Here is some info on the seven major clans of the Kindred:
Ventrue:
Toreador:
Brujah:
Gangrel:
Tremere:
Nosferatu:
Malkavian:
Caitiff:
Antediluvians:
These are the clans and associations in the Vampiric realm. If you choose to play the game, you must choose from one of these (but not Antediluvian) and stick to the basic pattern of the clan - although
your character should have his/her own personality consistent within the basic guidelines of the above.
On to the Traditions...
The Ventrue are upper-class Kindred. They enjoy the finer things in life,
and look somewhat disdainfully on Cainites such as the Brujah. A Ventrue has amazing charisma, having an
eerie emotional effect on humans. A powerful Ventrue can dominate the thoughts of others through eye contact and speech.
All Ventrue are naturally resilient.
This clan is the most materialistic of all the Kindred. Quite often, the Toreador stoop to hedonism - though most are simply lovers of art and pleasure. They have the same
power of presence as do the Ventrue, but there the similarities end. Typically a Toreador will be able to move at lightning speed
in a crisis, and many have certain psychic powers. Usually this is limited to simple extra-sensory perception, though
full telepathy is often seen... and even astral projection is not unheard of.
The most violent and brutal of the clans. They are rebellious and angry and often form gangs. They often have the celerity gift (ultra-speed)
and are extraordinarily strong. They also have the power of presence, as the above two.
The Gangrel are the most isolated group of all. They prefer their own company and that of their clan to that of others. They are most in touch with their
inner beast - something which may explain their shape-shifting ability. This is most often revealed as heightened visual acuity (especially in the dark) or
long claws, though many can meld with the earth or transform into wolves, bats and even (according to legend) mist! They have a kinship with the beast, often possessing
the ability to call on them in time of need. The Gangrel are also more resistant to attack than most others (except the Ventrue perhaps).
The Tremere are perhaps best characterized by the phrase: "Powerful enemies, dangerous allies". They hold the secrets to magicks unknown by the rest of the Kindred.
They have a reputation for treachery, but have strongly defended all Vampiric kind in the past. They have psychic powers and the domination discipline in addition to
their alchemy and sorcery.
Only slightly less mysterious than the Tremere, the Nosferatu have mastered the art of staying hidden. Mostly, this is due to their hideous appearance.
When they are Changed, the Nosferatu become grotesque monsters, with wrinkled skin covered in patches of hair. They often have certain magical abilities to stay hidden, while
powerful masters can cause themselves to disappear from plain sight. They have some of the same kinship with animals as the Gangrel, and are remarkably strong also.
Whatever you do, you don't mess with a Malkavian. Mostly because they are all quite mad. The Malkavians have limited psychic skills, and some of the obfuscational powers of the Nosferatu,
but the Malkavians - as is so often true of madmen - are sometimes geniuses. Their wisdom, it is true, is hidden in nonsense and ravings, but the pearls of truth that sometimes spew forth can
be astounding. Muddled as their minds are, they are powerful and can dominate the minds of others.
Not a clan, but a collection of bastard vampires with no clear lineage. The Caitiff are outcasts, and any powers they have will be a mixture of those from other clans.
These are the most ancient Vampires. Some say they no longer exist, while others tell that they sleep far beneath the earth - to be awoken at the end of the third cycle when Gehenna
comes upon us. A few suspect these ancients to be at the heart of the great Jyhad.
Back to What is a Vampire...