Ten of Clubs - Blood Cabal

The secret society of vampires that controls EVERYTHING. Founded by 13 of the 14 clans descended from Kilroy, the First Vampire. (Kilroy himself is long missing, but periodically, graffiti turns up claiming he had visited a place. Kilroy is also known as Murphy.) The Fourteenth Clan was usurped long ago by a Philistine Cult and now are known as the BasketBaals?, leaders of the other vampire conspiracy, Lazy Sunday. Because of that, the BasketBaals? are banned from the Blood Cabal, even renegade ones. Who can't be trusted.

Not that vampires can trust each other much.

The Blood Cabal maintains the Screen, the requirement that vampires hide themselves and plot from the shadows. This enables them to avoid being wiped out by the Mundanity Cabal. There are rumors, in fact, of collaboration with the Mundanity Cabal to hide the existence of vampires. A Council of 13 rules the Blood Cabal and one of its members is appointed Screenmaster General, in charge of maintaining the Screen. He commands a force of vampiric ninja known as the Concealers, who cover up anything which would break the Screen.

Below the level of the Council of 13, every city is basically its own miniature vampire city-state. The ruler holds the title of Baron, and appoints other vampires to hold office beneath him. Any clan might hold this office; in practice, most Barons are Vanderbilts, Xanatosi, Copperfields, or Gyros. The Barony includes a large swath of land around the city and all the smaller communities inside it. In practice, much of the rural lands of any given barony are dominated by lycanthropes or other supernaturals, because there aren't enough people to support many vampires there (In theory, a rural area with a thousand people could support a vampire, but in practice, anything less than 100,000 humans per vampire risks discovery too much.)

The Blood Cabal takes the official position that the Unclediluvians do not exist, the Curse of Ham & Rye is not real, UFOs are not visiting the Earth, and the Sasquatch Haderach is a myth. Also, there is no Santa Claus OR Easter Bunny.

Some clans have a majority of their members in the Blood Cabal; others are more common in Lazy Sunday.

• Exclusively Found in the Blood Cabal: Gyros (intensely distrusted by the BasketBaals?)
• Majority in the Blood Cabal: Vanderbilts (typically the leaders), Xanatosi (typically right hand men of the Vanderbilts, possibly the true leaders), Copperfields (oddly skeptical given they do Blood Magic), Addams (You can't be deviant when *everyone* is a deviant), Picassos (find more rich patrons among the Blood Cabal), Eastwoods (Uninterested in holy war).
• Exclusively Found in Lazy Sunday: Basketbaals (they helped found it and no one in the Blood Cabal Trusts them. They lead Lazy Sunday)
• Majority in Lazy Sunday: Abbasids (they endorse holy wars), Ramones (THEY ARE FIGHTING THE MAN and the Blood Cabal is totally The Man), Rozhdestvenskij (also into holy war), Shadows (find the Blood Cabal worthy of judgement and punishment), Serpents of the Rainbow (They agree with the Ramones), Tramps (not violent or sneaky enough to overcome Vanderbilt distaste for the lower classes).

Clan

Choose Your Clan:

• Abbassid: Your clan's public front is as assassins for hire, but your real goal is restoration of the Abbasid Caliphate and complete destruction of the Mongols. You're good a holding a loooong grudge. Bellicosity +2, Obstinancy +1.
  • Quote: "You want me to knock off the Baron of the City? That will cost you five Mongol heads or three secret names of Jinn. Barons don't come cheap, you know."
  • Puissance: Blood Assassin: When you hit a foe with a Physical attack, you can spend 1 Health and induce a blood related Physical Condition at a level equal to your Bellicosity.
• Addams: You're creepy and kooky, all together ooky. Eccentric and often insane, this tight-knit clan embraces being deviant and looks at everything from its own perspective, which is sometimes completely insane. Artistry +2, Perspicacity +1. If your Normalcy is at least 2, reduce it by 1 and add +1 Obstinancy.
  • Quote: "It is a well-known fact that Gazebos are dangerous, so I cannot attend your party. In Africa, they killed over three thousand people last year and the dwindling tiger population can no longer keep them in check. But you are still welcome at our next party; please bring an umbrella."
  • Puissance: Off-Kilter Mind: Spend one Brainmeat to reflexively reduce any mental condition which would force you to act normal by your Artistry.
• Copperfields: You have carefully studied the ancient arts of blood magic. Artistry +1, Perspicacity +2
  • Quote: "I can most certainly ward your chambers against scrying, but it will require a small quantity of your own blood to be worked into it so you can scry out if you choose and five vials of blood as a general payment, with a three vial expense account. Hmm? Oh no, a few drops of your own blood will do. We can leave that out if you don't mind being scry-blocked yourself. As you wish, Baron. We live to serve and to gain more knowledge."
  • Puissance: The Shield of Arsenius: Spend one Brainmeat to reduce any magically-imposed Condition by your Perspicacity.
• Eastwoods: You drift from town to town, dodging commitments and seeking blood; you enjoy the wilderness most of all but it lacks good human blood, so sooner or later, you have to return to civilization. Bellicosity +1, Normalcy +1, Obstinancy +1
  • Quote: "I was halfway across the desert when the damn were-bats swarmed me; I used up all my stakes and silver bullets, so I need as many of them as you can sell. What? Of course I have blood. The *good stuff*. No, it's not were-bat blood, I know they usually are made out of rabies. *Rabies*, not rabbits. Do you need a hearing aid?"
  • Puissance: High Plains Drifter: Spend one Brainmeat to acquire a zero-level mount or vehicle you can use to travel around in.
• Gyros: Greek necromancers and chefs who wiped out an original clan, the Pharoahs, and stole their powers. Normalcy +2, Perspicacity +1
  • Quote: "You shouldn't have expected to get away with murder, when I, the Sheriff, can talk to the dead."
  • Puissance: Curse of the Pharoahs: You can make Existential Attacks which impose curses on those who violate graves.
• Picassos: You are an artiste and maybe even a real artist, freed to create forever by immortality. Artistry +2, Synergy +1
  • Quote: "You are Immortal. You can afford to sit still for an hour while I capture your essence in paint. No, I am not going to steal your soul. I could, but it wouldn't be worth much in my collection. That was a joke. Every person is a unique work of art, but I would like this one to be a *good one* since it will be hung up in Blood Heaven."
  • Puissance: Always Elegant: Spend one Reputation to reflexively reduce by your Artistry any Social Condition which would reduce your elegance.
• Ramones: You are a street punk vampire. Bellicosity +1, Obstinancy + 2
  • Quote: "We're going to bring the Baron down if it's the last thing we do. ANARCHY NOW! Yeah, time to go tag some buildings."
  • Puissance: Punks Don't Care: Spend one Brainmeat to reflexively reduce by your Obstinancy any Mental Condition which would make you care about something.
• Rozhdestvenskij: True Masters of the North Pole, they bring presents or judgement down on children, according to their worth; they use their flesh-molding powers to help or hurt others and themselves, depending on what they deserve. Artistry +2, Perspicacity +1
  • Quote: "Perhaps you should have thought about how little Timmy's parents would beat him before you told them he kicked over your sandcastle. Now let's see how well you destroy other lives without a mouth."
  • Puissance: Scent of Judgement: You can spend one Existence and detect the moral qualities of a person automatically. If they possess powers to hide this, you can make Mental Attacks to penetrate it.
• Serpents of the Rainbow: An ethnically and racially diverse cult of vampires who worship a snake god whose name and face changes in different cultures. Artistry +1, Normalcy +1, Synergy +1
  • Quote: "The Rainbow must be experienced; we have our next ceremony Saturday Night if you wish to see it for yourself."
  • Puissance: Snakehandlers: Reflexively reduce by your Normalcy any Poison Condition.
• Shadows: The Shadows know what evil lurks in the hearts of men. Then they kill the ones who are beyond redemption and try to manipulate the less tainted back to righteousness, while leaving the pure alone. Bellicosity +1, Perspicacity +1, Synergy +1
  • Quote: "You destroyed many lives with those drugs. Now let's see exactly how many pounds of cocaine your body can hold before it bursts."
  • Puissance: Slay With Your Own Darkness: Add the level of any morally corrupt Peculiarity of the target to any Physical Damage you inflict on them.
• Tramps: Unlike most clans, you have close ties to bands of wandering humans who go from town to town in family or small clan units of their own. The origin of these bands remain unknown but they are your close allies and you protect them as you blood-hobo your way across the world. Artistry +1, Normalcy +1, Synergy +1
  • Quote: "I'm not Charlie Chaplin, but thank you. He was an inspiration to me. He deserved better than exile."
  • Puissance: Mask of Life: Spend one vial of blood or a Health point to take on the appearance of normal, healthy life for the rest of the scene.
• Vanderbilts: You are a wealthy vampire with class and taste, unlike those Ramones punks. Artistry +1, Synergy +2
  • Quote: "Anarchy Now is the sort of slogan a petulant baby shouts out, not an adult. Really, a better slogan for this age is Synergy Now. Paint over his tags. That should grind his gears."
  • Puissance: High Class: Spend one Reputation to reflexively reduce by your Synergy any Social Condition which would hurt your reputation.
• Xanatosi: You are an uuuuuugggggglllllyyyyy vampire, twisted by your transformation, but it's also left you cunning, a manipulator and spy. They are the right-hand men of many Barons and sometimes the power behind the throne. Artistry +1, Perspicacity +1, Synergy +1
  • Quote: "The Ramons are petulant man-babies, my lord, no threat to you at all. I will ensure your will is done. Now, next we need to deal with a border dispute between the Picassos and the Shadows. I agree, my lord, why anyone would want a goth club is beyond me."
  • Puissance: Look At ME! I AM A MONSTER: You can make Ranged - Mental - Fear attacks on anyone who can see you, adding your Artistry to any Conditions imposed.

Peculiarity

• Vampire: You gain Fortune Dice when you seek to drink blood or dominate society; you gain Adversity Dice when you are hungry for blood and can't get it or when you let society do its own thing without your input. This also conveys a zero-level Physical Bite attack.

Penchant

Choose One of the Following:

• Aura of Importance (Artistry + Synergy): Everyone treats you as a VIP even if they're not sure how you're important or why. This gradually consumes your blood supply.
• Aura of Potence (Bellicosity + Obstinancy): You radiate 'badass motherfucker', even if you are busy making lace by hand. This slowly consumes your blood supply.
• Aura of Unimportance (Normalcy + Obstinancy): This causes people to ignore you; they *see* you, they just don't think you are worth caring about. Until you pounce on them for their blood or walk past them and steal everything in the vault, anyway. This slowly consumes your blood supply.
• Blood Magic (Artistry + Perspicacity ): You can mold minds, set things on fire, influence body functioning, conjure things, summon and bind spirits, and speak to the dead, but every spell requires some of your precious blood.
• Draw Blood (Bellicosity + Obstinancy): When you hit people, they bleed more than usual. This allows you to then lick that blood and refresh your stock.
• Flesh Shaping (Artistry + Perspicacity): You can reshape a person's body to reflect their true self. This can be beautiful or hideous.
• Induce Clan Behavior (Artistry + Perspicacity): You must feed the target a small amount of your blood; this transforms them into a Blood Roadie, who craves more of your blood and will serve you to get it. Further, they take on the behavior patterns of your clan.
• Mummification (Normalcy + Perspicacity ): You can ensure a dead person rises again as a mummy under your control, if you perform the proper rites and burial.
• Shadow Mastery (Bellicosity + Perspicacity): You can control shadows to attack people, hide yourself and others or do anything a shadow can.
• Silver Tongue (Perspicacity + Synergy): At only a small cost in blood, you can persuade people of almost anything AND make them think it their own idea.
• Snake Mastery (Normalcy + Synergy): You can control Snakes and Snake-like beings, such as Yuan-Ti.
• Theater of the Mind's Eye (Normalcy + Artistry): You induce hallucinations which seem real in people's minds; no camera will catch your illusions. This is favored by Tramps.
• Vampire Shapeshifting (Normalcy + Obstinancy): This is the art of transforming yourself into a cloud of mist, a swarm of bats, or a huge wolf. Every shift uses some of your precious blood. Serpents of the Rainbow substitute a giant snake form for a wolf.

Stuff

• Abbassid:
  • Roll once on the [Low Tech Melee Weapon Table]?.
  • 2d6 vials of blood (payment from your last job)
  • The Book of the Desert Wind: Spend one Brainmeat to summon and bind a Jinn to do a task for you.
• Addams:
  • Strange, Off-Beat Clothing, Possibly from another century
  • Roll on the [Metaphysical Oddity Table]?
  • Roll on the [Vampire Magic Item Table]?, taking it as level 1.
• Copperfields:
  • Top Hat and Black Suit
  • Roll on the [Vampire Magic Item Table]?.
  • Roll on the [Wand Table]?, taking it as level 1.
• Eastwoods:
  • Black Leather Jacket
  • Motorcycle
  • Colt .45: Level 1. Inflicts Ranged - Physical - Piercing Damage. Treat any bullet it fires as a Silver Bullet that does Existential/Destruction? damage to anything linked to the Moon.
• Gyros:
  • Fancy Suit and Sunglasses
  • Roll once on the [Vampire Magic Item Table]?.
  • Roll once on the [Magical Tome Table]?, taking it as level 1.
• Picassos:
  • Elegant Clothing
  • Art Gear
  • The Work of Art Which Led to You Being Exalted: You can make Mental/Emotional? Attacks; if they succeed, in addition to any damage or Conditions, you impose the Condition Transfixed by Beauty at a level equal to your Artistry.
• Ramones:
  • Motorcycle
  • Guitar
  • Huge Collection of Punk CDs: Burn one Reputation to find a Punk ally with skills you need for the rest of the scene.
• Rozhdestvenskij:
  • A wardrobe of useful costumes
  • Roll once on the [Low Tech Melee Weapon Table]?.
  • Roll once on the [Metaphysical Oddity Table]?, taking it as a level 1 item.
• Serpents of the Rainbow:
  • Ritual Clothing
  • Roll once on the [Ranged Modern Weapon Table]?.
  • Collection of Secrets: Make Melee - Physical - Binding attacks which add your Synergy to any Conditions inflicted.
• Shadows:
  • Black Clothing
  • Roll once on the [Occult Tome Table]?.
  • A Trained Large Snake: Make Social - Shame attacks which add your Synergy to any Conditions inflicted.
• Tramps:
  • Hobo Clothing
  • Roll once on the [Weird Shit Table]?.
  • Part of the Tramp Social Network: Spend one Reputation to make contact with an ally of the Tramps with a skill you need.
• Vanderbilts:
  • Rich Clothing
  • Ommicompetent Loyal Butler.
  • Giant Mansion For Parties: Spend one Reputation to make contact with an ally in high society.
• Xanatosi:
  • Elegant Clothing
  • A Strong Investment Portfolio.
  • Roll once on the [Lycanthrope Magic Item Table]?, taking it as level 1; you tricked a lycanthrope into giving you this.

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