Vampire: The Masquerade

From World Of Darkness Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Created by Mark Rein·Hagen, Vampire: The Masquerade was the first of White Wolf Game Studio's World of Darkness live-action and role-playing games, based on the Storyteller System and centered around vampires in a modern Gothic-Punk world. The Revised Edition, sometimes alternately referred to as the Third Edition by fans, was released in 1998 and explains, "the setting of Vampire is a composite of its populace and their despair." The title of the series comes from "The Masquerade", referring to the Camarilla's attempts to hide vampirism from humans and their governments and media; it also serves as a double entendre, referring to vampires' efforts to convince themselves that they are not the monsters they have become.

In 1992, Vampire: The Masquerade won the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Rules of 1991. The game line was discontinued in 2004, and followed by revised rules and a new setting in Vampire: The Requiem.

Contents

Vampires in Order of Age

Caine

The Second Generation

The Antediluvians

Elders

Ancillae

Fledgelings

The Vampiric Sects

Camarilla

Born in the wake of the great inquisition, fearing the great power the masses of the Kine displayed when driven by faith. The Camarilla is a strict and rigid organization enforcing a policy of non disclosure. Led by a shadowy conclave of old and powerful but anonymous Kindred known only as the inner council, who are represented by seven powerful vampires known as the Justicar, appointed for a period of thirteen years. The Camarilla sees all Kindred as being part of its organization, and in truth most Kindred are. The Camarilla's dominion encompasses most of the old world, northwestern Africa, and great tracts of north America as well as a small enclave in eastern Asia. The Australian kindred also officially pay allegiance to the Camarilla but in reality they are completely autonomous. The territories that fall under the dominion of the Camarilla are ruled by a powerful vampire who bears the title of Prince. The Prince presides over all the Kindred in his locale, and is the final arbiter in all kindred affairs there.

Sabbat

The Sabbat's precise origins are unclear, but are likely the result of either a popular death-cult among Cainites in the Dark Ages, or a sect formed by vampires who were dissatsified with the results of the Convention of Thorns, which broke the back of the Anarch Revolt. Either way, the Sabbat is a collection of fierce, fanatical vampires who believe that the Kindred need not hide behind the Masquerade. Instead, the Sabbat delights in proving their superiority over mortals, often in graphic and violent ways. This has garnered them the emnity of the Camarilla, and they are widely regarded as bloodthirsty maniacs by those outside the sect.

The Sabbat is sometimes referred to as the "Sword of Caine", especially by those who adopt the religious mandate imposed by Sabbat elders.

Anarchs

Anarchs exist on the fringes of Camarilla society, often literally. They occupy the areas of the city where the Toreador and Ventrue never visit - the slums, industrial zones, rundown suburbia. Though they enjoy the benefits of the Masquerade, they are regarded by the Camarilla as the bratty younger sibling who needs to be protected for the reputation of the family as a whole.

The Inconnu

No-one outside the sect really knows what the Inconnu do, and usually not even who they are. There are two major rumors concerning the Inconnu: the first is that they are some sort of world-wide vampiric Illumanti organization, seeking to control the activities of vampires all over the world, playing to the stereotypes of elders manipulating their childer. The second is that they are collectively in pursuit of the legendary state of Golconda, which is supposed to be some sort of transcendant state where a vampire may keep all of their strengths but none of their weaknesses. Either way, Inconnu vampires are fairly rare, usually old, and definitely mistrusted.

Independents

Vampires are, by nature, solitary and jealous creatures. Some band together out of mutual greed, protection, or simply to bring down an elder too powerful for them individually. Those vampires who do not choose this path, however, roam the wilds and pace the cities of the Final Nights alone, either because they refuse to kowtow to the vampiric powers-that-be, because they are afraid of what they will become if they keep the company of other vampires, or simply because they prefer solitude.

Children of Osiris minor sect/cult

Clans, Bloodlines and the antitribu

Clans

Clan antitribu

The antitribu are splinter groups of the main vampiric Clan. The most notable of these are the antitribu of the Camarilla clans, who make up a large portion of the Sabbat.

Bloodlines

There are dozens of different Bloodlines, though few of them grow to be more than a handful of Kindred.

(If you are looking for the computer game Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines, click here.)

Disciplines

Disciplines are the names for the inherent powers of vampires. Each clan has powers that are tied to their particular blood.

Original Material

Stories and Chronicles

  • Chronicle Ideas
    • The Dark Hole - despair and vice create a deep, dark hole that immortals can lose themselves in
    • Story Ideas - additions to your Vampire: The Masquerade campaign that aren't quite large enough for a whole Chronicle

Character

Environment

Gameplay

Retrieved from "http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php?title=Vampire:_The_Masquerade"
Personal tools