’re supposed to
be swindling?
Tanaka Hanako of Fox is poison. She learned this when her
first would-be regnant drank from her and immediately started
howling in pain, clutching at his throat as her blood burned
like acid. Hanako thought she was dead right then and there,
but the rest of Fox House managed to cover for her by offering
the furious vampire a host of special services at a deep discount.
Now, however, the Omokage don’t quite know what to do with
her. A Fox who can’t go in the henhouse isn’t terribly useful,
but some higher-ups have suggested she’d make an excellent
honeytrap. Hanako doesn’t like that idea at all. While she’s
fine with suckering vampires, she doesn’t really want to hurt
anyone. Tokyo is the only home she’s ever known, but Hanako
realizes if she stays, she’s only going to wind up as somebody’s
weapon or dead. Or both.
Nicknames: Stewards, Lackeys (disrespectful)
Touchstone: The Tree Stump, a dive bar that was the
gang’s watering hole before they reinvented themselves as elite
servants. It lets family members unwind and remind themselves
of who they really are. As a bonus, it sometimes has Vitae on
tap, as Yamaguchi’s staked body is still chained in the basement
to this night.
132 False Gods: Ventrue
Benefit: Due to their research and a bloody-minded will,
Omokage can partially deny their regnants’ Vincula — and only
their regnants. If a Steward feeds from a vampire whose Blood
Potency is equal to or higher than her regnant’s, she is immune
to her regnant’s third-stage blood bond for the night. Feeding
still extends any first- or second-stage bonds.
Furthermore, each House offers a special advantage with
regard to Discipline affinities, implying there may be more to
the family’s made-up traditions than they realize.
• Crane: Can learn Auspex without needing to feed from a
vampire with that Discipline.
• Fox: Can learn Majesty without needing to feed from a
vampire with that Discipline.
• Tiger: Can learn Protean without needing to feed from a
vampire with that Discipline.
Drawback: Omokage are driven by a lust for money, power,
and Vitae. This greed seeps into their souls, making them
hungrier for blood than other ghouls. Stewards must spend two
Vitae per month to maintain their condition, and age twice as
fast if they don’t get their fixes.
Stereotypes:
• Daeva: Learn from them, but at a distance. They do our
routine as naturally as they used to breathe.
• Gangrel: Best avoided. The Savages think they don’t need
help, and get testy when you imply otherwise.
• Mekhet: Never give them a reason to look.
• Nosferatu: Flattery doesn’t work. Sympathy, on the other
hand…
• Ventrue: Sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s hooked who, but
as long as the blood keeps flowing, everybody’s happy.
 The Architects
of the Monolith
the new salvation
The Keystone calls the meeting to order. Andy prefers that
title to clef de voûte, as home office calls it. He considers French
an inefficient form of communication — too many articles — and
he’d run these things in Esperanto if we’d let him.
The planning committee is assembled in an abandoned
office at the furthest end of the old library catacombs, a room
last seen by living eyes in September of 1978. Unfortunate
black mold incident. Its anachronisms are readily apparent
from the various decorative crimes surrounding us: The off-
pink wall paint peeling like a skin rash, and the distressingly
dense carpet that’s absorbed more fluids than I have.
The four of us — Andy, Paula, Steve, moi — each sit one
meter apart in a square, forming an imaginary yet perfect
pyramid with the ceiling fan, which hangs just above the
plastic table I’ve propped up for the meeting. The pyramid
is just an aesthetic choice, but a pleasing one. At least to me.
Snapshots of a worksite are splayed before us like crime scene
photos of a poorly lit murder. It’s the kind of skeletal beast that
slips into the background noise of your life and then goes up
overnight without much rhyme or reason. It’s about ten minutes
to midnight by the look of things.
“Veronica?” says the Keystone. I nod. Andy pushes the photos
toward me like he’s raking leaves to set on fire. I arrange them
in a Celtic Cross, then take my faithful red sharpie to the gates
and various proto-exits around the structure. The others join
hands as Paula chants long division and Steve solves to the
nearest tenth. I feel the ley lines entwine in my grip, twisting
around my fingers like tangled yarn. When the knots are too
many to count, I yank, forming one long, shining thread. I tie
it around my target with a bow.
In one hour, a couple hundred rowdies will show up at the
site to party. They’ll find liquor in various caches around the
area. They won’t really know what they’re doing there, at least
apart from some vague signs with PARTY TONITE scrawled
in red spray paint, imbued with hidden symbols of unbridled
violence. But hey, who says no to free beer?
In 1.5 hours, things will get rough, because that’s what happens
when you put random people in small spaces with booze and
magic signs. A minute later, someone will try to leave and realize
they can’t. In thirty seconds, everyone will know that.
This is our design.
In ten minutes, they’ll start to raze the worksite till nothing’s
left but blood and rebar.
I let go of the threads, and they fall away back into the paths
the city set for them. “Done. What was this one about?”
“Came from the top.” Andy smiles like that’s an answer. But
hey, it’s all part of the work.
Just because you can’t see the design doesn’t mean it’s not
there.
You want to join the Architects of the Monolith because
You see imperfection in the world and know you’re the one
to fix it. You have plans you need to see in concrete and steel.
You know the Kindred are screwing around with tea parties
when they should be upending the table. You believe in the
Carpenter’s genius and want to help complete her work. You
want to build something no one can ever tear down.
The big picture
A city is nothing without its monuments. People remember
ruined metropoles like Athens, Giza, and Oaxaca because you
can go out and touch their glory days. Step inside the Parthenon
and know the wisdom of its goddess. Climb the pyramids (old
world and new) and despair at your brief time upon the earth.
Architecture is a soft power all its own — the popes knew it, and
the Soviets, and Uncle Sam himself. A well-built city assures
peace, order, and good government. It puts the people where
they need to be. In theory, if you could set every road and home
and business in its objective place, you wouldn’t need brittle
things like leaders or laws. You could form a self-directed society,
a social machine that works because you crunched the numbers
better than anyone else. The Architects of the Monolith are
ready with the calculators.
Technocrats to the point of ecstasy, in their calculations the
pillars of Kindred politics are utter failures: The Invictus rots,
the Carthians burn out, and the other three waste eternity
modeling the “right” kind of monster. The only thing vampires
get right is where they store their corpses. The city forced the
dead to be more than prowling beasts; it gave them a muzzle
for their bloody maws and a food source packed into easy-
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 133
 access concrete cans. Yet they didn’t take it far enough, say the Masons. The Kindred lost
themselves in the shallow romance of city life, never realizing its structure’s potential as
an avenue of social harmony.
Moving beyond the micro squabbles of the Danse Macabre, the Architects exist in
the macro, working to engineer an All Night Society where no one holds the reins or
cracks the whip. This is not democracy, or even anarchism — it’s mechanism. Masons
believe in total freedom, with no sheriffs, princes, or Traditions to hold back the Kindred
spirit. Instead, their New Salvation will prevent problems before they appear, a well-oiled
urban machine with everything in its right place and everyone in their bliss. This is
the Monolith, the clockwork society they’ll build atop the obsolete ruins of the old ways.
Like the Sanctified, Masons believe in their cause with a religious fervor, treating
their founder as a nonspiritual prophet of the modern nights. Like the Dragons,
they’re tinkerers par excellence, using Kindred administrative roles to experiment
on and within the All Night Society. Via advanced and mystical sciences, they retune
cities to exact specifications, redirecting emotional energies and moving the very
pavement beneath the people’s feet. Their efforts have been mixed successes so far,
but that’s the point. One death is a tragedy; a million, a statistic. All the more data
for a better world.

Where we came from

The Carpenter. She calls herself Ermenjart, but even she doesn’t remember who
she was. It doesn’t trouble her. Sanctified heretic? Dragon apostate? Lady in the court
of Louis IX? Some say she was a woman out of time, masquerading as a man to put
her architecture into a world of patriarchal nobility. With her design for the Sainte-
Chapelle, she became one of the king’s favorites at court. Idle speculation, no doubt.
Such tales imply a fealty to labels she would dismiss as grossly immaterial. No. The
Carpenter is all of us, and we are the needlepoints of her compass.
When she rose from a long torpor at the end of the 17th century, Ermenjart
returned to the Kindred with a dream. In torpor visions, her beloved Paris spoke
to her, exposing the lie of the All Night Society. Vampires could never be trusted to
rule one another, so new mechanisms of praxis would need to constructed, immune
to political and personal agendas. The city revealed this new design through the
secret language of ley lines, the energies that flow through urban paths and secretly
guide human lives.
Ermenjart’s dreams revealed these forces to be malleable, and that if she could
tune them to just the right frequency, the cold logic of architecture — math, steel,
and objectivity — might guide the Kindred race, not the passions of the Beast or
the ego of the Man. Within her Monolith, every vampire shall be their own
master. Those who seek power over other Kindred will find no purchase,
for the city itself will not allow it. Like antibodies, the perfected social
forces of future domains will purge bad actors, using their destruction to
inoculate against similar disruptions.
To put these principles into practice, Ermenjart designed the science of
Gilded Cage, a way of manipulating not only ley lines, but the city’s
physical form. She recorded these revelations in her seminal work, La
Société autonome, the most important book ever written by a vampire.
In a clear, sober style, she outlined her plan down to the exact year
of the great work’s completion: 2600 CE. However, as with many
geniuses, she wasn’t appreciated in her time. The Parisian Kindred
called her a fool and a thief, claiming she plagiarized the rites of
the Sanctified and Dragons. However, knowing she was too
powerful to mark for Final Death, they instead shunned her
from the discourse of polite Kindred society. They burned her
work and dubbed her la charpentière, failing to see the truth
within their mockery. A carpenter mends, and so does she.

134 False Gods: Ventrue

 Their derision only served to prove her point. If they would
reject her faultless logic, they were unfit to rule. Therefore, logic
dictated she should destroy them. But, war is costly. It’s also
shortsighted given an eternity to work on perfection. Instead, the
Carpenter gathered followers, Embracing then recruiting like-
minded Lords. Her Architects would work in the backrooms of
the All Night Society, bending it to her faultless design.
Our practices
Like the Carthian Movement, we adapt mortal organizational
schema to our needs, but where the Revolution looks to radicals,
we turn to the bureaucrats. If you’re looking for a Kindred deep
state, you’ve found it. We are unelected and eternal, performing
the tasks others push down the line, and incorporating our sacred
designs into things as simple as letterheads or as complex as the
harmonic resonance of Elysium. Some call it ghoul work; we call
it keeping our heads down. There’s nothing duplicitous going on,
of course; it’s all in the damn book if you’d read it. We just don’t
volunteer the finer points. The other covenants find us useful
as bookkeepers, city planners, seneschals, and Elysium masters,
and they’ll even suffer a few pitches if we serve them well. We
never coerce or manipulate converts. Reason is our greatest tool,
though it’s always a matter of finding those who recognize it.
We seed our design through quality work. After all, an
incompetent Mason is a contradiction in terms. Efficiency comes
before politics, and our organizing principles more resemble
planning committees than ideologies. We eschew the pomp of
the other covenants, though we admit to a love for clean lines
and jargon. Our philosophy does attract a certain type.
Members who display exceptional ethics and aesthetics
become our Keystones. Not so much political leaders as upper
management, Keystones decipher the signal hidden within the
noise, deciding how best to focus our work in service to the New
Salvation. They have a direct line to home office, as represented
by the Carpenter’s three eldest childer. If she is the Eye of the
Pyramid, they are her Hand of Glory, secular messiahs of our
design who shall one night form the capstone of the Monolith.
For now, la main de gloire coordinate our global efforts and
entrust us with their projects, but they aren’t above fieldwork.
You’re just as likely to find one of them renovating the halls of
power as you are searching through the hall of records.
Then there’s the Carpenter herself. Every mark of our pencils
is an extension of her genius. Sometimes she even reaches out
to us, sending emissaries to guide our designs or put an end to
pointless diversions. Not all of our plans fit into Ermenjart’s,
and we consider her corrections as much an honor as her
approval. How many Kindred can claim Longinus knows their
deeds? The Crone? Dracula? If you impress her, she might even
invite you to her hidden Parisian haven to critique your work.
Make no mistake: We do not worship the Carpenter. She
isn’t a deity, and the Monolith isn’t a structure she’ll rule over
when we finish doing her dirty work. She would reject anyone
who comes to her theories without due diligence. However,
through that same reasoning, we also recognize her as the most
important Embrace in the Common Era. Until the night comes
The Dominate Dilemma
The Architects have a fraught relationship with
the Lord’s words. A majority of Masons are Ventrue,
but the covenant tends to stigmatize Dominate use
on other Kindred. Whatever outsiders may think,
the Architects completely sincere in their beliefs
about total freedom and self-directed societies.
Dominate deprives a vampire of her liberty, and
that won’t stand in the New Salvation.
Still, it’s expedient. All the city planning in
the world won’t move certain Kindred, so set in
their archaic ways. Sometimes, they need a push.
Masons justify this sin in the name of hurrying the
Carpenter’s timeline, but they also don’t enter it
in their logs.
when we make our dreams take form, she is the final arbiter on
any issue pertaining to what is logical, ethical, or virtuous — a
necessary evil in a world of needless ones.
Like the Carpenter, most of us are Ventrue, but over the
centuries, Kindred of all stripes have realized her singular
brilliance. The others came in a trickle, skeptical of an institution
founded on a Lord’s big idea. But clan is not a meaningful unit
of measurement. Ventrue may have set the foundation, but the
others have the tools we need to finish the job.
Nicknames: The Masons; the New Salvation, sometimes
the New Salvation of Steel, Concrete, and Blood (within
the covenant, formally); the Eye of the Pyramid (within the
covenant, informally, but often as an epithet for the Carpenter
herself); the Technocracy; the Bureaucracy (derogatory)
Concepts: City planner, Objectivist architect, real estate
agent, anarchist geomancer, holistic mapmaker, campaign
manager, hippie political strategist, eccentric engineer,
demolition man, feng shui gardener
When we are in power
A handful of princes call themselves Masons, but all too often
control softens resolve, and our design has little to do with
authority. That said? Never turn down a chance to experiment.
If our test subjects even know our names, we don’t waste time
on court soirées and notarized diktats. Ours is a show-don’t-tell
kind of praxis. That market is in new location; don’t forget. This
street is blocked off; don’t pass. The docks are up in flames;
they’re no longer part of the plan. Be glad you still are.
When we are in trouble
When the enemies of freedom conspire to stifle our work,
that’s when we brainstorm. Nothing unites Masons like an
obstacle, and if you would threaten our work, that’s all you’ll
be — a rock in the road. A blight on our view. Shall we clear
you out with dynamite or détente? Up to you.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 135

Sample Mason: Vikki Valente
“We’re up three points on the East Side. Grab the amulets — we’re
doing a press conference.”
Young, beautiful, and a shameless wonk, Vikki Valente is the
kind of recruit Masons fantasize about. Embraced into a typical
Invictus Ventrue line, Vikki’s disgust at the First Estate’s neo-
feudal trappings pushed her to seek out a modern ideology. The
Carthians made sense in the abstract, but the local Firebrands
struck her as the types who’d throw show trials for each other if
they ever got what they wanted. Even then, she might’ve settled
for less if not for a Mason in the domain’s records department.
He lent Vikki a copy of La Société autonome, and that night she
stayed up past sunrise to read the Carpenter’s magnum opus
cover to cover.
Since then, Vikki’s dedicated her Requiem to bringing about
the Monolith. She makes herself available to any vampire who
requires her services, hoping to cover as much ground as she
can for the New Salvation. Fortunately, her specialty is in
high demand. Vikki is a logistics consultant of the cutthroat
variety, with data-driven systems that do away with unreliable
elements like emotion, empathy, or ethics. That it involves
magic doesn’t deter her belief in its objectivity. Need votes
for your ghoul pawn at city hall? Better call Vikki. Want an
“accident” to take care of the development threatening
to uncover your hidden haven? Better call Vikki. Have to
downsize your herd without alerting the police? She’s on line
one. Vikki’s campaigns have a reputation for ripping out the
roots of problems, and they’ve had remarkable success… where
they’ve worked out.
Vikki is as much a thrall to numbers as she is their mistress.
Math can’t be everything, and she’s never found the courage to
admit that to herself, or to see beyond her personal vision for
the Monolith. That the world could be more complex than its
component parts is anathema to her new philosophy, and she’ll
double down on a project even if the stats say one thing and the
results say another. There’s always an excuse. An unforeseen
variable changed the outcome. The circumstances changed.
Someone else fucked up. However, the more she explores the
secrets of Gilded Cage, the better she can account for any blips
in the data.
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: Architects of the Monolith
Mask: Conspirator
Dirge: Competitor
Touchstone: Her sister, Valerie. Valerie found a
place in radical activism where Vikki took joy in the
establishment. They’ve been on opposite sides of several
issues, yet are fiercely loyal to one another.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 4, Wits 2, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
136 False Gods: Ventrue
Mental Skills: Academics (Law) 2, Occult 1, Politics
(Policy) 5
Physical Skills: Athletics (Gymnastics) 2, Firearms 1,
Larceny (Locks) 2
Social Skills: Empathy 1, Expression 2, Persuasion 3,
Socialize 4, Subterfuge (Spin) 4
Merits: Allies (City Hall) 4, Architects of the Monolith
Status 1, Contacts (Contractors, Public Works) 2,
Cutthroat, Dowser, Professional Training (Politician) 5,
Resources 2, Striking Looks 1
Disciplines: Dominate 2, Gilded Cage 2
Rituals: Crowdsourcing, Red Light, Semiotics
Blood Potency: 1
Health: 7
Willpower: 5
Humanity: 7
Size: 5
Speed: 10
Initiative: 5
Defense: 4
Notes: Professional Training is on p. 46 of Chronicles
of Darkness. Vikki’s Asset Skills are Expression, Politics,
and Subterfuge.
Gilded Cage
Gilded Cage is the Ritual Discipline of the Architects
of the Monolith (la cage dorée in Continental domains). Its
invocations channel a vampire’s force of will to manipulate ley
lines, ambient emotional resonances, and physical structures.
The only limitation of Gilded Cage is that it cannot directly
affect sapient beings. It can lure, move, reward, and confuse
them, but it has no direct power over minds or bodies. Unless
otherwise noted, use the systems for Theban Sorcery starting
on p. 150 of Vampire: The Requiem. Instead of Humbled,
Masons take the Competitive Condition if they dramatically
fail a ritual.
Rather than sacraments, invocations employ Ways and
Means, architectural and cartographic elements that help focus
their invocations. Unlike sacraments, these are not used up at
a ritual’s completion.
Unless noted otherwise, the radius of effect for Gilded Cage
is defined by the boundaries of the target neighborhood or
building. The exact extent is based on municipal records (i.e.,
however the local government defines it), or what most locals
would say if no official opinion exists.
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Occult + Gilded Cage
Suggested Modifiers: The vampire incorporates mathematical
equations into the Ways and Means (+1), the vampire casts the
ritual in the center of a neighborhood (+2), the vampire casts
the ritual in the center of a municipality (+3), the vampire has
never been to the target location before (–1), the area to be
affected is larger than a block (–2), the area to be affected is
larger than a neighborhood (–3), the area to be affected is larger
than a ward/county/riding (–4), the ritual is cast in rural or
natural environs (–5)
Convergences
Invocations are most effective when cast in Convergences, areas
the Ordo Dracul calls Wyrm’s Nests. If a character performs
a Gilded Cage ritual in a Convergence, her player’s casting
rolls exceptionally succeed with three successes instead of five.
Convergences aren’t as important to Masons as they are to
Dragons, but the Architects still seek them out, often coming
into conflict with the Order over their administration.
More details can be found on p. 202 of Secrets of the
Covenants, but in short, all Convergences embody an idea,
emotion, or vibe called a Resonance, and are rated from one
to five dots. Dots determine both the upper limit of the area’s
size and the overtness of any supernatural effects. Convergences
often overlap with other occult phenomena, such as spirit
loci, hauntings, and verges into the Supernal Realms. For the
Masons’ purposes, they almost always appear where powerful
ley lines overlap (hence the name).
Gilded Cage Invocations
The following invocations are examples of those taught by
the Architects of the Monolith.
Crowdsourcing (•)
Target Successes: 6
The vampire focuses errant emotional energy to attract
people with a specific “energy” to a particular landmark. She
might fill skid row with yuppies, or pull drunk frat kids into
the financial district. This isn’t a supernatural compulsion, just
a sense that the affected area is the place to be; anyone who
heeds the call refreshes a spent Willpower. These energies can
be as specific as the vibe a certain group puts out, or as general
as an emotion. The only limitation is the Ways and Means.
For the rest of the night, the vampire exceptionally succeeds
on three successes instead of five on rolls to seek out people
of this ilk within the surrounding area, roughly the size of a
large city block. This includes supernatural powers like Beast’s
Hackles. Architects often use this ritual for hunting, though
many employ it more indirectly, causing strange disruptions or
conflicts between juxtaposed social groups.
Ways and Means: The vampire walks to the target area,
starting from a place frequented by the kind of people she
wants to attract. As she walks, she must use a polished piece
of quartz to capture and direct the desired energy. She then
places the quartz at the epicenter of her target.
Green Light (•)
Target Successes: 5
The vampire adds efficiencies to an urban landscape, shifting
and shortening alleys or smoothing out footpaths to better
align with traffic. Even crossing lights sync up. Until the next
sunrise, rolls to travel through the area gain the Advanced
Action quality (that is, roll twice and take the better result).
This architectural warping is subtle, though a person familiar
with the area might do a double take at all the pristine concrete.
Ways and Means: A high-detail map of the area, with its
various paths traced with a straightedge and pencil.
Red Light (••)
Target Successes: 5
In a variant of Green Light, the vampire adds inefficiencies to
an area, lengthening crosswalks, short-circuiting traffic lights, or
adding uneven surfaces to trip people up. For the rest of the night,
rolls to navigate or travel quickly through the area automatically
fail. Triple the amount of time it would normally take to move
through the area by any means of transportation. The vampire
herself is immune to this effect as long as she remains on foot
or has control of her own vehicle, and she can provide others
with geomantic symbols of protection to extend her immunity,
up to (Potency) people.
As with Green Light, changes are beneath the notice of
random passersby, but a local might wonder what’s up with all
the new potholes — and where they went once the effect ends.
If an area is subject to both Green Light and Red Light, only
the vampire or her allies benefit from the effect of Green Light.
Areas subtly move into alignment as the vampire passes, then
fall into disrepair as she leaves.
Ways and Means: As with Green Light, but the vampire must
also damage the map so it’s no longer usable
Semiotics (••)
Target Successes: 6
The vampire hides an empowered symbol of her covenant on
an object, fostering certain kinds of behavior. This should be
fairly specific: “Adherence to the law” would work, but not just
“Adherence.” The symbol must be visible to the naked eye, but
it can be hidden within other symbols or as a practical object
(a watercooler with a strange logo, for example). If the ritual is
successful, all actions made within visual range of the object
gain the 8-again quality if they further its emotional resonance.
This invocation lasts a month, but the Mason can renew the
effect by spending a Willpower and touching the object again.
A different Architect can renew it as long as he also knows
Semiotics. If the object is removed or destroyed, the effect ends.
Ways and Means: A basic diagram of the area where the
symbol will go, with the placement marked in pen. The vampire
must also create the symbol herself, which might require a
Crafts or Expression roll depending on its utility.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 137

Cordon (•••)
Target Successes: 10
With this invocation, the vampire can detain a victim within
a section of city. In theory, this could be as small as a block, but
she is limited by the Ways and Means, and the subject must be
within that area at the time the ritualist completes the ritual.
If successful, the victim cannot escape the area through any
means — the city won’t let him. Bizarre coincidences plague his
attempts: A car smashes into a wall out of nowhere to cause
an impassable fire, or a wall collapses over the only exit. The
Storyteller is encouraged to keep a few of these in her back
pocket. All mundane actions to escape automatically fail.
This effect lasts 24 hours from the time of the casting. If the
victim has supernatural means of escape, a Clash of Wills occurs.
Ways and Means: The vampire makes the invocation in a
legal building with direct jurisdiction over the area she intends
to lock. She must also smear a point of Vitae on an official
record (e.g., a police file, a library card, a tax form, etc.) relating
to her subject.
Gerrymandering (•••)
Target Successes: 9
The vampire gathers a mass of people in a predefined space.
By default, she can bring up to a hundred people, and a hundred
more per Potency, but she is limited by the physical space the
location occupies.
Traffic, subways, road work, and the like conspire to corral
these people in varying degrees of improbability. These
coincidences can be as simple as a rerouted train, or as drastic
as a gas leak. In any case, this process takes one hour from the
moment the vampire finished casting the ritual. If she uses this
invocation in conjunction with Crowdsourcing, she can also
define the type of people who gather.
Nothing compels people to remain in the area once they
arrive. However, any attempts to leave for the rest of the scene
are penalized by the vampire’s Gilded Cage dots, minus one
for every hundred people in the crowd. If enough people try
to escape at once, the area suffers the Stampede Tilt (p. 139).
Ways and Means: An area that could reasonably accommodate
a large number of people, with photos or detailed schematics
marking off all possible exits.
Rezoning (••••)
Target Successes: 9
The vampire alters the essential character of an area. For
example, she can imbue skid row with a few positive vibes, both
physically and metaphysically. Buildings rotting from neglect are
suddenly sturdier and free of mold, and residents starts to get
a little bit wealthier as time goes by. Conversely, she could also
blight a well-to-do area with a downturn. Suddenly, suburban
homes are filled with black mold, and the neighborhood’s
residents find the bank a lot less forgiving about mortgages.
138 False Gods: Ventrue
All rolls to act against this tide of change automatically fail
without spending a point of Willpower, which does not add +3
to the roll. This effect lasts one month.
Ways and Means: A pint of blood sourced from several
residents of an area. She must then use this blood to create a
detailed drawing of area.
Synopticon (••••)
Target Successes: 10
The vampire imbues a building with multiple perceptions
using several mirrors and reflective surfaces attached to several
characters. For one hour, plus one for each additional Potency,
her eyes record everything they see and hear. By smearing
another mirror with a point of Vitae, she can tune in to one of
these feeds for minutes equal to Potency. After that, she must
spend another Vitae to regain the feed. If one of the eyes exits
the building, its feed ends.
Once the duration expires, the vampire can review the
recordings by lapping up any blood she used in the Ways
and Means. She can review this data selectively, picking and
choosing feeds, but by default she must do so in real time, and
she can only review each feed once. She can choose to review
material all at once and instantaneously, but this inflicts the
Distracted Condition for the rest of the scene as the echoes of
so many experiences reverberate in her brain.
Ways and Means: The vampire gifts small reflective objects
on at least two or more people, whether overtly or covertly.
She then spills a point of Vitae at the four cardinal directions
around the building these individuals occupy.
Rapid Transit (•••••)
Target Successes: 8
The vampire uses the city’s ley lines for travel, collapsing
two distant lines on one other for a fraction of a second, and
then moving with the interposing point back to its original
location.
After successfully casting this ritual, the ritualist can teleport
once before the end of the night with a reflexive action. She
will appear exactly where she marked on the map in the Ways
and Means. Anything or one she was touching at the time will
move with her if she desires, but she can only take a number of
objects or individuals larger than Size 2 equal to Potency. She
also can’t take any one thing larger than herself.
Ways and Means: The vampire marks her destination on a
physical map using the point of precious gemstone. She must
keep this gem on her person until she activates the effect. It
then remains at her original location when she teleports.
Remise à neuf (•••••)
Target Successes: 10
With this invocation, the vampire can shift architecture and
even streets. She is limited to a rough radius of a large city block,
or a single building. She can move around streets, alleys, rooms,
shift paths, or alter the layout of entire buildings. However, she
can only alter spaces a la carte; she can’t merge rooms or create
impossible architecture. This alteration is indefinite, lasting as
long as the vampire chooses.
This invocation is intentionally open-ended. The Storyteller
has a final say of what’s possible, but she should err on the side
of saying yes rather than no.
Ways and Means: The vampire makes the invocation over
the original blueprints or similar documents relating to the
target area. Alternatively, she can use any plans filed with a
government property assessor. She must also perform the
ritual within the bounds of the target area. Furthermore,
rather than a Willpower point, she must spend a full dot.
She regains this dot when the invocation ends, or a Beat if
she has already repurchased it.
STAMPEDE
(ENVIRONMENTAL TILT)
Description: Hundreds of human bodies clump together,
moving as one and crushing anyone caught underfoot.
Effect: A character caught in a stampede halves Speed,
rounding up, and must succeed a reflexive Strength + Dexterity
roll each turn to stay upright, –1 for every hundred people in
the crowd after the first hundred. On a failure, they fall beneath
the mass, taking a lethal damage each turn they remain on the
ground. Getting back up takes a Strength roll with the same
penalty. Other personal Tilts may result from being crushed.
Causing the Tilt: Mass panic in an enclosed space. The
Gerrymandering Invocation.
Ending the Tilt: Escaping the crowd ends the Tilt for
individuals. Dispersing the crowd ends it entirely.
New Merits
Comrade Card Index (•)
Prerequisite: Architect of the Monolith, City Status •
Effect: Your character is a public servant for the domain,
working on behalf of the New Salvation. This position affords
her a great deal of influence despite its innocuousness, allowing
her to act as a barrier to projects she or her covenant deems
unworthy. Other Kindred tend to pass her over in purges and
coups, as she’s viewed as too valuable/inconvenient to get rid of.
Treat your character’s City Status as one dot higher than usual
when it comes to blocking Merits. This can take her effective
Status for this purpose above the usual five-dot maximum. In
addition, her job comes with lackeys: Each level of City Status
grants a dot of Retainer or Staff, whichever you prefer.
Drawback: Your character should be very careful not to get
caught throwing red tape where it doesn’t belong. A Mason must
always balance her ideals with her professionalism.
Dowser (••)
Prerequisite: Architects of the Monolith Status •
Effect: Your character is adept at identifying ley lines. She
always knows when she’s in the presence of a line, and with a
successful Wits + Occult roll, she can dowse the area to identify
its major emotional resonances. This takes 15 minutes. For
each success, she learns one aspect of the resonance, from
most general to most specific. With three successes, she might
learn that a line embodies Anger, Resentment, and Family Feuds.
If your character performs a Gilded Cage invocation on this
ley line before the end of the scene, she gains her successes as a
bonus on the first roll in the extended action, to a limit of +5.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 139
 THE LEGIO NOCTIS
THE L A ST LEGION
I hate Elysium.
It’s not the façade or the pageantry; it’s not even the hair-
trigger tempers and poison-tongues. No, it’s that you’ve never
got enough Licks around to cover you. The game’s rigged five-
to-one, so no matter who you bring, you’re always outnumbered.
It’s enough to put a girl on her back foot as the knives come
out — figuratively, of course. No blood at Elysium. Not until
New Year’s, anyway.
We’re in the third tallest building in the city — the best the
Master of Elysium could get — and as much as I hate to admit it,
the view is better than what the taller ones could’ve provided.
The entire world glitters at me like earthbound stars.
I’m minding my business, enjoying the view with a glass
of red when trouble finds me: Fabian Lorenzo, the Bloody
Dragon, seizes me by the elbow. He’s two heads taller than me
and outweighs me by at least a hundred pounds, but I won’t
let myself be moved, even if it costs me.
“You learn your lesson yet, Invictus bitch?” he snarls in
my ear, loud enough that the conversations around us die
in undulating waves. “The dockyards are mine. And if you
ever—” he squeezes, and the bones of my arms grind together,
“—ever try to take them from me again, I’ll do more than
torch your car.”
“You forget where we are, Lorenzo,” I say calmly through the
pain. “People are watching.”
“I never forget.” But his grip loosens as he realizes we’re the
center of attention. He drops my arm with a twist and stomps off
to take the rest of his anger out on some unfortunate neonate.
My arm’s a mass of bruised flesh and bone, so I drain my glass
and put it to work. Charlie — Baron Charles Davenport of the
First Estate — my Almoner, guide, and patron to the world
of the Invictus, watches from the fountain with a rage barely
hidden behind a trained mask of civility. He’s been asking me
for days if I’ll let him duel Lorenzo. I haven’t yet, but I may. As
Lorenzo stalks off, Charlie approaches.
“Please, Diana. Let me show that rogue what for.”
“What for?” I tease. “Dear Charles, we must update your
dialect. Your bard is showing.”
No terms. No quarter.
140 False Gods: Ventrue
“I’m serious. I’m sworn to protect you.”
“You have, from the very first moment I was accepted into
the First Estate. And for that, I’m eternally grateful.” I kiss
his cheek, and if his flesh could blush of its own accord, he’d
be cherry-red. I change the topic to something more pleasant,
and despite my distaste for Elysium, the rest of the night goes
well. I cut out early due to a scheduled commitment and say
my appropriate goodbyes. As I head for the elevator, however,
someone is already in line. I can hear the rest of Elysium go
quiet as Lorenzo and I stand beside each other and wait.
“Maybe you should take the next one,” he growls.
“Why?” I say, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Are you
going to kill me in the elevator?”
The doors open before he can answer and we both step inside.
As I look back out at the sea of predatory amusement, I see
Charlie’s earnest concern. He tries to dash for the elevator, but
its doors shut too soon. My finger is on the button.
And then we’re alone. As the elevator descends, Lorenzo’s
dark eyes scan the car, searching for invisible stowaways. He
waves his hand; there’s no one else here.
“You’ve done well with Davenport,” he whispers. “He’s like
a pet.”
“You get what you put in,” I say with a smile. “But it’s been
a fruitful friendship. And he’ll make a fine regent when the
time comes.”
He returns my grin, and I can’t help but think how handsome
he is when he’s not threatening to kill me. “Well done, legate.”
“And you as well, soldier.”
“Victoria et mors,” he says.
“Victory and Death,” I reply.
The doors open, and we’re enemies once again. At least until
the New Year’s Eve revolution, when our forces will step in to
keep the peace after the Prince and his council — sadly — fall
to “Carthian” knives. Then Lorenzo and I will just have to put
aside our differences and work together to rebuild this domain,
better than it ever was before.
We only need to tear it down first.
 of their regime-change tally. If you know where to look,
You want to join the Legio Noctis because
You were made for war. You crave loyalty no matter
the cost. You need something worth fighting for
— worth dying for again. You want to punish.
You want to recreate yourself. You know
the Camarilla had it all figured out. You
think you’re strong.
The big picture
Once, there was a nation of the dead that
stretched the length and breadth of the
Roman Empire, a secret underbelly of
pallid gods that glutted themselves on
stolen blood as mirror to the imperial
debauchery above. They called
themselves the Camarilla, and the
underworld belonged to them. Its
secret network stretched from
the shores of the British Isles
to the halls of Byzantium and
the tip of Africa at the Strait
of Gibraltar. And when it fell,
it took with it a depth of power and
influence the Kindred would never know
again. The Danse Macabre was theirs, and
it was paid for in the bloody works of their
Legion of the Dead.
The Camarilla may be gone, but few know
its army carries on. At least, its ideals do. The
original Legion devolved into an organized
crime syndicate, raiding medieval domains
on the principle of pay or die. The All Night
Society didn’t tolerate that for long, and by
the 1100s this holdout had seemingly met its
Final Death. However, as time passed, the idea
of the Camarilla and its Legion became a useful
bit of affectation, one many Ventrue became
fond of donning to advance their agendas. Call
upon the Camarilla as you behead a debtor.
Invoke the Dead Julii as you suck the life
from your rival. Gain legitimacy with a Latin
rank. Perhaps you gather your fellow Lords in
gleaming uniforms to perform your “ancient”
military duties. Maybe you start to think those
Romans had the right idea.
The Legio Noctis is an organization of Kindred
mercenaries and black ops specialists. They would
say they’re merely Soldiers, but they work more
like surgeons to remove threats both external and
internal. It’s their duty to protect, whether that
means icing werewolves or committing regicide.
The Army of Night deploys globally, funded by
their work as operators and professional ratfuckers
to the All Night Society. The CIA can only dream
and you need to be rid of the upper echelons (or just the
weird shit), the Legion is ready, armed with centuries
of war profiteering. They’ve invested in weapons
technology, purchased politicians, brokered arms
deals, and made a buck off conflicts ranging from
the American Revolution to the Cold War. When
in doubt, always bet on red.
Officially, they’re apolitical, and they’ll lend
their might to any Kindred who can pay their
price. Their forces have backed militant col-
lectivists, suppressed revolutions for absolute
monarchs, spread vampiric perversions of
neo-liberal democracy, and propped up
pagan theocrats whose sole ethos is watch-
ing their enemies burn in pleasing ways.
Ideology has little to do with their work.
Whatever else a Soldier might believe, the
Legion demands dedication to its own
philosophy above all others: Victory and
Death. The one should sacrifice for all; the
war never ends.
But that’s the thing, isn’t it? It’s all well
and good to be perpetually at war, but what’s
the victory condition? The Legio Noctis has
an answer — change. And once that change
comes, the Legion can usher in utopia.
Every puppet prince they place, every
coalition government they build, every
“new” political movement they usher
into power is another tick on their
timeline. The true goal is to become
obsolete. The Last Legion.
Under the lens of a bellicose
yet big tent philosophy, the
All Night Society is fractured,
narrow-minded, and impotent,
forced to hide from humanity
because they’re too selfish to
work as one. The modern world is
a miracle of connection and commu-
nication, yet most Kindred are afraid
to ever leave their tiny domains. They’re
given eternity and spend it trapped in city-
shaped tombs. The Legio Noctis wants to fix
that. Behind its secretive veil of blood money,
it works to build a New Camarilla, a global
Kindred empire forged by the might of the first’s
self-appointed heirs.
Where we came from
We call him the Nameless Soldier. Oh, we
have dozens of epithets and titles for him,
but none have ever been confirmed. The
most popular story says he was a Ventrue
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 141
 — perhaps the first — calling himself Lucius Romanicus Nox,
a patrician who fought his way through the Julii’s doom and
came out the other side different. But the truth isn’t important.
He is the king who walks among the rank and file. He is the
general on the front line. And he saved us from ourselves in
our darkest hour.
For more than a thousand years, the Legion of the Dead
was a shield against barbarism. For the Kindred of Rome,
it enforced the law and stood tall against forces no one else
was brave enough — or capable enough — to fight. Indeed, the
humblest of the Camarilla’s Wings limped on after the rise of
Christianity and the fall of Rome, but it wasn’t enough. After
Rome fell, some of the Legion regrouped in Constantinople
and restructured its ranks. It kept the peace between hundreds
of Kindred refugees and the Lancea et Sanctum, who hoarded
wealth and blood from the starving Roman masses. It was a
cruel, grueling duty, to ignore the pleas of friends and kin,
but a duty nonetheless.
Yet we were betrayed. Not by barbarians or spies, but by
the Sanctified and our own leaders. They shattered our unity
to create a “Legion of the Damned” made up of our most
formidable and devout, then left the rest of us with little but a
burnt offering. Divided, we could not save the Camarilla as it
died a Final Death, gasping in the gutters through a slit throat.
We would have fallen too if the Nameless Soldier had not
arrived.
As riots grew and oceans of Vitae flooded the streets, he
appeared and took command of the shattered ranks. For the
first time, the Legion defended not an empire, but itself, and
because of that, we triumphed. This was the first lesson we
learned from the Soldier, and we shall never forget.
From the ashes, a new Legion was born. They called us the
Grim Battalion — assassins, killers, mercenaries, and worse.
Perhaps we were, but we were free. Under the Soldier’s Laws,
we reorganized and revitalized. We built our strength until our
power grew enough that we posed a threat to the new covenants.
They sought to enslave and destroy us, but that was the second
lesson. The foolish fear the righteous; the liar hates the truth.
So, we vanished into history. We were not gone, though. We
merely adapted.
Our practices
The Last Legion is designed for war, and we’re always
preparing for it. Like any military, we organize around four
pillars: loyalty, strength, discipline, and hardship. Recruits are
expected to serve unto Final Death, and to survive everything
else until that night. Service begins with a simple oath, sworn
in blood before your new peers. From there, recruits are run
through the wringer to test their dedication and reveal their
weaknesses, their flaws purged away like smelting iron into
steel. And the burnouts? Well, we’re nothing if not utilitarian,
and wayward recruits make excellent inaugural hunts for new
Soldiers. We may have little love for the Sanctified, but we agree
on the merits of crucifixion.
142 False Gods: Ventrue
Our overarching structure is similarly martial. Each project
is assigned a leader, usually known as a legate, who organizes
and directs the op. Each legate defers to a praetor, a general
who oversees multiple missions in a larger territory, such
as a state or even a country. The praetors come from all
political stripes, but whatever final form they believe the
New Camarilla should take, they work in lockstep to ready
its foundation — which isn’t to suggest they don’t conflict at
times. But, if a praetor falls to the fangs of another, it means
his devotion to the cause was secondary to his personal beliefs.
Better he be purged now than later, when it would matter.
Each Soldier belongs to a numbered legion beneath their
praetor. There are presently 19 legions, but for the rank and file,
that information is strictly need to know. And they don’t need
to know. Much of our greater structure (and even some of our
true ends) is hidden from the lowest ranks, including whether
the Last Legion is governed by a senate or a sole consul. Only
the praetors know for sure. Many believe a grand imperator
guides our operations, and some say this is the Nameless
Soldier himself.
Outwardly, we’re exactly what we seem to be, an elite band
of professional mercenaries and secret agents that takes care
of problems other vampires can’t deal with on their own.
Is your prince’s mind infirm with the weight of ages, yet
still all-too-powerful? Have the Acolytes gone too far with
their unholy perversions? Are the Dragons doing anything?
If you have the coin, you have our swords. Or rather, our
Counter-Kindred Logistical Operation Tactics (CLOTs). These
strategies endow our squads with the ability to overpower even
the most terrifying powers of the Damned with our deadliest
asset: Teamwork.
Inwardly, we have bigger fish to fry. The New Camarilla
isn’t going to build itself, and the Kindred require a strong
hand to guide its construction. Once the fighting’s done, the
operation’s only just beginning. Sometimes we leave behind
a force for “peacekeeping,” or to make sure elections run the
right way. More often, we’ve been in a domain for decades,
engineering whatever crisis required our services in the first
place. We love a false flag.
Apart from our more overt work placing loyalists to fill
in the political vacuums we create, our field agents position
themselves in their domains so they can become not just
useful, but linchpins to their courts. To a member, infiltrators
are trained to hide in plain sight: The sheriff’s deputy who
keeps a ledger of the edicts his boss ignores. The wide-eyed
convert who asks earnest questions of the bishop to sow
unease among the flock. The beautiful courtier who guides
guileless hunters to her hit list. These are Soldiers, one and
all, and they’re ready on the frontlines before our ground
troops ever touch pavement.
Vae victis, as the Romans say.
Nicknames: The Last Legion (within the covenant, formally);
the Army of Night, sometimes Night’s Army (within the
covenant, informally); the Soldiers; the Legionnaires; the
Company

Storytelling the Legio Noctis
As with any content in your chronicles, check
that your players are comfortable exploring this
covenant’s themes if you plan on bringing it into play.
Militarism is a difficult subject, and being vampires,
the Soldiers tend to embody its worst qualities. No
covenant of Kindred is good, but the Legio Noctis is
imperialist in a way even the Invictus would find a
tad crude. Be upfront with the troupe about who
they’re up against, and more than anything, make
sure everyone’s having fun with it.
While the Legio Noctis is intended as an antag-
onist, a player might want to portray one of its
agents provocateurs or undercover operatives. If so,
confirm that they know the chronicle’s acceptable
thematic spaces, and that everyone else at the table
is on the same page.
And who says the Legion doesn’t have its own
moles? Behind a front of unity, its praetors are
more often bickering warlords than loyal officers.
Ironically, some even outsource spies from other
covenants to collect dirt on their peers. Going into
deep cover to discover the Legion’s true motives
would make an excellent story hook — and if the
coterie comes away with a few CLOTs as their ill-
gotten reward? So much the better.
Concepts: CIA psyop, ex-KGB, naïve recruit, military
historian, lone gunman, future dictator, overly friendly neonate,
Rome LARPer, man in black, double agent, Tom Clancy fangirl
When we are in power
The Army of Night is an army. It’s not meant to rule, only
to usher in those it deems worthy of that role. We specialize in
shadow diplomacy, installing Kindred best suited to make our
ultimate goal a reality, whether that’s a Carthian politburo or
a Dragon voivodeship. We restructure the city’s hierarchy and
fill it with those willing to work toward the second empire,
and allow them their personal ideologies as long as they don’t
become meddlesome. After all, the Camarilla had its Wings;
so will the new one. However, sometimes we must remain to
help steer the ship, to nation-build, and we pride ourselves on
being fair — if firm — in our guidance. Kindred may cower
under our harsher verdicts, but they also prosper, if they have
eyes to share our vision.
When we are in trouble
We do what we do best. A cornered Soldier has nothing to
lose but her Requiem, a price she’ll gladly pay if it means her
Final Death contributed to the greater good. That said, we
rarely pay it. Even if they do take one of us down, it’s only a
matter of time before the next Legionnaire finds her dead drop
file and avenges her.
Sample Soldier: Luna Ruiz
“Target neutralized. Sleep tight, motherfucker.”
Luna never had a chance in Chicago. She was destined for a
life of crime in her father’s gang, the notorious Spanish Claim,
but that changed when, at 14, she knifed a “hero” cop during
a drug bust. She was sent to live with her uncle in Kansas City
till the heat died down. Uncle Luis had escaped the Claim by
joining the army, gaining something Luna never had — a good
life. At 18, she chose to follow in his footsteps and enlisted with
the Marines. She served two tours in Iraq and was about to re-up
for a third when she got the call: Her father had been gunned
down by a rival gang. She returned to Chicago for the funeral
and never made it out alive.
Since then, Luna’s been pulled back into the life, so to speak.
Her revenge led to her to being Embraced by an enterprising
young Lord hoping to expand his street-level influence. Luna
went from a gangland exile to its queen, but secretly, she
would’ve done anything to escape again. And she did. Her
opportunity came when she discovered a Legionnaire snooping
around her sire’s blood dolls. His noble words about putting
her power to constructive use and building a better All Night
Society were everything she needed to hear.
Luna now acts as a mole within the Carthian Movement,
feeding intel up the ladder while she waits for the day when
Chicago can be a place Kindred like her can prosper. She’s
installed new, blood-bound leaders in the Spanish Claim and
its connected gangs, guiding them from the shadows.
Luna is a woman of contradictions. She hates the gang life, but
can’t let go of it. Young by vampire standards, she’s seen enough to
be jaded, yet she’s still driven by ideals like honor and service, and
loyalty means more to her than even she realizes. If the Legion
hadn’t got its hooks in her first, she would’ve made one hell of
a Firebrand. She still might, but only if she can ever see past the
story she tells herself about who she really is.
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: Legio Noctis (posing as Carthian)
Mask: Idealist
Dirge: Survivor
Touchstone: Uncle Luis, who she still talks to every
Sunday. Luis suspects Luna’s got herself into something
dark, and hopes to guide her back to the light.
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Computer 1, Investigation 1, Politics 2,
Science 1
Physical Skills: Athletics (Pursuit) 3, Brawl 3, Drive 1,
Firearms (Pistols) 3, Stealth 2, Survival 3, Weaponry 2
Social Skills: Empathy (Motives) 1, Expression 2,
Intimidation 2, Persuasion 2, Socialize 1, Streetwise
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 143
 (Gangs) 3, Subterfuge 2
Merits: Allies (Gangs) 3, Carthian Status 1, Danger
Sense, Languages (Arabic, Spanish), Legio Noctis Status
2, Marksmanship 2, Quick Draw (Pistols), Resources 2
Disciplines: Celerity 1, Dominate 1, Resilience 4
CLOTs: Suppressing Fire
Blood Potency: 1
Health: 12
Willpower: 6
Humanity: 7
Size: 5
Speed: 11
Initiative: 6
Defense: 6 (Active Defense 7)
Armor: 1/3 (Kevlar vest)
Notes: Danger Sense, Marksmanship, and Quick Draw
can be found on pp. 44, 49, and 63 of the Chronicles
of Darkness Rulebook.
CLOTs
The Last Legion has specialized in fighting other Kindred for
centuries, and that experience has been condensed and codified
into tactical methods of overcoming their supernatural powers.
Used effectively, these strategies make Legionnaire hit squads
formidable opponents for even the most potent elders. One
Soldier is merely deadly; a team is unstoppable.
These protocols have had many names over time — Gambits,
the Lessons of Nox — but tonight they’re known by a more
functional appellation: Counter-Kindred Logistical Operation
Tactics, or CLOTs for short. Every member of the Legion is
taught the fundamentals of these tactics, but each CLOT
requires specialized training to lead in the field.
New tactics are granted through service, assuring raw recruits
can’t just steal a few proprietary secrets and make their escape.
Legion characters with Status start play with one tactic if they
meet prerequisites, and gain more when they complete missions,
usually ones suitable to their next op.
Each CLOT has a linking Discipline of which all participants
should possess at least a dot. The primary actor must fulfill the
printed prerequisite. To use a tactic, each member must have
Legio Noctis Status to represent their training, but only the
primary actor needs to possess the CLOT in their traits.
Using a tactic is a Teamwork action. This means:
• A tactic requires multiple participants, to a minimum of two.
• Each tactic has primary and secondary actors. The primary
actor is the leader; the secondary actors are support. Each tactic
has its own dice pools, which are different for the primary and
secondary actors to reflect their roles.
144 False Gods: Ventrue
• To complete a tactic, the secondary actors first assemble their
dice pools and roll. Any successes add to the primary actor’s
dice pool. Once all dice are assembled, the primary actor rolls
their pool. If successes provide a die-bonus to other actions,
it cannot exceed +5.
• All participants must act simultaneously. In combat, this
might mean someone with higher Initiative must hold their
action to act alongside the rest of the team.
Sample C L O T s
BANE HUNTER
As vampires grow more powerful, so too do the restrictions
of death. Through careful analysis, the team is able to deduce
its target’s banes.
Prerequisite: Auspex ••
Primary Actor: Wits + Occult – Composure
Secondary Actors: Intelligence + Investigation
Requirement: The team must observe the target for a
minimum of one hour per attempt.
Roll Results
Success: The team learns one of the target’s banes per success.
Exceptional Success: The team digs up even more dirt than
intended; the primary actor gains the Informed Condition
about the target (Chronicles of Darkness, p. 289).
Failure: The subject’s inner workings remain a mystery.
Dramatic Failure: The team gives itself away and loses the
10-again quality on all Stealth rolls to escape its target’s notice.
CONTROLLED BURN
Sometimes you’ve got to light ’em up. Even the sturdiest
monster won’t stand up to a tactical application of fire.
Prerequisite: Resilience •••
Primary Actor: Dexterity + Science – Resilience
Secondary Actors: Composure + Firearms
Requirement: The team must employ an accelerant.
Roll Results
Success: For a turns equal to successes, the victim cannot use
the persistent or active effect of Resilience to reduce damage
inflicted by fire.
Exceptional Success: The burn is so controlled that all
actors gain +3 to resist frenzy provoked by the fire for the rest
of the scene.
Failure: The CLOT goes up in smoke.
Dramatic Failure: Someone catches fire, but not the target.

HAMSTRING
It’s hard to escape when your legs don’t work. This tactic
impairs a target from using supernatural speed to escape the
team.
Prerequisite: Vigor ••
Primary Actor: Dexterity + Medicine – Celerity
Secondary Actors: Strength + Weaponry
Roll Results
Success: The primary actor damages the victim’s dead nerves.
For turns equal to successes, they cannot use the active effects
of Celerity.
Exceptional Success: The tactic is so successful that the target
also suffers the Leg Wrack Tilt.
Failure: Nothing happens.
Dramatic Failure: The target is slippery. So slippery, in
fact, that in addition to not being deprived of their speed,
they can apply the Knocked Down Tilt to a team member of
their choice.
HEADSHOT
The movies always say aim for the head, and sometimes
they’re right. By directing their fire, the team can obliterate
even the toughest Lick.
Prerequisite: Celerity ••••
Primary Actor: Dexterity + Firearms – Composure
Secondary Actors: Resolve + Firearms
Roll Results
Success:  For turns equal to successes, the team inflicts lethal
damage on the victim with firearms.
Exceptional Success: The target also suffers the Knocked
Down Tilt.
Failure: The team misses.
Dramatic Failure: The target survives a barrage of gunfire
unharmed and is emboldened by the experience. They regain
a point of Willpower.
INCREASE VISIBILITY
You can run, but you can’t hide. By covering an area in a highly
visible material, the team can locate targets hiding in plain sight.
Prerequisite: Auspex ••
Primary Actor: Wits + Occult vs. highest Obfuscate + Blood
Potency in a group
Secondary Actors: Intelligence + Stealth
Requirement: The team takes five minutes to spread around
a substance like talcum powder, flour, or paint.
Roll Results
Success: Anyone in the immediate area hiding in Obfuscate is
revealed. This Discipline cannot be reactivated for turns equal
to the primary actor’s Auspex dots.
Exceptional Success: The target is incapacitated by the
materials spread around and gains either Blinded or Leg Wrack.
Failure: Nothing happens, apart from a huge mess.
Dramatic Failure: The target avoids detection and the team’s
cover is burned. All rolls to escape lose the 10-again quality.
SHUTDOWN
It’s almost always best to make sure your opponent can’t
weasel out with his mind tricks before you put him on ice.
Prerequisite: Dominate ••, Majesty ••, or Nightmare ••
Primary Actor: Manipulation + Persuasion – (Discipline)
Secondary Actors: Resolve + Empathy
Requirement: The team must spend a minimum of ten
minutes per secondary actor psyching themselves up.
Roll Results
Success: For the next scene, the team adds successes as
a bonus to resist the target’s directed Dominate, Majesty,
or Nightmare powers, and members are immune to passive
effects. Only one Discipline can be resisted at a time, and the
primary actor must choose at the time of activation.
Exceptional Success: Each team member gains the 9-again
quality on their first roll to resist the Discipline.
Failure: Well, this is awkward.
Dramatic Failure: The target is incredibly charming. Or
persuasive. Or scary! The intended victim gains the 9-again
quality on attempts to manipulate the team through the chosen
Discipline.
SUPPRESSING FIRE
It doesn’t matter how fast an enemy is if the air’s full of lead.
The Legionnaires fire tactical shots to pin down their target,
denying her the advantages of superhuman speed.
Prerequisite: Celerity •
Primary Actor: Dexterity + Firearms – Celerity
Secondary Actors: Composure + Firearms
Roll Results 
Success: For turns equal to successes, team members apply
their full Firearms pools to the target regardless of Celerity dots.
Exceptional Success: Firearms attacks against the target take
a +2 modifier for the CLOT’s duration.
Failure: And… she’s gone.
Dramatic Failure: The target is much faster than expected.
She applies the Stunned Tilt to a team member of her choice.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 145
 Form Your Own CLOTs
Prerequisite: CLOTs are built to counter specific Discipline powers or features of Kindred physiology. As such, every
tactic has a core Discipline as its prerequisite. Disciplines are countered with either opposite or complementary Disciplines,
and innate traits are countered with powers that thematically link with those qualities.
Dice Pools: Choose a dice pool for the primary actor that represents the strategic side of the equation, generally
involving a Finesse Attribute. Dice pools for secondary actors should focus on implementation and heavy lifting, usually
with a Power or Resistance Attribute. Tactics are contested with Resistance Attribute/Discipline + Blood Potency, or resisted
with Resistance Attribute/Discipline. If a CLOT’s efficacy is based on successes, it’s resisted; if it’s based on Discipline dots,
or more broadly effective, it’s contested.
Requirement: Some tactics require the team to first prepare the environment or their target.
Success: The CLOT succeeds, with efficacy usually based on successes rolled or the primary actor’s Discipline dots.
Exceptional Success: The tactic succeeds and grants an additional benefit, such as a Condition or Tilt. Conditions usually
apply to the primary actor.
Failure: The tactic doesn’t work.
Dramatic Failure: Apply a disadvantage to the team or an advantage to the target.

Roll Results
WAKE THE DEAD Success: The target must emerge from his hiding place and
suffers the primary actor’s Animalism dots as a penalty to
Not even the cold embrace of the grave can protect a target Initiative.
from the team. Exceptional Success: The victim gains the Knocked Down
Prerequisite: Animalism •• Tilt for the first turn after he emerges.
Primary Actor: Wits + Survival vs. Protean + Blood Potency Failure: That sure is a chemical spill.
Secondary Actors: Resolve + Science Dramatic Failure: The site becomes so polluted that further
Requirement: Once a vampire using Unmarked Grave attempts to use the tactic or unearth the target through
(Vampire, p. 139) has been located, the team spreads caustic physical means automatically fail. He’s coming out when
chemicals on the ground above him. he’s ready.

146 False Gods: Ventrue

 The Faithful
biting the hand that feeds
Oh, a doggie. Good boy? OH GOD—
AKA: Hellhounds, Canis lupus dominorum
Humans and dogs have shared a connection for tens of
thousands of years. The domestication of wolves created a deep
and resounding bond that’s provided humanity with friends,
companions, and loyal protectors ever since.
Scientists believe the first dogs may have been tamed by
accident through careless feeding, and the same can happen
to the pets of vampires, with far more sinister results. Humans
love dogs, and, being once-mortal, Kindred are no exception.
When this bond is strengthened through the iron resolve of a
Ventrue’s Vitae, something magnificent emerges.
It’s a little different each time. Sometimes an animal has a
sudden flash of insight; sometimes a puppy is born with too-
human eyes; and sometimes a battered pet denies its master’s
voice. In all cases, the result is the same, an animal’s body
imbued with a human’s intelligence — and a vampire’s hunger
for blood.
Background
The Faithful are products of centuries of selective breeding,
Vitae, and exposure to Animalism. A portion of a Lord’s blood
and intellect infuses a Hellhound with a new spark of life,
and it becomes self-aware at the level of a human being. The
resulting creature is cunning, strong, and either very useful or
very dangerous to the vampire who created it.
This awakening can be a painful, isolating process, leaving
many of these animals broken-hearted or alone among the
feral minds of other beasts. Desperate for connection, they
seek comfort with other intelligent creatures, often forging
a single-minded, obsessive bond with their chosen masters.
Their heightened mental capacity lets them surpass any
expectation, read subtle intentions, and react in a precise,
strategic manner to threats, making them ideal guardians
and companions.
Sometimes Lords are wise enough to see what they have
in front of them, breeding entire bloodlines of Hellhounds.
However, this can create unforeseen dangers, as hidden within
each of these beasts is a hunger for the sticky-sweet Vitae within
a vampire’s veins. Even the most intelligent dog is still a beast,
and sometimes, good dogs go bad.
Bloodhounds
As Faithful age, time takes its toll on their bodies, and the
only thing that slows this is the consumption of Vitae. It begins
slowly — hunting animals, then mortals, then a less favored ghoul.
Perhaps the Hellhound tries stalking one of its master’s blood
dolls to see it craves the taste or the hunt. Step by step, the dog
tests the limits until it grows bold and hungry enough to hunt
Kindred. Once that step is complete, the Faithful is empowered
to continue its predation in secret, loyally serving its master all
the while. But, if no one’s left to feed from save their Lords,
loyalty may not be enough.
It almost sounds funny: A dog raised by monsters turns on its
masters. The reality is less amusing. Hellhounds are thinking,
intelligent beasts. They’ve paid dutiful attention, and know
the Kindred better than they know themselves. Some gain a
hunger for a particular type of Vitae, or turn on abusive masters,
murdering them and swearing bloody vengeance on the clan
that birthed them. Others are left alone through the vicissitudes
of fate, and others still remain at the sides of powerful elders
capable of feeding their inhuman appetites.
As such, patterns start to form. There are three distinct
“breeds” of Faithful:
The Unleashed are rogue Hellhounds whose masters
have cast them away. The tenacious old dog that survives
euthanasia; the abandoned puppy who’s grown too hungry
for a young Lord to feed; the mother about to bring a litter
of monsters into the world. The Unleashed survive and take
revenge on their masters by targeting their mortal families,
ghouls, or childer, before finally taking a bite out of their
betrayers.
The Strays were once proud servants whose loyalty survived
the Final Death or torpor of their owners. The dutiful watcher
at the master’s grave; the black dog following the descendant
home from school each day; the former lapdog living matted
and filthy in a dingy alley. Without a regular food source, these
Hellhounds survive on their wits and prey on anything with
Vitae to prolong their lives. Some are lucky enough to become
the companions of other Kindred, but most starve to death or
die on the hunt.
The Companions are the most unsettling breed. These
rare creatures have achieved symbiosis with masters who can
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 147
 provide them with the vast quantities of Vitae needed to keep
them alive. The sleek, growling shadow at the Lord’s side; the
hunting dog with a knack for finding escapees; the massive
bear-dog bred to hunt down draugr — these are pets worthy of
a king. Such creatures are nightmare beasts to their masters’
enemies, but remain true so long as their bowl is full of warm,
sweet blood. But as their hunger grows, how long can even a
powerful Lord keep them fed?
Rumors
“A dog? Yeah, I hear it every night outside Elysium too. Except it’s
not one — it’s dozens. These things are starting to run in packs. I heard
they swept through Calgary and killed two — no, three — Carthians
before sweeping west across the border into BC. They’re not just packs
of wild dogs. They’re raiding parties, man.”
Hellhounds are rare, and are often loath to work with lesser
canines unless absolutely necessary. This even includes wolves.
However, sometimes a pack of Faithful forms, and once its
members establish its hierarchy in bloody fashion, the hunt
can begin. Presently roaming the Pacific Northwest is a pack
of nine Faithful on the hunt for a steady source Vitae. This
pack, which calls itself the Shadow of Sirius, is led by a mated
pair named Daisy and Duke, who are expecting a litter of very
hungry mouths within the next few months.
“The Faithful? Yes, I know of them. My
bloodline has raised them for thousands of
years. Since the nights of the pharaohs,
in fact. They have an uncanny ability
to obey our commands and find specific
quarry — ours have been trained to
hunt Kindred whose eyes flash yellow
in the darkness. Just like your friend
there. Good boy.”
148 False Gods: Ventrue
The Faithful can be trained to prey on things that aren’t
Kindred. An ancient bloodline of Shadows known as the
Khaibit bred a lineage of Hellhounds for the specific purpose
of hunting down the Strix. This particular line has been all but
exterminated through unusual accidents, but a handful survive
in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, where, coincidentally, there
are very few sightings of the Owls.
“Feral vampire dogs? No such thing. That said, I heard some Lords
are powerful enough to just mind control or bribe werewolves into being
their guard dogs. Either that, or their powers are strong enough that
they can make you think you’re a dog so hard that you become one!”
While it’s not unheard of for vampires and werewolves to
come to mutually beneficial arrangements, it would take a
strange and specific set of circumstances to lead a werewolf
to serve as a vampire’s watchdog. As for the latter assumption
above, there’s no way a vampire’s powers of Dominate are so
powerful that they could change the world around them. That’s
impossible, right?
Argos
“Grrr…”
Argos is an old dog with a lifetime of grudges. Once, he was
the favored pet of Emilia Antonio, a powerful San Francisco
Ventrue. Emilia rose to prominence and gained both fame and
notoriety in the local court, and under her loving care, Argos
sired many pups and served her as a steadfast companion for
more than seventy years.
That all changed a few months ago, when a coterie of young
Kindred raided her haven with mortal aid and murdered her
in her bedchamber. Argos fought until he was forced to feign
death, and as he limped away, the house burned behind him,
its halls thick with the ashes of his master and his pups.
The Hellhound has sworn revenge on the
ones who destroyed his life. Since
that night, he’s already
killed the weakest of
the assassins. He’s now
hidden among mortals,
and is currently taking up
residence with the Stones, a well-to-do
family in the same apartment building as
his next target. The vampire feels a strange
sense of déjà vu about the dog across the
hall, but he’s convinced himself it’s just
paranoia. After all, he’s certain he saw
the dog at the Antonio Estate die on
the wrought iron spikes of the manor
wall. Still, there’s something about
the animal that sets him off each
time they cross paths in the hall.
Argos is a handsome if scarred
Doberman Pinscher in his
twilight years. He appears to
be around twelve years old,

Story Seeds
• The Invictus Judex is demanding harsher
punishments in the form of blood payment…
and severed body parts. Secretly, he’s doing
everything he can to keep a fresh litter of
Faithful fed and cared for, but he’s being
outpaced by their rabid hunger. Worse,
the mother has become nearly feral with
protectiveness, and he’s losing control. He
needs to offload these puppies quickly,
before their diets cost the entire court an
arm and a leg.
• A dog is following the coterie everywhere
they go. It seems friendly, but there’s
something strange about the animal. Is
it willing to become part of the gang in
exchange for shelter and Vitae, or is it just
stalking its next meal?
• The Prince is dead — or so everyone believes.
Her love of dogs was well known, as she fed
many defiant Kindred to her hounds over
the years. However, her experiments into the
soul’s alchemy were less public. The Prince
may be dead, but her soul was transferred
into the body of a Faithful. Now she’s out for
revenge against her killers.
but is in actuality nearly eighty due to Emilia’s care. He’s become
desperately attached to Addison Stone, the eight-year-old
daughter of his newly acquired cover family. This will soon be a
problem, as one of her parents serves the Invictus Kindred who
commanded the assault on Emilia’s house, and may become
the target of violence. Pity the poor bastard who tries to enter
that house with ill intent.
Virtue: Methodical
Vice: Cruel
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 4, Manipulation 3,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Investigation 2, Medicine 1, Occult 1,
Politics 1
Physical Skills: Athletics (Running) 4, Brawl 4
(Grappling), Stealth 3, Survival (Tracking) 2
Social Skills: Animal Ken 4, Empathy 3, Intimidation 4,
Persuasion 2, Subterfuge 3
Merits: Acute Senses 1, Fleet of Foot 3, Indomitable,
Parkour 3, Trained Observer 3, True Friend
Blood Potency: 0
Willpower: 7
Size: 4
Speed: 17
Health: 9
Initiative: 6
Defense: 8
Dread Powers: Hunter’s Senses, Hypnotic Gaze,
Mournful Howl, Play Dead, Puppy Dog Eyes, Resilience 2
Systems
The Faithful are a special form of Horror (Chronicles of
Darkness, p. 140), with some alterations for use in Vampire.
Instead of the usual Horror traits, build an average Hellhound
with the ones below. Unless otherwise noted, Advantages are
calculated as with mortals and other Horrors.
Anchors: Faithful have a Virtue and a Vice.
Attributes: 7/6/5 (Physical Attributes cannot be tertiary)
Skills: 11/7/4 (Mental Skills cannot be primary); two
Specialties. Hellhounds are incapable of using certain Skills, such
as Drive, Firearms, and Weaponry for their intended purposes.
Merits: 7 (typically Physical or Fighting Styles)
Blood Potency: 0 (cannot be raised)
Size: 3 or 4, depending on the breed
Speed: Strength + Dexterity + 7 (Species Factor)
Defense: Higher of Dexterity or Wits + Athletics
New Tricks
Faithful gain the following inherent abilities:
• Animalism Immunity: Faithful are immune to Animalism
commands and compulsions, though a vampire can use
Feral Whispers to communicate with one without human
language. Hellhounds understand when Kindred attempt to
use this Discipline and can play along.
• Blood Lust: Faithful can feed on vampires via the Assault,
and can choose to spend Vitae in place of Willpower for
Dread Powers.
• Prey Drive: Each Faithful has a drive to harm a certain kind
of vampire, such as a clan, a covenant, or even a particular
coterie. All Faithful start play with the Hunter’s Senses Dread
Power (Chronicles of Darkness, p. 145), attuned to a specific
group of Kindred or related entities. If a Hellhound kills a
vampire of this type, it gains a Dread Power or a dot in a
Physical Discipline.
• Rending Teeth: A Hellhound’s bite deals lethal damage to
Kindred.
• Universal Language: The Faithful can understand the local
human language. As they age, some gain the ability to talk.
• Unnatural Lifespan: The taint of Kindred Vitae has gifted
the Faithful with prolonged lives. The average Hellhound
ages half as fast as a normal dog, or not at all if they consume
Vitae once per month.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 149
 Dread Powers
Excluding Hunter’s Senses, average Faithful characters have
Dread Powers equal to Intelligence. In addition to those listed
in Chronicles of Darkness (p. 144), they also have access to
the powers below.
MOURNFUL HOWL
The Faithful’s howl can shatter sensitive materials. Roll
Strength + Athletics. If successes exceed the Structure of items
within the Hellhound’s Strength in meters, the item shatters.
The Faithful can also use this power offensively, inflicting
victims with the Deafened Tilt. The Hellhound can exclude
targets from this effect if it chooses.
PLAY DEAD
The Hellhound appears to be dead for all intents and
purposes. When the Faithful suffers lethal damage in its last
three Health boxes, it can spend a Willpower to feign death
until the end of the night. Animals, humans, and even Kindred
will generally ignore it from that point on, and even a medical
examination will confirm its up in doggie heaven.
150 False Gods: Ventrue
PUPPY DOG EYES
Prerequisite: Hypnotic Gaze (Chronicles of Darkness, p. 145)
The Faithful can ensnare a mortal or vampire with its
animalistic charms, spending an additional Willpower to
extend the effect of Hypnotic Gaze to a month.
SNARL
By spending a Willpower and rolling Presence + Intimidation
vs. Resolve + Blood Potency, the Hellhound can deeply frighten
a character, preventing him from spending Willpower for turns
equal to its Presence dots.
WOUND LICKER
Prerequisite: Regeneration • (Chronicles of Darkness, p. 147)
The Hellhound can provide others with limited healing by
licking their wounds. It spends a Willpower and rolls Wits +
Survival, with each success healing a point of bashing damage
or downgrading a point of lethal damage into bashing. Start
with the most severe injuries.
 M nemovores
in search of lost time
Why am I here? Do you know? Please, God, tell me why I’m here!
Why do you keep calling me “prince?”
AKA: Mind Eaters
Vampires are powerful creatures, with eternal bodies and
withered, monstrous souls that (theoretically) last forever. Yet
despite their power, their minds remain human, finite, and
fragile. Their bodies become predators; their minds remain prey.
Some Kindred adapt to the times, reinventing themselves as
the ages turn and discarding who they once were. Others go into
long torpors and wake different, changed in the sleep of ages to
prepare for a new world. But some aren’t so lucky. Sometimes
the weight of the Requiem breaks a vampire, collapsing her mind
under the weight of more memories than the human brain was
ever meant to bear.
From this terrible fracturing, a hungry thing emerges from
the wreckage, a being with an insatiable hunger for the lives
of others.
Background
Throughout history, these creatures have been called many
names — Glawackus, Baku, and even Mind Flayers — but they’re
most often referred to as Mnemovores, or just Mind Eaters.
They do exactly what that name suggests.
Where they come from is unclear. Most evidence suggests
the Mnemovores are the result of torpors gone wrong, but how
this happens is unknown. Most rumors say a vampire’s mind
becomes detached from the body if she doesn’t prepare for the
sleep of ages well enough. However, a few say the Mnemovores
are the result of Dominate abuse, and that when a Lord pushes
too hard, or edits a mind one-too-many times, something
breaks, destroying the original personality and creating a
hungry vacuum.
Mnemovores store memories like water in a sinking boat,
and must expend their minds just to keep going. To this end,
like the Kindred they once were, they thirst. However, instead
of blood, they hunger for the raw, untouched, and eternal
memories of immortal minds, which are far more succulent
than the mercurial brains of mortals. In order to feed their
needs, the Mnemovores seek out Kindred in daysleep and
torpor, and then dismantle them, stripping away their
memories until nothing remains but a hollowed-out husk.
These insidious creatures look like ordinary vampires at
a distance, but up close, the differences become horrifically
clear. Their skin is papery and dry, their eyes are foggy and
dull, and their bodies are frail and hollow. Once fed, these
creatures return to a semblance of their former lives and
appearances, their minds now muddied and mingled with the
stolen memories they’re in the process of digesting.
The Forgetful Mind
If you haven’t heard of the Mnemovores before, it wouldn’t
be surprising. Such stories are rare due to their potent
defense mechanism, an aura of amnesia that affects anyone
who witnesses their feeding. Only the most resolute can
resist forgetting whole encounters with these creatures once
they’re out of sight. After all, how can you hunt what you
can’t remember?
The rare few Kindred who escape a Mind Eater’s attack
with their memories intact become targets of ridicule, their
accounts dismissed out of hand as delusions or lies. However,
as technology advances, the Mind Eaters are facing new
threats. While even vampiric memory is pliant, those of digital
devices are immune to their fog. Their powers of amnesia
still affect those viewing the recorded media, but each watch
offers another chance to overcome the creature’s influence.
And once you remember, you’ll never forget again.
Nightmare Makers
Let it never be said that the Mnemovores only take. Some-
times, when the conditions are right, one of these entities
takes a perverse shine or enmity to one of its victims, choos-
ing to seed them with its pilfered memories or fragments of
stolen minds.
And sometimes, when a Mind Eater drinks a bit too greedily
or regularly from a Kindred victim, he succumbs, dies, and
rises as fresh Mnemovore. However, the Beast is tenacious,
and in very rare cases, strong-willed vampires can cling onto
the broken pieces of their minds and exist in a torturous and
liminal state, not wholly Kindred or Mnemovore, and doubly
damned until they can restore their minds.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 151

Rumors
“Those things are a mistake. A cataclysmic
miscalculation by this Shadow bloodline called the
Mnemosyne, who swallow memories along with Vitae.
We call them ‘Mind Thieves’ for a reason: They’re
able to physically drain secrets right out of your head.
Well, one time one of them pulled too much from an
elder and left something hollow in place of a mind. Or
maybe something else got in… Either way, now we have
these things roaming around and— wait. What was
I talking about?
The Mnemovores have existed since
before t he Mnemos y ne bloodline
(Strange Shades: Mekhet, p. 42) bore
the same name as a sobriquet, but
there are too many intimate connec-
tions between the two to be ignored,
and among those few who know the
Mnemovores exist, theories are begin-
ning to develop. A dedicated Voivode
researcher believes she has evidence that
Mnemosyne are immune to the Mind
Eaters’ powers, and is eager to acquire
test subjects to prove her hypothesis.
Hushed rumors among the Mekhet
say these creatures are the result of a
Mnemosyne creating a revenant, or
when one falls to the Beast. There are
also unsubstantiated reports that the
bloodline keeps a stable of Mind Eaters
as hunting dogs.
“Yes, I know all about the Mnemovores.
However, we call them a different name in the
Church: Angels of Things Past. Do not fear them.
God has sent them to balance the scales, for only His
memory is eternal. Accept your fate.”
Some Sanctified believe the Mnemovores are
divine retribution for the sin of vampirism. In
their view, Mind Eaters are angels sent to earth
to devour unnaturally long Kindred memories,
which they see as an affront to God’s laws.
However, a few hellfire preachers in the Deep
South have a slightly different interpretation. To
them, these creatures are a warning trumpet for
a coming flood of amnesia that will soon wash
over the All Night Society, erasing centuries of
knowledge and plunging the Kindred into a new
dark age. These preachers have begun to assemble
every iota of Kindred lore possible and place it
in a doomsday vault of digital databases which
(unfortunately for the Masquerade), includes
the cloud. If left unchecked, a flood of may
be coming in the near future, but not the
way they expected.
152 False Gods: Ventrue
“It’s a fraud, every part of it. The Mnemovores are just a cover
for when a Lord goes too far and lobotomizes someone with
his mindfuckery.”
Mnemovores make a convenient excuse for
when Dominate goes awry. This occurred most
recently in Sydney, Australia, where a respected
Ventrue ancilla accidentally destroyed the mind of
an MP while trying to overpower his will. To save
face and placate the politician’s other controllers,
the Lord spread rumors of a Kindred fable he’d
heard in passing. This may have been a bad
idea, however, as he soon found himself
suffering from similar symptoms to
his prey…
Jonah Griffin
“Are you my son? I’m waiting for my
son.”
Jonah Griffin was once a powerful
member of the Mother’s Army, but that
time is long gone. Embraced in the mid-
18th century, he was the inheritor of the
Griffin House Hotel, a sprawling estate
near Falstone, England that was given to
his family for service to the crown. The
royal and the wealthy often frequented
the location, and Jonah’s sire realized the
building and its access to the clientele
would be a boon for the Acolytes.
Little changed for Jonah upon Embrace.
He was a night owl anyway, content to work
in the quiet hours away from guests. The
hotel had always been staffed by his large
extended family and a few loyal servants,
and it remained so for another 400 years.
A strict paterfamilias, Jonah shepherded his
dynasty and kept his descendants alive through
careful Vitae use, and “encouraged” marriage
between his people and the local townsfolk
through strategic use of Dominate and con-
siderable wealth. For a long time, his family
was secure, healthy, and happy under his
iron grip.
Then, it all crumbled to dust. Jonah’s
favorite great-granddaughter tried to
elope with a man beneath her station.
Many of his plans would be for naught
if he allowed such a thing, but in the
ensuing argument, he lost control
of his Beast. After so many years of
unbending control, his resolve proved
brittle. He killed his granddaughter,
and then his entire family as the rage
became bloodlust.
 Too craven to live with his crime, Jonah sought out a
desperate solution, one that would avoid accessing the services
of his fellow Lords. The creature he found took this memory
and so much more, cursing him with its powerful thirst. But
Jonah’s will was too strong; his sense of order prevailed, albeit
at the cost of his mind.
Jonah’s power grows with each passing year, but he’s a child
mentally. He’s attended by his ghoul Elias, who was meant to
marry Jonah’s great-granddaughter prior to the tragedy. Elias is
no heartbroken fool, however, and though hopelessly addicted
to Jonah’s Vitae, he sees the power in his position. As the eldest
vampire in the domain, Jonah’s words carry immense weight,
and Elias whispers them in his ear. Tonight, the old monster
is little more than his ambitious ghoul’s marionette.
Jonah has never been able to break his curse, no matter how
many memories he steals. However, neither has that curse been
able to take hold completely. He is locked in a half state between
Kindred and Mnemovore, but soon his growing Blood Potency
won’t allow the masquerade to continue.
Clan: Ventrue / Mnemovore
Covenant: Circle of the Crone
Virtue: Trusting
Vice: Unbending
Touchstone: Elias
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 3, Resolve 5
Physical Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 3,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: N/A
Physical Skills: Athletics (Riding) 2, Brawl 2, Firearms
2, Survival 2
Social Skills: Animal Ken (Horses) 2, Empathy 1,
Expression 3, Intimidation (Authority) 4, Persuasion 4,
Socialize (Hosting) 4, Subterfuge 3
Merits: Feeding Grounds 4, Haven 5, Herd 3,
Resources 5, Retainer 5, Safe Place 5
Disciplines: Animalism 3, Auspex 2, Crúac 1,
Dominate 5, Majesty 2, Resilience 4, Vigor 5
Devotions: Conditioning, Summoning
Rituals: Pangs of Proserpina
Blood Potency: 6
Health: 13
Willpower: 8
Humanity: 2
Size: 5
Speed: 16
Initiative: 5
Defense: 4
Story Seeds
• The Mnemovores can be bargained with if
you have something they want. A neonate
can learn thousands of years of history,
instantly gain a black belt, or become a world
class safecracker in a single day’s sleep if she
can trade something more valuable. However,
no one who’s ever made this bargain can
remember negotiating with the creatures,
or came out of it quite the same.
• The Mnemovores don’t just steal memories:
They trade them between their victims. They
delight in tinkering with minds for some
self-satisfied reason beyond comprehension.
Given the opportunity, they’ll selectively eat,
steal, and redistribute the memories of their
prey. This can lead to a vampire to forget their
own darkest secret even as an entire domain
wakes up remembering it.
• The Mnemovores can be saved. It takes
sacrifice, but if they consume just the right
combination of memories, they can fill in
the holes they’ve lost and return to being
normal Kindred. The cure may be worse than
the ailment for some, however, as it usually
involves devouring the minds of their most
cherished friend and allies, or at the very least
all their memories of who the Mnemovore
was before. You are what you eat, after all.
Notes: Effectively, Jonah is both Mnemovore and
vampire. He retains his Humanity and the ability to feed
on blood, and is still vulnerable to sunlight. He steals
memories through Vitae and can spend it like Memoriae.
He can also maintain ghouls and blood bonds, and could
Embrace, but what such a childe might be is unknown.
Systems
Unless otherwise noted below, Mnemovores have the same
traits as normal vampires.
• Mnemovores have Intelligence 1 and no Mental Skills.
• Mnemovores replace Mask and Dirge with Vice and Virtue.
• A Mnemovore no longer tracks Humanity or suffers clan
and common banes. If a Humanity trait is needed for
supernatural powers or other effects, treat it as zero. The
creature is also not vulnerable to sunlight. However, its
skin turns papery and dry, like old vellum, blighting it with
a hollow, drawn appearance. As a consequence, all Social
rolls with humans are capped by the creature’s Intelligence.
• Mnemovores replace Vitae with Memoriae. A Mind Eater can
spend Memoriae to heal and fuel Disciplines, except those
that require it to spill blood. It can also spend Memoriae to
gain Mental traits: one per Skill dot, three per Intelligence.
Chapter Four: Friends & Other Rivals 153
 These traits last (Blood Potency) nights. Temporary dots don’t
need to correspond with the Skills of a Mind Eater’s victims;
the Storyteller has wiggle room as it suits her chronicle’s
needs. The size of the creature’s Memoriae pool is determined
by Blood Potency.
• Mnemovores have little sense of their original identities,
instead taking on whatever thought patterns they gain from
their victims. Even then, these memories don’t last for long.
Each night a Mnemovore is not in torpor, it must spend a
Memoriae to wake. If not, it crumbles to dust.
Mind Eating
A Mnemovore must prey on sleeping victims or grapple active
ones to feed. Once it controls a grapple, the Mind Eater presses
its mouth against its victim’s and sucks their memories away
via Mental Skills. This works like a Damage move, in that the
Mnemovore gains a point of Memoriae and inflicts a bashing
damage for each success. For every three Memoriae consumed,
the victim gains the Stolen Memories Condition, noting a Mental
Skill each time (highest first, or Storyteller’s choice if equal).
Victims also gain the Amnesia Condition, with the extent of
their memory loss depending on how well the Mind Eater fed.
If Stolen Memories applies to all of a victim’s Mental Skills,
the Mnemovore can consume her Intelligence in the same
way, completely refilling its Memoriae pool, or granting it a
temporary dot of Intelligence if it’s already full. Once a victim
suffers Intelligence loss, she dies of an apparent aneurysm if
mortal or falls into torpor if Kindred. The Mnemovore can
choose to diablerize vampire victims at this point.
Kindred victims rise the next night as Mind Eaters, lost to an
unthinkable hunger. However, as an optional rule, if a vampire
would suffer Intelligence loss, they can keep a desperate hold
on Humanity for a short time by expending a Willpower dot.
They then gain the Waning Mind Condition.
Mnemovores prefer to feed on Kindred. Memoriae stolen
from mortals only last 24 hours if the creature fails to use
them, whereas those from vampires are permanent until spent.
Changing Minds
A Mnemovore can trade thoughts between victims, or even
Skills. These new traits bring with them surreal, dreamlike
memories that are disorienting to the new owner.
To do this, the Mnemovore simply spends Memoriae during
feeding: one point to grant a memory, two to grant a Skill
dot. Gifted memories can inflict great insight or trauma, and,
depending on the circumstance, might grant Conditions like
Guilty or Inspired at the Storyteller’s discretion. A Mind Eater
can choose which memories to gift, but it cannot alter them,
though it can be selective about which portions to omit.
Skills gained in this manner are added to existing totals and
cannot exceed Blood Potency limits. New dots fade after one
week. When a recipient successfully uses one of their augmented
Skills for the first time, they gain the Confused Condition.
154 False Gods: Ventrue
Out of Sight
If a Mnemovore can stay out of sight, characters who
witnessed its feeding must succeed a reflexive Wits + Resolve
– Blood Potency roll or forget the creature was ever there,
filling the gaps in their memories as best they can. This roll
is further penalized by the number of times the victim has
failed to resist this effect in the past night. If a witness suffers a
dramatic failure, they also gain the False Memories Condition,
concocting an entirely different set of events.
If a witness succeeds this resistance, they don’t need to
roll to remember the Mnemovore for the rest of the scene.
If they exceptionally succeed, they’re immune to this effect
for the night.
STOLEN MEMORIES
(PERSISTENT)
Your memories were stolen by a Mnemovore, whether you
realize it or not. Every time you would receive this Condition,
note a Mental Skill. Whenever you’re in a situation where you
would normally rely on a missing Skill, roll the dice pool as
normal. If you succeed, the roll is treated as having accrued
a single success, regardless of the actual number achieved. If
you fail, you suffer a dramatic failure. This Condition ends
without resolving if you buy a dot of a missing trait, but you
must do so for each one you’re missing.
Resolution: Suffer great personal harm or loss as a result
of this Condition, such as a breaking point. If you also have
the Waning Mind Condition, Stolen Memories can only be
resolved using that system.
Beat: Cause injury to another through inaction due to fear
of failure.
WANING MIND
(PERSISTENT)
The curse of the Mnemovores has taken hold of your mind,
but it’s still your own for now. As such, you still function as a
normal vampire, but you must restore your memories before
it’s too late, feeding on victims as a Mnemovore would. Every
three bashing damage you inflict with mind eating restores
a stolen Skill (starting with your highest if the victim shares
more than one with you), or grants a Willpower if the victim
lacks any of your traits. Once you completely resolve Stolen
Memories, Waning Mind resolves as well, but in its place you
gain the False Memories Condition, and must sort out what is
and isn’t part of your Requiem.
If you fail to restore all Skills in one lunar month, this
Condition ends without resolving, and you become a
Mnemovore.
Resolution: Restore all the traits stolen from you. Join the
Mnemosyne bloodline. Diablerie.
Beat: Be discovered for what you’ve become.
 Epilogue: False Gods
The electric candelabra’s dim orange glow reflects on a pool of blood at the center of the room.
Above it, Solomon Birch holds the man to the ground with all of his might, and doesn’t hide his
relief when the convulsing ends. Next to them, Persephone Moore rises from the puddle with
painful effort, sitting back on her heels — no small feat given the height of her boots. The frigid
look in her eyes begins to thaw, replaced with something gentler.
“Are you there, my friend?” says Birch.
The man on the floor nods and the bishop stands, adjusting his loose robe to cover his nudity
once more. The man looks at his hands: The pale flesh recedes like a mirage, showing larger,
stronger ones beneath them. The skin is brown and taut. A king’s hands.
The man rises to his feet, his long hair matted with his own blood. He still manages to look
regal, in spite of everything.
“Welcome home,” Birch says with a smile. Persephone smiles as well. They’re both exhausted.
Maxwell Clarke looks at his two closest friends in the world, his previously uncertain gaze once
again steely and measured. He speaks and is startled by the deep timbre of his voice. “Yes. How
long? How… many times?”
Solomon smirks. “Years. And many, many attempts. But this is the first time you’ve ever made it
back through the looking glass.”
“Glad you made it,” Persephone says with genuine relief.
Maxwell collapses into a nearby pew. It groans in protest beneath the sudden weight, but his
strength is spent. His hunger is beyond measure, and his mind is possessed of but a single thought;
the sudden sense of internal isolation comes as a shock. For the first time in a long while, his mind
is his own, devoid of a choir of screaming voices vying for control.
“I can’t express… I… thank you. Both of you.” Maxwell raises his face to look at Solomon and
Persephone. “I need to eat. My hunger is still potent. Tonight, I need something strong.”
“That can be arranged,” the bishop says.
“And tomorrow…”
Persephone frowns. “Tomorrow?”
Maxwell Clarke curls his fingers into a fist. His smile is awful, and proud, and full of sharp,
sharp teeth.
“Tomorrow, we take my city back.”

156 False Gods: Ventrue

 We’ve met before — you just don’t know it.
You’ve walked these halls,
you’ve sipped my wine,
you’ve let me peel back the layers of your mind.
You wouldn’t believe the things I learned
or the things we did.
It’s coming back, isn’t it?
The fear, the hate, the broken will?
Perfect.
Now we can do business.
— Zachery Carter, Malocusian entrepreneur
The Ventrue make a famous boast: They win. They always win.
That’s the party line, at least, but other Kindred have their own
maxim: Never trust a Lord. Now, for the first time in 13 years,
revisit t he beautiful lies of Clan Ventrue.
False Gods is a complete guide to the Ventrue for Vampire: The
Requiem Second Edition, with updates and expansions to their
original clan book, Lords Over the Damned. It includes:
• Eight Lord bloodlines: The Adrestoi, Malocusians, Melissidae, and
Rotgrafen, back in the black and ready to cash in, along with upstart
go-getters like the Gottlings, Keravnos, Typhos, and Warumono.
• The Malkavia Chronicle, a surreal reimagining of the Lords’ greatest fear
and a complete guide to its mind-bending terrors.
• Ghoul families, covenants, and other horrors to obey or betray your Lords:
Play a hand or two with the sleazy Crassus, but make sure to keep your footing
as the Architects of the Monolith move the world beneath your feet.
• Exciting new fiction from the Chronicles of Darkness: Chicago setting,
picking up where The Danse Macabre left off.
• New Devotions, Merits, banes, and more tools for players and
Storytellers alike!