Brujah
Who Are They?
The Brujah embrace counterculture and revolution. They recognize the fire of the oppressed and seek out allies who question normative ideas. The Brujah are passionate fighters, often pushing to dismantle oppressive establishments. Some Brujah take on the role of aggressor when taking down these establishments, while others are focused on critical thinking and understanding the philosophy and cultural systems that lead to these establishments existing in the first place. These philosophical Brujah are known as Hellenes, a Camarilla - aligned group who hold onto the old ways of the Brujah.
- Punks
- Gang Members
- Rioters
- Rejected Immigrants
- Fraudsters
- Neo-nazis
- Online Pirates
- Theorists
- Philosophy or Sociology Students
Archetypes
Cancer in the System - This Kindred exists as a cog in a corrupt system. They may be a night worker for a mortal corporation known for treating its employees like dirt, a staffer in a broken political party, or one of the remaining Brujah in the Camarilla. They work to bring the system down from within, maybe hoping to replace it with something better, but often having the process of rebuilding as the last of their priorities.
Voice of the People - The Brujah have always strived for progress in Kindred society. Many of them were progressives in life and follow the same path in undeath. The voice of the people might be a former feminist activist, eco-warrior, or an anti-capitalist protestor who channels their passion into speaking out against the Ventrue and Toreador, or creating political unrest among mortals. Their ambitions may come back to hurt their clan, but sometimes they form the core of revolutionary movements.
Blood Worshipper - The Brujah were once considered a High Clan, superior to most and respected by all. Some Brujah still believe their blood is stronger than that of other clans, and that they have the right to apply their doctrine on others. Brujah who uphold this form of blood idolatry often come from fundamentalist backgrounds, right-wing groups, and the academic elite.
Trolling Punk - Clan Brujah involves many vocal and physical activists who follow the zeitgeist uncritically, reveling in their righteousness. The trolling punk cares about the fight, not the cause. They are an aggressor who provokes confrontation with minority groups, a squatter who just wants to party to piss off the police, or a fourth-wave token “feminist” who spent more of their mortal time attacking other feminists and their allies than coordinating responses to oppression. Short term action yields massive results, but does not always benefit the Brujah.
Monster in Disguise - The Brujah claim there is no clan closer bonded to humanity than their own, which is why they exhibit such fiery passions. However, some take it further than that, and strive to live like mortals by keeping up to date with modern culture, forming relationships, and building families. The pay off for this is a startling duality of dream and reality. The beast will not be denied for long, and undead family members/workers must slip away from their fake lives ever so often to avoid seeing red, returning only after they have satiated their dangerous urges.
Disciplines
Celerity - Brujah use Celerity to strike fast and escape uprisings they have started. They hunt with it to snatch vessels from streets, feeding from them savagely, or to rapidly dispose of a mortal before vanishing into the night.
Potence - Brujah use Potence as a devastating weapon, cutting short any confrontation with destructive finality. Though the clan preaches a connection to humanity, its members often take what they want by force, as it is simpler to hold a kine in place or crack their skull open and drink it’s insides than to negotiate for a mouthful of blood.
Presence - Brujah use Presence to win the hearts of the crowd, turn a threatening mob against itself, or send a dangerous opponent fleeing into the night. Brujah intellectuals prefer feeding with Presence to convince vessels to give up their blood voluntarily. Other clan members use Presence to terrify their prey, as it apparently adds “an exquisite, bold taste” and fuels the less subtle powers of their curse.
Bane
The blood of the Brujah simmers with barely contained rage, exploding at the slightest provocation. Subtract dice equal to the bane severity of the Brujah from any roll to resist fury frenzy. This cannot take the pool below 1 die.
Gangrel
Who Are They?
Clan Gangrel are outcasts, wanderers, rogues, and hunters. They make havens in the poorest parts of the city and feel no shame for doing so. They claim few domains as their own, but defer to no Prince. If a feral enters a city, the Prince will either accept it or have to fight the feral to get them to back down. Gangrel are survivors and fighters - leaders of prison crews and gangs, explorers (urban and otherwise) and any kine who sees the world as something to traverse instead of something to hide from. They care not for looks or title but for accomplishment and reputation. A childe may be a challenge, but the clan follows rituals and initiations to ensure the fledgling is worth the time. Success means a new, honored member of the clan, failure means a forgettable reject or a pile of ash. Any mortal capable of projecting their will onto others, leading a group from disaster to success, or fighting impossible odds draws the clans attention. This fact results in “too many chiefs”, when the clan consists of more leaders than followers. Their customs encourage fights for dominance, but these rarely last until final death, as Gangrel elders advocate against taking competition for authority personally, instead encouraging a culture of healthy rivalry.
Common members of the Gangrel include:- Prison crew/Gang members
- Survivalists
- Hunters
- CEOs
- Club leaders
- Body Guards/Soldiers
- Police/Detectives
- Veterinarians/Zoologists
- Singers/Entertainers
Archetypes
Uncaged Jailbird - This kindred spent most of their mortal life in prison or was once incarcerated for a severe crime. Their past leaves them with a jaded attitude toward authority and a desperate taste for freedom. They seek out opportunities to exercise liberties formerly denied to them.
Adventurer - The Gangrel are no strangers to the wild, spending much of their time beyond city limits and communing with creatures and clans outside those in the Camarilla. In life and undeath, the Adventurer has seen and experienced something few could comprehend. They have walked from place to place, spending their life on the road, living only by wits, a stranger's kindness, and a rich curiosity. This wolf has no fear of the path ahead, wherever it may lead.
Folk Favourite - Clan Gangrel practice the traditions of storytelling around the fire, although they are the furthest from boyscouts. Whether around a burning barrel, tire fire, or at a great gathering, this animal knows the songs and the stories to celebrate the names of fallen heroes and enemies who must never be forgotten. In their mortal lives they might have been singers, entertainers, or independent artists.
Director of the Board - This Gangrel believes in power wielded not merely with physical blows, but through social presence, authority over others, and command of a group of people, such as a club or a corporation. The boardroom Gangrel is an alpha who thrives on causing fear and respect, who does not play by the rules, and who is capable of commanding others to perform the most unethical actions with threats of personal and professional losses. They stalk their prey through office corridors at night and in five-star hotels paid by company card.
Unreptentant Beast - The Gangrel relish their animal features and feral natures, and many behave as wild beasts do - leading unlives dominated by immediate physical drives and desires. The Unrepentant Beast behaved like an animal before the Embrace. Perhaps they were a predatory criminal or an individual who used legal means to let out their dangerous desires. As a vampire, they are little better.
Disciplines
Animalism - A Gangrel can use Animalism to take on an animal companion, sometimes called a Famulus. The animal companion can be used for hunting, spying, and attacking. Some Gangrel will turn pets on their owners, hound vagrants with packs of dogs, or lure strays to them for a quick feeding.
Fortitude - As longtime bodyguards and soldiers for the other clans, the Gangrel have benefited hugely from Fortitude. The discipline can give them a sense of fearlessness, as it allows them to hunt across harsh terrain and take bullets and knife blades without worry. The Gangrel who emphasizes growth in Fortitude likely expects a lot of harm to come their way.
Protean - Gangrel are known for their mastery of Protean, as few other clans possess its gifts. Straddling the line between vampirism and shapeshifting, the discipline allows a Gangrel to take on the physical properties of another creature, or in other ways change their physical shape. Gangrel who feed as animals often consider this the truest, or at least the best, of kills.
Bane
Gangrel relate to their beast as much other Kindred relate to the Gangrel: suspicious partnership. In frenzy, Gangrel gain one or more animal features: a physical trait, a smell, or a behavioural tie. These features last for one more night afterward, lingering like a hangover. Each feature reduces one Attribute by 1 point - The storyteller may decide that a forked tongue or bearlike musk reduces Charisma, while batlike ears reduce Resolve (“all those distracting sounds”). If nothing immediately occurs to you, the feature reduces Intelligence or Manipulation. The number of features a Gangrel manifests equals their bane severity. If your character rides the wave of their frenzy you can only choose one feature to manifest, thus taking only one penalty to their attributes.