In 2007-2008, I ran an eight-player Vampire: The Requiem campaign set in modern New York City. Rather than a traditional strong Prince and his court found in previous city sourcebooks, we opted to have a more “experimentally democratic” group of NPCs for the players to navigate around. Those vampires who were not in charge of territories often “managed” groups of essential city services, much like congressional committee chairpersons do in Washington D.C.
To make matters worse, the Prince was an eternal child whose mother pulled his strings until her unexpected demise at the start of the campaign. The nasty little monster was soon terrorizing the player characters all the clans. (A bit of Joffrey Baratheon in play with that one.)
Ultimately, the great evil in the world rose unchecked and caused monsters from the “old” World of Darkness to cross over into the “new” – most notably, the antediluvian Tzimisce who had become a giant undead worm. Most of these NPCs were consumed by the Tzimisce or burned to ash by Nazi ghost-demons. Oh well.
THE KINDRED COUNCIL OF SAFETY
THE PRINCE (akin to the president)
Prince George … 116-year-old Ventrue/Invictus The Prince … leader of the city; defend the city’s Kindred and uphold the Masquerade
THE INNER CIRCLE (akin to president’s cabinet mixed with supreme court)
DeVries … 339-year-old Deava/Ordo Dracul Herald … makes known the Prince’s decrees, calls to council
Niall … “very old” Mekhet/Lancea Sanctum Master of Elysium … policing the accepted “neutral ground” areas
Lilith … 190-year-old Deava/Carthians Master of Harpies … arbitrating conflicts of title or status; tracking boons and scandals
Die Hexe … 327-year-old Nosferatu/Circle of the Crone Scourge … destroying unwanted childer and rogue vampires
Aelia … 427-year-old Ventrue/Invictus Seneschal … second in command, manages nightly routines, Prince’s right hand
Theodius … 427-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Sheriff … enforcer of the Prince’s laws; commander of senior military (vampires)
Vonda … 197-year-old Nosferatu/Invictus Hound … head of the Prince’s personal guard
THE HIGH PRIMOGEN (akin to congressional senate)
Leanna … 191-year-old Mekhet/Invictus Master of the Watch … police, coroners, morticians (any big Masquerade risks)
Alden … 170-year-old Nosferatu/Carthians Regent of Bowne House … hunting throughout Queens
Madeleine … 143-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Regent of Conference House … hunting throughout Staten Island
Mauricio … 125-year-old Ventrue/Carthians Regent of Lights … hunting throughout Midtown and Times Square
Dame Sandra Dawson … 268-year-old Ventrue/Invictus Regent of the East … hunting throughout the Upper East Side
Hiram … 194-year-old Ventrue/Carthians Regent of the First … hunting throughout Lower Manhattan
Wilda … 101-year-old Mekhet/Invictus Regent of the Fourth … hunting throughout Lower East Side, Bowery
Lelia … 158-year-old Nosferatu/Invictus Regent of the Gatelands … hunting throughout Newark, Union City, Jersey City
Casandra … 176-year-old Mekhet/Circle of the Crone Regent of the North … hunting throughout Morningside Heights, Harlem, Spanish Harlem
Zhang … 137-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Regent of the Second … hunting throughout Tibeca, Chinatown
Colby … 167-year-old Mekhet/Lancea Sanctum Regent of the Third … hunting throughout SoHo, Nolita, Little Italy
Harris … 173-year-old Deava/Invictus Regent of the Village … hunting throughout Greenwich Village, West Village
Dionne … 131-year-old Ventrue/Invictus Regent of the West … hunting throughout the Upper West Side
Reyna … 119-year-old Daeva/Ordo Dracul Regent of Trades … hunting throughout Hells Kitchen, Gramercy, Flatiron, Murray Hill
Silas … 134-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Regent of Varian House … hunting throughout the Bronx
Florine … 113-year-old Ventrue/Carthians Regent of Wyckoff House … hunting throughout Brooklyn
THE LOW PRIMOGEN (akin to congressional house)
Niall … “very old” Mekhet/Lancea Sanctum High Archbishop … representative of the Lancea Sanctum covenant
Die Hexe … 327-year-old Nosferatu/Circle of the Crone High Hierophant … representative of the Circle of the Crone covenant
Stefan … 200-year-old Mekhet/Invictus High Invictus … representative of the Invictus covenant
DeVries … 339-year-old Deava/Ordo Dracul High Kogaion … representative of the Ordo Dracul covenant
Theodius … 427-year-old Gangrel/Carthians High Myrmidon … representative of the Carthian Movement covenant
Efren … 185-year-old Ventrue/Carthians Master of Beauty … the leisure class: high society, art galleries, theaters, museums
Niall … “very old” Mekhet/Lancea Sanctum Master of Fears … the Vatican, other churches and various religious organizations
Aurelio … 140-year-old Ventrue/Carthians Master of Havens … firefighters (gotta love ’em)
Mai … 179-year-old Ventrue/Lancea Sanctum Master of Honors … protection of elders who have fallen into long-term torpor
Bernardo … 155-year-old Ventrue/Invictus Master of Lies … the bureaucrat class: government officials, city hall, various landlords
Basil … 122-year-old Nosferatu/Carthians Master of Tunnels … subways and even deeper places as emergency havens (always Nosf)
Pasquale … 203-year-old Deava/Carthians Priscus Daeva … representative of the Daeva clan and bloodlines
Carmelo … 152-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Priscus Gangrel … representative of the Gangrel clan and bloodlines
Evangelina … 182-year-old Mekhet/Invictus Priscus Mekhet … representative of the Mekhet clan and bloodlines
Osvaldo … 188-year-old Nosferatu/Ordo Dracul Priscus Nosferatu … representative of the Nosferatu clan and bloodlines
Bernardo … 155-year-old Ventrue/Invictus Priscus Ventrue … representative of the Ventrue clan and bloodlines
Janell … 92-year-old Gangrel/Invictus Master of 1716 … elite “anti-mage” forces (name drawn from year of Britain’s last official witch execution)
Zhang … 137-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Master of Canton … Chinese immigrants and their affairs (old British term still in use)
Hiram … 194-year-old Ventrue/Carthians Master of Coins … finance, Wall Street brokers, banks and venture capitalists
Stefan … 200-year-old Mekhet/Invictus Master of Crowns … spies at the U.N., dominated ambassadors, foreign royalty living in the city
Brigitte … 128-year-old Daeva/Invictus Master of Flattery … newspapers, mass media in general
Heriberto … 95-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Master of Ghouls … legions of daywalking slaves used as fodder in war
Ulysses … 86-year-old Mekhet/Carthians Master of Import … workers at the sea ports, airports, highways, warehouses
Bruno … 83-year-old Gangrel/Lancea Sanctum Master of Iron … elite “anti-changling” forces
Ahmad … 62-year-old Gangrel/Invictus Master of Letters … colleges, universities, libraries
Rosanna … 53-year-old Deava/Circle of the Crone Master of Masons … builders
Maura … 116-year-old Mekhet/Invictus Master of Pilgrims … advocate general for anarchs and newcomer vampires
Muireall … 89-year-old Deava/Carthians Master of Plagues … hospitals, doctors, nurses, various medical professionals
Wilda … 101-year-old Mekhet/Invictus Master of Pleasures … illicit trades (nowadays just drugs and prostitution, less gambling)
Aisha … 77-year-old Mekhet/Ordo Dracul Master of Craftmen … the working class: craft unions, contractors, general laborers
Lelia … 158-year-old Nosferatu/Invictus Master of the Five Families … a “new” position for Mafia issues
Phoebe … 80-year-old Nosferatu/Carthians Master of the Meek … elementary schools, hospitals, orphanages, social services
Weldon … 38-year-old Ventrue/Ordo Dracul Master of Wires … a “new” position created for utilities (stream, electric, water)
Tamra … 47-year-old Deava/Invictus Master of Zion … Jews and their affairs
Twila … 161-year-old Deava/Carthians Master of Cardiff … Welsh immigrants and their affairs
Federico … 71-year-old Nosferatu/Carthians Master of Carriage … horses, carts, livery
Linwood … 41-year-old Gangrel/Carthians Master of Carrion … butchers, food vendors, cooks, sewage trench cleaners (pre-plumbing)
Rowena … 149-year-old Nosferatu/Lancea Sanctum Master of Dublin … Irish immigrants and their affairs
Emery … 68-year-old Deava/Carthians Master of Enoch … unknown (original responsibilities now forgotten but title lingers on)
Corina … 38-year-old Deava/Carthians Master of Feathers … unknown (original responsibilities now forgotten but title lingers on)
Maxwell … 44-year-old Nosferatu/Carthians Master of Glasgow … Scottish immigrants and their affairs
Hester … 74-year-old Mekhet/Carthians Master of Haarlem … Dutch immigrants and their affairs
Helga … 98-year-old Ventrue/Circle of the Crone Master of Hamburg … German immigrants and their affairs
Colby … 167-year-old Mekhet/Lancea Sanctum Master of Liverpool … British immigrants and their affairs
Francesca … 146-year-old Deava/Circle of the Crone Master of Milano … Italian immigrants and their affairs
Snow … 59-year-old Gangrel/Invictus Master of Nations … dealings with Iroquois, Mohawk, Oneida and other tribes
Hunter … 65-year-old Mekhet/Circle of the Crone Master of Plows … farmers (back when there were rural parts of the area)
Odell … 104-year-old Nosferatu/Ordo Dracul Master of Shipwrights … builders of wooden ships
Mara … 107-year-old Gangrel/Invictus Master of Silver … elite “anti-werewolf” forces (“the lupine problem is over,” so they say)
Sebastian … 56-year-old Ventrue/Lancea Sanctum Master of Warsaw … Polish immigrants and their affairs
THE CARTHIAN MOVEMENT IN NEW YORK CITY
From Vampire: The Requiem core rulebook:
Undeniably the youngest of the major Kindred covenants, the Carthians are fire-eyed reformists, eager to bring the establishment to its knees if that’s what it takes to facilitate positive political change. If the unbound are the irritable loners and individualists, then the Carthians are their politically motivated counterparts, the Young Turks who seek to shake up the status quo with the honesty of their passion and the ingenuity of their ideas. Due to the prevalence of young Kindred in the modern age, the Carthian Movement sees quite a bit of support worldwide.
Theodius
– 427-year-old Gangrel from Britain – Embrace: 1581 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: warrior statesman and democratic visionary – Practically a Prince in all areas of New York outside Manhattan, this Carthian convert fought Aelia and the other rival elders throughout the 19th century and was the “founding father” of tonight’s Council of Safety. For most of the 20th century, he led the city’s militia against lupines, anarchs, and other threats to the Kindred. Most respect him as a warrior statesmen, though the elders of Invictus will always condemn him as a traitor.
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Sheriff (enforcer of the Prince’s laws; commander of senior military [vampires])
– Titles (Primogen, House): High Myrmidon (representative of the Carthian Movement covenant)
– Demeanor: Architect – Nature: Idealist – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Sloth
– Area: Varies; havens: Several fortified safehouses in domains throughout New York City and parts of New Jersey
Pasquale
– 203-year-old Deava from Italy – Embrace: 1805 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: club owner – Owner of the nightclub “Nod,” a meeting place for Kindred in the Rack section of midtown Manhattan. Rumors say this elder was friends with such Italian musical legends as Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi before fleeing Europe after a scandal and settling in America around 1910.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Priscus Daeva (representative of the Daeva clan and bloodlines)
– Demeanor: Penitent – Nature: Masochist – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Domain of Lights; havens: The club Nod (Domain of Lights)
Hiram
– 194-year-old Ventrue from Russia – Embrace: 1814 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: corporate CEO – Driven from St. Petersburg by the Bolshevik Revolution, he came to New York and leveraged his family’s wealth into the Kronstadt Fund, now a major investment portfolio group. His simple and upbeat manner disarm many who only know of him by the shadow he casts across international finance.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the First (hunting throughout Lower Manhattan)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Coins (finance, Wall Street brokers, banks and venture capitalists)
– Demeanor: Child – Nature: Celebrant – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Domain of the First; havens: A vault beneath the New York Stock Exchange (Domain of the First)
Lilith
– 190-year-old Deava from Iran (Persia) – Embrace: 1818 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: ultimate social director of the Kindred – Although she hides her human name and claims lineage from ancient Persian royalty, most consider her boasts to just be posing affectations. Nevertheless, she is the most widely connected vampire in New York and makes a point to know every Kindred young and old. Her public opinions carry the weight of social law.
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Master of Harpies (arbitrating conflicts of title or status; tracking boons and scandals)
– Demeanor: Gallant – Nature: Conniver – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Greed
– Area: Varies; havens: Varies day-to-day, but generally keeps to Manhattan
Efren
– 185-year-old Ventrue from Canada – Embrace: 1823 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: patron of the arts – An old veteran of New York’s many secret wars, this elder renounced British hegemony to join Theodius’ “crazy experiment” and now focuses on funding the “more honest” world of artists.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Beauty (the leisure class: high society, art galleries, theaters, museums)
– Demeanor: Bravo – Nature: Rebel – Virtue: Prudence – Vice: Sloth
– Area: Domain of the Third; havens: A fortified studio in SoHo (Domain of the Third)
Alden
– 170-year-old Nosferatu from New York – Embrace: 1838 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: snitch – An appearance matching a large beaten dog hides this elder’s warm personality and skill as an information broker. He rules the relatively quiet expanse of Queens from his sprawling “sewer empire,” listening with a twisted ear on every piece of plumbing…
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of Bowne House (hunting throughout Queens)
– Demeanor: Bon Vivant – Nature: Autocrat – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Envy
– Area: Domain of Bowne House; havens: Sewers under Queens (Domain of Bowne House)
Twila
– 161-year-old Deava from Britain – Embrace: 1847 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: bored socialite – A product of Victorian London’s social scene, this flighty clan elder pursues countless causes with fickle passion in order to fill something missing in her mind or soul.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Cardiff (Welsh immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Visionary – Nature: Penitent – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Domain of the West; havens: Various apartments near Lincoln Center (Domain of the West)
Carmelo
– 152-year-old Gangrel from New York – Embrace: 1856 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: nomad – Viewing New York as one massive prison, this clan elder roams endlessly to show others their concrete and steel havens are just no fun.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Priscus Gangrel (representative of the Gangrel clan and bloodlines)
– Demeanor: Fanatic – Nature: Child – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Varies; havens: None (wanders)
Madeleine
– 143-year-old Gangrel from France – Embrace: 1865 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: shaman – Inspired by the works of Fulcanelli, this strange vampire sought esoteric answers among America’s native tribes but learned too late the fullness of their wisdom had been crushed by invading European cultures. Essentially exiled from the city, she knows more about dangerous ghosts and spirit horrors than any other Kindred.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of Conference House (hunting throughout Staten Island)
– Demeanor: Deviant – Nature: Survivor – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Envy
– Area: Domain of Conference House; havens: A heavily-warded house near Moravian Cemetery (Domain of Conference House)
Aurelio
– 140-year-old Ventrue from Italy – Embrace: 1868 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: military officer – Born at the end of the Napoleonic wars, this eternal soldier in life and undeath is perfect for his duties marshalling the Kindred’s single most beloved caste of mortals: firefighters. (He also is a childe brother to Bernardo, “raised” as Kindred in Italy.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Havens (firefighters)
– Demeanor: Celebrant – Nature: Conformist – Virtue: Faith – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Varies; havens: Tends to lair beneath firehouses where he has dominated the memories of its crews
Zhang
– 137-year-old Gangrel from China – Embrace: 1871 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: urban predator – Folds of black leather hide both this Kindred’s archaic weapons and her true gender. Adopting a masculine name and an abrasive personality helped her shed the cultural mores which otherwise would hinder her pursuit of victory.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the Second (hunting throughout Tibeca, Chinatown)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Canton (Chinese immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Curmudgeon – Nature: Competitor – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Envy
– Area: Domain of the Second; havens: A vault near Canal Street and Manhattan Bridge Plaza (Domain of the Second)
Silas
– 134-year-old Gangrel from Greece – Embrace: 1874 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: zookeeper – From a bestial lair beneath the Bronx Zoo, this “Hades” wannabe rules his domain under a strict and often terrible code of personal laws.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of Varian House (hunting throughout the Bronx)
– Demeanor: Judge – Nature: Deviant – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Domain of Varian House; havens: The Bronx Zoo (Domain of Varian House)
Mauricio
– 125-year-old Ventrue from Spain – Embrace: 1883 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: rave promoter – As the darkness behind the glitter of New York’s Great White Way, this dashing vampire has helped make the careers of many aspiring stage actresses and struggling club acts… although more than a few who sought fame from him were never seen alive again.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Regent of Lights (hunting throughout Midtown and Times Square)
– Demeanor: Traditionalist – Nature: Monster – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Envy
– Area: Domain of Lights; havens: Beneath various theaters along Broadway (Domain of Lights)
Basil
– 122-year-old Nosferatu from New York – Embrace: 1886 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: sycophantic servant – Self-effacing, petty and pathetic, this creature nevertheless knows his way flawlessly throughout New York’s underground, and he expects tribute from any who would tread there.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Tunnels (subways and even deeper places as emergency havens)
– Demeanor: Masochist – Nature: Autocrat – Virtue: Faith – Vice: Greed
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown, but somewhere under Manhattan (He “holds office hours” on various subway trains for Kindred to schedule plans to meet him)
Florine
– 113-year-old Ventrue from France – Embrace: 1895 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: realtor – A crass and selfish moneylender to the crass and selfish middle class for more than a century, this vampire schemes her way among the landlords of “the better city” with casual ease.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of Wyckoff House (hunting throughout Brooklyn)
– Demeanor: Rogue – Nature: Conniver – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Domain of Wyckoff House; havens: Several new condos in Brooklyn (Domain of Wyckoff House)
Heriberto
– 95-year-old Gangrel from Brazil – Embrace: 1913 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: mercenary – This leader of New York’s “cannon fodder army” is more than willing to accept other Kindreds’ payments for “specific practical training exercises.” While such corruption is enjoyed by many, this modern mercenary tends to allow his personal ethics to color the effectiveness of executing his contracts.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Ghouls (legions of daywalking slaves used as fodder in war)
– Demeanor: Rogue – Nature: Judge – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown (wanders)
Muireall
– 89-year-old Deava from Scotland – Embrace: 1919 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: cultured serial killer – When not answering issues about the city’s medical records, this quiet wallflower keeps to herself. (Hey Timmy, did you know a vampire in her position would be perfect to mask the horrific acts of an artistic serial killer who enjoys making living/dying performance art? This vampire knows — oh yes, she knows quite well…)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Plagues (hospitals, doctors, nurses, various medical professionals)
– Demeanor: Loner – Nature: Loner – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Pride
– Area: Domain of the East; havens: An apartment overlooking the East River (Domain of the East)
Ulysses
– 86-year-old Mekhet from Ireland – Embrace: 1922 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: power behind the praxis – A rough and ready champion of the common man, this young Kindred keeps pulse on everything which enters and leaves New York by land, sea or air.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Import (workers at the sea ports, airports, highways, warehouses)
– Demeanor: Caregiver – Nature: Curmudgeon – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Pride
– Area: Domain of Bowne House; havens: Varies, but known to have a stronghold near LaGuardia Airport (Domain of Bowne House)
Phoebe
– 80-year-old Nosferatu from New York – Embrace: 1928 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: guardian angel – No, Timmy, you don’t understand. The horrible monster in the closet is actually there to watch over you and protect you from… worse things. (Rival to Maxwell.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of the Meek (elementary schools, hospitals, orphanages, social services)
– Demeanor: Competitor – Nature: Child – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Lust
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown
Hester
– 74-year-old Mekhet from Britain – Embrace: 1934 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: ghetto Harpy – This struggling singer did not find her true voice until being brought to New York by her sire. Finding her true home in jazz halls of Harlem, she has become Lady Night to Billie Holliday’s Lady Day. (She also is a childe sister to Hunter.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Haarlem (Dutch immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Pedagogue – Nature: Bon Vivant – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Pride
– Area: Domain of the North; havens: Somewhere in Harlem (Domain of the North)
Federico
– 71-year-old Nosferatu from Cuba – Embrace: 1937 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: leg-breaker – Watch “Scarface” again. This guy inspired Tony Montana. ‘Nuff said.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Carriage (horses, carts, livery)
– Demeanor: Bravo – Nature: Survivor – Virtue: Faith – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Varies; havens: Various warehouses in Brooklyn and Queens
Emery
– 68-year-old Deava from New York – Embrace: 1940 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: Casanova – The millions of beatiful women in New York are a garden of flowers to be tended and plucked, and this guy is a master gardener.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Enoch (original duties now forgotten)
– Demeanor: Pedagogue – Nature: Rebel – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Pride
– Area: Varies; havens: Varies (typically with soon-to-be-consumed lovers)
Maxwell
– 44-year-old Nosferatu from Scotland – Embrace: 1964 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: bogeyman – No, Timmy, you don’t understand. I am “worse things,” and your fear serves an important purpose for our kind… Now, hold still. (Rival to Phoebe.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Glasgow (Scottish immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Visionary – Nature: Competitor – Virtue: Prudence – Vice: Envy
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown
Linwood
– 41-year-old Gangrel from India – Embrace: 1967 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: bumpkin – If the swarming streets of Bombay could be mastered, how hard can it be to navigate New York? This all-night taxi driver takes all fares, both Kindred and kine.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Carrion (butchers, food vendors, cooks, sewage trench cleaners [pre-plumbing])
– Demeanor: Director – Nature: Conformist – Virtue: Prudence – Vice: Greed
– Area: Varies; havens: None (wanders)
Corina
– 38-year-old Deava from New York – Embrace: 1970 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: club hopper – This ambitious young vampire was taken straight off the heroin-soaked dance floors of Manhattan and left to figure out her new condition by herself. Forced by circumstances, she will do anything to get ahead. Anything.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Feathers (original duties now forgotten)
– Demeanor: Survivor – Nature: Rogue – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown (wanders and keeps a low profile)
THE CIRCLE OF THE CRONE IN NEW YORK CITY
From Vampire: The Requiem core rulebook:
Few vampires outside the Circle of the Crone have anything even approaching a complete understanding of the group’s secretive beliefs and behaviors. As a covenant, the Circle is as devoted the Carthians, more tightly organized than the Invictus, and as often as not, more feared and misunderstood than the Lancea Sanctum and the Ordo Dracul. For many neonates, these mysterious Kindred are the “bogeymen” of vampire society — those who gather in sequestered cabals, where they practice ancient and eldritch rites in reverence to bloody gods and goddesses of cultures forgotten or shunned. These are the vampires about whom elders warn their childer: the political outcasts, iconoclasts and, to some, heretics of the Damned.
“Die Hexe,” “The Witch,” “Erda”
– 327-year-old Nosferatu from Germany – Embrace: 1681 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: hideous hag, giver of wisdom to heroes – Having escaped the witch hunts of Old Europe, this bloated and horrifying creature enjoys her motiff as “mother to monsters, wisdom-giver to heroes.” From her sacred cavern beneath the city, she has fashioned a new divination trio of modern Norns: herself as the crone, Helga as the matron, and Casandra as the maiden. Exactly how these vampires tap into secret knowledge is not known, but their blessing has become critical to many Kindred and their affairs.
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Scourge (destroying unwanted childer and rogue vampires)
– Titles (Primogen, House): High Hierophant (representative of the Circle of the Crone covenant)
– Demeanor: Deviant – Nature: Pedagogue – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Varies; havens: The Black Cavern, an underground chamber beneath the southern end of Central Park (not recognized as part of a specific domain)
Casandra
– 176-year-old Mekhet from New York – Embrace: 1832 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: seer; “maid” to Die Hexen’s “crone” – Although actually older than her “middle sister,” this dark, alluring waif has kept her virginity intact for almost two centuries. She claims to be waiting for the right man, a statement made with the authority of one who has already seen the future. The poorest, most desperate sections of Manhattan are beginning to see better days thanks in part to her invisible hand.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the North (hunting throughout Morningside Heights, Harlem, Spanish Harlem)
– Demeanor: Rebel – Nature: Visionary – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Lust
– Area: Domain of the North; havens: An ornate “temple” hidden within the cliff wall of Morningside Park (Domain of the North); also lairs at times in Die Hexe’s Black Cavern, an underground chamber beneath the southern end of Central Park (not recognized as part of a specific domain)
Francesca
– 146-year-old Deava from Italy – Embrace: 1862 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: full-time harpy – The danger of the Evil Eye is well known among the people of Sicily, and this beautful witch is largely the reason why. She meddles in everyone else’s affairs, but only the foolish turn her away without care. She is personal friend (and sometimes rival) to Lilith.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Milano (Italian immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Perfectionist – Nature: Pedagogue – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Envy
– Area: Domain of Wyckoff House; havens: Somewhere near Coney Island in Brooklyn (Domain of Wyckoff House)
Helga
– 98-year-old Ventrue from Germany – Embrace: 1910 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: old-time ward boss; “matron” to Die Hexen’s crone – A mother may simply tell her children an answer, but a riddle forces them to think out the truth for themselves. Although in the Norn role of “matron” due to her strong, mature appearance, she is in fact the youngest of the crone’s divination trio.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Hamburg (German immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Trickster – Nature: Gallant – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Pride
– Area: Varies; havens: The Black Cavern, an underground chamber beneath the southern end of Central Park (not recognized as part of a specific domain)
Hunter
– 65-year-old Mekhet from Britain – Embrace: 1943 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: pilgrim – Though the teachings of the old Celtic bards suffered grave abuse under generations of romantic writers and fanciful poets, there are some to continue to capture the spirit of those who seek natural harmony illustrated through the tales of others. This vampire acts as the “court poet” among the Kindred of the Requiem since his arrival in New York amid the Beat Generation’s heyday during the late 1950s. (He also is a childe brother to Hester.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Plows (farmers [back when there were rural areas])
– Demeanor: Celebrant – Nature: Gallant – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Lust
– Area: Domain of the Third; havens: An apartment stronghold in SoHo, shared with his “lover” Rosanna (Domain of the Third)
Rosanna
– 53-year-old Deava from New York – Embrace: 1955 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: local covenant spokesman – A contemporary of the young Anton LaVey, this would-be Satanic humanist came to New York seeking evidence of the supernatural. She found far more than what she ever expected and has been part of the city’s Kindred society ever since. She is especially dubious of the cult run by her sire, Harris. (She also is a childe sister to Tamra.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Masons (builders)
– Demeanor: Trickster – Nature: Thrill-Seeker – Virtue: Faith – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Domain of the Third; havens: An apartment stronghold in SoHo, shared with her “lover” Hunter (Domain of the Third)
THE INVICTUS IN NEW YORK CITY
From Vampire: The Requiem core rulebook:
In the eyes of those who don’t understand it — and, admittedly, of some who do — the Invictus is the despised aristocracy of the undead, the gentry who did nothing to earn their position but who would do anything to maintain it. They’re the landlord, the overseer, the dictator. The Invictus might not truly hold much more authority across the domains than the other covenants do, but it makes such a big deal about what power it does have that many Kindred often associate it with the highest offices. The Invictus often tries to portray itself as among the oldest covenants, with or without justification. Oldest or not, the covenant is certainly tenured. It has vast interest — and influence — in mortal affairs, and many outside the covenant see it as the guardian (sometimes excessively so) of the Masquerade.
Aelia
– 427-year-old Ventrue from Britain – Embrace: 1581 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: master politico, Venture paragon – From ancient British courts, to colonial American battlegrounds, to the bloody streets of a young New York, this master of political and martial warfare always found a way for both Invictus and her Ventrue allies to find victory over any defeat. Her sudden destruction during the terrorist attacks of 2001 has left her clan and her covenant adriff without a leader – and what’s worse, with an eternally-childish Prince on the throne.
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Seneschal (second in command, manages nightly routines, Prince’s right hand)
– Demeanor: Director – Nature: Traditionalist – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Lust
– Area: None; havens: None (Was the World Trade Center)
Dame Sandra Dawson
– 268-year-old Ventrue from Britain – Embrace: 1740 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: ambitious Invictus operative – One of Aelia’s oldest and most trusted childer, this vampire enjoyed high status in the Kindred’s London court before being sent to the New World. When their mission failed, she could not return home and instead built a new power base in New York. In addition to her Primogen responsibilities, she also holds the covenant title Meister Commissioner and Speaker.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Regent of the East (the Upper East Side)
– Demeanor: Director – Nature: – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Lust
– Area: Domain of the East; havens: An Italianate mansion on 64th Street between Park and Madison avenues
Stefan
– 200-year-old Mekhet from the Netherlands – Embrace: 1808 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: diplomat – Defacto head of Invictus post-Aelia due to his diplomatic nature and superior organization. While Aelia held the title of “seneschal,” all knew her to be the Prince; in practice, Stefan essentially was the seneschal for night-to-night responsibilities.
– Titles (Primogen, House): High Invictus (representative of the Invictus covenant) (temporary post since Aelia’s destruction); Master of Crowns (spies at the U.N., dominated ambassadors, foreign royalty living in the city)
– Demeanor: Director – Nature: Architect – Virtue: Prudence – Vice: Greed
– Area: Domain of the First; havens: Tomb of the Camarilla, a heavily fortified underground stronghold beneath Tweed Courthouse (Domain of the First); also known to lair in various safehouses around Manhattan
Vonda
– 197-year-old Nosferatu from Haiti – Embrace: 1811 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: circus freak – Shares in Stefan’s conservative plans and tends to support him in all measures. Her strange entourage of twisted childer act as spies, and on occasion assassins, in protection of Prince George.
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Hound (head of the Prince’s personal guard)
– Demeanor: Conformist – Nature: Architect – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Domain of the First; havens: Tomb of the Camarilla, a heavily fortified underground stronghold beneath Tweed Courthouse (Domain of the First)
Leanna
– 191-year-old Mekhet from Britain – Embrace: 1817 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: policeman – Controls the city’s police with a firm hand and tolerates few threats to her Prince, her mortals, or her authority. She typically appears to local police as some sort of federal agent, though none ever remember exactly who she said she was with before taking over this or that investigation.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Master of the Watch (police, coroners, morticians)
– Demeanor: Autocrat – Nature: Caregiver – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown (varies)
Evangelina
– 182-year-old Mekhet from Bulgaria – Embrace: 1826 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: enforcer – This vampire acts like what would be considered the “whip” in other cities, making sure the rest of the covenant follows suite when needed. She has been known to punish disloyal vampires by killing their ghouls or, if available, living members of the Kindred’s surviving human family.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Priscus Mekhet (representative of the Mekhet clan and bloodlines)
– Demeanor: Competitor – Nature: Perfectionist – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Domain of the East; havens: An apartment stronghold on Park Avenue (Domain of the East)
Harris
– 173-year-old Deava from New York – Embrace: 1835 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: cult leader – Leader of a cult in Greenwich Village, he projects a condemning view on those who have suggested more liberal ideas for the Kindred’s future. Under his philosophy, “The Secret” is that God (or the Tao, or fate) helps only those destined to inherit the power and help themselves. While some failures serve to improve a vampire’s drive to perfection, frequent failures show the loser “to exist only as a lesson for others on how not to do it.”
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the Village (hunting throughout Greenwich Village, West Village)
– Demeanor: Judge – Nature: Traditionalist – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Sloth
– Area: Domain of the Village; havens: A large house in Greenwich Village (Domain of the Village)
Lelia
– 158-year-old Nosferatu from Italy – Embrace: 1850 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: crude sadist – The Prohibition Era gave ultimate proof that “democracy” is a stupid form of governance which only leads to stupid laws. Open respect and fear of those with more power gives society an honest way of things. This vampire sees La Costa Nostra as the perfect “counter experiment” to Carthians and the tyranny of democracy’s enfebbled masses.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the Gatelands (hunting throughout Newark, Union City, Jersey City); Master of the Five Families (a “new” position for Mafia issues)
– Demeanor: Rebel – Nature: Fanatic – Virtue: Faith – Vice: Lust
– Area: Domain of the Gatelands; havens: An estate in Union, New Jersey (Domain of the Gatelands)
Bernardo
– 155-year-old Ventrue from Italy – Embrace: 1853 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: political consultant – Those who find litigation boring have never watched a district attorney weep, a political campaign manager eat the end of his own gun, or an entire slum of vagrants run for their lives before the police batons and bulldozers of progress. A word of advice: Please remember to read the fine print. (He also is a childe brother to Aurelio, “raised” as Kindred in Italy.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Lies (the bureaucrat class: government officials, city hall, various landlords); Priscus Ventrue (representative of the Ventrue clan and bloodlines)
– Demeanor: Thrill-Seeker – Nature: Trickster – Virtue: Prudence – Vice: Sloth
– Area: Domain of the First; havens: A penthouse stronghold near City Hall (Domain of the First)
Dionne
– 131-year-old Ventrue from Australia – Embrace: 1877 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: society matron – When attending one of her late-night gala parties along the Hudson, pay attention to the dinnerware. Her expensive collection of silver knives often end up in the backs of guests who failed to show her proper respect.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the West (hunting throughout the Upper West Side)
– Demeanor: Gallant – Nature: Bravo – Virtue: Prudence – Vice: Greed
– Area: Domain of the East; havens: A Trump building apartment overlooking the Hudson River (Domain of the East)
Brigitte
– 128-year-old Daeva from France – Embrace: 1880 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: jaded vampire – A lie told can be forgotten; a lie published is official record forever. Enough published lies become what academics like to call “history.” This vampire, once a muckraking crusader herself, now helps twist the truth to protect the Masquerade and, on occation, show why Invictus has the better solution for the city’s problems.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Flattery (newspapers, mass media in general)
– Demeanor: Penitent – Nature: Judge – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Sloth
– Area: Domain of Trades; havens: An apartment in Hells Kitchen (Domain of Trades) plus several other safehouses
Maura
– 116-year-old Mekhet from Ireland – Embrace: 1892 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: assassin – The “haves” of society always cast off and exclude the “have-nots,” and thus outsiders need their champion. The problem with Robin Hood was his lack of effort: This Kindred assassin doesn’t just rob from the rich and give to the poor; she kills the rich and takes everything in order to “answer need with deed” (and leave a pile of soft, fat, and dead bodies in her wake).
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Pilgrims (advocate general for anarchs and newcomer vampires)
– Demeanor: Architect – Nature: Caregiver – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Lust
– Area: Domain of Wyckoff House; havens: Currently unknown; formerly an abandoned frieghter moored at the Red Hook Container Terminal in Brooklyn (Domain of Wyckoff House)
Prince George
– 116-year-old Ventrue from New York – Embrace: 1892 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: l’enfant terrible, both figuratively and literally – Despite having legendary tutors and a century of political experience in the most powerful post in the city, the perpetual 10-year-old childe of Aelia remains l’enfant terrible, both figuratively and literally. His avoidance of meeting a harsh dawn is thanks entirely to Carthian idealism for democracy and Invictus ambition for succession. The little Prince seems destined to spend his remaining night just whining for another new blood doll and the return of his “mommy.”
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Prince
– Demeanor: Child – Nature: Monster – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Sloth
– Area: ; havens: Haven:Tomb of the Camarilla, a heavily fortified underground stronghold beneath Tweed Courthouse (Domain of the First)
Mara
– 107-year-old Gangrel from Palestine – Embrace: 1901 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: circuit rider – There is only one way to fight a monster: Get a bigger monster. This former street fighter from the Holy Land traveled America’s performance circuits for years until Invictus elders recognized her use for defending the Kindred of New York. Invictus elders struggle to hold the end of this one’s spiked chain.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Silver (elite “anti-werewolf” forces)
– Demeanor: Monster – Nature: Deviant – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Greed
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown
Wilda
– 101-year-old Mekhet from Britain – Embrace: 1907 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: professional “escort” – Look at her. You know what you want. She knows what you want. She wants to give it to you… all you need to do is meet her price. No, sorry, it’s going to cost you more than that. No, still more. Enough? Look at her again. Yes, that amount should do…
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the Fourth (Lower East Side, Bowery)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Pleasures (illicit trades [nowadays just drugs and prostitution, less gambling])
– Demeanor: Gallant – Nature: Visionary – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Greed
– Area: Domain of the Fourth; havens: A dominatrix studio on St Marks Place (Domain of the Fourth)
Janell
– 92-year-old Gangrel from Canada – Embrace: 1916 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: survivalist – Hostile vampires and werewolves just try to bite you, maybe tear you in half. Mages can UNMAKE REALITY. A world without magick is not just a safer world for Kindred, but safer for everything which exists. Do exactly as this vampire says and she can seal the dimensional breaks which fuel witchcraft and doom.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of 1716 (elite “anti-mage” forces)
– Demeanor: Autocrat – Nature: Martyr – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown
Ahmad
– 62-year-old Gangrel from Egypt – Embrace: 1946 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: archeologist – All great truths begin as heresies. The secrets to absolute power lie waiting for rediscovery in the past, and this vampire uses the great collections of artifacts collected in New York from around the world as a means to find them. (Rival to Colby.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Letters (colleges, universities, libraries)
– Demeanor: Deviant – Nature: Director – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Domain of the Village; havens: A private library in the West Village (Domain of the Village)
Snow
– 59-year-old Gangrel from Los Angeles – Embrace: 1949 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: guru – It’s easy to find charisma in one who has endured a lifetime of hardship and survived. Unfortunately for those who follow this vampire for wisdom, she feels no obligation for sharing life’s lessons with simple lectures. True wisdom must be earned through experience first-hand, and so her entourage follow her from danger to danger.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Nations (dealings with Iroquois, Mohawk, Oneida and other tribes)
– Demeanor: Survivor – Nature: Rogue – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Pride
– Area: Varies; havens: Varies (wanders)
Tamra
– 47-year-old Deava from New York – Embrace: 1961 (apparent age mid-50s)
– Concept: Kindred politico – Look at some of Carthain’s recent “movements” in Europe — the Nazi “reich” (death camps) and Soviet Union (gulags) — all futile exercises in horror. The old ways of Invictus were not only best, they were absolute, and there are many in this city willing to listen to this vampire’s whispered advice on gaining further power over one’s political enemies. The codes of law must be honored. (Childe sister to Rosanna.)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Zion (Jews and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Fanatic – Nature: Traditionalist – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Pride
– Area: Domain of the East; havens: Various safehouses in the Upper East Side (Domain of the East)
THE LANCEA SANCTUM IN NEW YORK CITY
From Vampire: The Requiem core rulebook:
To members of the Lancea Sanctum, the self-proclaimed heralds of undead morality, their origin defines everything they are and everything they do. Indeed, the modern sobriquet “Sanctified,” by which the covenant is sometimes known, incenses many elders and traditionalists of the covenant. They are the religious and even moral backbone of the Kindred, but they are also self-appointed priests and inquisitors. The most inhuman of an inhuman race, they exalt the role of predator. Universally respected and feared, this covenant constantly seeks power over all Kindred everywhere, not for political rule, as the Invictus does, but to enforce the dictates from God.
Niall
– 1568-year-old Mekhet from Ireland – Embrace: 440 (apparent age late-50s)
– Concept: quiet, serious, mysterious bastion of faith – Like a missionary sent by God through the gates of Hell, this ancient and powerful elder embodies the grim dogma of nearly 15 centuries worth of Christian teachings. Why this vampire came to New York more than a century ago is unknown, but he arrived amid a flood of Irish immigrants to whom he seems to hold particular fealty despite joining the ranks of the Damned.
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Master of Elysium (policing the accepted “neutral ground” areas)
– Titles (Primogen, House): High Archbishop (representative of the Lancea Sanctum covenant); Master of Fears (the Vatican, other churches and various religious organizations)
– Demeanor: Penitent – Nature: Martyr – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Sloth
– Area: Domain of Lights; havens: A building near St Patrick’s Cathedral (Domain of Lights)
Mai
– 179-year-old Ventrue from Vietnam – Embrace: 1829 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: crooked cop – Almost two centuries of existence in slavery – first under her brutal father who only wanted a son, then under a merciless Kindred sire – prepared this vampire for undying loyalty to the saviors who promised her redemption in bloody service to the Lord. Tonight she roams the city in a police uniform, keeping watch over those living and dead who lay in sleep.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Honors (protection of elders who have fallen into long-term torpor)
– Demeanor: Loner – Nature: Bravo – Virtue: Charity – Vice: Lust
– Area: Varies; havens: Unknown
Colby
– 167-year-old Mekhet from Britain – Embrace: 1841 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: antiquities scolar – Efforts to craft reflections of God’s perfection can been found in countless antiquities scattered around the world, waiting to be found, bought, and sold. This vampire has agents watching throughout his domain and the city in hopes of catching that rare item of beauty or power which falls out of careless hands. (Rival to Ahmad.)
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of the Third (hunting throughout SoHo, Nolita, Little Italy)
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Liverpool (British immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Thrill-Seeker – Nature: Perfectionist – Virtue: Faith – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Domain of the Third; havens: An antiques auction house in Nolita (Domain of the Third)
Rowena
– 149-year-old Nosferatu from Ireland – Embrace: 1859 (apparent age mid-40s)
– Concept: petty thief – God’s bounty comes in mysterious ways. It’s said an honest man cannot be conned, but this vampire knows her petty crimes and confidence games will never find a shortage of the wicked from whom money, dreams, and life are easily surrendered. Through her nightly games, the wages of sin reap their own rewards.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Dublin (Irish immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Curmudgeon – Nature: Bon Vivant – Virtue: Hope – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Varies; havens: Varies (wanders)
Bruno
– 83-year-old Gangrel from Germany – Embrace: 1925 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: bodyguard – Like us, they enjoy fun and games. Like us, they come out of the shadow places – a seemingly empty alley, a thorny patch of hedge – but they don’t want blood. Who knows what these wryd-warped changelings want? Problem is, too often there’s something chasing them, something… bad. Worse than vampires. Worse than werewolves. To protect the Kindred, this vampire finds it best to give the alien horrors what they want – the changeling breeds – or else destroy them all and remove the source which attracts such craven faerie horrors.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Iron (elite “anti-changeling” forces)
– Demeanor: Bon Vivant – Nature: Thrill-Seeker – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Sloth
– Area: Domain of Varian House; havens: An abandoned ironworks factory on Ford Street in the Bronx (Domain of Varian House)
Sebastian
– 56-year-old Ventrue from Poland – Embrace: 1952 (apparent age mid-20s)
– Concept: gang chief – The war for the hearts and souls of the youth of the streets is never an easy fight. Those whom the priests lose often turn up in gangs, only to discover a far darker agent of God waiting there to catch them. Drafting troubled mortals into a new type of sacred brotherhood, this vampire’s thralls keep the faith not with rosaries or crosses but with broken bottles and spiked baseball bats.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Warsaw (Polish immigrants and their affairs)
– Demeanor: Conformist – Nature: Pedagogue – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Lust
– Area: Varies; havens: Varies (wanders)
THE ORDO DRACUL IN NEW YORK CITY
From Vampire: The Requiem core rulebook:
The curse of vampirism is but an obstacle, a hurdle before achieving true power. Granted, it’s a daunting hurdle, and one that most Kindred are ill equipped to even see as surmountable. For those with the necessary devotion, tenacity and intelligence, the Ordo Dracul, the Order of the Dragon, can provide the means. The vampires of the Ordo Dracul run the gamut from dogged fundamentalists with just as much zeal as any fanatic to coldly secular theosophists simply seeking the means to destroy an enemy. The covenant as a whole welcomes both mentalities, for both have much to teach.
DeVries
– 339-year-old Deava from Netherlands – Embrace: 1669 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: jolly veteran adventurer and thrill-seeker – Smuggled over the ocean by his captain brother, this jolly veteran adventurer was among the first vampires from Europe to set foot in the New World. He is renown for making and ending friendships with remarkable speed and leaving broods of abandoned childer in his wake when the mood (and distraction of the Prince) suits him. His role as a the face of Ordo Dracul lends the covenant great influence, but many Dragons know a new whim could easily turn this elder’s attentions elsewhere.
– Titles: (Prince’s Inner Circle): Herald (makes known Prince’s decrees, calls to council)
– Titles (Primogen, House): High Kogaion (representative of the Ordo Dracul covenant)
– Demeanor: Bon Vivant – Nature: Trickster – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Wrath
– Area: Varies; havens: Several strongholds throughout Manhattan
Osvaldo
– 188-year-old Nosferatu from Honduras – Embrace: 1820 (apparent age late-20s)
– Concept: reclusive eccentric – Clawing about in the dark on lizard-like feet, this rarely seen elder seems to care for nothing except those embraced by clan Nosferatu. It is rumored his work with the Dragons is aimed at “curing” the deformities of those in the Nosferatu clan, but publicly the elder has always denied such claims.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Priscus Nosferatu (representative of the Nosferatu clan and bloodlines)
– Demeanor: Caregiver – Nature: Conniver – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Domain of Wyckoff House; havens: An abandoned hospital in Brooklyn (Domain of Wyckoff House)
Reyna
– 119-year-old Daeva from Spain – Embrace: 1889 (apparent age early-30s)
– Concept: patron of the arts – A beautiful model and talented painter, this Kindred taps her personal fortune to fund artists willing to “push boundaries” with their craft. Much of both her own work and that which she sponsors reflects patterns of arcane power – Fibonacci sequences, ley line maps – which the uninitiated never see.
– Titles (Primogen, Senate): Regent of Trades (hunting throughout Hells Kitchen, Gramercy, Flatiron, Murray Hill)
– Demeanor: Martyr – Nature: Director – Virtue: Fortitude – Vice: Pride
– Area: Domain of Trades; havens: A large studio in Gramercy (Domain of Trades)
Odell
– 104-year-old Nosferatu from New York – Embrace: 1904 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: parvenu (nouveau riche) – To mortals, “keeping up with the Jones” means new cars, new jewelry, and perhaps a new wife every 20 years. To this Kindred parvenu, the rites of the Ordo promise evolution into a new, better kind of a vampire. His snobbish attitude has not helped the Dragons win friends among the other covenants.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Shipwrights (builders of wooden ships)
– Demeanor: Architect – Nature: Trickster – Virtue: Prudence – Vice: Pride
– Area: Domain of the West; havens: An apartment workshop in the Upper West Side (Domain of the West)
Aisha
– 77-year-old Mekhet from Egypt – Embrace: 1931 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: fence – From handguns to humans, everything has its price to be bought and sold in New York City. This vampire makes her way fulfilling all manner of strange requests for her fellow Kindred, especially the “components” needed for her fellow Dragons’ various “experiments.”
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Craftmen (the working class: craft unions, contractors, general laborers)
– Demeanor: Conniver – Nature: Loner – Virtue: Justice – Vice: Gluttony
– Area: Domain of the North; havens: A funeral home in Morningside Heights (Domain of the North)
Weldon
– 38-year-old Ventrue from New York – Embrace: 1970 (apparent age late-30s)
– Concept: technical wizard – A nerd before the computer revolution would make nerds cool, this skinny vampire is a master of cyphers, electronics, and all manner of computer programming. His thick glasses and social awkwardness would cripple his existence among predators save that his modern skills are so badly needed by more archaic Kindred.
– Titles (Primogen, House): Master of Wires (a “new” position created for utilities)
– Demeanor: Perfectionist – Nature: Curmudgeon – Virtue: Temperance – Vice: Pride
– Area: Domain of the North; havens: A warehouse in Harlem (Domain of the North)
OTHER KINDRED IN NEW YORK CITY
Craddock
Although a declared member of Ordo Dracul, this reclusive vampire shares almost nothing about himself with other Kindred in his covenant. He avoids city politics completely and, except for the occasional business of hunting, keeps to his secure haven in Brooklyn where it’s rumored he pursues disturbing experiments. Attempts to spy within this lair, either by burglary or scrying, have always failed.
– Embraced in the year 1850 by Clan Mekhet in Boston
– Titles: None
– Demeanor: Loner (You just don’t belong, either by choice or by nature.)
– Sire: (A 17th century elder in Boston.)
– Childer: Unknown.
– Haven: An old warehouse in Brooklyn (Domain of Wyckoff House).
Harrington, “The Island Prince”
The Kindred of New York have long been warned to avoid Blackwell’s Island (now known as Roosevelt Island), a thin strip of land in the East River between Manhattan and Queens. The site of a lunatic asylum once run by prison convicts, the development of welfare housing and then luxury condos did little to patch the psychic tears ripped open here into the spirit world. Only one vampire dwells here: A raving madman known to other Kindred as “The Island Prince.” He has never ventured off his small domain, but a few brave (or foolish) vampires claim to have met him when sent to the island on critical covenant or Primogen business. No two reports about his manner of reception are ever the same, but the spirits which manifest on the island are always hostile. How Harrington avoids the ghosts’ wrath is not known.
– Embraced in the year 1877 by Clan Ventrue (Malkovian) in New York
– Demeanor: Trickster (Existence is absurd, so you fill it with humor and irreverence to avoid looking too deeply at the pain.)
– Sire: Unknown.
– Childer: Unknown.
– Haven: Brackwell’s Island (Roosevelt Island)
“The Lightbringer”
Some suspect this self-styled demon may not be a vampire at all, but rather some sort of spirit made flesh or a rogue mage. Nevertheless, a Blood Hunt stands against him to be destroyed on sight due to his crimes committed as a cell leader within Belial’s Brood, a “loose confederation of Satanists, demon-worshipers and overt miscreants.” (Reports of this devil’s Final Death have been “confirmed” many times, but he always returns.) Described as a beautiful youth, this silver-tongued charmer often points out the futility of more orthodox Kindred traditions in order to tempt Kindred into indulging their inner Beasts.
– Embraced in the year 1900 by Clan Daeva (?) in New York
– Demeanor: Conniver (There’s no point to doing it yourself when you can get someone else to put in the effort.)
– Sire: Unknown.
– Childer: Unknown.
– Haven: Unknown.
Alvis King, “The King of Blood”
Within the Bronx is a crime-ridden area claimed by several violent gangs of Kindred who have renounced the authority of the Primogen. These anarchs wage an ongoing guerrilla war against the elder Silas and his minions, but as they have not broken the Masquerade, no Blood Hunt has been called against them. United under the leadership of the charistmatic “King of Blood,” these warbands celebrate their turf’s history of mayhem and independence from orthodox Kindred. Little is known about this “anarch warlord,” although his motto – “A King always trumps a Prince” – is a common tag seen in the region’s graffiti. Some suspect this Kindred may be behind the vampire-hunting terrorist group “VII,” which may take their name from the legendary “Savage Seven” gangs of the late 1960s. Evidence of this connection would allow a Blood Hunt to be declared against King and his followers.
– Embraced in the year 1930 by Clan Ventrue in New York
– Demeanor: Autocrat (You want to take charge, since nobody else can do the job right.)
– Sire: Unknown.
– Childer: Unknown (but rumored to create broods carelessly prior to staging an attack).
– Haven: Believed to be safehouses throughout gang-held territory in the Bronx (Domain of Varian House)
Michael
This unfortunate soul was once a hero among vampires during the war against the lupines, but years of savagery ultimately took over his mind. Tonight the Beast is utterly in control, driving him to hunt Kindred and kine alike as the feral animal he has become. A Blood Hunt was called on him a decade ago, but he has proven to be a slippery target adept at escaping traps and ambushes.
– Embraced in the year 1933 by Clan Gangrel in New York
– Demeanor: Monster (Build your purpose from a malignant drive to showcase evil through your actions.)
– Sire: Carmelo.
– Childer: None (doesn’t play with his food).
– Haven: None (wanderer).