TEXT: CREDITS
  Written by: James and Ellen Kiley
  Developed by: Justin Achilli
  Editor: Cynthia Summers
  Art Director: Richard Thomas
  Layout & Typesetting: Becky Jollensten
  Interior Art: Mike Danza, Richard Kane Ferguson,
  Michael Gaydos, Leif Jones, and Christopher Shy
  Front Cover Art: John Van Fleet
  Front & Back Cover Design: Becky Jollensten
  SPECIAL THANKS
  Tim "Snake Fighting" Avers, is very scary fighting snake
  rolled up newspaper setting on fire.
  Ken "Out-of-Towner" Cliffe, for continuing his habit of
  party-dodging.
  Rebecca "Nutritionist" Schaefer, for dragging Chad out of
  the damn house before he ate one more bowl.
  Brian "Joe Six-Pack" Glass, for bringing random beer in the
  homemade carrying case.
  GET BENT
  The raw, bone-chilling, ache-inducing, wet-ass, pre-
  SuperBowl weather.
  W H I T E 
  W O L F
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  CLARKSTON,GA 30021
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  G A M E S T U D I O
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  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  2
  \
  
  CONTENTS
  AFTERMATH OF INDEPENDENCE
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND S^A:
  A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  CHAPTER THREE: BEASTS AMONG MEN
  12
  4O
  8O
  CONTENTS
  3
  
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  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
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  AfTERMAW OF INDEPENDENCE
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  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  8
  
  the,
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  AFURMAW OF INDEPENDENCE
  Isju
  
  The savage in man is never quite eradicated
  — Thoreau
  This is an idiotic thing to do. It's probably going to get
  me killed. But if I don't take notes on some of what I've
  heard, I know I'll forget it. At least some of it. And for
  Chrissakes, if I'm going to live forever I'm going to be
  really pissed if I can't remember everything I was told. Yes,
  now the only thing going through my head is: If I write aU
  this stuff down there's no way I'll live forever.
  This project formally started a few years ago when I
  found a rambling set of papers written by someone calling
  himself Lord Ashton, '95 or '96.1 don't think that Lord
  Ashton was altogether sane when he wrote what he wrote.
  I scanned a few of his more amusing screeds and e-mailed
  them around to various dead friends on the Net. I've got
  some ot their responses here and there below. It looks like
  on the whole Ashton was right — in the grand sweep —
  but if the people I've talked to can be believed, he fucked
  up several of the details. I'm going to try to distill reason-
  able truth out of the stuff I've read, both in e-mails I've
  received from older vampires, from Ashton's writings and
  the commentary on it, a few conversations I've had with
  older Kindred, and history and common sense. I don't
  guarantee it's unassailable, but it's the best picture I can
  piece together out of the amalgam of myth, history and
  bullshit that I've gathered over the last 50 years.
  AXE ANDjA VELIN
  I don't know much archaeology or cultural anthro-
  pology. When I was alive, the subjects bored me, and now
  that I've got the perspective to appreciate them, it's too
  damned bright out to do any field work. I've done a fair
  amount of reading since I died, though. The scientific
  estimates I've explored put Caine's murder of Abel, and
  God's curse — if you're into this sort of thing — around
  10,000 years ago. Or maybe 10,000 BC, which would be
  12,000 years ago. This stuff is all legend. It may be that
  none of it happened. Hell, I've only heard the name of one
  reliable witness — "Pard" — and when I went searching
  him out, I made it as far as the Sahara before panicking and
  giving up.
  One of the things I need to think about at this point
  is the real history of reality. That sounds stupid, I know. I
  can put it another way to make my problem clearer: Was
  Bishop Ussher right? Did the Creation happen on Friday,
  October 12 of 4004 BC? If Kindred are really the children
  of Caine, then we — okay, I — have to consider how
  closely the history of the world adheres to Judeo-Chris-
  tian myth. Because if we're really the children of Caine in
  any sense, that means at least part of the Biblical creation
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  11
  \
  
  is true in some sense, and that throws a lot of science out
  the window. If we're the children of Caine, and Caine's
  the son of Adam, and Adam is the first man, created by
  God, then maybe God really did put the dinosaur fossils in
  place to fool archaeologists. Or do we take it all as allegory
  and assume that the Antediluvians are maybe 10,000
  years old, and see where that leads the discussion? That's
  my preference. But there has to be a truth under there
  someplace. We are vampires. Sunlight does bum us, and
  moonlight, which is just reflected sunlight, does not.
  Starlight does not. Videotapes of sunlight do not. There is
  something mystical about the sun. Scientists don't talk
  much about such things. I don't think I'm going to be able
  to adequately figure out the line between scientific truth
  and the supernatural world of the Kindred. I'll try to
  collate the stories and hypotheses I've heard, in any case.
  I'm sure my sources have lied to me, repeatedly, but
  perhaps if we average the contradictory stories out we'll see
  a bit of truth. For the sake of discussion, say die first
  vampires came about during the late Stone Age. In fact,
  we'll make a few more grandiose assumptions, out of the
  Book of Nod: that Enoch existed between 1 0,000 and 8000
  BC, that Caine ruled it, that the Third Generation killed
  the Second Generation there, and that Caine cursed them.
  I'll start with Ashton's commentary on our fabled
  progenitor, "Ennoia." In Gnostic mythology, it's worth
  noting that "Ennoia" represents the female half of God. I
  can't imagine that our Ennoia is that Ennoia, but one does
  hear regular references to our Antediluvian as "Mother
  Nature." I'm not convinced that Ennoia isn't a feminiza-
  tion of Enoch, who the Book of Nod names as one of the
  Second Generation. Perhaps she was one of his mortal
  children, or a favored vampiric childe.
  Ashton describes Ennoia as a child of Lilith raised by
  a pack of wolves. Leaving aside Biblical commentary on
  the whole Lilith issue and my opinion of feminists who've
  adopted this myth as their flag, consider what Ashton
  continues with: "[Ennoia] took a mate from the pack
  and... bore him children... and it is from them that
  Lupines trace their ancestry." This, apparently, explains
  the "special relationship" that Lupines and Gangrel have.
  I don't know to what Ashton was referring when writing
  this bit, but I've got to assume that he had something very
  specific in mind. We don't have a special relationship with
  Lupines. If you nuzzle up to a werewolf and try to be his
  buddy, odds are good that he'll rip you to tatters. But it
  becomes more complex.
  Ennoia allegedly spent time in Enoch, the First City,
  after ditching the wolves. She slept with several men and
  bore them a few children before leaving the city due to the
  discord she'd caused. So, according to Ashton, she slept
  around, bore children, and then gave the kids to the men
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  12
  
  and left town. So none of them realized that she was
  pregnant? Did she have kids by each man all at the same
  time? (I suppose that's no less likely than her having
  werewolf kids by a wolf father....) But here's the kicker—
  Ashton says these kids were rejected by their parents and
  became the Gypsies. Hasn't this guy read a history book?
  The Rroma, so-called "Gypsies," came out of India during
  the 10th or 11th century. There aren't references to them
  existing at all before this, unless you count one myth they
  spread around that they were the descendants of the
  innkeeper that told Mary and Joseph he had no room for
  them. Even then, that dates them back to, well, 1 AD.
  Enoch must've fallen before the rise of the Pharaohs,
  which even your ancient conspiracy mavens agree was
  around 6000 BC. That's a long gap to explain away.
  DIASPORA
  Archaeologists say the earliest cities were contempo-
  raries of the Mesopotamian city of Ur, which existed
  around 4000 BC. That gives a four-millennia period after
  Enoch during which humankind had been hunting and
  gathering and maybe building the occasional farming
  village. In any kind of hunter-gatherer society, Gangrel
  must have been virtual gods; even in comparison to other
  vampires, the Gangrel stood out as the ones who could do
  the most important things. They could travel with a
  nomadic group; they could help mortal hunters find the
  best prey; and they could stand up to any challenge. Of
  course, they couldn't travel by day, but that's a
  different story....
  CAINITE LHGEND
  I have a pretty plain opinion on the Kindred legends
  about the fall of Enoch, and about Ennoia's relationship
  with the Ravnos Antediluvian, whom some call Ravana
  — I think they're mostly specious or legend misinter-
  preted as fact. I'll discuss this more later when we talk
  about the Rroma. For the time being, here's the legendry,
  as I understand it. Ennoia and Ravana were sister and
  brother in some sense. After the Ancients killed the
  Second Generation and Caine cursed them, the siblings
  wandered westward, onto the vast steppe of central Asia.
  They encountered native tribes, mostly nomads and wan-
  derers, and they found sustenance and companionship in
  them. They Embraced childer, creating the creatures we
  now think of as Methuselahs of the Gangrel and Ravnos
  clans. A few myths place the number of fourth-generation
  Gangrel at four or five, but I believe that number might be
  too conservative. As I have said before and will say again,
  the only witnesses aren't talking. Legends say Ennoia did
  the same thing to her prospective childer that most
  Gangrel now do to their own: She Embraced them and
  then abandoned them for a while. Oh, sure, she watched
  from a distance or through the eyes of animals to make sure
  that the new childe was holding up under the strain. And
  when it was obvious that the neonate would be able to
  survive on his own, our progenitor came to him and
  explained his true nature and heritage. Now, this legend
  might well be wrong — it strikes me as quite likely that it
  was made up to justify the practice of abandoning childer
  after the fact. Let's face it—many Gangrel are lax sires at best.
  AN INSCRIPTION
  '-..•/• An acquaintance of mine found an inscription Ij
  deep within an empty, tomblike cave on the shores of "
  the Caspian Sea. Her best estimates say the cave has 
  ,
  been empty for about 300 years. The writing was a |
  pre-Alexandrian script, she tells me. After research
  with scholars familiar with old Turkic and Iranian :,
  texts, she put together the following translation. I •$
  have some theories about its origin, but for the time ;
  being I'm keeping my mouth shut. 
  .., |
  •i, The great spider king gave me his sUk when! was a f
  boy. Asamanl tiredofits taste and spat my self from his ?
  court. The spider huntedthe tiger queenand her pride. As
  the tiger queen had done me no urong, I put an arrow in J
  the spider'seye.spiUinghis fluid anew. His hunters struck I;
  meastheydidihepride.Thehuntersweretheskyandfire 
  *
  and die stone and the flood. We were only stooped and :
  bloodied men. As we fled, megreatspider king used fire I
  against my name and destroyed it. The tiger queen cawed J
  a new name across my chest. She gave me her seed. For |
  a third time was I bom. Have I a court now? When I 1
  escape this caOe, perhaps I shaH term 
  |
  Something happened out there. Nobody knows ex-
  actly what. Either Ennoia and Ravana justhadafalling-out,
  or one of them became infatuated with the other and that
  other rejected the first's advances, or maybe they fought
  over a favored servant. If you believe the legends, some-
  thing happened to drive them to one another's throats.
  They fought for decades; they flung their childer at one
  another, and even encouraged their childer to Embrace
  new fledglings as soldiers. Ennoia's broods were far stron-
  ger, by all accounts, but Ravana was far more cunning and
  wielded the powers of deception.
  At last, Ravana called down some kind of unholy
  devastation from the sky to destroy or disable most of
  Ennoia's forces. The handful that survived fled west into
  Europe or Africa. By the few accounts that I've heard —
  remember, this stuff is sketchy — the survivors then
  fought amongst themselves, scattering north, south and
  west. Those who went north latched onto the progenitors
  of Siberian tribes and the Vikings. Those who went south
  prowled the African plains above the Sahara or, if you like
  Ashton's interpretation, perhaps they became the
  shapechangers of the Serengeti. The few vampires who
  fled eastward were (perhaps incorrectly) presumeddestroyed.
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  13
  \
  
  The majority went west; it is from these that most of the
  Gangrel clan traces its lineage. Our founder, Ennoia,
  drifted in and out of torpor for millennia after the fall of
  Enoch. The Jyhad with Ravana, if there really was one,
  didn't itself knock her into torpor for long. The scraps I've
  picked up suggest that Ennoia fell into a long torpor
  around the time of Christ; we continue to debate as to
  whether she's woken up from it yet.
  , 
  . 
  .
  ,
  '
  .
  .
  . 
  , 
  ^
  OTHER MYTHOLOGY 
  |
  Torvus the Viking (his name, not my appella-
  tion) told me an entirely different creation myth; it is ;
  *>his opinion that Caine was a favored and blessed I
  warrior of Odin. I have no doubt that Gangrel such as |
  «the African Laibon and the Asian Anda have differ- I
  ent ones as well. And they may well be right; I'm just |
  passing along the stories European Gangrel share. :
  The main problem with historical research among
  the Kindred, and the Gangrel in particular, is that we &
  have maintained an oral tradition throughout his-
  tory, and that over time our elders tend to degenerate
  into monstrous beasts who lack the capacity for
  speech. If you've heard something from a reliable, I
  ancient source, by all means let me know, 
  }
  PREHISTORY
  When I passed around an early draft of this document,
  one copy of it fell into the hands of Dr. Nona Abbott, a
  Gangrel historian and critic. Dr. Abbott included 34 pages
  of corrections and footnotes as her initial response to my
  20-page history, and though some of her text was pure
  improvable intellectual wankery or resentful misanthropy,
  she had afew compelling points that I will now summarize.
  The rise of cities like Ur and Jericho in Mesopotamia in
  roughly the fourth millennium BC marked the end of a purer,
  simpler culture for mortals and Cainites. From prehistoric
  times, wandering tribes of mortals lived according to a matriar-
  chal/marrilineal code. When the tribe spent every day on the
  move, its social leaders had to keep the tribe together through
  force of personality rather than threat of violence, for when a
  tribe is tied to no land it is trivial for a dissatisfied member or
  family unit to flee the rest of the group. Such a social structure
  did not lend itself well to domination by males, for the typical
  male tactics of possession and bullying would not be rewarded.
  After the fall of [Enoch], the Cainite/Lilian vampire entered this
  pristine mortal society. Of the presumed 13 vampire tribes, few
  were better suited to thrive than the Ennoian, tonight called the
  Gangrel. Indeed, ahunterI gatherer society mightwellrepresent
  the basis for a Gangrel "Golden Age," one in which other
  Kindred clans depended on the hardiness of the Gangrelfor their
  very survival. Withfew established villages, Kindred needed to
  keep pace with mortal herds easily, regardless the availability of
  places to hide from the sun. That need made the Gangrelpcwers
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  14
  
  of swift travel andburrouiinginto the earthvitalfor almost every
  Ccdnite. In the simple barter/boon economy of early vampires,
  that Discipline, therefore became the equivalent of a modem hot
  technology stock: gready in demand and hoarded where pos-
  sible. The Gangrel relationship between Ulith and Ennoia
  myths thereby becomes even clearer. The Gangrel symbolize
  the prehistoric matriarchy that other clans so resent. In the
  torpor of Ennoia, and in Jehovah's exile of Ulith, we see the
  Gangrel losing their favored status as the 12 other clans
  encourage the growth of agriculture and cities, developments
  that in themselves destroy the matriarchy in favor of a warfare'
  controlled patriarchy.
  If you can divorce her point from her radical feminist
  mania, she might well be onto something.
  MESOPOTAMIA
  Sumeria represented the first real human civilization,
  as far as the West is concerned. Of course, if you ask a
  Chinese anthropologist he'll talk about mythical dynas-
  ties until he's blue in the face, but such things have little
  importance to us as Cainites. Looking at the myriad of
  eccentricities about Sumeria — their language was unre-
  lated to any other human language, they had writing, a
  monarchy and cities — it is very easy to leap to the
  conclusion that the Sumerians descend from the inhabit-
  ants of Enoch. This is the sort of question that keeps
  Kindred anthropologists up all day.
  Historically, Gangrel lurked outside the cities of
  Sumeria, as we would do with other cities for the next six
  millennia. As other Cainites roamed these great cities,
  influencing the Sumerian culture to some degree or an-
  other, we withdrew, hid from the giants of the East, and
  sometimes marauded like barbarians. I get the impression
  that back in those nights, when the idea of a mortal city
  was a relatively new one, savvy Gangrel did everything
  they could to convince mortals to revert to a nomadic way
  of life. Gangrel threw hordes of enslaved animals at city
  walls; they grabbed the Beasts within hundreds of raiders
  and hurled them collectively at the greatest cities of the
  time, and so on.
  And, of course, Gangrel capitalized on mortals' ideas.
  When the Semites invaded Sumeria, Gangrel followed
  the migration, hoping to stir an orgy of destruction. While
  there was certainly plenty of that, the Semites eventually
  settled into the Sumerians' territories, realizing the power
  of prosperous cities. This pattern repeated over and over
  throughout human history; within only a few centuries,
  our clan's elders realized that they weren't going to get
  humanity out of cities, or cause them to stop cultivating
  their fields.
  By the Old Babylonian era, the elders of Clan Gangrel
  gave up on such plans (yes, that is a long time to change
  one's mind—and here you thought that English Ventrue
  who still speak of the Empire were stubborn). They
  resigned themselves to eternal outsider status, for they
  truly found nomadic hunter cultures to be more vital than
  those nesting in such close quarters within the great cities
  of the time.
  By the peak of Babylon, the Gangrel had scattered to
  the winds.
  GREEK CIVILIZATIONS
  The Cimmerians destroyed the Mycenaean civiliza-
  tion around 1200 BC. We know hardly anything about
  the Cimmerians. They were tribal barbarians who lived
  north of Greece, and they fought a few wars against
  Scythia. The Cimmerians are said to have split into two
  groups; the Scythians drove one group northward out of
  their homeland, though if they popped up somewhere
  else, the historical record does not show it. The other
  group of Cimmerians fought to the death against the
  Scythians rather than give up their homes, and they did
  die, to a man. Now that's conviction.
  The Greeks and Scythians fought multiple wars (in
  later years, Scythia was to become one of the few nations
  not conquered by Alexander of Macedon). Scythians
  were horse-riders, slave-takers, and fierce warriors;
  Herodotus described their ability to quell a slave revolt by
  standing firm and holding horsewhips. They fought the
  Greek Darius to a standstill. They describe themselves as
  descendants of Zeus or his equivalent.
  Despite the general tendency that our clan has to
  follow barbarian movements — to "ride the wave," so to
  speak—the prevailing theory that I have heard is diat the
  war between Cimmeria and Scythia was exacerbated by a
  conflict among three Cainite broodmates, all childer of
  the same Gangrel sire. I have names for only one of them
  (Egothha), so I will embellish by assigning them the Greek
  names for the three mythical founders of Scythia. The
  elder two were Agathyrsus and Gelonus; the youngest was
  called Scythes. The brood'ssirefoundfaultwithAgathyrsus
  and Gelonus and exiled them to the west; the two of them
  fell upon Cimmeria and built up influence there. Scythes,
  by contrast, truly was probably more capable than his
  brothers, and aided the mortals in building a powerful
  nation. Cimmeria and Scythia fought several wars, Scythia
  winning the majority of them due in part to Agathyrsus
  and Gelonus' taking to the field of battle; Cimmerian
  warriors were particularly unnerved that two advisors to
  the king were such bloodthirsty berserks. On the other
  hand, Scythes stayed out of the fighting. Eventually
  Scythian soldiers forced the elder siblings into torpor, and
  conquered Cimmeria. Scythes himself (remember, that's
  a pseudonym) vanished from the world stage well before
  the rise of Rome.
  \
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  15
  \
  
  EAGLE AND ELEPHANT
  CARTHAGE AND ROME
  We didn't have a great presence in either Carthage or
  Rome. Our abilities gave us the advantage in the wilder-
  ness, on the ride or the hunt. Vast empires and their capital
  cities held little attraction. Certainly some Gangrel spent
  time in Rome and Carthage, but both were seen as too
  dangerous — Rome because the Ventrue allowed the
  Malkavians to share dominance with them, and Carthage
  because the Brujah and Assamite plan for the city went
  against too many of Caine's edicts.
  The Gangrel acted as Cassandras in both Rome and
  Carthage; Gangrel elders warned the Phoenician Cainites
  of the danger of Roman armies, but the Brujah and
  Assamites were confident in the strength of the
  Carthaginian navies. Still other Gangrel made it painfully
  clear to late Imperial Roman Kindred that tribes under
  Gangrel domain planned to attack the Eternal City; they,
  too, were ignored.
  THH INVICTI
  During the late years of Imperial Rome, a Gallic
  Gangrel Embraced two worshippers of the Syrian god Sol
  Invictus ("Unconquered Sun"). One of the pair, whose
  name is lost to history, faced an early group of vampire-
  hunters who forced her to greet her deity the morning after
  her Embrace; she was destroyed instantly, of course. The
  other, a martyred soul who later took the name Constanus,
  chose to become a "protector of the undead," if such a
  thing can be believed. Specifically, Constanus took it on
  himself to hunt mortals who destroy vampires. Constanus
  told his childer that he took his mandate from the Book of
  Nod itself, wherein [YHWH] states that no mortal shall be
  permitted to raise a hand against those wearing the mark
  of Caine. Since all Kindred wear that mark, any mortal
  who destroys a Cainite forfeits his life. Constanus and his
  brood, the Invicti, took this duty.
  Over time the Invicti earned a fair share of debts and
  boons, and obviously the enmity of witch-hunters. They
  became a powerful political group among Kindred in
  general, and were the premiere faction within Clan
  Gangrel. Around 600 AD, Constanus and his most pow-
  erful childer were caught unawares in a great fire in
  northern Italy; at least seven vampires met Final Death.
  Investigations by the scattered Invicti produced little
  evidence of a culprit; vengeful hunters, envious Kindred
  or a random lightning strike might have started the fire.
  The political fortunes and power of the Invicti fell over the
  next few years; by 650 AD few even remembered the word.
  THE FALL OF ROME
  If you take a look at a map of Europe that is keyed to
  vegetation, you'll notice something quite striking. France,
  Germany, Italy, the Low Countries, England and Hun-
  gary are all dominated by cropland and pasture. Arable
  country—that is, the kind of land suited to the establish-
  ment of feudal states, manors and later large cities. These
  are the areas that we claimed. We went to the mountains,
  north into the forests of Scandinavia, onto the steppe, or
  south into uncharted Africa. As a clan, we Gangrel aren't
  good at staying put. The Beast in us cries out against
  settling down. When we move into a civilized place, some
  other vampire invariably has staked out terrain of his own,
  which leaves us without domain. So as we scatter to the
  winds, we usually stay scattered.
  The oldest Gangrel punctuate the era of Rome with
  the two greatest sackings of the Eternal City: first by the
  Gauls, in the earliest days of the Roman Republic, and last
  by the Ostrogoths, at the end of the Western Roman
  Empire. The Gauls invaded Rome in 390 BC, in retribu-
  tion for Rome's murder of one of their chieftains. The
  massed barbarians routed the Roman legions and entered
  the city; they burned, looted and killed. Eight hundred
  years later, in 476 AD, barbarians returned to the gates,
  this time in the form of Odoacer's Ostrogoths. Like their
  spiritual ancestors the Gauls, the Ostrogoths plundered,
  raped and killed. Odoacer exiled Romulus, Emperor of the
  Western Empire, and thus fell the Roman Empire.
  It's important that I reiterate the barbarian mindset
  here. It was the will of the gods, the thinking went, that
  certain people settled down into cities and farms and
  ranches; it was the will of the gods that others live off the
  land, wandering as herds and weather took them from
  place to place. The wanderers couldn't help but learn to
  ride, fight and hunt better than sedentary folk, because
  that was how they stayed alive. Surely this, too, was the
  will of the gods (or of God, after most of Europe's barbar-
  ians converted to Christianity). Therefore it was obviously
  the will of God that barbarians plunder civilized towns and
  make off with valuables of all sorts, especially during lean
  years in the outlands. Many Gangrel of the period bought
  into all of this, of course. We were there with the Gauls and
  the Ostrogoths, and with all their relatives in the inter-
  vening 800 years. That's an enormous span of time:
  Consider that eight centuries years ago the Mongols
  invaded Europe (we were with them, too). The Gangrel
  clan didn't have much of a presence in the Roman
  Republic, nor one inside the Empire until the Romans
  began conquering Gaul. And even then we had our hands
  full: the Gangrel found themselves struggling to maintain
  the domains they already had against Ventrue, Malkavian
  and Toreador conquerors in the West and Tzimisce,
  Brujah and Nosferatu Kindred in the East.
  CLANBOOK: GANCREL
  16
  
  •.MARCUSSeHTus 
  ' 
  • - 
  ' ., 
  • • ' • • ' ' !
  Marcus Sextus was bom in Latinized Cairo in i
  the first century AD; he traveled to Rome just after J?
  his Embrace by a Gangrel Methuselah and intro- |
  duced himself to the Malkavian and Ventrue lords 
  •
  of the city as simply "the Egyptian." Sextus had |
  lived as a nobleman, and greatly desired the ap-
  proval and companionship of the city's undead ;
  leaders, but the greedy patrons of the Senate used \,,
  the Gangrel's desires to pull him this way and that. |
  During the closing years of the Empire, the Egyp- f
  tian was nothing more than a pawn. At a Gangrel f
  tiling near Dacia in 475, the Egyptian had his only
  encounter with the barbarian terror Amulf, and ;|
  learned of the coming invasion of Rome. After 
  • •
  returning to the city and spending months in con- 1
  templation, he quietly chose to abandon his j
  erstwhile masters and flee across the Mediterra- |
  nean into Africa. There he Embraced nutnerous |
  tribespeople before meeting his end at the hands of |
  ;his final childe, Inyanga, who now roams the north- 
  '',.
  , I Irn United States.
   : f ;,••--• "• '-J;";' 
  : 
  |
  SWORD AND SHIELD
  EUROPE AFTER ROME
  The broad sweep of European history between the fall
  of Rome and the Mongol invasions is much too complex
  to enter into in any detail here. European civilization
  retreated eastward, to Constantinople, while so-called
  barbarian kingdoms (the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Saxons,
  Franks and so on) infested the rest of the continent.
  Succeeding centuries show a recurring theme: A wave of
  barbarians sweeps into Europe from the Russian steppe;
  the barbarians fight against the current residents of the
  area; the barbarians settle down and are assimilated into
  local society, and their descendants take up arms against
  the next wave of barbarians to sweep in.
  Throughout these centuries, the Gangrel characteris-
  tically refused to stay put. Although our ancestors walked
  among the Angles, Saxons, Goths and practically any
  other groups in which they could find sustenance, when
  these peoples settled down into formal nations the Gangrel
  found it preferable to abandon them. After all, no sooner
  would the barbarians settle than a complement of Kindred
  would nest among them and revive their old treacheries
  and schemes. When Odoacer's Ostrogoths founded a
  kingdom on the corpse of Roman greatness, many Gangrel
  joined the Huns in the Balkans. WhenClovis settled what
  is now France into a stable nation, Prankish Gangrel
  predators movednorthward to join the Jutes, Lapps andFinns.
  And so the centuries passed. Avar Khan subjugated
  the Huns and Slavs of the Balkans, and went to war with
  Justinian's Eastern Roman Empire. It wasn't long before
  the Avars settled in central Europe, and again we
  went wandering.
  .
  In scouring libraries to research this work, I came
  across an epic Saxon poem alleged to have been
  written by the Gangrel Maraulf of Three Tales. The
  poem itself is a contemporary of the Venerable Bede,
  by my best estimate; I gave it to a particular Old
  English scholar for translation in "97. (At that point
  I was still part of the Camarilla, and when the prince
  found out what I'd done he had the scholar killed, but
  that's neither here nor there. ) It seems appropriate to
  include a particular translated bit here:
  InClusiumlmeetOtooertheBlacfc, heoftheLaaban
  family/From the far south he comes, earth-spirit and
  vampire/Strong before fire and skilled on the hunt, the
  Beast troubles his kind not 
  :""'•'"'•" tJ?^'. " • • • •'.'•',-••'• . ..,
  ' • . - " ' 
  ,•' 
  • .'
  Beyond this I don't know much more about the
  Laibon. Torvus didn't answer any questions about
  them, and he's the oldest vampire I've spoken to. It is
  possible that the Laibon are descended from Gangrel
  blood; that description of Otoaer's powers matches
  our own to some degree. It's also possible that I have
  it backward — that the Gangrel descend from some
  sub-Saharan clan of Laibon. I assume that they're
  from Africa; I don't even really know if they're
  descended from Caine. I continue to search for infor-
  mation about these creatures, but most Kindred I talk
  to tell me that Africa's as dangerous as eastern Asia.
  CHARLEMAGNE
  Charles, the eldest son of Pepin the Frank, became
  the first sole King of the Franks in 771. Over the course of
  his reign he consolidated a huge area, greater than modern
  France. Charlemagne, as Charles became known, was the
  first Roman Emperor of his day, crowned as he was by the
  Pope in 800 AD. By the time of Charlemagne's reign, the
  Gangrel roamed the forests of Germany, the Balkan and
  Caucasus Mountains, the steppe further east, and the
  frozen wastes of Scandinavia. The ancients ofClan Gangrel
  had relatively little to do with Charlemagne and his
  Frankish Empire save fight them, as they did when the
  great Emperor led his men onto the field against the
  Bulgars and Arabs. After Charlemagne's death, our ances-
  tors rode with Viking and Varangian conquerors as they
  tore their way southward through Europe.
  GARGOYLES
  The Tremere are a little cagey about their origins, but
  die impression I get from talking to the few really old
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  17
  
  Gangrel I've had the privilege to meet is that they some-
  how made themselves vampires. As mortal wizards, they
  decimated another clan — whether Tzimisce or a much
  smaller one, the Saulots, seems to be up in the air — and
  used the blood they harvested to turn themselves into
  vampires. Okay, you may think, no bigded. Me, I tend to
  think: Gripes, they must have been reatty powerful wizards.
  Here's the part that sticks in the craw of our elders.
  The Tremere decided they needed muscle. The Tzimisce
  had cannon-fodder childer, war ghouls and horrendously
  misshapen servants at their beck and call, and the Tremere
  had almost nothing. So they captured unfortunate Kin-
  dred and experimented on them. I don't know what other
  clans they captured, or what they did to them, except that
  they captured and tormented dozens of Gangrel, and the
  end result was the Gargoyle bloodline. They made Gangrel
  into those mindless slaves. That didn't sit well at all with
  the Gangrel who found out about it. Before long whole
  prides of us showed up at the drawbridges of ancient
  Tzimisce castles as de facto allies, offering our services as
  warriors in return for a chance to take revenge and rescue
  our lost broodmates and childer. The Tzimisce seemed
  happy for the help; some genuinely needed assistance
  against the Tremere, while others liked the idea of other
  Cainites doing their dirty work. The fighting went on for
  more than a hundred years; we rescued any Gargoyles we
  could, and killed them or set them free. The alliance with
  the Tzimisce ebbed with time, and in the mid- 13thcentury
  just about everything came to a pause in Eastern Europe.
  THE MONGOL INVASIONS
  I have no way to describe the chaos and madness that
  fled westward as the Golden Horde crossed the Volga
  River into Russia, and then the Balkans into Poland and
  Hungary. Genghis Khan said God Himself had chosen
  him to destroy the civilizations of Asia and Russia. When
  Genghis died, his children and grandchildren picked up
  the banner. It was Batu Khan, Genghis' grandson, who led
  the Mongols into Europe proper. Like an avalanche, they
  came down the mountains into civilized lands with armies
  larger than any fielded in Europe. And could they fight! It
  makes one's long-dead heart go pitter-pat to think of it.
  Slowly, clumsily, heavily armored European knights
  led sullen peasants out onto the field, expecting a conven-
  tional, slow, predictable battle like every other one they'd
  fought for their lords. The Mongols were lightly armored
  when they wore armor at all; they rode hardy, fast steppe
  ponies, and they could fire arrows from horseback back-
  ward at a full gallop! The astute (or even not-so-astute)
  reader may note a tinge of envy at this point. The Mongol
  army had never met a match in the known world. But for
  a twist of fate — the death of Ogadei Khan in 1241 — the
  Horde would have overrun Europe to the Atlantic. Noth-
  ing like the Mongol Horde exists tonight, no unstoppable
  barbaric force bringing terror to all who hear of it. I believe
  the closest equivalent in the Final Nights is a stock
  market crash.
  Although the Mongols and their Great Khans were
  mortal, the Horde did not ride untouched by the super-
  natural. As the Mongols crossed the Volga, many Gangrel
  joined the Horde. As was the case with the Huns a
  millennium earlier, many vampires rode with the Mongols
  simply to capitalize on the chaos and ruin they sowed.
  Others were wistful for nights of pillaging gone by and
  joined the Mongols to recapture their youths. No doubt
  for each Gangrel in the Horde one could name a different
  motivation, but I note two important exceptions: Amulf
  and the Anda.
  Stories of Arnulf dominate our oral history. He — it?
  — is rumored to hail from Scythian times, or even earlier;
  they say he even fought Alexander the Great. Arnulf rode
  with the Huns to destroy Rome; Amulf helped the Turks
  sack Constantinople; and Amulf was with the Mongols
  when they destroyed Hungary and Poland. We don't
  know why he acted as he did; a follower of his own wiles,
  he had few words for chroniclers. Arnulf was more a force
  of nature than a vampire. He exemplified the barbarian's
  impulse to steal the fruits of civilization and move on. And
  they say that he took revenge on promising barbarian
  leaders who embraced the mantle of civilization after
  sacking a city. He wanted to demolish civilization and
  return to primitive, simple nights; for a barbarian to
  surrender his strength and fatten himself with the riches of
  cities was the ultimate crime. Fittingly, Amulf was de-
  stroyed when he finally took sides between two warring
  states; in the early 16th century he fought alongside the
  Turks of the Ottoman Empire and paid the ultimate price
  for "choosing teams."
  The Anda have a more complicated story. We West-
  erners are not entirely sure where they came from. They
  were Kindred, apparently descended from the Gangrel, of
  pure Mongol blood. This contradicts what we thought we
  knew about the Far East — the Giants, who we now call
  Cathayans, were assumed to have killed any Cainites who
  wandered too far east. The truth of the situation appears
  to have been more complex. The Anda were destroyed to
  the last, victims of a great curse laid down by the Cathayans
  in the last nights of the Mongol Empire. I suppose it is
  possible that some might persist, deep in torpor, but if they
  do, surely such thousand-year old creatures have no inter-
  est in ephemeral modem monsters such as ourselves.
  Childer of the Anda Embraced in the West are supposedly
  indistinguishable from "ordinary" Gangrel, and indeed
  many such vampires stayed in Europe after the Horde
  returned to Karakorum. The fires of the Inquisition de-
  stroyed many of those, and the rest claim to have no
  exceptional knowledge of their bloodline's more effica-
  cious secrets.
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  18
  \
  
  Vampires are nothing if not fractious. While some
  European Cainites welcomed the ravages of the Mongol
  Horde, the majority of others fought fiercely to defend
  their territory. Doubtless the Europeans would have had
  more success had they joined forces with one another
  rather than attempting to undermine the others' posi-
  tions. In truth, Eastern European vampires were more
  likely to find allies against the Mongols among the Lu-
  pines than in each other. Gangrel of all stripes died by the
  pack in Poland and Hungary.
  RROMA
  Things this far back are always foggy, but let's try a
  theory on for size. When the Rroma (the Gypsies) left
  India, some of them had Ravnos traveling with them. I
  don't think a lot did, but some did. When companies of
  Rroma traveled from kingdom to kingdom, they had to get
  writs of passage from the local authorities. Sometimes they
  couldn't get the writs, and sometimes the writs weren't of
  much use—a note from the faraway king isn't of much use
  against bandits on the road — but for the most part they
  kept the Rroma safe. It seems a little strange that the
  Rroma, who were, by all accounts, generally mistrusted
  and accused of awful crimes, could easily gain audiences
  with kings and lords and obtain notes of safe conduct.
  That's where the Ravnos traveling with them came in.
  The vampires had a much easier time gaining access, and
  in earning the writs. But of course, in Europe they didn't
  have such an easy time of things. Any given Ravnos was
  no more likely than his caravan herd to speak the lan-
  guage, and, as I mentioned, most companies didn't travel
  with vampires at all. When Rroma happened upon Euro-
  pean Gangrel, some offered their own blood to the "sMmuio"
  in return for the favor of acquiring letters of safe passage.
  This scheme worked out well for both sides, and a few
  Gangrel acquired Rroma herds of their own. Eventually
  word of one particular Gangrel homing in on Ravnos
  "possessions" made its way back to a few Ravnos, and half
  a dozen Deceivers ambushed the Lithuanian Gangrel
  Intam as he rested with his adopted family. Intarn died
  slowly, and when word of that got back to his childer, the
  fight was on.
  Spend enough time dead around elder Gangrel and
  you're sure to hear stories about the Gangrel Antediluvian
  and the Ravnos Antediluvian being old lovers, or old
  enemies, or tennis doubles or something like that, but I
  don't put any stock in it. I'm not sure you can; surely,
  beings like that would be incomprehensibly alien and
  selfish in their vast power. Theories about 10,000-year-old
  sibling rivalry seem insanely simplistic. I find it more likely
  that feuding vampires from the period I just described
  latched on to old stories about their progenitors and fit
  them to the cause at hand. But then I'm a cynic.
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  19
  
  ; STORYTELLERS SECRET: THE ANDA
  , t s? The Cathayans forced the Gangrel out of Asia in
  0rehistonc times. But some Gangrel stayed, hidden or
  * in torpor; some made their havens in the forests of
  4, Siberia, and others hid among nomadic tribes — the
  Huns, the Tanguts and the Mongols. Most of the
  Gangrel who walked among the Asian nomads de-
  Ascended from a nameless Methuselah reputed to have
  burrowed under the Gobi Desert. This bloodline —•
  • whose members called themselves Anda, the Mongo-
  lian word for "blood brother" — spent their nights
  capitalizing on the Mongols' conquests. As the Mongol
  KJ Empire expanded, they came back into contact with
  Kindred society as a whole. Some assimilated, others
  didn't, and still other Western Cainites joined the
  Mongols. The Anda and their converts didn't last;
  around the time that the Mongol dynasty collapsed in
  China, the Cathayans rose up and slaughtered any
  Mongol Kindred they could get their talons on. Some
  may have escaped — more than one elder Gangrel
  claims to remember Genghis Khan — but as an entity,
  the Anda bloodline is no more.
  STAKEAND PYRE
  The Inquisition was a horrifically dark time for us, as
  anyone with half a brain might suspect. Kindred elders had
  swaggered around as undying lords of the night since the
  fall of Rome. Even the normally not-bothered-with-that-
  sort-of'bullshit Gangrel got too big for their britches,
  terrorizing entire towns and marauding off with cattle,
  children, virgins, etc. In the 14th century the kine finally
  started to wake up and realize that vampires weren't
  indestructible or omniscient. The Church waged war on
  heretics, Satanists, witches, Lupines, Cainites, anything it
  could get its hands on. The Inquisition hit the Gangrel no
  more or less than any other clan. You might think we'd end
  up on the pyre less often than other clans, since we don't
  burrow into cities or lords' manors like the Ventrue or
  Nosferatu do. But Gangrel have a hard time concealing
  their bestial natures; when Father Jean confronts a woman
  with clawed paws or spider eyes, he barely takes the time
  to shout "Demon!" before she's on the fire. The Ventrue
  don't stick out like we do, and the Nosferatu, who do stick
  out like we do, know how to hide their real faces. The
  Inquisition undoubtedly destroyed at least one bloodline
  of distant relatives of ours, a group known as the Lhiannan.
  This collection of Celts, Gauls and Slavs found itself
  unable to withstand the faith of the Holy Inquisitors;
  stories have come down to us that the Lhiannan were
  blood-witches, infernalists or worse.... I don't know what
  to believe. I just know that they're gone now.
  Trie ANARCH REVOLT AND THE
  CONVENTION OF THORNS
  Speakeris Torvus Bloodbeard, a Viking; my luck in getting
  him to speak on tape continues to frighten me.
  I'll tell you about the Convention of Thorns. I was
  there; I would know what happened. The details aren't all
  clear anymore — I remember a monastery, I remember
  caves, I remember a year's worth of blood — but that's not
  what matters. What matters is that the thing was a joke
  from the start. I had been in Prague, and when the prince
  of Prague was invited to the Convention he asked me to
  go in his stead. I suppose he respected my sense of honor;
  I wasn't about to lie or misrepresent him. It was in England.
  Thankfully most of the conversation was done in a civi-
  lized language, or at least Latin. On one side you had the
  Founders: Hardestadt and his cronies. On the other side
  you had the leaders of the Anarch Revolt, a howling pack
  of honorless savages and villains. I hadn't chosen a side,
  really; I had spent most of the Anarch Revolt in torpor,
  and I found both sides distasteful. In that last, it turned out
  that I wasn't alone among my clan. Most of us preferred
  neither side in the conflict and had chosen the Camarilla
  as the path of least resistance. Many Cainites of note had
  been invited, you understand, but most did not come.
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  20
  
  Most of us had the impression that a real discussion of the
  Anarch Revolt would take place, and that perhaps some
  kind of peace would be brokered. We were quite mistaken.
  The Founders had a plan coming in; they knew what kind
  of peace they wanted, and they were unwilling to accept
  anything else. The anarchs had plans, as well, and neither
  group seemed likely to compromise. The Founders of-
  fended the anarchs with a prewritten agenda and a treaty
  that changed not at all in response to the furious debates
  that swept across the courtyard in which we met. Both
  parties—Founder and anarch—instead spent their time
  wooing influential vampires like myself, who had yet to
  choose a side. It was rather flattering. But for me the choice
  was easy: I spent the early years after my death as avargr in
  the far north, and for us diablerie was the worst crime. The
  anarchs considered diablerie a convenient tool. And
  when Karsh approached me, speaking of honor, loyalty
  and integrity, I knew I had no choice but to side with the
  Founders. I was not the only one Karsh or Petrenkov, the
  Gangrel among the Founders, spoke to, and for every
  Gangrel elder who went his way, four or five neonates
  swung the same direction. Certainly many young Gangrel
  sided with the anarchs and would not leave that side after
  the offense of the choreographed convention, but Gangrel
  elders had avoided alienating their childer with the worst
  offenses shown by the Lasombra, Tzimisce and Ventrue.
  GUN AND Snip
  At least a dozen Gangrel elders knew that another
  continent lay to the west of the Atlantic as early as 1200
  AD. To a Kindred, these Gangrel descended from Vi-
  kings, and heard tales of Vinland from returning travelers.
  One—who we shall call Olaf , though his true name is lost
  to history — entertained optimistic thoughts of a wild
  land empty of European or Asian vampires. Some four
  centuries old even in 1200, Olaf captained a boatload of
  men through the gales of the North Atlantic in darkest
  winter, seeking this promised land. Eventually he did find
  it. The Vinlanders were beset by natives they called
  sheadings; the descriptions are spotty and embellished, but
  they are pretty obviously Native Americans. Over time
  the Vinlanders came to know the skraelings, and yes, I
  mean that in most senses of the word; it appears now that
  the Narragansett tribe is partially descended from
  Vinlanders. Some Vinlanders traveled south with their
  new families, while others either died or returned to
  Europe. In the end, Olaf and Karl, his childe, traveled
  south into the open lands of America. Olaf, somewhat
  paranoid, taught Karl the Nosferatu gift of obfuscation,
  and Karl found it quite useful, adding the art of the ambush
  to his tactics of predation. The travel was difficult, of
  course: Europe's population clustered together in towns
  and cities, but the seemingly primitive natives of America
  did no such thing. When it was convenient for them to do
  so, Olaf and Karl posed as traveling spirits; at other times,
  they traveled quietly, in human or wolf form, hunting as
  necessary. Karl speaks of this time as a peaceful nighttime
  idyll, with no Cainites to trouble the pair. Trouble did
  come, of course; along the Atlantic seaboard a fierce tribe
  of werewolves and their native slaves hunted the duo for
  years, eventually driving Olaf into torpor. Karl escaped
  with his unlife and dwelt in peace for more than two
  centuries; he occasionally granted the Embrace to a na-
  tive, but for the most part he spent his time as a quiet,
  hidden hunter of men. Karl's stories suggest that he was
  aware of slumbering Methuselahs in the Americas well
  before Columbus arrived, but he kept his distance and
  recommended that his childer do the same. To that end,
  Karl made sure to teach his childer the Nosferatu talent
  Olaf had given him, sometimes giving that Discipline
  preference over our clan's usual sway over animals.
  THE 16xH CENTURY
  As humankind explored the West Indies and Ameri-
  cas, we scattered across the globe. Gangrel had established
  havens amid the wilds of the Songhai Empire in Africa,
  regardless of the danger posed by the supernatural crea-
  tures of the Dark Continent. Gangrel fought on both sides
  of Ivan the Terrible's reclamation of Russia from the
  Golden Horde. We fed from the Aztecs and their descen-
  dants. We rode with the Turks of Suleiman the Magnificent,
  conquering European towns and cities from the Black Sea
  across much of die southern Mediterranean.
  It is certainly the case that many Gangrel — includ-
  ing the infamous Arnulf the Hun — rode with the Turks
  as they invaded Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries.
  Many Cainite historians look at that allegiance as an
  aberration. To them, Gangrel are creatures of barbarism,
  not Islam — and despite the prevailing opinions of
  European Kindred at the time, Suleiman's Turks were not
  barbaric at all, but rather had a culture as deep and
  advanced as any in Europe. Gangrel who rode with the
  Ottoman Turks saw them not as destroyers of cities but
  rather a means to an end. Elders who had made their
  havens in Europe for centuries built up an impressive list
  of enemies, and an allegiance of convenience with the
  Turks and their Assamite companions allowed the Gangrel
  to sack Tremere or Tzimisce holdings in ways unavailable
  to them while they skulked in Europe.
  THE SABBAT
  I'm a lot spottier on the history of the Sabbat. It's not
  for lack of trying, but if you can imagine the problems
  inherent in interviewing Gangrel of any stripe, and mul-
  tiply those by the risk to life and limb one takes when
  spending time with any Sabbat vampire, you should
  understand how I have less information on them than you
  \
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  21
  \
  
  might want to see. If you have any more of a clue — a
  serious clue, please, I don't need more e-mail from
  dedthrashdOOd talking about how totally /kewl \ it is that
  the Sabbat are like totally evul — feel free to drop me a
  line. Use some reasonable encryption, too, or I'll just drop
  the message. The Camarilla may be a bunch of bastards,
  but the Masquerade makes too much sense for me to blow
  it off this soon.
  A few things are clear, though, and I'll try to address
  them. A few dozen anarchs were furious at the result of the
  Convention of Thorns. Despite the damage they'd done
  to elders across Europe—and, if you believe the Lasombra
  and Tzimisce, the destruction of two Antediluvians —
  most young anarchs just rolled over for their sires and
  grandsires when the time came to make a decision. As
  Torvus Bloodbeard mentioned earlier, the Gangrel didn't
  have all that many anarchs in the first place, since the
  clan's elders didn't abuse their childer nearly as much as
  other clans' elders did. (Well, maybe they did. But if so,
  who cares? It's not like the Gangrel anarchs had a much
  more organized social order than the parent clan.) But
  those who did join the anarch cause like the Mongol
  Jalan-Aajav believed in it fairly devoutly. (And don't ask
  me if Jalan-Aajav was one of the Anda. I don't know, and
  he does not answer my questions on the subject.)
  By the middle of the 16th century or so, these anarchs
  were tired of running and hiding from the elders they'd
  assaulted after the Convention of Thorns, and they held
  clandestine meetings in Spain and southeastern Europe.
  These meetings generated a philosophy, a name and a new
  sense of direction for the harried anarchs. They called
  themselves covens and sabbats, and espoused a belief that
  they were the true scions of the Devil (or Caine, depend-
  ing upon geography); they scorned the Masquerade and
  the elders who defended it. In my opinion, only two kinds
  of Gangrel joined the early Sabbat: those who were
  spoiling for a fight, and those who refused to "play human"
  with the Camarilla. The brawlers got all they could
  handle; most of them met Final Death fighting the
  Camarilla. But those who succeeded felt no qualms about
  diablerizing their opponents, increasing their own strength
  and improving their odds in the next skirmish. The
  fighting mostly took place in Spain and France, though
  some battles raged in the traditional Tzimisce homelands
  of the Balkans. It was guerrilla warfare, the kind of fight at
  which we Gangrel excel.
  From conversations with Bloodbeard, Mortensen and
  one or two other elder Gangrel, I learned that many of our
  ancestors abandoned human morals and ethics as soon as
  it was convenient. Most of these were quickly consumed
  by their Beasts, but the more disciplined among them
  followed the Path of the Feral Heart, a code of ethics that
  encourages its followers to tame the Beast gnawing at
  them from within. The Camarilla, however, strongly
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  22
  
  encouraged — some might say strongarmed — its mem-
  bership to accept the ethic of "Humanity," to allow
  Kindred to blend into human society better. It's no easy
  task to abandon a code of ethics you feel strongly about. If
  you don't believe me, try it sometime. In effect, the
  Founders were telling the Gangrel elders who developed
  the Path of the Feral Heart that their chosen morality was
  wrong, and that they were criminals if they couldn't
  abandon it to return to the side of humanity. So yeah, some
  of them told the Founders to go to Hell, and joined up with
  the anarchs.
  THE I?TH CENTURY
  The Thirty Years' War between Catholics and Prot-
  estants in the Holy Roman Empire served to cover up a
  great deal of Camarilla-Sabbat maneuvering. Though I
  have no doubt that mortals caused and fought the war, I
  have to wonder if it would have gone on as long as it did
  were it not for the machinations of the undead. Gangrel
  are the fiercest Cainite warriors, as is pretty well acknowl-
  edged, and we saw plenty of action during the war. Not all
  Gangrel Kindred were die-hard believers in the causes
  they fought for; even back then, plenty of Autarkis Gangrel
  chose sides based on who could pay them better in gold
  or blood.
  European colonists founded the first serious European
  settlements in North America in the 17th century. Some
  did not survive, but many thrived and before long, settle-
  ments dotted the East Coast. European colonists interacted
  with Native Americans at a variety of levels, from outright
  war to pleasant cooperation; this interaction brought the
  new American colonies to the attention of potent Gangrel
  who already made their havens in America. These Out-
  landers fed from the new colonists until European Cainites
  finally made their way across the Atlantic some decades
  later, at which time there were some... exciting... conflicts
  between the two groups.
  THE 18TH CENTURY
  In none of these sections do I find myself pressed to
  say, "This was a boring time for the Gangrel and nothing
  much happened." The 18th century was a time of explo-
  ration and revolution. Revolution we don't generally
  have much truck with, but exploration is our gig. I won't
  make the preposterous announcement that Lewis and
  Clark were Gangrel (or even Gangrel ghouls, or manipulated
  by a secret Gangrel Kindred and his legion of loyal
  followers, or any other ludicrous, Ventrue-esque procla-
  mation), but many expeditions into the wilds of North
  America relied on grizzled trappers and traders with shady
  pasts and unusual habits. Surely you wouldn't find it too
  strange to learn that at least one of them was one of us.
  Revolutions raged in France and America. Bodi of
  them allowed for some hidden Sabbat-Camarilla vio-
  lence, just like every war does, but other than that tidbit,
  the Gangrel I spoke to about the revolutions didn't have
  much of an opinion. Most of them liked the US as it was,
  but at the time the revolution didn't matter to them. The
  only effect it had on vampiric society, according to my sire
  and his acquaintances, was that dozens of mortal institu-
  tions extricated themselves from European dominance,
  and that gave American Kindred a shot at getting some
  influence of their own. Of course, this didn't do much for
  the Gangrel, who lacked the necessary connections to
  exploit such a power vacuum, but again, most Gangrel
  didn't get too worked up about it.
  THE 19TH CENTURY
  In the United States, the Civil War (or, as my
  brethren in Georgia prefer, the War Between the States)
  dominated the 19th century; from this perspective it's easy
  to look at events leading up to the war and see them as
  precursors to it, and it's certainly the case that much of the
  end of the century was spent dealing with the ramifica-
  tions of the war.
  As for the Gangrel, well, the unpleasant truth is that
  slave pens make good feeding grounds. The freeing of
  American slaves during and after the Civil War was
  something of a hardship to Gangrel who'd fed at the same
  plantation for a century or more. Personally I couldn't care
  less if those Gangrel went through some tough times; I find
  the practice of slavery repugnant, and the act of feeding on
  slaves or prisoners downright repulsive. But let's face facts:
  We often refer to mortals as kine. Cattle. Respect for
  human dignity and freedom isn't universal among Kin-
  dred, and such things fade quickly after a century of unlife,
  to my observations. And let's not even get into the
  Sabbat's attitudes.
  As for the war itself, it was a bloody, horrific mess. It
  was the last "traditional" war fought by Americans; in
  contrast to the "total war" mentality seen during the Great
  War, the Civil War was downright genteel. But thousands
  died; Grant knew that the Union's only advantage was its
  vast population, and he hurled throngs of troops at Con-
  federate positions. Like any nomadic scavengers would,
  Gangrel profited from these scenes of mass destruction.
  Once die sun went down, we crawled from the ground to
  feast on the recently dead and not-quite dead. Plenty of
  neonates came out of the war, and most of them retained
  prejudices from their mortal lives. For a short time in the
  1870s, feuding Gangrel neonates in Virginia and West
  Virginia made the Applachians all but impassable from
  north to south, but this skirmish resolved itself with only
  a few Final Deaths. A few fringe ancillae from this period
  still hold grudges, and viciously challenge any young
  Gangrel in their territory whose accent shows him to be
  from the wrong side of the Mason-Dixon line.
  For all practical purposes, the Native American na-
  tions in the United States died during the 1800s. American
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  23
  
  I
  Indians were pushed westward, then forcibly herded onto
  reservations to allow whites the choicest territory. Those
  tribes that refused to capitulate to the demands of the US
  found the Army hounding them across the Great Plains.
  Many Gangrel counted themselves as allies of the native
  tribes; many others simply fed on them, with less concern
  given to the natives' political fortunes. Some Gangrel had
  the audacity to act against the relocation forces arrayed
  against native tribes; they might divert the forces for long
  enough to allow favored mortals to escape, but just as often
  they roused an otherwise nonplussed army group into
  taking drastic action against the Indians.
  Relocation onto reservations wasn't itself that much
  of a problem for the undead. Gangrel are nothing if not
  mobile. But with relocation and reservations came a
  decline in the tribes' spirits. Their numbers decreased, and
  they found themselves to be nothing more than a token
  nod to long-broken treaties. Plenty of Gangrel took up
  residence in or near native reservations, which were not
  too radically different from the concentration camps of
  later wars; the natives were decent herds, and a few were
  willing to work as servants or even ghouls. For the most
  part, the other clans left the reservations alone, seeing
  them as too much work for relatively small gains.
  CITY GANGRELAND COUNTRY GANGRPL
  The Sabbat has always been strong inNorth America,
  as we well know. Too many Gangrel broods converged on
  the continent simultaneously for me to have a hope of
  providing a general genealogy of those present at any point
  in history, but I can give you a couple of interesting facts.
  The first is that by the American Revolution, the broods
  of Karl childe of Olaf dominated the northern Appala-
  chians. You may remember my earlier mention of Karl; he
  and Olaf come from the age of the Vinland settlement in
  what is now Nova Scotia.
  Members of KarPs broods and European Sabbat
  Gangrel hit New York City in large numbers around the
  time of the American Civil War. 
  By 1860, my sources
  indicate, as many as three dozen Sabbat Gangrel made
  their havens in the city (think about that for a minute).
  Curiously, many Sabbat Gangrel had left the New York-
  Philadelphia area in the preceding decade, ostensibly to
  brawl with the Camarilla in the Wild West.
  Several Gangrel packs that prowled the New World
  during the Civil War had a surprising amount in common.
  Unlike their clanmates, these Kindred had no great affin-
  ity for the wilderness. Some were bom in large cities in
  America or Europe; others had developed a (reasonable)
  fear of the forest and dark plain during their unlives. Many
  (though certainly not all) of these vampires had shown a
  tendency to develop insectoid or arachnid features—like
  the possibly legendary Tonio Eight-eyes — or the
  characteristics of decidedly urban beasts. Lastly, almost all
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  24
  
  of them unconsciously preferred a different set of Disci-
  plines than our clan usually favors. They eschewed rugged
  hardiness for supernatural speed, and chose the arts of
  concealment rather than the ways of beast mastery.
  The packs declared kinship in spirit, if not in lineage,
  in a bloodcurdling ceremony in the tenements of Manhat-
  tan around 1870. The leadership of the Sabbat in New
  York acknowledged the "City Gangrel" as a separate
  bloodline from the "Country Gangrel" about a decade
  later, and by the turn of the century they spread through
  Sabbat holdings across North and South America. To this
  day, I'm told, City Gangrel are far less common in Europe,
  and almost all of them are childer or grandchilder of
  Americans. Those that aren't, I can make a guess as to their
  previous ancestry, but I'm not going to set it down here.
  ENGINE AND WIRE
  THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
  The Industrial Revolution, which began in the late
  19th century, had a curious impact on Cainites in general
  and the Gangrel clan in specific. Dozens of cities in the
  Great Lakes region—such as Pittsburgh, Gary, Cleveland
  or Detroit — were sleepy little burgs in the wake of the
  Civil War. They had relatively small populations, typi-
  cally no more than the 100,000 necessary to support one
  Kindred under the guidelines of the Camarilla. In several
  cases, that lone Cainite was a Gangrel who'd claimed the
  area as her domain for over a century. By 1880, though,
  these cities' populations began to spike upward with an
  influx of immigrants and factory workers—Pittsburgh, for
  example, doubled its population from 1880 to 1900. A
  town that could feasibly support one Kindred in 1850
  could support 10 just 50 years later. And when a city could
  supportmore Kindred, you betterbelieve those Kindred came.
  Gangrel caught in the population boom tried several
  different responses. Some declared themselves prince and
  each Embraced a childe or two to back their claim up with
  a brood. Some settled for behind-the-scenes roles, endors-
  ing newcomers in exchange for major boons and perhaps
  serving as primogen. Some long-time Gangrel residents
  lost out to faster rivals; the new princes generally destroyed
  or de-fangcd their Gangrel competitors. Many Gangrel
  caught in the industrial revolution simply left in search of
  wilder frontiers, away from the Kindred-come-lately.
  The Wright Brothers' invention of the airplane fur-
  ther devalued the singular Gangrel ability to fly; trains
  already far outstripped flapping bats in terms of speed, but
  Gangrel were matched only by the rare Gargoyles and
  untrustworthy Tremere in their ability to provide aerial
  reconnaissance. With the airplane's invention, flight as a
  bat became more of a novelty than a serious form of
  long-distance travel or communication. At least, that's
  \
  the way I see it; it can be useful to turn into a bat in the city,
  or to elude pursuers, but I'd never consider traveling that way.
  Massive industrialization concentrated wealth in the
  hands of a few individuals, and in many cases those
  individuals were under the sway of the Ventrue or Tremere.
  That shouldn't surprise you; it didn't surprise any of us.
  Keeping tabs on high-tech industries like pipe-fitting
  wasn't something the average feral Gangrel had interest or
  time for. There are always exceptions, mind you; several
  Gangrel had their talons in Standard Oil out at the
  wildcatting level, for instance. But as usual, when a new
  economic innovation came about, the other Kindred took
  the gold mine and left the Gangrel the shaft.
  THE CLOSING OF THE FRONTIER
  The end of the American frontier as a palpable thing,
  early in the 20th century, was a blow against the American
  Gangrel. No longer could the default answer to their
  political problems be to flee westward, into the wilderness;
  the wilderness was still there, of course, but it wasn't a great
  unclaimed undefined free land any more. The wildest
  Gangrel ran into California and the Pacific Ocean. It
  would not be long, by vampiric standards, before west-
  ward-running refugees turned the West Coast into a Free
  State. Several broods of Gangrel ran to the wilderness of
  the West at the turn of the century. The childer of
  Luchenko fed in the mountains around Denver; a trio of
  North African expatriates in the desert around Las Vegas
  later extorted fantastic wealth out of the Camarilla vam-
  pires who later set up shop in town; and a pride of rustic
  Native American Gangrel led by one "Skysmoke" kept a
  low profile in South Dakota at least until the Great War.
  THE PANAMA CANAL
  The French were the first to really try digging a canal
  across the Isthmus of Panama, at the end of the 19th
  century. They failed for many reasons, including the rapid
  spread of malaria from natives to Frenchmen. When the
  American government started its own canal project in the
  wake of Panama's 1903 revolution, malaria remained a
  huge problem. The presence of malaria-spreadingCainites
  in the area didn't help matters, of course.
  A small brood of Gangrel hunted in the area we now
  think of as the canal zone around the turn of the century.
  They mostly kept to themselves, due to their inhuman
  features; they had multi-faceted eyes, buzzing voices and
  more. One inparticular, called Jose by hisbroodmates, had
  lost much of the lower half of his skull in favor of a
  mosquitolike proboscis. Jose's broodmates insisted that he
  could consume blood faster than anyone else in the area,
  but he'd lost his ability to speak.
  The insectoids spread malaria so much faster than
  would be expected that a number of American scientists
  traveled to the canal zone to investigate the presence of a
  new vector for the disease. After only a few weeks of study,
  CHAFER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  25
  
  they were relatively sure that they'd discovered a new,
  large blood-drinking predator; the scientists even made a
  few forays into the nighttime jungle in an attempt to catch
  the beast in the act of feeding.
  Thankfully for the Masquerade, things never got
  much farther than that; the insectoids attacked the group
  of scientists during one of those nighttime escapades. A
  few scientists were killed, and the others, terrified both at
  the violence and the nearly incomprehensible forms of
  their attackers, refused to continue their research afterward
  EXPLORING
  By the beginning of the 20th century there wasn't
  much uncharted frontier left for our clan's wilder
  members to retreat into. Of course, by the same token,
  American Manifest Destiny had encircled the Lupines
  and the few remaining Native Americans, and the
  werewolves seem much more dependent on wilderness
  than even we are. We took the good with the bad.
  Numerous brave souls explored the remaining un-
  charted lands of the world; in some cases that proved
  rather dangerous. For instance, as I mentioned before, a
  few extremely old Gangrel moved into the far north in
  prehistoric times; some took Siberian or Inuit tribes as
  herds. At least one expedition to the far north disturbed
  one of those tribes, and a few explorers died mysteriously
  in the night. I haven't heard about any Antarctic expedi-
  tions awakening anyone or anything, which I imagine is
  fortuitous. Then again, people die on all of those trips, and
  you can't say for sure that Kindred didn't kill them; we're
  only sure that it didn't look like Kindred killed them.
  Which, I suppose, is the point after all....
  TURNCOAT 
  '•''';:.,"' ,:.;t".'.:
  v>I.''' 
  ,. . V/.:.";V|
  -^ 
  In 1912, Marvin Schellman, a German- I
  American Sabbat vampire of our clan, made a big
  move: He broke free of the mutual blood bonds of 5
  the Sabbat and ran like hell for Europe. When he 
  g
  reached Munich, he abased himself before that 
  ?.
  city's prince and begged for shelter. The Camarilla J
  of the city did not trust the apparent turncoat, of |
  course, but after Munich's Tremere declared him 1
  safe (how, I don't know—presumably by looking f
  for blood bonds), he gained some freedom. I
  Schellman went to ground, literally, during the I
  Second World War, and since that time has 
  «i
  created two childer. He sent both to America, |
  and today they serve their sire's desires by hunt- |
  ing the Sabbat pack he fled. Justice delayed is 1
  only justice denied when the offended party is
  'mortal. 
  I
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  26
  \
  
  But the surge in manly endeavor — personified in
  Teddy Roosevelt and later, the roaring, drunken Ernest
  Hemingway—had great side effects for some members of
  our clan. As land was declared to be part of the National
  Parks system, Americans were invited into the wilderness
  for camping trips, hiking expeditions and so on, and if a
  "bear" mauled the occasional hiker, hey, that's the price
  they paid for having such luxurious wilderness all around.
  The really big national and state parks provided havens to
  Lupines, so the parks weren't buffets for Gangrel who had
  staked them out, but some Gangrel relished the danger
  inherent in feeding within Lupine territory and others had
  no choice.
  EUGENICS
  At the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, Dr. W. McGee
  presented a number of exhibits of "primitive" humanity;
  Indian tribes, African pygmies and aborigines from across
  the world were held in what was no less than a zoo for
  humanity, to show off their barbaric ways of life. The end
  of this series of exhibits, of course, was the presentation of
  Anglo-Saxon Caucasian Americans as the pinnacle of
  human evolution. I hear that at least one of the "exhibits"
  found herself Embraced near the end of the World's Fair,
  by one of our number; I imagine she's still in St. Louis and
  I don't imagine she feels terribly charitable toward whites,
  even today.
  I hadn't been born, much less Embraced, when this
  stuff was going on, but I do remember that before the
  Second World War the term "eugenics" was much less
  loaded than it is today. It was an admirable goal, really: the
  improvement of humanity. Hell, if you believe their
  stories, vampire elders have groomed human bloodlines to
  fit their needs throughout history.
  Okay, seriously. In the modem nights, the eugenics
  movement seems somewhat specious; now scientists are
  mastering the human genome and soon will be able to
  improve human genetics directly, rather than taking
  generations to breed the perfect human. I imagine that
  vampires who have spent generations breeding "improved"
  humans will take umbrage at this when it occurs.
  In light of the emphasis on the difference between
  "civilized man" and "primitive man," it may seem strange
  that many Americans chose to undertake a more primi-
  tive lifestyle. These people generally put great stock in the
  myth of the noble savage, and wanted to become barbaric
  again. I must wryly note that this was a great opportunity
  for my clan. Back-to-the-woods types provided plenty of
  blood, and those who worked in cities but spent weekends
  or summers in the countryside made excellent contacts for
  politically distant Gangrel. More than one nature enthu-
  siast joined the ranks of Clan Gangrel early this century.
  IMMIGRATION AND THE NEW CITY
  During the years leading up to the Great War, Kin-
  dred and mortal immigration to the United States increased
  dramatically. Newcomers from southern and Eastern Eu-
  rope came across the Atlantic in great numbers, and
  European vampires accompanied no few of them. Neo-
  nates of all clans in Europe were trapped; positions of
  power were not going to open up above them without a
  titanic war. Fearing a new Anarch Revolt, European
  elders encouraged their childer to immigrate to the US.
  This immigration took place both among the Sabbat
  Gangrel and the Camarilla Gangrel, which surprised me
  when I learned of it. I'd assumed that there weren't that
  many vampires left among the European Sabbat by 1900;
  certainly the one European Camarilla elder I'd spoken to
  implied that the Sabbat was no longer a problem there.
  But no — in Spain and the Balkans the Black Hand still
  held sway, and when population pressure grew too great,
  the sect's elders "relocated" troublesome Kindred to the
  Americas, just as the Camarilla did.
  Both sects fell in love, figuratively speaking, with the
  new image of the city in the early part of this century. More
  specifically, Gangrel of both sects found beauty in the
  skyscraper and the subway. The skyscraper expressed the
  desire to rise above the crowd; those who could reach the
  tops of such buildings spoke of a new perspective on the
  city below, literally and figuratively. Gangrel found sky-
  scrapers to be great perches; when one has the powers of
  flight and keen senses, a skyscraper is a fine place from
  which to watch one's prey.
  Subway runnels remain thoroughfares of opportunity
  for the undead. Any mechanism that lets a vampire move
  around a city without risking exposure to sunlight is bound
  to be quite popular with Kindred. More Nosferatu than
  Gangrel make their lairs in forgotten offshoots of subway
  systems, but many Gangrel do take advantage of such things.
  I was surprised at first to find city planners and
  construction engineers among our clan, in both the
  Camarilla and the Black Hand. But it seems obvious in
  retrospect. The city is our nightly playground; Camarilla
  bastions must repel Sabbat invaders. The skyscraper and
  the subway are roosts, havens, bolt-holes and feeding
  grounds. Obviously, such specialists are relatively young;
  a Methuselah cannot be roused to leam the intricacies of
  excavation engineering. But such things are of great
  general interest to elders of most clans; secure under-
  ground and penthouse havens are necessary staples of
  our existence.
  \
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  27
  \
  
  . 
  .
  COUNTRIES
  Gangrel have never worried too much about
  national boundaries; no border patrol officer will
  prevent a crow from flying over his assigned booth or
  a coyote from running past, especially while he
  dismantles the Car of suspected cocaine- or bomb-
  smugglers. Plenty of Gangrel who sought pristine
  wilderness found it north of the 55th parallel in
  Canada. Even in the modern nights, the Canadian
  Great Plains are vast, empty expanses, and Canada
  has more parkland than the entire United States has.
  Unfortunately, wherever one finds huge tracts of
  beautiful wilderness, one finds Lupines. I don't know
  if there are really more werewolves in Canada than
  there are in the US, or if it just seemed that way last
  time I wentnorth. If you want to really get away from
  it all, the Canadian Great Plains or Rockies are the
  answer. Just be careful you don't get more than you
  wanted. 
  5i»- 
  ,
  .- Mexico is more densely populated than Canada,
  but parts of it are just as wild. The Sabbat has infested
  Mexico as long as diere's been a Mexico, of course,
  so travelers southward have always had to be careful
  lest they be invited to a blood-kegger. Modern
  Mexico City is a scary place for non-Sabbat vampires
  Jof any flavor, as they would put it, so if you're a
  Camarilla or independent Kindred, I suggest you
  favoid it. On the upside, there aren't as many Lupines
  >J'jjn Mexico as in Canada, or at least there weren't the
  : last time I went to Tijuana.
  THE GREAT WAR
  Consider that you had five glacial empires stuck
  rammed up against each other, each one growing expo-
  nentially and becoming ever-more crowded every night;
  multiply it by rising nationalism, socialism and anarchism,
  and is it any surprise what happened when Gavrilo Princip
  killed Archduke Ferdinand and greased the stuck axle of
  the European war machine?
  A comment from Zeke J.
  Princip's anarchist group, die one that wanted the down-
  fallofSerbia, called itself the Black Hand. 1 cannot bringmyself
  to believe that this was mere coincidence — and believe me,
  with all the implications such a thing has, I'dprefer it was. The
  Black Hand is the Sabbat, as we all know, so the question that
  has to leap to mind is: what did the Sabbat gain from starring the
  First World War?
  War doesn' t inherendy further the aims of the Sabbat, as
  I read things. Hell, in some respects it furthers the aims of the
  Camarilla, since we all know the CamarilJla has all the world's
  arms dealers under its thumbs, and. war makes breaches of the
  Masquerade easier to hide. So there must have been some
  particular Camarilk holding that the Sabbat wanted to damage
  beyond repair. On the other hand, Serbia itself is in ancient
  T^imisce territory. Maybe they needed to do something there.
  I'm sure that Tom will entirely ignore the significance of this
  tidbit, but that's why I'm here.
  Gangrel in Europe made a good opportunity out of a
  shitty situation. Let's face it: Entrenched armies and
  battlefield machine guns aren't conducive to leading a
  simple undeath. However, the Gangrel had a few things
  going for them that other clans didn't. Terence Arthur of
  England was arguably the first to realize that we could
  scout battlefields very easily, perhaps more easily than the
  Nosferatu. Arthur made a killing selling aerial maps to
  those elders with a vested interest in the war's outcome.
  Similarly, Gangrel made great messengers between those
  Kindred whose lines of communication had been cut by
  trenches. And in a bit more macabre fashion, I happen to
  know that battlefields make for good eating. Corpses are
  still good for our purposes several hours after they've
  dropped, and bodies sometimes laid in No Man's Land for
  nights at a stretch.
  Karsh, the Gangrel Warlord of the Camarilla, did
  take advantage of the chaos of the war to direct sorties
  against the remaining Sabbat strongholds in Europe. On
  a number of occasions, mortal soldiers charged Sabbat
  strongholds, or were ordered by their superiors to defend
  locations that turned out to be the property of elder
  Kindred. Not that any of them found out the true nature
  of such assignments. On a few occasions, elite teams of
  vampires, some plucked still breathing from the trenches,
  were used in similar circumstances.
  Let's not forget that the Great War was called a World
  War for a reason, and not just because Germany started it.
  Throughout Africa, South America and various islands in
  the Indian Ocean, aboriginal people died by the thou-
  sands, fighting other aboriginal people on behalf of their
  colonial masters back in Europe. Gangrel who had chosen
  to settle in these remote locations found many of the same
  benefits as their European sires—war means death, which
  means free blood for the taking — but often spread
  equatorial disease farther than they wanted, and were
  sometimes singled out as members of the wrong side
  during a skirmish. Embraced natives typically fared better
  than their sires, and of course some of them used such
  conditions to escape their sires.
  Back in America, attitudes were more pragmatic than
  in Europe. A general sentiment spread among American
  Gangrel that the Old World was committing suicide, and
  should be allowed a graceful death. When names of
  European Gangrel destroyed by the fighting drifted across
  the Atlantic, only a few Americans chose to return to the
  Old World and seize their sires' territory. Most preferred
  their new home, even if it had once been a place of exile.
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  28
  
  s FOLLY
  Michael Andecson was a relatively young
  Gangrel with a great vision. Inspired by the build-
  ing of the Panama Canal and the skyscrapers of
  New York and Chicago, in 1919 Anderson opti-
  mistically suggested to the primogen of Denver
  that they invest in the construction of a vast
  underground city for Kindred. In this fashion* he
  suggested, Cainites from across the world would
  have a safe, neutral haven, and be able to interact
  with the waking world day and night. 
  '
  The primogen of Denver hardly had time to
  burst Andersen's flimsy bubble of a plan before the
  neonate tripped off to beginplanning "New Enoch".
  He consulted geological surveys, old mine maps
  and so on. It was never built, of course; as you might
  imagine, a Pollyanna like M ichael Anderson didn't
  stand a chance in negotiations with century-old
  vampires. He survived, at least; I hear he's got a
  commune outside Colorado Springs that accepts
  him as its guru. According to legend, Anderson's
  maps and schematics are still around somewhere;
  the prince of Denver seized them in J.920 and they
  haven't been seen since.
  THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
  The Russian Revolution itself wasn't that big a deal
  for us Gangrel; mortal governments change all the time.
  The Brujah were up in arms, of course, but they get that
  way any time you let them capitalize the word "revolu-
  tion". The only noteworthy event for the Gangrel was that
  Igor Strensky's brood, about half a dozen Camarilla Gangrel,
  left the sect for the Sabbat just as Czar Nicholas breathed
  his last. The pack fled their territory south of Moscow and
  found one of the rare European Sabbat strongholds, some-
  where in the Balkans or Carpathians, I'm told. They
  bought their freedom with an enormous stash of stolen
  Russian Orthodox and pre-Christian Russian artifacts and
  idols; some of them were surely mystical and all were priceless.
  THE TWENTIES
  The '20s were a time of turmoil and opportunity. From
  Prohibition to the women's suffrage movement, society in
  America turned upside down. In Europe things were far
  harder; resources were scarce in the wake of the Great
  War, and though the Allies tried to return to the status quo
  antebellum, changes in Italy, Germany and Russia made it
  clear that such a thing was impossible.
  Now I'll discuss a topic that may make cultured, late-
  generation modem vampires a little uncomfortable. By
  that I mean race, of course. Hip modem vampires aren't
  supposed to care about race, you know; as my friend Alicia
  M. says, "They all taste the same." Back in the '20s, people
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  29
  I
  
  AND IRISH REVOLUTION
  In 1914 the British Parliament passed an act
  giving limited home rule to Ireland. The start of
  the Great War delayed that law's effect, to the
  frustration of many Irishmen; a "Celtic Revival"
  spread throughout Ireland, emphasizing that
  nation's traditional arts and heritage, and its his-
  torical independence from the English. On Easter
  Monday, 1916, Patrick Pearse read a Declaration
  of Independence, proclaiming Ireland free of the
  United Kingdom; Pearse and his brethren in the
  Irish Republican Brotherhood assumed that Brit-
  ain would be too busy fighting the Germans to
  waste its resources on a minor revolution in its own
  backyard. Pearse was wrong. The British deci-
  mated the IRB forces in a matter of weeks, and the
  15 leaders of the revolution were swiftly executed.
  In subsequent years a somewhat more peaceable
  separation between the two nations would take
  place- 
  ',..•'"' ._ 
  -' • /...', 
  >• /' : :-\-v 
  • 
  .
  To Irish Gangrel, especially those of Celtic
  heritage, the Celtic Revival and the Revolution
  were like a lightning strike. Neonates and ancillae
  who had known nothing but British dominance
  throughout their lives and unlives were thrilled for
  the chance to lash out at their royal oppressors. A
  few younger Gangrel even styled themselves neo-
  pagan "Lhiannan," after a long-extinct bloodline.
  They surely were not members of that group, but
  appearances were as important as consanguinity
  back in those nights.
  didn't care about race either, because it was self-evident
  that blacks, Indians, Italians, Irish and the rest of those
  people were inferior to the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant
  American. Oh, sure, we didn't keep the black man in
  chains anymore, but that didn't mean you even wanted
  him looking at your daughter.
  Many Gangrel on the fringes of Cainite society found
  it easier to feed from the disenfranchised or the foreigner
  than from the city-dwelling Cracker businessman and his
  family. After all, some Ventrue or Tremere might have
  claimed that businessman's apartment building as do-
  main. On the wrong side of the tracks the Gangrel had
  only to compete with the Brujah and Nosferatu and the
  odd Caitiff. This state of affairs began long before the '20s,
  of course, so I'm sure the modem reader won't be surprised
  that Clan Gangrel's membership hails from a pretty
  diverse group.
  As a side note, I should point out that the Ku Klux
  Klan was enormous back in those nights. And it wasn't just
  a bunch of good ol' boys sittin' in a pickup truck lookin' for
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  30
  \
  
  a nigger to lynch. The KKK was a civic organization; in
  many towns nearly every white male was a member. The
  group did many good deeds, from supporting orphanages
  to cleaning up litter. To politicians the KKK's endorse-
  ment often meant the difference between re-election and
  retirement. KKK politicians held mayorships and state
  offices from Indiana to Oregon.
  The Gangrel had their own interactions with the
  Klan. Jack Hanson, a Gangrel who was prince of India-
  napolis for about three months in the 1930s, had been a
  Klansman in life. He preferred to feed from the "lesser
  races," as he called them; he killed them when he could.
  He Embraced at least one of his fellow Klansmen, a
  gentleman who asks to remain anonymous. Hanson's
  sloppiness in feeding brought him to an archon's atten-
  tion, and prince or no, I guess it's true that there's always
  a bigger fish. Shame about old Jack. The flipside of Jack
  Hanson's story is Marcus Washbum, a black man. Marcus
  made the mistake of lingering a bit too long over his
  lemonade while cutting John Phillips's lawn one July
  afternoon; he compounded that by smiling once or twice
  at Mrs. Phillips. Two nights later, Marcus found himself
  hog-tied and on his way to his own funeral, where he
  would have met his end if it hadn't been for a Gangrel who
  freed him, killed two men, and Embraced Marcus.
  Of course, Marcus didn't make it either. No one was
  surprised when he took his revenge on John Phillips;
  everyone, was surprised when John's wife Mary turned out
  to be a Lupine, who ripped Marcus in half.
  PROHIBITION
  I don't know where my parents' generation came up
  with stuff like this. The abolition of alcohol would have
  been a crisis for vampires everywhere if it had been taken
  seriously, as the elimination of the drunken target would
  have made the Hunt far more difficult. As it was, Prohibi-
  tion was a great opportunity for Kindred with their fingers
  in organized crime. Of course, that wasn't usually Clan
  Gangrel, either collectively or as individuals. We got the
  scraps and the dregs; some of our contacts or ghouls might
  be mob enforcers or made men, but the capos were
  generally Ventrue, BrujahorGiovanni tools, at least those
  who were under the sway of Kindred.
  So, as usual, something big occurs in mortal society,
  and because we're on the outskirts, for us it might as well
  have never happened.
  THEAUTOMOBILH
  The automobile eventually reduced the value of the
  Gangrel cachet in a big way. Before this, of course,
  railroads could kick our ass for speed, but not for versatility:
  if you wanted something to get to an unusual destination
  and you knew the railway stations were being watched,
  you could go to a Gangrel and guarantee that it'd get there
  as fast and securely as possible. We had ways of moving
  around the countryside quickly that no one this side of the
  Lupines could match.
  But with the advent of the car, an elder could send
  ghouls — or even childer or other Kindred — to get to a
  remote destination in a hurry, fairly safely. Some Gangrel
  did their best to sabotage this in the early nights. My sire
  tells me proudly of the time he learned that the prince of
  Cincinnati was sending his favored childe to Toledo with
  some important paperwork in a brand new Model T. He
  scored all sorts of points by letting the Lupines of the Black
  Swamp in on the voyage; the Lupines thanked him, the
  anarchs of Cincinnati thanked him, and an out-of-favor
  childe of Cincinnati's prince thanked him. That sort of
  thing still goes on tonight, but it's much harder when four-
  lane superhighways usher thousands of vehicles in and out
  of major cities on a daily basis.
  THE GREAT DEPRESSION
  It was all a big goddamn mess, of course. Nobody was
  sure why everything was going to hell, but everybody had
  a solution. We had the communists, the anarchists, the
  national socialists and, God save us, we had Hoover. I was
  a kid during the Depression. It wasn't much fun; my
  parents scrambled for work, scrimped to save money, and
  we had plenty of meatless days. We literally boiled shoes
  for broth at times.
  My sire tells the story differently. The Great Depres-
  sion was a bonanza for our clan. Part of the reason the
  Depression hurt so many people was that ordinary folks
  wagered big money on the stock market; really risky stocks
  were the best way to make a killing quick. And those folks
  who'd gambled on high-risk stocks lost their shirts. Vam-
  pires don't invest that way. When you have to be around
  for two or three centuries, you appreciate the power of
  compound interest on a low-risk investment.
  My sire — no businessman — cleaned up during the
  Depression. As banks foreclosed on desperate landowners,
  he swept in and snapped up haven after haven at a fraction
  of their true value. When evicted impoverished renters
  left the cities in droves, hoping to eke out a subsistence
  lifestyle on the outskirts of town, my sire was there with
  sharp teeth and bright red eyes. To this night he speaks
  with great fondness of the Great Depression; he tells me
  he's looking forward to seeing the current stock market
  bubble burst.
  THE NAZI PARTY
  In 1938 a pride of Gangrel rose up out of nowhere, all
  espousing a common political credo and vowing to take
  drastic action. This wasn't the first time such a thing had
  happened; it's a tradition dating back at least as far as the
  American Revolution. Most often, a Gangrel neonate
  holds a bit too tightly to his mortal politics after his
  Embrace, and then runs to Embrace a group of his cronies
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  31
  \
  
  as soon as his sire presents him to the local primogen as a
  recognized vampire. This kind of thing happens far more
  often among the Brujah, I'm told, and these nights it only
  really happens in certain cities. These anarchs were fas-
  cists; they made their havens in western Germany.
  This brood, which called itself the Fist, supported
  Chancellor Hitler's nationalistic and racist fervor; its
  members terrorized enemies of the Fatherland whenever
  they had a chance. In later years, the Masquerade in Berlin
  would stretch sufficiently to allow the group great latitude,
  but before the Second World War, the prince of Berlin
  had several members of this pride blood hunted.
  To compound things in Germany, around this time a
  new group calling itself die Waelkyrige sprang up in
  Scandinavia and spread their influence throughout north-
  central Europe. These Cainites upheld the Viking ethic to
  the fullest; they apparently believed themselves to be
  modern incarnations of the mythical Valkyries. They
  claimed to follow a female Gangrel called Brunhilde. If
  they really do consider themselves to be the choosers of
  the slain — for that is the mythical role of the Valkyries
  — one imagines that they made an awful lot of battlefield
  Embraces during the war. Regardless, you don't hear too
  much about them in the US anymore. I have no doubt that
  they're the hellraisers of the Black Forest, though. Anyone
  who voluntarily makes her haven in Lupine territory earns
  my respect as a powerful Kindred indeed.
  STALIN s REVOLUTION
  Stalin's paranoia killed 18 million people in the
  Soviet Union before the old man finally died, and he
  probably would have done it even without the Brujah
  leaning on him. To be blunt, Soviet Gangrel ate as many
  of them as they thought they could get away with. Fiercely
  independent Russian small farmers resisted being herded
  onto collectives; to spite their masters, they slaughtered
  millions of sheep, pigs and goats in a very short time. They
  feasted, for a year or so. Then starvation kicked in, and
  then Soviet Gangrel fed very well.
  In Moscow, after one particularly close brush with the
  Masquerade, the Russian Brujah called for the destruction
  of especially animalistic or deranged elders. The close
  brush came from a very bestial Gangrel elder, and Musco-
  vite Gangrel immediately assumed that this was the
  council's way of declaring war on the clan. This led to
  fighting in the streets and countryside; there would be
  little peace until the Second World War fell upon the
  USSR.
  THE SECOND WORLD WAR
  Then came a hellish atrocity that we didn't have
  anything to do with.
  That's a lie, of course. We had something to do with
  it, but we didn't start it and we didn't finish it. We changed
  bits here and there; more than one Gangrel intercepted
  and changed battle orders to keep fighting away from a
  treasured haven. And we had a fair amount of work when
  Nazis, Jews, Frenchmen and Kindred all smuggled art and
  other valuables out of Europe.
  I was Embraced during the Second World War,
  during fighting in the Ardennes; I'm an American boy. As
  you might imagine, my perspective on Gangrel activity in
  Europe during the war is a little skewed. My sire passed
  along some of the information below; after the wild times
  I went through right after my Embrace, it took a few years
  before we were on speaking terms once again.
  Across Eastern Europe, the Nazis upended the local
  mortal populations and tossed centuries-old Kindred so-
  cial structures to the four winds. As the Germans relocated
  Jews and other "undesirables," Kindred linked to their
  communities lost a great deal of influence. I'm told that
  Janos Beck, a Warsaw Ventrue with a taste for Jews' blood,
  had it particularly hard after the first couple of years of the
  war; eventually he chose a blood bond to a Jewish Gangrel
  companion of my sire rather than risk Final Death. Not
  too many Kindred faced the danger of Nazi death camps
  directly, but a fair number of them had to move around
  Europe when their herds were drafted, dissolved or slaugh-
  tered, and when Kindred have to move around Europe,
  Gangrel can make a profit.
  But the relocations and camps certainly affected the
  Gangrel negatively. Plenty of our clan relied on Rroma or
  Jewish herds. Ashton's text has some commentary about
  a Gangrel, "Talos," who was captured by the Nazis and
  ended up in a death camp at Glodker along with a few
  dozen Rroma, his herd. If you believe Ashton, this moron
  went on to Embrace a score of the herd, enabling the
  bunch to destroy the camp and make their escape. I don't
  believe Ashton. He says this Talos was a member of the
  Seventh Generation. I've only met one seventh-genera-
  tion vampire — I can't conceive of any way the Germans
  could have caught and contained one of those creatures;
  an armored platoon wouldn't stand a chance. Either
  Ashton is full of it, or Talos let himself be captured to
  Embrace his herd. I've never met anyone who claimed to
  know any of Talos' childer, and diat makes me suspicious
  that Ashton made the story up to make his readers feel
  good about Gangrel activity during the Holocaust.
  Many Gangrel behaved reprehensibly during the
  Holocaust. One possibly apocryphal tale concerns a Rroma
  Gangrel, Daria, whose company was rounded up and
  taken to a work camp. Unlike the Talos stories, our
  clanswoman did nothing to free her herd, but rather slept
  in the earth during the day and crept into camp after
  sundown to drink their blood. This situation remained
  until the SS moved Daria's Gypsies to a distant camp and
  she lost track of them.
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  32
  
  Daria's story is not unique; the Fist, who I mentioned
  above, also apparently fed heavily from the camps. She
  and her ilk proved that many vampires are nothing more
  than opportunistic scavengers. Few Kindred of any clan,
  my Gangrel sire included, took any noble action during
  the Second World War; the typical Cainite ran for a
  safe haven.
  In retrospect, I have to wonder what kind of monster
  lurks around mechanized battlefields looking for a poten-
  tial childe. With my sire not around, I think I can safely
  answer this question: a pervert or a madman. The battle-
  fields of the European and Asian theaters were far too
  deadly for vampires to just wander about looking for
  childer. Wandering around looking for blood is something
  else altogether; as with other wars I've described, plenty of
  blood was on hand for the enterprising vampire. As I've
  ARK 
  ;;
  That the British and American forces had as j
  much success in the Second World War as they did |
  can be partially credited to the hardworking men '{
  and women of Bletchley Park, in England. Bletehley |
  Park was the world's first 24-hour cryptography |
  unit; it was dedicated to the decrypting of thou- J
  sands of Nazi radio messages throughout the war. t
  The Gangrel have been involved in some form, f
  of cryptography longer than any Kindred. When I
  you have to leave messages out in the woods at 
  >
  night for your clanmates to run into, you get {
  cautious, quickly. Codes (rather than ciphers) of I
  previous centuries have revolved around Beowulf, J
  the Bible or the collected works of Shakespeare; in ?
  the middle of the 19th century, however, ciphers g
  became all the rage among educated Gangrel. |
  Thus, Gangrel and their ghouls lurked in the halls ;..
  of the math departments of Princeton and Cam- i
  bridge, and at least paid some attention to the j
  goings-on at Bletchley Park. Since the Second if
  World War, most written Camarilla communica- I
  tions use the strongest possible encryption (to hell 1
  with the NSA), and this is largely due to the |
  influence of those Gangrel who were familiar with '
  codes and encryption and had either Xaviar or |
  Karsh's ear., 
  I
  mentioned before, not too many clans other than the
  Gangrel had the ability to stay out in the open for long
  enough to take such advantage. Of course, plenty of
  WWII fighting took place in cities, which gave similar
  opportunity to Kindred of other clans.
  A simple question of mathematics is at work here.
  Kindred have always been the sorts of creatures to push
  numerical limits. The Camarilla tells us that for each
  vampire in a city there must be 100,000 humans. Experi-
  ence with anarchs and the Sabbat tells us that figure is
  disproportionately low; there may be in some places as
  many as one vampire for each 10,000 humans. But let us
  use the 100,000 figure, as it is conservative enough to
  make a point clear. In the Second World War, 60 million
  humans died. By the most conservative estimate, then,
  600 vampires lost their place in the world, most of those
  in Europe. Some of those would have been Cathayans, of
  course, and many Kindred were destroyed during the war,
  but the point remained: hundreds of the Children of
  Caine had no place left to them.
  What to do? As the eyes of the world continued to
  gaze on America, the get of Caine did the same; en-
  trenched elders who'd survived the war in Europe sent
  their most troublesome childer over the Atlantic to the
  States. The Gangrel Clan, never one to act as a unified
  whole, did not decide collectively to send particular
  vampires west. But the wilderness of post-war Europe was
  a sparse and fragile thing; there j ust wasn't that much space
  available for Gangrel neonates to claim territory of their
  own, and the mortal population was depleted sufficiently
  that elder Gangrel like Wilhelm Koenig expanded their
  own claims until they felt secure. Dozens of neonates and
  ancillae found passage to America aboard cargo and
  passenger ships. Some settled in the United States, while
  others migrated south to Latin America or north to the
  sparsely populated wilds of Canada.
  THE SIPGE OF LENINGRAD
  The German Wehrmacht laid in a siege against the
  Soviet city of Leningrad in August of 1941; the city would
  not be liberated until January of 1944, a span of more than
  900 days. Mortals starved to death by the thousands; stew
  made of weeds and bread made of wood shavings were both
  seen quite frequently in the city. Cainites had it little
  better. By the end of the siege, the entirety of Leningrad's
  undead population had either fled, been destroyed or
  voluntarily entered torpor to escape the ravages of hunger.
  Those who fled had to rely on the "good graces" of Soviet
  Gangrel, many of whom were on the outs with the Soviet
  Brujah council. Many of the debts that Soviet Kindred
  earned during the siege were repaid in the late 1980s and
  early 1990s with political influence or great sums of
  Western cash.
  It's worth noting, however, that most of the Kindred
  who were around Leningrad during the Siege remember
  three or four particularly powerful elders who voluntarily
  dropped into torpor in '41 or '42 who have yet to return to
  activity. They might have been destroyed; nearly every-
  thing of value in Leningrad has been looted at least once.
  Or, if you believe in fairy tales, something else might have
  gotten a hold of them...
  CHAFER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  33
  
  T\»fe TRAVELERS
  - /-Michael Flannery, an Irish Gangrel, became re-
  nowned throughout the Gangrel clan for "Flannery's
  ^Flight," a feat which may only be apocryphal. Flannery is
  said to have flown in bat form the distance from Donegal,
  Ireland, to Boston, Massachusetts, in the terrible winter
  of 1946-7. Rumors abound as to how he might have
  accomplished such a thing: Flannery was secretly a
  Methuselah who did not need to take time to feed and
  spent his days a few dozen meters below the surface of the
  Atlantic; Flannery flew northward to the Arctic Circle,
  where the sun remained below the horizon 24 hours a day,
  and fed on Eskimos and seals; Flannery took advantage of
  enormous transatlantic shipping volume to rest on (and
  feed from) cargo ships moving westward. The truth will
  never be known; apack of Sabbat vampires felluponhim
  as he traveled through New York in '48, and he has not
  : been seen since. So much for the Methuselah theory, at
  least. Maybe.
  Vyechislav Dolcek, by conttast, came from Britain
  to the United States aboard the passenger liner Queen
  Elizabeth, whose primary duty immediately after the war
  was to transport American soldiers home. Dolcek, a
  Slavic Gangrel who had spent seven years in Warsaw
  ; through the war, had learned the arts of concealment and
  disguise from Polish Nosferatu. He managed to pose as a
  seasick American infantryman for the trip across the
  Atlantic, feeding sparingly from his bunkmates late at
  night. Upon arriving in the US> Dolcek moved into
  Appalachia, where he exists during the Final Nights.
  \
  THE ANARCH FREE STATE
  In 1944 anarchs across the West Coast erupted in a
  frenzy after the prince of Los Angeles took particularly
  harsh actions against an anarch figurehead named Jeremy
  MacNeil. When all was said and done, several cities in
  California were no longer strictly "Camarilla cities"; they
  had no princes, and were beholden only to their own sets
  of rules and some small amount of civic order. It was a crazy
  couple of decades; it was a time of great opportunity for
  many Gangrel neonates.
  It has never been the case that newly Embraced
  Gangrel are oppressed members of a vampiric underclass.
  Sure, insofar as the Gangrel clan has always been a
  collection of outsiders, we have lacked material resources
  that are plentiful for our erstwhile counterparts in other
  Camarilla clans. But unlike neonates in those clans, we are
  relatively free to act, even just a few years after our deaths.
  Young Gangrel are kept on long leashes with sharp collars.
  We don't have much to rebel against, most of the time.
  That doesn't keep us from joining the local pack of
  anarchs; sometimes that pack makes a real good bunch of
  people to know. But we don't join the anarchs as a way to
  try to, like, fight the power, man.
  Xaviar apparently dispatched one of his most trusted
  archons, Seth Geddes, to California to attempt to parse
  the situation, but Geddes—whose great love for mysteries
  and conspiracies is currently matched only by my acquain-
  tance Zeke J., and had no peer in the 1940s — met the
  Final Death mysteriously before heading west. A Tremere
  in Xaviar's entourage verified a pile of ashes found in St.
  Louis as being Geddes's only remains; they were found
  near the shore of the Mississippi. Geddes' personal files
  had been ransacked, and at least one of his havens burned
  nearly to the ground. I honestly don't know what he
  found. I think I'm glad.
  THE FIFTIES
  I've mentioned elsewhere that when a person re-
  ceives the Embrace, she doesn't automatically abandon
  her life's priorities. Things shift around, sure, but if Jane
  Smith is an ardent Republican, she's not likely to become
  a Communist immediately upon her Embrace. Many
  people's lifelong convictions take precedence over Kin-
  dred sectarian struggles and the internal struggle against
  the Beast. At least, they do for maybe the first century, but
  that's a different story. Anyway....
  That explains the number of Cainite spies operating
  throughout Central and Eastern Europe throughout the
  Cold War. Our clan weighed heavily among them. Like all
  periods of turmoil, the postwar years in Europe were a time
  of great opportunity for bold Kindred. Sure, Nosferatu
  were probably the top spies; they're built for sneaking. But
  we do not slouch, and the City Gangrel among the Sabbat
  can match the Nosferatu when they have to. Most of those
  working as operatives were nominally Camarilla mem-
  bers, but honestly, Camarilla membership didn't mean
  that much at that point. National loyalty and political
  alignment were far more important: It didn't matter
  whether a Sabbat City Gangrel or a Camarilla Nosferatu
  drove the black Mercedes tailing you. The point was that
  the driver was Russian, and that meant trouble.
  THE MCCARTHY ERA
  Periodically every society goes through a period of
  rampant xenophobia and paranoia. McCarthy's rampage
  in the '50s wasn't even the first one for the US this century
  — the Red Scare of the early '20s takes that prize — but
  it is the one I remember best. The mad lookout for
  Commies was just the latest incarnation of the Inquisition.
  Times of paranoia cause trouble for Cainites, regard-
  less of sect. The dangers are great and the benefits are few.
  When mortals fervently look out for anyone suspicious or
  weird, vampires have a much harder time hiding. Ordi-
  nary nightly activity becomes nearly impossible. Sure, you
  can always try and sic die Red-crazed FBI on your enemies,
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  34
  
  but they're probably trying to do the same to you. 
  And I
  don't have to remind you how hard a time the average
  Gangrel has at pulling government strings.
  Zeke J., the conspiracy theorist, tells me that McCarthy
  and Roy Cohn were "controlled" by the Camarilla, but as
  with many of Zeke's claims, I don't buy it. The Camarilla
  gets very little out of the House Un-American Activities
  Committee. If powerful DC vampires were trying to
  expose rivals' pawns, they put themselves at far too much
  risk in doing so. It's possible that a young, dumb Ventrue
  or Tremere had Tailgunner Joe under his thumb, but I
  imagine we would have heard about it beforehand.
  Regardless of the goings-on in DC, Clan Gangrel was
  largely able to avoid trouble, simply by virtue of knowing
  when and how to go to ground. Hell, in some cases we even
  improved our lot: 
  My acquaintance Josie T., from out
  toward Omaha, took regular heat from the local prince's
  boys until the prince was spotted in public one too many
  times and had to get out of town in a hurry. Josie T.'s 
  a
  much happier Lick now.
  In'55, Ishould mention, agood-sized pride of Gangrel
  that roamed the Florida Everglades ran into a pack of
  werewolves. Rodriguez's pride had reported Lupine activ-
  ity to the prince of Tallahassee for years. I guess they ran
  into a holy site or something. Only one of Rodriguez's
  childer, Muiioz by name, escaped with his uiilife, and he
  \
  \
  was somewhat traumatized by the fight, so details aren't
  very clear. Eight Gangrel, all ninth and 10th 
  generation,
  aged between 10 and 200 years, muddied the swamp with
  their ashes that night. If Munoz is to be believed, they
  faced close to 50 werewolves. I don't know the truth. I
  know I stay out of the Everglades, even now.
  SUBURBIA
  Unlike the sneers it draws from most Kindred, subur-
  bia was tailor-made for Gangrel. God bless William Levitt,
  for he gave unto us the suburb. The Lupines get antsy when
  we get too far into the woods — and as you are aware,
  Lupines aren't renowned for their restraint. But we're not
  good at dealing with high-handed urban Kindred politics,
  especially not when the other big Camarilla clans are
  entrenched downtown already. 1950s urban planners
  surrounded their cities with rings of cookie-cutter homes,
  and many Gangrel broods had great success in the 'burbs
  after the Commie Menace retreated to a dull back-
  ground hum.
  This goes for Sabbat as well as Camarilla. During the
  '50s, '60s and even '70s dozens of turf wars were fought over
  pathetic subdivisions with names like Hartmont Acres
  and Beau Pines. Gangrel with perverse senses of humor
  might Embrace a lawn-mowing Dad or chainsmoking
  Mom, 
  and I know one eternal teenager whose parents
  thought for 20 years that his sleeping habits and pale
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  35
  
  complexion were "just part of a phase." The suburbs
  helped vampires conceal a lot of strange activity; after the
  McCarthy problems, many people were so eager to get
  back to a normal existence that they deliberately ignored
  even their neighbors' most outre habits. Don't believe me?
  Look at all the stories of childhood abuse, alcoholism, drug
  abuse and sexual perversion in the suburbs that we didn't
  hear about until tabloid TV got into the picture. That's
  not all they were hiding.
  CIVIL RIGHTS
  Along with many fine other underprivileged groups,
  Gangrel certainly Embraced plenty of blacks in the south-
  emUS. After the Civil War, millions of African- Americans
  moved north; those vampires who used blacks as herd or
  servants moved with them. But across the country, blacks
  agitated for rights owed to them as American citizens, and
  several black Gangrel were among those pushing for such
  rights. For the vampires, existing in a situation of such
  supreme inequality made their lives unnecessarily diffi-
  cult, and those vampires did the best they could to aid the
  kine who tried to better the lot of the black man.
  There were race problems among the Kindred, and
  there still are. It's all well and good to pretend that we are
  united above humanity, but the Embrace does not happen
  in a vacuum. Plenty of white Kindred look down at black
  Kindred. Plenty of Gangrel choose their childer from
  among oppressed groups (out of sympathy, similarity,
  paternalism or simple convenience) and accordingly, the
  Gangrel take a disproportionate amount of abuse.
  In 1962 we saw a near-perfect repeat of Seth Geddes's
  death. William Coolidge, another Gangrel — this time a
  confidant of the mysterious Madame Guil — had appar-
  ently spent four years investigating Cainite traffic back
  and forth across the Rio Grande. His goal, according to
  colleagues, was to identify Sabbat packs that regularly
  traveled from Texas to Mexico. No one knows for sure
  who got him, 
  but, as with Geddes, Coolidge's remains
  were discovered on the shore of a nearby river (the Rio
  Grande), and his nearest haven ransacked and burned.
  THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION
  This is an aside by the esteemed Zeke J. Zeke is less
  "together" than most people I hang around with; judging
  from the fur on his face and the length of his fangs he's seen
  more than his fair share of frenzy. He says he was an archon
  under Luchenko through 1975, but I'm not sure I believe
  him, since I was fairly certain that Xaviar was Justicar since
  before my Embrace up through '98. I'm also not convinced
  that Zeke was ever stable enough to serve as an archon. But
  the hell with it — here's his posting. Believe what you want.
  The last time 1 checked, over 50 books still in print claimed
  to uncover the truth behindjohn F. Kennedy's death. Not one
  of them has it right, but if you look at a couple, of the more
  reputable books and mix it in with what we know as Kindred,
  you get a pretty clear picture of what's going on.
  1 can sum it up *n l/w° words: Kennedy knew. The
  Camarilla, not the Bavarian llluminati, not the Priory ofSion,
  nor any of those other institutions, is the oldest conspiracy in the
  world, and, like those other conspiracies, its masters are willing
  to kill anyone to keep their secret.
  How he found out the truth is anyone's guess. By virtue of
  his family's fortune and his association with mobsters like
  Giancana and high rollers like Sinatra, Jock had lurked around
  the fringes of our power structure for long enough to get an
  inkling of the truth. His girlfriendMarilyn may have spent time
  as a blood doll to a stupid Toreador anarch in LA, or she might
  just have rubbed elbows with Giancana's other dead friends.
  I'm not clear on the details, but they don't really matter. Jack
  knew, and the wrong people, suspected that he was going to go
  public after the' 64 election. Now, smart folk like you and me,
  we know that no sooner would the president say, "Vampires!"
  than everyone else in the government would say, "Impeach-
  ment!" but not everyone is as clever as me and you.
  The Inner Council ordered the hit; the Gangrel Justicar at
  the time, Luchenko, coordinated the activity of our took in the
  Mafia. Luchenko used a couple of surrogates, David Feme arui
  Eladio del Voile, to get New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marcello
  to organise the hit. Marcello didn' t have to learn hard on his boy
  Lee Harvey to persuade him to do the deed, and we all know that
  Jack Ruby owed his livelihood to the Mob.
  Itwasapain in the ass to clean up. I worked for Luchenko
  as an archon in the '60s and early '70s. Luchenko had me put
  down Eladio del Voile in Miami myself, and to make sure that
  no Kindred would get him, he insisted that I mangle the corpse
  pretty serious!}. At the same time, others nailed David Ferrie
  in New Orleans. Marcello bragged to Samnvy Giancana and
  Johnny Roselli, and both of those bastards got subpoenaed to the
  House. Putting them down was equally difficult. When all was
  said and done and the Johnson administration had made its own
  messes, we had to coordinate half the Nixon administration to
  clean up the rest of the paper trail back to us.
  THE MOTHMAN
  My conspiracy-nut friend Zeke J. loves stories about
  the Mothman. 1968, in the Ohio River Valley in West
  Virginia, authorities list dozens of sightings of a being who
  the locals called "the Mothman" (complete with moth-
  like wings and bright red eyes), along with many other
  strange events such as cattle mutilations, men in black and
  UFOs. He spouted off a few major prophecies (including
  one about the Pope's stabbing and another about RFK's
  assassination) and then, after a few months, vanished,
  never to return. The general public assumes that if the
  Mothman existed at all, he must have been an extraterrestrial.
  Mothman was an insane, heavily disfigured Gangrel;
  no one is quite sure which sect he belonged to. It didn't
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  36
  
  matter, really; he was a threat to the Masquerade no matter
  where he came from. Luchenko sent in several of his
  archons to manage the chaos slowly swirling into being
  around the Mothman; one archon in particular, who
  called himself Indrid Cold, made himself up as an extrater-
  restrial in order to help portray the entire Ohio Valley as
  a bunch of hysterical backwoods hicks. The rest of
  Luchenko's posse tracked, hunted and killed the Mothman
  without a lick of remorse; it took another month to tidy up
  If you're reading this, you know the usual result |
  of a confrontation between Kindred and Lupines. f;
  Imagine my surprise when stories began to circulate |
  in the early '80s that a pack of werewolves was 1
  found in northern Norway during the winter of '7 7 , |
  drained of blood and frozen solid. Norway is histori- if
  cally Gangrel territory, so my clanmates and I |
  jumped to the obvious conclusion. 
  |
  Some of my acquaintances dropped a line to |
  some of their contacts in Oslo and called in a favor |
  or two. Cainites in Oslo weren't talking, however; 1
  it seemed that nothing short of a personal visit was j|
  going to pry any information out of them. None of |
  us had time for that, so we wrote the whole thing off |
  as a random rumor. Until March of '82, when I
  Kinssky had a disturbing dream about a two-handed |
  Tyr ripping Fenris Wolfs skull apart and lapping at |
  the blood pouring from his neck. He got the strong 1
  impression that it related to the Oslo incident, and |
  told me so. Kinssky made it out to the Anarch Free |
  State a few years later, and I heard that he was I
  destroyed. I don't know what's going on in Norway |
  these nights, except for the rumors about Brunhilde. |
  the Masquerade in the area by slowly scaling down the
  amount of weirdness to its usual background level.
  The '80s were all about money. Kindred I know who
  think we really control everything believe that this is the
  decade the Ventrue finally got their shit together, and let
  it trickle onto ghouls from Wall Street to Cali, Colombia.
  Wars between American and Soviet puppet states across
  the globe gave the Gangrel plenty of easy feeding. Petty
  revolts and counterinsurgency measures in Central
  America, South America, Africa and the Middle East
  frequently gave the Sabbat a shot at surging into a Camarilla
  city, or vice versa.
  I receive a lot of international news. One nice thing
  about being part of a clan full of dead people who can turn
  into wolves, bats or mist is that we get around, and the
  proper authorities are never the wiser. I imagine the
  Nosferatu feel much the same way, in their own fashion.
  Several Kindred reside in Ulanbaator, Mongolia; in theory
  they claim to keep their eyes on the Cathayan vampires in
  China. In practice they pull the same shit as Kindred in
  any other city do. Back in '83, one of the dead residents of
  Ulanbaator was a Gangrel archon named Yevgeny
  Bodunov.
  Bodunov spread a story that a couple of neonates had
  sworn up and down was the truth. It seems that one night
  while they rode the southern steppe in the old Mongol
  style, occasionally feeding from their trotting horses, they
  passed a bit too far into to the Gobi. There they swear they
  saw a huge, bestial vampire pull itself up out of the sand
  into vague consciousness. With a wave of its hand, their
  horses bolted from their own supernatural control to the
  distant vampire's side; he devoured both horses. While the
  monster was rapt, of course, our witnesses fled for
  Ulanbaator, screaming about newly awakened
  Methuselahs in the Gobi.
  Bodunov admitted that the tale had more flaws than
  Andropov's last medical report; I won't even list the half
  dozen other things this story could be, for the sake of
  respecting your intelligence. But if you find yourself stuck
  in the Gobi in the near future, you might want to watch
  the sand.
  In '87 we had the third in a disturbing series of archon
  murders. This one was a Gangrel appointee of Petrodon's,
  one Gail Lovett. I knew Gail; she was only about a century
  old. She was a strange one, to be honest; she was sort of a
  madiematical prodigy and hermit when she was Em-
  braced and she never got much friendlier, though she did
  attend althings from time to time. Gail was an accounting
  whiz; she had a high-powered old minicomputer out in her
  cabin, in West Virginia, and she used to pore over business
  records, looking for hints of outside Kindred influence.
  When I spoke to her, in '85, she was actually going through
  century-old account books looking for discrepancies. Sort
  of monomaniacal, admittedly, but the work suited her.
  Her ashes were found on the shore of the Kanawha
  River, near Charleston. Her cabin had been ransacked,
  the computer destroyed, and the rest of the place burned
  down. Never did find out what she was working on in '87.
  And now that Petrodon's dead, I don't imagine we'll ever
  know for sure.
  In the late '80s there was a public resurgence in
  ecological awareness. Municipalities all over the US started
  recycling trash; corporations began espousing environ-
  mentally friendly policies, and so on. In truth,
  environmental activism is an old cause, dating back at
  least to the years of Teddy Roosevelt; Greenpeace has
  been around for decades. I'm told that Lupines tend to be
  hard-core eco-fanatics, as well.
  I
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  37
  
  \
  Contrary to what you might have heard, Gangrel
  aren't always grizzled environmental warriors. Sure, some
  are, maybe even a sizable percentage. But not a majority.
  Most of us have unlives to worry about. Remember that
  Lupines thrive in pristine wilderness; it is not in our best
  interests to preserve such areas. Wild places are good; they
  are useful to us, and they are great places to escape from the
  pressures of city unlife. But spiking redwood forests or
  dismantling oil rigs is too much like work, and Kindred
  don't have day jobs.
  Tne'90s
  I'm a big fan of the Internet. I picked up access back
  in '94, just before the big boom. Many non-Gangrel
  assume that because we prefer to spend time away from
  other Kindred, and wear a lot of denim, we're technical
  idiots. Obviously these guys have never seen a cabin with
  a satellite dish. Only a minority of relatively young Gangrel
  are Net users, but like the joke goes, on the Internet, no
  one knows you're a dog. So we get more converts every
  year. Secure chat servers and encrypted mail routers are
  just too nice not to use. It's also a great deal easier to deal
  with other clans through the Net; the Toreador can
  concentrate on your deathless prose rather than the flea
  crawling across your forehead. Oh, get that look off your
  face, you know who you are.
  As an additional bonus, when you're conversing with
  someone else through the Net, either via e-mail or in real-
  time, you can be much more sure that your listener isn't
  affecting your mind or words as you speak them. I have yet
  to hear of an emotion-affecting power that can be applied
  via modem. Admittedly, if someone's given you a long-
  term mental twisting, the Net won't make it go away, but
  every little bit of security helps.
  Since about 1990 there's been an upswing in the
  number of Native American-run casino resorts across the
  US. Although many people are quick to judge gambling as
  an evil to be stamped out, these casinos bring wealth and
  prosperity to the reservations on which they sit. As was
  mentioned earlier, many Gangrel reside in or near reser-
  vations, and by the traditions of the Camarilla, the fortunes
  of Cainite's herd are often her own fortune. That means
  that at least half a dozen Gangrel that I can name have
  come into pretty fantastic unexpected wealth and influ-
  ence. Of course, three others have lost that wealth and
  influence to Ventrue or Giovanni who just wanted to give
  them a hand with the intricacies of high finance....
  I don't spend a lot of time with Sabbat vampires of any
  stripe. Too many of them are freaks or idiots or a charmless
  combination of both. After we went independent last
  year, though, I ran into a pack of Sabbat in neutral territory
  (Abilene, if you have to ask) and we got to sharing bullshit
  stories. Among the tales of diablerie, debauchery and fire-
  jumping, I got j ust one gem: These guys, who call themselves
  the Silver Razors, ran into an amnesiac Gangrel in Mas-
  sachusetts in '92. The Gangrel insisted that he had no idea
  who he was, where he came from, or who his sire was.
  The Silver Razors had a Tremere antitribu among
  them back in '92 ( and they clammed up when I asked what
  happened to him) , and he wheedled Joe Anonymous until
  he donated a few drops of blood. The wizard then did his
  thing to the blood to learn Joe's sire's name, so they could
  track the guy down and find out what happened (or eat
  him; they weren't too clear on that point). They didn't
  recognize the sire's name, and they were awfully surprised
  by the results.
  Seems Joe Anonymous's sire was a Gargoyle.
  Joe sure wasn't, though; he was clearly a Gangrel. The
  Razors argued for a few minutes about what their late
  Tremere friend had said. He'd either thought that Joe
  Anonymous was so thin-blooded that the Gargoyle curse
  had faded from him entirely, or that some Kindred wizards
  somewhere had discovered how to separate Gargoyle
  vampires into their components. I don't know quite what
  to make of that. And the Silver Razors changed the subject
  in a hurry when I asked what ended up happening to old Joe.
  THC END TIMES
  I got together with a few friends at an empty truck stop just
  after the first of the year to discuss current events; here's a
  transcript of that conversation, for the curious.
  died; at whose hands, I have no idea
  f 
  BETH: % sire pl
  distant acquaance
  °f *
  Aren'
  India and Pakistan? Do you
  was, back in '98?
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  38
  \
  
  6) "Would anyone like to know how to use the Gangrel arts
  to alter their gender at will?"
  5) "If the Red Wings need a first-line forward, then by God
  I'm trying out for the team, Camarilla or no Camarilla."
  4) "Rosebud..."
  3) "No one ever caters these things."
  2) "I want a raise."
  1) "Either those drapes go or I go."
  TOM: That was really lame, Chuck. I'm sure if Xaviar sees it
  he'll kick your ass.
  CHUCK: I didn't write it. Someone e-mailed it to me.
  TOM: Whatever. So, anyone really know what happened
  with Xaviar?
  DINA: I believe I have a pretty good idea what went on
  there. I know that when I heard word at the althing outside
  Dallas last spring, I was happy to leave the Camarilla.
  TOM: Sure, I left, too, but it was because everyone else was
  leaving and I didn't want Xaviar to find me and kick my ass
  personally. I didn't make it to the alt/ling. There have been a lot
  of dark rumors, but nothing concrete. Upcoming purges, or war
  with the Cathayans, or some kind of demonic pact with the Inner
  Council were the three big ones I heard. Other than the Gehenna
  thing, of course.
  DINA: Xaviar saw something vastly more powerful than he
  thought could exist. I am not sure what he saw.
  TOM: Well, come on, there aren't any Antediluvians. The
  last one died in the Anarch Revolt or the fall of Carthage or the
  sack of Rome or your favorite historical tragedy. Xaviar saw what
  he thought was one and panicked?
  ZEKE: Wheels within wheels, man. It's the fucking Jyhad.
  TOM: Shut up, Zeke.
  DINA: I don't have many facts. Xaviar told the Inner Circle
  that they'd been lying to the Kindred for too long, and that he
  wouldn't stand for it any longer.
  TOM: What were they lying about? And why does he
  suddenly get all altruistic?
  BETH: Whatever he saw, obviously, or whatever somebody
  told him.
  TOM: Xaviar didn't run for the Sabbat, though, did he?
  CHUCK: I hear he did.
  DINA: No, he did not
  CHUCK: Bullshit, what's your source?
  DINA: I know people in the Sabbat.
  CHUCK: My ass you do.
  TOM: Guys, this isn't very productive. So nobody knows
  about Xaviar. What about the other big guns? Karsh? Mark Decker?
  Inyanga?
  BETH: Karsh and Xaviar are not on speaking terms, if you ask
  rny sire. They both call each other traitor.
  CHUCK: Which one's Decker again?
  ZEKE: Prince of Milwaukee since about '91, Real hawk.
  CHUCK: Right. I guess he's still prince, then.
  ZEKE: Yeah. And I think Inyanga helped set him up there.
  She left the Camarilla when Xaviar did, but she hasn't gone
  Sabbat. Too smart.
  DINA: Karsh remains Warlord of the Camarilla,
  TOM: But in any case, it isn't like the movers and shakers
  have upped and joined the Sabbat.
  BETH: My sire says that Karsh hates Jalan-Aajav even more
  than he hates Xaviar, so I guess Karsh isn't likely to do that.
  DINA: You're right, Tom: even though a lot of Gangrel left
  the Camarilla, only a fraction joined the Sabbat. I know / don't
  want any part of their bullshit Ozzy parties.
  TOM: Some of you may have heard about the Chronicle of
  Secrets; it's a series of verses which prophecy the End of Days, if
  you believe that kind of thing. There's a couplet in there, about
  the End Times: "You will know them by the Wild Ones, who will
  hunt us even in the strongest city..." Some of my other people
  and I have talked about those lines a lot. Everyone assumes that
  it means the Lupines - remember Chicago in '92? - but you
  know the thing about assumptions. My guys and I think that the
  Wild Ones aren't Lupines at all, but rather elder Gangrel. Some
  of the oldest Gangrel are serious animals, if you get my drift:
  they look like beasts, and they think like beasts. And they are
  hungry, if you believe the stories. This sounds a lot like "Wild
  Ones" to me (and to my buddies), and to be truthful, it scares
  me a hell of a lot more than stories about pissed-off werewolves
  do.
  DINA: Perhaps the Chronicle of Secrets is a call to arms,
  then, for those who believe the old stories and detest the
  vampires of the Camarilla.
  BETH: Maybe it's just the Sabbat? I mean, aren't they
  supposed to be pretty wild, too?
  TOM: 
  I really doubt that the Chronicle of Secrets is written
  from a pro-Camarilla perspective, if it's as old as everyone says. I
  mean, it predates the Camarilla. And for that matter, the
  justicars and princes denounce the fucking thing every chance
  they get. What did Modius call it? "Spiteful lies to make children
  out of monsters," or something like that.
  ZEKE: Wheels within wheels, man. Denounce the book all
  you want, and when the other dead guys are terrified of the
  boogeyman you can rob them blind.
  TOM: Oh, come on. I hate that X-Fites crap, Zeke. What the
  hell kind of elder master manipulator Methuselah is going to
  come up with a plot so simpleminded that you can see through
  it?
  BETH: What other stuff is in the Chronicle of Secrets?
  TOM: There's a line about the Time of Thin Blood, and
  vampires that cannot create others. I forget how it goes
  precisely, but I guess that means that Caitiff are the heralds of
  the end.
  DINA: Ah, then it seems wise to eliminate Caitiff where
  possible, no?
  TOM: Yeah, I guess so, though we're about the worst clan
  about creating them. Maybe if everyone just calmed down and
  agreed not to Embrace everyone for a year or two, this whole
  Gehenna thing would just blow over.
  ZEKE: You're pathetic, Tom.
  TOM: Well, what choice do we have? Wait for our some
  monster to wake up and devour us all?
  BETH: You think that myth is for real? I mean, I really don't
  know what to believe at this point, it is all very new to me.
  TOM: I don't know. Sometimes I think I believe it.
  ZEKE: What if I told you that our Founder was already up
  and about?
  TOM: Zeke, if you told me that, I'd tell you to stick it where
  the sun still shines.
  ZEKE: Hey, earlier you said that there were plenty of
  Gangrel who believe that she comes up out of torpor periodi-
  cally. Why not now?
  DINA: Have you any evidence of this whatsoever?
  ZEKE: If an Antediluvian didn't want you to know she was
  up and about, do you think you'd know?
  DINA: Absence of evidence is not proof of anything, you
  dimwit.
  TOM: Guys, this isn't productive. If you don't have anything
  more useful to add, I'll just close the log up and end the
  document there.
  CHAPTER ONE: STONE, STEPPE, AND SEA: A HISTORY OF THE GANGREL CLAN
  39
  
  Live with wolves, howl like a wolf.
  — Russian proverb
  I
  The Gangrel, taken as a clan, are a contradiction.
  This is to be expected, as a stereotype cannot by its very
  purpose describe diversity. The stereotypical Gangrel is
  sullen, uncommunicative, ill-mannered and prone to
  spend great stretches of time alone in the wilderness. This
  stereotype is not false, but at the same time Gangrel who
  are boisterous and well-spoken stalk the night. Many
  Gangrel make their havens in the teeming warrens of the
  big city, and some spend their days slumbering in bucolic
  farmlands. The common wisdom says that the Gangrel do
  not play in politics and despise the maneuvering of the
  Jyhad, but the clan has representatives in positions of great
  power in all the major factions of vampire politics. And
  not a single member of the clan has been left untouched
  by the upheavals of the modem nights.
  Like most clans, the Gangrel have no official, clan-
  wide organization. They have common ground in their
  traditions and their basic natures, which make complex
  organizational schemes superfluous and unnatural. Every
  Gangrel knows the best tactics for dealing with others of
  her kind in the very pit of her soul — respect and defer to
  the strong. Achilde too young and too human to instinctively
  grasp this basic concept has it beaten into him. Contrary
  to popular opinion, not all meetings between Gangrel
  entail flying fur. The Gangrel are very aware of their
  position in the power structure, and adept at sizing up the
  physical capabilities of new arrivals.
  Not surprisingly, this basic approach to social naviga-
  tion does not work well when applied to vampires of other
  clans. First, it offends them, and second, it does not take
  into account the levels of deceit and intrigue of which
  they are capable. The organizations invented by the other
  clans are useful—or necessary — in dealing with the rest
  of vampire society. The Camarilla, the Sabbat and the
  anarchs all harbor Gangrel members of convenience.
  Not all Gangrel relationships are forged along the
  path of least resistance. The clan has never been short on
  passionate bravos looking for a fight. These Gangrel
  support an organization or a cause on principles alone
  (although detractors would claim they simply look for the
  roughest fight). The Camarilla, the Sabbat, the anarchs
  and even the enigmatic Inconnu benefit from the fervor
  of Gangrel members.
  CHAPTCR Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  41
  \
  
  THE GANGREL
  The Gangrel are a wide-ranging clan, spread across
  the world in defiance of, or blissful ignorance of, mortal
  and Kindred boundaries. The one thing clan members
  most often share is the method of their Embrace. Gangrel
  neonates are frequently abandoned moments after their
  first draught of vitae, left without assistance or comfort to
  cope with the terrible changes Caine's curse wreaks on
  body and spirit. A childe who survives this harrowing
  episode and takes on her new existence is considered
  worthy. Sires reclaim these childer, who are taught the
  Gangrel ways and treated with the respect due to bearers
  of proud blood. Those who do not survive are forgotten.
  Those driven insane by the experience are hunted down
  by their sires and destroyed. This is how the Gangrel have
  chosen their progeny since the earliest nights, and the
  reasons are clear. Only the strongest, the fittest, survive to
  be called Gangrel.
  As always, exceptions to the practice arise. Childer
  whose skills or resources are considered too precious to risk
  losing, or a sire's love interest, may be tutored through the
  Embrace and carefully managed at every pitfall. Gangrel
  legends highlight common fates of such "soft" sires and
  their nurtured issue. The son of a chieftain, chosen for his
  remarkable martial prowess, falls prey to a creeping insan-
  ity and slays his sire and the rest of his brood. The delicate
  youngest daughter of a minor lord, brought into the night
  by a smitten suitor, leads the knights of the Inquisition to
  her sire's door in her naivete. The harshness of the
  Gangrel's tradition is intended to break these inferior
  specimens quickly and cleanly, for the good of the Kindred
  themselves. The Gangrel sometimes scorn clan members
  known to have been Embraced without the common trial
  of isolation. Sires who provide such an easy out for their
  childer are sometimes treated similarly. Gangrel antitribu
  indulge in Creation Rites with some reluctance; as a way
  of making up for the complete lack of appropriate caution
  taken during wartime or in mass Embraces, they spend
  lavish amounts of time and care on selecting childer who
  will become True Sabbat.
  The Gangrel sire inordinate numbers of Caitiff —
  arguably more so than even the Brujah. This is due almost
  entirely to an unfortunate combination of the Gangrel
  traditions and the thinning of Caine's blood through
  generations. In ages past, a neonate whose sire was de-
  stroyed or somehow prevented from claiming his childe
  might still be easily recognized as Gangrel. The fortunate
  were taken under the wing of a mentor; the less fortunate
  were destroyed or cast out to live like beasts in the
  wilderness. In the modern nights, confused fledglings may
  I
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  42
  
  prefer the familiarity of the cities and lose themselves in
  the crush of humanity. The Gangrel sire may track as well
  as a bloodhound, but limits certainly exist on what he is
  willing to endure for a childe who makes a fate different
  from his. A childe of high enough generation becomes
  virtually indistinguishable from the Caitiff, and is often
  forever lost to his clan.
  Gangrel who remain in the Camarilla sometimes find
  that their right to create progeny is one of the first to be
  taken from them by princes and jealous rivals. Particularly
  wily Kindred have turned the masses of Caitiff to their
  advantage—by surreptitiously siring childer, abandoning
  them in the traditional manner, then taking the poor,
  disadvantaged "Caitiff" under their tutelage. The sire
  comes out smelling like a rose; not only does he have a
  childe of his blood, he has aided the prince by teaching a
  potential rabble-rouser to respect the Masquerade. This is
  a dangerous game to play, but few have been caught at it
  — yet.
  PRIDE, LOYALTY
  AND HONOR:
  THE CAMARILLA
  The Gangrel have left the Camarilla. That one phrase
  sums up an average vampire's thoughts on this matter.
  However, the situation is certainly more complex than
  most Kindred understand.
  Xaviar's apparent self-removal from the ranks of the
  justicars was, and still remains, cause for a great deal of
  debate among the elders of the Camarilla — after all,
  they've never had a clan leave before. No precedent exists
  for dealing with the substantial political fallout, and
  members of other clans rightly worry about the example
  that this incident sets. Elders of Clans Ventrue and
  Toreador have argued that no one vampire, no matter
  what his or her status within his clan or the sect proper, has
  the power to remove his or her entire clan from the
  Camarilla. Although some of these elders profess concern
  for Gangrel interests, a simpler motivation is self-interest.
  What if, one night, an esteemed Ventrue or Toreador
  should resign herself and her clanmates? These elders
  insist that the Inner Circle (whoever they may be) should
  simply have elected a new justicar to represent the Gangrel
  within the Camarilla. The situation is not too far gone to
  be remedied—a new j usticar could still be appointed and
  matters made right. These few but determined dissenters
  have vowed to make their voices heard at the next
  conclave, while worrying quietly to themselves at just
  what Xaviar's message to the Inner Circle must have been
  to produce such results. Not surprisingly, the remaining
  justicars have not moved swiftly to call a conclave.
  Other Camarilla elders point out that only one Gangrel
  among the Founders was enough to bring the clan into the
  Camarilla at its inception. These elders, most notably
  from Clans Tremere and Toreador, agree with the Inner
  Circle's action (or lack thereof), claiming that allowing
  the Gangrel to retain representation at this point would be
  as ludicrous or distasteful as allowing a lesser, politically
  impotent bloodline to elect a justicar. The most dogmatic
  of these elders have insisted that members of Clan Gangrel
  should be removed from what positions of power they
  hold, as their loyalty is now questionable, and evicted
  entirely from the sect. These protestations have, to this
  point, been made quietly, as no one is ready to tell Warlord
  Karsh that he must step aside.
  The point of debate is mostly moot, as many Gangrel
  have followed Xaviar's lead in leaving the Camarilla.
  Whether they have done so out of simple respect for
  Xaviar personally (unlikely, as it's not probable that the
  majority of the Gangrel have even met him), or out of
  some heretofore disguised clan unity is unknown outside
  the clan. The content of Xaviar's famed single-sentence
  declaration to the Inner Circle is also unknown to mem-
  bers of other clans; it is the subject of hushed speculation
  and wild rumor. Those who have bothered to ask the
  Gangrel have received either sullen non-answers, or one
  of the ridiculously manufactured phrases that have per-
  versely become a great farce to the Gangrel, and are traded
  among clan members.
  Every Gangrel who hasn't gone completely wild or
  spent the last decade in torpor can guess the crux of
  Xaviar's disagreement with the Inner Circle, with varying
  degrees of accuracy depending on how many iterations the
  story has been through. They know that Xaviar has seen,
  with his own eyes, some creature of incredible, earth-
  shaking power, a being greater than the Camarilla's Inner
  circle will admit exists. Xaviar himself does not, by all
  accounts, know what the creature was. Speculation among
  the clan results in wild tales of waking Antediluvians, or
  savage beasts foretold in the Book of Nod running amok.
  Whatever the creature is, its very existence points to the
  fact that the leaders of the Camarilla have been less than
  honest with those who have put their unlives on the line
  with the organization. The remaining Gangrel archons
  quietly spread the rumor amongst themselves that one of
  the remaining justicars has moved to add Xaviar to the
  Red List for spreading this heresy. If this is true, that
  justicar has yet to receive the additional support needed to
  make such a move, but if he or she does, the effects could
  be explosive.
  Even knowing that the Camarilla may have lied to
  them, there are still Gangrel who have chosen to remain
  in the sect. First among them is Karsh, the Warlord, and
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANCREL
  43
  
  \
  any number of Gangrel archons still serve the justicars. In
  addition to these "official" representatives, any number of
  Gangrel in cities and princely fiefs across the globe have
  declared their intention to remain Camarilla members for
  reasons of their own. Many Gangrel have chosen to stay
  because they have contacts within the sect, or because
  they have made promises of service to uphold. These
  reasons are usually respected by their clanmates; loyalty
  and honesty are greatly prized among the Gangrel. Those
  who appear to remain in the Camarilla to protect their
  interests, whether territorial or otherwise, are accorded
  less respect by those who have left.
  In addition to losing the respect of their peers, the
  Gangrel who have interests within Camarilla-dominated
  cities are in danger of losing those interests as well. They
  are no longer trusted in many Camarilla cities because
  other Kindred sometimes say, "The Gangrel have gone
  over to the Sabbat." Even in areas less prone to hysteria,
  other vampires cannot help but notice the Gangrel's
  sudden lack of political currency outside the individual.
  As a result of both situations, the Gangrel slowly find
  themselves scapegoated by the Camarilla as their territo-
  ries and hunting grounds are parceled out to vampires with
  more clout and more favors to trade. Wise Kindred are
  wary of making enemies of the Camarilla Gangrel; doing
  so is more or less inviting the proverbial wolves to bay at
  your door. Unfortunately for the Gangrel and for the
  Camarilla itself, not all Cainites are wise.
  THE SABBAT
  The Gangrel have had a presence in the Sabbat since
  its inception. Gangrel sires, past and present, rarely choose
  the fainthearted or tradition-bound for the Embrace.
  These willful Cainites often sided with the anarchs in
  their bloody battles for independence. Their sires were
  little inclined to dissuade their rabble-rousing progeny, so
  long as the bloodthirsty packs weren't headed in their
  direction. Many of the older Gangrel nurtured centuries-
  old grudges against the politically inclined clans for the
  incursions of the Christian Church and temporal govern-
  ment into uncivilized lands. And if idealistic notions
  about freedom and responsibility or ancient resentments
  weren't enough to stir the blood, Gangrel from elder to
  fledgling were dragged into the fray by the Tremere magi
  of Eastern Europe, who needed Gangrel vampires as raw
  materials for the ensorcellment of their Gargoyle minions.
  Most of the Gangrel antitribu who helped to shape the
  early Sabbat are no longer active. The most notable
  exception to this is Jalan-Aajav, Seraph of the Black
  Hand. The majority of the others have fallen to the
  Gangrel curse and can no longer manage even the broad
  and brutal politics of the Sabbat. They have retreated to
  the wilderness or the oblivion of torpor. They are still
  fervent believers in the cause, and can still be called to
  righteous battle by the Sabbat's leaders, but the feral
  Gangrel who erupt from the earth are dangerous and
  unpredictable allies. The Sabbat eliminates — or has
  attempted to eliminate — those so far gone to the Beast
  that they are an ideological and tactical liability.
  The Sabbat has no shortage of neonate antitribu. They
  serve as scouts and front line troops in the war against the
  Camarilla. They infiltrate cities, equally at home pound-
  ing the pavement or scaling skyscrapers. They roam the
  countryside "keeping an eye on the Lupines," proselytizing
  the anarchs, and generally peddling the Sabbat's most
  precious resource — freedom.
  These young Gangrel come to the Sabbat in several
  ways. Most are Embraced by the City or Country Gangrel,
  and go through the Creation Rites and Acceptance Rites
  as normal. A significant number of Gangrel have joined
  up more or less by accident. These poor suckers happen to
  be in the wrong place at the wrong time. A lone Gangrel
  who meets up with a Sabbat pack might figure her best
  chance at survival lies in playing along, and before she
  knows it, she's joined the pack and a crusade. Some of
  these "converts" slip away, given the chance, but others
  stay of their own free will. The Sabbat offers much to the
  Gangrel. The idea of a pack comes naturally to some, and
  even those who prefer lone wolf status know that's usually
  a short and brutal existence (even by Sabbat standards).
  Also, the Paths of Enlightenment (particularly the Path of
  the Feral Heart) are like a life preserver to a dying man for
  those Gangrel who feel their Humanity slipping away
  under the ferocious pressure the Beast exerts.
  The sudden influx of Camarilla defectors has placed
  considerable strain on the Gangrel antitribu, however.
  The Sabbat is used to wheedling, cajoling, terrorizing and
  bullying converts, who might spend years trying to earn
  the right to an Acceptance Rite from a Sabbat pack. The
  incoming Gangrel are experienced, tough and generally
  not willing to put up with bullshit. Indeed, the Sabbat does
  not count many of what can be called ancillae as its
  members, yet many of these have flocked to the sect after
  deserting the Camarilla. Established Gangrel antitribu
  react in any number of ways to this quandary, from sticking
  their necks out for clanmates, to challenging the threaten-
  ing newcomers to no-holds-barred duels. Pack priests and
  ducti struggle to stamp out the powder-keg fuse, under
  guidance from sect leaders — politically, martially and
  spiritually, these new antitribu are a resource that cannot
  be wasted.
  Even the Sabbat's regent knows only as much about
  Xaviar's reason for leaving the Camarilla as the incoming
  Gangrel can tell her. These jumbled descriptions of Wild
  Ones, supernatural threats and unknowably old vampires
  have sent the sect's Noddist scholars into a fury, quoting
  chapter and verse, re-interpreting and retranslating old
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  44
  \
  
  passages and recalculating the night of the Antediluvians'
  rising. The Sabbat is stepping up its planning for the final
  battle of Gehenna, but does so as quietly as possible.
  Rushed preparations would tip the Sabbat's hand, and
  every night that the slumbering Ancients and their
  Camarilla pawns squander may garner some advantage for
  the Sword of Caine.
  ANARCHS
  When most vampires think of anarchs, they think of
  refugees from the set of Easy Rider or The Lost Boys, tooling
  about rural America on incredibly loud choppers, black
  leather jackets worn over natty T-shirts. The Gangrel
  among the anarchs don't do a whole lot to dispel this
  particular stereotype. North American Gangrel who are
  too young or too gregarious to head for the forests and too
  rebellious to play the political games of the Camarilla and
  the Sabbat sometimes wind up with the nomad bike gangs.
  These gangs are not the sum of anarch culture, but they are
  about the only part of interest to the Gangrel — any
  Gangrel who spends more than a year in the urban hell
  that is the Anarch Free State is either doing someone a
  really big favor or is a City Gangrel on the lam. This is true
  in the modern nights more than ever, as the alien Asian
  vampires who spill out of Chinatowns up and down the
  West Coast have chosen Gangrel with pronounced bes-
  tial features as a favorite target. These attacks increase in
  frequency as the invaders grow bolder; the Gangrel are not
  sure why those with animalistic appearances are targeted,
  other than the simple fact that they are easy to pick out of
  a crowd.
  Despite their numbers and the respect they have
  accumulated as a group, Gangrel rarely stay with the
  anarchs permanently. They don't have the political mo-
  tivations common to their traveling companions. Most
  anarchs are, behind all the tough-guy poses, running from
  something. The Gangrel who travel with them are mostly
  just running, or they're running from checkered pasts and
  have become anarchs by default. When they can no
  longer hide their bestial features, or when all their friends
  have gone home or brightened sunsets, the Gangrel leave
  their bikes at the curb and go to ground.
  Anarchs still make their havens in places all around
  the world (they have not all moved to California, no
  matter what aggrieved West Coast princes may think).
  The anarchs of northern Europe have experienced a
  recent groundswell of support from the region's Gangrel,
  most specifically from an all-female group calling them-
  selves the Valkyries. These vampires bave the appearance
  and capabilities of great age, yet they mingle with restless
  young vampires and rowdy young humans, offering moral
  and material support with seemingly few strings attached.
  European princes are agog, to say the least, but their
  retributive crackdowns on anarch activity only lead to
  PATHS OF CNLIGHTENMBWT
  Most Gangrel, including the antitribu, follow the
  Path of Humanity. Many of those who survive long
  enough to erode their Humanity choose to follow
  instead the Path of the Feral Heart. Gangrel do on
  , occasion choose the road less traveled. (Information
  on the Path of the Feral Heart and the Paths that
  follow can be found in the Guide to the Sabbat. Rules
  for switching from Humanity to a Path can be found
  in Vampire: The Masquerade^ page 288.)
  Path of Caine: Gangrel followers of the Path of
  Caine are rare, but those intelligent and tenacious
  scholars who make the cut stand out in a crowd.
  Gangrel have been recruited in increasing numbers,
  as the Noddists have taken a fancy to searching after
  quaint and qurious volumes of forgotten lore.
  I 
  Path of Cathari: City Gangrel are likely to be
  found on this Path, in addition to a fair number of
  their Country cousins. It seems that the Beast Within
  can be convinced to wallow in excess, rather than in
  sticks and mud. 
  ; 
  '; 
  > 
  ;
  Path of Deatri and the Soul: This Path holds
  little interest for Gangrel. Its followers are dispassion-
  ate in the extreme, and few Gangrel care to so
  completely ignore the pull of their blood.
  Path of Evil Revelations: The Sabbat's Inquisi-
  tors keep a close eye on nomadic and solitary Gangrel,
  lest they be swayed to infernalism. In truth, very few
  Gangrel have any interest in enslaving themselves for
  eternity to demonic masters. The rare exceptions give
  Inquisitors nightmares, marauding through Sabbat
  territories and Camarilla princedoms with equal dis-
  regard for any but their own concerns.
  rr
  1 Path of Honorable Accord: Followers of this
  Path are few in number but accorded great respect
  among the Gangrel. Upright: and honest ass-kicking
  is always in style. 
  . 
  .,. 
  "'*,*;: ,x- • . %.*;* 
  • . ' 
  ••?
  Path of Liliths The apocryphal clan Connection
  to Lilith makes this Path attractive to those trying to
  get back to their very earl ie.st roots. Unfortunately for
  the recruiting drive, being a heretic means you can't
  hang up posters. Gangrel may refrain from brawling
  with Bahari, but most don't pursue the matter further.
  Path of Ppwet and the Inner Voice: The ex-
  tremely rare Gangrel who succeed on this Path are
  incrediblyformidableopponents.YoungGangrelwith
  political aspirations attempt to emulate them, but
  most go down in flames, distracted and hamstrung by
  their own Beasts.
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANCREL
  45
  \
  
  greater unrest and greater numbers of vampires gathering
  under the outstretched claws of the Valkyries.
  The Valkyries do not restrict their activities to the
  European theater. Intrigued by reports of the anarch
  "paradise" on the far west shores of Vinland, the Valkyries
  have sent a full four of their number to investigate and
  agitate within the Anarch Free State. These four are
  cutting quite a swath through the West Coast ranks —
  tall, blonde and dressed to kill in the latest European
  anarch fashions. They are finding California much to
  their liking, and are having little trouble gathering a group
  of men and women (and vampires) interested in the old
  Viking ways. The quartet is starting an investigation of the
  attacks on Gangrel anarchs, and it is only a matter of time
  until East meets North in what is sure to be a knockdown,
  drag-out fight.
  INDEPENDENTS
  The Camarilla insists on calling these Gangrel
  "Autarkis," which seems to mean nothing more to them
  than "selfish son-of-a-bitch." The Sabbat refer to them as
  "fencesitters" on polite nights. To themselves, they are
  simply Gangrel. They have been the heart's blood of the
  clan, keeping cordial ties with their brothers and sisters on
  both sides of the Camarilla-Sabbat divide, with the anarchs,
  and even with the occasional Inconnu. The Camarilla has
  existed for only five centuries, and the Sabbat for mere 350
  years; this time period is only a long chapter in Gangrel
  history, and an overly windy one at that. The indepen-
  dents hold the rest of the book, or perhaps they have dug
  a deep hole and buried the book in it.
  The Gangrel curse is the most common reason so
  many are independents. These vampires have become so
  animalistic that continuing to move among others is
  tantamount to suicide — they cannot help but be outma-
  neuvered and taken advantage of. While these Gangrel
  will undoubtedly have vast stores of knowledge and expe-
  rience, they are also certain to be, to some degree, incapable
  of or unwilling to share it.
  A new breed of Gangrel Autarkis has hit the streets—
  a breed that may have never even heard that strange word
  before. These are the orphans of the Camarilla, those
  vampires who paid honor to Xaviar's word by leaving the
  sect with nothing more than his example to go on. These
  vampires are sorely challenged to be on their own; most
  have only a decade or three of Camarilla existence under
  their belts. No matter how rough and underprivileged
  their undead existences were, many are completely unpre-
  pared to make it without the safety net of the Masquerade
  and the Camarilla's resources. It's no wonder that so many
  of the Gangrel who left went straight to the Sabbat, or
  even the anarchs. Those trying to make it alone are
  courageous, if foolhardy.
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  46
  
  The Gangrel independents do nothave an overarching
  organization—that's part of the point of leaving the sect,
  after all. They do organize on a smaller scale, usually
  according to geography, or the charisma and reputation of
  a mentor or sire. The geographical organizations may
  respect mortal political divisions (the state of Michigan),
  or terrain features (the Ohio River valley). Gangrel whose
  territory falls within the agreed-upon bounds sometimes
  gather for seasonal oithings, and carefully consider invita-
  tions to less formal gatherings (knowing that the inviter
  just might come to personally kick some ass if invitations
  are "declined"). Vampires who are no-shows frequently
  enough can count on a pack of concerned neighbors
  dropping by to make sure there's nothing shady going on
  — after all, what's a few hundred miles' travel among
  Outlanders? Political and physical divisions can and do
  overlap, and Gangrel living in the intersections must
  consider their manners carefully.
  The Gangrel gathering around influential leaders and
  sires re-enact ancient ways that often lay fallow through
  the Camarilla years. Gangrel culture still bears the indel-
  ible thumbprint of the hardy Vikings and the fierce
  vampires who prowled among them as lords through
  might and cunning. Those elders who remember the
  glorious nights of raiding themselves, and those who
  listened closely to the tales told by sire or grandsire, set
  themselves up as jarls, accepting oaths of loyalty in exchange
  for promises of looting and feasting. The Vikings are not
  the only tribe of violent barbarians represented: Huns,
  Goths, Mongols, Gauls, Aztecs and Sioux are coming out
  of the woodwork, gathering up neonates and ancillae in
  need of guidance (or siring their own), and setting up
  tribes across the Americas and Europe. These "ethnic"
  broods invariably influence the surrounding Gangrel; the
  expedient thing to do when the Vandals move in next
  door is learn to speak German. Camarilla princes and
  Sabbat bishops alike observe these developments with
  some trepidation—after all, that feasting and loot has to
  come from somewhere, and the gleaming cities of the 21st
  century are undoubtedly even more appealing to the
  barbaric hordes than the stone and mud cities of centuries
  past. (For information on the Vikings and the vampires
  who roamed with them, see Wolves of the Sea, a supple-
  ment for Vampire: The Dark Ages.)
  Some of those newly Embraced Autarkis who have
  not been swept up in historical culture factions, and who
  aren't too busy just trying to stay in one piece, have
  decided to find Xaviar and ask him a few questions. Xaviar
  is not an easy Kindred to find. Young Gangrel sometimes
  mutter that just finding him is part of some kind of test.
  Two prides of Gangrel claim to have successfully tracked
  Xaviar down. The members of these groups haven't known
  each other for long, and don't seem to get along terribly
  well in some cases. They are making a concerted effort to
  \
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  47
  
  work together, however, and they all have the bearing of
  young heroes charged with an important quest.
  BLOODLINES
  The Gangrel clan has produced more divergent blood-
  lines over the course of history than any other clan. At
  least, these bloodlines are of suspected Gangrel origin. The
  Lhiannan of Western Europe, split in ancient times from
  the main clan, are now gone; the fierce Anda of the
  Central Asian steppe have disappeared as well. The
  reclusive Laibon, perhaps spawned from Gangrel blood
  millennia ago, hide their reduced numbers in the wilds of
  Africa. The Sabbat alone has spawned two Gangrel
  bloodlines in its mere centuries of existence: the City
  Gangrel and the Ahrimanes. The Mariners lurk outside
  the boundaries of sect and even of geography, making their
  way in the last great unexplored frontier — the ocean.
  ' 
  . 
  • 
  ' 
  '•':•••• ' ' ' ' • / ' 'I
  THE LAIBON AND THE LHIANNAN 
  I
  The Laibon and the Lhiannan are detailed in f
  the Dark Ages Companion for Vampire: The 1
  Dark Ages. The attentive reader will note that, as I
  originally presented, the Laibon are not described '
  as being a Gangrel bloodline. Indeed, those elders
  who consider themselves experts in vampire gene- |
  alogy will likely derive hours of pleasure from |
  debating the veracity of the claims presented in the |
  main text. Storytellers are welcome, at present, to I
  make such blood relations either rock-solid truth or |
  just theories 
  • • |
  The propensity of the Gangrel blood to deviate into
  bloodlines is a matter of great interest to many vampires.
  The Tremere are always interested in matters of blood and
  power. The Assamites wonder to themselves just what
  they may be drinking in with an elder Gangrel's blood.
  Any potent Kindred who has considered just what might
  be necessary to set up a tribe of childer and grandchilder
  all bearing his name looks to the Gangrel with curiosity
  mingled with jealousy. Can this elusive quality of the
  blood be pinned down or distilled?
  Perhaps the sanguinary culprit can be identified, but
  it has not yet (or whoever has made the discovery is not
  sharing). Mystical and scientific theories abound, of course.
  Some claim that it is the magical legacy of the clan's
  connection to Lillith, through her daughter Ennoia. Oth-
  ers claim it is simply an expression of the laws of nature,
  natural selection in action with a Lamarckian twist, which
  the Gangrel have somehow activated by their closeness to
  the Beast Within.
  AHRIMANES
  The Ahrimanes are — or were — a secretive blood-
  line from the time of their creation in the early nights of
  the Sabbat expansion into the Americas. They are not a
  bloodline in the usual sense of the word, as they do not pass
  their blood from sire to childe. Instead, the first Ahrimane,
  a Gangrel antitnbu named Muricia, enacted a powerful
  ritual that set herself apart from her clan, forever destroy-
  ing her ability to create progeny or even a blood bond. The
  ritual also imbued her with an innate connection to the
  world of spirit. Every Ahrimane since Muricia has been
  created from a female Gangrel, though few know whether
  this is simply preference or something mandated by the
  ritual itself. Cainite anthropologists maintain two theo-
  ries on this subject. The first is that only Muricia herself
  can enact the ritual that creates an Ahrimane, and she
  refuses to perform it for men. The second is that they have
  in fact tried to create male counterparts — and none
  survived the transformation. Most Ahrimanes were cho-
  sen from Native American tribes of both North and South
  America. African-American women make up the next
  largest segment of the group, with women of Asian or
  European descent bringing up the rear.
  All of these points are moot, now, except to those
  Kindred who consider themselves historians. The
  Ahrimanes disappeared in early 1998 — or at least that's
  when the Sabbat first noticed them missing, as they were
  never the most social creatures. No one knows why or
  where they have gone. The more paranoid members of the
  Sabbat claim that the Ahrimanes have fallen victim to a
  second Tremere purge of thaumaturges. Whatever the
  truth may be, their havens lay empty, and inquiries go
  unanswered.
  AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
  For players and Storytellers who would like to include
  the Ahrimanes in their chronicles, rumored disappear-
  ance or no, the following details are provided. The
  Ahrimane bloodline Disciplines are Animalism, Auspex
  and Protean. In addition to these, almost every Ahrimane
  learns the bloodline's own peculiar Thaumaturgy that
  operates by invoking the spirits of the natural world (file
  the serial numbers off the Lure of Flames and Movement
  of the Mind from Vampire: The Masquerade; and El-
  emental Mastery, the Green Path, Neptune's Might,
  Spirit Manipulation and Weather Control from theGuide
  to the Camarilla).
  The clan weakness is the artificial thinness of their
  blood—they may not sire childer or blood bond vampires
  or mortals. They may still create ghouls, and they may still
  be blood bound by others. Also, since all Ahrimanes were
  once Gangrel, most will bear at least a few animalistic
  traits earned before they renounced their clan.
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  48
  
  Gkudtian,
  WealwaifiknewtketewtuddcQm&atim&wke^ 
  7kat time kad c&me and a»ne
  witkoui yousi notice, 9 ^ean,. 9 kaue cf&ne, and it it, likely that you, will mwi dee me attain. 9 ptej&i it
  tkid way, 
  9 tkink; 9 would tatkeh we wete t&w, aaa/it by fatte than by jaslottdy o^ a lack 0^ tfotdi. 9
  can only ko^e yon aawe.
  Ij&u, will want to- know- wky 9 kawz yarn. ^kedim^andweiidtl^weatefyMMina^
  *1ke diqnA- come fazdt and ^i/uonA,, like dtaM, ^aUina jwm the heauend. ^Jkey cannot- be mistaken on,
  denied. We kaue do- muck dtill to- leafm and do-, hut doon we mudt act wUetkesi 1/eady M- HO-.
  9 can tell UOM tkede ^ew- tlunad. Put adide tpu/i j@&&k o^-A/od, few, tke moment — it id olden, ikon
  aiked, and ad- bitten. ^Ikete, iA, dtill k&pe; tke£&id U, b&unt^ul. *lke ancient widd&m o^ tkeftepkited,
  can dtill be •jjound, even thouan theJlamawted- dlew- evefry one. We can commit no- din tkat cannot be
  . cMandd black with ancient J)lood can dtill be warned clean,
  Ijou- have alwayd wanted to- know- wkat we ate. We ate tke candle CM* tke altat,, we ate tke mcmi,
  wtkewiudymoMMtaintop. Woman id- always, tke aaent o^ man'd- downfall — candkenot
  biuna kim- daltiatiOM, ad well?
  fylde yMfi time widely, my love, ty we ^ail,
  ladt kope. 9]f we meet aaain, it will be in
  49
  
  ANDA
  These fierce warriors rode with the barbarians among
  the nomads of the Central Asian steppe and followed the
  hordes led by the Mongol Khans. The Anda ("blood
  brother" in Mongolian) were supremely adapted to sur-
  vival on the high plains, both in life and unlife. They had
  no fear of travel, and put more land beneath their mounts'
  feet than many vampires have seen in centuries of exist-
  ence. They practiced the Gangrel Disciplines of Fortitude
  and Protean, and their own unique variation of Animal-
  ism specifically suited to the needs of the nomad.
  Unfortunately for the Anda, the Asian nights do not
  belong to the Kindred alone. The mysterious vampires of
  China rose up collectively against the Anda at the close of
  the Yuan Dynasty, exacting retribution for every city
  sacked and village burned by exterminating the bloodline
  to a man. Any Anda left in the world have been in torpor
  for seven centuries or more and show no signs of returning.
  Any intelligent Cainite knows that the Anda truly are
  no more.
  CITY GANGREL
  The descendants of the first Sabbat Gangrel packs of
  the New World have made a place for themselves apart
  from their "Country" brothers. Almost as many City
  Gangrel claim membership in the Sabbat as do represen-
  tatives of the main clan. The bloodline has proliferated
  with astonishing speed, undoubtedly aided by the high
  turnover rate of Sabbat vampires—most City Gangrel are
  10th 
  generation or higher. Some Sabbat observers have
  suggested that the gory ritual enacted by the original seven
  packs, the founders of the bloodline, had significance
  beyond the social — that it, in fact, mystically tied the
  participants together and imbued each one with the blood
  of a new line. None of the members of the seven packs has
  given a blood sample for testing, however, nor are those
  still surviving willing to disclose what happened on that night.
  The City Gangrel are urban killers without peer in the
  cities they choose to inhabit, using a combination of city-
  wide knowledge, martial prowess and their unique set of
  Disciplines to strike hard, fast and without warning. They
  are equally at home in the bright lights and glitz of
  happening downtowns and poorly lit, trash-strewn slums.
  City Gangrel are almost always members of the Sabbat.
  Some few, the casualties of typical Gangrel Embrace
  habits, are independents or Autarkis. City Gangrel who
  join the Camarilla put themselves on a short list for the
  Wild Hunt; apathetic anarchs and independents can be
  ignored, but going over to the enemy in the middle of a
  holy war can't. Most City Gangrel are Embraced into the
  Sabbat, undergo their Creation and Acceptance Rites,
  and go on to lead short, productive and brutal unlives.
  City Gangrel inherit the Celerity, Obfuscate and
  Protean Disciplines. The bloodline suffers the same clan
  weakness as the rest of the Gangrel. They tend to favor
  Physical Attributes, but diey also produce urban tacti-
  cians to direct Sabbat packs when the Great Jyhad hits the
  city streets. Talents and Skills are equally valued. Mentor,
  Contacts and Allies are the preferred Backgrounds for
  keeping vital information flowing. City Gangrel who
  leave behind their Humanity usually adopt the Path of the
  Feral Heart, but not a few seek spiritual enlightenment
  along the Path of Lilith, or temporal power on the Path of
  Power and the Inner Voice.
  S; OBFUSCATE FOR THE INCREDIBLY 1
  ""$?••" Gangrel who have lost their human looks may *
  * wish to use the Obfuscate power Mask of a Thou-
  j, sand Faces to circumvent that particular social
  ' handicap. This is possible, but not easy. The "face" )
  Icreated by Mask of a Thousand Faces defaults to an 
  ~i
  ,, Appearance rating of 2. To use Mask of a Thousand
  Faces to improve a character's Appearance beyond :
  2 requires spending two points of blood for each *
  dot's worth of improvement. Also, if the Gangrel
  character has specific, large body features to hide (a :
  jkunchback, a tail, etc.), the player must also achieve t
  .enough successes to pull the transformation off |
  Three successes will usually be required, but the |
  Storyteller may lower that to two for inventive uses $
  %f makeup or costuming. ."...• ^v; ^fej-r .;"•' ^f ;:-••*!. -|
  LAIBON
  The Laibon connection to the Gangrel, if it exists at
  all, must be buried under centuries of the sands of time.
  The Laibon have dwelt, often openly, among the peoples
  of Africa since the Kindred first took note of their move-
  ments. Noddist scholars theorize that the Gangrel
  Antediluvian was among those who disobeyed Caine by
  illicitly siring childer far from Enoch, where she imagined
  her trespass would go unnoticed. The Laibon are a possible
  result. Some also speculate about similarly diverse and
  mysterious Gangrel in the deepest recesses of South
  America.
  The evidence that the Laibon may be wayward Gangrel
  is tantalizing. They share the Animalism and Fortitude
  Disciplines in common. The Abombwe Discipline used
  by the Laibon seems to involve some sort of pact with the
  Beast Within; by tithing vitae to that ravenous part of the
  vampire psyche, die Laibon have escaped the slow crum-
  bling of self and personality that plagues the Gangrel.
  The Laibon are now fewer in number than ever.
  Those few who have contact with vampire society closely
  regulate their numbers to less than a dozen. Others may
  lurk in places where non-natives fear to tread.
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  50
  
  LHIANNAN
  The proud and stubborn vampires of the Lhiannan
  bloodline were eradicated by the coming of Christianity
  — as much for their pagan ways as for the fact that they
  were bloodsucking monsters. The Inquisition's traveling
  judge and jury burned out the Lhiannan, and often their
  mortal devotees with them, wherever they were found.
  Even those Lhiannan with the sense to go into hiding were
  helpfully pointed out by the Ventrue, Toreador and
  Lasombra, who had an investment in the new Church and
  needed a suitably gory distraction from their own
  depredations.
  Although a true member of the bloodline has not
  been seen since the 14th century, the past 50 years have
  seen a relatively tame revival of the Lhiannan's blood-
  spattered legends (but not practices) by Gangrel in Ireland,
  Scotland and Wales. Astute observers of the mortal world
  point to the Irish Revolt in 1916. Undoubtedly, fervent
  and courageous patriots were among those Embraced by
  the Gangrel; given time they would learn of the heritage
  "lost" to them and attempt to recreate those golden pagan
  times with their own covens. These neo-Lhiannan do not
  have access to the mystic powers of the ancients, but they
  are eager to learn. Gangrel of an age to know such secrets
  watch the upstarts closely, in case they would take by force
  what has not been offered freely.
  MARINERS
  The uptight sorcerers of Clan Tremere refer to the
  Gangrel who have taken to the sea as "Gangrel aquarii."
  These Gangrel don't give a damn what the Tremere call
  them, however, and refer to themselves as Mariners on the
  odd occasion that they speak of themselves as a group. The
  Mariners take the forms of sea creatures and eschew both
  mortal and Kindred society for the lightless deeps of the ocean.
  The Mariners are problematic as a bloodline. They
  practice the same Disciplines as Clan Gangrel as a whole.
  Their common variations on the Protean Discipline (so-
  nar and razor-sharp webbing) may be picked up by any
  Gangrel with the inclination to learn. The blood of the
  Mariner sire does not necessarily ensure the childe an
  The Mariners have historically been shunned
  as monstrosities even by their own clan for the
  sheer bizarreness of their animal flaws. In the Final
  Nights, however, insectoid and ichthyoid features
  have become increasingly common among Clan
  Gangrel as a whole. At the Storyteller's discretion,
  this explosion of shared ugliness may serve to bring
  the Mariner's weakness back into line with the
  main clan's; lose one Social Attribute point for
  every five animal features gained.
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  51
  
  aquatic form, although only rarely does a carefully chosen
  Mariner childe fail this critical shapechanging test. The
  only difference that sets the Mariners apart as a potential
  bloodline is their rapid acquisition of extreme animal
  features — scales, tentacles, squid beaks, fins and even
  stranger appendages from creatures who never see the
  light of day have been spotted on relatively young Mari-
  ners. (Mariners suffer a more potent version of the Gangrel
  curse, losing a Social Attribute for every three animal
  flaws acquired instead of every five.)
  The Mariners have, as a group, been extended mem-
  bership in both the Camarilla and the Sabbat in times
  past. They have, as individuals, shunned such offers and
  continue to do so. Their reaction to the news that the
  Gangrel have left the Camarilla has been underwhelming
  — on average a piscine shrug of the shoulders, at best a
  watery "We could have told you so." The Mariners are
  covered in more detail in World of Darkness: Blood-
  Dimmed Tides.
  GANGREL ARO UND
  THE WORLD
  The Earth is a vast place, and die Gangrel can be
  found all over it in die strangest nooks and crannies.
  Therefore, the following material is by necessity an abridged
  account of Gangrel activities and interests across die
  globe. For more details, and information on what every-
  one else is up to, see A World of Darkness Second
  Edition.
  ANTARCTICA
  There are no known Gangrel in Antarctica. Few
  Gangrel doubt that there must be something fiendish
  there, buried deep in earth that never thaws or frozen solid
  in ice that never melts. Antarctica is the logical retreat for
  those who never want to see civilization again.
  AFRICA
  The continent of Africa encloses boundless deserts,
  towering rainforests and broad savannahs. The hand of
  man has tainted many of these natural wonders, but some
  impressive pristine areas remain. Those areas usually
  belong to the Lupines and other fierce and strange
  shapechanging creatures. The Gangrel make their way
  well enough in the great spaces that remain. The truly
  powerful Kindred who roam the continent go where and
  when they please; it is rumored that Ennoia may be among
  them. In the north, Gangrel explorers tread the dunes of
  Egypt in growing numbers in defiance of the country's
  overwhelming Lupine presence. Like many outsiders be-
  fore them, they come to sift through the sands in search of
  the mysterious past.
  Gangrel of Note: A group calling itself the Nyayo
  maintains a surprising amount of influence in Kenyan
  politics. They use this influence to keep their home
  country as free as possible from European and American
  influences, with the goal of keeping out the Camarilla and
  the Sabbat. A pride of Communist sympathizers in the
  Sudan known as the Red Menace (a mocking appellation
  they took on as a badge of honor) refuses to take down the
  hammer and sickle. They provide financial and technical
  backing to Communist revolutionaries across Africa.
  ASIA
  The past decade has been tumultuous for the Gangrel
  of Asia. Western Kindred have not freely roamed the vast
  lands of China since the nights of the great Khans. For
  centuries they wandered through Mongolia and further
  north, until a twisted magic settled over Russia, trapping
  those inside and keeping others out. Foreigners may
  chuckle at tales of Baba Yaga and her chicken hut, but
  inside the Shadow Curtain her name was whispered with
  reverence or not spoken at all. Recently, the Curtain fell;
  those Gangrel who valued their freedom made themselves
  scarce before such a phenomenon could occur again,
  traveling west, south or even north over the pole to escape
  the hag's influence. The Gangrel of India are locked in a
  losing battle with the tide of humanity that spills out of the
  cities and across the countryside. As the wilds disappear,
  they are forced into increased conflict with the Ravnos,
  feeding the flames of enmity on both sides, and with the
  Cathayans. The Gangrel do not have a presence in Japan
  or Indonesia, though the occasional traveler may have
  tales to share of her visits.
  Gangrel of Note: A group of three Gangrel run a
  smuggling operation across the northern border of China
  into Russia, moving large quantities of Chinese-manufac-
  tured goods and risking the wrath of Beij ing's Cathayans.
  The motivations of these Kindred, who have taken great
  pains to remain nameless and faceless, are completely
  unknown — but one must imagine they don't involve
  money. An unusual coalition of Gangrel in the Barents
  Sea claims to have recovered a nuclear warhead from a
  Soviet submarine scuttled off the island ofNovaya Zemlya.
  Whether they are making this announcement in hopes of
  securing bids for the item, or starting their political careers
  with a bang, or if they actually have the device in their
  possession are all unknown.
  AUSTRALIA
  Australia and New Zealand are the closest thing on
  Earth to a Gangrel paradise. The wilderness is mostly
  unsettled, the people are tough and resourceful — and
  those damned Lupines are nowhere to be seen. The cities
  house the usual squabbling Kindred and invading Sabbat,
  but no other clans want what the bush has to offer. Many
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  52
  
  Gangrel who come to visit never leave; more than one
  native insurgent has suggested setting up one or the other
  island as a Gangrel Free State. In New Zealand, the Sabbat
  succeeded in establishing a presence, drawing members
  from the young Polynesian minorities who feel cheated by
  the white government.
  Gangrel of Note: A venerable Maori Gangrel, Nyrie
  Waaka, has hit the warpath against the Sabbat incursion
  in New Zealand. She has no real quarrel with Sabbat
  ideology, but the young vampires, many of them City
  Gangrel, have appropriated the ritual moko face tattoos
  into their pack style — distinctions they have not earned.
  The ashes of the newest Sabbat converts have been found
  scattered in the patterns they improperly appropriated.
  Europe is not a particularly quiet place to be Gangrel.
  More wilderness disappears every year despite the best
  (and disjointed) efforts of humans, Lupines and the occa-
  sional vampire. Gangrel elders here may be over a
  millennium old; if crowding occurs, the neonates and
  ancillae find themselves pushed into the cities, where they
  are often scorned by polite Kindred society, or off the
  continent entirely.
  Gangrel of Note: Brunhilde, the leader of the Scan-
  dinavian Valkyries, is detailed in the final chapter. She
  and her recently awakened host of female warriors preside
  over a revival of Viking ways and raise hell among Europe's
  anarchs. Rufus of Andorra, who has watched the Sabbat's
  depredations in Spain from atop his mountain peaks for
  centuries, has begun stockpiling weapons and Embracing
  broods in secure havens. Sources of somewhat dubious
  repute say that Rufus has shattered the Masquerade by
  openly approaching Andorra's government (such as it is).
  Archons have been dispatched to investigate.
  MIDDLE EAST
  The Gangrel hold a respected place in Kindred soci-
  ety in the Middle East. Perhaps vampires who struggle for
  survival in the harsh, arid climate have a greater under-
  standing of the clan's steadfast strength. The mortal
  population of the area, caught between modernization
  and religious fervor, has made existence uncomfortable for
  vampires of any clan. The numbers of people with True
  Faith have risen, and vampires fear the fiery bombs of
  extremists as keenly as any human. Still, in the rural and
  wilderness areas favored by the Gangrel, life and death go
  on as they have for years.
  Gangrel of Note: Respected Islamic scholar Ebi
  Raboud has spent years wandering warily among havens
  in Islamabad, Kabul and Tehran, avoiding Assamite assas-
  sins and the fetid pisacha while composing and
  disseminating his commentaries on Islamic law as it
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  53
  
  applies to Kindred. He now encounters a new class of
  Assamite — faithful vampires fleeing the civil war on
  Alamut seek him out for advice and help. He cannot turn
  these refugees away, but he fears that he may not see the
  assassin among the supplicants until it is too late.
  NORTH AMERICA
  The Gangrel of North America have taken the brunt
  of the abuse in the wake of the clan's separation from the
  Camarilla. All along the East Coast, where tensions
  between the Sabbat and the Camarilla are taut, Gangrel
  are treated with suspicion at best, or destroyed on sight at
  worst. The besieged princes figure that those Gangrel who
  are not outright traitors are deserters; loyal Camarilla
  Gangrel stay close to their havens and bolt-holes to avoid
  identification mishaps. Further west, the tension ebbs and
  the Gangrel are subject only to the peculiarities of local
  leaders. Along the West Coast, the Gangrel also have the
  Cathayans to worry about.
  Gangrel of Note: The Free Minutemen of Pocatello
  are a small group of independent Gangrel chosen from the
  ranks of local militias and survivalist groups. These revo-
  lutionaries are angry (and not just about the pallets of
  canned food going to waste in their bunkers) — they've
  gotten the idea that the vampires are controlled by the
  United Nations as part of a nefarious plot to overthrow the
  US. They intend to turn the enemy's tools against him.
  Quebec's Cree Indians have a protector in a bestial
  creature known only as Muskuuchii — the name of the
  mountain it lives on. Other Gangrel report that this elder
  has approached them, most often in the form of a bear, to
  ask for their help in preventing the secession of Quebec
  from Canada, a development which might see the Cree's
  aboriginal lands taken from them. The ursine creature is
  of the opinion that there is an individual or organization
  with great influence thwarting its efforts. On the other
  hand, its efforts have most likely been naive and less
  than subtle.
  SOUTH AMERICA
  The hot, wet geography of South America is a exten-
  sive haven for the Gangrel. It also shelters shapechanging
  cats and terrible lizard-monsters, but most local Gangrel
  accept the test of their survival skills as a fair exchange.
  Even though the continent seems to encourage this bravo
  nature in its nocturnal residents, only the truly foolish
  head into the Amazon basin, where the Lupines battle
  some horrendous technological manifestation. Gangrel
  Embraced from the indigenous tribes of the area claim that
  there is a strange bloodline of native vampires in the
  jungles who share many Gangrel's affinity with the bat—
  creatures who wreak devastation when awakened without
  proper propitiations and rituals. Those inclined to believe
  CIANBOOK: GANGREL
  54
  
  such tales keep an eye on the rainforest—assault weapons
  and chainsaws are usually not appropriate ritual gear.
  Gangrel of Note: Xotli the Toad, a hideous creature
  with bulging eyes, oozing skin and a long sticky tongue, has
  made lone guerilla strikes against well-defended targets a
  specialty in his native Guatemala. He has grown greedy,
  the profits accumulated from years of working for both
  sides of a Sabbat/Setite conflict whetting his taste for
  more. He'd also like somewhere a little nicer to spend it all,
  and is considering taking his show on the road.
  THE BEAST
  RAMPANT: THE
  GANGREL FLAW
  The Gangrel clan's greatest strength is also its greatest
  weakness. The Gangrel are tied to the Beast Within in
  ways that no other vampire could understand; their great-
  est gifts come from that primal connection, but with every
  slip of control into frenzy, the Beast leaves its mark. The
  mark is usually a visible feature, a physical change to the
  Gangrel's body. More rarely the mark is on the vampire's
  soul, affecting his behavior or his very identity.
  Other clans speak derogatorily of the Gangrel's ani-
  malistic features as the results of "losing control." This is
  not strictly true: Any frenzy, whether entered willingly or
  fiercely resisted, inflicts the same penalty upon the Out-
  landers. Gangrel entering Rotschreck may not suffer this
  curse; so long as the vampire obeys the "flight" tenet of the
  Red Fear, she does not acquire an animal feature. A
  cornered Gangrel who resorts to the "fight" half of the
  equation will regain her senses to find another feral
  feature, as even necessary violence brings the Beast bub-
  bling to the fore.
  The rules governing frenzy—what causes it, its effects
  and when it ends — are purposely left open for the
  Storyteller's interpretation (see Vampire: The Masquer-
  ade, p. 228). The Storyteller should use his discretion in
  situations where the line between fight and flight is thin;
  a glancing blow from a Gangrel in the grip of Rotschreck
  may hurt its target, but not register to the Gangrel's Beast
  as anything more than simply clearing the path.
  Most of the features caused by the Beast are visible and
  clearly animal or even insectoid in origin: growing fur,
  feathers or scales; changes to the structure of facial fea-
  tures, hands or feet; sprouting additional appendages like
  a tail or antennae; or developing truly odd features like
  nictating membranes, a marsupial pouch or a working
  musk gland. Dramatic changes are unlikely to occur all at
  once, although some particularly unlucky or rabid Gangrel
  may find themselves with some of the drastic modifica-
  tions listed below. It is far more likely that each subsequent
  Bruce,
  I am intrigued by your theory
  concerning the antisocial tendencies
  expressed by so many Gangrel} i.e. that
  the Gangrel remove themselves from the
  company of other Kindred in order to
  avoid frenzy. The idea has some merit;
  it is certainly true that entering the
  state of heightened aggression com-
  monly termed "frenzy" invariably has
  consequences for members of our clan
  that are not experienced by other
  clans. I would personally hesitate to
  credit the majority of frenzies to
  Kindred influence. You should be able
  to test your theory, however, simply by
  observing Cainites in their natural
  habitat, so to speak. If you have
  Camarilla contacts, it may be possible
  to arrange a self-reporting survey on
  frenay frequency and probable cause
  from a sizable number of participants.
  Such results will not be particularly
  reliable, but they may point you toward
  certain areas of consideration. And, if
  you will excuse my saying so, the soft
  sciences have never required rigorous
  mathematics.
  My own personal inclinations on this
  matter, which I admit to be of a
  completely non-scientific and untestable
  nature, draw heavily on Jungian inspi-
  ration. Bear with me, good colleague:
  Even Einstein prayed to a god. It is my
  belief that the Gangrel founder was not
  only a woman, but also the possessor of
  such qualities as may be termed
  archetypally feminine. Along with her
  blood, we have received a portion of her
  spirit, an anima to complement the
  animus. We are, as a result, more
  complete beings, less desiring or
  necessitous of others to complete our
  selves. I will admit that I have yet to
  summon the strength of will to mention
  this pet theory of mine to the female
  members of our clan, but I will point
  out to you the Ahrimanes as a possible
  example of anima unchecked.
  In any case, I look forward to your
  results. If you wish me to comment on
  a proposed methodology for your study,
  I would be more than happy to do so.
  lours,
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  55
  
  frenzy adds incrementally to the effect, so that a full coat
  of fur may sprout on the vampire's chest, then later appear
  on her back, legs, hands and face.
  The marks left by the Beast are not always so easily
  seen. Some can be smelled or heard, like a pungent musk
  or shrill, cawing voice. In some cases, the Gangrel is left
  with animalistic impulses and behaviors as result of frenzy.
  These are psychological aberrations, similar to derange-
  ments, but far less crippling individually. The Gangrel
  may unwillingly find himself circling a chair three times
  before sitting down, marking his territory (with blood), or
  toying with his prey. These behaviors might seem comic,
  but in situations where proper etiquette, grace, stealth or
  speed are important, there's nothing to laugh at. The
  afflicted Gangrel may spend a Willpower point to avoid
  acting out his animal habits for a scene.
  The variation of animal features within the clan is
  astonishing. No two Gangrel have ever developed the
  exact same set of features, although basic trends may be
  passed from sire to childe. Gangrel past the age of fledgling
  rarely exhibit features from only one animal; the Beast's
  myriad expressions in the animal kingdom provide a
  broad palette.
  The animal feature that results from a frenzy should
  always be approved by the Storyteller, especially in cases
  of drastic modification or animal behavior. Ideally, the
  Gangrel character's inevitable descent into the clutches of
  the Beast should be a collaboration between the player
  and the Storyteller, but in some instances the Storyteller
  should feel justified in inflicting a monstrous or jarring
  feature on a character. The Gangrel do not evolve into
  cuddly humanoid pets, they devolve into chimerical mon-
  sters; the Storyteller may occasionally need to reinforce
  this point.
  Every five animal features the Gangrel character
  accumulates, whether physical or mental, reduces one of
  her Social Attributes by one point. Appearance is usually
  the first Attribute to be affected, since the vast majority of
  features the character will acquire are physical. Charisma
  and Manipulation can be affected by purely physical
  changes, as well. The character's animal features might be
  distracting or embarrassing, reducing her social effective-
  ness, or they may simply do so much damage to her
  self-image as to severely impact how she deals with others.
  Acquiring a mental animal feature makes it much more
  likely that the Gangrel's Charisma or Manipulation Traits
  will be affected.
  It is possible for Gangrel to buy back Social Attribute
  points lost to the cumulative effects of frenzy. This should
  be roleplayed in detail and approved by the Storyteller—
  perhaps the character finally takes to wearing concealing
  clothes and combing his hair. Perhaps he has taken charm
  or voice lessons. Whatever the reason, regaining lost
  Social Attributes is never easy. The player should keep
  track of the values of all three Social Attributes prior to
  any frenzy-based losses. That prior value determines the
  experience point cost to increase a Social Attribute. Also,
  the limits imposed on Attributes by the vampire's genera-
  tion apply to the higher, initial value. For example, Angry
  Sam arises from his Embrace with an Appearance 3. Ten
  frenzies later (how do you think he earned his name?),
  Sam's Appearance has dropped to 1. If Sam's player wishes
  to buy Sam's Appearance back to 2, the experience point
  cost will be calculated as if he were buying the Attribute
  from 3 to 4 — 20 experience points. Sam's Appearance is
  now effectively 4 for figuring the experience point cost to
  buy another Appearance point; if Sam is eighth genera-
  tion or higher, he can only buy one more Appearance
  point ever, no matter how bestial he becomes.
  MIKED BLESSINGS
  The animal features below represent drastic and
  sudden changes to the vampire's physical form. They
  immediately and permanently reduce one of the vampire's
  SocialAttributes by one. Usually they reduce the Appearance
  Attribute, but if the character is already so ugly that adding
  a scaly tail or a set of ultra-wide ears really won't make
  matters worse, or the shock of becoming poisonous is more
  of a self-image hit than an image problem, other Social
  Attributes may be affected instead. These modifications
  are serious enough that they offer some fringe benefits,
  though rarely enough to make up for their hideousness.
  These features can pose a serious problem: The vam-
  pire has become a walking breach of the Masquerade.
  Precautions can be taken — these features can all be
  hidden with varying degrees of success — but many
  princes do not wish to take chances. The same qualities
  make these deformed Gangrel prized shock troops in the
  Sabbat's full-bore attacks on Camarilla-held cities.
  Any of these animal features, if not carefully hidden
  (roll Dexterity + Subterfuge, difficulty set by the Story-
  teller according to the degree of the aberration), will cause
  a +2 difficulty to all Social rolls. Other Gangrel and
  Nosferatu may not impose these social penalties, at the
  Storyteller's discretion.
  It is recommended that these features occur only in
  extreme circumstances (the result of a botched roll, or a
  particularly protracted and bloody frenzy), and that a
  Gangrel only ever acquires one such feature.
  Frog Eyes: The Gangrel's eyes migrate painfully to
  the sides of his head, in the process swelling to roughly the
  size of saucers. The eyes usually have the slit pupils of an
  amphibian or reptile, but certain rare specimens have
  manifested insectlike faceted eyes. Sunglasses simply aren't
  going to cut it anymore, but the vampire may add two dice
  to all sight-based Perception rolls due to his new 2 70 ° field
  of vision. He becomes very difficult to sneak up on,
  obviously, and suffers one less than the standard
  CLANBOOK: GANGRE
  56
  .
  
  multiple-opponent difficulty penalties in close combat
  (no penalty for two attackers, +1 for three, etc. to the
  normal maximum of +4).
  Exoskeleton: This particularly vile feature wracks
  the vampire with pain as her skeleton excretes itself as a
  chitinous shell. The vampire gains greater use of her
  natural strength in the form of an additional two dice to
  Strength-related Athletics rolls, and a reduced difficulty
  of 8 instead of 9 on Willpower rolls to perform feats of
  Strength. The hard shell also provides one additional soak
  die against bashing and lethal damage. This physical
  power comes at a terrifying cost, however, one which
  many Gangrel do not discover until it is too late. Because
  the vampire's skeleton is all but gone, her rib cage and
  sternum provide no protection for her heart. An opponent
  with a stake need only inflict one health level of damage
  (after soak) with a hit difficulty of 9 to effectively stake the
  vampire instead of the usual three.
  Hide/Carapace: This effect manifests in a variety of
  ways: dense, coarse fur; tough, elephantlike hide; or a
  calcified covering. The covering provides a natural armor,
  adding two to the vampire's soak dice for even aggravated
  damage, excluding fire and sunlight. In addition to the
  difficulty of hiding this full-body mutation, the thickness
  of the armor invariably reduces the vampire's Dexterity
  by one.
  Maw: Discreet fangs give way to a mouthful of teeth
  as the vampire's jaw stretcbes and lengthens to accommo-
  date the new dentition. Whether needle-sharp and ratlike
  or serrated like a shark's, these teeth do not retract. A
  vampire with these teeth cannot simply hide them by
  keeping her mouth closed — her exaggerated jawline
  shows the size of her mouth, and the teeth often jut out
  past the lips. The vampire's bite does Strength +2 aggra-
  vated damage in combat, and can drain two extra blood
  points per turn during feeding. The wounds caused by
  these teeth cannot be closed in the normal manner.
  Sonar: The visible component of this mutation is a
  truly huge pair of batlike ears, each easily the size of the
  vampire's palm if it were stuck on the side of his head. The
  GangrePs voice box is also modified to produce high-
  frequency sounds (those with the Medicine Knowledge
  may make a Perception + Medicine [difficulty 81 roll to
  notice). Using this sonar organ to navigate through dark-
  ness, smoke or fog reduces tbe vampire's difficulty penalty
  by one in such situations. The ears cannot be hidden while
  in use; not only does any covering interfere with the sonar
  reception, but the ears must be able to move indepen-
  dently to properly echolocate.
  Spinnerets: Somewhere noticeable on the abdomen,
  the vampire develops silk glands and the spinnerets to use
  them. The silk glands transform the vampire's blood to
  webbing; one blood point and one round of concentration
  will generate 10 square feet of spider web, or 100 feet of a
  single, strong strand. The vampire must decide ahead of
  time whether the web will be sticky or not, but the vampire
  is never stuck in her own web, as it is made from her own
  blood. The webbing is incredibly strong, requiring a
  Strength 5 to break, or a Strength 4 to cut with claws or a
  knife. The spinnerets are conspicuous protuberances in
  any sort of normal clothing except a heavy coat or robe
  (Perception + Alertness, difficulty 5 to notice)—hunting
  Casanova-style is nearly impossible. It is certainly worth
  noting that the Gangrel must not be wearing pants to
  make use of her spinnerets. In addition, the webbing is
  very sensitive to light, spun as it is from vampire blood.
  Sunlight disintegrates it immediately; even the dim glow
  of a streetlight or the beam of a flashlight will destroy the
  web within 10 turns.
  Tail: The GangrePs spine lengthens dramatically
  past the coccyx, fleshing out into a muscular, heavy tail.
  The tail is usually long enough to drag on the ground and
  bulky enough that it does — it must be bound or tied to
  keep it off the ground, and even then it is relatively easy
  to notice (difficulty 4 on a Perception + Alertness roll).
  The tail does serve well as a blunt weapon; so long as the
  vampire fights with natural weapons in close combat, he
  may make a free normal attack or sweep maneuver on
  flanking and rear opponents with no multiple-opponent
  penalty (other attacks suffer the usual penalties). The tail
  inflicts Strength bashing damage.
  Talons: These claws are equivalent to the Feral
  Claws provided by the Protean Discipline — with the
  important drawback that they cannot be retracted, and
  are always present on both hands and feet. Aside from the
  social difficulties that come from never being able to
  disarm, the vampire will find it difficult to manipulate
  small objects like car keys or computer keyboards. Gangrel
  with Talons suffer a +1 difficulty penalty for any task
  involving fine manipulation, especially if such manipula-
  tion has to be done under stress.
  Venom: The GangrePs fangs hollow, and poison
  reservoirs form in her head or neck. The venom is only
  mildly poisonous, in comparison to some in the animal
  kingdom. The victim of a successful, damaging bite must
  make a Stamina roll (difficulty 7,9 for normal humans and
  animals) or lose one point from a Physical Attribute. The
  Gangrel should choose which Physical Attribute her
  venom affects when this feature is acquired, and it may not
  be changed. If the Attribute reaches zero, the victim falls
  unconscious or into torpor. Attributes lost in this fashion
  return as though they were aggravated damage. The
  drawbacks to this ability are twofold. First, the vampire's
  hollowed fangs are more susceptible to breaking. Any
  botch on a bite attack roll breaks one or both fangs, which
  must be regrown on the same schedule as aggravated
  damage. Second, nature does not provide poison without
  a visible warning — the vampire is visibly venomous,
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  57
  
  \
  whether showing the vibrant colors of a poisonous tree
  frog, or the pitted face of a viper.
  Wings: The bat or bird wings that sprout from the
  Gangrel's back are not strictly useable; they are stunted,
  much too small to bear the vampire's weight in flight.
  They are, however, easily big enough to be noticeable —
  bound to the vampire's back, they simply give him the
  appearance of being a hunchback instead of a winged
  freak. The wings can provide some stability in precarious
  situations or help break a bad fall, if not bound or wrapped.
  In these situations, add two dice to Athletics rolls involv-
  ing balance, and assess one die of bashing damage for each
  15 feet of a fall instead of each 10 feet.
  MET SYSTEMS FOR ANIMAL TRAITS
  Frog Eyes: These add two Traits to all sight-based
  perception tests, and subtract one from the standard
  multiple-opponents Trait penalties.
  Exoskeleton: The Gangrel gains two Physical Traits
  for strength-related tests and one additional level of armor
  against bashing and lethal damage. However, anyone
  attempting to stake the Gangrel needs to win or tie just
  one Simple Test after winning a Physical Challenge.
  Hide/Carapace: The vampire gains two levels of
  armor against bashing and lethal damage, and one against
  aggravated damage, but suffers a one-Trait penalty on all
  tests involving dexterity.
  Maw: The vampire's bite does two levels of aggra-
  vated damage and can drain three Blood Traits per turn
  during feeding.
  Sonar: The vampire has a two-Trait bonus on tests
  while navigating in darkness, fog, smoke and the like.
  People with the Medicine Ability may make a Mental
  Challenge to notice the voice alterations.
  Spinnerets: Spend one Blood Trait to generate a
  square yard of webbing or 10 feet of a single, tough strand.
  Anyone attempting to break it must win a Static Physical
  Challenge against a total equal to the Gangrel's Physical
  Traits (one-Trait bonus if the would-be breaker has claws,
  a knife or some other sharp instrument). Observers may
  make a Mental Challenge to notice the spinnerets, and
  the vampire takes a two-Trait penalty for this test.
  Tail: Observers may make a Mental Challenge to
  notice the tail (if concealed), and the vampire takes a
  three-Trait penalty for this test. The tail inflicts two levels
  of bashing damage.
  Talons: These work like Wolf Claws on both hands
  and feet, except that they can't be withdrawn. The
  vampire suffers a one-Trait penalty on tests involving fine
  manipulation.
  Venom: When the vampire successfully bites a target,
  the target must make a Static Physical Test against eight
  Traits. If the target loses this test, subtract one Physical
  Trait; this damage heals like aggravated damage. A victim
  who reaches two Physical Traits falls unconscious. When-
  ever the vampire fails a bite attack, make two Simple
  Tests. If the vampire fails both, one or both fangs break and
  must regrow as if they'd been lost to aggravated damage.
  Wings: These add two bonus Traits on tests involving
  balance, and the vampire suffers one level of bashing
  damage for every 15 feet she falls, rather than every 10.
  THE OTHERS
  KINDRED
  ASSAMITE
  The Gangrel and the Assamites have clashed on the
  battlefields of Europe and Asia for centuries. They have
  also fought side-by-side, perhaps even during the same
  battles—both clans are known for mercenary tendencies.
  Both clans have learned to respect each other for their
  martial prowess and brutal honesty. Lately, however, the
  Gangrel worry about what the Assamites are oh-so-hon-
  estly saying since they shrugged off the Tremere curse: It's
  open season on the Kindred of other clans. For the
  Gangrel, killing is a matter of survival, not a religion. On
  the Assamites' part, at least they realize that much easier
  prey may be brought down.
  BRUJAH
  The Brujah and the Gangrel relate well on a superfi-
  cial level. Violence is fun, and rebelling against authority
  is entertaining too. Relationships that dig deeper run into
  problems. The Brujah's tendency to frenzy unnerves the
  Gangrel, who scarcely need encouragement down this
  path to ugliness and ostracism. The Gangrel's reluctance
  to suppport the cause du jour with wild eyes and fervor
  alienates the Bruj ah. The Gangrel readiness to survive and
  fight anodier night comes across as cowardice rather dian
  wisdom — and occasionally some young punk actually
  says that out loud. The clans work best together when the
  cause is clear and straightforward, and the participants can
  part ways when the sun rises.
  FOLLOWERS OF SHT
  The Followers of Set have very little positive to say
  about the Gangrel, and the Gangrel return the favor. Both
  sides also have very little negative to say in exchange, as
  the urbane Setites and the forthright Gangrel scarcely
  cross paths. Tensions run high in diose few areas where
  contact is common, such as northern Africa and extensive
  city parks along the US coasts. Tension frequently gives
  way to bloodshed or treachery on those occasions that one
  side or the other is accused of stealing the art of
  shapeshifting. Gangrel inclined to the reptilian in form
  and personality have been known to become amicable
  with Setites, presumably in some strange snake-y way that
  outsiders wouldn't understand.
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  58
  \
  
  GlOVANNI
  The Giovanni and the Gangrel have practically
  nothing in common. They don't even have anything
  meaty to argue about. As remarkable as this fact is among
  vampires, it does not make them allies. Their worlds
  simply do not meet.
  LASOMBRA
  Respect is the key word in the relationship between
  the Gangrel and the Lasombra. The Gangrel respect the
  Lasombra for their capable leadership and their appear-
  ance of honesty. The Lasombra respect the Gangrel's
  strength of character and ferocity. The Gangrel don't trust
  the Lasombra, of course, and the Lasombra still attempt to
  make the Gangrel into political pawns. But at least the
  Gangrel know that the Keepers will think long and hard
  before screwing them over.
  MALKAVIAN
  The Gangrel fear the Malkavians — any rational,
  survival-oriented Kindred does. The Malkavians are in-
  sightful and unpredictable — oh, and they're also insane.
  Gangrel take great pains to weed instability out of their
  broods, at least in the young; the Beast inevitably claims
  the minds of the old, who must be strong to start to
  withstand its ravages. The Malkavians, for their part, seem
  to sense the Gangrel's uneasiness. Like a cat that knows
  who it can discomfit most, they seem to take some strange
  joy in keeping the Gangrel company.
  NOSFERATU
  Kindred of these two clans have established an under-
  standing between them, a very sad and resigned sort of
  arrangement. Neither clan can truly understand what the
  other experiences: for the Gangrel, the slow dissolution of
  personality; for the Nosferatu, the sudden obliteration of
  self-image. But it is empathy, not sympathy, that defines
  this relationship, and that's something rare for both groups.
  Gangrel and Nosferatu do not screw each other over
  lightly. Most will not do it at all, if it can be avoided.
  RAVNOS
  The Gangrel and the Ravnos share a turbulent rela-
  tionship that is centuries old, if not more so. Every Gangrel
  does not attack every Ravnos on sight, or vice versa;
  nothing keeps individuals of both clans from being ac-
  quaintances, members of a coterie, or even just mutually
  civil. What is certainly true is that most Gangrel who have
  spent time with educated sires have heard stories, whether
  about the mythical rivalry between the Antediluvians,
  the bad blood stirred up over the Gypsies in 15th-century
  Europe, or a more personal tale of deceit and thievery. The
  Ravnos must tell such stories to their childer as well, as
  even initial contacts between new members of both clans
  seem predisposed to go poorly.
  Rebellious types will always embrace "the enemy" just
  because someone told them not to. Among the anarchs,
  Gangrel often feign a devil-may-care attitude toward the
  Ravnos, while keeping a close eye on their gear and bolt-
  holes. Unlife as an anarch is tough enough without
  worrying whether your sire was actually right about those
  bastards. Sabbat vampires seem to take perverse pleasure
  in creating Ravnos/Gangrel alliances, but these undertak-
  ings usually turn out like so many other Sabbat affairs —
  short-lived and bloody. At the extreme, some ill-fated
  pairings insist that the continuing feud between the
  Gangrel and Ravnos is the will of the Antediluvians acted
  out through the centuries. Like Shakespearean heroes,
  they rebel against their families' wishes — but tragedy is
  not much fun for Romeo and Juliet.
  TOREADOR
  It would be difficult to think of two vampire clans with
  less in common than the Toreador and the Gangrel. The
  Toreador consider the Gangrel to be crude, uncouth,
  dirty, pungent and lacking culture. The Gangrel, in re-
  turn, consider the Toreador to be stuck up, elitist,
  domesticated and prone to navel contemplation. Both
  sides are usually right; with these differences out in the
  open and acknowledged, very little open conflict ever
  occurs between the Toreador and the Gangrel. They
  simply move in different circles, and are content that way.
  Rare instances of intense inter-clan cooperation usually
  center on particularly pleasant pieces of land. These
  partnerships are fleeting, as the Toreador usually loses
  interest in ecological matters once the patch of ground has
  been preserved as money in the bank or assets on the
  social registry.
  Old, bad rivalry festers between the Tremere and the
  Gangrel. The clans have been at each other's pale throats
  since the Dark Ages, when the Warlocks encroached into
  the lands of Eastern Europe. Gangrel go missing all the
  time — and some of them, it is rumored, still wind up in
  Tremere laboratories. Resentment simmered under the
  Camarilla "truce", and now that it no longer applies, many
  Gangrel are itching to rake their claws through their
  ancient foes. The Tremere, for their part, would like to see
  the Gangrel put down for good — perhaps to punish the
  affront to the Camarilla, and most certainly to put a
  dangerous enemy out of the way.
  TziMisce
  Outsiders occasionally express surprise that the
  Gangrel and the Tzimisce do not get along famously, since
  they share such a talent for shapechanging. Gangrel prefer
  to use words like "warp" and "mutate" to refer to the
  Tzimisce's hellish art, while the Fiends simply cannot
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  59
  
  understand the Gangrel infatuation with animals, of all
  things, when the ability to be true monsters must surely be
  within their grasp. Philosophical debates aside, the Gangrel
  and Tzimisce of a certain age share a vague resentment
  born of the conflict with the hated Tremere. Sires and
  their childer who remember those times in memory or in
  story might at least act politely — at first.
  VENTRUE
  The Ventrue saw the Gangrel as useful. Sold on the
  metaphor, they thought of the Gangrel as hunting dogs,
  bloodhounds, even the occasional retriever. Now the
  hound has turned to bite the hand that ordered it around.
  The Gangrel attitude toward the Ventrue is unchanged—
  the uptight, self-important bastards couldn't understand
  that, all along, the Gangrel were doing what they wanted
  to do, and not simply what they were ordered to do.
  The Rroma, or Gypsies, share much in common with
  the Gangrel; one of these traits to never forget a debt owed
  or a favor performed. When the Rroma entered Europe en
  masse in the 15th century, their bands sought out letters of
  ; safe passage from local religious and secular authorities.
  A-Without such letters, the roving bands were driven out or
  even attacked. European Gangrel, whether implored by
  their eastern clanmates or out of a desire to bring Rroma
  jCdmpanies into their debt, traded in favors and took on
  political boons to secure these letters of passage from lords
  and ladies under the influence of other clans. Even tonight,
  ,;; a Gangrel might introduce himself to a Gypsy band by
  :irating that his grandsire obtained a letter of safe passage
  .from the Abbot of Shropshire for Duke Michael and his
  1 band. There's no guarantee that this will earn the Gangrel
  a favor or a safe resting place for the day, but it's a better
  '^introduction than most Of course, the Rroma take favors
  hBwed to them just as seriously. 
  >
  \
  OR, How TO Keep WEREWOLVES
  FROM KILLING You
  An Aside by Early Knox, Gangrel of the 10th Generation
  This is a lot easier than you might think. The first step
  is simple: Avoid the Lupines whenever possible. They are
  not your friends. They don't care if you're on the outs with
  Kindred society. They don't care if you have a Sierra Club
  membership. They don't care if you drive spikes into
  redwoods to save them from chainsaws. As far as I can tell,
  they have religious issues with us. Consider the werewolves
  to resemble an angry, fanged fanatical group and you've
  got the right idea. While you might be able to befriend one
  who's on the outs, or sell favors to a fleabag who needs help
  in a hurry, you are not part of the tribe, and you never will
  be. I don't know all the details, because I follow step
  number one as closely as I can.
  The Lupines have a fair number of holy sites, usually
  out in the wilderness. Stay far, far away from these places.
  Even if you have a Lupine contact who invites you out to
  one. Either your contact is an idiot, or it's a trap.
  Do not pretend to be a werewolf to fit in better with
  the other werewolves. They'll know. I don't know how,
  precisely, but for starters they've got incredible senses;
  they can tell that you're a corpse because you're something
  called a worm. And they have their own language, which
  they don't teach to outsiders. And their own mythology.
  If they start quizzing you about "the great wooden monkey
  spirit Shimmy-ho-ho", you're going to sound like a
  goddamned idiot no matter how you respond.
  If you can't avoid a group of werewolves, keep your
  contact to a minimum. You might be able to sell them
  some information, but they're unstable; they can't be
  trusted not to try to kill you after you tell them what you
  know. If you must engage in conversation, keep it light and
  agreeable. Don't talk about the hippies you just drank dry,
  and don't debate points of ecological warfare with them.
  In a perfect world, after a few light conversations you
  might be able to negotiate a simple "leave each other
  alone" relationship, but it's likely to require some unpleas-
  ant concessions on your part and none on theirs. They're
  not much for negotiating, you see, and consider us to be
  one down on them just by existing.
  If they're pissy and you're on their turf, leave. They
  can't fly, and many of us can, so if they start to pursue you,
  turn into a bat and grab some sky. I can hear some of you
  —especially those wearing horny Viking hats—shouting
  about honor and territory and valor. You guys do what you
  want. I'll light a candle for you in Van Halla or whatever.
  Lupines are a fucking nightmare in a fight. I've only
  seen them in action on videotape — footage stolen from
  Chicago — and it did frighten me. Their "war-form" is an
  eight- or nine-foot-high wolfman like out of The Housing,
  only a lot more muscular. They're strong and very fast.
  They seem to be able to turn invisible at a moment's
  notice. They use weapons as well as we do—the tape I saw
  opened with a barrage of gunfire followed by a frontal
  assault—and they seem to have Disciplines like we do as
  well. I've heard that a pack of werewolves could take down
  a Methuselah. Certainly a pack did rip apart Lodin, an
  elder and no slouch, in Chicago back in '92.
  If you fight one, you might be able to beat him, if you
  get the drop on him and have a gun. If you can get your
  hands on silver bullets — don't laugh — you'll be about
  even. If no silver bullets, try silver anything. Forks, knives,
  sharpened spoons, baseball bats or crucifixes. Anything.
  They really hate the stuff, and it seems to bum them.
  A lot of other Kindred think that us Gangrel have a
  special relationship with the Lupines. Most of us do not,
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  60
  
  but the Ventrue and Tremere don't know that. You can
  use this to your advantage in a couple of ways. First off, if
  you have a few travel routes on which you know you don't
  get much werewolf hassle, you can make a profit in money
  or favors by selling that information off. This applies just
  as well if you know a couple of routes that are exceptionally
  dangerous; warnings to your fellow Cainites can score
  points with people who are good to know. Of course, if
  you're leaving town or otherwise have your ass covered,
  and you want to take a shot at offing an enemy, you can
  always sell him a safe path through what you know to be
  Lupine Highway One. Just make sure he doesn't survive,
  and that no one knows it was you that told him to go
  through there ("Yeah, I just heard about John. Terrible
  thing, too—you know, I warned him that the werewolves
  watch US 19, but he wouldn't listen.. ..")•
  A final disclaimer: What I said above is all true, but it's
  not the whole story. Lupines don't think with a single
  unified mind. It is possible, albeit unlikely, that two
  individuals could overcome racial difficulties and become
  friends. I'm never going to try such a thing, but you may
  find yourself in a bind sometime. Good luck, you betcha.
  DISCIPLINES
  ANIMALISM
  I
  The Animalism Discipline is, naturally, one of the
  Gangrel's strongest links to the Beast Within. At the
  earliest levels of ability, the Gangrel interact with literal
  representations of the Beast — animals and insects. Ad-
  vancing in power, the vampire affects the abstract Beast
  (although any Gangrel who heard you refer to the Beast
  Within as "abstract" might well tic your esophagus in
  knots as an object lesson), the primal nature common to
  animals, humans and vampires.
  The most practical use of Animalism is feeding. The
  thrill of the hunt may be addictive and the blood of
  humans more tasty, but the ability to call four-legged
  supper to you using Beckoning is invaluable to a hurt or
  otherwise indisposed vampire. Animalism grants both the
  ability to attract animal companions and ghouls and to
  call those same animals for sustenance. This concept may
  cause some cognitive dissonance to coddled humans who
  buy nicely wrapped packages of meat in a well-lit super-
  market, but to farmers, hunters and vampires the world
  over it's completely natural. Animals can be warm and
  snuggly, but when the food runs out it's you or them. The
  red hunger eventually breaks even the most fastidious
  human habits. These same basic abilities can be used
  offensively, as well. Imagine, if you will, the pest control
  problem suffered by the Eastern European Tremere, hav-
  ing earned the ire of the Gangrel, Nosferatu and Tzimisce
  - all users of Animalism.
  The Gangrel are very fond of Subsume the Spirit, and
  sometimes even call upon it as entertainment, for the
  simple joy of seeing, smelling and tasting with an animal's
  senses. The delight and terror of safely seeing the sunrise
  again can be freeing — or it can hurl even the most
  practical Gangrel into the throes of depression. The
  Gangrel usually don't mind the side effects of frequent use
  of this power—the tendency to act like an animal. They
  make allowances for such behavior among themselves, as
  many of their number have similar derangements, and
  they learn to modify their conduct for outsiders — by
  possessing appropriate animals, if necessary. A Gangrel
  about to do a bit of investigation, for example, might
  possess a magpie to acquire its curious habits, while
  another Gangrel going to visit the prince might possess a
  wolf to ensure that his animal quirks include proper
  deference to authority.
  QUELL THE HERD (ANIMALISM LEVEL Six)
  This power functions along the same lines as Quell
  the Beast — the Gangrel asserts her will over mortal
  animals (or humans), subduing their Beasts with the
  terrifying power of her own. Passionate, powerful emo-
  tions, or even simple attempts to assert individuality or
  will are squelched, rendering those affected apathetic and
  lethargic for the duration. Multiple targets may be af-
  fected; the only requirement is that the individuals must
  be able to see or hear the Gangrel. It may be necessary in
  some extreme situations to get the targets' attention, but
  that is not likely to be difficult for a monster of this power.
  System: The player rolls Strength + Intimidation
  (difficulty 7) — the Gangrel always forces the Beast into
  submission through fear. This is an extended action
  requiring as many total successes as the target has Will-
  power (each individual target is cowed as soon as his
  Willpower is reached). The Gangrel may subdue twice her
  Willpower rating in animals and/or humans. If the crowd,
  herd or pack is too large for the vampire to subdue them all,
  the individuals with the lowest Willpower scores are
  necessarily affected first. Failure on any roll in the se-
  quence means that the vampire must re-accumulate
  successes, but those individuals already subdued remain
  so. A botch on any roll in the sequence means that the
  previously subdued creatures seethe violently into frenzy
  — they immediately attack the Gangrel who tried to
  knuckle them under, or anything that stands in the way.
  When a mortal's beast is cowed, he can no longer use
  or regain Willpower. He ceases all mental and physical
  struggles, not even defending himself if assaulted (the
  Storyteller may allow a Willpower roll if the mortal's life
  is threatened). To recover from this power, the animal or
  human rolls Willpower (difficulty 6) once per day until he
  accumulates enough successes to equal the Gangrel's
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  61
  
  tDpxioNXL SVSTCMS FOR ANIMALISM
  Storytellers may choose to allow the following modifications to Animalism as written in Vampire: The
  Masquerade. Or, they may not — players are hereby advised to ask nicely if they see an effect they like. Note
  that all of these powers build upon the extant levels of Animalism—Storytellers who do not wish those Kindred
  wielding the. Discipline to have more potency should disallow these options. 
  .
  THE UPRIGHT ANIMAL
  Some Gangrel antitribu and independents following Paths of Enlightenment have claimed the ability to use
  Animalism on humans. For example, some Gangrel insist that they have called the homeless to a secluded
  haven, or spoken intelligibly to a human while wearing an animal form. Kindred have long expressed their
  contempt for the kine (literally, cattle), so this success may not be surprising. Storytellers will want to think
  carefully about allowing this option to be used in their chronicles; it helps to starkly illumine the vampire's place
  in the grand scheme, but it is also a capability that may be abused. Also, referring to the less fortunate as animals
  isn't particularly enlightened, though it may serve the story. If this option is allowed, the difficulty of such tasks
  should increase sharply.
  Quell the Beast (Animalism Level Three)
  Ttie Beast Within of supernatural creatures is far more resilient and stubborn than the Beast of a normal
  mortal. Vampires, Lupines, fae, the strange undead of the East and other unusual creatures will never be cowed'
  by the use of this power, but the violent extremes of their behavior may be limited. Storytellers may allow
  Gangrel using this ability to attempt to pull any supernatural entity out of a frenzyh'ke state using the same system
  as to subdue a mortal. 
  , 
  J
  Subsume the Spirit (Animalism Level Four)
  Multiple successes with this power allotv the use of various mental and spiritual Disciplines, while in the host
  animal's body. At the Storyteller's discretion, the player may instead use these successes to directly reduce the
  number of Willpower points that must be spent to completely overcome the power's aftereffects. Particularly*;
  generous Storytellers may allow the player to allocate the extra successes on the fly, and to use the successes that?
  femain when the power is terminated toward reducing the Willpower expenditure.
  Drawing Out the Beast (Animalism Level Five)
  The Gangrel generally understand the Beast Within. At the Storyteller's discretion, losing the Beast when,
  tile subject of this power leaves the Gangrel's line of sight or hearing is only a temporary inconvenience, as there
  is probably no place the Beast would rather be. This may not always hold true -— other Gangrel, members of clans
  with Animalism or (gulp) Lupines may provide comfortable homes for the Beast. A wise Gangrel does not use
  this power on anyone she suspects might be as feral as she.
  \
  Willpower. Kindred are not affected by this power, gener-
  ally, but their ghoul retainers are.
  MET System: Make a Social Challenge simulta-
  neously against any number of targets, up to twice your
  current Willpower. Use the Mob Scene rules in Laws of
  the Night, p. 196 — bid Traits and resolve the simulta-
  neous challenges as if you were attacking multiple targets
  in physical combat. As with Quell the Beast, targets who
  fail to resist cannot use Willpower Traits and gain Submis-
  sive x 2 for the rest of the night.
  STAMPEDE (ANIMALISM LEVEL SEVEN)
  A deep, innate knowledge of animal instinct allows
  the Gangrel to trigger a very specific fear in his victims —
  a unthinking panic that pushes hundreds of creatures into
  headlong flight. This ability only works on large groups of
  people; too few, and the aggregate fear will not be enough
  to override sensible plans of action. Also, the crowd or
  herd must be already agitated by some mundane occur-
  rence, such as the smell of a large predator, a lost football
  game by the home team or a shortage of this year's fad toy
  during prime shopping season. (The Gangrel may cause
  the "mundane" situation — by being the large predator,
  influencing the outcome of the soccer match, or waylay-
  ing the toys—but this is not necessary or even wise.) Once
  this power takes hold, its victims will flee until they escape
  the vampire's influence or until they are rendered unable
  to run.
  System: This power must be activated within sight of
  a crowd of roughly 50 agitated mortals (the Storyteller
  may allow this power to be used on smaller groups of really
  pissed-off mortals). The player rolls Stamina + Animal
  Ken (difficulty 7). The resulting waves of terror roll 50
  yards in all directions from the Gangrel for each success
  achieved. Any unsettled mortal within this radius will
  immediately flee toward the nearest escape or exit unless
  the Gangrel chooses to direct the Stampede by force of
  will. The vampire may set a direction or path for the
  fleeing multitudes, but may not change or alter it once the
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  62
  
  1
  flight has begun. Members of the Stampede will ignore
  many potential sources of danger, such as running into the
  road or through a firing range, but will not take obviously
  suicidal actions like leaping off tall cliffs or skyscrapers. In
  some cases, however, the crazed mob will not see potential
  danger in time — or be forced into it anyway by the
  pressure of the crowd behind them.
  Mortals who were not initially affected may be caught
  up physically or emotionally in the tide, as the Gangrel's
  proj ected Beast wreaks havoc for a scene unless he chooses
  to end the madness earlier. Upon leaving the affected area,
  mortals may recover their senses and stop their mad rush.
  If the area is bottlenecked, however, such as a long hallway
  or valley, the mortals may opt to continue fleeing rather
  than be trampled. It is worth noting that this power can go
  awry, even without a rolled botch — the power of hun-
  dreds of Beasts, even those of mortals, can be too much for
  the vampire to control. Animals pushed too hard may
  frenzy, and people have a disturbing tendency to riot.
  MET System: Make a Static Social Challenge against
  a number of Traits equal to the highest Willpower of
  anyone in the target crowd. The Stampede affects every-
  one within 50 yards of you; each additional Social Trait
  you spend extends the range another 50 yards. Individuals
  whose Willpower is equal to or less than half your Social
  Trait total succumb automatically. Individuals whose
  Willpower is at least half your Social Traits may spend a
  point of Willpower to make a Static Social Challenge
  against your Social Trait total; if they succeed, they resist
  the urge to Stampede. Characters whose Willpower equals
  or exceeds your Social Trait total may make the same test
  without spending a point of Willpower.
  CRIMSON FURY (ANIMALISM Level. EIGHT)
  This power is the subject of much rumor and conjec-
  ture, as it has very little visible effect. Upon reaching this
  level of mastery, the Gangrel may choose to allow his
  Beast to roam freely through his veins. His blood causes
  frenzy in mortals and vampires who taste it. Should a
  diablerist successfully consume the Gangrel's soul, she
  may well meet a grisly end as the Gangrel's Beast eats her
  away from the inside.
  System: This power is activated once, when the
  Gangrel learns it. It cannot be turned off. The smallest
  taste of the vampire's vitae causes agitation in the taster,
  who must make a Self-Control roll (difficulty 7) or frenzy
  immediately. This applies to newly created childer, ghouls,
  attackers who bite and any vampires who would drink
  from the Gangrel. This is the equivalent of a warning shot
  for would-be diablerists. Should the attacker resist the
  urge to frenzy, she may continue to drink as normal, but
  the supernatural agitation she experiences should be a
  clear sign that something is unusual about this vitae. If the
  attacker succumbs to the frenzy, she must spend a Will-
  power point for each turn she continues to drink.
  CHAPTER Two: 
  INSIDE THE GANGREL
  63
  
  Should the diablerist be successful, she immediately
  suffers a +2 difficulty on all frenzy rolls for a duration
  determined by the Storyteller. She must also make an op-
  posed Willpower roll against her victim's Beast (which has
  the same Willpower rating that the now-deceased vam-
  pire had). The loser of this contest forfeits one permanent
  Willpower point. This contest takes place every month for
  the first year past the diablerie and once a year thereafter.
  As the diablerist loses Willpower, she becomes more feral
  and impulsive (this should be roleplayed, and the Story-
  teller should feel free to require frequent Self-Control rolls
  from the diablerist's player). If the diablerist loses her last
  Willpower point, she becomes a crazed, bestial monster
  (and a Storyteller character). If the invading Beast loses its
  last Willpower point, it becomes quiescent, ceding victory
  to the diablerist. The evidence of diablerie in the
  perpetrator's aura persists until the Beast is subdued.
  Humanity or Path rating loss may result from the
  actions the "possessed" diablerist takes, but they are not
  lost as a direct result of this power.
  Gangrel legends suggest that some incredibly power-
  ful "victims" of diablerie have eaten their way through
  their attackers, consuming the diablerist's soul in turn, and
  then taken over the new body. This is not the normal
  result of this power, but the rumors do circulate....
  MET System: Anyone feeding on you must make a
  Self-Control Test against four Traits to avoid entering
  frenzy. Anyone attempting to diablerize you must spend
  one Willpower point each turn for the duration of the
  attempt. If someone does successfully diablerize you, the
  diablerist suffers a permanent one-Trait penalty on all
  future frenzy checks. (A vampire who reaches Self-Con-
  trol 1 falls into immediate Wassail then, instead of doing
  so upon reaching Self-Control 0.) The diablerist must also
  make a series of Willpower Tests against her own Beast,
  which gains (for this purpose) the Willpower total of the
  vampire who used Crimson Frenzy. The loser of each
  challenge loses a point of permanent Willpower, until the
  diablerist or her Beast loses control altogether. The
  diablerist must make one of these Willpower Tests each
  week for the first year after diablerie, once per month
  during the second year, and once per year thereafter.
  Eves OF THE FOREST
  (ANIMALISM LEVEL NINE)
  This awe-inspiring power is at the root of many folk
  tales about brooding forests and forbidding mountains.
  The vampire inters herself in the ground of her chosen
  domain, spreading her physical and spiritual self through
  the area. Unlike a vampire using Earth Meld, the Gangrel
  cannot be simply dug out of the ground. The animals and
  even insects within the area serve as the Gangrel's eyes
  and ears, providing her with an intimate knowledge of the
  nighttime goings-on of her domain.
  System: This power costs six blood points to activate
  and it lasts as long as the Gangrel wishes to remain beneath
  her domain. The area itself should be relatively well-
  defined geographically, although it can be quite large: a
  mountain or valley, an isolated wood, a plateau. The
  vampire sees and hears everything within the enclosed
  area through the animals and insects that inhabit it.
  Additionally, the Gangrel may use mental Disciplines
  that do not require physical or eye contact to initiate.
  While the power is active, it is impossible to attack the
  Gangrel directly. Significant damage to her domain, how-
  ever — fires, strip mining, explosives, chemical
  contaminants — will also damage the vampire, and are
  likely to drive her from the ground.
  The area under the Gangrel's influence reflects the
  vampire's nature. Even the most cheerful wood during
  daylight becomes a place of terror for mere mortals when
  the sun sets.
  Should two masters of Animalism somehow "claim"
  the same area, the Cainite with the greatest Willpower
  achieves success. This may result in an established Kin-
  dred being forced to rise and flee the area, or it might rouse
  the other Kindred on a quest for vengeance on the
  trespasser.
  FORTITUDE
  Fortitude needs little discussion, but that is not to say
  that the Gangrel take their preternatural hardiness for
  granted. Any vampire who has ever escaped a forest fire,
  caught an unexpected glimpse of the desert sun over the
  rise of a dune or narrowly avoided destruction at the claws
  of a Lupine knows how vital this simple Discipline is. To
  add a little spice to the issue, note that Fortitude's protec-
  tion against fire and the sun counters the apocryphal curse
  of the angels. Some might suggest that the use of Fortitude
  in this manner is sacrilegious or blasphemous, but the
  Gangrel aren't the type to go belly-up in the sunlight just
  to appease some legendary holy guy with a sword.
  Gangrel elders have developed some unusual exten-
  sions of the basic Fortitude ability to protect and fortify.
  These powers protect the senses, the mind and the spirit
  instead of the physical body.
  SENSORY SHIELD (FORTITUDE LEVEL SIH)
  A Gangrel using this power supematurally hardens
  his senses against injurious input. The vampire cannot be
  blinded by spotlights or sudden bursts of radiance, or
  deafened by explosions or gunfire; even his capacity to
  withstand pain is improved. His eyes, ears, nose, and open
  wounds glow with an eerie light while this power is active.
  System: Spending two blood points activates this
  power for a scene. Mundane sources of overwhelming
  sensory input, such as searchlights, muzzle flash or pepper
  spray have no effect, even if sensory-enhancing powers
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  64
  \
  
  like Heightened Senses are in use. The effects of super-
  natural sensory attacks or unusual circumstances (like
  being at ground zero for a massive explosion) may be
  soaked with the vampire's Fortitude dice, with each
  success reducing the effect or duration of the sensory
  damage, or negating it all together. In addition, the
  Gangrel's wound penalties are reduced by two; he feels no
  pain whatsoever until he reaches the Crippled level, when
  he runs into only a three-dice penalty. At the end of the
  scene, wound penalties for all accumulated damage are
  applied as normal.
  The phosphorescent glow streaming from the
  vampire's orifices and wounds is nearly impossible to hide,
  and inflicts a two-dice penalty on social interactions with
  mortals (other than intimidation).
  MET System: Spend two Blood Traits. You become
  immune for one hour to normally overwhelming sensory
  input—searchlights, gunfire, pepper spray and the like—
  even if you're using Heightened Senses and other powers
  that increase you vulnerability to sensory overload. You
  take two fewer Traits' penalties from wounds than usual
  while Sensory Shield remains in effect; any damage you
  suffer during the hour takes full effect when Sensory
  Shield wears off. You may make a Static Test of your levels
  of Fortitude against the Trait penalty imposed by particu-
  larly severe environmental problems, like being at ground
  zero of a massive explosion. If you succeed, you can reduce
  the penalty by one Trait, plus one per Physical Trait you
  spend.
  Your wounds and orifices glow while Sensory Shield
  remains in effect; you suffer a two-Trait penalty in all
  Social Challenges against mortals during this time.
  RESILIENT MIND (FORTITUDE LEVEL SPVEN)
  At this level of accomplishment, the Gangrel extends
  her preternatural resistance to the very depths of her
  personality. Upon acquiring this power, the vampire may
  suddenly shed centuries of paranoia, tics, quirks and other
  perturbations that have accumulated in the cobwebby
  recesses of her brain. Additionally, it becomes more
  difficult to use mental Disciplines against the vampire.
  Unfortunately, this mental stability comes at a cost to the
  Gangrel; upon learning this power; the vampire must
  acquire physical animal flaws exclusively.
  System: Upon learning this power, the Gangrel
  makes a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). For each success, the
  vampire may choose to eliminate one derangement or two
  animal behavior flaws (any Social Attribute points lost
  due in whole or part to those flaws remain lost). This effect
  of the power occurs only once and is immediate.
  The vampire permanently gains three extra dice to
  resist the effects of any mind-altering Discipline or magic.
  This bonus does not apply to Presence or other Disciplines
  that affect the emotions.
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  65
  \
  
  Finally, if the vampire gains a derangement for any
  reason after learning this power, the player may immedi-
  ately make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6). If she achieves
  three successes, the derangement persists through the
  night and the following day, but is sloughed off as the
  vampire rises with the sunset. Willpower may not be spent
  on this roll.
  MET System: When you learn this power, make an
  Extended Static Willpower Test against eight Traits.
  Each success lets you choose one derangement or two
  animal-behavior flaws to discard (the Social Traits lost to
  these flaws remain lost).
  You permanently gain three bonus Traits in chal-
  lenges to resist mind-altering Disciplines and magic, though
  you are not immune to Presence and other powers that
  affect the emotions rather than the intellect. If you
  develop a derangement, you may make an Static Will-
  power Test against seven Traits. (The Trait bonus applies
  to resisting the circumstances that forced the derange-
  ment on you, but not to this test to cure it.) If you succeed,
  spend three Mental Traits. The derangement remains in
  effect that night and through the next day, then vanishes
  on the following sunset. You may not spend Willpower for
  retests in this challenge.
  KiNGOFTHe MOUNTAIN
  (FORTITUDE Level. CIGHT)
  The most formidable opponents are not only hard to
  hurt, they are also hard to even touch. This power com-
  bines some of the effects of the Personal Armor power with
  an aura of resistance that impedes attackers, making it
  trivially easy for the Gangrel to block the incoming
  attacks of numerous opponents.
  System: The Gangrel spends three blood points to
  activate this power, which lasts for a scene. The vampire
  does not gain the benefits of this power when he actively
  attacks. Instead, the vampire must block or dodge all
  incoming attacks, and may use his full dice pool against
  each attack. Every time an attack is made with a weapon
  against the Gangrel, his player rolls Fortitude (difficulty 6)
  in addition to the Dexterity + Brawl roll to block. If the
  Fortitude roll grants more successes than the attacker
  rolled, the weapon used in the attack shatters on contact
  with the vampire (mystically imbued weapons may be
  resistant to this effect at the Storyteller's discretion). If the
  roll to block succeeds, the vampire suffers no damage from
  the attack (if the block fails, the vampire may soak the
  damage normally, using Fortitude).
  Hand-to-hand attacks may also be blocked. Success-
  ful hand-to-hand attacks inflict the attacker's damage on
  both the attacker and the vampire using this power.
  Blocked hand-to-hand attacks inflict the attacker's dam-
  age only on herself. In both cases, the damage may be
  soaked normally. Additionally, the defending vampire
  does not suffer the standard multiple-attacker penalty, no
  matter how many assailants he faces.
  MET System: Spend three Blood Traits to active this
  power, which lasts for one hour. You get full Trait total for
  all defensive actions, rather than splitting your Trait pool.
  (This benefit doesn't extend to offensive actions, which
  suffer the usual penalties for multiple actions.)
  Any attacker must succeed in a two-part challenge.
  First, make the initial Physical Challenge as usual. The
  vampire defending with King of the Mountain wins on ties.
  If the attacker fails the initial challenge, his weapon
  shatters (unless enchanted or supernaturally reinforced)
  and he suffers the damage that would normally go to the
  defender. If the attacker ties, his weapon shatters, but he
  escapes personal damage. If the attacker wins, then he
  must make a Simple Test. Only if that succeeds does he
  actually inflict damage on the defender. (Vampires with
  Superior Potence get to skip this second test and inflict
  damage if they succeed in the initial attack.)
  PROTEAN
  The Protean Discipline is native to the Gangrel. They
  are the only vampires to whom the Discipline comes as
  primarily as the need to drink blood and avoid sunlight.
  The Discipline is a primal expression of the Beast Within,
  a harnessing of the feral power in every vampire but
  especially abundant in the Gangrel.
  If the world were a fair place, the vampires of the other
  clans would thank the Gangrel for discovering such
  potential in the vampiric form. Over the millennia, the
  abilities granted by the Protean Discipline have saved
  countless vampires from Final Death by providing sight in
  the blackest nights, protection from enemies and protec-
  tion from the deadly rays of the sun. In the nights of the
  First City, the Gangrel freely shared to any who would
  learn the art of coaxing and threatening the Beast into
  obedience. Any vampire who wished to travel more than
  a night away from his haven learned, as a matter of
  necessity, how to meld with the earth at the coming of dawn.
  Since those earliest times, most Gangrel have become
  miserly in sharing their secrets. The other clans have
  carefully passed their second-hand knowledge of the art
  from sire to childe, or else offered something of value to the
  Gangrel in exchange for instruction. The Discipline has
  also become less vital to survival — covered carriages,
  trains, automobiles and other modem conveyances have
  reduced the risks of travel for even the weakest vampire.
  Still, the Gangrel hold tightly to the Protean Disci-
  pline, teaching it carefully to their broods and pushing the
  limits of their abilities as they make their way alone. The
  Gangrel know that Protean is not about convenience —
  it is about survival, now and always.
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  66
  
  \
  ANIMAL FORMS
  The Gangrel display their mastery of the Protean
  ability most dramatically with the Shape of the Beast. This
  ability usually grants the vampire the shape of a wolf or bat.
  In fact, vampires who are not Gangrel can only ever take
  these two forms. Gangrel vampires are not limited in the
  same manner, however — they take the shapes of lions,
  eagles, bears, crows and uncountable others.
  Some restrictions do exist to the Gangrel's
  shapechanging ability. First, the Gangrel must establish
  her forms upon learning the Shape of the Beast, and she
  may not assume other forms. Second, the vampire's forms
  must always reflect the twin urges of the Beast: fight or
  flight.
  The Gangrel's "fight" form is large and naturally well-
  equipped for hunting and fighting. The animals represented
  are usually predators, but may also be scavengers — all
  consume the flesh of others to survive. The animal shape
  assumed is hale and apparently healthy, and generally
  tends to large size for its type — although in the case of
  animals of great size, such as a grizzly bear or sharks among
  the Mariners, the Gangrel may even be small compared to
  normal creatures. The City Gangrel of the Sabbat are a
  large exception to the above. They may assume animal
  forms that are mangy and downright diseased-looking,
  such as city mutts or rats of uncommon size. The camou-
  flage provided by such nasty-looking forms far outweighs
  the flea collar jokes these Gangrel must put up with.
  It has become more common in recent years for the
  rare Gangrel to assume the gigantic form of an animal that
  does not ever reach such size in nature — spiders, wasps,
  scorpions, rats, hyenas and others. This hasn't caused a
  great outcry among the clan's elders. It is possible that
  these forms were common in the distant past, and faded
  from use for some strange reason. It has been the cause of
  some social upheaval among the young and active mem-
  bers of the clan; Gangrel who assume these exotic forms,
  particularly the insectoid varieties, often have very strange,
  even alien ways of thinking and behaving. These Gangrel
  sometimes migrate toward the Sabbat, where they quickly
  leave their Humanity behind and turn their terrifying hive
  mentality to the service of the sect.
  It is rumored that in the past, the Gangrel could
  assume the forms of noble prey animals, such as the stag or
  the horse. Such Gangrel, if they exist, have not been seen
  in the Final Nights, and the modern Gangrel would be
  hard-pressed to see any need to transform themselves into
  the eaten instead of the eaters.
  The Gangrel's "flight" form need not literally be a
  winged creature. It may be any form best suited for running
  away, whether that method is taking to the air, scrambling
  through tunnels, or simply fleeing pell-mell on four legs.
  Even though the focus of this form is on raw survival and
  not sustenance, the Gangrel only assume the forms of
  predators or scavengers — the nature of the vampire's
  Beast is inextricably linked to the need to consume others,
  even if the other in question is a bug.
  Actual flight is usually the best method for escape, in
  addition to being incredibly useful for scouting and infor-
  mation gathering. The bat remains a popular form for the
  Gangrel, along with birds like ravens, crows and falcons.
  Particularly warlike Gangrel may take the forms of hawks,
  eagles and even vultures, but these relatively huge "flight"
  forms lose some of the escape benefits that come with a
  smaller shape.
  Earthbound "flight" forms rely either on speed or the
  ability to slip through small spaces to escape. Snakes,
  gophers, house cats and rats are common forms. At least
  one Gangrel in the American South has been known to
  take on a possum shape, which, while eminently flawed
  against intelligent enemies, serves the purpose when
  dealing with lesser creatures. Like the "fight" forms, these
  animal forms are usually apparently in the prime of health,
  but they are not unusually large for their type — that
  would defeat the purpose.
  Sabbat Gangrel, both City and Country, are |
  fond of a game usually called "Adopt a Pet." The
  vampire assumes a suitable animal form, such as
  that of a dog or cat, and makes soulful eyes at
  nighttime passerby until some soft-hearted animal
  lover takes her home. The game usually ends before
  sunrise with a houseful of victims bloodily slain in
  their beds — the Gangrel rarely have the patience
  to carry on the charade for longer than one night.
  A lot of prestige can be gained by playing along for
  longer periods of time; the risks of getting caught in
  daylight are not small ("Why does Patches sleep in
  the basement all day, Mommy?"), and the results of
  a carefully planned assault can be spectacular. In-
  citing domestic violence and a shoot-out with the
  police, or taking down several family generations at
  the Thanksgiving dinner table, all earn a great deal
  of respect. "Son of Sam" is the height to which all
  participants aspire. A game of "Adopt a Pet" that 
  ;<
  goes wrong will get the Gangrel heckled forever;
  Sabbat Gangrel spread apocryphal tales of vampire s
  mutts hauled to the vet to be "fixed." 
  • „>:•< ' 
  : |
  SHAPE OF THE BEAST REVISITED
  (PROTEAN LEVEL FOUR)
  This version of Shape of the Beast applies only to
  vampires of Clan Gangrel. The Gangrel may transform
  into a "fight" form and a "flight" form; these forms are
  chosen when the power is acquired and may not be
  changed. The vampire keeps his own personality, memo-
  ries, and skills and can also use the natural abilities of the
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  67
  \
  
  animal form — these are increased physical attributes in
  the "fight" form, and escape abilities in the "flight" form.
  Both animal forms grant improved senses; the Gangrel
  may choose to reduce the difficulty of Perception rolls in
  one appropriate sense group — sight, hearing, or smell/
  taste — by two in his animal forms (the sense group may
  be different in the two forms).
  System: The character spends one blood point to
  assume either animal form. The transformation requires
  three turns to complete (spending additional blood points
  reduces the transformation time by one turn per point
  spent, to a minimum of one). The Gangrel remains in his
  beast form until the next dawn, unless he wishes to change
  back sooner. Clothing and small personal possessions
  transform with the Gangrel.
  The Gangrel's "fight" form grants a total of five
  additional Attribute points split among the vampire's
  Physical Attributes. These points must be applied to at
  least two of the Attributes. For the standard wolf form,
  these are allotted as +1 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, and
  +2 to Stamina. A bear form may increase the Gangrel's
  Strength by +3 and Stamina by +2. These points must be
  allocated when the "fight" animal form is chosen and may
  not be thereafter rearranged. In addition, the Gangrel's
  bite inflicts Strength aggravated damage, and claws inflict
  Strength +1 aggravated damage (these damage values
  may be adjusted by the Storyteller as necessary to reflect
  the animal's primary mode of attack — an alligator form
  may allow a greater bite bonus, but no claw damage).
  Running speed is usually doubled, unless an alternate
  method of locomotion like swimming is available.
  The Gangrel's "flight" form reduces die vampire's
  Strength to 1, but allows him to fly at a speed equal to his
  running movement rate (Gangrel whose "flight" forms do
  not fly may take a +2 bonus to Dexterity). In addition,
  attacks made against the "flight" form are made at +2
  difficulty due to die animal's small size (diose Gangrel
  who take large forms like the eagle may keep their full
  Strength by sacrificing this size bonus).
  While in the animal's shape, die vampire can use any
  Discipline he possesses except Necromancy, Serpentis,
  Thaumaturgy or Vicissitude. The vampire loses all use of
  his hands and all facility of speech—the vampire must use
  the Animalism Discipline ability Feral Whispers speak to
  animals. All Attributes and Abilities granted by animal
  forms are subject to the Storyteller's approval and modifi-
  cation at the time of definition.
  It is curious to note that animal features acquired by
  a Gangrel after a frenzy do not necessarily conform to
  those of her beast forms. Most Gangrel seem to be patch-
  works of feral features rather than changing to resemble
  one specific animal.
  Dr. Netchurcht
  Tonight 20 years of careful experimentation have
  come to fruition in a most disappointing way. I have
  been attempting for years to learn more about our
  Protean Discipline through scientific means. My
  first experiments were conducted on my own childer
  with the purpose of learning more about how we of
  Clan Sangrel assume — or choose, perhaps — our
  animal forms. These experiments met with a measured
  degree of success. It appears that the form a given
  subject assumes can be influenced to some degree,
  which thereby implies a similar degree of conscious
  or unconscious choice in the matter.
  My experiment of tonight was an attempt to learn
  more about Protean by studying how it is practiced
  by other clans. To wit: I have made an attempt to
  discern why vampires of other clans seem quite
  incapable of transforming themselves into any shape
  other than that of a wolf or a bat. To do this, I
  procured an infant immediately after birth, and
  raised the infant to young adulthood in a precisely
  controlled environment. My subject (I have named her
  Anna) was never permitted to see or hear of the
  existence of either the bat or the wolf.
  (Regrettably, this has left her education sparse
  in terms of both biology and literature, but I
  believe I have done well by her in terms of math-
  ematical education. But I digress.) 
  '•'•,..
  Upon the reaching the mature age of 14, the
  subject was brought into the vampiric state by a
  Member of Clan Toreador, with all necessary approv-
  als and considerations obtained by me (at
  considerable cost, I might add). I then personally
  taught the young vampire the Protean Discipline,
  refraining at all times from any mention of the wolf
  or bat forms. Anna knew only that on achieving a
  certain degree of control over her form, she would
  assume an animal shape. 
  ; 
  .. .•, . ....
  This night, under laboratory conditions, Anna
  transformed herself into a wolf. At times like this
  I despair of describing our condition and our
  abilities in any terms that could be considered
  scientific. I cannot explain or discern any quality
  of the blood that would allow this control to the
  Sangrel yet to no others. I console myself with the
  thought that one subject does not constitute a full
  study.
  I will procure a fresh infant and begin my study
  again. Perhaps, if I am feeling unscientific in 14
  years, I will instead choose to experiment with the
  strange qualities of the blood of the 14th and 15th
  generations.
  1 must leave my assistants to enter the formal
  lab notes on this experiment. Anna is upset with me
  • for some reason, and her Toreador sire has abandoned
  her simply because she does not have the ability to
  appear as an exotic creature. I am a poor scientist,
  I fear} I have become attached to my subject.
  Sincerely,
  CWtotv 3.
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  68
  
  It is often difficult to predict what forms a Gangrel will
  assume when she learns Shape of the Beast. Three factors
  play an important role in the process: the vampire's
  personality, his sire's animal forms and the local environ-
  ment at the time of the vampire's Embrace.
  The vampire's personality and beliefs are perhaps the
  most important factor — after all, the animal forms
  assumed using Shape of the Beast are an expression of the
  Beast Within. Vampires with strong personality traits
  often transform into the animal most often attributed that
  trait by superstition: wolves with cunning, lions with
  courage, reptiles with callousness, ravens with curiosity,
  etc. These superstitions are culturally based, and their
  interpretations will naturally change between cultures.
  Individuals who felt a strong affinity with a particular
  animal when alive, who considered the animal to be a
  totem or protective spirit, will usually transform into that
  animal upon learning Shape of the Beast.
  The role of the sire is a matter of some dispute among
  Gangrel researchers. It is possible that the sire's influence
  affects the childe's expectations; if the childe sees her sire
  transform into a tiger, she may assume that she will do the
  same so completely that her assumption becomes reality.
  The Discipline exhibits lines of descent, however, in
  which grandsire, sire and childe all share the same animal
  forms. Given the tenacity of the Gangrel blood, elders
  interested in such matters do not consider it to be out of
  the question that such preferences are a factor of blood.
  The influence of the local environment can perhaps
  be credited with the popularity of the wolf and bat forms
  even among the Gangrel —wolves and bats of varying
  species populate the globe. The vampire's Beast, in the
  absence of overriding personality or blood-related factors,
  provides the vampire with the most survivable form
  available in the surrounds; a form that provides not only
  hunting or escape, but also camouflage, offers an undeni-
  able advantage. It is unlikely that a vampire raised and
  Embraced in the Great Plains will transform into a tiger or
  a shark. The forms of wolf and hawk, in this instance, are
  both useful and safe. They are native creatures suited to
  the environment.
  MET System: Decide on a "fight" form and a "flight"
  form when the vampire acquires this power. Spend a
  Blood Trait to active either one. The transformation takes
  three turns (two if you spend a second Blood Trait, and
  only one if you spend three Blood Traits) and lasts until
  dawn or earlier if the vampire chooses to regain human
  form.
  Each form adds five bonus Traits. They must be
  divided among at least two of the categories given inLaws
  of the Night, Revised Edition, p. 80-83: Strength-related,
  Dexterity-related, Stamina-related, Perception-related and
  Wits-related. The classic wolf form, for instance, gains
  Quick and Lithe (Dexterity-related); Tireless (Stamina-
  related); Attentive (Perception-related); and Alert (Wits-
  related). The usual bear form adds Brawny, Ferocious, and
  Tough (Strength-related), and Enduring and Robust
  ( Stamina-related) . Assign the specific Trait bonuses when
  choosing the forms. They remain fixed thereafter.
  Your animal form's bite does two levels of aggravated
  damage, and claws do one level of aggravated damage. In
  some cases, the Storyteller may wish to adjust this: an
  alligator form might have a stronger bite but no claws, for
  instance. The animal form runs at double your normal
  speed, or at normal speed with an additional mode like
  swimming or burrowing.
  The flight form has a limit of three Physical Traits,
  chosen from among your regular Trait list, and flies at your
  running speed. Quick but ground-bound forms get three
  bonus Traits for purposes of initiative and evasion. At-
  tacks made against the flight form incur a two-Trait
  penalty, though you may choose to keep all Strength-
  related Traits and sacrifice this advantage.
  The flight form allows you to declare Fair Escape once
  at least five paces from the nearest pursuer, unless the
  pursuer has more levels of heightened speed.
  SHAPE MASTERY (PROTEAN LEVEL
  Gangrel who have mastered this level of shapeshifting
  may use the power of their blood to force other
  shapechangers to resume their normal forms. For the
  power to function, the Gangrel must have some portion of
  her blood in contact with die target, whether unwillingly
  or willingly. (One Gangrel wag has referred to using this
  power on the Tzimisce Bloodform as "throwing good
  blood after bad.")
  System: The Gangrel must first place her blood on
  the target. If the target has successfully attacked the
  Gangrel with natural weapons, or with a short weapon like
  aknife, this requirement is fulfilled. Otherwise, the Gangrel
  must smear at least one blood point worth of her vitae on
  the target by making a successful attack or sprinkle it
  surreptitiously on an unsuspecting target. This may be
  done in advance, but the blood must still be wet for the
  power to work. The Gangrel activates the power of her
  blood by spending an additional blood point and making
  a Perception + Survival roll (difficulty 7). Two successes
  are required to force the target out of his shapeshifted form.
  The power persists for a full scene, or until the target
  removes the Gangrel's vitae from his body, whichever is
  sooner. (The amount of time necessary to clean up the
  blood is subject to the Storyteller's discretion, taking into
  account the quantity of blood and the availability of
  cleaning supplies. The process should take at least one full
  turn of action even with large quantities of water avail-
  able.) If the target has actually consumed the Gangrel's
  blood, tough luck — the power will persist for the full
  scene. The target must reactivate his shapeshifting ability
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGRIL
  69
  t
  
  when and if he chooses to resume his adapted form, re-
  incurring any associated costs.
  This power is effective on the shapeshifted forms of
  the following Disciplines at Levels Six and below:
  Obtenebration, Protean, Serpentis, Thaumaturgy, and
  Vicissitude. Most importantly, it also confounds the na-
  tive shapechanging abilities of Lupines and other
  werecreatures.
  MET System: Apply a Blood Trait's worth of vitae
  onto the target, as discussed in the main text. A successful
  Physical Challenge allows you to pin a target long enough
  to smear on blood, and a Mental Challenge lets you sneak
  up to pour blood on an unwitting target. Spend a second
  Blood Trait. Make a Social Challenge. If it succeeds, the
  target must revert to human form and stay that way for one
  hour or until the blood is entirely removed, whichever
  comes first.
  ANIMAL SWARM (PROTFANLFVFL SFVFN)
  Upon activating this power, the Gangrel dissolves
  into a swarm of small creatures such as rats, crows or
  scorpions. The creatures remain under the Gangrel's
  control, and he may direct them in unison or as individu-
  als. The vampire may reform from all or any of the
  creatures, but forfeits the blood carried by any creatures
  that do not rejoin the whole.
  System: The Gangrel may disperse into as many
  creatures as he has blood points, with each creature
  carrying that one blood point; he may choose to form
  fewer creatures, in which case the blood points are divided
  as evenly as possible among them. The creatures may act
  in concert, or individually follow a simple plan such as
  "scatter and hide." The Gangrel may pay close attention
  to only one component creature at a time. For example, he
  may listen in on a conversation using the body of one rat,
  while directing the dozen others to keep moving and avoid
  being seen.
  This power lasts until sunrise, or until the Gangrel
  chooses to retake his humanoid form. At that time, all of
  the component creatures present are re-absorbed into the
  Gangrel's body, along with the blood points they carried.
  If this leaves the vampire with less than three blood points,
  he must immediately check for frenzy — the Gangrel who
  is forced to re-incorporate himself from a crow carrying a
  single point of his blood is potentially in bad shape.
  Creatures who do not rejoin the Gangrel's body may be
  reabsorbed through the course of the night. Any creatures
  left running around at dawn instantly dissolve into small
  piles of ash and blood, whether they are in direct sunlight
  or not. The vampire must reform at sunrise, even if only
  from a single creature, although he may choose which
  creature to re-incorporate from.
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  70
  
  \
  The vampire may use the following Disciplines while
  in this myriad form: Auspex, Celerity, Fortitude, Obfus-
  cate, and Potence. Any Disciplines that require the
  expenditure of blood must be fueled from the individual
  creature that uses the power; component creatures re-
  duced to zero blood points are immediately destroyed.
  This power takes one turn to take effect, regardless of
  the size of the creatures into which the Kindred disperses.
  MET System: The vampire disperses herself into one
  small creature per current Blood Trait she possesses, or
  fewer, larger ones who share the Blood Traits as evenly as
  possible. The power otherwise works as presented in the
  main text. This power can be very difficult to simulate in
  play; Storytellers arc advised to think carefully about how
  a single player can represent a swarm of rats before
  allowing this into their chronicles.
  MYTHIC FORM (PROTEAN LFVFL PIGHT)
  Using this power, the Gangrel transforms himself into
  a creature of myth, complete with the terrifying abilities
  that such creatures must have possessed. The mythical
  beast form usually has roots in the Gangrel's cultural
  tradition: e.g. ancient Scythian vampires often chose the
  form of the griffin, Egyptian Gangrel may choose the
  sphinx, and Native American vampires may opt for the
  form of the thunderbird. In addition to the great size and
  terrifying mien of these creatures, the Gangrel also ac-
  quires any special abilities commonly attributed to the
  mythic beast; a griffin, for example, would have the ability
  to fly and a devastating claw attack.
  System: The player spends three blood points to
  trigger the change. The transformation requires three
  turns (additional blood points may not be spent to speed
  the change, but the Gangrel may continue to act without
  penalty as the transformation occurs). The transforma-
  tion lasts until the next sunrise, or until the vampire
  voluntarily returns to her natural form. Note that charac-
  ters hailing from cultures that have no mythic tradition,
  such as modem American cultures, cannot assume any
  mythic form.
  The mythic beast represented and the Physical Traits
  of the form must be determined when the vampire first
  leams this ability, and may not be changed at a later time.
  The mythic form adds a total of nine points to the
  character's Physical Attributes; at least +1 must be added
  to each Physical Attribute. The character also gains two
  Bruised health levels and two Hurt health levels. The
  character's powers of perception are greatly enhanced in
  the mythic form: The vampire gains the effects of the
  Auspex power Heightened Senses and the Protean power
  Eyes of the Beast upon assuming the mythic form, along
  with the drawbacks associated with these powers. While
  transformed, the character retains the ability to speak,
  although her voice will be changed to reflect die nature of
  the assumed form. Finally, the vampire in mythic beast
  form radiates an aura of legendary force that acts as the
  Presence power Awe. Offensive action taken by the
  vampire nullifies the Awe effect as per the standard rules.
  The special abilities of the mythic form are subject to
  the Storyteller's approval, as they can and should be
  dramatic and terrifying. As a guideline, the mythic form
  should have one enhanced movement ability, one defen-
  sive ability, several close combat attacks, and one special
  power, including ranged attacks.
  Enhanced movement abilities include flight, swim-
  ming, running at incredible speeds or even tunneling.
  Armor (3-5 points) is the standard defensive ability,
  but certain mythic creatures may instead be invulnerable
  to strictly defined fonns of damage (excluding fire, sun-
  light, and Faith).
  Close combat attacks cause aggravated damage at a
  minimum of Strength +2. Having more than one close
  combat attack, such as both claws and teeth, does not
  grant additional combat actions; the vampire must split
  her dice pools normally, or use Celerity.
  Ranged attacks cause three levels of aggravated dam-
  age per blood point spent for the attack. The range of such
  attacks is the vampire's Stamina x 2, and the area of effect
  is a diameter of her Stamina rating in feet. Dexterity +
  Athletics (difficulty 6) should be rolled to hit; extra
  successes do not add to damage.
  Other special powers, like the mesmerizing ability of
  the sphinx's riddle game or the purifying power of the
  unicorn's horn, must be worked out in detail with the
  Storyteller on a case-by-case basis.
  Sample Mythic Form: Dragon
  +3 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Stamina. Flight at
  normal running movement rate. Three dice of armor
  usable against aggravated damage. Bite and claw attacks at
  Strength +2 aggravated damage. Fiery breath as per stan-
  dard ranged attack above.
  MET System: Spend three Blood Traits to activate
  this power. The transformation takes three turns; you
  cannot spend extra blood to hasten it, but can act without
  penalty during the process.
  Choose a mythic creature at the time of transforma-
  tion; you may only choose one mythic form. You have a
  total of nine bonus Traits to allocate while in mythic
  forum. One of each must go in each of the three categories
  on Laws of the Night, Revised Edition, p. 80: Strength-
  related, Dexterity-related and Stamina-related. Each of
  the other six can go into one of those three categories; into
  Miscellaneous Physical-related; into Manipulation-related
  or Appearance-related; or into Perception-related or Wits-
  related. You automatically receive two extra Bruised health
  levels and two extra Hurt levels while in mythic form,
  along with the effects of Heightened Senses, Eyes of the Beast
  and Awe. You have a total of diree levels of aggravated
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  71
  
  damage to inflict in close combat attacks, divided between
  appropriate natural weapons. A single massive set of jaws
  might do three levels, or you might choose (for instance)
  a tail that does two levels and a horn that does one level.
  You can make one ranged attack per turn, with a Physical
  Challenge to inflict two levels of aggravated damage per
  Blood Point spent. This attack has a range in feet equal to
  your Physical Trait total, and covers an area one foot across
  for every two Physical Traits you possess (rounded down).
  For other effects, see the main text.
  This power is, to put mildly, huge. A Storyteller
  should think long and hard about the effects of having a
  dragon, thunderbird or dire wolf showing up in game.
  Sample Mythical Form: Dragon
  Brawny, Tough (Strength-related), Graceful, Quick
  (Dexterity-related), Resilient, Robust (Stamina-related),
  Commanding (Manipulation-related), Alert, Wily (Wits-
  related). Flight at normal running movement rate. Three
  levels of armor, usable against aggravated damage. Bite
  and claw attacks for one level of aggravated damage each.
  Fiery breath as per standard ranged attack, given above.
  COMBINATION DISCIPLINES
  Gangrel elders of considerable age and great talent
  have developed the following abilities that draw on the
  synergy of two Disciplines used in combination. The
  abilities below are often passed from one Gangrel to
  another with absolutely no theoretical underpinnings or
  particular insight into why they work—just like a driver's
  ed teacher doesn't need to know how to build a car. The
  elders undoubtedly keep the best tricks to themselves;
  even the most egalitarian Gangrel elder secretly dreads
  the night that his childer come howling for his blood.
  CLAW IMMUNITY
  (ANIMALISM • •, FORTITUDE • • • • )
  Quite a number of Gangrel even of the higher genera-
  tions have developed the ability to shrug off the natural
  claw and bite attacks of normal animals; this is not
  surprising considering the usefulness of the ability. Some
  vampires have claimed that it even provides some protec-
  tion against Lupines in their wolf forms — no one has
  volunteered to go out and field test that assertion, however.
  System: The player spends two blood points and
  specifies an animal type: wolf, lion, steer, etc. For die
  remainder of the scene, the Gangrel receives extra soak
  dice equal to his Animalism + Fortitude Traits to resist
  damage from the specified animals (these dice are in
  addition to the vampire's usual Stamina + Fortitude, i.e.
  Fortitude is counted twice). Soaking the bite or claw of a
  wolf-form Lupine may occur, at the Storyteller's discre-
  tion, but remember that even in wolf form, those creatures
  are not truly animals.
  It costs 18 experience points to leam this power.
  MET System: Spend two Blood Traits and specify a
  type of animal: wolf, deer, bear, etc. Double the effects of
  Fortitude when soaking damage from that type for the next
  hour. Damage that makes it through these and other
  defenses remains in effect after Claw Immunity wears off,
  without modification.
  FLESH WOUND
  (FORTITUDE • •, OBFUSCATE • • • )
  This disturbing ability is common among City Gangrel
  of all generations, regardless of the fact that Fortitude is no
  longer a clan Discipline for them. Using this power, the
  Gangrel gives the appearance of taking no damage from
  attacks that hurt like hell. In reality, it does hurt like hell,
  but the Gangrel maintains a facade of invulnerability that
  can do much to unnerve opponents. Particularly canny
  vampires may convince foes that they are, in fact, immune
  to bullets. Using this power in any of the Sabbat's ritae,
  however, is asking for a beating or worse if the pack priest
  finds out.
  System: The player spends one blood point to acti-
  vate this ability. For the duration of the scene, the Gangrel
  appears as she did when this power was activated; any
  wounds or scars already present remain visible. The visible
  effects of any furdier damage are mystically omitted from
  the vampire's appearance—both the wounds themselves,
  and any logical results, such limping or leaking blood. This
  power ends abruptly if the Gangrel reaches the incapaci-
  tated health level, or is staked.
  In addition to seeming unstoppable, the Gangrel
  character receives a -2 difficulty to any Subterfuge-ori-
  ented rolls concerning her physical capabilities.
  It costs 15 experience points to acquire this power.
  MET System: Spend one Blood Trait. For the next
  hour, no damage you suffers produces a visible result: no
  wounds, no limps from lameness, no fountains of blood
  from inconvenient holes. Characters with Auspex may
  attempt to pierce this with the usual challenge of Auspex
  against Obfuscate (see Laws of the Night, Revised Edi-
  tion, p. 137). Bystanders who see particularly ludicrous
  lack of evidence may attempt a Mental Challenge to see
  through the illusion. While using Fksh Wound, you have
  a two-Trait bonus to Social Tests related to your physical
  capabilities.
  SEE THE REFLECTED FORM
  (AuspEK •••», PROTEAN ••••)
  Those Gangrel who are both incredibly perceptive
  and have mastered the most basic full-body change be-
  come sensitive to the potentiality of shape in others. Using
  this power, the Gangrel may pull detailed information
  from his subject's aura. He may see the beast forms of
  Gangrel or other vampires using Protean; the progression
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  72
  
  of forms of the Lupines and other shapechanging beasts;
  the half-real dream forms of fairies; and the forms that
  vampires may assume using Disciplines such as
  Obtenebration, Serpentis and Vicissitude. Skilled practi-
  tioners may be able to spot such subtle items as which form
  the subject is most comfortable in, or which is her native
  form. A few Gangrel have claimed to see the forms a
  Gangrel childe will assume upon learning Shape of the
  Beast, or even totemic animals in the auras of normal humans.
  System: The player rolls Perception + Occult (diffi-
  culty 7). One success gives the character knowledge of his
  subject's Protean beast forms, or the most powerful form
  assumed using another Discipline or ability. Three suc-
  cesses allows the character to see all of his subject's defined
  forms (if the subject vampire commonly assumes a certain
  body shape using Vicissitude, that will be seen, but the fact
  that he stretched his nose like Pinocchio last night will
  not). Upon reaching five successes, the character may see
  potential forms, or the emotions connected with the
  changes in shape at the Storyteller's discretion.
  This ability may be resisted with Obfuscate in the
  usual Auspex vs. Obfuscate manner. Also, this ability does
  not give any information about the "faces" worn by a
  vampire with Mask of a Thousand Faces — that ability
  clouds the mind, and is not a true shapechange.
  It costs 24 experience points to learn this power.
  MET System: Make a Mental Challenge. If you
  succeed, you can see the target's Protean beast forms, or
  the most powerful form the target assumes with some
  other Discipline. You may spend an additional Mental
  Trait to see all of the character's defined forms, the ones
  regularly adopted regardless of the Discipline used, and
  another Mental Trait to see potential forms and emotions
  connected with the target's shapechanging. Mask of a
  Thousand Faces is not considered a true shapechange, and
  therefore is not subject to this power.
  BEAST MELD
  (ANIMALISM • • •, PROTEAN • • • • • • )
  Gangrel this familiar with bestial nature and the
  malleability of form may hide themselves away in the
  beasts of the earth, rather than in the earth itself. The
  vampire does not directly control or possess the animal for
  this period, but the animal will follow certain pre-set
  directions or instructions to the best of its ability. This
  allows the Gangrel remarkable latitude for travel, as the
  animal's body shields her from the rays of the sun. It is also
  an exceptionally good way to hide; like with Earth Meld,
  the vampire's essence is suspended mystically, but the
  animal's essence enshrouds her, making detection next to
  impossible without involved thaumaturgical rituals or
  similarly arcane means.
  Some Gangrel put this ability to more violent use in
  setting up ambushes. More than one poacher of exotic
  animals has been sent eternally packing when his fur-
  bearing prize disgorged a vengeful vampire.
  The animal host chosen by the Gangrel is affected by
  his passenger's nature. The animal avoids bright light
  where possible, and becomes noticeably bold and aggres-
  sive, although it will not frenzy in a vampiric manner.
  Those creatures thst carry Gangrel for decades become
  legendary and may develop supernatural characteristics;
  locals may speak of the puma with eerily glowing eyes, or
  the stag with horns of iron that families have seen for
  generations.
  System: The character must choose a suitable animal
  vessel to "ride," one that is large enough to cover at least
  her smallest beast form as a guideline. The player spends
  three blood points and makes a Charisma + Animal Ken
  roll (difficulty 6). The interment is automatic, and the
  successes on the roll indicate the vampire's degree of
  success in communicating his wishes to the animal. Three
  successes are enough to ensure total compliance (within
  the animal's ability); with only one or two successes, the
  vampire may find herself somewhere she didn't wish to go,
  only part way to her destination, or just plain lost. The
  animal may be instructed to travel to a certain place, to
  remain in a certain area, or to find a person meeting a
  simple description.
  The vampire must also set a condition for emerging
  from her animal host, such as "after one week," "when
  attacked," or "upon reaching my destination"—although
  the last is dangerous if the Gangrel does not establish
  sufficient rapport with the creature. The animal host gains
  the benefit of his rider's Fortitude for purposes of resisting
  damage. If, however, the animal host is killed by violence,
  the Gangrel is immediately expelled from the body. Ani-
  mals will not die of old age while "ridden" by a vampire, but
  will expire quickly after the vampire's emergence. The
  Gangrel does not take the damage inflicted on her host
  unless that damage is caused by fire, in which case she may
  soak with her Fortitude as normal.
  The Gangrel continues to spend one blood point at
  sunset as is usual. A vampire who drops into torpor due to
  lack of blood will remain in the animal until awakening,
  unless the animal is violently killed.
  This power costs 30 experience points to learn.
  MET System: Spend three Blood Traits and make a
  Physical Challenge. If successful, you merge with the
  target animal, which must be at least as large as your
  smallest regular beast form. The animal then behaves
  normally, unless you make specific effort to control it.
  Spend one Mental Trait to give general directions, or two
  Mental Traits to give specific commands. As discussed in
  the main text, you must also specify a condition upon
  which you move out of the Beast Meld.
  CHAPTER Two: INSIDE THE GANGREL
  73
  \
  
  . a^pf;:,... 
  •••• ...;- ;f' i\ ^/r,„ J^ ••.
  2% W
  I have lost the immortai part of myself, and what remains is bestial.
  — Othello, Act II, Scene iii
  Hundreds of Gangrel lurk in the wild lands of the World of Darkness. Here is just a small sampling.
  The 10 characters on the following pages can be used as the basis for players' characters, if a player wishes to
  use one as such. They can be customized as the player and Storyteller see fit, but currently serve as starting characters.
  Mind's Eye Theater conversions are provided for those players who wish to use these template characters with the
  Laws of the Night, Revised Edition rules in live-action Storytelling.
  CHAPTER THREE: BEASTS AMONG MEN
  75
  
  INTREPID EXPLO
  Quote: I'm telliri ya, you just can't know the thrift till
  you've been there.
  Prelude: You were only 12 when your parents took
  you to see Tutankhamen's treasures at the National Gal-
  lery of Art. The grisly details of the mummification process
  made quite an impact on your young mind. What stayed
  with you the longest, though, was die feeling of excite-
  ment that you were sure Howard Carter must have felt as
  he uncovered the tomb. Books on Egyptology and, later,
  other wonders of the ancient world littered the floor of
  your bedroom while other kids read about teenage
  heartthrobs and sports heroes. Your goal in life was to make
  a great find, a discovery that would shed new light on a lost
  civilization and get your name into die encyclopedia.
  Thanks to family finances, though, you weren't going
  to college. You got a job at an extreme sports outfitter and
  squirreled away gear with your employee discount. When
  you had all the gadgets you needed, you packed it up and
  bought a bus ticket south. Two months of traveling hell
  later, you hit the forests of
  Guatemala and started
  looking. It was worth
  all the bug bites,
  fevers 
  and
  near-starva-
  tion when
  you 
  set
  eyes on
  t h e
  v in e -
  covered
  NAME:
  PLAY**:
  P>
  Strength__
  Dexterity
  T
  Athletics
  Brawl
  Dodge
  1 Expression_
  1 Intimidation
  Leadership_
  Subterfuge
  BAC*
  Resources
  Retainers
  Status
  3F
  NATURE :MaSOChJSt 
  GENERATION: 13th
  DEMEANOR: Visionary 
  HAVEN:
  CLAN : Gongrel 
  CONCEPT : Intrepid Explorer
  iYSICAL
  ____ MOOO
  ••••o
  ••••o
  4.LCNTS
  •MOO
  •MOO
  ____ •oooo
  MOOO
  00000
  ____ poooo
  ____ ooooo
  ____ poooo
  ooooo
  ____ poooo
  GROUNDS
  •0000
  MOOO
  •oooo
  •oooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ITS/FLAWS ——— -
  M
  SOCIAL
  Charisma ________ »MOO
  Manipulation ______ MOOO
  Appearance 
  M«OO
  MENTAL
  intelligence
  SHH-LS 
  KNOWLEDGES
  Animal Ken 
  M»OO 
  Academics
  Crafts __________ MOOO
  Drive ___________ •OOOO
  Etiquette 
  OOOOO
  Melee 
  OOOOO
  Performance 
  *OOOO
  Securitv 
  OOOOO
  Stealth __________ •OOOO
  Survival 
  MKX)
  DISCIPLINES
  Animalism 
  MOOO
  Fortitude 
  •OOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  •• ———— H UMAN IT Y/P AT M ——— •
  •••••••ooo
  - ——————— WltLpOWBR —————— -
  • • • 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  a n n n a n n n n n
  ———— BLOOD POOL ———
  D D D D D D D D D D
  n n n n D D D D D p
  [Computer
  investigation _____
  Law
  Medicine
  •olitics
  ••OOO
  ••ooo
  •MOO
  •MOO
  •OOOO
  OOOOO
  •oooo
  •oooo 1
  •oooo 1
  •oooo 1
  •oooo 1
  ooooo
  •oooo
  VIRTUES
  ^onscience/Cpnvietion ••••O
  Self-Control/faBttnct •MOO
  Courage _________ MMO
  Bruised
  Hurt 
  -1
  Injured 
  -1
  Wounded 
  -2
  Mauled 
  -2
  Crippled 
  -5
  Incapacitated
  - ———— EnpeRiBNce
  D
  Daa
  Dna
  ruins of the Mayan temple. You should have
  known there would be a curse; you'd read all the
  > books, and the best discoveries always came with
  a price. As you stepped past the threshold, the
  echoes caused by your footsteps amplified into a shrieking
  cacophony — and something stirred in the darkness.
  You regained your senses under the starry night sky. You were
  alone, naked and stripped of all your shiny gear. That night, the gamy
  blood of forest creatures sated your terrible hunger. Cowering in
  the shade of makeshift shelters during the day and trekking
  through the forest at night, you finally found your way back to the
  temple. It was months before you could communicate with your
  sire, who spoke only her centuries-old native tongue. When she
  had learned all she cared to about goings-on in the world, she set you
  free to do as you pleased. You couldn't ask for more — it turns out there's
  . more to discover than you had ever imagined, and now you've got the ability
  to do it in style.
  Concept: You prefer the physical catharsis of hands-on exploration, but
  discovering your capabilities (and handicaps) will keep you satisfied for a time.
  You hope you find enough vampires back home that someone will be
  interested in all the places and things you intend to dig up—you're pretty
  sure that Dracula is the only vampire who's made it into the encyclopedia.
  Roleplaying Hints: You forge tirelessly and enthusiastically ahead—
  the details and fine print are somebody else's problem. You're not too sure
  about traveling with other Kindred — there's rarely enough vitae to go around
  — but it's nice to have someone to tell stories to when you get back.
  Equipment: Sport-utility vehicle that actually leaves the pavement,
  climbing harness and nylon rope, backpack and survival accouterments, flare gun
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  76
  
  c ••••
  JtilHVMA H
  CONSCIENCE/CONVICTION
  o
  SELf- CONTROL/-!
  CoNSCIENCE/-Ge
  SELf- CONTBOL/ ImTlNCT
  •••GO
  COURACJE
  oo
  CHABACTEB Intrepid Explorer
  CHRONICLE
  BLOOD
  ••••••••••GO CLAN
  aaaaaaaaaaaa
  aaaaaaaaaaaa
  WlLLpOWEB
  ••GGGOGGGG
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  NATURE
  aaaaaaaaaa
  DEMEANOB Visionary
  
  COUNTRY M USICIAN
  Quote: Sometimes, you just gotta sing what's in your
  heart. Even if your heart don't beat no more.
  Prelude: You used to joke that you played country
  music because your life story sounded like a country song.
  Raised by a single mother who drove an 18-wheeler, you
  saw most of the country through the passenger window
  before you were eight. When the authorities caught on
  and demanded that you go to school, you had to live with
  your grandparents — which involved no running water,
  farm chores and homework by kerosene lantern light. Toss
  in a fair amount of beer and a few memorable failed
  romances, and you've had plenty of material to work with.
  At least there was always the music. You had a natural
  flair for the guitar, a smooth voice with just the right
  twang, and a repertoire based on years of country radio
  consumption. You chose to hit the road after high school;
  it was either that or wash dishes for an all-night diner. For
  years you had no regrets. You weren't a technically bril-
  liant musician or an inspired songwriter, but your instinctive
  understanding of the mood in the bars and clubs you
  played led to repeat gigs and a comfortable enough
  living for always being on the road. You found an
  agent and hired an old flame to help you set up
  and break down your one-man show.
  Things got strange one night about three
  years ago. A shaggy, agitated fellow with
  dirt under his fingernails requested Patsy
  Cline's "Walking After Midnight." To
  this day, you're not sure whether your in-
  stincts damned you or saved you, but the man visibly
  relaxed as you sang and left the bar contented. But he
  came back for your blood, and to give you his. You
  haven't seen him since.
  You've managed all right, considering die circum-
  stances. You're still touring — it's the only life you know.
  You've light-proofed the van. Fans and groupies are rela-
  tively easy to feed from, but any mishaps permanently
  reduce your fan base and raise your profile unnecessarily.
  Your skill at crowd handling has only improved, but
  sometimes you wonder why you bother singing to your
  supper.
  Concept: Your wanderlust has only intensified since
  your Embrace, but you've started to wonder if maybe
  you're missing something by sticking to your routine. Your
  cheerful acceptance of the rigors of unlife on the road
  hides a deep fear of what you've become, and what you
  might be capable of doing.
  Roleplaying Hints: You always put on a
  good face for the audience,
  but at the same time you
  keep a watchful eye on
  the emotions of the
  people around you, and
  you always know where
  the back door is. You read
  »™
  PLAYER;
  CHRONICIP:
  PHYSICAL
  Dexterity
  Stamina ________
  TALSNT,
  Alermeis
  Athletics
  Btawl
  DodEe
  1 Exptession _____
  1 Intimidation
  LeadetshiD
  Stteetmse
  Fame
  Urnn.ru.
  •
  •MOO
  MOOO
  _M»OO
  •OOOO
  _OOOOO
  MOOO
  MOOO
  ooooo
  _»oooo
  _ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  •OOOO
  OS
  MOOO
  MOOO
  •OOOO
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  w, ———
  p
  NATURFiRogUe
  DEMEANOR: Rogue
  CLAN:Gangrel
  SOCIAL
  Charisma ________ MMO
  Manipulation 
  *MOO
  Appearance _______ M*OO
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken 
  OOOOO
  Crafts 
  MOOO
  Firearms _________ VOOOO
  Melee 
  »OOOO
  Performance 
  MOOO
  Security 
  »OOOO
  Stealth __________ »OOOO
  Survival 
  MOOO
  DISCIPLINES
  Fortitude 
  MOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  ——— HUMAN tr v/p*TH —— •-
  • • • • • • • O O O
  • • • • O O O O O O
  n n a n o o Q D n a
  D n n n D D D D D n
  n n n a a n n D o n
  OFNFRATKDN: llth
  HAVEN:
  CONCEPT : Country Wust clan
  Perception _______
  Intelligence
  Wits
  _MOOO
  MOOO
  ••OOO
  KNOWLEDGES
  Academics ______ •OOOO
  Finance 
  OOOOO
  Investigation
  Law
  L ingu is t ics ______
  Medicine
  Occult
  Politics
  Sc ience _________
  •OOOO
  ••000 I
  _ooooo 1
  ooooo 1
  ooooo 1
  •OOOO
  JXXXXJ
  VIRTUES
  ConscienceyConviction MMQ
  Self-ContrplftraHnct »MOO
  Courage ________
  Bruised
  Hurt 
  -1
  injured 
  -1
  Wounded 
  -I
  Mauled 
  -2
  Crippled 
  -5
  Incapacitated
  - ———— FHPERIGNCF
  1
  _M*00
  D
  D
  Dn
  Dn
  D
  the shifting moods of a crowd the way a dog
  scents the wind. You're disturbed by your
  growing alienation from normal
  people, although you've never re-
  ally considered yourself normal.
  If it affects your ability to
  perform, what will you
  have left?
  Equipment: Bat-
  tered Collings C-10
  Deluxe guitar, bat-
  tered 
  and
  half-smoked pack
  of cigarettes, bat-
  tered Stetson,
  battered Chevy
  cargo van
  
  I
  HACKER
  Quote: Unless you're running 1,096-bit encryption on a
  secure SQL server, you may as weR deposit all of your assets
  into my account. I can hack anything I can reach.
  Prelude: Your mouth has always gotten you in trouble.
  Caught up in the excitement of your first hacker bulletin
  board, you claimed to be close personal friends with the
  Legion of Doom. It was difficult to explain to your parents
  why they had to change the family's telephone number. A
  few years later, the feds paid you a visit after you claimed
  to be able to break into the Treasury Department's com-
  puters in a Usenet post. Ironically, your tendency to shoot
  your mouth did force you to become a better hacker;
  eventually you learned how to cover your tracks — most
  of the time.
  Then one day you fed the wrong guy a line. The local
  coffee-shop crowd knew from long experience to take your
  stories with a grain of salt. But the stranger at the counter
  didn't; and when you told him that you could write
  a program that would incorporate subliminal
  commands into the user's desktop environ-
  ment, or manipulate the electricity going to his
  household appliances, he believed you. He
  followed you home, dragged you out of bed
  and forced his blood down your throat. You
  spent the last year of high school as a ghoul.
  It didn't take very long for your regnant to
  figure out that you were full of crap; he
  kicked your ass once to let you know
  not to do it again, but he seemed to
  find your bravado humorous. And
  even though you couldn't do all
  those things you said, you were
  knowledgeable enough to be
  of use to him. After you gradu-
  ated from college (with a
  computer science degree), he
  made you a vampire.
  You barely survived your Em-
  brace; your sire stuck you in the middle of a
  national park without even a cell phone. When
  you crawled out of the woods a week later,
  scraped raw and really tired of squirrel blood, he
  dragged you to another godforsaken green spot ]
  to introduce you to all his friends. Your mouth
  still gets you in trouble, but you've mastered
  the art of rolling over and showing your throat,
  which usually makes everything okay
  Concept: You are ideally suited to the role
  of omega, the bottom of the pecking order.
  You've got the skills to make yourself useful in
  ways that the rest of your clan is only beginning
  to understand, though, and you're going to make
  sure you use them. When all the other creatures of
  the night finally plug in, they'll find that you're
  the top dog.
  CHAPTER "1
  NAME:
  PLAVBR:
  CHRONIC! E:
  PHYSICAL
  Dexterity
  TALPNTS
  Athletics
  Brawl
  MOOO
  ••OOO
  ••OOO
  •OOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  NATURE:Conniver
  DeMEANOR:lSallant
  ciANifiangrel
  SOCIAL
  Charisma 
  *4MOO
  Manipulation 
  *MOO
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken 
  OOOOO
  Crafts 
  OOOOO
  GENERATION: 10th
  HAVBN:
  CONCEPT: Hacker
  MFNTAL
  Perception 
  *M
  Intelligence 
  *M
  Wits 
  «M
  KNOWLPDOPS
  Academics 
  *M
  Computer 
  »OC
  Finance 
  «OC
  Empathy_
  Expression_
  | Intimidation,
  Leadership_
  Streetwise__
  Subterfuge_
  Etiquett'
  _OOOOO 
  Linguistics
  _»OOOO 
  Medicine_
  _»«OOO 
  Occult__
  _»OOOO 
  Politics_
  _JJOOOO 
  Science__
  _»OOOO
  _»0000
  _»oooo
  _»»OOO 
  Fortitude
  _««OOO 
  Protean
  ADVANTAGE^'
  DlSCIpL INES
  _ooooo
  _ooooo
  _ooooo
  _ooooo
  VIRTUE
  .MOOO 
  Conscien.ee/OriviaiuL i ••••O
  _»OOOO
  __OOOOO
  _OOOOO 
  Self-Controtftmtmct ••••O
  _OOOOO
  _OOOOO
  _OOOOO
  Courage
  _»»ooo
  •••••••I
  •••ooooooo
  nannnnnDDD
  aaaDnDnaan
  Bruised
  Hurt
  Injured
  Wounded
  Mauled
  Crippled
  Incapacitated
  ———ExpemeNi
  -2 D
  Roleplaying Hints: You have
  a hard time passing up any oppor-
  tunity to embellish your
  reputation, or to make a joke at
  someone's expense. You ex-
  pect to get your butt kicked
  now and then, and take your
  lumps with good grace. You
  I can count on your reputation
  as a wimp to keep you from
  seeming like a threat — at
  least among the Gangrel.
  E q u i p m e n t :
  Gateway 
  laptop 
  on
  Your:)Ware lease, Gateway
  tower on Your:)Ware lease,
  dirty clothes, old Saturn coupe
  .1,
  1*x>
  
  (Abojoig) 2 x aDuapg
  SONnOH&HOVfl
  CONSCIENCE/
  CONSCIENCE/ CONVICTION
  )
  SELF- CONTROL/ IKITIUC
  G
  •••GO
  SELf" CONTBOL/ IMSTIMCT
  ••••o
  COUBAQE
  GO
  COURAQE
  GGG
  CHABACTEB Field Biologist
  CHRONICLE
  CLAN
  CHABACTEB Hacker
  CHRONICLE
  •••••••••••GG
  aaaaaaaaaaaaa gENERATioNjzih
  WILLPOWER 
  AGE
  ••GOOGGGGG NATO.*
  aaaaaaaaaa 
  DEMEANOB Pedagogue
  aaaaaaaaaaaaa QENERATIONJOIH
  WILLPOWER 
  AGE
  ••••GGGGGG 
  NATURE
  aaaaaaaaaa 
  DEMEANOR
  
  FIELD BIOLOGIST
  Quote: You can never really know the animals. Trust
  me, I learned the hard way. You can understand them, but
  you can't know them.
  Prelude: For so many, science is cold and sterile, to
  be performed in a laboratory full of stainless steel and
  glass. For you, science is everywhere, but best of all it's
  outdoors. You put in your time at university, watching
  the rats and rabbits scurry about their cages. You learned
  how to write a grant proposal and how to get your results
  published. When your grants came through, you headed
  for the cold north to study the timber wolves.
  Your results were stunning. Such an extensive study
  of the wolves had never been done before; your work
  broke new ground. With the help of a ghostwriter, you
  published the story of your yearlong sojourn with the
  wolves, and later winced as it was poorly drama-
  tized for an inspirational Sunday night movie.
  Your overnight celebrity dwindled quickly —
  you never were very telegenic or outgoing—but
  enough pop culture allure stuck to your
  name to float your grant proposals to the
  top of the stack. It was easy to gather
  funding for another year in the forest.
  That second trip went all wrong. The
  group of wolves you were observing be
  haved strangely, thwarting your efforts
  with an intelligence you'd never seen
  before. You knew something was very
  wrong when the wolves managed to get
  into your film canisters one night,
  leaving your careful
  evidence to be
  destroyed by
  the rising sun.
  It would have
  been smart to pack and
  leave, but curiosity
  demanded thatyou
  stay.
  The next night
  the wolves tore your
  throat out. The first rays
  of the sun woke you from
  your stupor and drove yov
  under the snow, wrapped in
  the shredded remains of your
  tent. On the night you first brought
  down a mule deer for sustenance,
  the wolves came back. Your sire
  resumed her native form, and ex-
  plained what you had become and what
  she expected of you. In some ways, it's
  like being back in college, except that
  your graduate advisor drinks blood.
  Subterfuge
  • • • • • • O O O
  •••ooooooo
  nnQDDoaann
  nannDDDDDD
  nDDDDoaonQ
  I
  _MiOO 
  Science_
  .•OOOO
  OOOOO
  Conscience/Cum iiliuiL
  Self-Controltfmrmet •
  Concept: You had hoped to
  escape the politics of academe
  by working in the field. Now
  you've found yourself in even
  deeper waters — the stakes
  here are larger than journal
  bragging rights. For now,
  you direct your research
  to fit political ends. It's
  not your choice, but
  perhaps the ends jus-
  tify the means.
  Roleplaying
  Hints: You're uncom-
  fortable around people
  who aren't interested in
  your work, and distrust-
  ful of people who are. In
  social situations you prefer to
  err on the side of quiet, which
  allows you ample time to exam-
  ine your surroundings and
  companions with a detached
  eye.
  Equipment: Digital video cam-
  era, numerous notebooks filled with
  observational scrawl, fieldjacket, shoul-
  der pack
  \
  
  DRILLING RIG TECHNICIAN
  Quote: Wanna go for a swim?
  Prelude: The want ad in the Mobile Register made the
  petrochem job sound exciting, even exotic. Plumb the
  briny depths of the ocean in search of black gold, like a
  modem-day pirate with a high-tech ship! You filled out an
  application, passed the physical and a battery of mental
  tests, and signed a contract. When you got to the rig, you
  realized just how full of shit die recruiters were, and how
  legally binding that contract was. The living quarters were
  lousy, the working conditions treacherous and no rum or
  honeys to be found. You were stuck on that floating hunk
  of metal in the Gulf of Mexico; land was just a smudge on
  the horizon on a good day.
  Growing up in Alabama, you had always loved the
  warm, friendly waters of the
  Gulf, but your years on the
  rig strained that relationship.
  Even the hurricane you
  weathered was not as
  bad, though, as the
  sounds and smells that
  came outof die onboard
  research facilities, and
  the disappearances of
  your buddies among the
  crew. The day you came
  out of the mess hall
  NAMC:
  CHRONICLE:
  PHYSICAL
  Strength _______
  Dexteritv
  S tarn ina ________
  TALENTS
  Alertness ______
  Athletics
  Brawl
  DodEe
  Empathy ________
  Intimidation _____
  Streetwise
  Mentor
  - ——— MERO-S/FI-AV
  •MOO
  _OOOOO
  _«0000
  •oooo
  _ooooo
  ooooo
  _MOOO
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  •oooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  VS ———— -
  DEMEANOR: Director
  SOCIAL
  Charisma ________ MOOO
  Manipulation 
  ••OOO
  Appearance 
  ••OOO
  \niLiTic-
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken ______ ••OOO
  Crafts _________ •••OO
  Drive 
  ••OOO
  Etiquette 
  OOOOO
  Firearms _________ •OOOO
  Melee _________ ••OOO
  Performance ______ OOOOO
  Security 
  MOOO
  Stealth ________ •OOOO
  Survival 
  OOOOO
  DISCIPLINES
  Protean 
  «MOO
  OOOOO
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  •• ——— jj u M ANFT V^*TM ———
  • • • • • • O O O O
  • • • • o o o o o o
  n n n n n a n n n n
  n n n n n n n n a n
  n n n n n n n a n a
  OVKVMATIOM; 13th
  HAVEN:
  CONCEPT: Drilling Ri
  Techiifcia
  MENTAL
  Perception _________
  Intelligence
  Wits
  I
  _MOOO
  •MOO
  •MOO
  KNOWLEDGES
  Academics 
  ••OOO
  Finance
  Investigation ______
  Law
  Linguistics
  Medicine
  Occult ________
  Politics
  VIRTUES
  Self-ControlflmtmCT
  Courage _______
  Bruised
  Hurt 
  -1
  Injured 
  -1
  Wounded 
  -2
  Mauled 
  -I
  Crippled 
  -5
  Incapacitated
  - ———— EXPERIENCE
  1
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  _MOOO
  OOOOO 1
  •OOOO 1
  ooooo 1
  JMOOO 1
  ooooo
  MOOO
  ••OOO
  ..•MOO
  nnnnnnn
  1
  to find your bunkmate twisting by his neck from the superstructure was die
  last straw. That night, you dove off the rig's deck and swam for shore.
  You didn't make it. After what must have been miles of swim-
  ming, your limbs gave out, your lungs filled with water and you started
  to sink. That's when the creature grabbed you, affixing its lamprey like
  mouth to your torso as you bubbled out your last dregs of air in
  a futile scream. Your blood and the creature's filled the water;
  1 sharks circled but did not attack as your body changed. That
  very night you returned to the oil rig, lurking under its mass
  through the day, and clambering your way back to the deck as the
  sun set. The shift supervisor and cook disappeared that night.
  Management sent out new want ads.
  The thing that saved you from drowning turned out to be all
  right, once you got past its strange fish parts. You spend some time
  together in the Gulf, but it's got business to attend to and so do you.
  Concept: You take things personally. The oil company got the
  best of you, including your life. You were a nobody then, but now
  you're something special. Getting revenge is on the top of your
  priorities, then you'll take the challenges as they come.
  Roleplaying Hints: You've been pushed around long enough, and
  you're not inclined to take orders. You fancy yourself an aquatic private
  eye, fishing for clues and discarding red herrings. Guard your motives,
  even when working with allies—it's important that your revenge is die
  sweetest.
  Equipment: Drill rig security pass, soggy coveralls, heavy crescent
  wrench, wad of damp cash
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  82
  
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  CONSCIENCE/CoNVieJPt»N-
  ••GGG
  SELF- CONTBOL/INSTINCT
  ••• O )
  COUBAGE
  •••GG
  BLOOD
  NAME_
  CHABACTEB Drilling Rig Technician
  CHBONICLE___________
  ••••••••••GOG CLAN CountiyfiongrelAntitribu
  aaaaaaaaaaaaa QENEBATION i3th
  WlLLpOWEB 
  AqE_____________________
  ••GGOGGGGG
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  saNndiosirr
  •GGGG
  ScLf-Co NTH PL/INSTINCT
  ••GGG
  COUBAQE
  GG
  CHABACTEB Eco-TeiTOriSt
  CHBONICLE
  CLAN CitSanrelAntitribu
  aaaaaaaaaaaaa QENEBATioNjjth
  WILLPOWEB 
  AGE
  GGGGGG 
  NATURE 
  Eni'dlTtd
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  DEMEANOB SurVJVOP
  
  GCO-TPRRORIST
  Quote: I'm walking proof that Mother Nature can be a
  stone-cold bitch sometimes.
  Prelude: College opened your eyes. You'd led a shel-
  tered life of mindless consumerism in your parents' house,
  piling up a karmic debt of environmentally unsafe packag-
  ing in a dump somewhere. You never realized what your
  soda-guzzling, popcorn-eating, Third-World-sneaker-wear-
  ing ways were doing to the planet. She changed all that. You
  met her at a kiosk freshman year as she stapled up posters for
  GRAYL, the Gaian Revolutionary Action Youth League.
  She was the most beautiful girl you'd ever seen. You went to
  the meeting. You got a girlfriend and you joined a cause.
  You only wish she'd been the one to make you into
  what you are tonight. She broke up with you when your
  methods got "too violent"; she said you were causing
  turbulence in her aura. You got radical: you spiked red-
  woods, broke into laboratories to free test animals, sniped at
  whaling ships. When you learned that a local chemical
  plant (internationally owned, of course) was piping runoff
  into the river, you organized an auda-
  cious late-night strike to disable
  the plant. You would have made
  headlines and wound up behind
  bars — except that you
  stumbled into the middle of a
  clandestine war.
  NAMB:
  PLAYER:
  PHYSICAL
  Strength _________ M«OO
  TALENTS
  Alertness _______ «OOOO
  Dodee 
  MOOO
  1 Empathy 
  OOOOO
  Intimidation ______ *«OOO
  Streetwise 
  •OOOO
  BACKGROUNDS
  Generation 
  MOOO
  Herd 
  «OOOO
  Mentor 
  •oooo
  Sabbat Status 
  «oooo
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  DEMEANOR: SurVIVOP
  SOCIAL
  Charisma 
  ••GOO
  Manipulation _____ MOOO
  Appearance 
  MOOO
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken 
  •OOOO
  GENERATION: llth
  HAVEN:
  coNcepT : Eco- Terrorist
  MENTAL
  Perception _______ M«OO
  ntellisence 
  ««OOO
  Wits 
  M«OO
  KNOWLEDGES
  Academics 
  MOOO
  Drive 
  •OOOO 
  Finance 
  OOOOO
  Etiauette 
  OOOOO
  Firearms 
  M«OO
  Melee 
  •OOOO
  Performance ______ OOOOO
  Security _________ MOOO
  nvestigation ______ OOOOO
  Law 
  OOOOO 1
  .inguistics _______ OOOOO 1
  Medicine 
  OOOOO 1
  Occult 
  OOOOO 1
  Politics _________ ««OOO I
  Science _________ OCOOO
  DISCIPLINES 
  VIRTUES
  Celerity 
  «OOOO 
  Conscience/ConTkrinn •OOGO
  Obfuscate 
  MOOO
  Protean 
  MOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  Self-Contjolflmttnet 
  MOOO
  •* ——— M ER ITS/FLAWS ———
  •*• ——— •HuhtANU'V/pATH " ••
  Feral Heart
  • • • • O O O O O O
  • • • • • O O O O O
  a D D n D D D D D D
  a D n n n n n n n n
  D D D n a D n n n n
  Bruised 
  D
  Hurt 
  -1 D
  Injured 
  -1 D
  Wounded 
  -2 G
  Mauled 
  -I D
  Crippled 
  -5 D
  Incapacitated 
  D
  -• ———— EXPERIENCE ——— -
  By the eerie glow of chemical fires, you saw human-shaped monsters attack the plant's
  heavily armed security guards. Your compatriots fled, or were cut down by stray bullets.
  You were rooting for the monsters just like in a Godzilla movie, but the security guards
  kept coming. Operating on autopilot, you crept into the plant while the creatures
  out front drew fire, set up your crude bomb, and ran.
  Not long after the explosion, the monsters caught up to you with
  congratulations. They were also hungry. They argued over your prone
  form and eventually came to a compromise; they drank all your blood,
  but made you a vampire for your bravery under fire. Your sire, a scaled
  and snaggletoothed beast, insisted on packing you off to the wilderness
  for a couple months, but that was okay by you—The Man controlled
  the cops, and after your exploits they'd be looking for you.
  You've since learned that your pack wasn't attacking the plant
  because of the dumping, but because some greasy Ventrue owned it.
  Your buddies may not have any interest in your cause, but they're
  easy to lure into action with the promise of mayhem. You've
  learned all about the Antediluvians and Gehenna, and you've
  figured out the enemy—global warming. There are monsters frozen
  in the polar ice, after all....
  Concept: The battle hasn't changed, only the battlefield. To
  save the Cainites, you've also got to save the world and the
  humans too. Once you can figure out how to keep your allies
  under control, you'll have a force to make Greenpeace green
  with envy.
  Roleplaying Hints: You don't make people do what you
  want; you lead and make them want to follow. You know there'll
  be some detours on the way to achieving your goals, but your
  environmental causes are never far from your mind.
  Equipment: Ski cap, ski jacket, backpack full of shotgun
  shells and tree spikes, pepper spray
  ANBOOK: GANGREL
  84
  \
  
  INDUSTRY LOBBYIST
  Quote: I'mswre we cancutadedthat'tt nw/<e us bothhappy.
  Prelude: You were raised in a logging town, sur-
  rounded by loggers, sawmills, carpenters and paper mills.
  The smell of fresh-sawed wood still brings back fond
  memories. The smells of patchouli and cheap incense
  bring back memories too, but not good ones. Those
  remind you of the hippy tree-huggers who mobbed your
  small town, shutting down logging operations and putting
  dozens of your neighbors and relatives out of work. Your
  stories of childhood deprivation served well in your job at
  CRURR, the Coalition for the Responsible Use of Re-
  newable Resources—not a single Congressman kept a dry
  eye through your recounting of the Christmas without
  presents or a tree thanks to the unwashed liberal protest-
  ers. You were proud to play a part in overturning logging
  restrictions and opening up new lands for timber harvesting.
  Your parents were proud of you, but someone else
  disapproved. One night that someone broke
  into your tony Washington apartment, tied
  you up and stuffed you in his trunk, ranting all
  the while about teaching you a lesson. The
  next night, in the middle of a clear-cut forest
  of stumps, he feasted on your blood and
  filled your throat with his. Hush with the
  success of his "revenge," he left you staring
  up at the sky. The field he abandoned you in
  was a poor example of forest husbandry,
  certainly, but you couldn't figure out
  why some company's sloppy cut-
  ting practices were your
  fault — and you still
  can't. You spent your
  days under heavypiles
  of pine branches un-
  til you found a road
  and hitchhiked your
  way back to civiliza-
  tion. You were back
  at your desk by the
  next 
  Monday
  night, rescheduling
  your lunch dates in
  favor of dinners
  and drinks. Wash-
  ington 
  is 
  a
  wonderful place
  to be dead, as long
  as you have money
  and access to the
  halls of power.
  You've been told
  you're a member of the
  Sabbat, and you've been
  assigned to a "pack." So
  far your participation has
  NAMC:
  PLAVBR:
  CHRONICLE:
  PHYSICAL
  Strength ______
  Dexteritv
  TALENTS
  Alertness
  Athletics
  Brawl
  Ex press i on ______
  1 nt im idation _____
  Subterfuge
  _MOOO
  ••OOO
  ••OOO
  _ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ••ooo
  _MOOO
  __ooooo
  ••ooo
  ooooo
  •MOO
  BACKGROUNDS
  Generation
  Herd
  Influence
  1 Resources
  Sabbat Status
  ^ ——— M FRO-S/FLA
  V •*-..
  MMO
  •oooo
  ••ooo
  •MOO
  •MOO
  •OOOO
  NATURE :Architecht
  DCMEANUH: Director
  '^iMs"9ril
  SOCIAL
  Charisma 
  MMO
  Manipulation ______ MMO
  Appearance 
  ••OOO
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken ______ •OOOO
  Crafts 
  OOOOO
  Etiquette 
  OOOOO
  Firearms 
  «OOOO
  Stealth __________ •OOOO
  Survival _________ OOOOO
  DISCIPLINES
  Fortitude 
  M»OO
  Protean 
  •OOOO
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  .Uuu.-Jtn./p.'.TJj
  • • • • • o o o o o
  - —————— WlLLpOWER ————— '
  • • • o o o o o o o
  n n n a a n n n a D
  a n n a a n n n D D
  DDaaanaoaa
  GENERATION: 12th
  HAVEN.
  CONCEPT: Industry Lobbyist
  MENTAL
  Perception ______
  Intelligence
  Wits
  _*MOO
  ••OOO
  •MOO
  KNOWLEDGES
  Academics 
  M«OO
  Computer 
  •OOOO
  Investigation ______ 90000
  Law 
  M»OO
  Medicine
  Occult _________
  Politics
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  _ooooo
  •MOO
  ooooo
  VIRTUE^
  ConscienceJCoHvictionaaOOO
  Self-Comrolflmtmet •••OO
  Couraee 
  M*OO
  Bruised
  Hurt 
  -1
  Injured 
  -1
  Wounded 
  -2
  Mauled 
  -2
  Crippled 
  -5
  Incapacitated
  1
  DDDDDDa |
  1
  been limited to loaning money and crash
  space to sectmates in need. You keep
  careful track of who owes whom, though,
  and your notebook is full of favors
  you're ready to call in when it suits
  you.
  Concept: You're interested
  in the natural world — how it
  can best be made to serve hu-
  manity, and now, you. It
  occasionally pains you that
  some unscrupulous prac-
  tices fall under your
  protective umbrella, but
  you can't make an omelet
  without breaking some
  eggs.
  Roleplaying
  Hints: You're hon-
  estly offended when
  your motives are ques-
  tioned. You have the
  greater good of the group
  at heart, whether that
  group is Cainites, loggers or
  Congressmen running for re-
  election.
  Equipment: Lincoln Con-
  tinental, Dayrunner notebook,
  PCS phone, credit cards
  
  BACKGROUNDS
  Allies x 2 
  Resources x 2
  PHYSICAL
  BrawnvxZ Quick
  foexterous Ruaoed
  Energeticx2 Tough
  SOCIAL
  Beauilina 
  Goraeous
  DISCIPLINES
  Animnli<m I Fornl Whi«;tK>rs1
  Fortitude (Fndurancel
  MERITS & FLAWS
  ABILITIES
  Animal Ken 
  Dodqe
  nnnnnnnnnn
  OOOOOOOO00
  nnnnnnnnnnnnn
  JiONliLOiq /TOHXNOO -JT3g
  ooo
  BACKGROUNDS
  Alliesxl 
  Influence
  generation x 1 Industry^ 21
  Herd x 2 
  Resources x 3
  diplomatic 
  IngrQtiating
  MENTAL
  Insiahtfulx2
  DISCIPLINES
  Fortitude (Endurance Mettle
  ABILITIES
  Animal Ken 
  Law. Politics
  Academics 
  Subterfuge
  Finance 
  Survival
  
  New AGE VIKING
  Quote: Blood far the blood god, 
  dude, blood for the
  blood god!
  Prelude: Your life was cool. Mom and Dad moved
  to California and got into attachment parenting and
  other primitive child-rearing practices, so you got to do
  whatever you wanted. The teachers at school didn't
  want to damage your self-esteem by flunking you, 
  so
  made it all the way to 10th grade before you decided to
  drop out and surf full-time. You were young, blond and
  tan, 
  and that was all you needed to be happy.
  Then you met the woman of your dreams. You had
  gone to an interfaith pagan sabbat with your par-
  ents; it always made them happy when you
  joined the circle, even though they knew
  you were a lapsed pagan at best. She
  stood out among the Wiccans, Druids
  and Unitarians, tall and proud like
  the carved prow of a ship. You joined
  the crowd of men and women around
  her, 
  listening raptly as she spoke of
  honor, courage and struggle in an
  exotic accent. Your parents' paganism
  had always seemed so empty
  and bloodless; she assured
  you that in her religion,
  there was plenty of
  blood. As the night
  wore on and the crowd
  thinned, you got to talk
  to her personally. She
  didn't understand
  what "surfing" meant,
  but when you said you
  rode the waves, the
  gleam in her eye was
  unmistakable. When I
  you left with her that
  night, you thought you
  were going to get lucky.
  You had no idea. You
  thought the horned hel-
  mets and her three friends
  were just kinky, but after
  they kicked your ass you
  couldn't move for days.
  So now you're, like,
  vampire. More importantly,
  she's teaching you to be a Vi-
  king. She was kind of'
  disappointed when she learned
  NAME:
  PLAVPR;
  CHRONICLE:
  PHVSICAL
  Dexterity
  TALENTS
  Athletics ______
  Brawl
  Dodge
  1 Expression _______
  1 Intimidation
  NATURE iCelebront
  CLAN:6ongrel
  M»OO
  ••••0
  MMO
  •OOOO
  __MOOO
  MOOO
  •OOOO
  _»0000
  •OOOO
  SOCIAL
  Charisma 
  M«OO
  Manioulatior.
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken
  Crafts
  Drive
  Melee
  Performance
  ••OOO
  •MOO
  •OOOO
  •OOOO
  •OOOO
  OOOOO
  MOOO
  •OOOO
  •OOOO
  GBNFRAT
  IlAvrtJ;
  CONCEPT
  Perception
  Intelligent
  Wits
  K
  Academics
  Investigati
  Law
  Linguistics
  Medicine
  ON: 12th
  New Age Viking
  MPNIAI
  ••000
  •OOOO
  •MOO
  •OOOO
  •OOOO
  OOOOO
  n 
  OOOOO
  OOOOO 1
  •OOOO
  OOOOO 1
  Streetwise _______
  OOOOO
  BACKGROUNDS
  Allies 
  ••000
  1 Generation
  1 Herd
  I Mentor
  •OOOO
  •MOO
  •OOOO
  ••OOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  „ —
  Stealth 
  •OOOO
  Survival 
  ••OOO
  DlSCIpI INFS
  Animalism 
  *OOOO
  Fortitude 
  MOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  -• ——— HUMAN IT v/p^TH —— —
  • • • • • • O O O O
  • • • • • O O O O O
  naannannpa
  nnnnDDnnan
  nnDDDnDana
  Politics
  Science
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  VIRIUFS
  Self-ConnslflTBttnei- •••OO
  Couraee 
  ••••O
  Bruised
  Hurt 
  -1
  Injured 
  4
  Wounded 
  -2
  Mauled 
  -Z
  Crippled 
  -5
  Incapacitated
  1
  D
  D
  D
  D
  Daa
  you didn't actually have a boat, but she
  assures you that when she has a crew
  ready, she'll find one. 
  You've had to
  leave your board, since the waves suck
  after sundown, but you keep busy with
  axe and shield training and Norwe-
  gian lessons. Monterey looks like a
  good place to go a-Viking.
  Concept: Everything in life fell
  your way, and now you've been given
  the opportunity to fight in the great-
  est battle at the end of time by the
  most gorgeous woman you've ever
  seen. What could be better?
  Roleplaying Hints: No wave
  is too big, 
  no enemy too fierce.
  You throw yourself into your new
  role, partying, boasting and
  brawling with spirit. You know
  you're not the sharpest knife in
  the drawer, but that's okay.
  Your job isn't to think too
  much.
  Equipment: Two automatic
  pistols, driftwood stakes, sun-
  glasses, ultra-casual surf clothes
  \
  
  PROVINCIAL SCOURGE
  Quote: It'll hurt less if you quit squirmin', you stupid
  sumbitch.
  Prelude: Mama always said you were a little high-
  strung. Not your fault. You tried to calm down—ain't no
  one can tell you you didn't try, dammit — but it just
  wouldn't happen. Went to school, got a job, did all the shit
  you're s'posed to. Kept gettin' fired. Kept gettin' in fights.
  Bought with the boss. Fought with that dumbass TV
  repairman. Fought with the preacher, even. Not too proud
  of that one.
  Weren't even regular fights, sad to say. Sometimes
  you were drunk. Other times it weren't even you who
  started it — some fool who crawled up your tailpipe got
  what he deserved and that's that. Ended up bouncin' at the
  stripper bar over on Highway 50. Never could bring
  yourself to strike a woman, which was prob'ly your saving
  grace in that job. Kicked a lot of trucker ass, though. Heh.
  Funny how you never see some things comin'. Got in
  one fight too many there in the strip bar. Last one was
  nasty. Lost a lot of skin. Grows back, though, 'least it does
  now. That guy was bad news. Made you into a damn
  vampire. Brought you into some political bullshit,
  now you gotta work for the vampire king or some
  crapola and he's out there howlin' across the
  plains. King's work ain't bad, though. You
  know, if you gotta be stuck doin' somethin'
  you may as well get your kicks from it.
  Concept: Rather than destroying you,
  the prince spared your unlife in exchange for
  you undertaking a certain responsibility. He
  made you the scourge. Now, you thin the ranks
  of the Kindred, culling the thin-blooded from
  the herd. It all makes sense to you — you
  alleviate the overpopulation and it keeps the
  prince from worrying about some deranged proph-
  ecy. Whatever, at least it's not you meeting the Final
  Death. Apparently, princes have that right.
  Roleplaying Hints: You are a coward and a
  bully, thankful for your position because it al-
  lows you to victimize those weaker than you.
  Anyone stronger than you earns your resent-
  ment immediately. Anyone strong enough to
  kill you earns your grudging respect. You get
  along with some folks, like this coterie
  thing, but most people are simply there
  for you to push around or hurt. Or, in
  some cases, kill. Hey, it's the hand God
  dealt ya.
  Equipment: Boots with razors taped
  to the heels, the watch daddy gave you,
  pocketknife with a blade an inch over the
  legal limit, Chevy pickup
  NAMP:
  PLAVFR:
  CHRONICLE:
  PHYSICAL
  Strength ______
  Dexteritv
  Stamina ______
  TALENTS
  Alertness
  Athletic s _______
  Brawl _________
  Dodge
  1 Empathy
  1 Intimidation _____
  1 Leadership
  1 Streetwise ______
  Subterfuge
  BACKOROUt-
  Resources
  Status
  — M™^.
  DEMEANOR: Bravo
  CLAN:Gangrel
  MM*
  •••00
  ••OOO
  _ooooo
  _M»OO
  M«OO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  •••oo
  OOOOO
  _MOOO
  OOOOO
  DS
  ••OOO
  •OOOO
  ••OOO
  ••OOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  w, ———
  SOCIAL
  Charisma _______ MOOO
  Manipulation 
  M*OO
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken
  Crafts
  Drive
  Etiquette
  Firearms _______
  Melee
  Performance _____
  Security
  •OOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  MOOO
  OOOOO
  •OOOO
  •••oo
  OOOOO
  •OOOO
  Stealth __________ OOOOO
  Survival _________ MOOO
  DISCIPLINES
  Potenct
  ••OOO
  •OOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  ^•h
  HAVKN:
  CONCEPT : Provincial Scourge
  M
  Perception
  Intelligence
  Wits
  KNO
  Academics _
  Finance
  Investigation
  Law
  Linguistics
  Medicine
  Occult
  Politics
  ______ MOOO
  ••000
  ••••O
  WLPDOGS
  ______ ^OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  ____ ^ooooo
  •oooo 1
  ____ ^ooooo 1
  •OOOO 1
  •OOOO 1
  •OOOO I
  •OOOO
  VIRTUES
  Self-Controlffratmct ••OOP
  .Courage _______ _A|M*
  - ———— HUM A N IT V/pATH ——— • ^^^^^^^IH^^^^^^^^^^I
  • • • • • O O O O O
  -————WILLPOWER—
  • • • • • O O O O O
  nannaDDDDD
  -————-Btooo POOL'—••-•-
  DDnnonnDDD
  DannaonaDD
  
  CONSCIENCE/ Co
  ••ooo
  SELF- CONTBOL/ INOTINCT
  00
  COURAGE
  CLAN Sangrel
  GENERATION 8th
  OOOO 
  NATURE 
  Child
  aaaaaaaaaa 
  DEMEANOR Deviant
  CONSCIENCE/COMVICTIOM
  ••• ) 3
  S E Lf-CONTROL/IN QTI NOT
  OOO
  CHARACTER Provincial Scourge
  CHBONICLE
  •••••••••••• 3 CLAN fianrel
  aaaaaaaaaaaaa
  WiLLpOWEH
  ••••oooooo
  aaaaaaaaaa
  DEMEANOR Bravo
  
  CHUpACABRA
  Quote: .. .Sangre... desea sangre...
  Prelude: Tales of the blood-sucking devils always plagued your town. Farmers never left their goats outside; parents
  sent their children to bed before night had fully fallen. The marauding blood-drinkers had terrified the town for so long,
  it had finally begun to die — no one ever came there, and people were too afraid of the monsters to try to flee. Night
  after night, the entire population cowered in its shanty houses and prayed for the first rays of the sun.
  Of course, no one had ever seen the monsters up close. It's not that the chupacabra would murder people in their
  homes, but they would certainly drink dry rats, cats and anything else left outside after dark. Every now and then a drifter
  would disappear without a trace, but no one doubted that his blood fed the beasts just past the porch lights.
  One night, you stayed too long at the market, even as the proprietress hurried you out. Out of the shadows, the
  creature dragged you down, gorged itself on your blood — and then dragged you into its wretched unlife. It was lonely,
  it said, but you knew within a few nights that the two of you could not stay together—it was too monstrous, you couldn't
  relate. You lacked the conviction to step into the next sunrise, so you fled.
  And so it has been since then, fleeing, hiding and fleeing again when your "hosts" raise their rifles and pitchforks against you.
  Concept: You are the night-monster, more afraid of yourself than even the terrorized others are of you. Unlife is a
  vagabond ritual; you're just going through the motions and following your urge. Every now and then, you remember some
  bit of what your life used to be, but those memories fade as the hunger burns in your dead
  belly. All you want is blood, anymore — and the more blood, the better. In fact, you
  might even take it from a person sometime soon.
  Roleplaying Hints: Only with the greatest effort can you be social, and that
  becomes more difficult with each passing night. You don't hate the other
  chupacabra, you just don't relate to them. Every now and then you fall in with
  a pack of them, but rarely for any length of time — your solitary nature
  drives you to leave the pack and hunt on your own.
  Equipment: Filthy tatters of the clothes in which you were Em-
  braced, random bones and feathers
  E :CHild
  | PLAYS*:
  1 
  PHYSICAL
  k%grieth ________
  r - _ •
  I Alertness _______
  Athletics
  Brawt
  Dodce
  1 Empathv
  I Expression _______
  1 Intimidation _____
  1 Leadership _______
  Streetwise
  Subterfaee
  BACHPBOUN
  ———— MeRrrs/FtAv
  _MOOO
  M900
  _«0000
  MOOO
  MOOO
  OOOOO
  _OOOOO
  _«oooo
  _00000
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  5S
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  CLAN:6ongrel
  SOCIAL
  Charisma 
  MOOO
  Appearance _______ «MOO
  SKILL?
  Animal Ken ______ M#OO
  Drive 
  OOOOO
  Firearms _________ OOOOO
  Melee 
  MOOO
  DISCIPLINES
  Protean 
  M*OO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  —— HuM^ani/p^——
  • • • • • O O O O O
  " ——————— WlLLpOWFR —————— -
  • • • • • • O O O O
  D D n n a D D D D n
  D a n n n a n D D D
  aaaaaaaano
  HAVPM:
  CONCEPT: ChupOCobTQ
  MFNTAL
  Perception _______
  Wits
  _MOOO
  MOOO
  MMO
  KNOWIFDOFS
  Academics 
  OOOOO
  Computer
  Finance
  Investigation
  Law
  Linguistics
  Medicine
  Occult
  Politics
  Science
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO 1
  OOOOO 1
  •OOOO 1
  MVOO 1
  ooooo 1
  OOOOO
  VIRTUES
  Conscience/Conviction ••OOP
  Self-Controlftnstmet •MOO
  Courage 
  MM*
  Bruised
  Hurt 
  -1
  Injured 
  -1
  Wounded 
  -2
  Mauled 
  -I
  Crippled 
  -5
  Incapacitated
  1
  nnnpnnn
  1
  
  1
  O UTLANDERS
  OF NOTE
  The following Gangrel might be encountered by any
  group of player characters in an ordinary chronicle; each
  of them can fit into several slots, and should be customized
  to fit a given chronicle. Perhaps it fits the Storyteller's
  needs for Ramona to be a male, or for Mark Decker to have
  become prince of Chicago. Storytellers are encouraged to
  make such changes as best fit their games.
  Some of these characters are shown in greater detail
  in Children of the Night; their descriptions here are
  intended primarily to introduce them and give an idea of
  their activity since the release of that book. Storytellers are
  encouraged to use any of the following characters in
  whatever fashion seems most appropriate, giving them
  Traits as necessary. Players might wish to tie their charac-
  ters' backgrounds to such potent individuals; they should
  be sure to consult with their local Storyteller before doing so.
  BPCKETT
  The Gangrel explorer/historian who calls himself
  Beckett does his best to remain an enigma. He is aNoddist
  in the truest sense of the word. Though he does not follow
  the Sabbat's Path of Caine, his driving goal is to determine
  the true history of the Kindred race, and especially the
  early history of Caine and the Antediluvians in Enoch.
  Forces ranging from the impersonal and destructive hand
  of entropy to the very personal vampires of the Sabbat and
  Camarilla conspire to keep him from learning the truth, as
  he sees it. Therefore he attempts to avoid vampiric con-
  flict where possible, preferring only to face the sorts of
  problems that mortal archaeologists must confront. He
  has had moderate success with this, for surely not every
  vampire of the Sabbat and Camarilla is arrayed against him.
  By most accounts, Beckett is an elder—perhaps three
  centuries dead — but he possesses a pragmatic attitude
  toward the Camarilla and Sabbat that is more frequently
  seen among only those Kindred who predate the existence
  of both sects. Rumors abound that Beckett is very old
  indeed but has undergone something of a revival in the last
  300 years, perhaps adopting the "Beckett" identity at that
  time. Beckett has, in his fashion, been an independent
  Gangrel since well before Xaviar's recent proclamation.
  He was one of the primary commentators on a short print
  run Book of Nod put together partly by his sometime
  mentor Aristotle de Laurent back in 1992. In that book,
  Beckett was the first to publicly suggest that the Caine
  legend was simply a myth representing historical conflict
  between nomadic hunter-gatherers and the first agricul-
  tural people. He suggested that "Caine" was nothing more
  than the impersonal force driving humanity to cultivate
  fields to better sustain a large population, and that force
  was the blow that killed "Abel," the archetypal wandering
  herder. How such a thing would create vampirism is unclear.
  Beckett has a dry sense of humor that suits him well
  in dealing with the immortal undead; during many con-
  versations, only his closest friends would recognize that he
  sprinkles quiet, personal jokes throughout his questions
  and responses. Truly elder vampires often miss the humor
  in his statements, or choose to ignore such trivialities.
  Beckett's wit is easily turned on his enemies; it is a simple
  thing for him to rile an opponent to berserk fury.
  Beckett and the Sabbat priscus Sascha Vykos have
  fought repeatedly since the Gangrel's Embrace. These
  conflicts have earned Beckett a reputation of being very
  difficult to kill; indeed, one story says that he escaped his
  foe during a daytime battle by dashing across a hundred
  yards of sunlight to safety. The nature of Beckett's conflict
  with Vykos is not clear to most Kindred, but it is clear that
  the two have often sought the same Noddist artifacts. Of
  course, neither shows a particular willingness to share
  such toys.
  Beckett's closest allies are the independent pair Lucita
  and Anatole. Lucita, a Lasombra antitribu assassin, shows
  a curious platonic love for the Malkavian prophet Anatole;
  the three have worked together in the past to learn the true
  nature of the Antediluvians andforestallthecomingGehenna.
  BRUNHILDE
  Brunhilde remembers little of her mortal life; she was
  the daughter of a Viking chieftain and respected for her
  own strength and courage. She no longer remembers the
  sun. Even her Embrace more than a millennium ago is a
  blurred memory here in the Final Nights. Her sire is a
  mystery; she knows only that it was not the All-High. Her
  sire paid his fealty to the All-High, and Brunhilde needed
  no supernatural compulsion to do the same. She walked
  among the vargr of the far north, taking the role the All-
  High gave her andherpacksisters. They acted as Waelkyrige,
  the Choosers of the Slain, who picked the finest warriors
  to join them in the afterlife.
  Brunhilde fought the Christians when they came
  north. For more than two centuries, with her liege-lord
  and comrades falling to torpor or Final Death all around
  her, the Gangrel ambushed southern vampires and scat-
  tered their ashes as warning to the invaders' brethren. But
  it did no good. Eventually, Brunhilde herself fell into a
  wearied torpor, not rousing until the First World War. She
  gathered her remaining Waelkyrige to her in central Swe-
  den, where they kept a low profile for decades.
  One cold winter night in 1977, the Choosers of the
  Slain found their greatest hope and fear come true. Only
  an hour after sundown, one of Brunhilde's sisters reported
  that a coterie of Camarilla Kindred a few miles from the
  Waelkyriges' haven had made a gruesome discovery. A
  pack of six werewolves had been drained of blood and left
  \
  CHAPTER THREE: BEASTS AMONG MEN
  91
  \
  
  to freeze solid on the icy plain. On a hunch, Brunhilde
  became a raven and flew to the cave in which the All-
  High's icy form had rested for hundreds of years.
  There she found the ice a little thicker on the ground,
  and the All-High's great ice caim melted away. The
  Methuselah himself lay torpid on bare stone, where once
  the block of ice had rested. Fresh blood flecked his beard,
  but the elder Kindred did not move or respond to speech
  or touch. The All-High did not move again for five years;
  in 1982 he similarly devoured agroup of what the Waelkyrige
  describe as "Wild Ones." He has not budged since, but
  since a particularly vivid dream of Ragnarok last summer,
  Brunhilde has spent her days in the ancient's cave, close
  — but not too close — to her liege.
  In 1986 Brunhilde took the life of Swedish Prime
  Minister Olaf Palme. This is not rumor; it is fact that the
  Waelkyriges' leader gladly admits — she claims his blood
  tasted rather bitter. However, Brunhilde is unwilling to
  discuss her motives for the killing. Her packsisters believe
  that Brunhilde killed the Prime Minister either to declare
  her return to activity to the collective princes of
  Scandinavia, or she was nudged into doing so by the torpid
  All-High.
  Since her dreams of Ragnarok, Brunhilde has become
  more curious about the state of the world at large. To
  satisfy some of this curiosity, she recently sent four of her
  youngest packsisters to California, the Anarch Free State.
  The young vampires of California have as little regard for
  the bureaucrats of the Camarilla as Brunhilde and her
  sisters do, and she considers the area to be a potentially
  prime recruiting ground.
  The Waelkyrige recruiting movement among the
  anarchs has recently seen some resistance; it seems that
  the former Justicar Xaviar also desires the aid of the
  independent members of his clan. Representatives of each
  group play to the anarchs' desires as best they can. Cer-
  tainly four blonde, Nordic warrior women can make quite
  an impression on newly Embraced men of the clan, but
  their description of unlife on the high seas, and honor and
  service to a higher cause, has risen to the attention of more
  than one anarch. It remains only a matter of time before
  that pitch comes to the attention of Xaviar's group.
  In the meantime, the Waelkyrige in Europe have made
  it powerfully clear to the princes of the north that they
  have no interest in any sectarian politics, nor in joining
  the circus they call the Camarilla. That is not to say that
  they desire any allegiance with the Sabbat, which is clearly
  a collection of dishonorable monsters. For the time being,
  Brunhilde watches the vampires of the world scramble
  around in response to her. Decisive action can wait.
  (For more information and Traits for Brunhilde, see
  Children of the Night, p. 80.)
  INYANGA
  Inyanga is truly ancient; Embraced by a Roman
  expatriate just after the Ostrogoths' sacking of that city,
  she has championed the cause of the mortals underfoot in
  what Kindred too often see as their world for more than a
  milllennium. Inyanga has been active in the Great Lakes
  area of North America since emerging from torpor in the
  late 18th century. She travels regularly, throughout both
  North and South America, but of late has concentrated
  her attention on Chicago and Milwaukee.
  In the years after her Embrace, Inyanga walked the
  wild parts of the world. She had no kinship with the
  shapechangers of Africa or the wilds of Europe, of course,
  but she was wise and fleet of foot, and she had an edge that
  many Cainites of her clan lacked. In life she'd learned a
  ritual to become a living leopard. That ability got Inyanga
  out of one nascent conflict with cat-changers, as she
  convinced them that a vampire that could become a living
  being couldn't be entirely cursed by their earth and sun gods.
  She spent her first centuries in Africa, where she met
  the secretive Kindred known as Laibon who populate
  Africa's great cities. In the modern nights she maintains
  contact with only a few of them; most of her contemporar-
  ies have long since returned to the earth from which they
  sprang. She traveled into Europe only a few times during
  her first millennium; she felt European Cainites' distrust
  almost palpably and recoiled from it. She had nothing to
  do with the Camarilla, and indeed was ignorant of it for
  several decades. Inyanga challenged a monstrous
  Malkavian along the Ivory Coast in 1537; though she was
  victorious, she fell into a long torpor.
  When she awoke, Inyanga was in Baltimore; her vast
  hunger caused her to kill several mortals before regaining
  her senses. She fled westward, to the growing city of
  Chicago, where she helped found a relatively indepen-
  dent Kindred stronghold. She saw her share of conflicts
  with the other Cainites of Chicago, but her tendency to
  travel far and wide left her out of the most vicious Cainite
  politics of the city.
  Inyanga was away from Chicago when the horde of
  Lupines descended. Some preternatural sense had warned
  her of impending danger, and she took that opportunity to
  roam the Great Plains once again. When she returned she
  found chaos. Prince Lodin had met Final Death, torn limb
  from limb by enraged Lupines. A dozen others all com-
  peted for his title, and she refused to support any of them.
  The contenders saw the great city Lodin had built as a
  jewel; they did not see the labor and sacrifice required of
  the now-destroyed prince.
  Inyanga had never particularly championed the
  Camarilla. It is a European organization, and one in which
  Africans are not well-represented. Additionally, due to
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  92
  \
  
  the circumstances of her Embrace, Inyanga has always
  tried to keep the best interests of mortal humanity in the
  front of her mind. While she understands that the Mas-
  querade helps protect Kindred from kine, she knows full
  well that the Camarilla uses the Masquerade to dominate
  and abuse humanity.
  When Xaviar approached Inyanga to describe the
  creature he had seen and explain why he had chosen to
  leave his post as justicar, he found an interested ear and a
  tentative ally. Inyanga took her leave of the Chicago
  primogen quietly. Of that group only the Nosferatu Khalid
  knows that she has left the sect, while the others imagine
  that she has undertaken another tour of the Americas, and
  go about their business. The Gangrel of Chicago are aware
  that Inyanga has left the Camarilla, though she left them
  to make their own decisions in that regard. The Wolf Pack
  coterie remains staunchly part of the Camarilla; most
  others in the city have chosen the independent's path.
  (For more information on Inyanga, see Chicago by
  Night, Second Edition, reprinted in Chicago Chronicles,
  Volume 2.)
  JALAN-AAJAV
  Aajav-Khan, as his subordinates call him, is a potent
  warlord of the Sabbat. At massive gatherings of the sect,
  he tells of the ancient nights, when he rode with Temuj in-
  called-Genghis-Khan. It does not take long before such
  stories bring even the most boisterous Sabbat packs to
  awed silence.
  Aajav-Khan's aura is not merely streaked with the
  spidery black lines of diablerie — it is black, mottled by
  patches of color. He has committed diablerie dozens of
  times throughout his unlife, starting with his own sire in
  nights long past, and continuing through vampiric en-
  emies of all sorts. Perhaps obviously, the Seraph has not
  restricted his Amaranth to enemies of greater power. The
  horrid ecstasy of consuming another vampire's soul is too
  great to avoid simply because a foe might be further
  removed from Caine than he is.
  Only half a dozen members of the Sabbat rival Jalan-
  Aajav in terms of raw power, and politically only the
  regent has more authority. He is steadfastly loyal to the
  sect, and appears willing to sacrifice his unlife to defeat the
  blasphemous Antediluvians. He has been a part of the
  Sabbat since before its members called themselves Sabbat;
  he was loyal to Lugoj's ideals throughout the Anarch
  Revolt and to the Sicilian Lasombra as they spilled their
  progenitor's unholy vitae.
  Although his activity goes unquestioned by other
  vampires, occasionally Jalan-Aajav does drop out of sight
  for years at a time. Few other members of the Sword of
  Caine would even mention such a thing in passing, but
  when the subject does come up, Jalan-Aajav refers to
  "hunting expeditions," torpor and the "need to roam."
  The eldest vampires of the Sabbat might mention that the
  Seraph has always felt such urges, but then, they're never
  asked about such things, and freely acknowledge that any
  vampire of such advanced age has foibles.
  Aajav-Khan knows more than a few secrets from the
  Sabbat at large. Chief among them is that he knew the
  nature of the manus nigrum, the so-called True Black
  Hand. And he knows that the manus nigrum is no longer
  a power among Cainites. They have been decimated, their
  power base destroyed and their morale sapped. The mem-
  bers of the Black Hand whom Jalan-Aaj av has come across
  in recent months have been hollow shells of themselves;
  former glory echoes inside their corpses, with little of the
  old fire to spur them onward.
  Currently, Jalan-Aajav works with the other Sabbat
  Black Hand Seraphs to coordinate a massive push against
  Camarilla holdings across the United States. Recent
  activity in the Southeast has been moderately successful;
  Jalan-Aajav urges his fellow Seraphs to agree to a plan
  centered on the scuttling of Chicago, after which the
  other cities of the north central US should be relatively
  obtainable targets. For the time being, this plan centers on
  the activity of Philippe Rigaud, a Gangrel agent already in
  Chicago. Rigaud was successful in provoking a Lupine
  attack on the city, but disagreement between the various
  Seraphs of the Black Hand made it impossible to take
  advantage of Chicago's chaos and strike decisively there.
  (For more information and Traits for Jalan-Aajav, see
  Children of the Night, p. 9.)
  HARSH
  Karsh tells those few who he trusts that he was a
  citizen of the Ottoman Empire some eight centuries ago.
  He was a great general in life, though perhaps a bit too
  headstrong. His sire was a wild spirit, a wolf of the desert
  sands; Karsh rarely speaks of him. Karsh is something of a
  rarity among Camarilla Kindred. He follows the Path of
  the Feral Heart rather than the Path of Humanity. He
  makes no apology for this; Karsh is older than the Camarilla
  itself, and would not abandon his moral code simply
  because some self-important Toreador insisted that Kin-
  dred should conceal themselves among humankind. Over
  the centuries, those few who dared raise a hand against
  him found example made of themselves as they were left
  as piles of ashes on a riverbank. No Camarilla vampire has
  challenged Karsh in this way in centuries.
  Karsh was one of the first Gangrel to pledge his
  allegiance to the Ventrue Hardestadt's nascent Camarilla
  in the mid-15th century. Only Milov Petrenkov is notable
  as having come to the group earlier. Karsh's presence and
  stem demeanor won over several elder Gangrel during the
  sect's formative years; his tactical prowess won over at least
  a few others.
  CHAPTER THREE: BEASTS AMONG MEN
  93
  \
  
  Karsh is a vampire of few words. His true motivations
  are often a mystery even to those who consider him a close
  ally. He is an honorable creature; he does not use assassins,
  nor does he strike at his enemies through surprise. Karsh
  is a master of small-group tactics, however, and is willing
  to use whatever advantages present themselves in close
  combat. Karsh's directions have led the Camarilla to
  esttablish themselves in several Sabbat cities over the last
  10 years, and more than one of those was recaptured
  without a single gunshot or sword thrust.
  Karsh has personally overseen the direction of those
  former archons serving under Xaviar who did not leave
  their posts when Xaviar departed. Those archons have
  been split up; they do not serve as a single group, for what
  should be obvious reasons. Karsh uses those archons for
  non-critical research and investigation. Other Kindred
  attend him when he comes into conflict with Sabbat
  targets.
  Although Karsh and Xaviar were never close, the
  Warlord now refuses to speak of the former justicar. For
  Karsh, it is as though Elijah was the last justicar of Clan
  Gangrel. He considers Xaviar to be a traitor to the Inner
  Council—Karsh has made it clear to Gangrel who remain
  part of the Camarilla that any tales that filter back into
  Camarilla cities of Xaviar's brush with vast power are
  nothing more than the cries of schoolchildren. He seems
  to believe that Xaviar fled the Camarilla out of irrational
  fear, and in so doing weakened the sect's foundation.
  Karsh's archons recently began to infiltrate Xaviar's
  "independent Gangrel" movement. Xaviar has powers to
  read a Kindred soul, but Karsh's spies can hide their true
  motives from even such a deep reading. Or so they hope
  — Xaviar seems to have adopted them into his group and
  has given them assignments for the time being.
  (For more information and Traits for Karsh, see
  Children of the Night, p. 67.)
  XAVIAR
  Xavier de Calais was a warrior in the Hundred Years'
  War. His valor in service of the English crown earned him
  a knighthood and his boldness on the field earned him the
  Embrace of Rhun the Minstrel, a Gangrel ancient of some
  repute. Rhun abandoned the fledgling "Xaviar," as is often
  the Gangrel way. After too many nights and corpses spent
  mastering his primal urges for blood and darkness, Xaviar
  headed north into the wastes of Scandinavia. There he
  hunted men and beasts for more than a century; most of
  the bestial features of his current visage date back to this
  wild time.
  Eventually, Xaviar returned to civilized lands; he
  learned of the Camarilla and its Masquerade, and, approv-
  ing of the latter, joined the former. He quickly rose in its
  ranks, gaining a wide reputation as a fearsome sergeant of
  Kindred. In 1704, in America, Xaviar presented the Inner
  Council with the remains of his mad late clanbrother, the
  former Justicar Elijah. With this, Xaviar became the last
  Gangrel justicar.
  Xaviar knows better than any other Cainite that the
  get of Caine have truly entered the Final Nights. Of the
  seven justicars of the Camarilla, he was ostensibly the
  best-traveled. Certainly the other six went from city to
  city when events called for it, but for the most part they
  stayed in their home cities, cowing the resident princes
  into quiet near-inactivity while they coordinated the
  actions of archons across four continents. Xaviar traveled
  — and he still does.
  So it was Xaviar who first heard reports of the disaster
  in Kashmir, and it was Xaviar who faced the bearer of an
  obscenely powerful artifact in upstate New York. Perhaps
  unfortunately, it was Xaviar who fled this last challenge.
  And — so the rumors have it — it was Xaviar who
  encountered something else in the warm New England
  nights. Something ancient beyond words; something that
  scared him.
  Of course, those are just rumors. All the average
  Gangrel knows for certain is that Xaviar went to the Inner
  Council of the Camarilla and demanded something.
  When his demand was not met, he resigned his posting as
  j usticar and vowed that his clan would no longer walk with
  the other six. Was there no Gangrel representative on the
  Inner Council, someone who might countermand such a
  proclamation? Apparently not, unless one counts War-
  lord Karsh, for he alone stood forth to contradict Xaviar's
  announcement. The harpies have a dozen questions and
  a hundred answers, but the Inner Council is not known for
  its proclivity to gossip. Xaviar and Karsh most certainly
  hate each other now; each speaks of the other as being a
  traitor.
  Xaviar is confident that the Antediluvians of myth
  exist, and that some of them may once again stalk the
  nighttime world. To this end, he has attempted to sway
  any Gangrel who approach him openly and honestly—if
  they stand outside the great sects of Kindred society. He
  has no love for either Kindred who hide behind the
  Camarilla nor monsters of the Sabbat. Once again he acts
  as sergeant, coordinating packs of Gangrel who stand by
  his cause. He insists that they remain mobile, for a moving
  vampire is a harder meal for the Antediluvians than one
  who remains in the city, and he periodically requires them
  to provide "scouting reports" of territory through which
  they have recently passed.
  Slowly, Xaviar has amassed an enormous database of
  supernatural activity. Of course, this database is only in his
  head; Xaviar wouldn't know a computer if an enemy
  dropped one on him. But he spends hours each night
  attempting to correlate disparate reports from packs under
  his command.
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANCREL
  94
  
  The truth, which loyal packs rarely discuss even
  among themselves, is that Xaviar may be simply obsessive
  and paranoid. Something terrified him once, and he builds
  an army to defend himself from it. Or, more frighteningly,
  this is all a ruse. Xaviar is building an army; it may not be
  to find the Antediluvians and defend the world from
  them. It might just be that Xaviar decided he wanted an
  army.
  (For information and Traits for Xaviar, see Children
  of the Night, p. 91.)
  RAMONA
  Background: (Ramona is the protagonist of Clan
  Novel: Gangrel. If you'd like to read the book with its plot
  points intact, read no further here.)
  Ramona was alive just three years ago, but already it
  seems like a lifetime away, memories bleached down to
  black and white. Los Angeles was a shitty place to live, but
  at least it was predictable: Staying away from drug dealers,
  pimps and gangs of any color kept her alive to see another
  day. Ramona followed all the rules, but the vampire found
  her anyway — or maybe he found her because. Alone and
  starving in the city, she fled friends and family before she
  couldn't resist their blood. The memories from this time
  have all bled into each other, shades of all the Los
  Angelenos who died while Ramona learned to control her
  hunger and her new powers. The city was pretty crowded
  with vampires, some of them a brutal gang called the
  Sabbat, so Ramona and three other "orphans" hit the road
  for a better place to eke out survival. Eddie died again in
  Texas, ripped in half by a werewolf s claws. Unable to find
  a place to settle down, Ramona and the others, Jen and
  Damell, kept driving until they ran out of road in New
  York City.
  \
  Here things became confusing for Ramona—events
  happened fast, and quickly snowballed out of control. She
  saw, stalked, saved, almost killed, then buried a beautiful
  young girl, Zhavon. A mysterious stranger, Tanner, fol-
  lowed Ramona from Los Angeles to New York, saving her
  from the Sabbat, the sun and a stake. And worst, the
  monster, human-shaped but for that ichor-dripping eye,
  who tied the whole mess of them together in a flesh-
  colored knot. The monster stole Zhavon, and warped and
  destroyed Jen and Damell.
  Tanner called the Gangrel together, and suddenly
  Ramona had a clan and a sire, a father and a family who
  expected her to know her place and listen to directions.
  There was even a grandfather, Xaviar, who treated Tan-
  ner like Tanner treated her.
  It didn't last long, though—the monster with the eye
  destroyed most of the assembled pack, leaving Ramona,
  the whelp, to drag the crippled Xaviar away from the fire
  and blood. Ramona remembers this last, the destruction of
  her newfound clanmates, with a horrifying clarity. She
  bears a gift from the Cherokee medicine man, Blackfeather,
  and the curse of his prediction of the future: "The Final
  Nights are at hand, and your road will be a difficult one."
  The ghost sight he pressed into her burned images of the
  lost and the chant of their names into her brain.
  Ramona ran, from the creature with the eye, from
  Xaviar, from the field of so much death. She learned what
  she is, Gangrel, and who made her what she is. The litany
  of dead names does not allow her to rest, though. She must
  give the list, and the story, to every Gangrel she encoun-
  ters in her frantic wandering. And so the story spreads
  among the clan, and lost friends are mourned.
  Image: Ramona is lean and wiry, her skin a light
  bronze under all the dirt. The tumultuous events of her
  short life and shorter existence as a vampire make her
  visibly wary. Her dark hair is wild but short, barely
  covering the furred and pointed tips of her ears. Her
  deformed, digitigrade feet are impossible to hide; she goes
  barefoot by necessity, showing unmistakable talons and
  elongated toes.
  Roleplaying Hints: You've been dead such a short
  while, and you've seen so much: Lupines, Sabbat mon-
  sters, the terror of the attack on the strange vampire in
  New York. Blackfeather said that your road would be
  difficult, and you're sure you haven't seen the worst of it
  yet. Some nights you regret that you didn't continue trying
  to make it on your own. Still, wherever you are, nobody
  pushes you around. When the big boys clean up the mess
  they made, then they can give you orders.
  Clan: Gangrel
  Sire: Tanner
  Nature: Rogue
  Demeanor: Rebel
  CHAPTER THREE: BEASTS AMONG MEN
  95
  \
  
  Generation: llth
  Embrace: 1998
  Apparent Age: Late teens
  Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3
  Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2
  Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
  Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 2, Brawl 1, Dodge 3,
  Empathy 2, Leadership 1, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 1
  Skills: Drive 2, Firearms 1, Security 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3
  Knowledges: Academics 1, Investigation 1, Law 1, Lin-
  guistics (Spanish) 1, Medicine 1
  Disciplines: Animalism 1, Fortitude 2, Protean 3
  Backgrounds: Allies 1, Contacts 2, Status 2
  Virtues: Conscience 4, Self-Control 2, Courage 3
  Morality: Humanity 6
  Willpower: 5
  SUTTON GASSAWAY,
  WISHFUL ANACHRONISM
  Background: Sutton Gassaway was born in Montana
  in 1861, just before it became the Montana Territory. His
  parents were ranchers who had fled westward to escape the
  risk of war when the South declared its independence. He
  worked long, hard days on his parents' ranch, and in the
  evenings the Gassaway family escaped into books and
  song. Sutton never received any formal schooling, but by
  age 19 he certainly read with greater proficiency than any
  young man within 50 miles.
  One evening, on a long ride home from a shopping
  trip to Bannack, Sutton noticed that his horse was acting
  strangely; it would shift from a canter to a walk and back
  without his command, and more than once in resistance
  \
  to his command. When the horse bucked, threw him, and
  galloped away, Sutton, thankfully only bruised, furiously
  shouted after the beast. The shouting did no good, and
  distracted him from noticing the undead predator who
  assaulted and Embraced him.
  It took Sutton Gassaway a month to grow accustomed
  to his unliving state; at the end of this period, his sire, a
  Gangrel named Aaron, explained that he'd been watch-
  ing the Gassaway ranch for months and had decided to
  pass the "gift of immortality" to Sutton. Sutton was only
  mildly discomfited as Aaron told him of his new true
  nature; pragmatic, he accepted vampirism as the cost he
  would have to pay for eternal "life."
  Gassaway had a few run-ins with anarchs and Sabbat
  vampires through the Pacific Northwest, but Aaron had
  warned him to keep his distance from Lupines, and he did
  that quite well. Still voraciously literate, he spent his long,
  empty nights reading everything he could get his hands
  on. H.G. Wells was a particular favorite, and when pulp
  science fiction magazines became popular after the Great
  War, Sutton spent night after night on distant planets or
  at the bottom of the ocean, entranced.
  In the late 1930s, Sutton's luck ran out. After too
  many nights alone in the wilderness, he came to the
  attention of a pack of anarchs that had fled the Free State
  to the northern Rockies. The battle, which ran through
  die streets of Helena, was rather one-sided. Gassaway
  didn't have a chance against the anarchs' nnumbers.
  Finally, he broke into the new Hammond Building, dove
  into the basement, and found a patch of bare earth large
  enough for him to sink into to recover from his wounds. By
  the time he emerged from his torpor, he found himself
  trapped — the Hammond Building's basement had been
  cemented over and he could not break out. Resigned to a
  long entombment, Gassaway slipped into a deep uncon-
  sciousness.
  He awoke from his long imprisonment in 1999; the
  Hammond Building in Helena was scheduled for demoli-
  tion, and since he was under die basement, the building's
  implosion knocked him out of torpor and into conscious-
  ness. Several nights passed in which Sutton only hunted
  and fed; Montana game wardens are still on die lookout for
  Gassaway, who they diink must've been a bear. When
  Sutton regained the ability to speak, he learned that it was
  1999. Driven by curiosity, he headed for more populous
  territory.
  It took Sutton Gassaway two nights to reach Seattle,
  and he was astonished and overjoyed at what he saw: he
  really was in the future. But certain diings just weren't
  right. For one thing, the anarchs were still around; he was
  sure they'd be eradicated by now. But more importantly,
  where were the personal air cars? Where were the rocket
  platforms for transportation to die Mars and Venus colo-
  nies ? Where were the damned ray-guns ?! The kine of 1999
  CLANBOOK: GANCREL
  96
  
  were obsessed with Internets and megahertz and, of all
  things, the stock market. Sutton heard no talk of space
  colonies or undersea cities, and he got strange looks when
  he asked about them in the library or the coffee shop.
  Gassaway has learned of his clan's departure from the
  Camarilla, but he's not sure what he thinks of it yet. For the
  time being, he stays in Seattle, working as an assistant
  professor of English (specializing in Victorian literature)
  and looking for a clue as to what modem society is all
  about, while doing his best to stifle the activity of any
  anarch vampires he runs into. He's a little concerned
  about the rumors of Gehenna, and has been trying to
  figure out a way to help kick-start the American space
  exploration program, so that if Gehenna does come, these
  poor mortals, who lack personal force fields, can flee to a
  safe planet.
  Image: A tall, thickly built man, Gassaway presents
  the archetypal "mountain man" Gangrel appearance when
  he first wakes up in the evening. If he has the time to do
  so, he shaves his bushy beard and trims his scraggly,
  shoulder-length brown hair before going out in public;
  when pressed for time he's a furry beast-man barely recog-
  nizable as the clean-shaven Dr. Gassaway.
  Roleplaying Hints: Affect an air of erudition com-
  bined with a real lack of understanding of the modem
  world. Expect technology that doesn't exist; show confu-
  sion when presented with real tech ("Mobile telephone?
  Why wouldn't you just use your wrist communicator?").
  You're not an idiot; in fact, you're bright and well-read.
  But you're utterly unfamiliar with popular culture, and you
  expected that since you woke up in the year 1999 things
  would be significantly more futuristic. You're a little
  disappointed that they are so mundane. You don't really
  consider yourself to be cursed; yes, your temper has wors-
  ened, and you're hairier and perhaps a bit uglier than you
  once were, and there is the blood issue, but for the most
  part you're thrilled with the opportunity to watch the
  future come to you.
  Clan: Gangrel
  Sire: Aaron the Coward
  Nature: Competitor
  Demeanor: Curmudgeon
  Generation: 9th
  Embrace: 1881
  Apparent Age: 21
  Physical: Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4 (Tireless)
  Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1
  Mental: Perception 4 (Careful), Intelligence 3, Wits 3
  Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Dodge 2,
  Intimidation 2, Leadership 1
  Skills: Animal Ken 2, Drive 1, Firearms 2, Stealth 3,
  Survival 2
  Knowledges: Academics 4 (Victorian Literature), Fi-
  nance 1, Investigation 2, Law 1, Linguistics 2, Medicine 1,
  Occult 1, Politics 1, Science 2
  Disciplines: Animalism 2, Auspex 2, Fortitude 2, Protean 3
  Backgrounds: Contacts 2, Herd 1, Resources 2
  Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 3, Courage 4
  Morality: Humanity 6
  Willpower: 7
  DR.ALLANT. WOODSTOCK
  Background: Dr. Woodstock's promising research
  career at Cambridge University was cut short by the Great
  War. He was drafted by the armed forces, marched quickly
  through officer training and hurried into a lab full of
  scientists whose job was to refine and develop delivery
  systems for deadly mustard gas and other chemical weap-
  ons. Troubled by thoughts of his young wife and daughter
  alone at home, he turned his tremendous intellect to the
  grim task of killing thousands of enemy soldiers. The
  military tested his weapons on rats, rabbits, dogs —
  whatever could be caught and caged to see how quickly it
  would die. Lieutenant Woodstock's commanding officer
  was not satisfied with animal testing, and ordered the
  scientists to run their tests on human subjects: soldiers
  wounded in the field, perhaps beyond hope, some of them
  prisoners of war. The horrified Woodstock refused, and
  the major busted the principled scientist down to sergeant
  and sent him out with the infantry. Sergeant Woodstock
  died at the Battle of Verdun, in the sixth month of the
  conflict.
  A scavenging Gangrel found him on the field, his
  blood pumping weakly into the mud, breath barely rat-
  tling from his lungs. Dr. Woodstock does not remember
  his sire, and wonders to this night whether the shadowy
  CHAPTER THREE: BEASTS AMONG MEN
  97
  \
  
  creature sensed that he was somehow different from the
  other doughboys dead and dying on the battlefield, or
  whether it was simply his warm blood and his sire's
  sloppiness that bought him immortality. The Kindred
  vitae filled his broken body with enough strength to sink
  deep into the bloodstained ground. The war was long over
  when he reemerged, the Germans pushed back, his infan-
  try company gone home; and his young wife, who thought
  him dead, remarried — which was undoubtedly for the
  best. Dr. Woodstock took refuge in his science with a
  pharmaceutical company willing to make scheduling al-
  lowances for a talented but shell-shocked young veteran.
  His brilliant and steady work brought him to the attention
  of London's Lady Anne Bowesley, who sent her retainers
  to explore the niceties of bringing the promising mortal
  into Clan Ventrue. She took his prior Embrace with good
  grace, and eased his introduction to Kindred society with
  her influence — in exchange for certain investigations.
  Dr. Woodstock kept his head down during World
  War II. It was a convenient time to leave London for the
  wide expanse of Greenland in the company of his
  clanmates, to leam the ways and traditions of the Gangrel.
  The doctor has remained active and mobile since the
  close of that war, maintaining a permanent haven in
  London but moving his compact laboratory facilities from
  city to city — sometimes countries or continents away.
  The focus of his research has changed through the years.
  Although he finds the human body and its interaction
  with Kindred vitae fascinating, die unexplainable, magi-
  cal abilities possessed by vampires keep him awake during
  the day, designing studies that will allow him to define
  Disciplines precisely, mathematically, scientifically. His
  results have been frustrating, since it has proven nearly
  impossible to repeat the results of any given study. The
  variations and exceptional uses of Disciplines that he has
  recorded in decades of study are of interest to princes and
  elders. Dr. Woodstock doesn't really understand why such
  unreliable results would be valuable to anyone — indeed,
  he has read compiled research by one Douglas Netchurch,
  which seems much more complete than his own. None-
  theless, they are thecurrency with whichhehas maintained
  his good relations with the Camarilla and the princes in
  whose domains he resides.
  He takes advantage of his unnatural span of years by
  conducting experiments that take exceptionally long to
  complete. Among other schemes, he has blinded young
  vampires and Embraced the congenitally blind to com-
  pare their adaptation of the Protean Discipline; and
  Embraced and ghouled identical twins to compare their
  learning speeds and skills. His experiments with human
  and Kindred subjects, and the occasional deaths of those
  upon whom he feeds, cause him occasional twinges of
  conscience — twinges he pushes down with reminders of
  the horrors humans invent for themselves, and that con-
  science cost him his life so many years ago. The subject of
  his most recently completed experiment is a young Torea-
  dor named Anna. Dr. Woodstock watched her grow from
  infancy to a beautiful young woman; the addition of
  Toreador blood to two decades of careful devotion has sent
  the normally reserved scientist into a tizzy. He has traded
  in a king's ransom in prestation debt to secure Anna's
  continued existence. Her sire, perturbed by the
  experiment's lack of positive results, had threatened to
  invoke his right of destruction, but Dr. Woodstock cannot
  imagine his existence without her after so many years.
  Dr. Woodstock maintains a small (but expensive)
  laboratory with two ghouled research assistants (his re-
  tainers). He fills the gaps between his Discipline
  experiments with more conventional research, and pub-
  lishes his results through a network of scientists in
  universities and the corporate world. His appearance has
  degraded over the years: his left leg now bends backward
  at the knee like the hind leg of an animal, and his
  habitually worn lab coat hides the patchwork of assorted
  fur that covers most of his torso.
  Image: Dr. Woodstock prefers pressed wool trousers,
  crisp shirts and ties under his worn but clean lab coats. On
  extended trips he will relax his wardrobe into colonial-style
  khakis. The bifocals perched on the end of his nose are part
  affectation, and part handy magnifying glass.
  Roleplaying Hints: Science used to be the most
  important thing in your life. You haven't fallen out of love
  with your experiments, but you have become enchanted
  by one of them. Anna is the only thing that can tear you
  away from your studies without frustration, and you would
  do absolutely anything to maintain her affection for you.
  Clan: Gangrel
  Sire: Unknown
  Nature: Perfectionist
  Demeanor: Pedagogue
  Generation: 10th
  Embrace: 1916
  Apparent Age: Late 20s
  Physical: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5
  Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1
  Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 5, Wits 3
  Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Dodge 2,
  Empathy 2, Intimidation 2, Leadership 2, Subterfuge 1
  Skills: Animal Ken 4, Crafts 2, Drive 2, Etiquette 2,
  Firearms 3, Melee 2, Stealth 2, Survival 3
  Knowledges: Academics 4, Computer 1, Finance 1, In-
  vestigation 3, Linguistics 3, Medicine 4, Occult 3, Politics 2,
  Science 4
  Disciplines: Animalism 2, Auspex 2, Fortitude 2, Protean 4
  I
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  98
  
  Backgrounds: Allies 3, Clan Prestige 2, Contacts 3,
  Generation 5, Influence 2, Resources 4, Retainers 2,
  Status 3
  Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 5, Courage 4
  Morality: Humanity 5
  Willpower: 5
  MARK DECKER, RELUCTANT PRINCE OF
  MILWAUKEE
  Background: Lucian, a Roman-era Gangrel, Em-
  braced Decker during the American Revolutionary War.
  The young commander was a "sorrow Embrace", to hear
  him tell it. Lucian couldn't bear to kill him when he'd only
  intended to feed from the dead or dying, so he gave Decker
  the Embrace. In some form or other, Decker has been
  fighting ever since.
  He took over an Alabama plantation with his sire in
  the early 19th century, feeding well and regularly from the
  slaves, but the War Between the States forced him to take
  up arms again. After the war, the plantation destroyed and
  his slaves freed, Decker traveled north, finally settling in
  the sleepy little town of Milwaukee. Decker maintained a
  simple haven there until a pack of Lupines ambushed him,
  forcing him into panicked flight. When he awoke after his
  terrified frenzy, Decker found that he'd killed and drained
  his small herd of mortals. He vowed vengeance and
  formed the Anubi, a group dedicated to defending the
  Kindred from Lupines. Over the next century, the Anubi
  set themselves apart from Milwaukee's Kindred society
  and triumphantly claimed nearly a score of Lupine scalps
  as prizes.
  All would have continued in the same vein if the
  domain of Milwaukee had not been shaken with three
  successive shocks from early 1992 to mid-'93. First, Justicar
  Ulisyan Thracs was found to have been destroyed near
  Racine. Less than a week later, a group of neonates
  destroyed an obviously insane Prince Terence Merik —
  who, it seemed, had been responsible for Thracs' death.
  Several months after that, Lupines attacked Chicago en
  masse, killing its prince and decimating its undead popu-
  lation.
  Milwaukee's Kindred society splintered after Merik's
  death. Some took the side of the corpulent Ventrue
  Gracis, while others sided with the Brujah Scott. A few
  refugees fled north from Chicago, but many simply sat
  back, biding their time and waiting for a bold vampire to
  claim the title. The power struggle lasted months, and
  while the Kindred fought and argued, Lupines and a
  German vampire-hunter picked off Cainites throughout
  Milwaukee.
  When the horde of Lupines struck Chicago, Decker
  finally gave up his self-imposed exile from the Council of
  Milwaukee. He believed that if the infighting paralyzing
  the Kindred of Milwaukee did not cease, they could not
  avoid Chicago's fate. He approached the ancient Ventrue
  Hrothulf— whether to secure the old one's assistance or
  assure his noninterference is unclear — and then paid a
  visit to Gracis' haven. Decker slew the Roman Ventrue
  then returned downtown. With the Anubi arrayed behind
  him, Decker entered Elysium and declared himself prince.
  Decker's gambit might have failed at once, but the
  remaining council members saw him as an unknown, and
  as such preferable to an enemy otherwise jockeying for the
  throne. Additionally, years of Lupine fighting had taken
  Decker's martial talents to an unheard-of level; though
  Scott had designs on the throne, he showed no interest in
  duelling the leader of the Anubi.
  Due mainly to the Lupine threat, Decker keeps Mil-
  waukee on a war footing. Former Anubi fill most major
  positions in the city, and meetings with the council have
  become an oft-forgotten formality. He enforces the Tradi-
  tions strictly, and regularly disallows even ghoul creation
  as a Masquerade risk. Whatever understanding he reached
  with Hrothulf has since faded; he prevented the ancient
  Ventrue from siring a childe a few years ago, earning that
  elder's enmity.
  Xaviar's break with the Camarilla has complicated
  Decker's unlife even farther. The prince did not know the
  justicar well, and mistrusted the rumors he'd heard, choos-
  ing to remain nominally a part of the Camarilla. But an old
  ally from the Cold War, the ancient Gangrel Inyanga,
  now spends as much time in Milwaukee as Chicago.
  Inyanga has left the Camarilla, as she is far more con-
  cerned with her own well-being than sectarian struggle.
  Decker and Inyanga have become close, the young warrior
  learning secrets from the old witch; her influence has him
  giving serious consideration to pulling Milwaukee out of
  the Camarilla and declaring it a free city.
  CHAPTER THREE: BEASIS AMONG MEN
  99
  \
  
  Image: Mark Decker is a tall, slim man. Like most
  Kindred, his skin is nearly white; his hair is coal black. If
  it were not for the aura of menace he exudes, he might
  seem sickly. His voice rasps when he talks, due to a throat
  scar earned in a long-ago Lupine battle. He is haggard and
  seems more tired than an immortal should. His eyes flick
  back and forth in a somewhat frantic fashion when he is
  forced to stay in long meetings.
  Roleplaying Hints: You're distracted most of the
  time. You've been fighting a war of some kind or other for
  more than two centuries, and you're tired, but you cannot
  rest. You know that if you rest, more of your (former)
  people die (again), and you're sure that if you let go for long
  enough to really rest you'll drop into torpor for a decade or
  three. You are exhausted, drawn and paying attention to
  too many things at once.
  Clan: Gangrel
  Nature: Fanatic
  Demeanor: Survivor
  Generation: 9th
  Embrace: 1777
  Apparent Age: mid-20s
  Physical: Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5
  Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2
  Mental: Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 3 (formerly 5,
  before his nerves began to fray)
  Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 2, Brawl 5, Dodge 5,
  Intimidation 3, Leadership 4, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 3
  Skills: Animal Ken 2, Drive 3, Etiquette 2, Firearms 5,
  Melee 5, Security 4, Stealth 5
  Knowledges: Academics 1, Camarilla Lore 2, Investiga-
  tion 3, Linguistics 2 (French, German), Medicine 2,
  Politics 2
  Disciplines: Animalism 3, Auspex 2, Celerity 5, Domi-
  nate 1, Fortitude 3, Obfuscate 4, Potence 3, Protean 5
  Backgrounds: Allies 2, Resources 3, Retainers 5, Status 4
  Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 3, Courage 5
  Morality: Humanity 5
  Willpower: 7
  \
  CLANBOOK: GANGREL
  100
  
  NAME:
  PLAYER:
  CHRONICLE:
  PHYSICAL
  Strength 
  •OOOO
  Dexteritv 
  •OOOO
  Stamina 
  •OOOO
  TALENTS
  Alertness 
  OOOOO
  Athletics 
  OOOOO
  Brawl 
  OOOOO
  Dodge 
  OOOOO
  Empathy 
  OOOOO
  1 Expression 
  OOOOO
  1 Intimidation 
  OOOOO
  1 Leadership 
  OOOOO
  1 Streetwise 
  OOOOO
  Subterfuge 
  OOOOO
  BACKGROUNDS
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  -• ——— MERITS/FLAWS ——— •-
  —————————
  ^junurci
  NATURE: 
  *^
  DEMEANOR:
  CONCEPT:
  SOCIAL
  Charisma 
  •OOOO
  Manipulation 
  •OOOO
  Appearance 
  •OOOO
  SKILLS
  Animal Ken 
  OOOOO
  Crafts 
  OOOOO
  Drive 
  OOOOO
  Etiquette 
  OOOOO
  Firearms 
  OOOOO
  Melee 
  OOOOO
  Performance 
  OOOOO
  Security 
  OOOOO
  Stealth 
  OOOOO
  Survival 
  OOOOO
  DISCIPLINES
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  OOOOO
  -• ———— H UMANITY/P ATH ———— •-
  o o o o o o o o o o
  -• ———— WILLPOWER ———— *-
  O O O O O O O O O O
  n n n n n n n n n n
  - ———— BLOOD POOL ———— •-
  n n n n n D n n n D
  GENERATION:
  SIRE:
  HAVEN:
  MENTAL
  Perception 
  •OOOO
  Intelligence 
  •OOOO
  Wits 
  •OOOO
  KNOWLEDGES
  Academics 
  OOOOO
  Computer 
  OOOOO
  Finance 
  OOOOO
  Investigation 
  OOOOO
  Law 
  OOOOO
  Linguistics 
  OOOOO
  Medicine 
  OOOOO
  Occult 
  OOOOO
  Politics 
  OOOOO
  Science 
  OOOOO
  VIRTUES
  Conscience/Conviction •OOOO
  Self-Control/Instinct •OOOO
  Courage 
  •OOOO
  - —————— HEALTH —————— •-
  Bruised 
  D
  Hurt 
  -1 D
  Injured 
  -1 D
  Wounded 
  -2 D
  Mauled 
  -2 D
  Crippled 
  -5 d
  Incapacitated 
  d
  -• ———— WEAKNESS ———— *-
  Incurable Derangement
  
  Gangrel
  —— OTHER TRAITS ""™"
  _OOOOQ
  _OOOOQ
  _OOOOO
  _ooooo
  _ooooo
  _ooooo
  ooooo
  .OOOOQ
  .ooooo
  .ooooo
  .OOOOQ
  .ooooo
  .OOOOQ
  ooooo
  • •*
  .ooooo
  .ooooo
  .ooooo
  .OOOOQ
  .ooooo
  .ooooo
  .ooooo
  +
  RITUALS-
  NAME
  LEVEL 
  TOTALI_
  1 EXPERIENCE
  TOTAL SP^NT:_
  spent on:
  •DERANGEMENTS
  BOUNDTO
  •BLOOD BONDS/ VINCULI
  RATING 
  BOUND TO
  RATING
  COMBAT
  I
  WEAPON
  DAMAGE
  RANGE
  RATE
  Crip
  CONCEAL
  ARMOR
  
  Cjangrel
  ALLIES
  BACKGROUND
  MENTOR
  CONTACTS
  RESOURCES
  FAME
  RETAINERS
  HERD
  STATUS
  INFLUENCE
  OTHER
  GEAR (CARRIED)
  POSSESSIONS
  EQUIPMENT (OWNED)
  FEEDING GROUNDS
  VEHICLES
  LOCATION
  HAVENSDESCRIPTION
  
  C/angrel
  'HISTORY'
  PRELUDE
  •APPEARANCE'
  Aoe_______
  APPARENT AGE_
  DATE OF BIRTH_
  RIP______
  HAIR________
  EYES________
  RACE_______
  NATIONALITY_
  HEIGHT_____
  WEIGHT______
  VlSUALS
  COTERIH CHART
  CHARACTER SKETCH
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/World of Darkness (WoD) [multi]/oWoD/Vampire (c)/Clanbooks/OWoD - White Wolf - Vampire - The Masquerade - Clanbook - Gangrel (Revised).pdf