TEXT:  
  Kickstarter Manuscript Preview #2E: 
  Kindred Religions – 
  Cult of Shalim 
  © 2019 White Wolf Entertainment © 2019 Onyx Path Publishing 
  
  Kindred Religions 
  “Every methuselah is capable of shepherding a flock of devotees, convincing 
  them of miracles of the Blood, and forcing them to supplicate before an 
  almighty leader. Every methuselah is a god just waiting to take on the title.” 
  — Shrug, Nosferatu Mistress of Cardiff 
  Undeath causes many a crisis of faith. The devout Christian might cease to believe in the 
  sanctity of life and the forgiveness of God Almighty. The Muslim might fail to reconcile their 
  own experience with the Qur’an’s teachings on death as a long night of sleep, where upon 
  dying, the individual immediately discovers their destiny in heaven or hell. The Hindu waits 
  for their atman to be reborn in a new body, only to find themself locked in their own damned, 
  unliving shell. 
  It is enough to drive one away from faith entirely, and yet, vampires discover new beliefs. 
  There will always be great mysteries in the world, and faith has provided millions, perhaps 
  billions of humans with answers, and comfort where there are no answers to be found. 
  Vampirism is a terrifying state in which to find oneself. It’s only natural that Kindred flock 
  together to find meaning, purpose, and sometimes, salvation in communal struggle. 
  Sometimes it comes in service to a higher power, other times it comes through examining the 
  Beast within, and rarely, it leads to transcendence beyond a vampire’s base instincts. 
  The religions presented in this chapter all exist within the World of Darkness, with some as 
  prominent vehicles of vampire faith, and others merely existing on the fringes of Kindred 
  society. In your chronicle, these might act as backgrounds, support networks, the sources of 
  powerful Mawlas, or the font from which to draw horrifying antagonists. 
  Cult of Shalim 
  “Do you dream? Do you dare to dream? In this place, our dreams may take 
  form, but the ravages of time and endless march of reality render them to 
  nothing. I can show you a way to end the suffering of hope. The pain of 
  dreams.” 
  — Apolleon the Traveler, founder of the Cult of Shalim 
  The hopes and dreams of all Kindred hang by a silver thread. Their very belief structures 
  have been fundamentally shaken by their changing. To the scientist, it seems that every angle 
  they discounted in their studies as sorcery and magic has been shown to exist, and all they 
  have worked for has been for naught. To the religious, they are now agents of evil, immortal 
  and outside of God’s plan. Kindred survive by hanging on to their core values and hopes, the 
  dreams that make them who they are and convince them to drive on to the next night without 
  falling into despair and, eventually, the death-like sleep of torpor. 
  The Cult of Shalim preys on this fact in the most unusual way. Its agents pride themselves on 
  uncovering the great loves of a person’s life, the small joys and bonds that make their reality 
  bearable. They then call those things into question, expose their temporary nature and sever 
  them, leaving the target of their predations left with no choice but to accept the central 
  doctrine of their faith: that reality is suffering. In some ways, the Cult of Shalim resembles 
  the Ministry in their methods. The difference is the Ministers and their Church of Set wish to 
  replace the void with faith, where the Cult of Shalim cares only for the void. 
  
  The adherents of this faith do not seek a blissful, endless orgy of experience where all of the 
  bad is eliminated. Their creed is far less utopian and difficult to swallow for all but the most 
  foolish. Shalim’s followers believe that elimination of the suffering of existence can only 
  come at the cost of its joys. It is a fact of existence that happiness will turn to sadness, 
  pleasure to pain, and any utopia will crumble with corruption and heresy. This black 
  priesthood preaches how a perfect world cannot exist while the world itself exists. 
  This madness is what comes from staring too long into the Abyss, as many Lasombra mystics 
  have done over the centuries, looking for truths in the emptiness that seems to consume their 
  very souls. Many of those who have studied the secrets of Oblivion have spoken of a 
  presence in the emptiness. A formless consciousness that seems to observe them and whisper 
  back. When a methuselah proposes that this is the very creator, not just of the clan but of the 
  universe itself, it is difficult for the egotistic and morbid minds of the watchers of the Abyss 
  to refuse its seemingly simple truth. 
  The first priests of Shalim have been recruited and their numbers are slowly swelling in cities 
  around the world. As the tendrils of their faith grow, they reach out to other clans, targeting 
  the disenfranchised and the desperate, those who appear to have lost everything in life or 
  unlife. They call to them and speak of the succor of emptiness and the bliss of the end. 
  Binding them with a baptism ceremony, they ask the questions the cult’s founder first asked 
  of them: 
  “Abrenuntias re? Et omnibus operibus eius? Et omnibus pompis eius?” 
  With their every tie to reality broken and their mind shattered from loss upon loss, what can 
  they do but answer, “Abrenuntio.” 
  Out of Nothing 
  The Beckoning provides great opportunities for Kindred who would previously have been 
  perpetually held down by their immortal overlords. However, the opportunities come at a 
  cost: something has summoned all those elders away and, whatever it is, it has Kindred 
  guessing all over the world and asking questions of their long-held beliefs. Like any good 
  conspiracy theory, the provision of plausible answers to those questions can turn into 
  certainty in the minds of those most hungry to understand. 
  Kindred scholars have long spoken of the great and powerful founders of the clans, the 
  Antediluvians. In the modern nights, it seems logical for Kindred to believe these ancient 
  masters have summoned their closest childer to their sides much in the way some of their 
  own sires may call to them through the Blood. Most who claim to be messengers of these 
  entities are quickly struck down by the local authorities as threats to the Masquerade or as 
  agents of the apocalypse. Only the quick-witted and sufficiently powerful remain elusive. 
  One such Kindred is the ancient Lasombra known as Apolleon the Traveler. 
  The cult says Apolleon travels the world in the form of a great black mass, sliding along the 
  floor of the seabed, constantly communing with what he believes is his sire, the voice in the 
  dark. This semi-torpid state guides him around the Earth as he reaches out into the minds of 
  Kindred of his bloodline he feels nearby, seeking those with the predisposition he needs: 
  those who have suffered great loss and who are asking the existential questions of what it all 
  means. 
  Nothing. Nothing is the answer he provides; there is no meaning save that which you assign 
  to the act itself. He comforts them with the knowledge that all Lasombra have, deep inside 
  themselves: that they are part of a great destiny, and that destiny lies in Oblivion. Not only 
  will they end their own suffering, but that of the entire world. 
  
  This lofty goal can only be achieved through Shalim, of course. Apolleon preaches that 
  Shalim is the first Kindred and the master of the emptiness that existed before the universe 
  itself existed. He speaks of primordial deities, such as Erebus, from ancient cultures, and 
  links them back to Shalim, their “true” identity. Shalim is the Kindred from whom the first 
  Lasombra arose, the progenitor of all bloodlines and guardian of the purest of those, who 
  retain his link to the primordial dark. Once Shalim wakes and hears the calling of his 
  children, he will destroy the cancer perverting his perfect blackness and return the world to 
  the state of nothingness. In a stroke, war, suffering, disease, unhappiness of all kinds will be 
  expunged and all consciousness will become one with Shalim, all will return to God, all will 
  be God. 
  Several Lasombra have now knelt before him in one of his guises, pledging the remainder of 
  their time in existence to ensuring its eradication, promising to be the scalpel that will cut 
  reality away and reveal the peace of emptiness to a grateful world. 
  The Flowering of the Abyss 
  As a relatively new cult, the Shalimites maintain a somewhat covert presence in many cities 
  throughout the world. Apolleon’s priests have been mainly recruited from around coastal 
  Mediterranean cities, where his trek takes him, but they have subsequently branched out to 
  various areas of the world. The most well-known of his followers is Michalis Basaras, a 
  Lasombra in the city of Chicago. However, cells of Shalimites can be found in the United 
  Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, and even Egypt where they silently exploit the schism within 
  the Ministry and seek to twist their zeal to Shalim’s purposes. 
  Servants of the Abyss 
  The rank of priest is the highest a cultist can aspire to; however, rank is generally not a 
  concern of those joining this cult. Once one has embraced the purity and perfection of 
  emptiness, such trappings are mere words in your mind, though the priests are those who 
  speak directly with Apolleon and, through him, to Shalim itself. The cultists consider 
  themselves equal, since they are all part of the same problem. They often meet in what appear 
  to be nothing more than self-help groups or religious discussion classes, discussing their 
  problems and their hopes for the future. This is a guise they use to lure those seeking help to 
  their side, and to gain their trust. 
  Priests of Shalim are always Lasombra who have been touched by Apolleon. His predations 
  vary from subject to subject: some kneel having only heard the word and accepted it, such as 
  Rabbi Basaras; others must be more directly “convinced,” such as Gamal Hajjar of Cairo 
  whose every happy memory was annihilated by the methuselah over a period of several 
  months. Each one of them is only released by Apolleon when he considers their faith in the 
  coming end to be incorruptible. 
  Shalimite Rites 
  Very little of this young faith has been formally codified; indeed, their practices and 
  approaches seem to vary from cell to cell. Only through their correspondence do the priests 
  share their stories of success and failure, refining their methods. 
  Gematria 
  They write using a coded cipher that involves translating their writings into numbers using 
  the system of gematria. For that reason, all the coded letters are written in Hebrew and priests 
  are required to learn it by rote to ensure their messages can be understood. These letters are 
  often disguised as missives being sent to their distant sires or friends and it is not entirely 
  
  strange for such correspondence to be encrypted, to preserve not only any secrets inside but 
  also the Masquerade should the letters be intercepted. 
  Abyssal Consecration 
  “Do you feel it? Do you hear it? Is it not like God?” 
  — Rabbi Michalis Basaras, Priest of the Cult of Shalim 
  New cultists, once stripped of their hope, are brought into the service of Shalim through a 
  ritual akin to a baptism. The priest coats the supplicant in shadow, placing their hands on the 
  shoulders of the new member to comfort them and hold them steady in the endless, unfeeling 
  darkness. They ask the convert if they renounce reality itself, and all its various trappings. By 
  the time this rite is performed, the supplicant’s mind is usually broken, however even those 
  with slight doubts as to the presence of Shalim are faced with the dark truth as they feel his 
  presence in that cloud. Some emerge claiming to have heard an indistinct voice, or even to 
  have received visions and instructions from the master of the cult. 
  Dark Purpose 
  The end goal of the cult is clear, though the method of achieving it has not been made clear at 
  all. Different priests preach different ideas on how to bring about the coming end, others say 
  the cult need only be ready to embrace it and focus on eradicating those who would prevent 
  it. 
  In general terms, the cult targets anyone who seeks to gain knowledge of their activities with 
  a view to shutting them down. Usually, they seek to utterly discredit them instead of killing 
  them at the first instant. Of course, the cult thinks nothing of killing if necessary; the reality 
  of a person is simply another part of what must be ultimately destroyed. Kindred in their 
  service find themselves twisting their Humanity and replacing it with a horrific version of the 
  cult’s credo. 
  Fundamentally, though the methods vary, the goal remains united. The cult seeks to awaken 
  Shalim from his dreaming and bring about the end of reality, uniting everyone in their great 
  heaven and bringing them back into Oblivion from whence they came. 
  Enemies 
  The cult has no known apostates, or at least any who may have tried to leave the cult haven’t 
  been willing or able to speak of their experience. But it does have many critics: failed 
  conversions would be the first among them, since nothing embitters a person more than 
  finding out the people who purported to be helping you were sabotaging your every attempt 
  at happiness. Investigators and Kindred who tend toward cynicism are also opposed to the 
  view of this cult and tend to treat its members or those who spend too much time around them 
  with suspicion. 
  Some Princes are aware of the cult’s presence but see them as little more than an esoteric 
  distraction for the Kindred of their city. If the cult seems benign and gives no sign of their 
  intention to annihilate the Prince’s domain, those who are aware are willing to tolerate their 
  activities. The first defense of the cult is its secrecy, however, and they tend not to formally 
  announce themselves and avoid associating outside of their joint activities in places where 
  they know they can speak freely. 
  Malkavians often feel nervous in the presence of Shalimites; they recognize madness when 
  they see it, regardless of the veneer of civility it is hidden behind. 
  Artifacts and Symbology 
  
  The cult’s symbol is of a hollow person, often portrayed as a simple human figure with a hole 
  cut out from the center. While this may seem a quite morbid symbol, evincing a great 
  depression, the cultist would tell you that it is the hollow they revere above all. Take away 
  the human shape around it and the sadness of the symbol is gone. There is nothing depressing 
  about emptiness unless you obsess yourself with the never-ending task of filling it. 
  It is rare for cultists to identify themselves by such outward signs. Instead, they speak the 
  phrase “Shin-lamed-mem” to identify themselves to each other. This simple greeting is 
  unusual enough for cultists to recognize it without being suspicious to outsiders, since it is the 
  root of the traditional Hebrew greeting, “shalom,” and of their cult’s eternal master. 
  Cult priests carry with them small books, normally bound in black leather, containing lists of 
  dates, places and names. These indicate sightings of Apolleon by their brotherhood and list 
  the names of targets of his predations for induction into the priesthood. Through their 
  network, they also suggest promising members of their own cults who the methuselah may be 
  interested in converting or who may be ripe for the embrace, being raised as Kindred in the 
  emptiness of Shalim’s truth. 
  Mortal Servants 
  No creature is considered anathema to the cult if it truly seeks to supplicate itself before the 
  Master of the Abyss. While many of their members are Kindred, there are a good number of 
  mortals within each cell, often chosen for their positions in the local society or the access 
  they can afford the cultists to materials or information they require to conduct their activities. 
  The religious community are often among the most widely targeted by cult historians and 
  archaeologists, particularly those with interest in Mesopotamian and ancient Greek culture. 
  The cult in Palermo, Sicily is determined to gain ownership of the site of Castel d’Ombro and 
  reconsecrate it as the first altar of Shalim. Through various organizations, both religious and 
  criminal, they seek to achieve this aim. However, the cult fears crossover with the Hecata in 
  this area as they share much of the cult’s knowledge of Oblivion. 
  Shalimite Convictions 
  The Cult of Shalim practices a regular dance with self-destruction. Nihilistic 
  cults are, as the word implies, prone to implosion. Such behavior leaves a mark 
  on one’s soul, especially if a Shalimite is drawn to destroy others in an effort to 
  prove the pointlessness of existence. The following Convictions are common, 
  if just to stave off the inevitability of Oblivion for long enough to spread their 
  word: 
  •  
  Never allow yourself to celebrate life 
  Life’s purpose is to end, and you can help hasten it. What you must never, ever 
  do, is make the mistake of seeking joy through life’s existence. 
  •  
  Never lose your temper with failure 
  Whether faced with your own failure or that of a new convert, anger is a wasteful 
  emotion and failure is best addressed through passivity or correction. 
  •  
  Always work to impede those who would control chaos 
  You are not a Setite, so allow misrule to unravel naturally or remove its 
  obstructions without attempting to channel it. 
  •  
  Only allow Embraces that further the destruction of society 
  There is no gain to be had from Embracing someone as a reward or permitting 
  others to do so. The Embrace is Oblivion channeled into an unliving vessel. 
  
  •  
  Do not succumb to the allure of prosperity 
  The less you own, the closer you are to nothingness. Absence is utter freedom 
  and material objects tie you to life. 
  •  
  Never maintain or protect more than a single mortal of importance 
  While the need to cling on to the kine is recognized as an anchor in a 
  tempestuous ocean, more than one is an extravagance. 
  Shalimite Operations: Fukuoka 
  On one hand the Cult of Shalim is one of the least expansionist cults, rarely seeking converts 
  with any passion. On the other, the Shalimites are among the most pernicious, corrosive cults 
  in Kindred society, even when they’re not trying to be so. It’s difficult to convince a vampire 
  to give up all hope and material purpose, which is why the Shalimites usually target those 
  already on the edge of losing everything, or vampires who have already experienced exile, a 
  loss of Touchstones, or the death of their last remaining mortal family member. The cult has 
  experienced dramatic success in finding targets and converts in the domain of Fukuoka, 
  which spells ill tidings for the other Kindred in the Japanese city. 
  A conservative domain with a rigid hierarchy, Fukuoka has a defined way of rewarding the 
  elders, the Mawlas, and the powerbrokers, while keeping the fledglings and Anarchs under 
  heel. Most move on to other domains when they realize raging against the machine in this 
  city is fruitless, but some remain, because Fukuoka is what they know, because the 
  underground Anarch scene embraces everything insane about Fukuoka’s nightlife and myriad 
  of subcultures, and because it feels like abandoning Fukuoka is abandoning a city with a 
  pulse.  
  This is where the Cult of Shalim come in. The Shalimites in Fukuoka appeared organically, 
  with their first member — a clanless vampire named Ryoko — having been the victim of the 
  domain punishment named “oyogu” or “the swim,” where a vampire Embraced without 
  permission has their hands, feet, and tongue removed and their body cast into the Chikugo 
  River. The trial takes place before dawn and few vampires survive the ordeal. Ryoko herself 
  disappeared for three months before returning with her body healed and her mind committed 
  to the worship of void, which she only recently gave the name “Shalim.” Ryoko spoke with 
  her fellow mistreated fledglings and told them of the wisdom she experienced in the dark 
  waters, and while few listened, a couple tried to replicate her experience. They likewise 
  returned three months later, changed and possessed of a desire to erode the fabricated society 
  that for so long has kept Kindred from wisdom. 
  The Cult of Shalim appeals to the young vampires of Fukuoka in a few ways. For those with 
  a genuine esoteric interest, the idea of finding wisdom buried in the city’s waterways holds 
  appeal, as their elders never pass down such knowledge. The vampires of Anarch leaning see 
  the water burial — which many have since attempted, with more casualties than returns — as 
  a proof of commitment to the Movement, and the Cult of Shalim as the vanguard against the 
  establishment. Many other fledglings just feel a worship of nothingness is cool, that 
  destruction is enjoyable, and joining a group where wearing black is “in” and influence and 
  wealth mean less than action is a more rewarding way to spend an unlife than playing gopher 
  for their sires. 
  Perspectives 
  Anarchs: They seem to want to exterminate us wherever they find us. They believe we serve 
  powerful elders who seek to crush their freedoms. They are blind. We serve the absence of all 
  things. 
  
  Camarilla: While it’s not ideal, this is just another way of getting our childer through the 
  long nights. The Camarilla preaches blissful ignorance in all things, and one cannot find 
  fault in that, if it redirects those with curiosity to our ranks. 
  Clan Lasombra: The clan from which we draw our greatest number and inspiration, yet 
  many of them look upon us with horror, as if worshiping the tools we use is some kind of sin. 
  Clan Malkavian: I believe sensory deprivation is the key to soothing even the wildest of 
  minds. Find a Malkavian and introduce them to our cause. They will eat it up. 
  Hecata: Interesting idea, narrow vision. I’m sure it’s comforting to them to think that 
  everything is about flesh and spirit, but for us, it goes much deeper. The Hecata who worship 
  what we worship are known as Nagaraja, but they are so few. 
  The Ministry: The snake may shed its skin and pretend to be something it is not, but we 
  know. Their Church of Set is a half-measure. They exist only to satisfy their own desires. 
  “Porcelain” Patricia Montgomery 
  Epitaph: Cultist or Apostate? 
  Quote: “I may be a little touched but I can’t be the only one who sees.” 
  Clan: Malkavian 
  Mortal Days: Thrill Seeker 
  Patricia was the youngest child of a wealthy family from Denver. Her parents made sure that 
  Patricia and her brother, Morgan, fell in love with the great outdoors, regularly taking them 
  out to their holiday home near the Rockies, where they would engage in pursuits from horse 
  rides to rock climbing. 
  As she grew older, with the trust fund afforded by the family business behind her, Patricia 
  dedicated herself to the enjoyment of life. She eschewed further education and concentrated 
  on scaling her own personal mountains, real or metaphorical. She targeted being the first 
  female to scale all the great peaks of the world and became something of an internet 
  personality in her attempts to do so. This brought her attention and niche fame as a fitness 
  guru and socialite, with energy drink and health supplement companies lining up to gain her 
  endorsement on social media. 
  While she traveled the world, met and slept with interesting and beautiful people, and 
  performed stunts in exotic locales, her brother managed the family business into the financial 
  crisis. His risky investments had funded Patricia’s lifestyle and his parents’ retirements. 
  When those investments came home to roost, Patricia’s fledgling career could have saved the 
  company from bankruptcy. However, Morgan refused to ask for her help. By the time 
  Patricia discovered the full extent of the problem, her brother faced several charges of insider 
  trading and a string of angry creditors who wanted blood. He answered those charges with the 
  blare of a pistol into his own mouth. 
  Patricia returned to Denver to mourn her brother only to find her parents embittered at how 
  she had seemingly abandoned him, too ignorant to notice what was going on in the “real 
  world.” 
  After a major falling-out at the funeral, they never spoke again. 
  Afterwards, Patricia threw herself into dangerous activities. She garnered ever more 
  followers who saw her as an inspiration, while others called her a fraud, nothing more than a 
  
  rich girl who always had everything handed to her, who made more money selling products 
  than the people that produced them. 
  Her descent into depression, as well as her torn state between the life she forged and what she 
  saw as the responsibility of home, caught the attention of her sire. As she enjoyed an 
  exclusive concert by the band Baby Chorus in an underground club in Chicago, she threw 
  herself upon their suave bass player and became his childe. 
  Kindred Nights: Empty Eternity 
  Patricia had many problems to overcome as a Kindred. Her sire, Raymond Falcon, 
  disappeared almost as soon as he had Embraced her. Whenever he reappeared, he seemed 
  different, like he didn’t remember her or the night they shared. 
  Her tutelage was left to the Primogen of Clan Malkavian, and he was only too happy to have 
  a new plaything to break. He had her perform one final stunt for her followers to enjoy, 
  hanging herself in a hotel room on live stream. 
  After Son recovered her from the morgue, he introduced her to two things. First, the many 
  comments mocking her death. “Another dead rich bitch” could have been the carving on her 
  headstone. 
  Second, Patricia’s face was far too famous to be seen roaming around the city. She’d have to 
  travel incognito, and he had just the way to do it. A Porcelain Noh mask was surgically 
  stapled to her head, etched with a beatific smile. Son stated that were she ever to take it off, 
  she would be burned as a Masquerade breach. 
  “Don’t worry.” he mused, “Now you always look happy, no matter what!” 
  The Kindred at court were no kinder than internet trolls when Patricia was introduced at 
  Elysium. “Porcelain Pat” they called her. Patricia’s eyes swiveled around the room, her 
  anguish stifled by the saintly smile of the mask. Everyone laughed, all but one. 
  The rabbi approached her, seeming genuinely interested in her and the losses she had 
  suffered. Even in her depression, she found him sitting silently by her, a reassuring presence. 
  He whispered to her and spoke of salvation that she could find if she would let go of her pain. 
  After a year of listening to his sermons, the rabbi felt she was ready. He offered her a place in 
  the Cult of Shalim and an answer to her cries for deliverance from the suffering of her life. 
  Patricia wanted to believe him, but the idea that everything she had seen meant nothing 
  proved too much for her. She had dreamed of climbing all the great peaks. Maybe she 
  couldn’t do that now, but could she accept that the mountains themselves were abominations 
  that should be expunged so humanity could finally know true peace? 
  She fled the synagogue and threw herself upon the mercy of anyone she could find. The 
  Prince, her sire, her clanmates. As she ranted of the lowly rabbi’s great plan of destruction, it 
  was clear to the court that she was truly mad. Son seemed amused by it, far too amused by 
  her sudden isolation and pariah status to consider that she might be right. 
  To this night, she continues her crusade to expose the cult for what it is. But even as she does 
  so, she can’t escape the nagging doubt at the back of her mind that maybe Basaras was right. 
  Plots and Schemes:  
  •  
  Expose the Cult: Patricia is horrified at the existence of the Cult of Shalim. Even 
  though her mind is racked with doubt and depression, she attempts to convince anyone who 
  will listen of their threat. 
  
  •  
  Recruitment Target: Although she is currently campaigning against the Cult, the 
  mockery of her contemporaries, coupled with the complete absence of her sire, leaves her 
  wondering if she shouldn’t step into the darkness herself. 
  •  
  Famous Face: Patricia is shackled by her fame. Though it causes her pain, both 
  emotional and physical, she must continue to wear her mask at all times or face the Blood 
  Hunt, feeding through its detachable lower quarter. Furthermore, she cannot travel freely and 
  relies on the patronage of Nosferatu who pity her plight. 
  Domain and Haven:  
  •  
  Apartment, Lincoln Park (Haven 1) What little money she was able to secret out of 
  her personal funds has gone into purchasing a modest apartment for her use. She has no other 
  haven or domain, though she does not always sleep here if other Kindred are willing to put 
  her up for a day to avoid her predatory stalker. 
  Thralls and Tools:  
  •  
  Cultists (Herd 2) Mortal members of the Cult of Shalim often approach Patricia as 
  sympathetic ears and easy meals and whisper heretical thoughts into her broken mind. 
  •  
  Connected (Influence 3) Although she cannot act on her own these days, Patricia’s 
  knowledge of who to talk to inside many of the social circles and advertising companies in 
  the city is rivaled by few. 
  •  
  Montgomery Trust Fund (Resources 2) Son had himself placed as the executor of 
  her trust fund but continues to disburse it with mocking contempt, always reminding Patricia 
  that she’s just “another dead rich bitch.” 
  Kindred Relationships:  
  •  
  Evan Klein (Occasional Lucidity) In the guise of Raymond Falcon, Evan is 
  Patricia’s sire. Though often absent, he’s likely to believe her tale -— for all the good his 
  support would do her at court. 
  •  
  Alphonse Gabriel Capone (Exploitative) Capone is in search of new allies and he 
  has one eye on Patricia’s former contacts as well as the remains of her family’s estate. It 
  could be just the score he needs to get back on top. 
  •  
  Rabbi Michalis Basaras (Erstwhile Mentor) Though she is attempting to expose the 
  cult, Basaras holds out hope that Patricia will return to the fold once her final ties to the world 
  fall away. He aids in this by making sure she remains a laughing stock at court. 
  Whispers:  
  •  
  Remember Me: Patricia has been known to favor those who treat her with kindness, 
  especially if they talk to her positively about her former life. 
  •  
  Followed by Day: Not content to plague her waking hours, someone is haunting the 
  places where Patricia sleeps and following her wherever she goes.  
  Mask and Mien:  
  •  
  Patricia is a short, but well-built woman with straight black hair and green eyes. Her 
  features are usually obscured by the mask she wears, however many photographs of her exist 
  and she was a very attractive woman with a broad smile and pearly white teeth. She carries 
  herself with a slouched and withdrawn demeanor but the power within her frame is evident, 
  even to the casual observer. 
  
  •  
  Aside from the mask, Patricia wears cotton summer dresses, often flecked with blood 
  from reapplying the staples to her head each night. These are offset by the hiking boots she 
  always wears, which were one of her trademarks during her life. 
  •  
  Patricia rarely ventures out in public, but on rare occasions when she does, she is 
  mistaken for a street performer, occasionally handed a pocketful of change with comments on 
  how genuinely scary she looks. 
  Sire: Evan Klein 
  Embraced: 2018 (Born 1996) 
  Ambition: Find my own peace, one way or another 
  Convictions: Don’t forget where I came from 
  Touchstones: Frances Gault — fan, following in Patricia’s footsteps 
  Humanity: 7 
  Generation: 10th 
  Blood Potency: 1 
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4; Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Composure 2; 
  Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Resolve 3 
  Secondary Attributes: Health 7, Willpower 5 
  Skills: Athletics (Rock Climbing) 4, Brawl 1, Drive 2, Stealth 2, Survival (Wilderness) 3; 
  Animal Ken 2, Etiquette 2, Insight 3, Leadership 2, Performance 3, Persuasion 2, Streetwise 
  1, Subterfuge 1; Academics 1, Finance 1, Medicine (First Aid) 1, Science (Nutrition) 2, 
  Technology 2  
  Disciplines: Auspex 2, Obfuscate 2 
  General Difficulties: 5/2 
  Ceremonies of Shalim 
  Shalimites practice their own brand of Oblivion Ceremonies, and while vampires outside the 
  cult can learn them with a suitable Mawla, it’s rare for a member of the cult to teach an 
  outsider. The rules surrounding learning and practicing Oblivion Ceremonies are addressed 
  on p. XX, but following are some example Ceremonies rare to anyone outside the cult. 
  Note: The Shalimite Ceremonies use Oblivion powers from Chicago by Night as their pre-
  requisites. If you do not own this book, the Storyteller is free to suggest another Oblivion 
  power to act as a pre-requisite. 
  Level 1 
  Traveler’s Call 
  This simple Ceremony is taught by the cult to all priests before their release into the wider 
  world. Since all priests of Shalim are linked by their common bond with Apolleon the 
  Traveler, they are able to use his presence in eternal Oblivion as a nexus between themselves 
  and their followers. 
  Pre-required Power: Oblivion’s Sight (see Chicago by Night) 
  Ingredients: The black book gifted to them following their indoctrination into the cult 
  
  Process: By using the Traveler’s Call with their black book in hand and the name of another 
  Shalimite in mind, a priest can send a ripple out across Oblivion, calling the target to their 
  location. Unlike a true summoning, this power does not place a compulsion upon the victim, 
  but does alert the Shalimite being contacted to the vampire’s current location through a 
  repetitive, flashing vision of the scenery surrounding the calling Kindred. 
  System: The cultist must possess their black book and know the name of another Shalimite. 
  The vampire’s player makes a Ceremony roll (Difficulty 3). The contacted vampire can 
  choose to ignore the call, but the flashing vision gives them −2 dice to all rolls involving 
  concentration for the remainder of the scene, at which point the call disappears. A critical win 
  by the vampire allows them to send a single-word message to their point of contact along 
  with the vision. 
  Level 3 
  Name of the Father 
  Priests of Shalim have all been trained to use their voices as weapons, slicing through the 
  sugar coating their victims wrap around their love for the world. By invoking the name of 
  their dark master and calling for his aid, they channel a fraction of his power into an 
  adversary and cloud their very mind with shadow, causing them to stand dumbstruck by the 
  emptiness of Oblivion. 
  Pre-required Power: Shadow Perspective (see Chicago by Night) 
  Ingredients: The ability to speak ancient Greek, eye contact with a victim, five charcoal 
  sticks 
  Process: The priest invokes an incantation in a dialect of ancient Greek, invoking the name 
  of Shalim as they crush five charcoal sticks in hand. These words are spoken while making 
  eye contact with the victim, therefore the victim must be able to see and hear the user for this 
  power to be successful. If successful, a shadow crosses the eyes of the priest and those of the 
  victim, leaving the eyes of each participant entirely black as the victim succumbs to a 
  crushing sense of despair. Those who have experienced this power and lived to tell of it speak 
  of an all-consuming darkness closing in around their thoughts and robbing them of all 
  sensation. The last thing they recall is a distant, rumbling laughter echoing in their mind.  
  System: The vampire’s player makes their Ceremony roll vs. the victim’s Resolve + 
  Composure. The victim is paralyzed with despair for a number of turns equal to the number 
  of successes rolled. While under this effect, victims cannot see, hear or experience any form 
  of sensory input except touch and physical pain, which brings them out of the effect. The 
  victim can expend Willpower equal to the number of turns they would remain paralyzed to 
  break free of the power. 
  Level 5 
  Pit of Contemplation 
  Only the most powerful of Shalim’s priests have been able to manifest this ability, but the 
  effect is one of the most terrifying and demonstrative uses of Oblivion yet seen in modern 
  nights. The ability to cast an enemy into Oblivion terrifies even the toughest of Kindred. 
  Pre-required Power: Tenebrous Avatar (see Chicago by Night) 
  Ingredients: Pot of ink, three pints/six liters or more of blood from an innocent the user 
  murdered, an unlit room (this power does not work outside)  
  
  Process: The vampire personally murders an innocent mortal, incurring Stains unless they 
  have a Conviction that enables them to mitigate this cost. While innocence is subjective, 
  traditional sacrifices are children, virgins, and holy individuals. The vampire then takes at 
  least three pints/six liters of the deceased’s blood into an unlit room and uses it to paint a 
  doorway on a wall in the chamber. Finally, the vampire splashes a pot of ink onto the blood-
  painted portal. Focusing their will upon the gateway, the priest opens a tear through to 
  Oblivion. 
  Anyone foolish or unfortunate enough to fall into the gap is immediately transported into a 
  pocket of eternal black nothingness for as long as the priest sees fit. If the priest is destroyed 
  without releasing their prisoners, any undead prisoners remain trapped in the void (unless and 
  until another vampire reverses the Ceremony). 
  Priests may choose to pass through the door, but doing so condemns them forever. Some 
  Shalimites do this when they feel they have completed their work as a part of the cult. 
  System: Following the Ceremony steps, the priest’s player makes their Ceremony roll, and 
  on a success the effect is quick and implosive. A hole opens at the point where ink and blood 
  mix. The hole draws objects, air, and people toward it and, if they fail a Dexterity + Athletics 
  roll (Difficulty 4), sucks them into a pocket within Oblivion.  
  While trapped, victims are suspended in an endless blackness. They cannot see or hear 
  anyone or anything around themselves. Only the priest who conjures this blasphemous 
  gateway can free those held within, by pouring a vampire’s vitae over the painted door 
  (sufficient to provoke a Rouse Check). Mortals sucked into Oblivion are instantly killed. 
  ries. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Storyteller [multi]/World of Darkness (WoD) [multi]/Vampire/Vampire 5e/Cults of the Blood Gods Preview/Cults of the Blood Gods Kickstarter Manuscript Preview 2E (V5).pdf