Seattle has seen many industrial booms, and in the world of Vampire: The Masquerade, have been present to take advantage of it. With immortality on their side, they have had the chance to grow their fortunes and build relationships with the biggest businesses of the 21st century. They are no stranger to doing anything that needs to be done in order to keep and grow their clan's prosperous future.When it comes to the vampire society in Bloodlines 2, the Ventrue clan is known for their untouchable statuses all throughout history. With their members being in positions such as high priests, emperers, investment bankers, and even chairman of the board, going against the Ventrue would be foolish.The strength of the Ventrue lies in their status and wisdom on how to keep it. Power is the name of the game and players that choose this clan gain access to their disciplines, secrets, and 'Thinblood Powers'.For more on other clans in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, check out associate editor Javy Gwaltney's look into.
. 1991 (1st edition). 1992 (2nd edition). 1998 (Revised edition).
2011 (20th Anniversary). 2018 (5th edition)Genre(s)PersonalSystem(s)Vampire: The Masquerade is a (tabletop RPG) created by and released in 1991 by as the first of several games for its setting line. It is set in a fictionalized 'gothic-punk' version of the modern world, where players assume the roles of, who are referred to as 'Kindred', and deal with their night-to-night struggles against their own bestial natures, vampire hunters and each other.Several associated products were produced based on Vampire: The Masquerade, including ( ), dice, ( ), ( and ), and numerous novels. In 1996, a short-lived television show loosely based on the game, was produced by for the. Contents.Development Vampire was inspired by RPGs such as and, as well as the writings of and vampire films such as.
Rein-Hagen felt that hunting vampires, as a game premise, would get boring so he came up with the idea of a game where the players played vampires instead of hunting them. Rein-Hagen specifically stated that he purposefully didn't read Anne Rice's until 'very late' in the development process but admitted she was probably an influence on the vampire films that inspired the game. He wanted to go beyond what Anne Rice had done by creating individual vampires, with a whole secret vampire society and culture.Some of Vampire 's central themes of the power of belief developed out of Rein-Hagen's religious upbringing. Inspired by a comic book given to him by White Wolf business partner, Rein-Hagen developed the idea that the cursed character of the was the original vampire. In an 'Ask Me Anything' interview on Rein-Hagen referred to the idea of Cain as the progenitor of all vampires as a 'big turning point'. He commented further: 'I was trying to shy away from religion. I went all in.
The game and the world became about religion and belief. My father was a Lutheran minister, and I think that played a huge role in not only Vampire but the whole WoD series. I was always fascinated by what made people believe so strongly when I didn't seem to believe at all. Talking about that theme, the power of belief, fueled the second half of Vampire game design.' Vampire was notably new in many respects. It was conceived as a dark, moody urban fantasy game with a unique gothic feel that harkened back to TSR's.
It would also be the first of a series of linked games sharing the same game world. Its simple cover photo of a rose on green marble set the tone for the game and differentiated it from other games on the market. Its content was also novel, as the game focused on plots, intrigue and story as opposed to more straightforward dungeon scenarios. While the RPG industry in general had been trending towards a more narrative approach, Vampire was one of the first games of its kind to center on these things.Horror games had traditionally been a tough sell in the RPG industry, but Vampire included elements that made it a dark superhero game rather than purely a horror game. An extensive list of broad supernatural powers, called disciplines, which included superior strength, speed and toughness, as well as other powers such as mystic senses, mind control and blood magic, gave the player characters a more super-human rather than horror feel. The 13 clans added late in the development process provided a much needed character-class-like system based on vampiric archetypes which proved very popular with players.For its mechanical elements Rein-Hagen turned to, co-designer of Shadowrun (1989).
Vampire 's system of 'comparative' dice pools drew on the mechanics innovated by Shadowrun changing only the type of dice rolled; ten sided rather than six sided. Skill values that determined the number of dice rolled had been used in games like, but rather than add the result of the dice in total, Vampire compared the result of the dice with a fixed value to determine the degree of success or failure.
Skill levels were relatively low, ranging usually from one to five, and were represented with dots rather than numbers, which was the standard of its contemporaries. Players could easily figure their dice pool and roll against the assigned difficulty rating.
This system was a boon for narrative style of play that emphasized story over mechanics, as it was easy for new players to quickly grasp, but often provided unexpected results, such as a higher skilled character being more likely to fumble.Gameplay Concept The game uses the cursed, immortal vampiric condition as a backdrop to explore themes of morality, depravity, the human condition (or appreciation of the human condition in its absence), salvation, and personal horror. The gloomy and exaggerated version of the real world that the vampires inhabit, called the ',' forms an already bleak canvas against which the stories and struggles of characters are painted. The themes that the game seeks to address include retaining the character's sense of self, humanity, and sanity, as well as simply keeping from being crushed by the grim opposition of mortal and supernatural antagonists and, more poignantly, surviving the politics, treachery, and often violent ambitions of their own kind.Game system. Main article:Vampire is based on the Storyteller System.
In addition to the general Storyteller rules, it uses a number of specific mechanics aimed towards simulating the vampiric existence. A vampire has a blood pool signifying the amount of human blood or vitae currently in their body; this blood can be spent to power abilities and perform supernatural tricks.
These tricks simulate many of those portrayed on film, such as turning into animals or mist, sleeping in the ground or having unnatural charisma and powers of hypnotic suggestion.Close to the central theme of the game is Humanity. Vampires each have Humanity scores, measuring how closely in touch with they are; as Humanity decreases, vampires become more susceptible to the Beast, the feral side of the vampiric soul that is driven entirely by rage, hunger, and hatred of God and humanity. Brutal, immoral actions risk lowering a vampire's Humanity score. If the individual's Humanity drops to zero, the Beast takes over and the vampire is in a state of constant frenzy known as Wassail.The actions taken during gameplay are expressed using. The number of dice used correspond to the player's current skill level, often based on two different skills that together represent the player's ability.
For example, to land a punch, the character's dexterity and brawl skill are combined. The resulting number is the number of dice rolled to perform the task. It is up to the story teller to set how high a die roll must be to be considered a success (usually 6 for standard actions).Vampires in World of Darkness Vampires in the World of Darkness make use of several familiar tropes of vampires in myth and legend such as immortality and a powerful thirst for blood. They are truly undead as their hearts do not beat, they do not require food or drink, they do not age, their skin is cold and pale, and the only sustenance they require is blood. Despite their undead status, vampires of this world are thinking, feeling beings capable of thought, emotion, and empathy (though this capacity may diminish with age, or through a desensitization caused by immoral actions, referred to as 'loss of Humanity').: 8 Other tropes or weaknesses are described as mere legends or superstitions, such as a vampire's victim becoming a vampire simply from a bite.
Though they are typically not repulsed by garlic or holy symbols, there is a system of merits and flaws that can affect characters in this way, though they are not animated by some demonic spirit according to in-game lore.: 8 Weaknesses Sunlight is fearsome and deadly to vampires of this canon, and at most, they can tolerate a few seconds of exposure before perishing. A wooden stake through the heart is not deadly to these creatures but will immobilize them until it is removed.: 8 Arguably their biggest weakness is what is known in-game as the Beast. The Beast is a savage, carnal predatory drive within all vampires. The Beast seeks only to satisfy its base urge to survive. Anger, mortal threats, hunger, or blood lust are some of the things that can cause the Beast to rise. The Beast is capable of taking over the vampire's conscious mind, forcing them into a frenzied state where they take violent, often deeply regrettable, actions that they perhaps otherwise would not. One of the major themes of Vampire is characters' battles to strike a balance between their violent, predatory nature and being morally responsible before their humanity is eroded by this powerful force within themselves.: 16-17 This theme is summed up in the axiom, 'A Beast I Am, Lest a Beast I Become.'
: 14Vampires may enter a deathlike sleep called torpor. Torpor may be caused by near-fatal injuries or may be entered voluntarily. In-game, the level of the vampire's humanity determines how long they sleep for.: 283-284 Though they cannot die of old age, vampires in this setting can die. Fire, sunlight, decapitation, supernatural powers, or succumbing to a clan weakness can cause the vampire to reach what is referred to as Final Death - to truly die.: 283-284 Torpor allows the vampire release from their existential pain but it also may make them vulnerable.
Vampires in this state, if not well hidden, may have difficulty defending themselves and are vulnerable to destruction by vampire hunters or Diablerie by other vampires.: 283-284 Vitae Characters in this world refer to the supernatural blood in their bodies that sustains them as vitae. Vampires gain vitae by drinking blood. In-game, this accumulation of vitae is called blood pool. This represents the amount of vitae the player has available to expend to fuel supernatural powers, to heal wounds, or to increase their physical strength, agility, or stamina. Characters can replace lost Vitae by drinking more blood.A vampire's vitae can inspire false feelings of love and foster dependency if drunk by others.
This addiction to vampiric blood is called the Blood Bond. The vampire performing the bond is called a Regnant and the one being bound is called a Thrall. In most cases, a victim must drink three times from the same vampire on three separate nights to become bonded.
Once bonded, the victim feels something akin to a very twisted sort of love for the vampire and they become the most important person in their life. They also become more susceptible to mind control by that vampire and are willing to do anything, even risk their own life, to aid their regnant. Mortals, animals, and even other vampires and other supernatural creatures may be bound. The Sabbat practice a different form of group blood bonding by incorporating ancient Tzimisce Blood Magic called the Vaulderie that inspires loyalty and sodality among the sect. It will also instantly break conventional blood bonds if performed correctly by a trained vampire, typically a Pack Priest. They can also be negated by extended amounts of time depending on how far the Bond has gone (steps one, two or three), willpower and the extended absence of the regnant in order to do so.: 286-288 The embrace Vampires may create more of themselves by draining a human to the point of death and then feeding the victim some of their blood.
The creator vampire is known as a sire, the newly created vampire a childe and the creation process is referred to as the embrace. Very little vitae is required to trigger the transformation but the victim must be freshly dead. It does not work on corpses that are more than a few minutes old.A vampire's relative power is limited by something called their Generation, which is set at the time of their embrace. Generation is the vampire's distance from the race's mythical founder, Cain, who is alleged to be the first vampire. For example, a ninth generation is nine generations from Cain. Should this ninth generation vampire embrace someone their progeny would be tenth generation regardless of how many times they do this.: 28 Generation is largely a fixed trait but characters can lower their generation by committing diablerie — the consumption of the soul of a vampire of lower generation.
Attitudes towards diablerie range from criminalization to an act of liberation. Regardless, diablerie is a serious act not to be taken lightly.: 24, 28Motivations and mores surrounding the embrace differ from clan and sect. In some sects, such as the Camarilla, the creation of new vampires is tightly controlled.: 22-23 Among the Sabbat or the Anarchs the norms are much looser.: 19 Individual clans, especially the Independent Clans, have different norms, rituals and restrictions surrounding the creation of new vampires. Some only embrace a certain ethnic group, such as the Romani with the Ravnos: 64 or within certain mortal families as with the Giovanni.: 47, 56-57 Others simply look for certain qualities such as the ability to survive, intelligence, curiosity or artistic talent. Some create other vampires for power, others for companionship and some are created as fodder for the endless, ancient conflicts, known as the Jyhad, that are central to gameplay.Myths and origins Vampires in the World of Darkness believe that their race originates with the Biblical figure of Cain. Cain was said to have been cursed by God with a vampiric state for murdering his brother. The vampires of this canon believe themselves to descend from this Biblical progenitor.It is said that Cain was able to pass on his cursed state to others, thereby, making them like himself only somewhat weaker.
These first childer, known as the second generation, were said to have been made to keep him company, and they in turn made the third generation. The third were supposedly numbered thirteen and are the semi-legendary founders of the thirteen original clans.
According to in-game legend, all of these vampires lived in peace under Cain's rule in the legendary city known as Enoch, or the First City. When God caused the, however, the city was destroyed and Cain disappeared, leaving his Childer to fend for themselves. The third generation eventually rose up and slew their sires. Cain, upon discovering this, cursed them. Cain's curse is supposedly the reason each clan now has its own weakness.
These myths are collected in an in-game document of dubious reliability known as the Book of Nod. Those who study the mythical vampire origins are called Noddists. According to Noddist mythology there are claims that Cain will return at the end of time to judge his descendants: the Antediluvians and all vampires descended from them. This event is known as Gehenna, the end of all vampiric races. Others claim that Gehenna is simply the wakening of the Antediluvians who have returned to feed on the blood of their descendants.: 30Differing interpretations of the myths divide vampire society.
The Sabbat, for example, take the myths quite literally and believe that it is their purpose to defend vampires from the depredations of the ancients. The Camarilla is more dismissive, either claiming that Cain is nothing more than a myth or metaphor or outright suppressing the myths and their study.
Contentions between the different societies surrounding the origins of vampires and Gehenna are important in-game motivations for the Jyhad that color the character's understanding of their world. Regardless as to whether or not the myths are true in the context of the game the myth of Cain represents important themes presented in the metaplot such as sins of the father coming back upon his children, the threat of apocalypse, questions of faith, conspiracies, and war of ages.: 14-15, 28Golconda is a fabled state of enlightenment that offers vampires a release from their struggle with the Beast. Different editions have gone into different level of detail as to what Golconda is but all agree that it is an elusive and mysterious state and there is very little information in-game or out as to how to achieve it.: 30 The Masquerade In Vampire: The Masquerade, the Masquerade refers to an organized conspiracy primarily orchestrated by the Camarilla to convince the general public that vampires do not exist.
The Camarilla believes the Masquerade is the cornerstone survival strategy for Kindred and fear that without it the kine would rise up and exterminate all the undead.: 14, 22, 33Prohibitions against exposing the existence of Kindred existed prior to the 15th century in a set of ancient laws known as the Traditions. The First Tradition reads:'Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the Blood.
Doing such shall renounce thy claims of Blood.' : 22-23This stricture was not consistently nor as strictly enforced until the Inquisition of the 15th century required it. During this period vampires were destroyed in large numbers by vampire hunters which largely prompted the formation of a sect known as the Camarilla whose primary purpose was to promote and enforce the Masquerade as a means of survival.: 38The Masquerade is largely enforced through self-policing, but it is primarily the job of the Prince in Camarilla controlled cities to enforce it. Princes may use any means at their disposal to ensure vampire society stays hidden and that those who break the Masquerade are duly punished. Punishments for breaches have a range but are usually draconian in nature due to the seriousness of the Masquerade. Final Death, often by means of a ritualized 'Blood Hunt' by other vampires, is not uncommon.
When breaches do occur, the Camarilla takes great pains to repair them. This could include anything from erasing mortal's memories using supernatural powers to manipulating mortal pawns in order to keep events out of the media.: 38-39The Masquerade is one of the main in-game points of contention between the two major factions of vampires in the World of Darkness. While many vampires see the pragmatism in the Masquerade some do not agree with it. For example, the Sabbat do not uphold the Tradition that justifies the enforcement of the Masquerade but behind closed doors even they take some steps to contain breaches.: 40-47 Society. Main article:Vampires in the World of Darkness have a rich, complex, and diverse secret society with a range of ideologies, goals, and backgrounds.
Sects largely divide along ideological disputes surrounding the distribution of power among vampires, the role of vampires in the human world, and the ancient myths that allegedly explain the origins and purpose of vampires.Age An important means of social distinction among vampires in this setting is through age. Younger vampires wanting respect and power must prove themselves to their elders. While ambition can provide a degree of upward mobility among immortals, oftentimes respect comes to those who can prove they can survive.: 18-19 Characters are loosely divided into several age groups. Ages aren't titles or jobs but rather loose descriptions to describe a vampire's development and the social expectations that come with aging.: 19. Fledgling - Newly Embraced vampires who have yet to formally enter vampire society.
Fledglings are still too ignorant and weak to survive on their own (though some among the Sabbat manage it) and are dependent on their Sires for protection and education. Neonates - Though still young, a neonate has proved that they can survive on their own and is seen as a full-fledged member of their society. Ancilla - Ancilla have survived a few decades or perhaps a few centuries.
They have also likely accomplished something in their time for their sect or clan though what this might be varies. Elder - A relative term that could indicate a vampire is anywhere between 200 and 1,000 years old. They generally have a great deal of wealth, influence, or power to leverage in the Jyhad. Methuselah - Methuselah range between 1,000 and 2,000 years old. At this age, vampires begin to retreat from society and many do not survive the profound changes brought on by surviving this long.
Antediluvian -Antediluvians are believed to be those vampires of the Third Generation who are descended from Cain’s original children. There are rumored to be only thirteen of them.: 19Clans and sects Vampires organize and divide themselves politically and ideologically into sects which form governing structure for undead societies. Laws and norms concerning the place of vampires within the mortal world, feeding, the treatment of vessels, vampiric morality, secrecy, feeding grounds, Gehenna and the distribution of power form the basis of these divisions. The two major sects are the Camarilla and the Sabbat, but there are other sects as well, such as the Inconnu or the Anarchs.
A sect is something a character may choose in-game, though this decision is often chosen for them by their Sire. Defection to one side or the other is possible, but come with great risk, as much of what motivates the Jyhad are the ideological differences between the Camarilla and the Sabbat.: 19-22 Sects Vampire: The Masquerade offers the players the opportunity to play in a politically diverse world in which sects rule over all of vampire society. While many factions and sub-sects exist in the game, the main focus is the conflict between the Camarilla, the Sabbat and the Anarchs. The Camarilla — Nicknamed the 'Ivory Tower', the Camarilla strictly adheres to a set of ancient laws known as the Traditions.
The Camarilla was created as a reaction to the Inquisition and sees its purpose as maintaining the Masquerade as a means of ensuring the survival of all Kindred. The Traditions are enforced and order in each jurisdiction (usually one city in the mortal world) maintained by a powerful leader known as a Prince.
It is the Prince's duty to interpret the Traditions and act as judge, jury, and executioner. The Camarilla describes itself in idealistic terms suggesting it is a genteel society of undead peers but harbors a vast, complex, and rigid hierarchy that breeds ancient rivalries and vicious political machinations.
The Camarilla actively denies or suppresses myths about Gehenna and the race's legendary ancient founders.: 19-22 Camarilla vampires refer to themselves (and all other vampires) as 'Kindred' as a means of reminding themselves of their origins in humanity. Camarilla vampires often refer to humans as ', an archaic term for. The Anarch Movement — Ostensibly a faction within the Camarilla, the Anarch Movement are decentralized groups of vampires spread out across the world who question what they see as the Camarilla's outmoded means of governing. It contains a diverse range of ideologies but they believe in a more equitable redistribution of power between Kindred.: 19-22. The Sabbat — Nicknamed the 'Sword of Cain', the Sabbat was formed during the Anarch Revolt in response to the oppressive rule of the Elder vampires. The Sabbat do not openly follow the Traditions but instead adhere to a system of self-rule, freedom, and interdependence as outlined in the Code of Milan. The Sabbat actively believe that Gehenna is real and it is their duty to protect Cainites from the predation of the Antediluvians.
The Sabbat believe themselves superior to humans and ultimately believe that they should rule over the human world rather than hide from it. Many have a flagrant disregard for human life which is evinced in the brutal tactics they use in the Jyhad. While anyone may ostensibly claim membership in the Camarilla, the Sabbat have brutal initiation rites where characters must prove their loyalty. They also practice cult-like rituals and a form of ceremonial group Blood Bonding, called Vaulderie, to ensure loyalty.: 19-22, 288 The Sabbat scorn the idea of vampires being Kindred, referring to themselves as Cainites and emphasizing their origins in the blood of. They often use more vulgar epithets for their human vessels.: 19-22. The Inconnu — A mysterious sect of elders rumored to have achieved or are in pursuit of Golconda; a sort of redemptive transcendence for the Damned.
The most visible sign of the sect are its Monitors who sometimes take up residence in a territory.: 22. Tal’Mahe’Ra — Otherwise known as the 'True Black Hand', the Tal’Mahe’Ra is a strange and insular sect with its base of operations deep in the Shadowlands. Its motivations and purpose are unknown and most know very little about it.: 22. The Independents — The Independent Clans operate outside of the Camarilla or the Sabbat. Many of them function like small-scale Sects, such as the Followers of Set or the Giovanni, with specific agendas in mind.
Others, such as the Ravnos are more individualistic. The Assamites lie between these extremes, having a centralized hierarchy in the Middle East, but generally operating as freelance mercenaries. These are the only four proper Clans to be regarded as independent (prior to the game's third edition, in which Clan Gangrel formally left the Camarilla), but 'Antitribu' splinters of other clans may become independent agencies, as may the more minor 'Bloodlines' which do not hold full Clan status.: 22A vampire who rejects all associations with any sect and clan is known as 'Autarkis'. The Laibon, called by Western Kindred, are not so much a sect as a cultural group bound together loosely by a powerful spiritual bond to the land and the people of Africa.
The, while sharing some superficial similarity to the western Kindred, are actually an entirely different variety of supernatural being.Clans A clan is the character's vampire family. All members of a clan allegedly descend from the clan's Antediluvian founder. It is widely accepted that there are thirteen clans with thirteen founders, though not all of them are technically Antediluvian. Some clan founders, such as Giovanni or Tremere, usurped their position via Diablerie. Clans may have a social or political component to them, but a clan is not something a character chooses; it is something they are Embraced into.
Those without a clan are known as Caitiff, and are considered outsiders.: 19-22 The 13 Clans Vampire: The Masquerade introduces the use of 13 clans (or major bloodlines) in the game. Each accepted clan can trace its origins to one of 13 elder vampires known as an, for they survived 's biblical flood. Each Antediluvian is a “grandchilde” of, who killed and was cursed by God and His archangels into becoming the first vampire. Through the back story of the game, Antediluvians started a war among themselves, called the, and use their clansmen to fight this war for them.Each Clan and Bloodline has a unique set of powers called Disciplines, and their own set of weaknesses, also unique to that particular branch of vampire. Assamite: A cult of undead assassins based in the middle east. They kill for hire, and are paid in Vitae for use in special rituals that bring the clan's members closer to Cain.
They possess a specialized Discipline called Quietus, which aids in stealth and killing. In the ancient past, the Tremere placed a curse on the entire clan in order to curb their rampant Diablerie. As a result, the clan could not consume Vitae without suffering terrible wounds and is unable to benefit from Diablerie. (This curse was broken in the game's third edition, and the 'Antitribu' faction in the Sabbat was never affected by it; un-cursed Assamites are instead highly susceptible to 'blood addiction', and may be driven to compulsively attack other vampires for their Vitae). Assamites are largely independent of sects.: 20, 49. Brujah: In ancient times, the Brujah were a clan of noble philosophers and warrior-poets.
Since the loss of their city of Carthage, which was their crowning achievement, they have become a clan of malcontents, rebels, rogues, and anti-authoritarians. Brujah possess great passion, but this same passion makes it harder for them to resist the Beast. Brujah are one of the seven founding clans of the Camarilla.: 20, 51. Followers of Set: A clan of cultists who worship their Antediluvian progenitor, the Egyptian snake god. They are masters of secret and forbidden lore and foster corruption and desperation in the world as part of their worship of their god.
Their signature Discipline is Serpentis which allows them to take on aspects of snakes. Setites are especially sensitive to light and take twice as much damage from sunlight as other Kindred. Followers of Set independent of the sects considering themselves a sect unto themselves.: 20, 52-53. Gangrel: A clan of animalistic shape-shifters who shun the cities for the wilderness beyond. Independent and more interested in their own survival, the Gangrel prefer to run with wild animals rather than play politics with others of their kind.
Clans In Vampire The Masquerade
Gangrel are masters of the Discipline Protean which allows them to change their bodies into bestial shapes. When Gangrel frenzy, they resemble the Beast, taking on animal features and disfigurements. Gangrel are one of the seven founding clans of the Camarilla, although they broke from it close to the end of the game line.: 20, 54-55. Giovanni: The Giovanni originated from a wealthy Venetian merchant family of necromancers whose patriarch, Augustus Giovanni, was embraced into clan Cappodocian. Giovanni exterminated the parent clan, Diablerized its founder, and founded a new clan, but in doing so gained the enmity of the larger Kindred community. Branded 'Devil Kindred,' the Giovanni made peace with the rest of the clan by swearing to remain neutral in the Jyhad. The Giovanni are tight-knit and highly organized, and they embrace only within certain mortal families.
The Giovanni are primarily interested in wealth and necromancy, but these are simply a means to an end. The clan's founder wishes to remove the barrier between the living world and the dead in order to reign supreme. The clan's weakness is that their bite (which in other vampires is normally pleasurable to the victim) causes excruciating pain. The Giovanni are independent.: 20, 56-57.
Lasombra: Darkly aristocratic vampires, Lasombra see power over others and self-mastery as their noblesse oblige. As one of the two founding clans of the Sabbat, they gained notoriety for allegedly destroying their Antediluvian founder. The Lasombra practice a Discipline known as Obtenebration that allows them to manipulate shadows and darkness. Perhaps as a result of their signature Discipline they do not appear in mirrors or on film that uses mirrors in its development.: 20, 58-59.
Malkavian: Malkavian are a clan of lunatics whose madness grants them strange insights. Their Discipline of Dementation allows them to spread their insanity like a plague (prior to the third edition, knowledge of this Discipline was suppressed within the Camarilla). All members of this clan are insane in some way. They are one of the seven founding clans of the Camarilla.: 20, 60-61.
Nosferatu: Clan Nosferatu are doomed to wear their bestial nature on the outside. The Embrace turns its victims into hideous and deformed monsters who are marginalized by their appearance and forced to dwell in the shadows of the sewers. However, their lives on the fringes and their stealthy abilities allow them to learn secrets others would rather keep hidden; as a result, they often traffic in information. All Nosferatu are hideously ugly and obviously monsters to the point that appearing openly would break the Masquerade. They are one of the founding members of the Camarilla.: 20, 62-63.
Ravnos: Clan Ravnos are reputed as outcasts, troublesome thieves, and charlatans. While some among them follow Indian spiritual beliefs concerning cycles of incarnation, others are simple opportunists taking advantage of whatever chaos can be had. Ravnos rarely embrace those not of Eastern European Romani backgrounds. They practice a special Discipline known as Chimestry which allows them to create illusions. All Ravnos indulge in a particular vice as their clan weakness. The Ravnos are independent.: 20, 64-65. Toreador: Toreador are sensitive, artistic, and sometimes debauched hedonists fascinated by the mortal world and its artistic creations.
Enthralled by the ever-changing mortal world, they are one of the few clans who seek to keep up with it. Toreador often Embrace for beauty or to preserve artistic talent. Beauty can utterly captivate them, immobilizing them for a period of time. They are one of the founding seven clans of the Camarilla.: 20, 68-69. Tremere: Tremere are a clan of blood sorcerers and mages originally belonging to the. The Tremere gained their immortal status by experimenting with Tzimisce Vitae.
Their ambitious founder Diablerized the Antediluvian of the former clan Salubri, solidifying the Tremere's status as a clan. Their Discipline of Thaumaturgy allow them to use the power of their blood to cast spells, but their dependency on Vitae makes them more easily susceptible to Blood Bonds. The clan is highly organized, and its members are all partially Blood Bound to the ruling seven Elders of the clan. They are one of the founding seven clans of the Camarilla.: 20, 68-69. Tzimisce: Otherworldly and scholarly, the Tzimisce ruled over their lands in Eastern Europe for centuries. Like the Lasombra, the Tzimisce also claim to have destroyed their founder and are pillars of the Sabbat. Alien but mystical, the Tzimisce use their unique flesh and bone shaping Discipline of Vicissitude to transform themselves into superior beings.
The Tzimisce are deeply tied to the lands where they were Embraced. If they do not rest within proximity of at least two handfuls of the land where they were born or Embraced, they become increasingly debilitated.: 20, 70-71. Ventrue: The Ventrue are the aristocrats and kings of vampires, having historically played a leadership role among the clans. Clan Ventrue seeks power and wealth to support its legacy of rulership over Kindred and Kine.
Ventrue, as a clan, may only feed from a specific kind of vessel (e.g. Virgins, blondes, youngest siblings) which the player selects at character creation.: 20, 72-73Antitribu Most Sabbat vampires consider themselves to be the “anti-Clans” or antitribu in rebellion against their parent clans' values, goals, or loyalties. For example, Toreador within the Sabbat style themselves Toreador antitribu.
Some rebel or twist the expectations of their clans, while others take a more radical view of their lineage's core ideas. Some are so different that they are considered different bloodlines manifesting different Disciplines, weaknesses or even a different name.: 43 The Lasombra and Tzimisce do not consider themselves antitribu as most of their members are within the Sabbat. Lasombra outside the Sabbat are considered antitribu while the Tzimisce outside the Sabbat are referred to as Old Clan. A Sabbat offshoot of the Followers of Set is known as the Serpents of the Light, and have rejected both the clan founder and his Egyptian origin, in favor of the cultural trappings of Caribbean voodoo.: 436, 439 Bloodlines Bloodlines, on the other hand, either cannot trace their lineage to an Antediluvian founder or are too little in number to be considered a major player in the. Some Bloodlines are considered to be offshoots of existing clans. All bloodlines are treated as exceptionally rare in the game, leaving most of the interactions and story lines centered around the clans.: 393.
Baali: An obscure and malevolent bloodline of demon-worshiping vampires legendarily descended from Baal-the-Destroyer. Baali practice a dark Discipline called Daimoinon which allows them to summon the powers of hell, learn dark secrets, or exploit other's weaknesses.
Baali are repulsed by holy symbols. If the Baali join a sect at all, they do so under false pretenses. Their true loyalties are to their infernal master.: 395. Blood Brothers: Members of the Sabbat. Artificially created as shock troops, they are born in groups of seemingingly identical 'twins' or 'triplets' etcetera, and have the power to share wounds, appendages and even disciplines with other members of the same group. Daughters of Cacophony: A mysterious mix of Malkavian, Toreador, and Ventrue, who all claim parentage for the bloodline, the Daughters of Cacophony are devoted to singing of all kinds. They practice a special discipline called Melpominee which allows them to enhance their voices to increase their beauty, or even cause madness or wounds.
Daughters exist in small numbers in both sects or as independents.: 398-399. Gargoyles: Created by the Tremere from other Kindred during their early nights to defend them from their enemies the gargoyle bloodline is exactly what the name entails: stone-skinned, demonic-looking, winged monsters who designed to haunt the exterior of castles. Some remain enslaved by Tremere magic but others have freed themselves and joined the Camarilla.
Besides being hideous, gargoyles easily fall prey to supernatural mind control.: 400-401. Harbingers of Skulls: Rumored to be an ancient bloodline freshly awakened from torpor, the Harbingers of Skulls are necromancers loyal only to the Sabbat. They resemble rotting corpses similar to the Samedi: 402-403 Some believe that they are the long lost remains of the Cappidocians.
Kiasyd: The calm and studious, fey-touched Kiasyd descend from clan Lasombra. They are a rare bloodline ostensibly loyal to the Sabbat but more interested in their scholarship than the Jyhad. Iron inflicts terrible wounds on them and may even cause them to frenzy.: 405-406. Laibon: Originally presented as a single Bloodline of African vampires, which were later expanded into a multi-clan society with their own hardcover sourcebook. Lamia: A particularly obscure Bloodline, thought extinct. Lhiannon: Celtic vampires with powers of druidic witchcraft. Thought extinct.
Nagarajah: Members of the True Black Hand. Asiatic vampires who eat flesh as well as drinking blood.
Old Clan Tzimisce: Members of the True Black Hand. The Tzimisce clan as they were prior to joining the Sabbat and being 'infected' by the Vissicitude discipline.
The legendary Dracula is likely to be a member of the Old Clan, and others of the Bloodline share similar characteristics - a background in Slavic aristocracy, a deep tie to the lands of Carpathia, and so forth. Salubri: The Salubri were one of the thirteen original clans until their founder, Saulot, was diablerized by Tremere. Since then the bloodline has been nearly hunted into extinction by the hands of their usurpers. Far from the reputation of their evil diablerists the former clan practices a Discipline known as Obeah which has the power to heal bodies and minds.
The bloodline intentionally keeps itself small with only seven in existence at any given time. The entire bloodline is devoted to finding Golconda. Salubri cannot feed from unwilling victims. All of this is untrue of the Sabbat branch of the Salubri, who are as 'evil' as the original Salubri are 'good', practicing compulsive warfare and using their 'Valeren' discipline, a perversion and reversal of Obeah, to literally steal human souls. Due to a mix of Tremere propaganda and encounters with the Antitribu faction, Salubri in general are feared and reviled by nearly all vampires, which keeps them on the fringes of vampire society.: 409-410. Samedi: A loathsome necromantic bloodline arising from the Caribbean, being embraced by the Samedi literally causes the victim to appear as a walking corpse. One of the few vampires as horrendous as the Nosferatu, the Samedi practice necromancy and a special Discipline called Thanatosis which they use to weaken or cause death in others.
Samedi exist in small numbers in both sects or as independents.: 410-411. True Brujah: Members of the True Black Hand. Ostensibly the original Brujah clan, whose Antediluvian was displaced by a renegade offspring of their founder. Virtually the exact opposite of 'false' Brujah, the bloodline's members are coldly unemotional, but possess the ability to manipulate the flow of time.Reception In 1992, Vampire: The Masquerade won the for Best Roleplaying Rules of 1991.Vampire: The Masquerade was ranked 6th in the 1996 reader poll of Arcane magazine to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time. The UK magazine's editor Paul Pettengale commented: ' Vampire has always proved the most popular of the World of Darkness games, a testament both to the continuing appeal of the vampire itself, and to the structure and design of the game. Like all of the Storyteller range, it's not an easy game to get right, and it relies heavily on both the players and the referee putting a lot of effort and imagination into their roles. With a good group, though, it can be an immensely interesting and thought-provoking game, and one of the most effective horror RPGs around.
Despite its tendency to take itself a little seriously, Vampire: The Masquerade has a great deal to offer the more mature and serious gamer.' The game was inducted into the Origins Awards Hall of Fame in 2007. Versions The original 1991 version was superseded by a second edition in 1992, and a revised edition in 1998.The Vampire: The Masquerade game line was discontinued in 2004, at which point it was superseded by.On March 17, 2011, White Wolf announced the 20th Anniversary Edition, which was published during the Grand Masquerade event in New Orleans on September 15–17, 2011, released to the attendees. Customers not attending The Grand Masquerade were offered a limited time preorder option. The 20th Anniversary Edition contains revisions of rules and is a compendium of most information provided in supplemental material in the game's earlier life. The 20th Anniversary Edition officially revived Vampire: The Masquerade as part of White Wolf Publishing's shift to a print on demand business model, and multiple new Masquerade products have been announced.
All of White Wolf's tabletop roleplaying games are published by, including Vampire through its 20th Anniversary Edition, while all of White Wolf's products are now published through By Night Studios.A 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade was released in early 2018. Development of the new edition is being led by game designer, and will be distributed. Tie-ins and adaptations.
Under the title Mind's Eye Theatre: The Masquerade White Wolf also provides a in the same setting, using their system., a based on 'Vampire', was produced by and later by White Wolf., a series based on Vampire, was produced by. A based upon the Vampire milieu is, developed by and published in 2000 by. Another game followed in 2004:. Developed by and published by, it uses 's.
is a video game in development by Draw Distance, planned for release in 2019. A, called, was released by Dancing Ferret Discs to serve as a for the Vampire. published a series of comic book adaptations of Vampire: The Masquerade which are now hard to find, but some of them made it into 's service. published an adaptation of Vampire: The Masquerade using their popular generic table-top roleplaying system. They followed this book up with a supplement called GURPS: Vampire Companion. Both books were produced for use with the Third Edition of the GURPS rules and are no longer in print. The Steve Jackson company also produced GURPS conversions of Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and Mage: The Ascension.
Steve Jackson Games had the original copyright to the World of Darkness setting. Initially, SJ Games decided not to release their version; however, after the massive popularity the game setting received during the White Wolf Company's release, SJ Games, which still held their official rights of release on the system, published its version. , and are other titles set in the.In August 2004, the original game set in the Classic World of Darkness was replaced. Vampire: The Masquerade (First Edition).
White Wolf, 1991. (2007). 'Vampire: The Masquerade'. Hobby Games: The 100 Best. Pp. 348–351. Konzack, Lars (2015). Mark Rein.Hagen’s Foundational Influence on 21st Century Vampiric Media.
(1994). Detroit, MI: Visible Ink Press. P. 852. ^ Rein-Hagen, Mark (2014). Retrieved August 31, 2015. ^ stygianjim (September 13, 2012).
Retrieved August 31, 2015. ^ Appelcline, Shannon (2007). Retrieved September 17, 2015.
^;;;. The Masquerade (20th Anniversary Edition).
White Wolf, 2011. Vampire the Masquerade: 20th Anniversary Edition. White Wolf Publishing.
The Book of Nod. White Wolf, 1995. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from on 2008-03-15.
Retrieved 2008-01-12. Pettengale, Paul (Christmas 1996).
'Arcane Presents the Top 50 Roleplaying Games 1996'. (14): 25–35.
Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design. Archived from on 2009-06-04. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
White Wolf Publishing. Retrieved 2011-08-31. White Wolf Publishing. Archived from on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-08-09. 'Vampire The Masquerade'. Onyx Path Publishing.
External link in website= ; Missing or empty url= ; access-date= requires url=. Vampire the Masquerade - Sverige - White Wolf. Modiphius. Romano, Sal (2019-06-04). From the original on 2019-06-04.
Retrieved 2019-06-04. Rpg.drivethrustuff.com.References. Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition.
BrujahThe Brujah are inheritors of a majestic and ancientlegacy, which is unfortunate. Tonight's Brujah seemless like a clan and more like a mob. Punks,terrorists, revolutionaries, criminals, gangbangers andthe like make up the Brujah; the clan seems to beunited in nothing save its contempt for the institutionsof vampire and mortal society. Well, this is notentirely true; Clan Brujah are among the most savagevampires, and the most trivial slight or annoyance may trigger a howling Brujahfrenzy. The Brujah's disunity keeps the clan tenuously in the Camarilla, butBrujah thugs routinely defect to the anarchs, the better to strike against theirhated elders.
Even the 'tamer' Brujah annoy the elders and princes routinelythrough acts of defiance and rebellion. Despite their recalcitrance, however,Brujah are valued as warriors; they are perhaps the most dangerous vampiresin a straightforward battle. To anger a Brujah is nigh suicidal - and Brujah arenotorious for their tempers. GangrelOf all vampires, the Gangrel are perhaps closest totheir inner nature.
These nomadic loners spurn theconstraints of society, preferring the comfort of thewilderness. How they avoid the wrath of thewerewolves is unknown; perhaps it has something todo with the fact that the Gangrel are themselvesshapeshifters. When a mortal speaks of a vampirechanging into a wolf or a bat, she is probablyspeaking of a Gangrel. Like the Brujah, Gangrel are fierce warriors; unlike theBrujah, Gangrel ferocity does not stem from anarchic rage, but from animalisticinstinct. Gangrel have a keen understanding of the Beast in their souls, andprefer to spend their nights in communion with the animals whom they soemulate.
LasombraThe Lasombra.a clan of prestige in the Sabbat.They succeeded in destroying all of the founders andelders outside of its sect. The Lasombra clan is alsothe clan of leadership. They are some of the mostruthless and manipulative vampires in existence. Theyvalue strength and reward those who posses it.The Lasombra are natural leaders. They rose to leadthe Sabbat soon after the Brujah leaders betrayed the anarchs. The Lasombraknew they would be severely punished for the destruction of their elders, sothey had to keep the remaining anarchs strong. The Lasombra took the leadrole in organizing the remaining anarchs into the Sabbat.
Since that time, theyhave enjoyed a great deal of prestige within the sect. All but one one of theRegents have been of this clan.
Most Lasombra are members of foundedpacks since it is easier for them to increase their power in this way. MalkavianAt first glance, the members of Clan Malkavian donot appear to be a clan at all; they are chosen fromall races, creeds and social strata. But Malkavians,regardless of mortal standing, bear one disturbingcommonality: They are all quite mad. Whether fromthe clan's choice of victims, the circumstances of theEmbrace, or some property in Malkavian blooditself, all Malkavians go insane shortly after thetransformation (if they were not insane to begin with).
Accordingly, manyMalkavians find themselves pariahs, ostracized by a vampiric society fearful oftheir random urges and capricious whims. Wiser Kindred, however, prefer tokeep the madmen close at hand: Behind the Malkavians' lunatic cackling andfeverish rantings lie smatterings of insight, even wisdom. NosferatuCaine's childer are called 'The Damned,' and novampires embody this more than do the wretches ofClan Nosferatu. While other vampires still lookhuman and may travel in mortal society, Nosferatuare twisted and deformed by the curse of vampirism.To put it bluntly, the Embrace transforms them intohideous monsters. Unable to walk among humans,Nosferatu must dwell in subterranean sewers andcatacombs. Other vampires revile Nosferatu, considering them disgusting andinteracting with them only when they must. Because of this stigma, however,Nosferatu are survivors par excellence.
Few creatures, mortal or vampire,know the city's back alleys and dark corners like the Nosferatu do.Additionally, Nosferatu have refined the crafts of sneaking and eavesdroppingto fine arts; if anyone or anything has the latest dirt on mortal or vampiricsociety, it is the Nosferatu. Finally, millennia of shared deformity and abusehave fostered strong bonds among the monsters.
Nosferatu forego thesquabbling and feuds ubiquitous to the other clans, preferring to work inunison. You mess with one, you mess with 'em all - and that can get messyindeed. ToreadorThe Toreador are called many things -'degenerates,' 'artistes,' 'poseurs,' and 'hedonists'being but a few. But any such mass categorizationdoes the clan a disservice. Depending on theindividual and her mood, Toreador are alternatelyelegant and flamboyant, brilliant and ludicrous,visionary and dissipated.
Perhaps the only truism thatcan be applied to the clan is its members' aestheticzeal. Whatever a Toreador does, she does with passion. Whatever a Toreadoris, she is with passion.
To the Toreador, eternal life is to be savored. ManyToreador were artists, musicians or poets in life; many more have spentfrustrating centuries producing laughable attempts at art, music or poetry.Toreador share the Ventrue's love of high society, though not for them thetedium of actually running things - that's what functionaries are for, darling.Toreador know that their place is to captivate and inspire - through their wittyspeech, graceful deeds, and simple, scintillating existence. TremereEven among vampires, the insular Clan Tremerebears a reputation for treachery. This reputation iswell earned; the Tremere were formerly a cabal ofhuman wizards who, hungering for immortal life,wrested the secrets of vampirism from unwillingKindred. Such vile deeds earned the clan a sinisterreputation; even today, certain vampire clans wouldlove nothing better than to destroy the entire Tremereline.
Nonetheless, Clan Tremere holds a place in the Camarilla, for its memberswere instrumental in suppressing the Inquisition and supporting theMasquerade. Then, too, the Tremere have proved themselves dangerousenemies - and powerful allies. Tremere still practice a version of the arcane artsthey studied in life, and so these 'warlocks' use their sorcerous powers inservice to the Camarilla almost as much as they use the Camarilla in service tothemselves. TzimitzeThe Tzimitze is a clan of very arcane vampires. Thisclan is as fascinated by the occult as the Tremereare.
But do not possess nearly as wide a scope ofknowledge. The Tzimitze is a scholarly clan, andmost of its members are highly educated. The clan isone of the most honorable of all vampire bloodlines.Tzimitze have strong appreciation for learning. Theyare some of the most educated beings on earth. They seek to understand magicas well as science, but have not reached the level of the Tremere in thisunderstanding.The Tzimitze cadre stretched across the Baltic regions of Eastern Europe formany centuries. It established a great power base until the Tremere, then ahouse of mortal wizards, established convenants in what is today northernBulgaria.
The two coexisted for a time, not intruding upon one another.Eventually, the power mad Tremere captured some Tzimitze and used them inperverse rituals aimed at extracting the essence of their immortality. SomeTzimitzes believe this was the beginning of the Tremere as a clan. VentrueElegant, aristocratic and regal, the Ventrue are thelords of the Camarilla. It was Clan Ventrue thatprovided the cornerstone of the Camarilla, and it isClan Ventrue that directs and coaxes the Camarilla inits darkest hours.
Even in the modern age, themajority of princes descend from Clan Ventrue. TheVentrue would, of course, have things no other way.In the tradition of noblesse oblige, the Ventrue mustlead the other clans for their own good. In ancient nights, Ventrue were chosenfrom nobles, merchant princes or other wielders of power. In modern times theclan recruits from wealthy 'old-money' families, ruthless corporate climbers,and politicians. Although Ventrue move in the same social circles as theToreador, they do not fritter away their existences in frivolity and idle chatter.The Ventrue proudly wear the privileges of leadership, and stoically bear itsburdens. Thus has it always been; thus shall it always be.
AssamiteAssamites in the Sabbat are much like theircounterparts outside the sect, sharing the same basicspiritual beliefs and appearance. However, theAssamites of the Sabbat are free from the curse ofthe Tremere, so the blood of other kindred is notpoisonous to them. For this reason, the Assamites ofthe Sabbat may be considered members of aseparate bloodline. In actuallity, the Sabbat bloodlineis the Assamite original. Since the curse affected the founder of the clan,however, the Antitribu, not the other Assamites, are considered the'subspecies.' Most Assamites Antitribu are either paladins or members of the Black Hand.The Assamite Antitribu are the assassins of the Sabbat.
However, they do notask for the blood from the leaders of the sect. Instead, they ritually slay theeldest of their own clan every 100 years through a special diablerie ceremony.This elder has some of the blood of the Lasombra founder, a third generationvampire, running through his veins. The elder exists for a century as the closestAssamite Antitribu to Caine himself, ruling under the title Hulul.
At the end ofthe 100 year reign, the next in line drinks the precious vitae from the previousruler, and so it passes on throughout history.If you want to a clan that isn't mentioned just fill in their history and post it.
.ReleaseMarch 2020Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is an upcoming developed by and published. Set in 's, the game is based on White Wolf's tabletop role-playing game and is the sequel to the 2004 video game. The game's story follows a human in 21st-century, who is killed and subsequently revived as a fledgling thinblood with relatively weak vampiric abilities.Bloodlines 2 is mainly played in, alternating to for contextual activities. The player assigns their character one of three thinblood disciplines—unique and upgradable powers—before later joining one of five Full-blood clans.
The game is planned for release in March 2020 for,. Contents.Gameplay Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is presented mainly from the perspective, alternating to for contextual activities such as specific attacks. Before the game begins, players create a vampire, and can select a character background that informs who they were as a human, such as a barista (the default background, with no bonuses), career criminal, coroner, or a police officer, with each offering different dialog and interaction options with the game world.
The player character's pronouns are chosen independently from their selected body type.After starting the game, the thinblood must choose from one of three upgradable Disciplines (vampiric powers): Chiropteran (the ability to glide and summon bats), Mentalism (the ability to levitate objects and people), and Nebulation (the ability to summon mist to attack, conceal the character, or transform into mist to move through small spaces). The thinblood can eventually join one of five Full-blood clans, after which they have access to its specific Disciplines and upgrades in addition to their original thinblood Disciplines.
Although some powers overlap clans, no two clans share the same combination of Disciplines. The Brujah clan can enhance their physical strength for high damage (Potency), and their speed (Celerity); the Tremere can use blood magic combatively (Thaumaturgy) or enhance their senses (Auspex); the Toreador also possess Celerity, and can command the adoration and devotion of others (Presence); the Ventrue can deflect or absorb attacks (Fortitude), and can control the will of others (Dominate); and the Malkavians also use Auspex, and can debilitate their victims' minds (Dementation).
Further clans are planned for inclusion post-release.The player can engage in side missions away from the main story, some of which can be discovered through exploration. The player possesses a mobile phone and can text non-player characters to obtain information leading to other missions. Enemies and opposing forces can be dealt with violently, avoided through stealth or even seduced with sufficient abilities. Additionally there are multiple factions in the game with whom the player can ally themselves. They can join multiple factions simultaneously, remaining loyal or working against them from within, and some factions will refuse to work the player depending on their actions.Blood is necessary for survival and the player can feed on living beings, taking some or all of their blood; blood can also be obtained from rats and blood bags.
Heightened vampiric senses can be used to sense Resonances in the blood of human victims, indicating their current emotional state, such as fear, desire, pain, anger, or joy. Feeding on specific Resonances grants temporary enhancements to the player, for example increasing their melee strength or seduction ability. Repeatedly feeding on a particular Resonance can grant permanent enhancements called Merits.Players are penalized for using certain vampiric abilities in front of witnesses; exposing their existence eventually alerts the police. Repeatedly violating the masquerade results in human civilians choosing to avoid the streets entirely, and the player being hunted by other vampires.
The player has humanity points, representing the vampire's humanity. Some actions cost humanity points such as killing innocents.
A lower humanity score brings the player closer to becoming a mindless beast. Synopsis Setting Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 takes place in 21st-century, during the Christmas season. Set in the, the game depicts a world in which vampires, demons, and other creatures shape human history. The vampires are bound by a code to maintain their secrecy (forbidding the use of vampiric abilities in front of humans) and avoid unnecessary killing (to preserve the vampire's last shreds of humanity).
The vampires are divided into seven clans of the, the vampire government, with distinctive traits and abilities. The Toreadors are the closest to humanity, with a passion for culture; the Ventrue are noble, powerful leaders; the Brujah are idealists who excel at fighting; the Malkavians are cursed with insanity, or blessed with insight; the Gangrel are loners, in sync with their animalistic nature; the secretive, untrustworthy Tremere wield blood magic; and the monstrous Nosferatu are condemned to a life in the shadows to avoid humanity. The clans are loosely united by their belief in the Camarilla's goals and opposition to the Sabbat: vampires who revel in their nature, embracing the beast within. The Anarchs are a faction of idealistic vampires opposed to the Camarilla's political structure, believing that power should be shared by all vampires.The main character of Bloodlines 2, whom the player controls, is a fledgling thinblood vampire, transformed at the start of the game during a mass attack of humans by rogue vampires. The thinbloods are a modern, weaker strain of vampires who are typically shunned and treated as lesser than Full-blood vampires. Unlike Full-bloods, thinbloods can consume human food (albeit in limited amounts), and are more resistant to sunlight. As Seattle has only relatively recently fallen under control of the Camarilla, vampires there are more tolerant of thinbloods.
Plot The player character is one of a number of humans turned into vampires during a Mass Embrace, an incident in which rogue vampires publicly attacked humans, breaking the Masquerade and causing discord between the city's vampire groups. Development Background The 2004 release of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines had been a relative failure, selling fewer than 100,000 copies when it was launched in competition against sequels in,. Bloodlines was the last in a line of games developed by that was critically well received but marred by technical issues and low sales, and Troika was shuttered shortly after its release, preventing them from developing a sequel. In 2004, then-director said that although the team would like to pursue a Bloodlines sequel, the decision belonged to then-publisher. Before their closure, Troika had begun development of a workable prototype based on another of White Wolf's tabletop role-playing games, set in the same universe as Vampire: The Masquerade. In the years following Bloodlines 's release, the game became considered a, receiving over a decade of development by fans to fix technical issues and restore cut or incomplete content.Video game publisher purchased White Wolf in October 2015, obtaining the rights to Bloodlines. Following the purchase, Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester confirmed that a sequel was possible, stating 'when the time is right I guess a sequel will find its place in the market.'
Production Shortly after Paradox Interactive's acquisition of White Wolf, Seattle-based developer ' creative director Ka'ai Cluney convinced co-founder Andy Kipling to pitch a Bloodlines sequel to Paradox, while Cluney made contact with Bloodlines writer. A meeting was arranged soon after, and Mitsoda joined the sequel as narrative lead, bringing in to serve as senior writer, and game designer as a writer.
Bloodlines composer also returned for the sequel as the main composer. Producer Christian Schlutter said: 'When we as Paradox acquired the IP, we saw Bloodlines as the crown jewel. Then Hardsuit Labs come along and have the perfect pitch, with the original writer on-board too. It all happened far faster than we expected.'
The project's internal code name was 'Project Frasier' (a reference to the Seattle-based ).Ellison described that the story and in-game factions were influenced by the conflicts over Seattle's modern identity, between its traditional music and culture and the modern developments brought by large corporations. Mitsoda said 'There's this idea of how much Seattle can change before it's no longer Seattle. So we made the factions aspects of the old and the new.'
Ellison said that they wanted to move away from what she considered to be the 'male power fantasy' of Bloodlines to give it a broader appeal. They also wanted to use the mass embrace to explore the transition from being human to becoming a vampire and how people from different backgrounds react to their transformation, such as still having family members they have to leave behind.The game provides the opportunity for the player to make decisions on how their character is played, but Schlutter described these options as 'your preferred flavor of evilness,' saying that the player is not a hero as vampires are parasites that feed on humanity. Mitsoda noted that they had to modernize the tone for contemporary audiences, but that it would still reflect the original's combination of noir, personal drama, political intrigue, and humor.The Malkavians, a popular clan from the previous game, return in Bloodlines 2. The clan is cursed with insanity which grants them knowledge of future or unseen events and secrets though not necessarily with the context to understand such knowledge, allowing their dialog to reference events in the previous game before they happened. Like in the previous game, Malkavian dialog was written late in production, as Mitsoda said that the script needs to be complete before it can be rewritten for the Malkavian perspective. Due their popularity, the Malkavians were always planned to be present in Bloodlines 2, but their mental ailments are represented with less comical effect to reflect changes to real-world societal perspectives on the subject. Mitsoda said that they aimed to show the 'darker aspect' of sharing a network of insight and paranoia.
Research was done in medical papers and real world sufferers of mental ailments to more fairly represent mental illness.While the player character is partially resistant to sunlight, the developers opted to have the game take place exclusively at night. They experimented with implementing a day and night cycle with sunlight serving as an obstacle, but found it difficult to make the experience fun. Mitsoda said that combat was a main focus that they wished to improve over the previous game, describing it as 'not very good'. Release Bloodlines 2 was first teased in February 2019 with the release of dating app 'Tender', created by Paradox. The app offered to use a 'soulmate algorithm' and asks for the user's blood type before offering to match them with sick people nearby. A livestream, and later Paradox's own official Twitter account also displayed a memo from fictional Tender CEO Malcolm Chandler noting the need to be prepared for March 21, 2019 in San Francisco, the date the game was publicly revealed.The game is planned for release in March 2020 for,. Three different pre-order versions have been made available: Standard, Unsanctioned, and Blood Moon, which will include two story-based packs, and the werewolf-themed 'Season of the Wolf'.
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Imagine trying to compete with Half-Life 2 on the same day it was released. That's what happened to the original Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines. A contract with Valve prevented Bloodlines from being released before Half-Life 2, but Activison didn't want push the release date for Bloodlines back. So, not only did Bloodlines have to compete with one of the of all time, but Bloodlines was marred with bugs. Commercially, it didn't do well, though it did end up on our list of the.Still, Vampire: The Masquerade fans were drawn to the cast of characters, the story, and fell in love with many of the missions.
Given the circumstances around its release, Bloodlines was still widely loved and accepted, and obtained cult status. If that wasn't evident back then, it's evident now.Paradox Interactive announced Bloodlines 2 at GDC on March 21, a sequel that, by the time it releases, will have been 16 years in the making (which is a mere blink in vampire years).
And until Bloodlines 2 is released, we'll be collecting every bit of news here for you to devour. Or sip casually. Whatever your feeding style.Here's everything we know about Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2 so far. What is Bloodlines 2's the release date?While we won't know the precise date for a while, Bloodlines 2 will release sometime in, a little less than a year away. So, if you need to brush up on your vampire lore or play through the first game again, you have plenty of time. Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2 gameplay is here, check it out. We move on from the city of lost angels to the Pacific northwest—Seattle.
Here, the vampire community has been fragmented, and several factions are vying for power all at once. At the start of Bloodlines 2, your character is caught up in the middle of a mass embrace—a group of vampires kidnapping and forcibly turning humans into vampires. It's a huge no-no to even turn one human into a vampire without permission from a city's Primogen (clan leader) or Prince (ruler of a city). If you get caught, it usually means the final death for both the sire and their childe.The Camarilla was once the faction to keep things like that in-check, to punish vampires for breaking the Masquerade. But if things are that chaotic in Bloodlines 2, it seems like the Camarilla doesn't have the power it once had. In the new Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition roleplaying book, elder leaders of the Camarilla have disappeared, most having been called away by something called the Beckoning. With many cities around the world now missing Primogens and Princes, their dominions are left open to rivals from opposing factions.
Cities like Seattle are ripe for the taking, leaving the possibility for even a newly turned vampire to establish some power over a city.Given the around the 5th Edition, it's hard to speculate how closely, if at all, Hardsuit Labs and Paradox will stick to that canon. The Bloodlines 2 mentions that players will be able to 'meet the old blood founders present since the city’s birth,' so maybe some old vampires are still around.
But I bet the mass embrace is the least crazy thing in store for us in Seattle. Where can we buy Bloodlines 2?Paradox seemed happy to announce that Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2 will not be exclusive to any one store. The game will be available on the Paradox store, Steam, GOG, Epic, and you will also be able to buy it on PS4 and Xbox One. However, eager neonates and elders alike can pre-order a copy now at the same storefronts.There are three different editions available for pre-order: digital standard edition, digital Unsanctioned edition, and digital Blood Moon edition (which includes two DLC story packs and a werewolf-themed expansion called Season of the Wolf on ). Those who pre-order the Unsanctioned edition or higher will get some exclusive launch add-ons and bonuses, like Jeannette's outfit, Damsell's beret from the original game, or the Voermen family portrait.No word yet if physical copies of the game will be available—but there will be NO loot boxes in the game, so that's good news.
How long is the campaign?Hardsuit Labs a single playthrough will take around 25-30 hours, depending on your playstyle. Paradox also said during their clan Brujah reveal stream that if you play only the main questline without speed running, you'll get your first non-Thinblood powers roughly five hours into the game.Like the first game, there will also be a branching narrative and many side quests, so the developers encourage multiple playthroughs. And, like Bloodlines, the entire game will take place at night. Do I get to create my own character?Unlike the original Bloodlines that limited your character’s physical appearance to the clan you choose, it seems like character creation in Bloodlines 2 will be more robust. The unofficial patch added the ability to choose your character's background in the original game, but it did not have much effect on the overall story. That's going to change this time around.No word on how much control players will have over the character creation process, but an integral element to the story is being able to choose who you were in your human life.
If you say you were a cop or a coroner and you walk into a police station—the people in there are going to react to you differently compared to giving your character a different background. Little things like that seem like they will make Bloodlines 2 a different, personalized experience for everyone, which is a great thing when it comes to RPGs. Next is the Ventrue clan. Paradox describes the Ventrue as 'the clan that has already won.'
As the founders of the largest vampire sect, the Camarilla, they ensure the Masquerade remains unbroken by bossing folk around from a big tower. They wield the powers of Dominate and Fortitude, making them great at manipulation while easily taking a punch.Most recently, Paradox unveiled the final clan (for now), the Malkavians. A fan favorite of the last Bloodlines, the Malkavians stand out thanks to their unique abilities to see glimpses of the future and receive helpful information from a voice in their head. They wield the powers of Dementation and Auspex. They're great at manipulation and information gathering. Players start off as newly created vampires called Thinbloods, aka 14th or 15th generation vampires, which makes them joining another vampire clan seemingly unorthodox.
However, the story will apparently explain this by having players join another clan as an outsider later in the game, rather than pick one before starting like in the original Bloodlines.Thinbloods are generally their own clan, but some have the characteristics of their bloodline or are able to develop their own powers. In Bloodlines 2, they will be more powerful than how they are usually portrayed in tabletop lore.That's all the clans Paradox is talking about right now, but the company also mentioned that more clans will be added to Bloodlines 2 after the game is released. What are my disciplines (aka vampiric powers)?Like the original Bloodlines, players will have a few vampiric powers at their disposal to aid in combat or other harrowing situations. In Bloodlines 2, you can get up to a total of six active disciplines. There will be many clan-based powers too choose from, but since you start out as a Thinblood, you can choose only one of the following powers:Chiropterans. Derived from the scientific name for bat, Chiroptera, these are your—you guessed it—bat powers.
Glide is the first active power in this discipline. With this, your bone density and body mass become as light as a bat's, giving you the ability to briefly fly. Use this to reach high-up areas and then swoop down on enemies when they least expect it. Bat Swarm is the second active power. You can summon a small swarm of bats to attack and disable enemies, and it's upgradeable it to a full-on protective bat shield made of bats.Mentalism.
These are your telekinetic powers, or the ability to move stuff with your mind. Pull is the first active power in this discipline, which allows you to grab and pull objects toward you, like weapons, with your mind. Levitate is the second active power.
You start off with the ability to suspend enemies and other NPCs in the air, and can develop this power to the point where suspending everyone and everything in an area is a cinch.Nebulation. You become your own fog machine, except way cooler. Mist Shroud is the first active power in this discipline, which allows you to summon a cloud a mist for a short while that muffles your footsteps and makes it hard for others to see you. You can also transform into mist yourself, which can come in handy if you need to travel via ventilation shaft. Envelop is the second active power that creates a vortex around your enemies, blinding and choking them.As previously mentioned, Thinbloods generally don't have powers, and are considered the weakest of all vampires, but on rare occasions they are able to learn strange and rare disciplines without training, while others develop their own powers.
The powers outlined above seem to suggest that players will start off as one of those 'special' Thinbloods. Joining another clan later in the game will unlock other powers (you'll get to keep your Thinblood powers).Below are the rest of the powers Paradox has revealed for its clans. To see which clans hold which powers, see the section above about clans.Auspex. Aura Sense: Spot NPC's through walls, mark enemies over a long distance, and highlight an NPC's weaknesses.
Psychic Projection: Detach your consciousness from your body to explore as an astral projection. Combined with Aura Sense, this can be used to mark NPC's.
It can also overwhelm a target's mind for a short while.Potency. You're strong. Like, scary strong. Fist of Caine supercharges your strength, and is upgradable. Knock down walls. Throw people far away.
You may not start every fight, but you'll finish it. Earthshock allows you to punch the ground and send out a violent shockwave that will knock down anyone within a certain radius. Upgrading this ability will add damage on top of that.Celerity. This is a 'move faster than a blink of the eye' discipline.
Unseen Storm can let you severely disorient your opponents. You'll disappear so fast they'll still be trying to figure out where you went before they realize they're dead. This ability can be upgraded. Accelerate is more or less the opposite: this ability allows you to slow the world down around you. Dodge punches. Dodge bullets.
You'll look like you are moving at superhuman speed to you opponent. Accelerate is upgradeable, as well.Thaumatergy. Skewer: Form dangerous spikes form the user's blood that spread across the ground. Purge: Causes the target to vomit blood, damaging them heavily. A stream of blood flows back to the caster. Blood Boil: A high level ability, user can cast Purge again on an affected NPC to boil all of their blood from the inside and cause them to explode.
Heavily damages the target and everyone within its vicinity.Presence. You've got a deadly je ne sais quoi. Awe: to turn a room full of people into doting worshippers that are oblivious to everything else. Entrance: your admirers will follow you around, shielding you and distracting enemiesDominate. Mesmerise lets you hypnotise one NPC, putting them in a trance.
The NPC ignores everything going on around them and won't feel any pain. A very handy skill for undead surgeons.
Command gives you control over a mesmerised NPC, so you can tell them to attack enemies and move objects.Fortitude. You can enter a combat stance and use Absorb to deflect attacks and even heal wounds for every impotent strike an enemy makes. Personal Armour turns your skin into stone, letting you shrug off damage and join the Fantastic Four.Dementation. Haunt imparts an unseen spectre in the victims’ minds. Unable to control themselves, they’ll try to flee in a panic. Berserk fills the vampire’s targets with an uncontrollable rage, causing them to lash out at anything nearby - even the air itself, if no better target is available.Can I choose my faction?Absolutely. Another main difference between the original Bloodlines and Bloodlines 2 is that the story won't be so linear this time around.
Given the volatility between vampire factions in Seattle, you'll not only be able to pledge your allegiance to one of them, but you can change your mind at any time. Be a double agent. Be completely loyal to one faction. Whatever you want.You could do this in the original Bloodlines, but on a much smaller scale. You were given only one opportunity to choose between three factions—Camarilla, Sabbat, Anarchs—or you could become a lone wolf.
Paradox hasn't said exactly what factions will be available in Bloodlines 2, but at least choosing between them will be more fluid this time around and more heavily integrated into the story. Can you dance? Source: on YouTubeOh, you can dance. Anything else we know?Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2 will support ray tracing and DLSS, as announced March 21.
Bigger news: Mod support. The original game supported mods as well, so it only makes sense to allow that again this time around.Ray tracing/DLSS support also seems like a perfect fit for a setting all about moody lighting. Vampire stories are generally cast in a dark and ominous world (because of the whole not being-able-to-go-into the sun thing), so ray tracing should make those midnight shadows at the end of an alleyway look more threatening to both humans and the supernatural alike.Also, it wouldn't be a complete vampire party if a few developers didn’t return for more blood. Brian Mitsoda, designer and writer of the original Bloodlines, is on board again as Bloodlines 2's lead narrative designer. Rik Schaffer, who composed the OST on the original Bloodlines, confirmed via fan email that he has already been working on the Bloodlines 2 score over the last year as the main composer.The 'might be one of the best VO casts of all time,' claim Mitsoda and Hardsuit Labs' creative director.
Alright, I'm excited.Us too! Are you excited for the same reason's?