New City

So you want to play a Vampire

For a long time Caine was the only one of his kind living with the descendants of Seth, and he was determined not to make others like himself. But, like it or not, vampires are social creatures and after a while they need to be near other vampires. Since sexual reproduction was out of the question, Caine used what he had: hunger and blood. Caine chose a mortal that he favored and drained that person of blood until they died. Then, just after death, Caine cut himself and made them swallow his blood. The soul of the mortal almost slipped away but it was called back to its body by the power of Caine's blood. That very night, the mortal became immortal and took on the curses of their new father. Thus Caine became their sire and they became his childe. This process is called the Embrace and it is in this way that vampires can make more of their own. Death must come first and then the magical properties of Cainite blood bring the childe back as undead, a strange in-between state.
The Cainite Hierarchy
Caine was the first vampire and a being of unspeakable might; though legends exist about some of his exploits, none claim to know the limits of his power. The curses that God laid upon him set him apart and made him strong - the better to endure his punishment, perhaps. In any event, he eventually Embraced several different people; tradition calls them Zillah, Irad, and Enoch. Together, these vampires are known as the second generation of vampires and Caine's direct progeny. Each new generation is weaker than the one that came before, however. Although we have no idea how powerful the second generation is, we can safely assume that they are less powerful than Caine. The important thing to remember is that despite all of the stories, there have been no confirmed sightings of Caine or the second generation; indeed, legends insist that the second generation was destroyed. Anyone who might have seen them probably isn't going to talk about it. These, then, are figures of myth more than anything else. The reason that they are important is that they lead to the larger vampire structure. Each member of the second generation went on to Embrace their own childer, referred to as the third generation. They are also called the Antediluvians, since it is said that they were Embraced before the Great Flood. Legends say there were only thirteen members of the third generation but there may have been more. These beings were not as powerful as the second generation but they were still impressive by just about any standards. What is remarkable about the third generation is that other vampires claim to have actually seen them. Not everyone believes these stories and not everyone believes in the existence of the Antediluvians, but they are just real enough to cause a lot of fear. When talking about the Antediluvians, most of them are referred to by the name of their clan because their real names are lost to history. Thus, the Antediluvian of the Brujah clan is called Brujah. Some Antediluvians are so obscure that no one is sure whether they are male or female and stories contradict each other. Each member of the third generation was said to have Embraced more vampires and eventually they started their own clans. A clan is a group of vampires that shares a common lineage descending from a member of the third generation; they also share common powers (called clan disciplines) and a common clan weakness. Each clan is different from the others and some of them have long standing rivalries. Generally speaking, a clan must also have a member of the third generation at its head; a few of the Antediluvians have supposedly been killed over time and their clans have been relegated to the status of bloodlines. While bloodlines have common lineage, powers, and weaknesses, they no longer have a "living" Antediluvian. The childer of the third generation are called the fourth generation; the fourth went on to sire the fifth generation, and so on. Each generation grows a bit weaker in potential as the blood goes down the line; by the end of the twentieth century, there are fifteen generations in total, though most vampires belong to the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth. The fourteenth and fifteenth generations are very weak by vampire standards and are very few in number; what's more, fifteenth generation vampires are not able to make other vampires.

In Cainite society, several things affect a vampire's prestige - and some of these things are beyond a Cainite's control. First, a person's sire reflects on them just as they reflect on their sire; if your sire is of lower generation and has a strong reputation with the local vampires, other Cainites will look at you with a little more regard. Likewise, if you have an unruly idiot for a childe then you look bad because you have obviously chosen poorly. Your generation and pedigree also figure into your prestige. If you are of a lower generation and others guess you to be, then they know a bit about your potential; they know they have something to worry about. As a rule of thumb, higher generation vampires are treated harshly and poorly by their superiors, while lower generation vampires can demand a certain level of respect.

Name, demeanor, nature, concept, etc. Demeanor is what your character portrays to others, nature is what they are really like, concept is basically what they do. Please expand on your concept in your profile; explain why or how you came to be a cat burglar or a nerd.
Concepts
Criminal
Jailbird, mafioso, cat burglar, drug dealer bandit
Dilettante
Artist, writer, intellectual, gambler, student
Drifter
Hobo, cowboy, prostitute, hermit, pilgrim
Entertainer
Comic, musician, movie star, clown
Intellectual
Investigator
Detective, cop, government agent, Inquisitor
Kid
Child, runaway, nerd, gang member, street urchin
Nightlifer
clubgoer, skinhead, punk, barfly, raver, substance abuser
Outsider
Aborigine, Third World resident
Politician
Judge, mayor, senator, public official, governor
Professional
Engineer, doctor, mortician, scholar
Punk
Club crawler, mosher, skinhead, classic '70s punk
Reporter
Anchorperson, newspaper, paparazzo, town crier
Socialite
dilettante, host, playboy, sycophant, prominent spouse
Soldier
Bodyguard, mercenary, Green Beret, knight
Worker
Trucker, farmer, wage slave, servant, serf
Personality Archetypes
(Nature and Demeanor)
Architect
You are unhappy unless you are creating something of lasting value. Your sense of purpose goes beyond your own needs; you try to create something of lasting value for those who will come after you. People need many things, and you gain satisfaction by providing whatever you can. You are the type of person who makes an effort to build something of value: to found a town, create a company or in some way leave a lasting legacy. Many American pioneers were Architects by Nature.
Autocrat
You must have complete control of the situation, complete control over those around you and as much control over fate as you possible can. Control is the only thing you understand; it is what you worship. Authority is what you desire, and it is what you gain when you have control. The more authority you have, the more control you gain. One hand feeds the other. Others may consider you domineering, but they just aren't up for the job - you are the only one who can do it.
Autist
You hide your secrets from others. Even more importantly, you hide your true self. Anyone who understands you can hurt you, so no one must ever see the real you, or even come close. Give away as little of yourself as possible - adopt a false personality if you like - but just make sure no one discovers the truth about you. Knowledge is power, and those who know you can do anything they like to you.
Avant-Garde
You must always be in the forefront - always the first with a piece of news, a dance or fashion trend, or a discovery in the arts. Nothing pains you more than hearing news secondhand, or someone else telling you about a hot new band. New discoveries are your life, and you devote a great deal of time and effort to keeping up with things. After all, if you're not in the forefront, you're nowhere.
Bon Vivant
Life is pointless, shallow and meaningless - so have as good a time as possible. Rome may burn, but you shall drink wine and sing songs. A hedonist, sensualist, sybarite and party animal, the words austere, self-denial and self-discipline have no place in your life. You much prefer the concept of instant gratification. Still, you don't mind a little hard work as long as a good time awaits you upon completion. Most Bon Vivants have low Self-Control, for they so dearly love excess. Regain one Willpower point whenever you truly enjoy yourself and can fully express your exultation.
Bravo
You are known as a bully, a ruffian and a tough, and delight in tormenting the weak. Things must always go your way, and you do not tolerate those who cross you. Power and might are all you respect; indeed, you heed only those who can prove their power to you.
You see nothing wrong with forcing your will upon others. There is nothing you like better than to persecute, antagonize, heckle and intimidate those for whom you have contempt -and of them there are many. The emotions of kindness and pity are not completely foreign to you, but you hide from your own sense of weakness through cruelty to others. While most Bravos despise the weak, a few become their protectors.
Caregiver
You always try to help those around you, struggling to make a difference in the needs and sorrows of the unfortunate. People around you depend on your stability and strength to keep them steady and centered. You are the one people turn to when they have a problem. This may also be a front you portray to gain peoples confidence.
Celebrant
The Celebrant takes joy in her cause. Whether the character's passion is battle, religious fervor, foiling her rivals or reading fine literature, it gives the Celebrant the strength to withstand adversity. Given the chance, the Celebrant will indulge her passion as deeply as possible.
Cavalier
You are as bold, intrepid, valiant and fearless as you need to be to complete your duty. You are the hero who tries to live up to glorious ideals and codes of justice. By protecting that which is good, you seek to preserve the society that made you what you are. You probably hate Deviants, though you may not always recognize them.
Child
You are still immature in personality and temperament: a kid who never grew up. Though you can (hopefully) care for yourself, you prefer the security of being watched over by others. Often you seek out someone to look out for you - a caretaker of sorts. Some see you as a spoiled brat, while others see you as an innocent cherub unaffected by the evils of the world. This is a very common archetype for Kindred who were created when they were young and subsequently matured mentally, but not emotionally. Some Child Archetypes are actually innocent rather than immature, ignorant of the cold ways of the real world. Children, spoiled individuals and some drug abusers are Child Archetypes.
Competitor
You are driven by the need to win at all costs. The thrill of victory is the only thrill you recognize; it is the thing that drives you. You see life as a contest and society as a dichotomy of winners and losers. You believe all the macho business proverbs - "if you're not lead dog, the view never changes"; "there are no prizes for second place"; "eat or be eaten." You try to turn every situation into a contest of some kind, and it is the only way you can relate to anything. You are capable of cooperating with others, but only by turning the group interactions into another contest: you must be the leader, or the most productive, or the most indispensable, or the best liked - anything, as long as it means you win in some way or another.
Confidant
You understand people and, more importantly, you like them. You are a facilitator who listens and advises. People confess to you and in return you give them advice, most of which is good (though sometimes your advice is more for your own benefit than for that of the recipient). You are very interested in other people, and who and what they are. Personalities fascinate you, as do the sickness and beauty of human nature.
Conformist
You are a follower. Taking charge is just not your style. It is easy for you to adapt, attune, adjust, comply and reconcile yourself to whatever new situation you find yourself in. You flit to the brightest star, the person whom you feel to be the best, throwing your lot in with her. It is both difficult and distasteful for you to go against the flow or rebel. You hate inconsistency and instability, and know that by supporting a strong leader, you help prevent chaos from occurring. All stable groups need some kind of Conformist.
Conniver
What's the sense of working hard when you can get something for nothing? Why drudge when, just by talking, you can get what you want? You always try to find the easy way out, the fast track to success and wealth. Some people might call what you do swindling or even outright theft, but you know that you only do what everyone else does; you just do it better. Additionally, it's a game, and you get great pleasure out of outwitting someone. Connivers play many roles, so you may be a thief, a swindler, a street waif, an entrepreneur, a con man or just a finagler.
Critic
Nothing in the world should be accepted without thorough scrutiny and examination. Nothing is ever perfect, and the blemishes must be pointed out in order for the good to be truly known. Your standards are high for everything, and you insist on their being met. You encourage the same ideals in others, because laxity and low standards reduce the quality of life for everyone. Others will thank you later, once they discover the purity of your perspective. You seek out and expose the imperfections in every person or thing you encounter. You are never satisfied with anything that is less than perfect, unless it is within yourself after all, you're not a perfectionist.
Curmudgeon
You are an irascible, churlish person at heart, taking everything seriously and finding little humor in life (though you may have a wickedly barbed wit). Cynicism is your middle name; it is the tool with which you judge everything in life. You have a very well-defined understanding of how things really work, especially when they involve the circus of human endeavor. Long ago the foolish actions of others ceased to surprise you.
Dabbler
The Dabbler is interested in everything but focuses on nothing. He flits from idea to idea, passion to passion and project to project without actually finishing anything. Others may get swept up in the Dabbler's enthusiasm, and be left high and dry as a result when he moves on to something else without warning. Most Dabblers have high Intelligence, Charisma and Manipulation ratings, but not much in the way of Wits or Stamina. Toreador are often Dabblers, particularly those afflicted with the derisive sobriquet "Poseurs."
Deviant
There are always people who don't fit in, and you are such a miscreant. Your beliefs, motivations and sense of propriety are the complete antithesis of the status quo. You are not so much an aimless rebel as an independent thinker who does not belong in the society in which you were raised. You don't give a damn about other people's morality, but you do adhere to your own strange code of conduct. Deviants are typically irreverent, and some have truly bizarre tastes and desires.
Director
You despise chaos and disorder, and tend to take control and organize things in order to suppress anarchy. You like to be in charge, live to organize and habitually strive to make things work smoothly. You trust your own judgment implicitly and tend to think of things in black-and-white terms: "This won't work," "You're either for me or against me," "There are two ways to do this - my way and the wrong way."
Fanatic
You are consumed by a cause; it is the primary force in your life, for good or ill. Every ounce of blood and passion you possess is directed toward it; in fact, you may feel very guilty about spending time on anything else. You will let nothing stand in your way - nothing that you cannot overcome, in any case. You and those around you may suffer, but your cause is everything - the end justifies the means. Before the game begins, make sure you describe your cause, and define how it may affect your behavior.
Gallant
You are as flamboyant as you are amoral; some see you as a rogue, a Don Juan, a rake, a paramour or just a lounge lizard - but you see yourself as all of the above. A consummate actor who loves to make as big a show of things as possible, nothing attracts your attention more than an appreciative audience. You love people and you love to impress them even more. Though you may indeed be a superior lover, you enjoy the chase almost as much as you enjoy the act. Gallants vary widely in temperament and ambition, holding in common little more than their love of attention.
Honest (Abe)
You have a moderate temperament, and refrain at all cost from telling lies and stealing from others. You were brought up to live honestly and openly, and to be good to others - you have lived your life (and unlife) by these simple truths ever since. You are not a dogmatist and do not insist that others live as you do, nor have you constructed a complicated set of rules for yourself. You are flexible in your behavior, but always carefully evaluate your actions against your beliefs.
Idealist
The idealist believes--truly, madly, deeply--in some higher goal or morality. The object of his idealism may be something as pragamatic as the Camarilla's eventual triumph or as amorphous as the ultimate good, but the belief is there. Idealists are frequently either very new to the Blood or very old, and many seek Golconda as the final expression of their idealism. In the meantime, an Idealist tries to reconcile his beliefs with the demands of vampiric existence, often acting contrary to self-interest to do so.
Jobsworth
You are dedicated to the unbroken routine of your existence, and refuse to do anything that compromises your routine and established practices. No matter how urgent or deserving an individual case may be, the preservation of established practices and routines is more important. Individual decisions and considerations are fallible, whereas routines and established procedures are the distilled wisdom of years or decades of decision-making. Routines are what separate order from chaos. Make an exception once, and it sets a dangerous precedent; make an exception twice, and the door to anarchy is opened.
Judge
As a facilitator, moderator, arbitrator, conciliator and peacemaker, you always seek to make things better. You pride yourself on your rationality, your judgment and your ability to deduce a reasonable explanation when given the facts. You struggle to promote truth, but you understand how difficult it is to ascertain. You respect justice, for that is the way in which truth can reign.
In your view, people are resources, albeit ones that are most difficult to manage and employ. You hate dissension and arguments, and shy away from dogmatism. Sometimes Judges make good leaders, though a lack of vision can sometimes cause them to maintain the status quo instead of searching for a better way.
Loner
You are the type of person who is always alone, even in the midst of a crowd. You are the wanderer, hunter and lone wolf. Though others might think of you as lonely, forsaken, isolated or remote, in truth you prefer your own company to that of others. There are many different reasons why this might be so: you don't understand people, you understand people too well, people dislike you, people like you too much, or you are simply lost in your own thoughts. Your reasons are your own.
Manipulator
You have always been fascinated by others. Why do people behave as they do? What thoughts and emotions affect their actions? The cognitive processes that influence the choices people make intrigue you. Sometimes just asking people questions about their actions can yield important information, but often people do not truly understand their own motivations and concerns. In these cases, it is far easier to set up situations - experiments, if you will - to see how people behave. You attempt to manipulate these situations for your personal advantage, in order to discover more information about your chosen subjects. Some might call these experiments cruel, but to you it is mere scientific necessity.
Martyr
All possess the martyr instinct, but few act upon it. Even fewer live the life of a Martyr, but you are such a one. Your desire for self-sacrifice stems either from a low self-esteem, a feeling of a lack of control, or a profoundly developed sense of love. You are able to endure long-lasting and severe suffering because of your beliefs and ideals.
At worst, a Martyr expects sympathy and attention because of his or her suffering, and may even feign or exaggerate pain or deprivation. At best, a Martyr will choose to suffer injury or even the Final Death rather than renounce his religion, beliefs, principles, cause or friends.
Masochist
You like to push the boundaries and try to see how much you can take - how much pain you can tolerate before you collapse. You gain a certain satisfaction from suffering humiliation, depravation and even mutilation, especially when you are the cause of your pain and have some control over it. You know that your need is somewhat perverse, but you know you aren't crazy. This is just the way you are.
Mediator
The world is full of people who want things; sometimes people want the exact same thing. Some people have what other people want and would be willing to talk about working out a deal, but just don't know how to start. These people often have immense trouble finding and communicating with each other. That is where you come in. You are dedicated to mediating between people - fulfilling needs, smoothing over disputes, and generally helping people talk to one another. You are the diplomat, the middle child, the perpetual person in the middle.
Monster
The Monster knows she is a creature of darkness and acts like it. Evil and suffering are the Monster's tools, and she uses them wherever she goes. No villany is below her; no hurt goes uninflicted and no lie remains untold. The Monster does not commit evil for its own sake, but rather as a means to understand what she has become. Many Sabbat, degenerate Kindred elders and unstable individuals display characteristics of the Monster Archetype.
Optimist
"Everything always turns out for the best." That is the motto of your life, and you know if you can just stay cheerful and stop worrying, your problems will never be with you forever. Some call you a fool, but even they have to admit you're happier than they are. Certainly you'll encounter difficulties from time to time, but there's no sense in worrying yourself to death in advance. Don't worry, be happy, and have a nice day.
Pedagogue
You've been a few places, seen a few things, and picked up a thing or two along the way - and you like to tell everyone about what you've learned. Teaching is your avocation, if not necessarily your profession. In your time you've seen inexperience and ignorance lead to all kinds of misery and misfortune, and it pains you too much to stand by and watch this occur. You are dedicated to passing on what you have learned for the benefit of others - not only skills and knowledge, but also the less tangible assets of wisdom and experience. If given the chance you can lecture others for hours.
Penitent
You are unworthy. You are sinful. You are base, vile and lacking in virtue. You have no right to exist and are utterly beyond redemption. Either because of a low self-image or because of a spectacular trauma in your past, you feel compelled to spend your life making up for what you are, what you lack or what you have done. You owe it to Creation at large to offer repentance for the crime of your existence. You struggle nightly to make amends for your weakness, and your nightly dream is to be able, at last, to overcome it. But you know you are weak and beyond hope.
Perfectionist
You can't stand imperfection, not in others and certainly not in yourself. Neither can you tolerate those who do not do everything they can to do their best, to make everything neat and proper and right in their lives. Though you may be strict with others, it is with yourself that you are most critical - everything must always be in its place, and you must always do the best and be the best.
Plotter
Everything you do is planned. Very little springs from you spontaneously. Your plans are often long and involved, sometimes extending beyond the lives of the mortals involved in them. Details must be exact, for you believe any deviation could bring ruin. You try to plan everything in your life; each thing you do must accomplish something in the greater scheme. Deviation from routine, however, is bothersome, not traumatic. You are organized, not deranged. You tend to be neat and precise in everything you do.

So you want to play a Vampire

The Cainite Hierarchy

Concepts

(Nature and Demeanor)