Dont say our name.

Weep it out through acid tears.

Curse it with blood in your breath.

Choke on it like puke. Breath it like re.

Belial,s Brood

Never say it.

Scream it.
Shriek it.

Killjoy, Forsworn of Philadelphia

This book includes:

Go inside the immoral, self-destructive

society of ferocious, back-biting,
bloodsucking barbarians who worship
a demon and celebrate sin
Belials Brood.
Discover a unique bloodline, a new
ghoul family and a wicked mystic
tradition of blood magic supposedly
handed up from Hells depths.
Explode Belials Brood into a fully
realized force in your Vampire chronicles
or plunge your players into the roles of
these brutal monsters with story seeds,
complete new characters and a rich
(and disputed) history.

a sourcebook for

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 Arnette Almanac

RO U G H T R A D E
by C.A. Suleiman

The place was called Paradise

Found, and whatever else might
be said of it, the inside was a damn
sight better than the outside. Like
so many other places on the circuit, the location itself was nothing
to write home about; an otherwise
empty gravel-covered lot located
about ten miles off the beaten path,
which in this case meant Route 93
just north of Arnette. (A beaten
path if ever there was one, to
those who wore their wheels down
traversing its length.) On such a
site, it would be difcult to erect
anything that didnt disappoint, at
least on rst blush.
During the day, the exterior of
the building suggested a structure
so ill-kept so muted and withdrawn that it must have been
abandoned by its owners, left to the
whim of time and of restless teenagers and tramps. The wreckage of
countless beer bottles lay strewn
amongst the gravel, jagged bits of
colored glass glinting like buried
treasure in the light, and the base
of every wall reeked of watery piss
and sun-baked vomit. The place
truly came alive at night, though,
when the music struck up and the
lights buzzed on, illuminating the
sign above the grime-smeared door
and warming away the look of cold

93

neglect it bore in the daylight. The

smells remained, but at night they
held a familiarity that was almost
inviting. Whatever time of day,
this was the sort of establishment
that catered only to two types of
clientele the local regulars, and
those whom the local regulars saw
t to deliver here.
The figure who just walked in
was clearly and unmistakably of
the latter sort.
No one local to the area would
have dressed as he did, nor carried
himself in quite the same manner
as this man did. His hair was dark
brown, short but wavy, and not
covered by any hat. He wore slacks
rather than jeans (or, more often,
jeans with chaps), and although his
jacket was leather, it was fashionably made. And as far as he could
see, he was also the only man in the
establishment not wearing boots.
But then, hed just walked in; its
possible other bootless men were
in tonight sequestered away perhaps in a private room somewhere,
out of view.
Standing out though he did, the
man drew little attention for it, all
the same. For a moment, he had en-1 -

visioned a reaction like something

out of a grind house double-feature, where the sh-out-of-water
steps through the wrong door and
is greeted by both a panorama of
staring faces and the harsh scrape
of a turntable grinding to a sudden stop. But clearly this wasnt
that kind of establishment. No,
there was too much going on for
any patron to be distracted by the
likes of him.
The club (if one could call it that)
was a one-story affair, roughly rectangular in shape but substantially
larger than it appeared from the
outside. The entry gave way to an
open area lled with small round
tables and chairs. Set against one
wall was a long wooden bar, and
against the opposite wall, a stage,
with the two connecting walls covered in oor-to-ceiling mirrors that
were speckled with ecks of what
might have been black paint. On
stage, a tall man of muscular build,
clad in black chaps and wearing a
leather mask with zippers for its
mouth- and eye-holes, was going to
work on a pasty-skinned redhead
who was suspended from the ceiling by means of a series of loops,

 Arnette Almanac

down into place before strolling

across the room with the frothy
mug in hand. His gaze traced a slow
outline of her sultry curves as she
went. On her way back to the bar
he tried to maintain eye contact,
but failed when he caught sight
of her belt buckle, which briey
held him transxed. It was large,
seemingly made of pewter (or a
reasonable facsimile thereof), and
it bore three lines of text, one atop
the next, with a small horizontal
slit in the buckle between the rst
and second lines. The text read:

INSERT COIN
SHAKE WELL
GUARANTEED
ACTION
buckles and straps, and presently
bound in a way that many of the
men watching her might refer to
as a hog-tie.
Now, theres somethin you
dont see every day.
A womans voice, from behind
him. He turned and saw the comment had come, oddly enough,
from the bartender. She was an
attractive brunette in her early
20s, with sparkling eyes and a sly
smile that was truly more suggestive than sly. One slender hand was
wrapped around a frosted mug, the
other around a white contoured
tap handle. The man greeted her
smile with one of his own, and
walked as casually as he could over
to the bar.

Oh, I imagine you see things

like that all the time, he replied.
Unless this is your rst day here.
(By the look of her, he seriously
doubted this was the case.)
I was talking about you, amigo,
she said. And then, after a not unpleasant chuckle, added, Youre
the proverbial sore thumb. Case
you hadnt noticed.
The mans smile widened, the
enamel of his front teeth glinting softly in the half-light. I had
picked up on that, yes.
Well, she said, as the top of the
mug settled into a circle of foam,
You think about what you want,
and Ill be right back. He watched
her push up a wooden panel at the
end of the bar, then slip it back
-2 -

The names Porter, he offered

as she stepped back behind the bar.
And I love the belt buckle.
Do you, now? she said, the suggestive smile returning once more.
Yeah, its always a big hit around
here. Im Shay.
Thats your name? Like the
stadium? he asked, genuinely
bemused.
Yeah, but with an A-Y. She
spoke this last as if on auto-pilot.
He could see why. So, did you gure out what it is you want? she
asked, prompting a laugh.
Hell, if that isnt a loaded question, he said. She looked at him
quizzically, but the smile never
quite dropped from her face. Well,
I mean... does any of us?
Shay glanced past his shoulder,
at the men staring xedly at the
passion play that was unfolding
slowly before them. Yeah, I think
so. I think some people know

 Arnette Almanac

exactly what it is they want, Mr.

Porter.
He turned and regarded the
room again, taking note of each
ogling patron, of how each man
in turn regarded the stage. After
a moment, and without turning
around, he said, I suppose they
do. And its just Porter. Im no
Mister, miss.
Shay the bartender waited patiently for just Porter to turn
back around, and when he nally
did, she leaned in conspiratorially
and said, I take it you didnt come
all the way out here just to drink,
then.
Honestly, Shay? Im not really
sure why I came out tonight. But
no, Im pretty sure it wasnt the
booze... no matter how expertly
it may be poured. The bartender
smiled at the compliment, then
pointed at the stage across the
room.
Then it was that? Is that why
you came? Thats why most fellas
come, no doubt.
Not really, no. The man at the
video store the guy who directs
most of the new blood out this way,
I suspect wouldnt tell me exactly what to expect here, only that
it might somehow satisfy. Porter
turned his attention again to the
stage, and saw that the leathered
he-man was now kneading the
tender esh of his captives breasts
with two wide and calloused hands.
Hed bound the womans chest in
such a way that the exposed skin of
her bosom had turned a deep rose
madder color from the constriction, and even across the room
Porter could hear her moaning
throatily through the bright red
ball gag in her mouth. He turned
back around with a sigh. But

now its clear that he was wrong.

All I see here, all of whats going
on behind me as we speak, is...
whats the word?... disingenuous,
maybe? Yes. Thats exactly what
it is. Its disingenuous. And disappointing.
Disingenuous. Well, what would
you say if I told you there could be
something more for you here?
Something that might stand a
better chance of somehow satisfying? the woman said, and he realized then that the smile had nally,
suddenly, gone from her face.
If thats a come-on, he replied,
You really havent been paying
attention, Shay.
Its not a come-on, Porter. But
it is an offer. Assuming youre serious, of course. The bartenders
silken eyes ashed then, briey,
and Porter had to ponder what it
was that hed seen behind them in
that moment. All his accumulated
experience with women told him
that it was pure nerve (any man
knows a dare when he hears one,
especially from a woman), but deep
down, in the most ill-lit part of his
heart, he somehow knew it to be
something else. Something more
like hunger.
Porter regarded her carefully for
a moment, but her at expression
betrayed no secret calculation,
revealed to him no further insight
into the motive beneath the manner. Behind him, the spectacle of
sweat was kicking into high gear,
its players readying themselves
for an even more lewd, more disingenuous cabaret of acts.
Allright, he said at last. Lets
say I am. Lets say Im dead serious. Just what are we talking about
here?
The womans smiled returned,

PARADISE FOUND
north on 93 open 24/7
-3 -

and in a manner to suggest not

only that had it never left to begin
with, but that the very concept
of it leaving was preposterous. I
cant tell you, she said, her smiling
widening, her features sharpening
as it did.
Oh, I see, said Porter. If its
like that, then heres a follow-up
question for you: Just what do you
take me for, lady? Does the absence
of a cowboy hat and shit-kickers
automatically suggest stupidity
in this place? If anything, the opposite
Hush up a sec, amigo, thats
not what I meant. I cant tell you,
but not because Im not allowed. I
cant tell you because, rst, its not
something that can be explained
exactly, and second, because I
dont actually know whatll be involved. Like the sign says... I just
work here.
Then how do you know its for
me, whatever it is? Porter was
trying to cover his bases now, but
in his mind the point was secretly
moot. He was already intrigued.
Because youre here, she replied, then pointed again at the
stage behind him. And because
that isnt the reason why. Porter
knew himself unable to disagree.
All right, he said again. Show
me.
* * *
Shay took him around the side
of the bar to a hallway he hadnt
noticed before, even while standing
some ten feet removed from it. The
way the place was laid out, Porter
imagined, part of the point was to
direct attention towards the stage
and away from everything else
and in this, the placement of the
little hallway had been a sterling
success. With the added effect of

 Arnette Almanac
the mirror paneling on the walls,
he could easily see how the typical
patron might bypass it entirely.
The hall had led to a shadowy
back room full of boxes stacked
head high. The only illumination
came from a thin pen-light attached to the bartenders key-ring,
and its narrow beam cut a wavering path through the darkness as
she guided him around the looming
columns of brown and black crates.
In the back corner of the room, hidden from view behind a wall of boxes, was a door. When the light fell
upon it, Porter saw that the door
had been painted a bright, almost
stark red, a color that stood out at
once from the surrounding gloom.
Set against this scarlet screen was
a black placard with gold lettering
that bore the legend:

P R I VAT E .
The light fell away as his guide
fumbled for a particular key, and
on nding it, pushed it home with
a soft click. She paused then, and
though the only light source now
lay in a pool between them on the
oor, Porter could tell that she had
turned toward him.
Do you enter here of your own
will? Her voice was muted, almost
a whisper.
Porter replied without hesitation. I do.
Allrighty, she said, and pushed
the door open. Beyond lay a darkened stairwell into which she descended without delay.
What about the redneck throng
stinking up the other room? he
asked, stepping into the doorway
behind her. Wont you be missed
at the bar, or something?
Dont worry about them, said
Shay. Her voice bounced curiously
off the stairwell walls as she moved
deeper in. They didnt come for
the booze, either.
Stepping down onto the first
stair, the rst thing Porter noticed
was the heat. If the bartender was
-4 -

guiding him into a cellar or basement, and it was increasingly clear

that she was, then the air should
have been getting cooler. But it
wasnt.
The air that pushed up to greet
him was warm, and the way it
tickled across his skin reminded
him of buttery kisses experienced
in dreams. The air itself was different, too. Gone was the intermingled smell of cheap cologne and
cigar smoke that had dominated
the main room. In its place came
the scent of something softer but
richer, more pungent. Something
somehow much more unrened.
Ahead of him, the bartender had
reached the bottom of the stairs,
stopped, turned. She was facing
him now, her back to a wall of dark
gray stone, and she shone the penlight at his feet as he took the last
few steps. A soft light poured in
from an archway to his left, and
he could see now that her right
arm was lifted in its direction. Into
that light is where she meant for
him to go.
This is as far as I come, she
said as he joined her. But its just
through here. Hope you nd what
youre looking for, Porter.
As she moved past him up the
stairs, he thought he caught sight
of that sly smile of hers, now returned and perhaps even sharper
than before.
* * *
Alone, the outsider stepped
through the archway of light.
He found himself in a hall fashioned of that same dark gray
stone, with a semi-rounded roof
overhead, and wondered briefly
if the Paradise Found basement
had at one time served as a bomb
shelter. (He thought it a distinct
possibility.)
The soft light, he now saw, emanated from a chamber that lay at
the end of the hall, about some
30 feet farther down. As he approached its open doorway, he
realized that while the chamber

 Arnette Almanac

clearly had no door, it did have

a curtain of what appeared to be
multi-colored beads. This curious
veil not only ltered the light coming into the hall, but also twisted
it into strange, hypnotic patterns,
which danced along the stone and
lled his head with thoughts of rivers under ground.
Porter stepped to the curtain,
put his palms together as if in
prayer, and slowly parted the
veil before him. What greeted
him was a vision like something
pulled from a lunatics fevered
dream or from one of Porters
own. The chamber was roughly
square-shaped, its oor covered
in a series of wide white tiles, with
a long steel gurney as the scenes
centerpiece. Whatever sterile feel
these features might otherwise
have lent the room was instantly
overwhelmed by their condition.
The tiles were grimy, chipped, and
in one central section of the oor,
missing entirely; the gurney was
draped in a grisly scrim of clotted
blood and human hair.
Some ten feet removed from the
gurney, pushed against one dirtcaked wall, was an old-fashioned
cast iron bathtub lled near to full
with an opaque brown liquid. Above
the tub dangled a pasty-skinned
blonde girl. She was strapped
into a black body harness, which
was attached to a large ceiling
hook by four lengths of chain. Her
sparkling blue eyes bulged, forcing
tears down her sweat-covered face,
over and around the bright red ball
gag that was pulled taut enough to
choke her.
The oor between the tub and
the gurney was a roughly circular
patch of exposed ground, where
the intervening tiles had been
pulled up and cast aside. Within
this space, drawn meticulously
upon the barren earth, was a triangle, its three sides composed
of what Porter felt positive was
sprinkled rosemary (his favorite
herb). Kneeling at the perimeter

of this shape, one cheek pressed

at to the ground, was a bald man.
He wore faded blue jeans, but was
otherwise nude.
The chambers only light sources
were a haphazard array of candles
which guttered violently, as
though in the grip of a strong
breeze, but never blew out and
an ambient shaft of bright moonlight, which shone into the room
through a small window near the
top of the far wall. As he stared,
two things dawned on Porter in
quick succession: He realized rst
that the shaft of moonlight was
presently illuminating the triangle
on the oor (and only the triangle,
it seemed), and second, that if this
was a cellar, that there shouldnt
be any windows to begin with. He
thought back to how the place had
looked from the outside. Could
a window to the outside even be
possible? What the hell was going
on here?
-5 -

As if in reply, the bald mans

eyes snapped open and he rose
suddenly to his bare feet. The
suspended girl gave a start, and
Porter watched with mild detachment as a rivulet of urine ran down
one chalky thigh, pooling briey
at the knot of her kneecap before
dripping into the tub below. He
couldnt be absolutely sure (his
head was swimming and his ears
were growing warm just now), but
he thought he heard a quiet hiss
accompany the plop when it hit the
brown liquids surface.
When Porter finally spoke, he
almost didnt recognize the sound
of his own voice. What... is going
on here? was what came out.
A toothy grin spread across the
bald mans face, his canines glinting in the ickering candlelight.
In a low, husky voice he replied, I
cant tell you.
And then he winked.
As if on cue, Porters mind erupt-

 Arnette Almanac

ed in a storm of questions. There

was so much he wanted to ask,
so much he needed to know. But
where to start? And how? The
very idea that he could somehow
organize it all seemed a at impossibility at this moment, yet even as
he remarked so, the swirl of activity in his head was fast distilling
itself, concentrating itself down to
a workable essence giving him
something to vocalize before the
pressure rose so high it cracked
his skull:
Are you the devil? Porter blurted out, his far-off voice somewhere
between a croak and a whisper.
Course not. But you might say
that were on a rst-name basis,
He and I. The bald man watched
calmly as Porters gaze drifted to
the girl, and then back again.
You... knew I was coming here
tonight, didnt you? Porter asked
almost absently. He felt reasonably sure that he already knew
the answer.
Yes, sir, I did. I wont lie to you,
came the reply.
What do you want from me?

Porter murmured. It seemed like

the right thing to say, but in truth
he hadnt really intended to ask
the question.
Its not about what I want from
you, Porter. Its about what you
want and whether or not I can
help you get it. And that cant be
known until youve answered a
simple question. Do you know what
question that is, Porter?
I... dont, Porter rasped.
Are you willing to trade? Thats
the question, Porter.
Porters mind was still swimming, still dilating like a valve
between the settled and the turbulent, but a new feeling was coming over him now, something that
made even the turbulence feel
somehow at ease. Something more
like serenity. Trade... what? he
nally whispered.
Ill put it to you this way, the
bald man said, stepping over to the
cast iron tub. One tattooed hand
curled itself around the soiled
skin of the blonde girls calf. You
can leave now, and no harm will
come to you. You may return to

your shell of a mortal life to that

vaunted imsy caul of innocence
none the worse for wear. But
know that doing so will close the
door on all the answers you seek,
Porter. There will be no second
chance to receive the gift I offer
you tonight. Rebuke me now, and
ignorance will be your only bliss
from now on.
Or...? Porter asked. He knew
now what was coming, but had to
hear it, anyway.
Or you can trade it. Give it up,
all of it... and step into the light.
But make your decision now, Porter. He gave the dangling girls
leg a playful jiggle, and her body
twitched in fear beneath the stress
of its restraints. The lady and I
have work to do, and well... the
moon waits for no one. So... come
you now unto me of your own free
will? Trade you now the living lie of
Man for the immortal truth?
Porter replied without hesitation. I do.
With that, the monster grinned
again, his canines elongating into
wicked points.

Welcome to Paradise, brother.

-6 -

by George Holochwost, Khaldoun Khelil,

Ari Marmell and C.A. Suleiman

Credits

Authors: George Holochwost, Khaldoun Khelil, Ari

Marmell and C.A. Suleiman
Developer: Will Hindmarch
Additional Development: C.A. Suleiman
Editor: Scribendi.com
Art Director: Pauline Benney
Book Design: matt milberger
Interior Art: Sam Araya, Andrew Hepworth, Matt
Hughes, Tomasz Jedruszek, Amy McDonough, Michael
Phillippi, Rich Thomas, Cathy Wilkins
Cover Art: Mattias Snygg

Coming
Next:

DAMNATION
CITY
The definitive
guidebook for city
design and domainlevel play for Vampire
Storytellers and players
alike, including systems
for designing and using
player-ruled territories in
any chronicle, including
dozens of distinctive
domains to acquire and
control.

Authors' Dedication

This book is dedicated to Lucien Soulban, Lord

Purveyor of Nastiness for earlier iterations of Vampire.
Luciens an RPG giant, and we were lucky to have such
imaginative shoulders to stand on when it came to reconceptualizing the notion of the infernal vampire for
the World of Darkness.

Author's Special Thanks

Id like to thank my wife, Joana, a perennial source of

inspiration for all things EeeeeeevilTM. (That may sound
bad, but its not.) Its all for you, Damien!
Thanks also to our intrepid foreman, Will Hindmarch,
for being bold enough to let us take the concept where
it wanted to go.

Credit Where Its Due

A couple of mistakes crept into the credits of Mythologies. Regrettably, Khaldoun Khelils name was misspelled
and Dean Shomshaks name was left out of the book altogether. They deserve credit, I deserve blame. Their hard
work and creativity deserve to be recognized (with, you
know, their names both printed and properly spelled).
Sorry about that, you two. Will

Its been swell,

but the swelling has gone down

Its been a great 8+ years at White Wolf. I had a

great time and am sorry to leave. Ill miss working
there very much. Im thankful for all the people at the
Wolf, what Ive learned and the artists that Ive met.
You all rock!
Pauline Benney

2007 White Wolf, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which
may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire, Vampire the Requiem, and World
of Darkness are registered trademarks of White Wolf, Inc. All rights reserved. Storytelling System and
Belials Brood are trademarks of White Wolf, Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and
text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf, Inc.
The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.
This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are ction and intended for entertainment
purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.com
PRINTED IN CHINA

Table of Contents

Prelude: Rough Trade

Introduction: The Face of Evil
Chapter One: A History of Vice
Chapter Two: The Devil You Know
Chapter Three: Blood of Belial
Chapter Four: The Wages of Sin
Appendix: The Adversary

10
14

42

94
124

144

Introduction
The Face of Evil
The wailing of the women, mingled with the sting of the dust, disgusted him
utterly and he moved forward, leaning over the open grave, but a hand
pulled him back and a voice said, Remember your God.
He was repulsed by the touch, and he cursed the man ...
The Search, Naguib Mahfouz

introduction

The Forsworn

10

No vampire covenant is truly a monolithic entity, but

Belials Brood is especially fractionary. Due to the nature
of its beliefs and structure (or lack thereof), it can be
said to be the only covenant that exists in microcosms of
itself. While the Brood does have several major factions,
even those groupings are intuitive rather than learned,
drawing members whose souls feel the strongest inherent
connection to their essential tenets. Brood organization
spirals down even further, with the factions themselves
only existing as discrete entities insofar as they are composed of numerous coteries of like-minded individuals.
This, then, is the purest form and structure of Belials
Brood the coterie and every major rite the Brood
conducts worldwide revolves around its dynamic.
Each major faction of Belials Brood knows its own
share of nicknames and titles, but all Brood members,
regardless of faction, refer to themselves as the Forsworn.
The vast majority of Brood members spend time among
one or more of the standard covenants (or among the
Unbound) before nding their way onto the path. They
know intimately what its like to live a lie, to suffer the
dogmatic edicts of the weak and unlearned, and then at
last to hear the call of truth, and to make the choice to
forswear all that they once knew. To forswear the lies of
both mortal man and the others of their kind this is
what it means to be Forsworn. To these vampires, this
is what it means to be free.
Welcome to the Brood.

Theme

While the material in Belials Brood tackles a number

of different concepts, the overall theme of both book and

face of evil

covenant is the search for meaning. Are the Forsworn

demon-worshippers? Some of them, yes, but only because they believe. Are the Forsworn monsters? All of
them, yes; but then, how many vampires can claim to
not be monsters? The Forsworn are shameless to be sure,
but neither careless nor thoughtless. They are vampires,
in form like any other, making their way through their
own Requiems, suffering many of the same doubts and
pitfalls as other souls. For them, however, both journey
and destination make all the blood, pain and suffering
worthwhile. If this existence is whats meant for them,
and they are damned to it for all eternity, then their hellish success lies in winning the race to shameless, immoral
abandon to turn their gazes towards the abyss, rather
than away from it, and in so doing, to know truth.

Mood

Yellow teeth smiled out from a face sticky with blood.

A child proudly holding a headless dog. A harem of
undead whores suckling at the sores on their pimps
thighs. The mood of an encounter with Belials Brood is
vile and condent, revelry in grotesquerie. A night with
the Forsworn is full of cocksure swagger and crippling
violence, of bullshit stories sung as gospel and mock
humility worn to hide a time-bomb of arrogance. One
Forsworn kneels down and unzips your y while another
chews through your throat.
But thats not quite how the Forsworn see it. Maybe
this book reveals what the Forsworn are really thinking,
but so often all that seems to come out of their mouths
is a maniacal cackle and the stink of spoiled blood. The
delicate artice of their beliefs explains their madness
in their own minds, but does belief really matter when
thought is drowned out by screams?

face of evil

What Lies Within

This sourcebook opened with Rough Trade, an inside

view of what the trip might be like for one of the rare few
who are Embraced directly into Belials Brood, followed
by the Introduction youre reading now, of course, which
closes with a list of valuable references and a lexicon of
essential Brood terminology.
Chapter One: A History of Vice showcases the origins, beliefs and myths of the Forsworn, as told through
the stories of three individuals whove had direct experience with the inhuman Kindred of the Brood. Herein lies
a frank expos of a covenant that is at once unearthly
alien and strangely familiar to all vampires.
In Chapter Two: The Devil You Know, all the disquieting ways and means of the Forsworn are laid bare.
Revealed herein are secrets about a host of topics ranging from the spiritual, including discussion of the path
the Forsworn call the Pursuit, to the political, from the
importance of the coterie structure to the Broods dealings with other vampires. Whether youre a Storyteller
looking for inspiration or a player seeking illumination
on this dark covenant, youll nd the basics here.
Chapter Three: Blood of Belial discusses both the
permutations of Forsworn blood and the ways in which
this highly factionalized covenant organizes itself. Meet
both the Broods inscrutable priest caste, the Therion,
and its ghoul cult, the Doulosi, as well as all the major
(and a few minor) Brood factions active tonight.
Chapter Four: The Wages of Sin contains a collection of mystical gifts found only among the Forsworn,
including an entirely new system called Investments
dark powers manifested by Brood members in the
furtherance of their Pursuit. Also revealed are the Discipline of Choronzon and a sampling of new Devotions.
In the Appendix: The Adversary youll meet a host
of Storyteller characters, from the lowliest rank initiates
to the highest ritualists of the mightiest factions. If the
Storyteller is allowing Forsworn player characters, this
section provides inspiration for both player character
concepts and for Storyteller characters who are tied to
them.

A NOTE FROM THE DEVELOPER

I didnt want to do this book. Not at rst. I didnt

want to add depth to Belials Brood, because I was
afraid it would humanize them. To me, what makes
Belials Brood scary is their fearlessness. Theyre not
afraid of ruining the world they used to inhabit as
living people. Theyre not afraid of exposing their
loved ones to the truths of the World of Darkness.
Theyre not afraid of losing their grip on immortality
or humanity. Theyd rather charge through the gates
of Hell than dwell in fear of the inevitable.
Put another way, theyre fodder for vampirehunting tales in which the hunters are themselves
vampires. Belials Brood are the utter dark against
which any Storyteller can cast her troupes characters
as protagonists. Theyre a rare breath of guiltless
action in an otherwise morally complicated game.
Not everybody wants what I want, though. Colin
and Ari changed my mind. They convinced me that
some Vampire players want to see the vampires
of Belials Brood explain themselves. Some players
want to see them get the philosophical depth that
a chronicle can be built on. Some players want to
see these monsters as people. Fair enough.
Unlike the approach we took in the book VII, which
offered three distinct possible truths to the mystery
of that fringe group, this book takes a closer look
at a multifaceted possible truth for the would-be
covenant. But that truth is tangled up with lies, errors,
folklore, assumptions and disinformation that have
been collecting over centuries like layers of blood
drying on a slaughterhouse oor. You have lots of
optional truths in here, but the edges of each are
not so dened.
This book can be used whether you choose to
humanize Belials Brood in your World of Darkness
or not, because everything in here is potentially
hellish propaganda. Throughout this book, youll see
Belials Brood meditate on its own existence, read
thoughts of the Forsworn put down with a kind of
clarity that seems impossible for these barbarians to
muster, and maybe come to see them as something
other than beasts and murderers. If you do, youre
buying into the lie. (Look behind you.)
Some parts of this book will change the emotional
tone or power level of your chronicle (Investments
arent quite like any other kind of vampiric
mysticism) if you choose to let them in. Know what
youre getting into. Once youve pulled back the
curtain on Belials Brood and let your players dabble
with their powers, the shine starts to come off their
crisp black nish.
Remember, though, that Belials Brood has left
so much of its past in darkness. Its self-destructive
nature has left it without elders to anchor its culture
or pass down stories from its past. Even what you
see here may just be an attempt by some of the
Forsworn to back away from the Hell just as they get
close enough to blister and peel. Behind the Belials
Brood of this book, the truer, older and more alien
insanity of the utter dark may yet be sleeping.
Will Hindmarch, Developer, Vampire:The
Requiem

introduction

At the same time, this account reveals how even those

monsters who claim to have cast off human ways cannot
truly escape the weights around their ankles even
some of Belials vampires are distracted by dogma. Even
they raise themselves up on the prestige of knowledge
over might alone. The slow tugging weight of damnation
pulls the Forsworn between Hell and Earth like it does
for all vampires, even those who think they can cheat
damnation by charging into Hell.

11

References

The following books and lms either proved educational or provided strong inspiration (or both) to the
authors during the conception and execution of the
material in this tome. Thus, these works may do likewise
for those now making use of it.

Literature

Stephen E. Flowers, Lords of the Left Hand Path: A History of Spiritual Dissent This amazing volume contains
a huge variety of excellent information on Left-hand
path magical, religious and philosophical movements
throughout history. Lords of the Left Hand Path proved
an invaluable resource for this book.
Will L. Garver, Brother of the Third Degree First
published in the United States in 1894, Brother of the
Third Degree is perhaps the quintessential occult novel.
The story itself is a rambling Victorian affair, loosely following the almost surreal misadventures of a man named
Alphonso Colono, but the novels true power lies in its
ability to slowly lift the veil and open the readers mind
to what lies beyond.
James M. Robinson (ed.), The Nag Hammadi Library
This invaluable collection of Gnostic writings was
discovered in a large stone jar in the sands outside the
Egyptian city of Nag Hammadi in 1945. A collection of
45 different religious and philosophical treatises, the entire text was gathered and translated by fourth-century
Gnostics and rst published in English in 1977.
Kurt Rudolph, Gnosis: The Nature and History of
Gnosticism A thoughtful and well-researched tome,
Kurt Rudolphs reexamination of Gnosticism as both
counter-culture and counter-religious movement stands
as one of the most comprehensive studies of the subject
matter published to date.
Yuri Stoyanov, The Other God: Dualist Religions from
Antiquity to the Cathar Heresy In what is widely regarded
as the rst comprehensive history of religious dualism,
Warburg Institute researcher Yuri Stoyanov cuts no corners,
plotting his course from ancient Egypt to the Dead Sea
Scrolls, through the Mithraic Mysteries to the suppression of the Bogomils and Cathars and beyond. The nal
product weighs in at nearly 500 pages, without a wasted
drop of ink.

introduction

Film

Altered States (1980) A remarkably atmospheric

mindbender that succeeds so well in coloring outside
the lines that the lines begin to blur altogether. William
Hurts performance as a scientist researching the primal

12

face of evil

mind of man is a wonder to behold, and the direction is

so simultaneously gripping and condent that one cant
help but be swept along. Rarely will you see the Beast
and Man dynamic so denitively realized as it is in this
lm (which has no vampires).
Angel Heart (1987) Set in New Orleans, Angel
Heart is the now-classic neo-noir thriller about a private
investigator who is literally hunting his own dark side.
As one might expect, deals with the devil and ritual
murder can provide great inspiration for a chronicle
involving Belials Brood.
Faust (1926) The archetypal Man vs. Himself
tale, Faust is the story of a man who sells his soul to the
Devil. Nearly two dozen adaptations of Goethes classic
play have been put to lm (including one utterly surreal
rendering that relied heavily on marionettes, courtesy of
Czech animator Jan Svankmajer), but nothing holds up
to F.W. Murnaus legendary black-and-white rendition.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) Based on the
vile exploits of real-life serial killing duo Henry Lee Lucas
and Otis Tool, director John McNaughtons award-winning lm tells a tale of social alienation and the descent
into an animal state. Controversial in its time due to its
gruesome depictions of sadistic violence.
The Hills Have Eyes (2005) One of the few lms
whose remake far outshines the original, this lm is an
incredibly effective look at the pack mentality writ large,
and what such behavior makes of human souls when
coupled with stark barbarity. Inspirational particularly
for views of isolated, sarx-dominant coveys.
Martin (1977) One of George A. Romeros lesser
known lms, Martin tells the increasingly unsettling tale
of a man who believes he is a vampire. A terric behind-the-scenes look at what self-transguration does
to the human mind. In many ways, Romeros lm is the
perfect reference on the concept of the Pursuit.
The Ninth Gate (1999) Roman Polanskis lm
adaptation of Arturo Perez-Revertes novel The Club
Dumas, it follows the story of an unwitting scumbag
who beats out an acclaimed occult scholar in the race
to become the anti-Christ.
Rampage (1988) While lms such as Henry are
important for the way in which they assess the impact
of social alienation on the savage mind, lms such as
Rampage showcase the impact of the savage mind on the
outside world. Based on the true story of Robert Trenton
Chase, the so-called Vampire Killer, who butchered six
people over a span of 72 hours in January of 1978.
Red Dragon (2002) Director Brett Ratners crack
at reinventing the prequel to the Oscar-winning Silence
of the Lambs. The lms horric antagonist, Francis Dol-

Lexicon

Terminology used by outsiders in reference to the

Forsworn (as opposed to terminology they use themselves) is not included here. Otherwise, this lexicon
is an addendum to the one presented on pp. 8487 of
Vampire: The Requiem.
Adversary, the: The common name among Forsworn
for the source of the vampiric soul, the one true deity
of all vampires. Some ascribe to it the traits of the Judeo-Christian Lucifer, while others feel the scope of the
Adversary is beyond such familiarity. (Also Demiurge.)
Antinomian: A member of the Brood faction known
as the Pandaemonium.
Archon: A member of the Brood faction known as
the Roaring Serpent.
Archontes: Ofcial covenant rites and ceremonies.
Given the covenants disparate nature, Archontes are
few and mostly revolve around the Vaulderie.
Belial: The messianic gurehead who stands at the
core of Forsworn belief. Some Brood members hold that
he was the rst vampire, some that he was the antiChrist, others that he was just an ordinary man blessed
by the Adversary. If a single truth exists as to Belials
identity, it has been lost to the Fog of Eternity.
brother: A male member of the Brood, to another
Brood member.
covey: A tight-knit coterie of local Brood members.
Choronzon: The Discipline practiced by the ritualist
priest caste of the Forsworn.
Credentes: Brood vampires who have not ritually adopted the Therion bloodline; though old form, the term
still sees regular use among more scholarly Forsworn.
Crux, the: The unique group bond shared by members
of a Brood covey, instigated and articulated through
repeated practice of the Vaulderie.
Demiurge: The term used by the Brood in antiquity,
and still used by Brood scholars tonight, to describe the
source of the vampiric soul. (Also Adversary.)
Djinn: A member of the Brood faction known as the
Throne of Smokeless Fire.
dynamei: Smaller and/or more localized covenant
rites. Where an Archonte is performed by coveys the
world over with little variation, the look and function
of a dynameis may vary wildly from covey to covey, and
from faction to faction.
Faustian: A member of the Brood faction known as
the Mercy Seat.

13

Forsworn, the: The inhuman vampires of Belials

Brood (singular and plural).
Hyletic: A member of the Brood faction known as
the Scarlet Rite.
Investments: Gifts of transformation and power,
manifested by the Forsworn through their bond with the
Demiurge and their commitment to the Pursuit.
Mercy Seat, the: A faction of Brood members who
believe it is their mandate to guide the soul of humanity
into self-wrought ruin.
Nameless, the: Perhaps the oldest and most powerful
of Brood factions, the Nameless hold that Belial was
begotten of the Demiurge, and that he will return.
Pandaemonium, the: A strong and populous faction,
the Pandaemonium draws vampires who are attracted
to the classical occult trappings of their ethos. Only a
portion views the Demiurge as the Biblical Lucifer, but
the Forsworn all revel in sacrice.
pneuma: In the Forsworn trinity of existence, the spirit.
Perfecti: A name for the Therion, this term sees the
most use among the Scarlet Rite.
Pursuit, the: A common term for the ongoing process
by which a Brood member unlearns what he was taught
as a human and inherits his legacy as a vampire.
Roaring Serpent, the: A major Brood faction whose
age and power rivals that of the Nameless, the Roaring
Serpent holds that Belial was the rst vampire.
sarx: In the Forsworn trinity of being, the esh.
Scarlet Rite, the: Perhaps the smallest of the major
factions of the Brood, the hedonistic Hyletics pride
themselves on their appetite for degeneracy and vice.
sister: A female member of the Brood, to another
Brood member.
soma: In the Forsworn trinity of being, the body.
Therion: The Bloodline of the Beast, the ritualist
priests of the Forsworn.
Throne of Smokeless Fire, the: A Brood faction whose
members vie constantly with other Forsworn in their bid
to gain ever more personal power and inuence.
Trinity, the: The tri-partite essence of existence,
composed of the pneuma (spirit), the sarx (esh) and
the soma (body).
Unlearned, the: A term used by the Forsworn to
indicate non-Brood vampires.
Vaulderie, the: The central rite of the covenant,
the Vaulderie involves the ritual pooling and sharing
of Vitae among covey members. The Vaulderie forges
powerful social and mystical bonds that are essential to
the Broods philosophies and practices.

introduction

arhyde (played by Ralph Fiennes), is the very model of

a lone Brood member.

face of evil

chapter one
14

a history of vice

a history of vice

Everything thats ever been said

out loud is a fucking lie.
You want to hear the truth?
Put your ear to your own chest and
listen what the thing inside you says.

chapter one

Chapter One
A History
of Vice

15

History, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are

brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.
Ambrose Bierce, The Devils Dictionary

*click*
Constance: Introductory notes,
October 7. 10:43 pm.
I want it on record that I
despise being reduced to begging,
but begging is essentially what
it amounted to. Had anyone else
but you asked this of me, I would
have refused. More, Id have taken
offense.
As it stands, after substantial
negotiations and, I should point
out, a promise of funding that even
you might nd a bitter draught to
swallow the subject nally agreed
to meet with me.
Name Kovitch comma Yvgeny.
Im all but certain he is the
Russian we heard tell about during
our otherwise wasted efforts in
San Salvador. I know better than
to expect anyone to live up to his
reputation in the circles we run
in, but if hes even half what hes
said to be, I might nally be able
to tell you something genuine about
Belials Brood. The meets scheduled
for tomorrow night.
Might want to cross your ngers,
even pray, if you remember how. If
this leads nowhere, Im out of ideas.

chapter one
16

Good evening, Mr. Kovitch.

a history of vice

Kovitch: Ah. So.

Constance: Word is, Mr. Kovitch,
that youre among the Kindreds
foremost experts on Belials Brood.
Im in need of that expertise, that
Kovitch: Not so loud, please.
Unless, of course, you want to get
us killed.
Constance: Mr. Kovitch, you put me
off for weeks before agreeing to take
this meeting. You chose the location
a nice view, Ill admit, but hardly
convenient. And youve scarcely made
the object of your studies a secret.
If you cannot speak freely to me now,
when can you?
Kovitch: Never, I suppose. But
yes, I have agreed to speak with
you, in exchange for much additional
funding from your patron. I think
refusing to do so now might hurt
more than a mere loss of money, yes?
So. What is it you wish to know?
Constance: Start with the basics.
What is the Brood? Where does it
come from?

Constance: Im all ears, Mr.

Kovitch.

*click*
Constance: October 8. 1:30

Constance: Ms. Constance will do

just ne.

Kovitch: [A soft chuckle] I think,

Ms. Constance, you will nd that
those are the same question.

*click*
*

Kovitch: Ah, hello, Ms.

Constance, was it? You may call me
Yvgeny. And I should call you . . .?

AM.

Kovitch: This mortal world is but

a veil, Ms. Constance. A thin layer,

a history of vice

Look to the modern interpretation

of the Goetia, and you shall nd
none other than Belial, 68th among
the powers listed. He is a demanding

spirit, requiring great sacrice

merely to appear, and even greater
to grant his favors. It can be no
wonder, then, that we as vampires
require the sacrice of others to
survive.
Constance: Are the Brood adherents
of the Goetia, then?
Kovitch: No, not as modern
occultists understand it. The Brood
believes that Belial is a true
demon, and perhaps King Solomon
or other ancient infernalists may
have communed with him, so many of
Belials aspects presented in the
Goetia are presumably accurate. The
ones who ascribe to him the JudeoChristian-Islamic origin hold that
he is, as suggested in the Goetia,
one of the earliest of the fallen
perhaps the rst to fall, save
for Lucifer himself. And they
believe that, among many other
passions, he loves little
more than

chapter one

hazy and indistinct, yet sufcient

to blind those who refuse to see
beyond it. This is something ancient
man knew far better than the fools
of the modern world. Powers dwell
beyond the understanding of mortals.
Tonight, we see but glimpses of them
in the trappings of faith, or the
symbology and lore of the Goetia,
but then? Then man interacted
frequently with these powers, but
now only a rare few can see the
truth. A rare few, such as the Brood
or so they believe, anyway.

17

tempting priests and men of God into

sin and disbelief.
Constance: But?
Kovitch: But they disbelieve that
any mere mortal could possibly
summon and command him. Beg his
indulgence, perhaps, or offer
sacrice to buy his favor, but not
command. They dont necessarily
believe that the other Goetic demons
are equally real and those that
are real are clearly inferior to
Belial himself.
He is the right hand of the
Adversary, also called the
Demiurge, the entity whom
Belials Brood names as the creator
of the Kindred. If man is the
creation of the supernal deity,
then vampires are the mockery His
infernal opposite makes of man.
To some of these Antinomians, as
the vampires of the Brood seem to
call themselves, this source is
none other than Lucifer himself,
the Judeo-Christian-Islamic Satan,
thereby making Belial one of the
very Dukes of Hell.
Constance: To some? And who is
this Adversary to the rest?

chapter one

Kovitch: The truth of the Brood,

as best Ive been able to gather,
is that their belief system is
substantially more Gnostic than
traditionally Biblical. Demon,
fallen angel, ancient god or simply
great spirit, Belial is considered
the Father of the Beast. The
Adversary may have birthed the
Kindred, and Belial may be just a
servant who acts as intermediary
with its dark children, but Belial
was the one who placed us on the
proper path. He was, in a very real
way, our own Prometheus.
All this, of course, predates
mortal or Kindred understanding of
God, of Hell, of the Adversary.
If legend holds true, Belial was
but one demon among many, not even

18

a history of vice

particularly associated with vampires

at all. But Belial saw in our kind a
great potential unmet, great power
wasted. What his initial connection
with the Kindred might have been,
I cannot say. He might simply have
seen in us a spark of the darkness
he called home. He might have seen
us as his best tool to corrupt not
only men of the supernal deity, but
the very fabric of man, the God
gures greatest creation. Maybe
Belial even thought of creating an
army capable of rivaling the angels
of Heaven, or the legions of Hell
who served demons other than he.
Whatever his interest, he watched
from worlds below, seeking one of
the Kindred who might prove worthy
of his dark blessing.
And nd such a one he did, in preHamurabi Babylon, in the city of Dis
Constance: Dis? As in the city in
Hell? As in Dante? Mr. Kovitch, if
the only reason youre here is to
waste my time
Kovitch: Ms. Constance, I tell you
only what I myself have learned.
Yes, I have come across many names
for this city in my studies, but Dis
is the one I nd most often. If you
intend only to question everything I
tell you, then perhaps it is my time
being wasted. If not, and you would
care for me to continue . . .
*

Kovitch speaks
In this time, and this place,
it would be almost impossible for
anyone, mortal or Kindred, to
make himself stand out to Belial.
For this was a time of dark and
jealous gods, of ritual sacrice,
of lawlessness and violence. No
Hamurabic code of edicts, no
covenants as we know them tonight,
no protection for those not strong
enough to defend themselves. Even
before Belials gift, Dis was a
vile, rapacious hive.

Had they possessed a hierarchical

system, a Prince or similar power
as most cities have tonight, that
rule might have been formalized.
Instead, however, each vampire was
concerned only with his own good
and protecting his own territory.
Just as the humans had not yet
developed a code of law, so had the
Kindred not formed anything in the
way of a society. Indeed, other
Kindred religious cults, dedicated
to the worship of powerful spirits
and demons, appeared throughout
the years in the city of Dis. One
was dedicated to Anshar, who we
know today as one of the darkest
of Babylons greater deities,
but the cult swiftly tore itself
apart in a paroxysm of ambition,
as each member sought to raise his
own stature in the eyes of the
gods and his fellows. The demongod Baal also one of the Goetia,
incidentally had his own cadre
of vampire worshippers as well,
and indeed the cult seemed primed
on several occasions to truly take
root in Dis, to establish a base of
inuence that might have made it a
true power, perhaps the rst such
power, in Kindred society. Again,
however, Kindred nature won out
over faith. The cultists of Baal
attempted to raise themselves over

19

their brethren, and they were hunted

down to the last and slain for their
troubles. Unlike Belials children
to come, Baals followers lacked any
special power or insight to grant
them an advantage. If Baal truly
existed at all, he certainly took no
interest in the fates of those who
killed in his name.

chapter one

It was, as you might imagine, a

haven for the Kindred, even then.
Scions of all ve clans, and of many
bloodlines long forgotten, ocked
to Dis and other cities like it
where no law ruled, nobody watched
the night for signs of violence.
Where men sacriced regularly
to bloodthirsty gods, nobody
questioned strange disappearances
in the dark, or the nding of
brutalized, bloodless bodies in the
muddy streets at dawn. It is no
exaggeration to say that, in all
ways that mattered, the vampires
ruled over Dis, at least at night.

a history of vice

Had things continued as they were

then, the city would likely have
been lost to mythology and history,
just another horrically violent
community in an era literally
pockmarked with such.
But then! Then came one,
purportedly of the Gangrel clan,
whose name is recorded variously as
Enkara, Enhidir and Enkhatur.
I can tell you who Enkhatur was,
at least according to the Brood
myths Ive heard. He was, as I said,
a Gangrel, and one of great age
and power. He held power over many
of the Kindred of Dis, through a
combination of physical might and
religious authority. Enkhatur was a
priest among Kindred, at least of a
sort. He preached the glory of many
of early Babylons darkest gods,
and claimed that the curse of
vampirism was the rst step between
mortality and divinity. One of the
many gods whom he addressed in his
rites and ceremonies was, of course,
Belial, though Enkhatur might have
called Belial by a different name at
the time.
The legends of the Brood are
spotty and ambiguous, and I fear
that I cannot tell you precisely
what Enkhatur did to attract
Belials oppressive attention.
It is, in fact, not merely a
common scholastic question among
the Antinomians, but some of the
neonates purportedly have made it
into a game, to see who can come up
with the most vile and outlandish
tale of Enkhaturs depravities.

amidst the growing cult, Belial

approved. When Enkhatur and his
progeny revealed themselves as more
enlightened than the other vampires
of Dis, the demon delighted.

Belial appeared to Enkhatur in

visitations, coming upon him in
the ecstasy of feeding, or as an
horric noonday dream. Gradually,
Belial revealed to the Gangrel
the truth of the Kindred state,
made him understand that the gift
the Adversary offered was being
squandered. To Enkhatur, Belial
granted the rst of the great
Investments, diabolic powers the
likes of which only Kindred who know
the truth of Belial can master.
And Enkhatur worshipped him.

Still, had this been Enkhaturs

only sin, Belial might have watched
and waited, seen how the Gangrels
efforts played out, perhaps been
content to seek a new disciple in
decades or centuries. If there is
any single trait that all demons
share in common with Lucifer
Morningstar, however, it must be
an unbending pride. A delay in his
objectives, Belial could tolerate,
but when Enkhatur, drunk with
power and acclaim, began teaching
his newest followers that the
Investments were the results of his
own growing might, the demons fury
knew no bounds.

chapter one

One common supposition claims that

where most of the citys Kindred
sacriced animals or mortals to
their gods, Enkhatur sacriced
other Kindred, maintaining that
only they were worthy gifts to
Belial and the other powers.
Another would have it that
Enkhatur went a step further yet,
deliberately Embracing Kindred
so that he might always have a
pool of ready blood sacrices.
Still a third one that I
believe to be the most commonly
held, though I must confess my
skills as a researcher have led
to no conrmation of this belief
maintains that Enkhatur made a
dark pact with Belial while still
a mortal, and then deliberately
sought out the Embrace so that he
might never die, and thus never
pay the price of his soul. Belial,
rather than being angered, was
impressed (or at least amused) by
the mortals audacity, as well
as his willingness to accept one
damnation over another, provided it
was of his own making.

Like most of our kind, however,

he worshipped ambition even more.
When demonstrations of Enkhaturs
new potency drew other Kindred to
seek the truth of Belial, the demon
rejoiced. When Enkhatur Embraced
a small cadre of childer, that he
might have allies he could trust

20

a history of vice

But when Enkhatur set the Kindred

to rule over the mortals in the
streets, reigning with iron st at
night and through the eyes and the
hands of fanatical ghouls during
the day, Belial grew wroth. Demon
that he was, he delighted in the
pain and suffering of the mortal
herds, tortured and pleasured, saved
or slain, at the whim of their
undying masters. Yet this was not
the purpose to which he had set
Enkhatur! Any fool could use power
to hurt and enslave. Belial sought
to lift the Kindred up, to make them
true disciples of the Adversary,
to become all that their deathless
forms and powerful magics could
become. The temporal power to which
Enkhatur aspired could be a useful
tool, but only to a vampire who had
already mastered himself; to one who
had only begun to walk the path, it
was a distraction.

Belial reached into the dreams

of the vampires of Dis, speaking
directly to their dark soul, their
Beast, in a tongue their minds
could not hear, but that they

a history of vice

This was the end of Dis itself,

now remembered only in legends of
Hell, instead of a very real Hell
on Earth. All those who survived,
mortal and Kindred, ed the city for
distant lands.
Enkhatur, it must be noted, died
shamefully, attempting to sneak out
of Dis amidst a family of eeing
mortals. Legend says that even to
the last, as he disappeared beneath
a maddened pack of his own childer,
he begged and shrieked at them to
let him go, to keep him prisoner and
torture him eternally anything but
to nally send his soul back to the
demon he had so fully wronged.
*

Constance: It hardly sounds like a

viable basis for a multi-millennial
sect, Mr. Kovitch. Even assuming
any of it were true, that sort of
treatment hardly sounds like an
inducement to worship.
Kovitch: Ms. Constance, do you
want to know why you are seeking
the aid of a scholar, as opposed to
doing the necessary research and
becoming one yourself?

Constance: I lack the time. Or the

interest.
Kovitch: Hardly. Time is the one
thing we Kindred are never short of,
and if you had no interest, we would
hardly be speaking now. You lack the
patience. If my tale were concluded,
I would say so.
Constance: Oh, Im so terribly
sorry. [A snort from Kovitch] By all
means, pray continue.
*

Kovitch continues
Many of Enkhaturs childer were
among the survivors . . . not least
because, perhaps guided by Belials
own inuence, they spent much of
their time hunting down their sire
and were thus on the periphery of
the chaos and bloodshed. Legend
tells that as their senses and their
sanity slowly came back to them,
they stood atop a small rise and
watched Dis burn. Only when the
plumes of smoke were subtly tinted
by the coming dawn did the pack
arguably the Broods rst covey go
to ground in a nearby hole.
When they rose the next evening,
they found one of their number still
awake, having somehow waited out the
day without so much as blinking her
eyes. Called variably Shatri and
Shadira, she was one of Enkhaturs
eldest, and during her sleepless day
she purportedly received the second
revelation of Belial.
We have proved unworthy of the
gifts Belial has bestowed upon us,
she told her brethren when they
awakened. We have squandered them in
base pursuits, wasteful bids for power
over those to whom we are already
clearly superior. Yet he means not to
strip them from us, for he hopes one
night we shall indeed have earned them
fully. Mistake this not for mercy on
his part, for he has none, but like
all good generals he seeks only the
nest temper for his weapons.

chapter one

and their offspring could never

truly forget. He awakened in them
instincts so primal that, even in
the deepest depths of frenzy, none
had ever felt them before. The demon
turned vampire against vampire
throughout the city, drowning them
in a tide of blood, burying them in
an avalanche of tearing claws and
gnashing fangs. The Kindred werent
the only combatants. Mortal turned
on mortal, using the chaos as an
excuse to exorcise old grudges, or
to eliminate competitors. Cults of
rival deities massacred one another
in veritable orgies of bloodshed.
Some among the Brood believe that
even the spirits were wild that
night, as magics ared uncontrolled
and maddened shapeshifters tore
random passersby apart.

21

From this night, and ever forth,

the Duke of the Pit shall whisper
constantly to our true selves,
our dark souls, the Beast we once
mistook for a millstone about our
necks. No more shall we, once
mortal and still awed as we are,
be responsible for deciding who may
know the truths Belial has brought
us. All those whom he deems t to
benet from his teachings shall hear
him, though they know it not, and to
him, and to us, be drawn. And only
in the shedding of blood can we ever
prove our worth, for only there can
we display our strength, and only
there can we show to Belial that we
remember the fall of Dis, and the
lessons it has taught.
And never more shall we allow any
of our number to put himself above
the rest, as our misguided father
had done, for Belial is the path
to the Adversary, and only through
him may we descend to our greatest
depths.
*

Kovitch: [An exasperated sigh] And

what is it that draws the skeptical
expression this time, Ms. Constance?
Constance: Im not sure which one
I nd harder to believe: that there
was ever a city ruled openly by the
Kindred or that those who ruled
could so blithely agree not to seek
to recreate that power in a new
domain.

chapter one

Kovitch: It is not so hard to

believe. To the Fog of Eternity, we
have lost much of the history of
even the most meticulous covenants
and bloodlines. How much more, then,
this sect that cares so little for
recording its secrets?
Constance: I can accept that
knowledge of this city Dis, if you
must might have been lost. But
the closest thing to Kindred rule
recorded by history is the Camarilla
in Rome, and even then it wasnt

22

a history of vice

open. I just dont accept that none

of the survivors of Dis tried to
recreate it.
Kovitch: What would make you think
they did not?
Constance: You just said
Kovitch: I believe I said that
none of Enkhaturs childer ever
attempted such a thing again. But
Enkhaturs childer were hardly the
only Kindred of Dis, for all that
they were the most inuential.
Constance: What are you . . . ?
Kovitch: Where exactly do you
think the Ventrue got the idea for
the Camarilla?
[20 seconds of silence]
Constance: You cannot possibly
expect me to believe that.
Kovitch: What do I
believe? It is what
believe, and I have
my studies to prove

care what you

the Antinomians
found nothing in
otherwise.

Nor was Rome wasnt the rst time

and place this was tried. Many of the
non-Antinomian Kindred who ed Dis had
seen what a city looked like under
open vampire rule. Even some of those
who had followed Enkhaturs teachings,
though none who were his immediate
childer, found the pull of temporal
power stronger than their commitment
to Belial. They attempted to found
the same sort of society elsewhere,
scattering throughout what are now the
African and Eurasian continents. And
everywhere they failed.
Constance: I suppose the Brood
takes credit for that, too.
Kovitch: Not all of it, no. The
prevailing attitude amongst the
Antinomians seems to be one of
scorn, and a belief that no vampiredominated society is possible without
Belials favor and that as not even
the Brood has yet proved itself fully
worthy of that favor, certainly no
unbeliever could hope to be.

a history of vice

They were present at the founding

of the Camarilla, the rst serious
effort to unite the Kindred under
a single umbrella without the
trappings of mortal power. When the
Camarilla fell, they spread out
along with other Kindred, nding
their way to the edges of the Old
World, and then to the New.
Constance: To what end? To destroy
everything the other covenants
built?
Kovitch: No, you are not
listening. The Antinomians held
masses to the Adversary during the
Inquisition, practiced witchcraft
in the Colonies, studied Goetic
mysticism in the nights of Crowley,
played heavy metal and mutilated
children in the 80s. Some of it has
been ludicrous, some terrifying and
none intended to destroy the other
Kindred. The Antimonians do not care
about the other Kindred. To prove
worthy of Belials teachings, the
Antimonians must embrace everything
that makes them vampire, and reject
everything that made them human. And
what makes a human human, if not the
works of God?
That, Ms. Constance, is what the
Brood is, and where its from. They
are the children of a heretic, the
disciples of Lucifers right hand,
the Beasts who would shed their
esh and be Beasts. Every act of
inhumanity, every act that mocks
God, every act performed for no
better reason than it is against the
dictates of Heaven these are the

things that bring them closer to

Belial, closer to learning whatever
lesson the demon truly sought to
teach the vampires of Dis.
Constance: And...what lesson is that?
[A pause of silence]
Kovitch: If I knew that, Ms.
Constance, I would hardly require
your patrons funding, would I?
*click*
*

*click*
Constance: Supplementary notes.
February 27. 11:47 PM.
I thought I was done with this.
The ridiculous fairytale told me by
that insufferable Russian, while
hardly believable, seemed more than
sufcient to provide you what you
wished to know. In the past months,
I have moved on to other projects.
Several nights back, however, I
received a telephone call from one
of the contacts I had spoken to a
year ago, and long since forgotten
about. He wished to give me a name:
Pratt-Alvigsonne comma Paul. My
contact wouldnt say anything more
than that, supposedly out of fear.
It was, in fact, very over-the-top
cloak-and-dagger, and really quite
irritating. We simply must cultivate
a better class of informants when we
have the time.
In any event, knowing how much
the topic interests you, I decided
it would be prudent to put out a
few feelers. The only Paul PrattAlvigsonne I could nd (and I
somehow doubt there are many with
that particular name) is an old man
dwelling in an assisted living home
for the incapable.
Mortals never say what they mean
anymore. Assisted living home,
indeed. Im standing outside it

chapter one

But make no mistake, Belials

Brood has been watching. Each
attempt at recreating Dis has
provided the Antinomians with great
opportunity to test and to prove
themselves, to pit themselves
against the interests of powerful
Kindred, as well as to thumb their
noses at established secular and
religious authorities.

23

right now, and it is an asylum if

ever there was one, replete with
unnecessarily gothic architecture,
overhanging doorways and even the
requisite crash of lightning in
the storm clouds above. Lovecraft
himself would be delighted.
As for me, I expect I am about
to have another evening of my time
wasted. I cannot imagine what a
mortal might be able to tell us
about the Brood that we do not
already know. As always, though, I
shall make certain. We wouldnt want
you to be disappointed.
*click*
*

*click*
Constance: Addendum:
There may be more to this than I
thought. You know the acuity of my
senses; its one of the reasons you
have me running all over looking
for things for you. It has been a
long time my mortal days, in fact
since I have been uncertain of my
surroundings.
Simply walking from the car to the
door, however, I have developed the
strong impression that someone is
watching me. Shadows in the corner
of my eyes that fade as I turn,
sounds at the very farthest reaches
of even my hearing.
If someone is keeping an eye on
this asylum, it may just be that Mr.
Pratt-Alvigsonne knows something
important after all.
*click*
*

*click*

chapter one
24

Constance: ...if I record this, do

you?

a history of vice

a history of vice
youve probably already learned a
great deal.

Constance: Perhaps not, but its

only polite to ask. Mr. PrattAlvigsonne, I realize that youve
gone over this dozens of times with
dozens of doctors, but Im here to
ask the nature of the experiences
youve had, or believe youve had. By
better understanding them, we can

Tell me, Ms. Constance, have you

accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord
and Savior?

Pratt-Alvigsonne: Ms. Constance, I

apologize for [cough] interrupting
you, but lets not prevaricate.
Youre here to ask me about Belials
Brood.
Constance: I . . . what?
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Its the only
thing you Kindred ever come to ask
me about.
[15 seconds of silence]
Constance: I see. And do you
intend to answer my questions?
Pratt-Alvigsonne: I believe we
can [coughs twice] come to an
arrangement. Turn that [cough] off
for a moment.
*click*
*

*click*

Its all wrong, of course.

[Five seconds of silence]

Constance: If youre about to
start proselytizing to me . . .
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Not at all.
Merely establishing a frame of
reference. So many people believe
the Messiah has come and gone once
already, and that he will return at
the end of days, a time heralded by
the coming of the Anti-Christ.
Constance: Yes. And?
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Yet nobody seems
to consider the possibility that the
Anti-Christ, too, has walked the
world once before.
[More silence]
Constance: Are you trying to tell
me that you believe Belial . . .?
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Is the offspring
of the Adversary, born to a mortal,
as a mortal, and sent to walk the
world of man clothed in esh and
blood. That, Ms. Constance, is
exactly what Im trying to tell you.
*

Pratt-Alvigsonne speaks
Pratt-Alvigsonne: . . . me going
for a good several weeks, at least.
Thank you much, young lady.
Constance: The pleasure was all
yours, Im sure. And Im likely
several times your age.
Pratt-Alvigsonne: When you
have seen what I have seen, Ms.
Constance, you learn swiftly that
ones age has very little to do with
growing old.
So, you wish to know about
Belials Brood. Im going to guess
that I wasnt your rst stop on this
little hunt of yours, which means

His mothers name was Imarku. She

is called a saint by some among the
Brood, but she was certainly no
virgin. A harlot who could be had
by anyone, for any purpose, for the
price of a crust of bread, her body
was far too riddled with syphilis
and other diseases for her to have
borne a child. Yet she awoke one day
to discover that she was, indeed,
with child.
A hazard of her profession, she
had learned long ago before
illness had stripped her of her
reproductive capability to
recognize the signs. She knew that

chapter one

Pratt-Alvigsonne: Not at all.

[coughs twice] Nor, I suspect, would
you let it stop you if I did.

25

she was pregnant long before her

body showed any outward clues, and
she knew as well that it could be
no natural child growing within her
pocked and shriveled womb.
More importantly, others would
know, for Imarkus health was hardly
a secret among those with whom she
associated. In fear of being branded
a consort of gods or demons, she ed
her home, eventually settling in a
city of ancient Babylon, one whose
name has since been forgotten.
*

Constance: Mr. Pratt-Alvigsonne,

my prior informant told me that
the Brood descended from a preBabylonian city called Dis.
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Your prior
contact was a jackass. Dis? Really.
There are a few among the Brood who
might believe such things the same
ones who believe they are honoring
Belial by listening to bad music
turned up much too loud or slitting
the throats of animals and waving
them about like party sparklers.
Constance: I see. I suppose
every institution must have its
unfortunate elements.
Pratt-Alvigsonne: I suppose so.
May I continue?
*

chapter one

Pratt-Alvigsonne continues
Belials childhood and early
adulthood, the legends tell us,
were fraught with horrors and
difculties. He grew up in poverty,
and in poverty he remained for
a protracted period, oft-times
surviving on little more than a few
bites of food a day. His mother,
his half-siblings, the master smith
who taught him his trade of bronzecrafting, his rst wife all of
them died violently, stripped away
by the st, or the sword or the
teeth of creatures, vampire and
otherwise, that haunted the nights

26

a history of vice

even then. Some few among the Brood

maintain that Belial himself slew
all these people over this slight
or that insult. Most, however,
believe instead that this was the
Adversarys way of testing his son,
of teaching Belial the rst of many
lessons he must eventually learn.
Indeed, Belial swiftly learned
self-reliance. He needed none, and
sought help from none. What he
needed he earned, or took, on his
own. He took a second wife, and when
she died, a third, and he spawned
children but refused to rely on
the aid or assistance of any of
them. He thrived, as much as anyone
thrived in that primitive time. It
became clear, after several years,
that this bronze-smith whom others
had believed to be cursed was, in
fact, succeeding beyond anyones
expectations. His tools and weapons
proved superior, even when rushed
or made with inferior materials.
There was always sufcient bronze
or sufcient food when he went to
market, regardless of prevailing
conditions. No random robbers
accosted him on the streets, nor did
he ever fall afoul of the citys
various religious fanatics.
Others began to watch him, to
follow him, to learn his secrets
of success. And Belial, though
initially intending to send them
away, found himself attered by
their attentions it can be
said that he had, if nothing
else, his fathers pride and he
began to preach. His doctrines of
individuality, of self-reliance,
of doing for oneself rather than
turning to any of the myriad gods
of the age, were revolutionary, but
they found a home in the hearts of
many who listened. Almost overnight,
Belial found himself the equivalent
of a religious leader.
This, of course, did not sit well
with the priests of the local gods,

a history of vice

Dozens of Belials followers stood

against many hundreds of the priests
soldiers, and his followers did not
yield. Perhaps Belials success to
this point was miraculous in and
of itself, but it was here that he
worked the rst of his dark miracles
before witnesses, the rst of many
to come. The soldiers struck at his
esh, and their swords grew brittle
as glass and then shattered; yet the
weapons of his own followers cleaved
through the shields of the enemy with
ease. Where Belials followers were
grossly outnumbered, the beasts of
the night rose up and attacked his
foes, squirming beneath armor and
chewing through muscle and bone.
Amidst it all, Belial stood
weaponless, laying about him with
his hands alone. And where he struck
esh, that esh burned, leaving
behind dozens of corpses with nothing
but the blackened imprint of an open
hand to show how they had died.
When word of Belials miracles
spread, his following increased
tenfold. Belial continued to use his
abilities to defend what was his, to
obtain further riches still, and he
prospered. Eventually, there came
a time when he had a sufciency of
disciples that he could have asked
anything of them; he need never lift
another nger on his own behalf.
Yet he did not, for never had he
forgotten the rst of lessons life
taught him: to rely on himself, and
himself alone.
Yes, word of Belial spread and
not just among mortals. The Kindred
of the era had no covenants as we

would recognize them, perhaps not

even the clans we know tonight, but
they were Kindred, and the Kindred
nature does not change.
The rst of the Kindred to seek
power over Belial was one named
Enhidir. We know little of him, save
that he sought to overwhelm Belials
mind, to control one capable of such
dark miracles for his own ends.
But Enhidirs power, the Kindreds
power, was of the Adversary, and
held no fear for one who was himself
birthed of the Adversary. Belial
allowed Enhidir to enter his mind,
to see what it was he truly sought
to master, and the vampire was left
maddened and near mindless by the
experience.
This was Belials rst direct
experience with the Kindred, though
he had encountered them in passing
before, and it came as a revelation
to him. He knew, now, who his true
ock must be, what doctrine he must
teach. Yet he knew, too, that they
must come to him, if they were ever
to accept his teachings.
We know not the name of the second
vampire Belial encountered. It was
some years after
*
*
*
Constance: Wait one minute. Whats
with the name thing?
Pratt-Alvigsonne: I beg your
pardon?
Constance: You havent told me the
name of Belials siblings, or the
smith to whom he was apprenticed
or his wife. Now youve got this
nameless vampire. I realize the
histories are spotty, but
Pratt-Alvigsonne: I suggest
you try to get used to it, Ms.
Constance. There will be much more.
The Brood believes it improper to
try to identify such individuals.
They have transcended any feeble
names we might put to them; to
seek to pin them down in such a

chapter one

and they set soldiers against Belial

and his new following. And it was
here that Belial showed himself
stronger than his spiritual nemesis,
who was at this time many centuries
away from being born for Belial
was willing to ght to protect what
was his.

27

way is to seek power over them,

and that is nothing but an insult.
They recognize the name of Belial,
because it is only through him that
the Kindred can ascend, but the
others must remain unknown. Some of
the more zealous among the Brood
prefer not to even utter Belials
name if they can avoid it. They
refer to themselves as the Nameless,
rather than as Belials Brood.
Constance: Indeed. My prior source
claimed the Kindred of the Brood
called themselves Antinomians.
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Phaw! I suppose
someone poorly versed in Latin
and a cretin, besides might come
to believe that that term meant
Nameless.
Constance: Im not certain thats
what he
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Weve only just
touched on Belial, Ms. Constance. We
havent even gotten to the Brood yet.
And if you keep interrupting me...
*

Pratt-Alvigsonne continues

chapter one

This vampire sought a more direct

means of gaining Belials power for
himself. He sought not to dominate
the worker of dark miracles, but
instead to Embrace him. The tales
tell that he appeared outside
Belials hut mere moments after dusk
and slipped inside.

28

What happened within, however, the

tales do not tell, except to say
that the vampire and the son of the
Adversary spoke long into the night,
and nearly until dawn. Scholars among
the Brood strive to this night to
learn what Belial said, and to this
night they strive in vain. What we do
know is that when the pair emerged,
mere moments before the sun arose,
Belial was still a mortal and the
vampire had become his First Apostle,
never again to leave his side.
*

a history of vice

Constance: Wait.
Pratt-Alvigsonne: [An exasperated
sigh] What did I just say about
interrupting me?
Constance: So, if not at this
point, when was Belial Embraced?
[10 seconds of silence]
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Ms. Constance,
what could I possibly have said to
give you the impression that he was
Embraced?
[20 seconds of silence]
Constance: You mean to tell me
that Belials Brood worship even
named themselves, in fact after a
mortal?
Pratt-Alvigsonne: Ah . . . I never
get tired of that look. Yes indeed,
Ms. Constance. Like the son of God,
the son of the Adversary was mortal.
And remained so until the day he
died or at least he may have.
*

Pratt-Alvigsonne continues
To this First Apostle, Belial
taught secrets the likes of which
his mortal followers could never
comprehend. I perform miracles,
Belial is said to have told his
Kindred disciples, but you are
miracles. Dead yet living, waking
yet ageless; there is nothing of the
mundane, nothing of the natural,
in your esh. Learn the lessons
I can teach you, guide yourself
through my words onto my fathers
path and there will be nothing in
this world you cannot do, no act
of will you cannot make manifest.
Indeed, most of the Brood believes
that the various powers they can
access tonight, abilities known to
no other Kindred, are the simplest
and weakest of the dark miracles of
which Belial spoke.
Belial and his Apostle spread his
words and his teachings, and many
Kindred ocked to his call. From

Belial did not forget his mortal

followers, but he clearly favored
the Kindred, for they far more fully
embodied his teachings of might
and power. With his blessing, the
Kindred assumed as much inuence
over the mortals as they could
enforce. For several bloody years,
the city was ruled entirely by
night, with its mortal populace
either living in fear of, or
becoming devoted servants to, the
demigods who slept by day.
Just as his preaching to his mortal
ock had threatened the religious
elite years earlier, and just as
Jesus own teachings would irritate
the powers of Rome centuries later,
so did many among the Kindred grow
concerned at the news and the word
they heard coming from this obscure
city. The Kindred had no set societal
structure to be endangered, of course,
but certainly many individuals,
Princes the likes of which we have
even now, felt their grasp on power
threatened. Some few might even have
already had the beginnings of a larger
plan, what would eventually result in
the Camarilla or the covenants we know
tonight.
Whatever their true motivations,
many of the most inuential vampires
of the age moved against Belials
growing cult. Favored mortal

29

pawns and contacts died swiftly,

supplies ceased moving all the
same song and dance with which you
are no doubt already familiar. Many
of Belials followers, the more
cowardly and weak-willed among them,
abandoned their savior for fear of
being associated with his inevitable
fall. But the Five Apostles, and a
few dozen other Kindred besides,
stood by his side.

chapter one

one, Belial eventually acknowledged

no fewer than ve true Apostles,
and several dozen other Kindred
followers who never attained that
level of favor or of power. Belial
brought the truth of their condition
to the Kindred, and not only the
Broods abilities, but many of the
Disciplines so common to vampires
today, spring from his teachings. He
taught the vampires to speak in the
language of the Beast, so that no
matter what their words sounded like
to casual ears, each knew precisely
what the other meant to convey.

a history of vice

Persecution of the cult at

the hands of frightened Kindred
increased, until merely being
associated with Belial was enough to
condemn a vampire to Final Death.
Slowly, through attrition as members
were slain or ed, the cult was
reduced to no more than Belial and
his Five Apostles.
Belial was himself an old man by
this time, and though his Apostles
begged him to let one of them
Embrace him, that he might continue
to lead them, he refused. All his
power, all his inuence, he had
gained himself, through his own
ambition and the gifts he could call
upon as the son of the Adversary. He
would not, Belial swore, continue in
any state wherein he would owe his
power or his existence to another.
The First Apostle, who had known
Belial and his teachings longest,
accepted his declaration, albeit
with a heavy heart. But the others,
for all Belials teachings of selfreliance, were too afraid to accept.
In the dark hours before the dawn,
three of them overcame the First
Apostle and held him fast, while the
Third Apostle crept into the room
where the aged Belial slept. There,
crying tears of crimson, she feasted
upon her saviors blood, and bit
her own lip asunder that she might
return unlife in place of the life
she had drained.
When the others freed him, the
First Apostle raged. He set upon

chapter one
30

the one who had attempted to

Embrace Belial, and beat her nigh
unto torpor. Yet he did not slay
the Third Apostle, or any of her
accomplices. He would wait to learn
what his newly Embraced master
would have him do, for it was only
right that he be the one to assign
punishment.

nd his room empty, the cot on which

he had lain apparently undisturbed.
Though they searched throughout
the night, not even their greatest
powers of Auspex could detect the
slightest trace of Belial, or
determine how he had slipped away
or even whether he was yet living
or undead.

For three nights and three days,

Belial lay in his hut, dead to all
outward observers. For three nights
and three days, the Apostles waited
with diminishing hope, praying
that their savior, the son of the
Adversary, might yet awaken to
unlife and guide them as he had
always done.

Now the others turned to the First

Apostle with fear, for they knew
that he was greatest among them,
that without the element of surprise
they would be hard-pressed to defeat
him, and that he was greatly angered
with them.

On the evening of the fourth day,

the Five Apostles entered the hut
to check on their master, only to

a history of vice

You have proved us unworthy of

Belials teachings, he told them,
his voice sad, his jaw clenched in
anger. You have been weak, where
Belial taught strength. You have

a history of vice

And I...I have been merciful,

where Belial taught us to show none.
The First Apostle fell upon the
Third, breaking her bones and
drinking of her blood until there
was nothing left to sustain her. As
her dust fell through his ngers
and poured from his lips, he turned
again to the others. Go. Flee from
me now, before the legacy of Belial
dies here with us. Others will come
to you, and they will know what you
should have learned even though you
teach them not. Only at the end of
nights will the Son of the Adversary
walk the world again, and only those
who have proved worthy will share in
his power in the age to come.
*

Constance: And then?

Pratt-Alvigsonne: And then what?
Constance: Once the Apostles
scattered. Where did they go? How
did the Brood spread from there?
Pratt-Alvigsonne: All excellent
questions, Ms. Constance. Come back
in a few weeks, and Ill be happy to
address them.
Oh, and Ms. Constance? You should
probably eat before you visit me
again.
*click*
*

*click*
Constance: Supsupplementary
notes, March 22. 1ah, 1:16 AM.
[slightly mufed] Do, um... Do you
prefer Mr. Jackal or the Jackal,
or...?
Jackal: No. Just Jackal will
sufce. I left other names and
titles buried in an unmarked grave
long ago.

Constance: I see. [volume returns

to normal] I have returned to my
room after a fruitless night to
nd a stranger waiting for me.
He insists I call him Jackal,
and has provided no additional
identication. He appears
Jackal: I would prefer no record
of my appearance, Ms. Constance. It
is safer for us both. Consider it
my price for allowing you to record
this conversation at all.
Constance: I yes, as you wish.
All right, Jackal. You mentioned
Belials Brood.
Jackal: I did.
Constance: And what makes you
think I have any involvement with
them?
Jackal: You have no involvement
with them, but not for lack of
trying. Youve spoken to the Slav,
Kovitch. Youve been to see PrattAlvigsonne not, I would point out,
the wisest move you might have made.
Constance: How did you
Jackal: After your conversation
with Kovitch, you stopped speaking
to your contacts on this matter.
After you saw the old lunatic, you
redoubled your prior efforts. Also
not the most shrewd move.
Constance: How do you know this?
Jackal: I keep a very close eye on
all things connected to the Brood,
Ms. Constance, or at the least I
attempt to. You have been less than
subtle in your inquiries.
Constance: Since when does the
Brood care what people think or say
about them?
Jackal: They likely dont.
Likely is a very thin line on
which to hang your continued wellbeing.
Constance: And why do you care?
Jackal: Because I think we may be
able to help each other. I, too,

chapter one

been afraid, where Belial taught

fearlessness.

31

have a substantial interest in

Belials Brood.
Constance: And you are willing to
share information?
Jackal: I am. Only, however, if
you go rst.
Constance: How do I know youll
uphold your end of the bargain?
Jackal: You do not, I suppose. But
this is hardly the time to start
worrying about risks, is it?
[10 seconds of silence]
*click*
*

*click*
Jackal: ry interesting.
Constance: You believe either of
those stories?
Jackal: You would be surprised,
Ms. Constance, how little I believe
of anything.
Constance: But you said you had
some information of your own about
the Brood. Which of those tales
corresponds most closely to your own
knowledge of their beliefs?
Jackal: Neither.
Constance: What?
Jackal: This is the rst time I
recall having heard either of those
legends. Let me tell you what I
have heard regarding the birth of
Belials Brood.
*

chapter one

The Jackal speaks

Belial was born so long ago that
history and mythology are utterly
indistinguishable. His father was
a warrior of one of the ancient
tribes, though the legends differ
on precisely which Midianite,
perhaps, or Hittite. His life
growing up was as so many others:
hard and violent, made up of periods

32

a history of vice

of hunger and want, punctuated by

short bursts of hideously bloody
conquest and the temporary comfort
of a life lived on the spoils of
war.
He grew to become a great warrior
himself, as so many of those people
were, and eventually became the
warlord of one of the smaller tribes
of his nation. It is said that he
was the greatest warrior of his age;
Im certain we must chalk at least
some of that up to typical mythic
exaggeration, but doubtless he was
a soldier of no small ability. That
he committed many of what the modern
world would consider atrocities is
also not in doubt. That was, after
all, simply the way of the world.
The tribes killed for land, for
food, for vengeance, for religious
reasons, sometimes because that is
simply what they did. Men, women,
children . . . It hardly mattered.
Distasteful, yes. But as I said,
common to the time. It was certainly
nothing to distinguish Belial from
any of the other warlords and tribal
leaders. His tribe was incredibly
ferocious and highly skilled, much
like their leader, and they proved
victorious against every foe they
encountered. Nomadic tribes, remnant
Sumerians, communes of Israelites
all fell to Belials warriors. Had
he led a larger tribe, or an entire
nation, he might well have changed
the course of pre-Christian history,
but as it was, he had little
cultural impact despite his fearsome
nature.
Belial did, however, have two
personality traits that caused him
to stand out, even among the other
skilled warriors and merciless
leaders of the age. The rst was
his household god. Not only most
nations, but most communities, and
even many families had their own
pantheon of gods and spirits, of

a history of vice

The other was his rather

unfortunate tendency toward
cannibalism.
*

Constance: But how unusual is

that, really?
Jackal: How many cannibals did
you know in your mortal life, Ms.
Constance?
Constance: Thats hardly what I
meant, Jackal. Lots of primitive
cultures practiced ritual
cannibalism. Some Native American
tribes believed they consume an
enemys strength by eating his
heart. On the Asian continent
Jackal: If Id known this was to
be an anthropology lesson, I would
have brought a pen.
Consume: My point is, while I
dont profess to be an expert on
pre-Biblical era mytho-history, was
cannibalism truly that unusual?
Jackal: I couldnt say. But Belial
was hardly a traditional cannibal.
*

The Jackal continues

You are at least partly correct
in your surmise. Belial seemed to
believe that consuming the esh of
his foes granted him a measure of
their potency. It was, at least
initially, an act he performed only
on occasion. He might consume a
great enemy he had just defeated, or
he might consume some of an enemys

soldiers to give him strength to

face his true foe. But in either
case, it started as a quirk, not a
true habit.
Eventually, however, word of his
practice spread and not only
spread, but grew, as rumors and
tales are wont to do. Many who dwelt
in the lands near Belials tribe
came to believe that he was a esheating horror, birthed from the
foulest imagination of the darkest
gods. It was said that he used his
teeth in combat, that he would
eat the esh off a mans face on
the battleeld, that he sent his
warriors on raids with the sole
purpose of bringing back captives to
be devoured.
None of it was true, of course,
but it was enough to cause fear of
Belial and his tribe of savages to
spread far faster and more strongly
than it otherwise might. When Belial
himself rst heard of these tales,
ironically enough from an enemy
captive who begged the conqueror not
to eat his family, the warlord was
pleased. He knew full well the power
of fear as a weapon.
Gradually, it seems that
Belial began, to use the modern
colloquialism, to believe his own
hype. His behavior became ever more
gruesome, ever more savage. He
began to seek out opportunities to
consume human esh. He did indeed
send raiding parties to take slaves,
and some of those slaves had a
very short span of service. He was
witnessed more than once to move in
on a foe and, rather than strike
with his sword, to take a bite from
the other mans neck or shoulders.
Many among the Brood or at
least so Im given to understand
theorize that Belial was simply
playing to his reputation. If his
previous behavior had spawned such
horric tales, and thus caused his

chapter one

course. Belial always attributed his

success to one, one that had, or so
he claimed, watched over his family
line since the very rst dawn. It
was a god to which he gave no name,
when asked, save one. I do not know
the actual term nor could I likely
pronounce it, coming as it does from
a dead language but I am given to
understand that it translates most
closely to Most Terrible Enemy of
My Enemy.

33

enemies to tremble in fear at his

mere name, then what more could he
accomplish by actually taking those
tales to heart? Even if this were
the case to start with, however,
Belial swiftly lost sight of any
goal so mundane. He developed a
taste for the bloodshed, an apparent
addiction to human esh. On the rare
occasion that his warriors could not
acquire an appropriate meal, Belial
turned one of his own people into
his next repast. His most brutal
warriors aped his behavior, adopting
cannibalism themselves, though never
to the same grotesque extremes as
their warlord.
For all his apparent madness,
however, at least one element of
Belials practice never changed.
While he believed he was taking the
strength of his foes into himself
as he consumed them, he always
dedicated their deaths to his
unnamed god.

chapter one

Unlikely as it sounds, Belial

lived through many decades of war
and conquest. Although injured many
times, and struck down by illness
many others, he always recovered. It
must have seemed to his followers
that his cannibalistic acts truly
had given him the strength of all
those whom he had slain, for he
seemed to have the resilience of an
army.

34

Eventually, Belial began to grow

old, and it is said that for the
rst time, those who knew him best
could see the glimmer of fear in
his eyes. Belial was no coward. He
was not afraid of death per se;
but the notion of succumbing to a
foe against whom he could not ght
unsettled him. He sought the advice
of wise men, prophets and witches,
but while many provided means of
staving the years off for a time,
age continued to creep up on him.
It was one night, while deep in

a history of vice

prayer to his dark god, that Belial

had what can only be described as
a twisted epiphany. If consuming
the esh of the strong made him
stronger...
Could consuming the esh of the
young make him younger?
Belials standing orders to his
soldiers changed, becoming so
horrible that even many of his
most savage men ed from his tribe
rather than follow them, or face
his wrath for disobeying. The focus
of their raids against enemy lands
shifted to the gathering of children
almost exclusively. Within a span of
several short years, scores if not
hundreds of infants and adolescents
met their deaths in the cooking res
of Belials camps. When even this
proved insufcient to sate Belials
lust for young esh, he ordered
the capture of women and girls of
childbearing age, to be held as
breeding stock and, secondarily,
to slake the more natural but still
violent lusts of the soldiers.
Even then, Belial did not forget
the strategic elements of his
actions. Where possible, he directed
these raids against the families of
those who would soon face him on
the eld of battle, demoralizing
them, rendering them afraid to leave
their homes for fear their loved
ones would be dragged away in their
absence. Even though their numbers
had shrunk, as those who refused
to be part of such horrors ed,
Belials tribe remained the most
feared warriors in the region.
It is, of course, unlikely that
Belials practice of eating the
young would have truly slowed the
aging process, but he was given no
opportunity to nd out for certain.
For with these latest horrors,
Belial learned the lesson so many
other monsters and tyrants have
learned throughout history: if you

No tribes existed anywhere

nearby with sufcient strength, or
sufcient numbers, to challenge
Belials warriors. But against all
the local tribes together, united
despite their own ancient feuds and
current enmities, even the mightiest
of soldiers could not hope to stand.
The battle raged long, with only
a few moments of respite. Finally,
as the sun began to sink into the
west on the evening of the third
day, the warriors of the united
tribes pierced Belials last line of
defense. Atop a rise now slick with
blood, they surrounded the great
tent defended by Belial himself,
along with his ve most loyal and
most fearsome soldiers. Although
each took with him more than a dozen
of the enemy, the warriors dropped
one by one, until only Belial

35

himself still stood. Sword, spear

and arrow opened wound after wound
in Belials esh, and nally even he
could no longer stand, yet he lived
still. Triumphant, the tribesmen
hefted Belial onto their shoulders
and carried him into his own tent.

chapter one

push too far, fear can drive even

the most cowardly or demure people
to action.

a history of vice

There they were confronted with

horrors the likes of which they
could scarcely have dreamt. Here
lay evidence of the warlords
most recent repasts. Clothes of
children lay folded in a neat
pile, ready to be dispersed to the
young of Belials own tribe. Cuts
of meat, some of which were still
recognizably human, hung upon hooks,
waiting to be prepared. Bloodstained
bowls of wood and bone littered a
long table. And before a gilded
altar to an unknown god, there lay a
pile of tiny skulls, stacked to the
height of a short man.
Maddened with horror and grief
and not a little fear Belials

conquerors slit the warlords throat

and left him to die lying atop his
own altar. Then they stepped outside
and lit the tent aame.
Had they stayed to watch it burn,
they might have seen that although
burning scraps rained down around
Belial and the altar, the ames
themselves did not reach him, for
the dirt oor of the tent failed,
of course, to burn. They might also
have seen, after the sun set, the
mighty warlord drag himself to his
feet, one hand pressed rmly to the
wound across his throat, staunching
the ow of blood, even if only for a
short time.
Belial knew he was dying, and he
raged against his fate, against
the weaklings who had managed to
overcome him. He tried to shout, but
his voice was a mere gurgling croak,
mufed not merely by the wound that
must soon slay him despite his best
efforts, but also by the smoke that
lled his lungs. Wracked by an
agonizing thirst, Belial partook
of the only drink available to him
his own previously spilled blood,
collected in the cupped hands of the
idol atop the altar.
Despite the ames nearby, the blood
should have cooled at least somewhat
in the night air, yet it burned like
re as it trickled down his throat.
Belial felt a new strength ush his
limbs, like nothing he had ever felt
before. The wound on his neck slowed
its ow, and then ceased to bleed
altogether. And before Belials
suddenly sharpened eyes, the idol of
his dark god melted away, starting
at the hands where the warlords
blood had pooled.

chapter one

36

Constance: Im not entirely

certain I understand. Are you
suggesting Belial Embraced himself?
Jackal: Hardly, though it was his
own blood that carried the dark

a history of vice

blessing. Havent you been listening

at all? Who do you think Belials
familial god was?
Constance: The Adversary, in
Judeo-Christian-Islamic terms. I got
that. Im not an idiot.
Jackal: The Demiurge, or the
source, as he is known to the
Brood. Belial received his gift
directly. An Immaculate Embrace,
if you prefer. Belial was the rst
vampire patient zero, if youre of
a scientic mind an honor he had
earned through his devout worship
and his...interesting proclivities.
*

The Jackal continues

Belial received no immediate
knowledge of his new condition, but
he learned swiftly enough to follow
his instincts. He knew, before the
rising sun touched the horizon, that
he was forevermore denied the light
of day. He discovered how to draw
upon the power within him to perform
feats far beyond those he could have
imagined as a mortal. And he learned
that what he had believed in life
was now the factual basis of his new
existence: only by feeding on the
lives of others could he survive,
and remain strong.
More than that, however, he
learned that his prayers to his god
were now answered far more directly,
so long as they were augmented with
the power of his own blood. He could
work uncountable dark miracles and
mastered secret rites, only a few of
which have survived to the modern
nights as the Broods own form of
mysticism.
For several years, Belial dwelt
alone in the wild. He hunted the
fringes of nearby tribes and
villages when he hungered, but
otherwise avoided human contact.
He acted thus not out of fear, for
truly Belial feared nothing now save
the burning touch of the sun, but

The rst to die were the

members of his own tribe who had
deserted him. With the patience of
immortality, Belial tracked them
down to their new nations, and he
slaughtered them to the last, along
with their families. Tales spread
of these terrible deaths; some
attributed them to some horrible
plague, while others evoked demons
or angry spirits. Fear of Belial
spread once more, though none now
knew him by name.
Next were the leaders of the
warriors who had defeated him,
starting with the most mighty and
working his way down, and again
their families and loved ones
perished with them. Now the tales
that spread spoke of a curse, the
vengeance of the god Belial had
once worshipped and in a way, I
suppose, those tales were not wholly
wrong.
But as before, the fear Belial
engendered eventually turned on him.
Perhaps guided by their own gods,
or even by the voice of the one God
whom they had not yet acknowledged,
the priests of the tribes learned
to guide their soldiers and their
people in ways to ght the bearer
of this curse. The cleansing power
of open ame, the barrier of the
holy sign faithfully presented and
Belials great vulnerability during
the hours of day, all these were
turned against him by the surviving
family and friends of those he had
slain. Although he lingered for
years, continuing his murderous
vendetta, Belial was eventually
forced to ee the lands he had
hunted as both man and Kindred,
never to return.

37

For many years, Belial wandered,

feasting off the various communities
through which he moved. Eventually,
however, with the passing years, the
immortal warlord grew lonely, for he
had rarely been without the company
of the warriors of his tribe. For
the rst time, he sought out not a
small village or a nomadic tribe in
which to hunt but one of the great
cities of the time. Eventually, he
found himself in what would become
Babylon, in the now-forgotten city
of Sayhad.

chapter one

in order to obtain as complete a

mastery of his new abilities as his
soldiers training had granted him
over his old. And nally, when he
felt he was ready, Belial sought his
revenge.

a history of vice

Constance: Sayhad? Not Dis? Not

some unknown city?
Jackal: That is what I said, yes.
Constance: Do you have any reason
to suspect that your identication
is any more accurate than the other
two tales?
Jackal: Its what Ive learned.
As to which is the truth, if any of
them, I cant imagine Im any better
a judge than you.
*

The Jackal continues

For a time, the relative crush of
humanity around him slaked Belials
loneliness, and it certainly made
hunting far easier. Soon, however,
he craved true companionship. For
the rst time, Belial contemplated
the possibility of creating more
like him. He prayed to his god for
guidance, but on this matter, no
answer was forthcoming, no dark
miracle or unholy power offered
itself as a solution.
Belial was no fool, however, and
it took him little time to determine
that the power must be in the blood.
Not only was it the source of his
strength, but the blood had been the
catalyst for his own transmutation.
He watched the city for months,
until he had identied several
individuals he considered worthy of

chapter one

his own undying nature. His rst

attempt at the Embrace was less than
a complete success. The man to whom
he fed his blood gained strength, and
grew unswervingly loyal to Belial,
but he was still clearly mortal.
Although disappointed, Belial saw the
possibilities inherent in a faithful
servant, stronger than any mortal
soldier, who could operate by day,
and he bound several more of these
earliest ghouls to aid him in his
endeavors. It is for this reason, I
believe, that the Brood offers its
ghouls an unusual amount of respect
tonight: with the exception of Belial
himself, they actually predate the
Kindred.
It was only when several of Belials
ghouls died violently in battle with
the zealots of a rival cult that the
true nature of the Embrace became
apparent. One of the ghouls, a man
named Enkahas, who had fed most
recently, arose as a vampire, the
rst other than Belial himself. Then
Belial realized that, just as his
life had been all but spent when he
drank from the cupped hands of the
altar, so, too, must a potential
vampire be drained to the point of
death before the blood of the sire
would offer a true transformation.
Im certain that more than a few
would-be Kindred died as Belial and
Enkahas mastered the procedure, but
eventually the rst vampire indeed
had a loyal brood of childer. To
them he taught all that he had
learned, about the nature of their
new existence, the extent of their
powers and the fealty they owed his
dark god.
Then, with a population of
vampires and ghouls supporting him,
Belial returned to what he did best
conquest through fear. The mortal
leaders and priests of Sayhad could
do nothing to protect themselves,
let alone the other citizens of
the city. In a mere handful of

38

a history of vice

nights, Belials name was whispered

and screamed throughout Sayhad,
and the people knew that they now
answered not to any mortal king but
to a night-dwelling demigod against
whom they had no defense. For the
vampires it was a paradise; they fed
when they chose, on whom they chose
and none could gainsay them save
Belial himself, who saw little need
to reign his followers in. For the
mortals, the city of Sayhad was a
tiny piece of Hell.
It was ultimately Enkahas, the
Second Eldest, who caused the
downfall of Belials dominion.
Seduced by the power he held,
Enkahas began to believe himself a
true divinity on Earth. He ceased
worshipping Belials god, and instead
pressed his followers, his minions
and his childer to worship him.
He lost much of what he was
in this apostasy. The tongue of
Belials god, whom all vampires
could instinctively speak from the
moment of Embrace, was lost to him.
His Investments and rituals ceased
to function.
Yet he remained ageless and undead,
a creature of the night who fed on
blood. He kept the vast majority of
his unholy powers and his inhuman
strength. Most horrically, where
Belial and the faithful were
concerned, he retained the ability
to bind humans through the power of
his blood, and to create his own
progeny through the Embrace.
Belial and his childer fell upon
Enkahas and his own offspring
with the maddened fury of Hells
own demons, tearing them apart in
an orgy of blood and leaving the
quivering chunks of esh to burn in
the rising sun. The damage, however,
had already been done. The vampires
of Sayhad now knew that, while
Belials god might be the original
source of their kind, obedience,

The Kindred of Sayhad fell into

a religious and civil war, with
Belial and the faithful on one side
and this new breed of independent
vampire on the other. In the rst
nights of the struggle, Belial held
the upper hand, but his enemy grew
in number far more swiftly than
his own forces. Investments and
the tongue of the Beast gave the
faithful an edge, but it was one
that would eventually be overwhelmed
by sheer numbers.
As it happened, however, the
vampires never had the opportunity
to decide the matter for themselves.
The mortals of the city swiftly
became aware of the struggle
occurring beneath the veil of
night, and the most resourceful
of them eventually learned the
theological underpinnings behind
it. This information they took to
their priests, who realized that
if the vampiric nature could be
so drastically changed simply by
failing to worship their creator,
then perhaps the power of other gods
could be turned against them as
well. This was the source of faith
as the enemy of the Kindred, and it
was a weapon the mortals wielded
with great skill and desperation.
In months, between their own strife
and the efforts of the priests, the
vampires were almost wiped out,
their numbers reduced to a fraction
of what they had been.
Both factions of vampires knew
that Sayhad was lost to them, but

39

they knew as well that they could

hunt and perhaps rule once more
in other cities, in other lands.
The apostates scattered wildly in
all directions, with no plan other
than escape, and no unity. Belials
offspring, however, knew that
they could not afford to disperse
so completely. The teachings of
Belials god, and the true nature
and true loyalty of vampires, must
survive. They departed in small
groups, determined to survive.
In every land through which they
passed, they searched for those who
would join them in their worship and
service of the Adversary. And indeed
they seemed aided by their god
directly, as a few of the vampires
they met over the years even those
descended from the apostates, who
had never even heard of Belial or
his god seemed blessed with an
understanding of the language of the
Beast. Thus, the teachings of the
rst vampire survived even the fall
of his domain, and spread through
the world even to the modern nights.

chapter one

fealty and worship were not integral

aspects of their condition. For the
sacrice of only a few of their many
abilities, the vampires could be
their own masters, owing adulation
to none, answerable to none. The
vampires could create childer
and ghouls without the necessity
of dedicating them to this god,
indoctrinating them to be loyal to
their sires alone.

a history of vice

Constance: You seem to have left

something out.
Jackal: Belial. His fate.
Constance: That would be it. You
speak of his brood eeing Sayhad,
but nothing of Belial himself. Was
he slain in the war?
Jackal: Thats a very good
question. I have no answer for you.
The legends of the Brood simply
cease mentioning Belial after the
fall of his domain in Sayhad. They
speak of him only in the past tense.
But they dont suggest his nal
fate, either. There are certainly
enough hypotheses, some so old
they qualify as myths themselves:
The mortal priests slew him. The
apostates slew him. He sank into
torpor and still rests deep beneath
what was Sayhad, whatever it may be

now. He disappeared into the world

with his followers, and spread his
teachings even as they did, until he
was slain in some other nation and
some other time. He survives even
now, passing as a normal vampire. He
has ascended into some greater form,
something above vampire, closer to
the Adversary himself. Or any one of
two dozen other possibilities, none
of which have the tiniest shred of
evidence supporting them.
Constance: Thats vaguely
unsatisfying.
Jackal: If youre looking for neat
and tidy answers, Ms. Constance,
perhaps the Requiem isnt the
existence for you.
Constance: Indeed. So, what else?
Jackal: Else?
Constance: Youve spoken at length
about the birth of the Brood. It
seems thats all anyone talks to
me about. But theres so much more
I need to know, about the Brood
tonight. How they behave, what
their practices are, how theyre
organized.
Jackal: I started with the
beginning because it is the
beginning. As for the rest . . .
thats very dangerous information
youre delving into, Ms. Constance.
Constance: No less so than you
are, as youve made clear.
Jackal: True. I . . . no.
Constance: No?
Jackal: Not tonight. Ive spent too
much time here already, and I frankly
do not yet know how fully you can be
trusted. What Ive told you so far is
myth, legend. To speak of specics,
modern facts... no. Not yet.

chapter one

Constance: But
Jackal: When Ive looked a bit
more into who you are, when Ive
decided Im prepared to continue our
discussions, Ill contact you.

40

a history of vice

Constance: I see. And if you

decide youre not prepared to
continue?
Jackal: Then youll not hear from
me. Simple enough, no?
*click*
*

*click*
Constance: Addendum.
That was not pleasant. Im not
accustomed to being caught by
surprise; it hasnt happened since
my mortal days. I dont know who
this Jackal is, but I intensely
dislike the fact that I didnt know
he was waiting in here for me. Im
going to have to look into him
further, when all this is done.
Im also nding it more than a
little irritating that nobody wants
to nish the conversations they
start. I was hoping to be able to
provide you a bit more in the way of
concrete details.
Still, I think we can call what
we have so far a successful start.
Im certain, as you listen, youll
note the same similarities in these
tales that I have. For all their
differences, theres a kernel of
agreement in these origin myths, and
certainly more than a little bit of
shared thematics.
It may be enough, if we can eke
even a few details out of the
Jackal, or perhaps Pratt-Alvigsonne.
Its not as though Prince Rittichier
is an expert on the Brood, either.
We should be able to use what weve
got to make your next efforts look
like just another Brood rampage,
with nobody the wis

*click*
*
*click*

a history of vice

Unknown: Hello, Jackal. Ave Satani,

and all that.
As I record this message, youre
thinking about Ms. Constance. Youre
wondering if shes an enemy, and
thinking about the danger youve put
her in, talking to her directly, if
shes not. Youre giving serious
thought to coming back here, if you
havent turned back already. In a
matter of moments, youre going to
come through that door or maybe
the window to warn her that
staying here is a bad idea.

Trust me. She knows.

[gurgle]
Ive been following your trail for
a long time now, Jackal engaged
in your pursuit, if youll excuse
the humor. Im looking forward to
catching up.
And right about now, the hair
on your neck is starting to stand
up. Because now, youre suddenly
wondering why I bothered to leave
you a recorded message, as opposed
to waiting for you myself.
Turn around, brother.
*click*

chapter one

[10 seconds of silence, punctuated

by sporadic tearing noises and a
choked gurgle]

41

chapter two
42

the devil you know

the devil you know

Your fire cant hurt me!

Im going to Hell!
See you soon!
See you soon!
See you soon!

chapter two

Chapter Two
The Devil
You Know

43

Twere better that nothing were begun. Thus everything that you call sin,
destruction in a word, as Evil represent that is my own real element.
Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust

chapter two

One of the Brood

Being a member of Belials Brood is a substantially

more transformative experience than many outside the
Broods ranks could possibly imagine, and while outsiders would undoubtedly be disturbed by what the Brood
does, theyd likely be even more disturbed to discover
what the Brood is and what the Brood believe.
Contrary to the oft-rehashed stereotype, the vampires of the Brood are not maddened arsonist nomads,
charging into town and causing random destruction at
every turn. They are vampires who have turned from
the damnable lie taught to them by Kindred society,
and by the Man within. They are vampires who have
chosen to deal with the eternal struggle of Beast versus
Man by accepting the Beasts dominance and power,
rather than by ghting with it for what could amount
to eternity. The Beast, they feel, is not some curse leveled upon their race, a fate to which they are doomed
for all time. Rather, the Beast is their own dark soul,
given them by the deity who claims dominion over the
physical world an entity some call the Demiurge and
others call the Adversary (and others still even call by
its Biblical name: Lucifer). If the supernal deity gure
(which some call God) was responsible for their lives as
mortals, and for the part of them that is Man, then His
infernal opposite, the primordial Other, is responsible
for the Beast, and thus for who and what vampires are
once bereft of life.
Some factions among the Brood actively venerate
the Adversary, most often through sacrice and ritual,
but by and large, the Forsworn view the Demiurge as
unknowable and removed, distanced from the material
realm over which the deity reigns. Indeed, many even
believe that if they were to gaze upon the Demiurges
countenance before their souls were ready before
they return to his grace upon their Final Death that
doing so would drive them mad before annihilating
them utterly. In a very real way, the Brood fears the
Adversary, the Lord of Beasts and the ultimate predator,
and the Brood knows all other vampires are wise to do

44

the devil you know

likewise. But if the Broods deity gure is so fearsome

and unknowable, how can the race of vampires come
to know the deitys grace and purpose? Why, through
an intermediary, of course.

Belial

Most every faction of the Brood, regardless of how

vast the differences in mode or methodology, pays at
least a modicum of respect and veneration to a being
called Belial. For the three oldest and most powerful
Brood factions, the Belial gure features prominently,
indeed. As discussed in Chapter One, these three factions have some vastly differing perspectives on the
beings origin.
The Forsworn of the Nameless, perhaps the oldest
and most organized faction among the Brood, hold that
Belial was a mortal man, sent by the Adversary to bring
its word and will to its errant children, the race of vampires, who wallowed in ignorance, struggling to accept
their own natures until his arrival. For the Nameless,
Belial was a messiah, comparable to the Biblical antiChrist, and they venerate him for revealing the truth.
Belial was, in a very real way, their savior. Many believe
that he bore his own mortal children before leaving his
eshly vessel, and they search vigilantly for signs of his
mortal descendants to this day.
The proud members of the Roaring Serpent faction
believe they are the inheritors of a mighty legacy. These
self-styled Archons cast Belial in the role of progenitor, believing that the Adversary blessed him with the
Embrace in the early hours of man. If theyre right, and
Belial was the rst vampire, then that would make all
vampires technically of Belials brood, and that is a notion that appeals to a great many Forsworn. The Roaring
Serpent is popular among young Brood members, not
just for this belief but for the factions adherence to the
eminence of their race. The Roaring Serpent believes
that vampires should be proud to be vampires, and this
faction refuses to court the affections of those outside
the Brood. If one wants to join, one must prove oneself.
Belial would have it no other way.

the devil you know

45
chapter two

The vampires of the Pandaemonium are perhaps the

most iconic members of Belials Brood, at least where
outsiders are concerned. These so-called Antinomians
cast Belial in the role of demonic spirit, second only to
the Adversary itself. Many of their number hew closely
to the occult trappings of their ethos, believing Belial to
be one of many demons in the service of the devil. In
their view, Belial is the patron of all vampires, the Duke
of Beasts, and they credit him with bringing the truth
of their souls connection to the Adversary, as well as
the secrets of the rare and disturbing powers they call
Investments, to the world.
Other factions, and individual Forsworn of course,
can and likely always will believe differing things about
Belial. But even those who feel it is in their nature to
be beholden to no other still pay at least lip service,
for if Belial were real (whatever or whomever he was),
and he really was sent by the Adversary, then it pays to
keep him in their hearts . . . lest the Adversary think
them ungrateful.

The Pursuit

The single most central idea to the vampires of Belials

Brood more key even than Belial is the long and
spiritually demanding process they call the Pursuit.

For the Forsworn, the act of awakening to the truth of

their existence is only the beginning, the alarum that
rouses their bestial souls to action. And that action is
the steady and dedicated dissolution of all that once
made them human, and with it, the equally steady and
dedicated acceptance of all that makes them what they
are now: vampires.
The Pursuit is a unique and deeply personal affair for
each vampire of the Brood. Forsworn mentors are quick
to ingrain in their young converts the idea that there is no
formula, no blueprint or guide to the twists and turns of
the Pursuit. Each must nd his own path, and learn from
it what he can as progresses along it. Whatever form the
Pursuit takes, it always involves the gradual stripping away of
a vampires Humanity. Being Forsworn means leading ones
unlife as a true vampire, not a dead human who is play-acting at still being human. Being Forsworn means learning to
distinguish which aspects of ones spirit are truly essential
to survival and prosperity in this new form, and which are
merely echoes of a long-gone past, remnants of the effect of
umpteen years of brainwashing as a mortal. The Forsworn
seek to curb the Mans inuence on the Beast, which is and
should be the truly dominant aspect of the psyche for any
vampire, and the rst and most important way of doing that
is to shed ones self of the burdens of Humanity.

Each time a Brood member drops in Humanity, he analyzes the experience on a deeply spiritual, primal level,
and gleans from it what he can before moving on with
his Pursuit. The entire experience of being Forsworn
is quintessentially instinctual rather than intellectual,
and trying to articulate or explain even the most basic
revelations of ones Pursuit becomes a frustrating and
bothersome prospect. If one wants to pen tomes of wordy
verbiage, many reason, one joins the Ordo Dracul (or
better yet, avoids vampirism altogether). If one wants
to truly be a vampire, to experience that which dees
explanation, one joins the Brood.

The Trinity

chapter two

One of the most fundamental aspects of Brood ideology, and one that shapes the course of any Forsworn
vampires Pursuit, is something the Brood calls the Trinity. In the Forsworn Trinity of being, all that is essential
in Creation is composed of three primordial forces, the
interplay of which binds everything to everything else
and dictates how the patterns of time and matter unfold.
These three primal forces are the pneuma, the sarx and
the soma, and they are often depicted as the three sides
of a perfect triangle, each in harmony with the others.
The pneuma is the essential spirit, the supernal spark
that separates the self from the twin prisons of the esh
and the material world. For the Forsworn, the pneuma
is the driving force that pushes them onward through
their Pursuit, as well as the seat of their passions and the
inchoate desires of the psyche. For many, the pneuma is
the essence of that which makes them the chosen of the
Adversary, proof that they are meant for this existence.
The soma is the body, the essential nature of the sentient form, also referred to as the god body. Through
soma, a being exerts its will over its environment and
spurs change in that which is otherwise static. Without
the soma, the pneuma is inert and therefore powerless
on Earth. The nal aspect of the Trinity is the sarx, or
the esh. Symbolically, it represents the animal nature
of a eshly being, corresponding to the basic needs of
the esh. To the Forsworn, this often correlates to those
elements that are most basic to their essential nature
as vampires, the needs of the Beast: to hunt, to feed, to
rest, to claim and to keep safe the esh from the banes
of re and sunlight.

46

The Call

The rst step one must take to joining the Brood,

before one can even take up the barest consideration for
the path demanded by the Pursuit, is to hear what the
Forsworn refer to as the Call. Most vampires come to the

the devil you know

Brood after spending some period of time among others

of their kind, typically as members of other covenants.
More often than not, these souls feel constantly disconnected from their fellow Kindred, as though they never
quite belong, but for some it happens relatively suddenly.
Some make a legitimate effort at tting in, and at taking the lessons of their sires and other authority gures
to heart, but eventually there comes a time in such a
vampires unlife when he begins to have doubts.
When such doubts are allowed to fester, and ever
darker thoughts nd themselves creeping in on the sides
of a vampires soul, the end result is often the Call. This
occurs when a vampire has decided that he is, in essence,
living a lie, and that all the education and brainwashing in the world wont convince him otherwise. Neither
the threat of the Traditions nor the empty promises of
Golconda can keep him from feeling this way, and the
only question becomes whether or not the vampire will
nd another path or simply end his tortured existence.
And to be fair, more than a few would-be Brood members end their Pursuit at this time, for in the minds of
many, Final Death is preferable to an unlife of either
continued doubt or sin. But at this moment, often at
the very nadir of a troubled vampires alienation and
despair, he hears the Call.
Similar to the Pursuit, the Call is subtly different for
every vampire who hears it. Some describe it as a series of
daymares, during which the truth of vampiric existence
the hope of a viable alternative to the hell it had been
until then is revealed. For others, the Call is nothing
more complicated or spectacular than a quiet whisper
in the back of the mind, a soft nudge in the direction
of another way, another unlife. However the Call manifests, there is a particular time in every would-be Brood
members unlife when he hears the Call. The determining
factor is whether or not such a vampire heeds the Call
after hearing it. Note the operative term of prospective
Brood member, as not every vampire who nds himself
an outsider among his kind feels the urge or necessity to
abandon his Humanity. Many such vampires exist just ne
without ever doing so; theyre called the Unbound.
If a vampire who hears the Call chooses to heed the
Call, he has made the choice to abandon the lies of the
society of his race to forsake the tragedy of existence
as he knows it, and to embrace the possibility that his
Beast is not, in fact, his enemy. At this juncture, he is
not yet of the Brood. He is, however, primed to discover
the truth of Belials Brood, and to possibly join their
ranks. Before this can happen, though, his Beast must
be awakened to the same possibility, and to do that the
vampire must open his heart to the Adversary.

Once a vampire has heeded the Call, he must nd a

way to connect with the Adversary in a more intimate
way if hes to truly step onto the path of the Forsworn.
No matter how long a vampire has been undead, or what
inhuman acts he may have committed in that time, his
Beast is still unprepared for the nature of and the effort
that will be required of him by the Pursuit. Ultimately,
there are only two ways of making the intimate connection required. The rst is for a vampire who has heeded
the Call to make contact with one of the Brood. Once a
Brood member, any Forsworn can bring another vampire
into the Brood by exchanging Vitae, usually by means of
a sacred rite they call the Vaulderie. The second way of
fully joining the covenant is through something called
a Resonant.
In the World of Darkness, certain things objects,
sites and texts in particular can grow fat with the
energy and essence of the Adversary. Much as the wall
between the land of the living and the dead can thin at
certain places and times, making it easier for the dead to
cross over, so, too, can certain things more deeply thrum
with the power of the supernal Other that which the
Forsworn call the Adversary, and what we might call
evil. These unholy objects, places and writings can
act as a combination catalyst/semi-conductor for the
Beast, preparing a vampires soul for the most important
decision of its existence.
Some Brood members believe that anything trapped
in the physical world can potentially be a Resonant, and
theyre almost right, but for one very important exception: no living creature can actually be a Resonant in
and of itself. Only inanimate objects, places and texts
can properly serve as Resonants, and then only those
with the necessary qualities the Adversary requires for
its favor. The difculty, however, comes in the fact that
nobody seems to know just what those qualities are,
specically, despite substantial research into the subject
on the part of the Forsworn (particularly those of the
Nameless faction, who have been digging into the history of Resonants for centuries).
Presented below are three sample Resonants, one
of each variety, to show the sort of things that tend to
become Resonants in the rst place. All Resonants are
about connecting with the vampire who comes to them,
but they might have different qualications for the job
from one to another. Any vampire who has heard and
responded to the Call can sense a Resonant when he is in
its presence, and will also get a vague impression of just
how strong a given Resonant is. Some Forsworn believe

47

that the specic energies attached to a Resonant have

some impact on what aspect of the Trinity a vampire
will be most drawn to once of the Brood, but theres no
evidence to substantiate the theory.

chapter two

Resonants

the devil you know

Resonant Object
Mr. Jingles

There once was a little girl who lived in a little white

house by the water with her mother and father. Every
night, her father would sing to her as he tucked her
into bed a beloved old standard one night, a bawdy
sea shanty the next and she imagined she must have
been the luckiest daughter in the world.
Then one night, as her father came to tuck her in, she
noticed he wasnt singing. When she asked him why, he
revealed to her the object hed been hiding behind his
back; a bright white teddy bear, a polar teddy bear, he
told her. In addition to a black bow tie, the bear bore
three tiny black bells in a line down its abdomen, buttons
on an otherwise invisible tuxedo, which jingled when it
shifted in her fathers hand. This is Mr. Jingles, he told
her, settling the bear under her arm. Hell be looking
out for you while Im away.
When she asked him where he was going, her father
explained (as best he could to a girl so young) that his
country needed him, and that he was going off to ght
for it. When she realized what he was saying, she burst
into tears and begged him not to go, forbid him to ever
leave her and her mother. He hugged her and insisted
that he loved her, but in the end, left her all the same.
And when he did not return soon after, the little girl
grew resentful of the bear and took it out to the waters
edge one afternoon. Spitting curses at her fathers name,
she angrily tore off the teddy bears arms and legs and
cast them into the depths, leaving the stump there on
the bank.
Several weeks later, her father returned home from
a place her mother called Gallipoli. When the army
car arrived, two soldiers pulled from the back seat the
man that once had been her father. Both his arms and
both his legs had been blown off in the Battle of Suvla
Bay, and all that remained was a head and torso. When
the girl saw her father, her mind snapped and she raced
back to the waters edge, desperate to the nd the bear. It
was still there, its white fur now matted and discolored,
its perfect bow tie bent askew. Convinced that her only
hope was to retrieve the pieces shed cast aside, she
dove fearlessly into the water and promptly drowned,
her helpless father crying her name from above.
While the cotton limbs of Mr. Jingles never were
recovered, the rest of the bear lived on. After losing his

daughter, the grief-stricken father couldnt bring himself

to part with it, and it stayed by his bedside until the day
of his death, passing soon after to his young goddaughter,
a little girl of about his daughters age . . .

chapter two

Resonant Site
1408 Dearborn Place

48

At the far end of a quiet residential neighborhood,

nestled between a canopy of overhanging greens, sits
a quiet residential road called Dearborn Place. At the
end of this road, just where the pavement breaks into
a rough gravel, sits an unassuming one-story rambler,
its face all but obscured by an overgrown yard. If it was
ever the home of a truly happy family, those days are
clearly long gone.
A family did live there, once a widow and her three
daughters. According to the mother, the father of her
children had died mere months after the birth of the
youngest, leaving her to raise the three girls all on her
own. Various relatives on the mothers side came to visit
from time to time during the aftermath, but such activity
dried up quickly, according to the neighbors, and soon
enough it was just the four of them, alone in the quiet
residential house.
In the year to follow, the neighbors began to notice a
change in the widow and her children. While they had
never been what one would call the social type, they
grew even more taciturn and withdrawn. Eventually, the
mother stopped leaving the house altogether living
off the insurance money, neighbors assumed. Then she
pulled her daughters out of school she wants to try
home schooling. Even when the newspaper boy stopped
delivering to the house, nobody interfered. But after
the windows facing the street were boarded up, and the
once picturesque lawn became a tangle of crabgrass, the
rumors started to y. Shes truly lost her mind, some
said. Her daughters killed her! said others.
Soon after, on the night of a massive thunderstorm,
one of the neighbors thought she heard a sound from the
widows house, and she crept to her window for a look.
There, amid the intermittent ashes of white lightning,
she thought she could just make out four gures piling
hurriedly into the widows station wagon. The next
morning, she gathered the courage to go knock on the
widows door, but there was no response. The family was
gone. No For Sale sign ever appeared out front, and no
new family has moved into the house in the years since.
The house just sits waits, some say falling into
ever deeper disrepair, slowly merging into the forested
backdrop of quiet residential Dearborn Place.

the devil you know

Resonant Text
The Devereaux Codex

Allegedly writing during the 1950s, the author was

said to be a Forsworn of Haitian extraction who in his
mortal life was both a supporter of Papa Doc Duvalier
and an inheritor of the mysterious and violent lineage
of Vodoun known as the Sect Rouge. This text is
truly more of a tattered, archival dossier than a proper
book, consisting of news clippings, drawings and small
objects such as talismans linked to evil spirits (baka)
and medals of service awarded to loyal supporters and
operatives of Duvaliers Tonton Macoutes. Because of
this sort of piecemeal construction, the book itself is
excruciatingly difcult to replicate, and is thus a highly
treasured Resonant.
Nonetheless, there exist four catalogue documents
that outline the contents of the text, making it one of
the better known treatises on Forsworn devotion. To the
uninitiated, the book presents a morbid but enthralling account of tortures that will seem very personal to
the reader. As more time is spent with the codex, the
line between Devereauxs experiences and those of the
reader will blur and fold into one another, eventually
overlapping into a discomforting confusion that forces
most to search for some kind of help. Unfortunately for
the dabbler, the only help that will give any respite is
that provided by another devotee of the Adversary.

Cathexis

Once a vampire has both heeded the Call and sought

out either a Resonant or an actual Brood member, the
vampire must go through a process the Forsworn refer
to as Cathexis. (Cathexis will not occur in a vampire
who did not actually heed the Call.) This experience,
which can differ widely from one vampire to the next,
is the process by which a vampires soul crystallizes the
connection between itself and the Resonant or the
Vitae with which it has been communing. Often times
the communion process with a Resonant is brief, with
the vampire merely handling the object or standing in
the proper place for a few minutes, but it can also take
a while, depending on the character and Resonant. A
particular Resonant text, for example, might connect
with vampires very slowly, not reaching full communion
with the soul until its taken in almost every word.
However long it takes, there comes a point in every
communion when the vampires soul is challenged to
choose. To oversimplify, hes read every word on the
brochure and must now decide whether his soul is buying
or not. If he likes what hes heard from the Resonant or

The Inmost Tug

A vampire who has just gone through Cathexis and

emerged as one of the Brood is a changed being. His
perspective is different, clearer, and his senses feel commensurately sharper, more honed (though theyre not
actually any more keen than those of any other vampire).
In addition, the force that he previously experienced as
the Call has evolved in him, just as it did while communing with the Resonant. Now, the force calls out to
him from within, urging him to go seek out, to pursue.
And although he might not yet realize it, what his Beast
is urging him to seek out is others of his new kind, his
new family the Forsworn themselves.
The Brood knows this impulse as the Inmost Tug, for
it feels akin to some force or tether pulling ones Beast
along from afar, almost as if the impulse were trailing a
scent. This impulse is not a nely-tuned sense, and the
character cannot actually track any other vampires with
it, let alone specic vampires. Rather, its a general sense,
a surety on the part of his soul, that a Brood member lies
that way. If the vampire chooses to follow the Tug, it

49

is indeed almost guaranteed to put him in the path of a

true Brood member, though the Storyteller determines
the how, who and when.
The rst time a vampire following the Tug touches
Predators Taints with a Brood member, he knows hes in
the presence of someone important, very likely the quarry
of his recent pursuit. The pursuing vampires Beast stirs
and almost seems to reach out to the new vampire from
within. Unfortunately, the vampires of the Brood are not
exempt from the Predators Taint system, and as such,
the rst thing that will likely happen is a test for frenzy
between the two new brothers. On the plus side, both
Forsworn receive one bonus die to help smooth out this
initial contact. If the touching of Taints is resolved without
the death of either vampire, they then proceed to feel
each other out, as the quarry begins to determine whether
or not the new arrival will be a welcome or problematic
addition to his particular covey.
If the existing covey member decides to introduce the
new arrival to his covey-mates (assuming they werent
present at rst contact), then both the arrival and the
other covey-mates will gain a +2 bonus to resist when
they, too, touch Taints.

chapter two

Brood member, if it sits nicely with the things hes had

in his mind and hes willing to commit to the Pursuit,
then he chooses to join the Brood, to forswear all that
made him what he once was. If he chooses this way, his
Cathexis ends with a moment of epiphany as his soul
unburdens itself. This is the moment at which the character loses all Covenant Status dots and gains Covenant
Status (Belials Brood) . If he chooses to back out at the
last minute, his Cathexis ends with him not joining the
Brood. He likely drops the object or ees the site, and
by then the Call is already receding from his mind and
soul, fading rst to a disturbing daydream and then to
dim memory, at best. Eventually, the vampire who turns
from evil at the last moment forgets just how close he
truly came, though memories of a time when his soul
was in disarray can remain (at least until the Fog of
Eternity gets its claws on them).
A vampire who turns from the path during Cathexis
almost never even considers repeating the experience.
Hes been there and done that, even if he doesnt remember much about it, and has made his peace with the
whole thing. Turning from the Pursuit during Cathexis
doesnt necessitate a sudden desire to return to Gods
grace, or to do good works (though it can and has in
some cases). Such a vampire may still drop to a low
Humanity rating later on in his unlife, might still go
on to perform acts so monstrous even the Brood would
take notice. The point is that he almost certainly wont
be doing it as one of the Brood.

the devil you know

Hermits

A newly minted Forsworn is not technically compelled to follow the Inmost Tug. And its true that the
Tug fades in time if its not followed and encouraged,
so its possible for a vampire of the Brood to remain on
his own, covey-less, after his Cathexis. These hermits
lose out on a number of the key advantages to being in
Belials Brood (see Being Forsworn, below), but are
still free to conduct their own Pursuit and to manifest
Investments once theyre capable of doing so. Just as
covey members, hermits lose all Covenant Status, Investments and Devotions for which Investments are a
prerequisite if hermits either join another covenant or
actively choose to raise their Humanity ratings.

Being Forsworn

While hermitage is a viable road for one of the

Forsworn, its a lonely and difcult road nonetheless,
particularly for one who is new to the Pursuit. Once a
vampire has spent enough time among his brothers and
sisters to truly make the Pursuit his own, he might come
to shed what he feels is the necessity of their company
(see The Eldest Beast, later in this chapter), but for
the most part, the essential structure of the unlife of a
Forsworn is a social one, revolving around the concept of
the coterie or, as Belials Brood calls it, the covey.

The Vaulderie

The covey is a Brood members pack, family and

support structure, all rolled into one. Perhaps the most
essential practice of unlife among the covey (aside from
feeding, of course) is a ritual called the Vaulderie. By
means of this rite, which involves the ritual pooling
and sharing of Vitae among Forsworn, the members of
a covey forge a powerful group bond among themselves,
stronger even than a typical Vinculum but more tenuous.
Through this bond, the covey does its work, and without
the Vaulderie, the entire covenant would risk collapsing
under its own weight, covey by covey. (For more on the
Vaulderie, see Rites of the Forsworn).

chapter two

The Crux

50

A Brood member who has participated in the Vaulderie forms in his blood and soul the beginnings of a special
bond called the Crux. This bond is unique among those
forged between vampires, but is similar to others in that
it requires three separate instances to take full effect.
The rst time a vampire participates in the Vaulderie
forges a connection to those Forsworn whose Vitae
he imbibed during the rite. At this stage, a vampires
tie to the Crux is functionally similar to a two-step
Vinculum between two Kindred. A sense of familiarity
and, more centrally, understanding arises among
all participants, and even though all that happened
was the ritual shedding and drinking of blood, each
one feels as though a deep and meaningful communion
between his soul and the others souls has taken place.
Even at this stage, the potency of the bond makes the
prospect of doing physical harm to another so bonded
a difcult prospect (requiring in most cases a Resolve
+ Composure roll), and grants a participant a +1 die
bonus to all Social rolls directed at another.
The second performance of the Vaulderie strengthens
the vampires connection to the Crux, and thus to his
covey-mates, even further. The sense of empathy and
understanding increases, as the vampire begins to truly
feel a part of the covey. At this stage, which is similar
in potency but different in the feel of a three-step bond
under a standard Vinculum, each participant gains a
+2 dice bonus on all Social rolls made against other
covey-mates (and all those similarly two-steps bonded to
that participants Crux). In addition, participants must
engage in Resolve + Composure rolls at a 1 penalty any
time they wish to take physical action against another
vampire so bonded, even while in the grip of frenzy.
The third and nal Vaulderie draught fully cements a
Forsworns place in the Crux. The bonds among covey-

the devil you know

mates truly crystallize as their eyes and souls open to

the truth of their group dynamic, and its importance
in each individual vampires fulllment of his role as
the Adversary intended. At this stage, the members
of a given covey become true vampiric family to one
another. In addition to the +2 dice bonus on all Social
rolls, each participant develops an actual blood tie with
each Forsworn who is also fully bonded to the Crux
with him (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 162). Thus,
each covey-mate receives a +2 bonus when trying to
affect another covey-mate with certain vampiric powers,
just as each one benets from the mystical connection
known as blood sympathy. At this level of bondedness,
participants must engage in Resolve + Composure rolls
at a 2 penalty any time they wish to take physical action
against another vampire so bonded, even while in the
grip of frenzy. (Note that a fully bonded Crux member
suffers only the 1 penalty to take action against one
who himself is only two-steps bonded to the Crux where
the one taking action is concerned).
If the Crux is not refreshed with some regularity
(most coveys tend to perform the Crux at least once a
month), its power will wane at a much accelerated rate
as compared to a standard Vinculum. After 366 days,
a vampires soul detaches completely from the Crux,
in effect severing his blood bond with his covey-mates.
No Stamina + Composure rolls are permitted to resists
steps toward the Crux.
Once bonded to the Crux, a vampires soul benets
from a sort of mystical bulwark so long as it is maintained. First and foremost, the Crux destroys all preexisting Vinculums once one is fully connected to it
(after three Vaulderie rites). Even if a given vampire
has been thrall to his sire for centuries, the Crux takes
over. Second, and almost as critical, the prospect of
developing a new Vinculum with one not of the Brood
becomes an impossibility thereafter, as the Crux inhibits
the connections required to form such bonds. If a Brood
member presently connected to the Crux drinks of a
non-Forsworns blood, no special effect occurs and no
bond is established. Once a part of the Crux, a Brood
members blood bonds to other Forsworn are his only
blood bonds.

Tongue of the Beast

One of the rst things a newly inducted Forsworn

learns about his new family members is that they share
in a mode of communication unknown among other
vampires. The Brood calls this type of communion the
Tongue of the Beast, for they believe it is the essential
vocabulary of the vampiric soul. If language as we know

the devil you know

chapter two

it is a construct of the Man, and its structure and terminology things that can be parsed out and articulated,
then the Tongue is the antithesis of that intellectualized
process the primeval anti-language, if you will
and once learned, many Forsworn patently
refuse to communicate with their covey-mates
by any other means, except when in public
or in situations in which using the Tongue
would cause undue complications.
It is important to note that the Tongue
is not inherent to being Forsworn, as
so many other aspects of covenant
membership are. One does not
simply grasp the Tongues almost
subconscious patterns by means of
the Crux alone. Rather, one has
to open ones mind to its primal,
almost counterintuitive essence
by means of the Pursuit. When one
has begun ones Pursuit in earnest,
and is making strides at the stripping away of all that was once
familiar to the Man, that is when
the Tongue begins to manifest in
the back of a vampires mind, when
awareness of the Tongues primordial voice
starts to become distinct to the Forsworn.
For this reason, the Brood has
developed through ritual practice a
means of encouraging the eminence
of the Tongue. This is an essential practice among Brood
coveys not merely because ones grasping of the Tongue
indicates progress in the Pursuit, or even because the
Tongue is a failsafe way of determining when one is
standing in the presence of a fellow Forsworn, but
because the very presence of the Tongue alien and
maddening though it may be to those ignorant of the
Crux actually soothes a vampires mind, as acceptance helps ease the otherwise debilitating effect that
descending through ones Pursuit can have. After performance of this rite, which is considered an Archonte,
a vampire can choose to select the Tongue of the Beast
derangement the next time he fails a degeneration roll
following the loss of a Humanity dot. Once he has the
derangement, he cannot select it again after subsequent
degeneration rolls (obviously), but the very presence of
the derangement provides a +1 bonus to all subsequent
degeneration rolls. In essence, by submitting to this
particular type of madness, the Forsworn paradoxically
girds his mind against future degeneration. In this regard,
the Tongue is an essential part of every Brood members

51

Pursuit, for the Tongue helps the Forsworn dissolve their

Humanity without going too crazy in the process. (For
more on the Tongue, see the attached sidebar.)

NEW DERANGEMENT:
TONGUE OF THE BEAST

The Tongue of the Beast is a type of primal

Beast-to-Beast communion that manifests in a
vampires mind as a derangement. As a mode of
communication, the Tongue does not, of course,
have a specic vocabulary or grammar all its own.
In fact, the Tongue is the very essence of that
which opposes rational thought in a linguistic
sense, and as such, always comes out as gibberish
when vocalized. A vampire with this derangement
cannot, therefore, use the Tongue as a means of
two-tiered communication, whereby he speaks to
another Forsworn in an existing language but is
actually transmitting an entirely different message.
If a vampire uses a language with structure and
syntax, with elements familiar to not only the Man
but to other minds not of the Brood, then the
vampire cannot use the Tongue simultaneously; his

mind simply cant process doing both at once. If he

speaks nonsensically, however even if his speech
uses pieces of existing languages or vocabularies
then the Tongue will convey his true meaning
when he is speaking to another Forsworn, so long
as could make sense of it.
The upside to the Tongues lack of structure is
that its meaning and intent can be derived through
writing as well as speech, so long as the text
conforms to the same restrictions as vocalization. If
a Forsworn vampire writes a note to a covey-mate in
clear, articulated English, then the message implicit
in the text is all that will be conveyed. If, however,
he pens the same note using a series of meaningless
pictograms, then another Forsworn (who also
knows the Tongue) can derive the vampires general
intent simply by scanning said pictograms. Its
important to note that the Tongue is a primal mode
of communication, and thus is ill-suited to longwinded or detail-heavy expressions. If one wishes to
convey truly involved or complex ideas, one should
probably just speak or write normally.
The Tongue of the Beast is unique among
derangements in that this derangement cures
itself if the vampire ever leaves the Brood entirely
(by joining another covenant or actively raising his
Humanity rating). After one has abandoned the
Pursuit in this fashion, the Tongue slowly recedes
from ones mind and soul, removing all trace of
the Tongues passing as it goes. Before long, the
vampire has little conscious conception that he
could even communicate in such a fashion, let
alone grasp the how of it.

chapter two

The Hexad

A vampire who has been fully inducted into Belials Brood

is faced with an important choice, that of which faction of
the Forsworn hell become a member. The choice of which
aspect of the Trinity (pneuma, sarx, or soma) hell favor is an
easy (and some say, inherent) one. But once that aspect is
determined, the Forsworn still has a choice of which faction
associated with that aspect to join. For most Brood members,
only two choices exist for each aspect. Collectively, these six
factions are often known as the Hexad (at least among the
scholarly), and they represent the six largest, most intuitive,
most default philosophies of Brood ideology.
The two fundamental pneuma factions are the Nameless and the Mercy Seat. The two sides of the eternal
soma are the Roaring Serpent and the Throne of Smokeless Fire. And the twin faces of the sarx are the Pandaemonium and the Scarlet Rite. Each Brood vampire is free
to switch from faction to faction over the course of her
Requiem, but few vampires ever nd the need or the will
to change the fundamental Trinity aspect to which they
are most attuned. Most Brood members tend to stick
with a given faction until and unless their covey disbands
or is destroyed, as the majority of coveys contain Brood
members of like aspect, if not outright faction.

52

the devil you know

The factions of the Hexad (and others) are covered

in detail in Chapter Three.

Apostasy

What happens when a vampire decides to forego the

Pursuit and return to unlife among the rest of the Kindred?
Demagogues among the Forsworn tend to call this behavior apostasy, but the truth is that few among the Brood
truly care. Most Brood members feel its an honor to nd
ones way to the Brood, and the vampire who would be
so foolish as to return to ignorance after being shown the
path should be left to his own pathetic devices. Exceptions
occur, of course, especially when the apostate leaves behind
substantial messes and/or dead covey-mates, but by and
large, the Brood is content to let such members go.
Part of the reason for this contentment is that the
Brood knows it has little to fear from such cowards.
When a vampire leaves the Brood, all her memories and
experiences of her time among the Forsworn begin to
fade, much like the effect the Fog of Eternity has on the
minds of all Kindred. The process of becoming Forsworn
involves intense acts of will and manipulations of the
blood, not to mention the opening up of ones mind and
soul to the energies and the will of a being as unknowable
and puissant as the Adversary. As such, abandoning this
stark path after its been embarked upon results and
could only result in the vampires mind smoothing
itself back into shape, as the Man struggles to regain his
former dominance over the vampires psyche. It is said
that if the memory of being Forsworn did not fade thus,
all Brood apostates would go irrevocably mad.
In game terms, this fading process begins once a vampire
leaves the covenant. This happens in one of two discrete
ways: First, the vampire can simply join another covenant,
which is in itself a mystical act as well as a socio-political
one. When a Forsworn fully commits to adopting the
precepts of a philosophy so antithetical to the Broods, the
vampires soul responds by discarding the former, as the
alien draw of the Adversarys power ebbs from the soul
like a slow-moving fog. When a vampire gains Covenant
Status in any other covenant, he is thus ejected from the
Brood, losing all Brood Status in the process. The second
way in which a vampire leaves the Brood and begins to
forget all he knew while among its number is by actively
choosing to raise his Humanity rating. The gradual and
systematic dissolution of Humanity lies at the core of
Forsworn belief, and any vampire who would choose to
direct his force of will at building back his Humanity has
clearly forsaken all for which the Brood stands.
When a vampire leaves the Brood in either of these
two ways joining another covenant or actively raising

Rites of
the Forsworn

From the notebooks of Yvgeny Kovitch, Sworn of the

Mysteries:
It is a simple truth that I have spent much time immersed in those tomes and studies of ritual lore of all
kinds imaginable, privy to the secrets of Dragon, Crone
and Sanctied, I have yet to nd a demographic of
our kind that is so bound by the performance of rites.
Although we Dragons might ascend through the paths
and the Coils of our blood, and the Crones children
may tend to the sacred cycles of their belief, and the
Sanctied mind their guilt and separation from eeting divinity, the brood of Belial requires a variety of
ceremonies for nearly every aspect of their function.
The known covenants may require their rituals for political cohesion and some necessary functions, but only
the Brood would nigh implode upon itself in an orgy of
self-cannibalism if such rites were not tended to with
vigilance and utter conviction.
One curious fact that I have arrived at during my
research is the total absence of signicant solitary rites
among the Brood. Although there are certainly ritualized acts of self-mortication performed by the estranged
Brood member, the mysticism and purpose of the covey
rites is wholly absent from such twisted seizures of the
Beast That Knows No Company. In most cases, these
solitary practices result in increasingly amboyant displays of bloodshed and mutilation on the part of the
isolated vampire, eventually resulting in detection by
either other members of the collected Brood or by the
less sympathetic of our kind who would surely put such
a wanton predator to the stake. So, it is a characteristic
of the proper rites of the Brood that they are performed
by a covey of one form or another.

53

After the deconstruction and rearranging of the data

procured from the mad texts I refer to as the Devereaux
Codex (named for individual by whom it was allegedly
scripted) and the Matamoros Papers (salvaged from the
ruins of a Brood compound on the Mexican border), I
have discerned two types of rites. The rst are those
ceremonies that are most essential to the Broods way
of existence. Every relevant body of the Brood performs
these rites, called Archontes, in one form or another.
Among these is the Vaulderie, the very lynchpin of
Brood culture and cohesion. In addition, lesser rites
called dynamei create individualized extensions of the
Archontes principles, giving expression to the philosophies of more discrete factions and cults, but no less
essential. The induction ceremony into a given covey
would be an example of this kind of work.
I will cover, in greater detail, the bulk of these variegated obscenities in the exposition below, but there is
a matter of curious note that I must mention before I
expand. With the assistance of some close to me (those
capable of the gravest discretion), I have determined
that these rituals bear dissimilar or sterile fruit for the
idle dabbler or daring dilettante. Whether it be my lack
of knowledge of the elusive Tongue of the Beast or
another unwritten component to the instructions, it can
be somewhat reliably assumed that one must be a true
and tested member of the Brood itself for these rites to
have their full and desired effect.

chapter two

his Humanity he immediately loses all Investments

he learned while among the Brood and all Devotions
for which Investments are a prerequisite (though this
carries with it a potentially benecial effect on his subsequent efforts to buy back his Humanity; see Chapter
Four for more on this). In addition, he loses access to
the Tongue of the Beast (if he possessed it), as the derangement, too, recedes from his mind and soul. Lastly,
all his bonds with other Forsworn by means of the Crux
snap, and he loses any benets that might have come
from those bonds. Thus, would-be apostates need to be
careful about how and when they abandon the Brood,
for their covey-mates will undoubtedly know about it
when it happens.

the devil you know

SYSTEMS AND SIDEBARS

Below you will nd descriptions of the major

and minor rituals of Belials Brood. Although they
are completely optional, the powerful Archontes
also affect the participants in terms of game
mechanics. These effects are meant to enhance
the atmosphere of encounters with the wild and
deranged vampires of Belials Brood, and will only
be used at the Storytellers prerogative.
Although omitting these special effects may
help maintain a grittier, more serial killer
ambience to the ritual barbarism of the Forsworn
in your chronicle, making use of the enhanced
effects may prove to be irresistible bait for those
seeking the quick route to power. In addition,
you can restrict the effects to only those rites
performed by specially ordained members of the
Brood such as the alien inheritors of the Therion
bloodline.
With the exception of initiations and other rites
that specically address outsiders, these in-game
effects have absolutely no effect whatsoever
on those who are not committed members of
Belials Brood. This means the character must have
experienced Cathexis, either through Resonants or
by participating in at least one Vaulderie rite.

chapter two

The Vaulderie

54

While it is well-known that our kind can form a tie

to another soul through the ingestion of our precious
blood, it is a curious thing when several of our kind
blend their blood together in order to be consumed for
the sake of solidarity. In these instances, a bond will form
among the participants, moving them to look after each
others interests, and in cases of a full Vinculum, to lay
down their unlives for the sake of another so bonded.
While these ties may last for half a century without
need for refreshment, the need for such things among
our kind pale in importance to what this rite means to
those of the Brood. Whereas those of the conventional
covenants would form such ties on a whim to advance
an emotional or political agenda, it is not an understatement to say that the Brood requires this ritual of shared
blood to maintain its existence.
How did such a rite arise? Why would such a primal
and destructive collective as the Brood of Belial weave a
ritual, so formal, so precise, into the core workings of the
Broods mad, bloody designs? Did the ritual manifest out
of need for cohesion that would honor the ties among
the brothers and sisters of Belial or did the bond arise
from the performance of the ritual so crafted to safeguard
the unity of the Forsworn? Do the souls of those initiated
into those dark mysteries cry for a spiritual offering that
can be nothing less than the Vitae that sustains them?
Before I expound the details of what the Vaulderie is,
I will rst give an overview of what the Vaulderie is not.
The Vaulderie is, in both its effect and method, distinctly
different from the ritual of several of our kind merely
sharing each others blood. Whether this is caused by the
ritual details and trappings, the fashion and regularity
in which the blood is shared or if it is merely caused by
mixing the blood of insane, blood-hungry monsters into
a single elixir is a point of contention (even when dealing
with the salvaged source materials penned by members
of Belials Brood itself). As I mentioned previously,
even when I attempted to reconstruct the rites with
the help of my coterie-mates, the results were merely
that of sharing our blood in the conventional fashion,
which resulted in my blood taking precedence to due its
advanced age and power. On the other hand, recreating
the rite did result in their continued compliance with
my desires to experiment further with the rituals I was
investigating.
However, these emotional and submissive ties that my
coterie members had formed revealed to me that what
I was reconstructing was a far cry from the sacred Vaulderie of the Forsworn. Melisande, a pillar of our circle

the devil you know

and my rst childe, developed a grasping, worshipful

nature that spoke of an underlying passiveness that had
been integrated into her normally cutting and aggressive
manner. Carmine Ocone, a less than intellectual thug
who had taken a fancy to Melisande, relinquished his
protectiveness of her and developed a dog-like subservience to my every whim, not unlike the most wanton
and abused of ghouls. Archibald Bailey, the closest of
my group to me in age and oft times insubordinate to my
plans and agendas, became fully agreeable to my every
suggestion and rebuked the others when he felt their
plans or even feelings were in contest with my own.
Although some of the fragments I had deciphered
suggested increasingly vile methods to enhance the
Vaulderie ritual, I did not feel that such lines were to
be crossed at this early stage in my experimentation.
Although Archibald assured me that he would loyally
assist me if I chose to make a lamb of my childe or of
Carmine, I felt that some fundamental aspect was missing, something far less nal than cutting out a heart
or ritual decapitation. Among the codices that I had
assembled, I had recovered a series of photographs on
the backs of which were written notes in a rushed hand.
Though they were not numbered or found in a specic
order, they did denote a ritual process in a sequence
that could be determined by the increasing number of
bloodied hands among the participants depicted. On the
back of the nal photograph I found the phrase, And
the many heads become the One Beast.
One Beast.
Certainly not the language I would use to describe
the hierarchical lattice of dependence that my coterie
had forged through our pedestrian understanding of this
distinct and terrifying rite.
So, it was with reluctance and excitement that I ended
my explorations in the company of my coterie and began
to seek elsewhere for uncorrupted company through
which my search could continue. My pursuit began
among the unaligned, for whom tenets of covenant were
no hindrance and of whom there are few in this city in
which I live. Thus, it was without surprise that I made
the acquaintance of one of my kind, formerly a physician,
by the name of Ambrose Hodge. Hodge, previously a
proponent of the Carthian Movement, had fallen into
disfavor after an alleged incident of poaching in which
the respected doctor took the life of anothers ghoul after
succumbing to a unrepentant frenzy. Since that time, the
doctor had kept company with those likewise estranged
and had begun similar research to that in which I was
so engrossed and offered to meet me on the Lower East
Side to discuss my dilemmas. When I arrived he was in

55

in the company of fully awakened disciples of Belials

Brood. The connections were made quickly, and all of
my confusion quickly unraveled until I was confronted
with the fact that so much of my unlife had lead up to
this very moment. Whether it was they who tracked
me down, or my own Beast that had lead me to them,
I was going to participate in a true Vaulderie and learn
much, much more about the rites of the Brood from my
newfound company.

chapter two

the company of two others, a dark young man and an

older but attractive woman, who, though well dressed,
proved distant and difcult to address. Only Hodge
offered for me to come to a place of privacy where the
matter at hand could be readily discussed.
Upon arriving at the apartment building, I entered
and found that the doors had been removed from all the
units and that identical red curtains hung in their stead.
The walls were a at gray, and the entire complex was
poorly illuminated. When we eventually reached the
fourth oor, we came to a single door that opened into
a well-appointed study, utterly out of place in this odd
labyrinth. We took our seats, and I immediately began
to expound my ndings. As soon as I nished the details
of the third performance of the rite, I was stopped, and,
after giving a knowing nod to his two companions, he
corrected me.
It seemed that it was my model of the rite that was
awed, and that I had taken a devotion to the philosophy
for granted. The Vaulderie of Belials Brood is not an
oath made to another of your kind. It is a commitment
made to a center point an axis that exists equidistantly between all participants. The ritual of Vaulderie
does not become corrupted by particularly potent blood
or by previous bonds. This is because the Crux is that
which the oath is made to and not to another vampire.
This Crux, as Doctor Hodge explained, was interpreted
differently depending on which faction of the Brood you
ask. To some, the Crux was an abstract concept, to some
a spiritual contract and to others an invisible and ancient
monstrosity in which the Brood itself found their unholy
beginnings. It was apparent, after brief discourse, that the
doctor understood this Crux as the latter, as did his two
companions who listened and watched him in an alien,
unblinking fashion for the entirety of his discourse.
It was at that point that we rose from our seats. As
I began to thank the trio for their hospitality and such
invaluable information, the woman, whose name I
learned was Evelyn, intimately placed her forenger
over my lips and escorted me with a light touch back
into the hall. From there, in the company of Hodge and
the Haitian boy Gabriel, Evelyn escorted me down the
same ights of stairs we had climbed upon arriving and
down two ights more into a dry, clean sub-basement
with not a hint of light. Adjusting my senses to penetrate
the darkness, my efforts were eased by the lighting of
candles. Next, I was met with a pungent, stinging smoke
that could only be asafetida.
The doctor then began to explain to me where I had
gone wrong. He did so in a way that rapidly conrmed
my mounting suspicions that I, in fact, was standing

the devil you know

The Heart of Vaulderie

The Rite of Vaulderie is the foremost of those ceremonies called Archontes, the central rites of the Forsworn.
With the exception of those of Belials Brood who are
utterly isolated, every cult, club, cell and order associated with the Brood performs this rite in one form or
another. While the trappings and props of the ritual
can range from minimal to excessive, the core aspects
of Vaulderie are universal from covey to covey. These
core aspects sustain the balance and operation of the
Brood as a whole.
First and foremost, the effects of the Vaulderie only
manifest when performed by an experientially initiated
member of the Forsworn. By that, I mean the participants
must be true Brood members, those who have undergone
at least the beginnings of what is called the Pursuit. At
this point, the aspirant is capable of understanding that
to which the oath of Blood is made, being what is called
the Crux, or center point of Vaulderie (Hodge claried
to me that the Crux is, in fact, a daemonic spirit in itself,
but also stated that this was not a view necessarily held
by those outside of his faction). This is evidently why
my experiments resulted in nothing more than a group
Vinculum when I attempted the rite with my coterie.
Although I had taken the essential philosophical steps
toward this understanding, my coterie-mates had not,
and thus the oath was made to the age of my blood, and
not something between us.
Once we had performed the rite, the second aspect became evident to me. Namely, my feelings and emotional
ties toward those with whom I had previously shared
Vitae became deeply weakened. My desire to safeguard
Carmine and Archibald became next to nothing, and
my desire to safeguard my childe Melisande became a
passing concern. Through this aspect, the Brood can
liberate those who are tied to elders within their previous factions and assure their loyalty to the newfound
covey. This is particularly important when dealing with
mortal devotees of Belials way, as those bonds can be
particularly difcult to shatter after they have been
reinforced and fed for many decades.

Lastly, the ritual creates a mystical bond among all

participants to the coveys Crux. The effect, though
similar to that of a Vinculum, is non-hierarchical as the
Crux is that which holds the bond together. This creates
a bond that is wholly unlike that of a group Vinculum,
transforming the collected participants into a working
unit that does not turn on itself except when in the
throes of the most drastic and destructive of frenzies.
The drawback of this abstract anchor, as opposed to using a vampire for this purpose, is that the duration of the
bond is signicantly shorter. While a Vinculum between
two of our kind can persevere easily for a half-century
without maintenance, the Vaulderie endures a mere year
and a day. Due to the short span of the Vaulderies potency, it is not uncommon for the ritual to be performed
at nearly every gathering of a covey even nightly,
among the most fanatical of the Forsworn.

SYSTEM: VAULDERIE

Just as the rituals of Vaulderie and group

Vinculum differ, so do the in-game effects.
Firstly, the Vaulderie will only have special effects
on those who have changed their covenant
afliation to Belials Brood. This happens when
one experiences Cathexis, most often by ones
discovery of a Resonant or by ones participation
in the Vaulderie with at least one established
Brood member. Second, the duration of the
Crux, the group bond the Vaulderie creates, is
not as long-lasting as that of a full Vinculum.
While a conventional blood bond can hold for
as long as half a century, the Vaulderie must be
replenished every year and a day (366 days). Lastly,
the Vaulderie rites bestow all the advantages and
disadvantages listed under the rules for blood ties
and blood sympathy.
For a more comprehensive outline of the
Vaulderies effects and mechanics, refer to the
section titled The Crux.

chapter two

The Ascension of the Therion

56

Although the above hold true for all performances

of the Vaulderie, and seeing as the creation of the
Vaulderie could have quite easily interdependently
arisen along with the Brood itself, the ritual has other
essential applications the most curious being the
ceremony during which a member of the Therion caste
is anointed. Though I inquired repeatedly as to what,
exactly, this caste actually is, I was informed that its
closest approximation within my understanding is that of
bloodline the major difference being that this caste
could only be entered through ceremonial induction and
could not be inherited by way of birthright or ascended
into through power of the blood. This, I have found, is

the devil you know

the devil you know

SYSTEM: THERION CREATION

The creation of the Therion is no easy feat.

Moreso than normal Vaulderie, the participants
in the rite must give of themselves to properly
transubstantiate the subjects blood. This occurs
at the point in the rite when the rites of
provocation are completed and the supporting
participants expel the frenzy into the vampire
being transformed. At that point, an expenditure
of one Willpower point is expected of all the
participants. For the would-be Therion himself,
this expenditure is of course permanent. For his
covey-mates, this expenditure will suppress the
frenzy and assist their brothers transformation. If
a participant chooses not to expend the willpower,
the ritual will still be successful if at least two other
participants do so (in addition to the Therion
himself). Upon regaining full awareness, the
Therion will know which of his brethren made the
sacrice to his rebirth and which did not.
It is important to note that the creation of one
of the Therion is a deeply sacred and considered
act of the covey. It is unlikely that a covey would
ever go through with such a rite if the support
of one or more of its members were in question.
In a case in which such a ritual is performed, and
one of the covey members does not sacrice the
requisite Willpower, the reaction can be extreme
as not doing so is considered an insult bordering
on blasphemy.
Unlike traditional bloodlines, the Therion may
only awaken in a vampire of Blood Potency 3 or
greater. The normal conditions for inheriting or
choosing a bloodline are ignored for the purposes
of creating one of the Therion.
For more information on the Therion, see
Chapter Three.

Eulogy for the Beast

After the performance of the Vaulderie, I felt refreshed,

almost sentimental. Not so much from the blood I shared
with these curious strangers but from the nourishment
something deep inside my core had experienced, almost
a purr. As I stood in meditation by a window looking out
into a darkened ally, I felt Evelyns hand on the small
of my back as she came forward to share my view of
the shadows. Without looking at me, and without any
real expression upon her face, she spoke to me about
the last time they had performed the Vaulderie. She
mentioned that at that time, only a month ago, there
were four of them, and not three. As I knew the power
of the rite took many months to fade, I turned to her
and asked what had happened to their fourth. Evelyn
continued to look ahead, and plainly stated that their
fourth, whose name was Alice, had reached the end of
her Pursuit and no longer existed. When I asked if she
had died, Evelyn smiled slightly and said nothing more,

chapter two

because the priest caste of Belials Brood cannot create

progeny of their own they are born of the Crux and
the blood of one of the ve clans.
It is important to state, however, that the Therion do
not embody the Crux itself. Though many nd philosophical correlations between the role of the caste and
the idea of the Crux, and though the Therion do share
a somewhat deeper sympathy with a coveys spiritual
center, the Therion does not take on a leadership role.
Rather, the Therion becomes a kind of bestial yogi
and guru who guides the spiritual plan of the working
group. Although such a position would be undoubtedly
exploited among the covenants proper, it is not so among
the Forsworn. In fact, the Therion are more like scouts
into the uncharted spiritual future of the Brood, and, in
a sense, are almost like shaman occupying a position
on the delicate edge of Man and Beast, charged with
the sacred duty of bringing back true knowledge to be
taught to the worthy and devout among their coveys.
Though the Therion of certain cults within the Brood
would take exception to such religious descriptions, it is
the function they serve in one form or another.
I assumed during our discussion that it was in fact Hodge
who was in preparation to inherit this strange and seductive role as speaker for his coveys Crux as his grasp of
Brood lore, to my estimation, is dramatically greater than
that of either Evelyn or Gabriel. Nonetheless, I quickly
learned that it was not academic acumen that won the
right to such an honor but rather a deep and abiding closeness to the Beast itself. And so, it was the boy Gabriel that
had begun his walk toward the darkness of the Therion
caste, and it was on these grounds that I now understood
the almost fearful manner that his own covey brother and
sister assumed whenever they addressed him.
The ritual of induction varies greatly among factions.
Among Hodges faction, the ritual takes on a somewhat
Judeo-Christian-Islamic affect, where the aspirant is hung
by the feet in the center of the ritual space (the symbolic
representation of the Crux), bound and blindfolded while
the initiates of the covey invoke their Beasts through rites
of provocation (which I will expound on later) with the
intention of full frenzy. Through some method of control,
whether on the part of the vampire or an effect of the
rite, the frenzy is expelled, casting the predatory fury of
the supporting ritualists into the suspended candidate.
At this point, the Therion-to-be convulses wildly as his
entire physiology is incubated in an all-penetrant cocoon
of wracking hunger and violence. Once the seizure subsides, the blindfold is removed from the aspirants face,
revealing in successful cases the serene and terrible
face of the new Therion.

57

turned and walked away. As I stood there perplexed as

Gabriel and Evelyn left the room, Hodge approached
and explained.
The philosophy of the Brood is such that ones Pursuit
is often rife with peril as one pursues the most damned
of states. Sometimes, these cultivated horrors consume
the devoted as the pilgrim who, in the pitch of ecstasy,
burns himself in the ame of God. In other instances,
those of our kind who do not understand the nature of
knowledge and sacrice relentlessly hunt the faithful
of Belial. And in rare cases, the devotee has reached
the terminus of his long Pursuit, casting off entirely the
shackles of his humanity, and making his way into the
endless night as a purely realized being. Though the
devotee may do so literally or symbolically, the Vaulderie
can also be implemented to mark this time of passing
and release.
After a moment of consideration, I asked Hodge what
happened if one of these brothers or sisters returned.
At that point, he looked at me, square in the face and
with great thrust of manner, and stated, They do not
return. It was then explained that the rites for the
fallen were only performed once, and at that point the
released were forever cut off from the Crux and no
longer existed. Hodge then carefully stated that if the
shell of one who was so released were to return, such
an abomination would be hunted and destroyed for its
deance of the coveys will.

chapter two

The Prongs of
Fear and Wrath

After a strangely clinical inquiry as to how I was

feeling, Hodge beckoned me toward a dark corner of
the sub-basement and pulled down hard on a black
metal lever that opened a utility door into a hot, dry
boiler room. In the room there was a boiler that could
have easily dated back to the 19th century and a roaring furnace that looked even older. The doctor then
produced a mersham pipe from his coat pocket along
with a brushed steel lighter. I stepped back a little and
narrowed my eyes as he lit the pipe, cautious of the
blaze that I instinctively feared. Hodge then opened
the grate on the boiler, exposing its ery innards, and
walked to the back of the room and jerked free the
metal latches that held the furnace door closed. With
a grinding slam, the door fell open, and I suddenly felt
as if I were in extreme danger despite what risks I had
taken up until that moment. As my terror kicked inside
of me, held in place by nothing more than my own will,
I pressed myself against the farthest wall and turned my
eyes from Hodges silhouette, outlined by ames and a

58

the devil you know

terrible orange glow. As I stood there, I wondered why

Hodge, blood of my clan, was not equally terried by the
presence of such gratuitous and open ames.
Hodge asked me, Can you feel that? The voice of your
spirit? while all I could feel was a compulsion to tear
through the walls and make my escape from the burning
cell. As I turned and pressed against the wall, my back
to the furnace, doing everything in my power to silence
the voice of which Hodge spoke, I heard the same grating
sounds as before, and the orange of the room dimmed to
a less intense pulse. When I heard the door to the room
unlatch, I pushed past the doctor and headed to the stairs
of the place to make my exit. That is when Hodge asked
me if I made a habit of eeing the teachings of all my
greatest teachers. Perplexed by this statement, I turned
around, and asked him what exactly did he mean by such
a seemingly inappropriate question. What Hodge then
explained to me further transformed my understanding
of Belials Brood. Up until that point, I had assumed
that nearly all of the rituals performed by the Forsworn
were Vaulderie in one form or another or some empty
ceremony used as an excuse for base violence. I had not
begun to fathom the other levels of Brood religion and
to what extent the dreadful nature of it went.
The clawing instinctual panic that I had felt in the
boiler room was, in the view of the Forsworn, the very
voice of a kind of God. To this ripping sense of peril,
the vampires of Belials Brood pay spiritual homage.
They feel that this terried and awakened Beast is the
expression of the endpoint of their evolution as beings
of esh, body and spirit. So, it is with odd and terrible
methods that they seek to achieve full knowledge and
conversation of this thrashing and furious instinct.
These rites, called by many names (but generally called
Trials of Provocation), are the foundation of another of
the Forsworn Archonte. With these rites, one carefully
formulates the death of the Man and the rebirth, ascension and enlightenment of the great Beast.
The Trials of Provocation are divided into three
primary categories and numerous sub-categories. The
trappings of each of the rites variations largely depend
on the covey performing it. The three major types of
trial are those of fear, fury and hunger. By agitating the
Beast on a full spectrum, the Forsworn can achieve a
full understanding of the Beasts nature, learning its
language by fully embracing its most extreme instincts.
In turn, this gives a greater knowledge of the Beasts
power, state and language. Through these rites, a mystic
of the Brood can learn the syllables and gestures of the
strange Tongue of the Beast the glossolalia and growls
that are the speech of the Demiurge itself.

Trials of fear are the most often employed as they

include the fewest risks under normal circumstances.
Ultimately, a failed trial of fear results in nothing more
than embarrassment and inconvenience unless the
covey performing the rite decides to implement a more
severe penalty for failure (which is not uncommon). In
addition, the ability to control the unfolding of ones
fear nourishes the pneuma the pillar of spirit in the
Forsworn trinity of being. Through the guided unleashing of ones fear, the soul develops in reaction to the fear
and is dened, providing exquisite nectar that empowers
the mystical capacities of the devotee. These rites are
performed to create the seed understanding required to
learn the Tongue of the Beast.
The methods used to evoke the most violent outward
thrashings of the Beast are the basis for the trails of
fury. These rituals seek to stoke the Beast in way that
will call forth its lust for domination. These rituals are
often deadly for at least one of the participants. Under
the most ideal circumstances, the Forsworn releases
her rage upon a ritual victim, in some cases an efgy of
meat and blood, in more grim performances a human,
and in particularly auspicious times, another vampire.
The primary operant of the rite is generally humiliated
and insulted while being physically beaten in a way
that is meant to incite more than harm. At the rituals
climax, the frenzied vampire loses all control and allows her Beast full rein, destroying everything within
reach. At the end of the frenzy, the seeker collapses, and
swims in the visions brought on by her sated aggression.
It is believed that these rites of aggressive frenzy give
the Forsworn insight into the soma the pillar of the
body according to Forsworn lore. By means of a total
immersion in the most primal and destructive wrath, the
disciple of Belial strengthens the force of her will and
her capacity to dominate others. In addition, those who
pursue knowledge of the Tongue of the Beast learn the
syllables and words of the holiest madness by antagonizing their souls in such a way.
The practices that the Forsworn use to call for the
hunger of the Beast are the most risky and potentially
disastrous of the Trials of Provocation. Although the
wild destruction wrought by a vampire in a wrathful
frenzy is great, it is the unbridled hunger of the Beast that
can result in a loss of control that ends in the devouring of another vampires soul. Though the risk is great,
the spiritual harvest reaped from such a ceremony not
only feeds the Forsworn on the most rudimentary level;
the harvest also evokes the purest understanding of the
instincts of Demiurge itself. Through repeated perfor-

59

mances of these ordeals, the initiate gains a devotional

understanding of the sarx the raw esh of the Trinity of Being. By cultivating and learning the pangs and
thrust of their desires, the initiate lls his physical form
with an actualized yearning that lifts him up. In these
uctuating states of satiation and thirst Belials Brood
acquires the gestures and subtleties required to uently
communicate in the Tongue of the Beast.
Though these basic frameworks are used throughout
Forsworn society, each covey expresses the Archontes
called the Trials of Provocation through cultic dynamei
that illustrate the way in which that group understands
what is happening to the subject of the rite. Among
the Antinomians, a lengthy evocation of barbarous
names will be chanted as the aspirant barks and slurs
the names of demons as his grasp on his human mind
slips into frenzy. However, among the Nameless, the
ritual is performed in perfect darkness with nothing
but mufed whimpers and the bestial sounds of esh
being ripped from the sacrament. It is important to
remember that these variations are essential to these
factions and are not merely extraneous details. That is
to say, the ritual must be framed in a fashion that the
participants understand it in accordance with their own
mythos and experience. The truth of these rites is not
one of formality, but of a deep and total immersion for
those involved.

chapter two

The Trials

the devil you know

SYSTEM: TRIALS OF PROVOCATION

Those Forsworn who undergo the Trials of

Provocation experience a lasting reward for their
perseverance and conviction. After the completion
of the rite, the primary operant receives a bonus
that represents the achievement.
In the case of fear trials, the vampire is granted
a two-dice bonus for resisting fear-related
frenzy until the next evening. After unleashing
ones Beast in a Fury rite, the vampire does one
additional die of damage when ghting unarmed
(including tooth and claw) until the next night. If a
vampire undertakes the Hunger trials successfully,
she receives the nourishment of three blood points
for every two blood points consumed (rounded
down) until the next sunset.

Forging the Forsworn

It was my assumption, that even though I had performed the Vaulderie with Hodge, Gabriel and Evelyn
that I was still quite a ways off from becoming one of the
covey. As I had no experience with the Trials of Provocation and had only for a day been acquainted with this
covey, there were still steps to be taken toward becoming
a right and full initiated member. The standards of initia-

chapter two
60

tion vary dramatically throughout the Brood. For this

reason, most initiation rituals are considered dynameis.
However, the sacrament of initiation is universally accepted as one of the Archontes. Initiation into a covey
is considered essential for full comprehension of the
Forsworn path as it is only in the company of her brothers
and sisters that the seeker can be assured of a properly
guided journey into the depths of the Demiurge. This
is because acceptance into a covey and establishing a
relationship with that coveys Crux is a spiritual lesson
and ordeal in and of itself.
Although the rituals of initiation do differ in their
details and arrangement, there are some core elements
that are essential. These core elements compose the
Archontes aspect of all Forsworn initiations. These four
elements are submission, ordeal, conundrum and the
joining of the fold.
At rst glance, submission appears to be the strangest of the initiatory elements as such a gesture would
most commonly be viewed as a basic demonstration of
weakness an undesired quality when viewed on an
exoteric level. However, during the submission stage of
the initiation, the covey symbolizes the Adversary itself,
and thus, the candidates ability to submit to the group
is considered her ability to submit to her own Beast, and
in turn, her capacity to persevere through the obstacles
of her Pursuit. So, in this way, submission becomes a
demonstration of ones will to power as it is the false
shell of humanity that submits and is the rst signs of
the candidates true self that are drawn to the surface.
The ordeals of initiation are well documented in reports concerning the Broods activities. Accounts of this
stage of initiation are dwelled upon by the covenants as
frightful images with which to terrify their childer who
should stray toward a greater freedom. This is because
the purpose of the ordeal is to induce the altered state
of consciousness that is acted upon by later stages of
the initiation. Where some coveys rely on nothing
other than a moment of extreme terror (or otherwise
visceral experience) to achieve this stage, among those
adorants who devote themselves to the supernal light of
the pneuma, the ordeal articulates the intricacies of the
dismantled human soul, providing a path-working that
unlocks secrets of the Adversary that serve to condition
the candidate as a worthy vessel of the Demiurge. It
should be noted that candidates who fail at this stage
of the ritual are often destroyed on the spot (assuming
that the ordeal is not a lethal trial itself). Among the sarx
cults and soma cults, these ordeals are often excruciating
physical trials, whereas the pneuma cults may employ
powerful amounts of etheogens or other disorienting

the devil you know

factors such as time-deprivation and the application of

vampiric powers that affect the mind.
After the candidate has been opened up by both the
submission and the ensuing ordeal, the conundrum is
posed. The essential nature of the conundrum is that it
creates a subtle dilemma that must be resolved, competently, by a savage hand. Although the poetics of a
rampaging Beast that unthinkingly destroys everything
in its path may serve the needs of the romantic, such
a creature does not benet the overall mission of the
Forsworn. So, the conundrum gives the candidate an
opportunity to prove his effectiveness while under severe
strain. Although some factions, such as the Scarlet Rite,
may diminish the dramatic emphasis of this element of
their initiations, it is nonetheless fully present in the
structure of their obscene baptisms and blood orgies.
Among the members of that faction called the Throne
of Smoking Fire, the conundrum can be elaborate and
have numerous tiers of problem solving, even taking
the form of a ritual drama in which the members of the
covey bombard the candidate with difcult challenges
that force him to create a working marriage between his
holy instincts and gross intellect.
At the nal stage of the ritual, the candidate, having
survived the rigors of the previous stages, is welcomed
into the covey. At this point, all antagonism ceases, and
the newly initiated member of the covey is marked in
some fashion to signify his dedication to his brothers
and sisters. In almost every instance, a Vaulderie follows
this stage of the ritual. At this point, the new initiate will
receive instruction in the lore of his covey and will be
instructed in the full range of their often-secret dynameis
as well as given access to the coveys resources. In some
cases, the new member will take on a new name, or even
a new identity entirely, in recognition of the ofcial beginning of his descent into the realm of the Adversary.

SYSTEM: INITIATION

Those who have undergone a Forsworn

initiation containing the four Archonte elements
receive a permanent bonus of one die to Social
rolls involving members of their own faction. In
addition, certain factions may also inict marks
upon the initiated, sometimes making it difcult
to disguise their inhumanity and/or philosophical
affiliation. In even more extreme cases, the
seizures of the Beast within can permanently alter
the appearance of the initiated, transforming
them into monsters without to give expression
to the monster within.
Characters who have undergone such initiations
can be given the Notoriety and/or Deformity Flaw
to represent such gross alterations of the physical
form.

After the initiation conversation with Hodge, I found

myself with much to consider. Although consciously I
knew I had, perhaps, gone beyond the point I had originally intended not to pass, the rich detail and intriguing
violence of these ancient ways consumed my imagination. Whereas the Coils of my covenant certainly had
methods for addressing the Beast, they were systems
of control put in place to stie the essential nature of
what wed all become. The rites of the Forsworn, however, spoke to my very core, addressing the dilemma of
the vampiric state with a dark honesty that surpassed
anything I would experience within the halls of the
Dragons. And was it not my oath to the Mysteries that
should make clear the course of my actions? As I paced
the curtained halls of the coveys haven, I considered
this very matter and how I had come to this place I now
found myself.
As I absent-mindedly ngered the curtains of the
rooms, I grew curious about the building itself. It was
apparently a tenement of some sort, with each room
now bare of any furnishings and painted in the stark,
institutional gray that covered the walls of the snaking hallways as well. As I wandered and looked into
one empty room after another, I was surprised to nd
Evelyn standing alone in one of the cells, mindfully
pulling on her long cigarette as I stood there staring at
her. Apparently not startled by my sudden appearance
in the doorway, she moved to the back of the room and
leaned into the corner, as if it were holding her safe.
As I walked into the center of the room, I could feel a
shaking at my center, an awareness of power and darkness that I, too, found oddly afrming. As the two of us
stood in the dark chamber, Evelyn stared at me as if she
were waiting for something to happen. Uncomfortable
with the silence, I asked her why this room was different
from the others.
Evelyn informed me that Aaron Kleig, a Swiss Dadaist
of little vision, used the room in which we stood during the early 1900s. Though his skill with his chosen
medium of sculpture was not appreciated by the critics
of his time, his prodigal grasp of torture, murder and
postmortem mutilation captured the imagination of
the covey. According to Evelyn, it was to this room that
Kleig lured twin nine-year-old boys on a sunny afternoon in July of that year, under the auspices of a gift of
boiled sweets. Over a span of four days, Kleig produced
his most infamous works by painstakingly removing the
childrens bones and stretching their shredded remains
over copper pipe armatures originally intended for his

61

sculptures. The authorities discovered the bodies in a

state of advanced decay, three of them, as Kleig had slit
his own throat and collapsed facedown in the stinking
offal of his two victims.
At that point, I took note of Evelyns voice, which had
collapsed into the solemn, droning tone that a fundamentalist would use when reciting the verses of a sacred
text. I asked if she had known Kleig, and she smiled as
she stated that she knew him but had never met him.
She stated that the spiritual accomplishments of Aaron
Kleig had drawn her to this place many years ago, like
some sort of beacon of the Beast that called out to her
own instincts. When she had arrived in this place those
many nights ago, it was an abandoned tenement and the
room was as nondescript as I found it now. Despite this,
Evelyn returned to the room night after night as she said
she could feel something neglected being nourished and
awakened inside her. Though at that time the rooms
history was a secret to Evelyns intellect, from her Beast
the room could hide nothing. Through these nightly
meditations at this place so close to the Beast, Evelyn
had come to be one of the Forsworn. Through her explanation, I then came to understand my own route to
Belials Brood, and shared the tale of how I had come
by the two codices that had given me my rst clues of
what I had now found.

chapter two

The Devils Footprints

the devil you know

Rites of Communion

The rites of communion, as they are called, are the

methods used by Belials Brood to unlock and understand those objects and places that are closest to the
Beast. Forsworn grimoires, bloodstained surgical instruments and the sites of torture and murder all serve as
a point of religious transmission for those set upon the
Pursuit. Through this communion, ones own Beast is
further enlightened and ones experience is connected
to the greater movements of the Adversary as it cuts its
path through hapless world of the blind. By interpreting
the movements of so-called evil through the plane upon
which we exist, our subjective instincts are harmonized
with the frequency of the Demiurges seductive call, giving meaning absolute to what others may see as aimless
and pointless malevolence.
These sorts of rites come in two forms, the distinction
being along the lines of the Archontes and dynameis.
Evelyns initial experience is an example of the preliminary
communion rite that precedes the dynameis of communion as it is a ceremony of subjective structure that connects the individual Forsworn, although only intuitively,
to the energy of the site. By meditating upon the egregore
left by an intensely savage or predatory act, she found her

chapter two

center and began her Pursuit. Years later, after the covey
was established, Hodge, Gabriel and Evelyn returned to
the site and performed their coveys dynamei of communion in honor of Kleigs holy atrocities and the role the
murders played in the awakening of their covey sister.
The greater form of the communion rite is performed
when a site is located of such magnitude that the entirety
of Belials Brood holds the site sacred. Though the history
of such sites is usually recorded in great and gratuitous
detail in the cryptic manuscripts of the Brood, this is not
always the case. In some instances, the dreadful secrets
of a site of atrocity are known only by the most abyssal
pangs of the Beast and the Demiurge itself. Nonetheless,
these sorts of ceremonies are usually quite elaborate and
involve more than one covey and, in some cases, members
of more than one faction. These events are generally held
on a specic date, usually the day on which the site was
consecrated, if such information is known.
The philosophical focus of communion rites varies
depending on the focus of the coveys faction. Factions
that focus on the sarx often choose sites of the most
extreme nature, often having dubious historical signicance even outside of occult circles. The Pandaemonium
will often choose locations of ritual murder, massacre or
mass cult suicide (or the instruments used to bring about

62

the devil you know

such things) to perform their larger rites. The soma cults

generally choose places or objects that represent savage
conquest or destruction, where culture has been crushed
and violence rules. The Faustians focus on sites where
the bestial nature of man served to undermine order and
civilization either on a large scale or in secret. The seekers
of the pneuma use such rites to guide them on their spiritual quest, seeking out omens and portents that transform
their understanding as the Demiurge takes shape within
them. Among the Nameless, sites and objects of unknown
origin are examined with meditative precision as the faction feels that to not consciously know the signicance
of such places and things will lend the Brood members
more power. Sites and objects sacred to the entire Brood
are most often those of history-changing signicance. The
mass graves of St. Petersburg, the concentration camp
sites of Germany and Poland, the Antietam battleground,
as well as the killing elds Nanjing and Cambodia all
possess signs of civilizations inevitable failure.
Though these rituals are most powerful when performed with ones covey, the subjective inspiration
gained from personal experimentation with such places
and objects cannot be denied. For this reason, solitary
communion rites can be deeply signicant even when
performed without a group.

It wasnt until nearly a week after the performance

of the Vaulderie that I returned to speak with Hodge.
Hiding my revelations from my Archibald, Carmine
and my childe Melisande was more difcult than I suspected. My ability to engage in supercial conversation
or express concern for their weakness had deteriorated,
and I found myself wholly unable to relate to them in
any fullling or meaningful way. Melisandes incessant
cloying made me feel ill, and it wasnt until they had all
departed for the Princes banquet that I felt like myself
again. It was that evening that I gathered my research
materials and other essentials and made my way back
to the old tenement building.
When I arrived, Hodge greeted me, and Evelyn was
standing silently further down the hallway. Hodge was
wearing a threadbare black sweater and was pufng on
his pipe. Evelyn didnt even look at me when I came
through the door and seemed intent on going upstairs
before conversation began. Hodge and I strolled down
the hall and into one of curtained rooms. The brightness
of the bare bulb as the light switch was turned caused me
to cover my face with my hands. When I had removed
them, Hodge had dimmed the light to a faint yellow and
asked me how I was feeling. I explained to him the alienation I had felt over the last week and how only now did
I feel at all settled. I told him how foolish I felt for having
thought the likes of Archibald, Carmine and Melisande
could have had any role in my greater understanding of
the lore of the Forsworn. Hodge smiled and put his hand
on my shoulder and escorted me back into the hall.
Hodge then began speaking in a completely different
tone. In the tone of one of my university professors from
long ago, Hodge began giving me a personal lecture on
the nature of the sacral cult. He began rst by discussing prehistoric man and then the rites of blood from the
days of Sumer and Babylon. He spoke of Carthage and
Egypt and Greece. Although I found the academics of
the discussion charming and interesting at points, I knew
that Hodge was avoiding the point. After carrying on for
almost 10 minutes, he stopped in front of a curtain at
the end of the seventh story hall and said nothing more.
I could see a faint candlelight radiating from beneath
the split curtain. As I parted the curtains and ducked
through them, I found Gabriel sitting on the bare oor
at the center of which sat a lit can of Sterno and rusted
carpenters knife.
As I sat on the oor in front of Gabriel, it felt wholly
different from when we had rst met. Whereas before I
had felt as if I were in the presence of a volatile preda-

63

tor, I now sat with the anxiety of one who treads upon
a sheet of ice or glass. It was as if something monstrous
gestated behind those still, brown eyes. In a thick Haitian accent and with an even meter, Gabriel drove right
to the point that Hodge could not get to. Gabriel spoke
of a currency of blood and a price that must be paid to
the Powers That Be. He talked of sacrice. And as he
spoke he drew a thick x into the dust on the oor.
Among the covey there is a bond. That bond, called
the Crux, is raised to new life each time the Vaulderie
is performed. Though the Vaulderie nourishes the Crux,
the Vaulderie does not cause the Crux to grow or expand
the reach and potency of the Cruxs power. As the birth
of each thing created feeds the rampant heart of civilization, so does each life taken feed the Adversary. Just as
the Beast within us, the Crux requires sustenance and
that sustenance must be one of blood and death. Only
this will satisfy that is called The Spirit That Denies.
While he spoke far fewer words than Hodge, the
truth of what Gabriel uttered burned into me like hot
teeth, and it was laid plain as to why this small boy was
considered closest to the Beast. I then asked Gabriel to
tell me of those things that were viewed as adequate
offering to the Adversary. Animals, he said, were offered
when circumstance prevents more elaborate gifts or in
instances where the blood of a particular animal is called
for. Black roosters, snakes, cats and goats are often used
in the rites of the Pandemonium as much of the factions
ceremonies are drawn from anachronistic grimoires and
the fantasies of Victorian perverts.
However, with the exception of those factions that
are as sentimental as the Antinomians, no less than
human blood will do. Needless to say, in modern nights,
one must be careful not to pull too heavily from the
herds. In the case of vampires who have drifted far
from their Humanity, the methods of seduction used by
other vampires do not come as easily, as the predators
stink and menace cling thick to many of Belials Brood.
Nonetheless, the cults of all three aspects of the Trinity of Being implement human sacrice. Humans are
often sacriced during Trials of Fury and Hunger, or
Vaulderie. Even during large communion rites, human
blood may be used to consecrate the ground or object
that is being honored. Nonetheless, there are occasions
when even human life is an insufcient offering. Though
the mass murder of humans is by no means a constant
occurrence for small coveys trying to remain hidden
in lightly populated areas, in the swelling ghettos and
impoverished ruins of the Third World, a covey of the
Forsworn may perform sacrices with weekly and even
nightly regularity.

chapter two

Of Sacrifice

the devil you know

CREATING ARCHONTES

Belials Broods core rites have been described in the previous text, though the full breadth of the Forsworn ritual
canon has yet to be fully revealed. Though there are certainly scholars and Therion with extensive knowledge about
the ritual practices of their faction and the Brood in general, there is always more forbidden fruit to be picked and
savored. What is the extent of these ceremonies? To answer that, one must ask other questions. What is the extent
of pain, cruelty, corruption, weakness and predation? What is the limit of depravity, degeneracy, perversion and
violence? What are the things that drive a sane and focused mind to total savagery? Much like a vile, sociopathic
art form, the ritual archive of the Forsworn is only limited by ones ability to represent these dark forces.
First and foremost, the Archontes are believed to be those rites that were rst performed by Belial himself.
In the cases of factions that do not subscribe to the existence of a personied Belial, Archontes are believed to
be the rituals that have existed since the inception of the Brood itself, making them some of the oldest rites of
vampirekind. Although the trappings of such rites may develop and become more complicated over time, the
principles of the Archonte are at their foundation quite simple as they are designed to address the basest and most
primal aspects of the psyche. If the sidebar rules for these rituals are being used in your game, the Archontes are
distinguished from the dynamei insofar as the Archontes generate a tangible and distinct effect that is reected in
the mechanical benets they provide. These benets should, however, be limited to minor effects as the primary
function of all of the rituals is to enrich your storyline and deepen the atmosphere of Belials Brood. Because the
world of the Forsworn is lled with impermanence and decay, these benets should rarely (if ever) be permanent.
Finally, the most obvious difference between the Archontes and the dynameis is the Archontes drama and ritual
scope. The Archontes are highly signicant events and are rarely performed spontaneously or without forethought,
and usually make use of elaborate props or meticulously prepared ritual sites.

CREATING DYNAMEI

chapter two

It is quite likely that there are more dynamei than there are members of the Brood itself as the dynamei form
the rites that spontaneously arise from the birth cries of the awakened Adversary. From personal rites of dedication
and initiation to the baroque methods of torture implemented by forgotten coveys to the rituals used to dovetail
the core concepts of the ancient Archontes into the traditions and workings of a specic covey or faction, the
dynamei are just as much artistic expression as they are religious ceremonies.
The minor rituals of the Forsworn are relegated to the domain of dynamei for a number of reasons. If a ritual is
particular to a specic covey or based on a narrow interpretation of the Broods traditions, the ritual may be considered
a dynameis. If the ritual requires little preparation or takes the form of supplemental extension of the Archonte,
the ritual would likely be a minor rite. Unlike the Archontes, these rituals do not generally convey any mechanical
game effect. Exceptions to these guidelines are always possible but remain the sole purview of the Storyteller.

64

The ritual sacrice of vampires is perhaps the most

well-known practice of the Forsworn as this practice
carries with it the greatest horror for Kindred society.
Whether to revel in crimes of diablerie, ritually execute
an enemy of the covey or satisfy an unseen patron, the
rare but inevitable need for sacricial Kindred is one of
the few aspects of Brood culture that force the Brood to
make prolonged contact with vampire society at large.
At times, this dependence can put extreme strain on the
security of the covey. Nonetheless, if a ritual calls for an
offering of Kindred blood, the need will be met.
Though ritual sacrice is punishable by torture and
death in most of the factions, it is not completely unheard of for Forsworn of advanced age and power to
exploit the rites of sacrice. As the horrors of torpor can
be unthinkable for the Forsworn who has grown great
in power and investments, even the most devoted can
be driven to endanger the covey out of fear of losing

the devil you know

such boons. Such deceptions carried on in secret can

carry heavy consequences for the potent elder who has
betrayed the well-being of his covey.
I could feel Evelyn and Hodge skulk in behind me.
Though any sane of our kind would have trembled at
what could have possibly been the end of ones Requiem,
my instincts were afrmed by Evelyns presentation of
the Vaulderie chalice to Gabriel. As Gabriel recited a
complex liturgy of guttural prayers to the Adversary, we
each punctured our wrists and spilled our Vitae into the
goblet. As the last of the blood was consumed, Gabriel
spoke my new name that I shall not repeat here. He
then spoke once more of a sacrice to make holy that
day that the Crux took another brother. Like a wave
building beneath dark waters, I could feel the stirrings of
my Beast as it stretched in the presence of its own kind.
Then I spoke, in loyal and devoted words, the names and
addresses of my childer and former brethren.

the devil you know

No one clan dominates Belials Brood, but the covenants arduous rites and inhuman philosophy does attract vampires from the hardier, some would say coarser,
bloodlines. Clan loyalty is of little value amongst the
vampires of the Brood, even though it is acknowledged
that a special bond exists between sire and childe. A
Brood members clan is often regarded as little more than
an accident of fate, although certain factions do attribute
clan to a design brought about by the Adversarys guiding hand. Whether a vampire is Nosferatu or Mekhet,
the same Beast yearns for indulgence in all those touched
by the hunger. Certain strengths or weaknesses may be
inherited from a sires blood, but a Forsworns covey is
expected to take the place of any familial bonds he may
have had before joining the Brood. Vampires who continue to cling to old loyalties are likely to be ridiculed by
their brethren and more easily targeted by their rivals.
Nonetheless, certain clans have used the advantages
inherent in their blood to carve out a niche within the
covenant and within their coveys.

Daeva

Daeva vampires are surprisingly

common amongst the younger ranks
of the Brood, but the notorious appetites of the clan make their longterm survival in the covenant an
unlikely prospect. The elders of the
Brood count few Daeva amongst
their number. Unlike many others
who join Belials Brood, Daeva have a
reputation for being able to cast off their
morality with few qualms or tribulations.
The resultant destructive spiral is often
spectacular enough to make even the most
jaded Forsworn smirk with schadenfreude.
The handful of elder Daeva who do exist within the
covenant are spoken of in reverential tones by younger
Forsworn who bother to keep track of such things.
These Daeva, known for their cold determination and
mind-shattering frenzies, stand as inspirational terrors
for those dedicated to the Adversarys path. Unsurprisingly, considering the clans proclivities, soma-aspected
factions claim the largest number of Daeva within their
ranks. In fact, elder Daeva within Belials Brood are
rumored to be the founding force behind factions such
as the Throne of Smokeless re.

chapter two

Blood of
the Forsworn

65

chapter two
66

It is often thought that Succubi become Forsworn in

hopes of indulging their most solipsistic fantasies. While
most Daeva quickly learn the limits of their individual
importance within the Brood, some continue to seek
extravagant ways to differentiate themselves from the
pack. For example, the Daeva of Belials Brood are
perhaps the most likely of the Forsworn to adopt a
bloodline outside of the mystical Therion caste. Adopting a rareed bloodline serves to further accentuate
the unique passions and monstrous appetites Forsworn
Daeva especially prize. This can cause tension amongst
a covey suspicious of a headstrong Daevas quest for
an Avus outside of the covenant, though this concern
is usually waved away by more nave Succubi who believe their powers of persuasion, gentle or otherwise,
make such an endeavor harmless. Especially stubborn
Daeva can subvert an entire coveys agenda with their
self-indulgent whims and, in extreme cases, jeopardize
the Pursuit. Coveys bring Daeva into their ranks with
initial trepidation, but quickly nd loyalty and courage
to be amongst their strongest passions. This loyalty is
usually attributed to the clans special reverence for the
Vaulderie, though their egos chafe at the widely accepted
claim that a Gangrel rst developed the rite.
Daeva Forsworn are often reluctant travelers, and the
nomad culture that has long been a part of the Brood
does not play to Daevas unnatural strengths. Territorial
and overly concerned with matters of prestige, Succubi
are usually in the vanguard of factions and coveys that
seek to carve out a permanent base of operations within
a city or region. Because of their predilection for mortal
company and pawns, Daeva are perhaps the most likely
of Forsworn to come into open conict with vampires of
other covenants. Succubi are some of the few Forsworn
who openly compete with non-Brood vampires for inuence and power in mortal society. Sometimes these
personal vendettas drag entire coveys into a turf war
only thinly disguised as a clash of philosophies.
Succubi fulll numerous functions within a covey, but
most often settle into a niche as the coveys pleasing face,
interpreting the mortal world for their brethren while
masking their inhumanity. Although ercely committed
to their covey-mates, Daeva vampires often struggle
to attain leadership positions amongst their brethren.
Daeva covey leaders sometimes emerge in times of
conict, striking a balance of power within the covey by
taking command of the violence at hand while deferring
to likely rivals on any spiritual matters that may present
themselves. Succubi covey leaders are known to become
especially concerned with securing their coveys feeding
grounds and enforcing a modicum of discipline within

the devil you know

the covey itself. This light authoritarianism often rubs

Brood vampires the wrong way and helps to explain the
rarity of Daeva covey leaders. Quick to cast off their
mortal identity and seemingly not as deeply committed
to the Pursuit as other Forsworn, Daeva quickly make
their coveys the center of their worlds.

Gangrel

If one clan could be said to hold

a position of power throughout
the entirety of Belials Brood,
that clan is the Gangrel.
Much as the Ventrue ethos
is often associated with
the higher echelons and
philosophical underpinnings
of the staid Invictus, Gangrel intuition and savagery are
greatly respected by those in the Brood. Since the Brood
of Belial puts such great stock in the ability to commune
with the Beast, it should come as no great surprise that
the passionate Gangrel hold many of the higher places of
respect within the covenant. In both numbers and inuence, the Gangrel are the premiere clan of the covenant,
but the very nature of the clans Requiem prevents the
clan from consolidating power over the covenant as
a whole. The aloof Savages often nd themselves in
places of prestige within the covenant despite their attempts to avoid such entanglements. Even Gangrel who
attempt the Pursuit in solitude, away from covey and
covenant, are sought out by intrepid Forsworn desperate for a hermits insight. Even a vampire who manages
to hold the attention of a Gangrel mentor is accorded
a grudging respect, although these apprenticeships are
often dangerous, as the Gangrel of Belials Brood are
not known for giving second chances.
All of the major factions within the Brood of Belial
have a healthy contingent of Gangrel in their midst,
and the Gangrel themselves seem to favor no particular
aspect as a clan. Only in the smaller factions do Gangrel
form the minority and even in those they rise above the
rank and le as leaders, through violence or guile, and
always by wisdom. The Gangrel are a well-known and
respected clan within the Brood, serving as the model
of vampirism for many in the covenant. The brooding
contemplation and animalistic lack of empathy evident
within the nature of the Gangrel clan are qualities much
emulated within the Brood.
Bestial and introspective, the Savages lead by example
and are openly contemptuous of cynics who try to gain
power through political maneuvering. Gangrel often
take on the mantle of a priest or a ritemaster within their

67

Mekhet

chapter two

coveys, and this in turn usually provides the foundation

for their leadership. Add to this the nomadic unlife
adopted by some members of the covenant, and the
Gangrels status with the Brood becomes self-evident.
Individually the most disciplined of vampire spiritualists,
the Broods Gangrel are often skilled at honing a coveys
dedication to the Pursuit. Whether this is because of
the clans supposed connection with the Adversary or
simply a result of the Gangrels insights into the Beast,
young Forsworn going through the travail of the Pursuit are fortunate if they have a Gangrel amongst their
brethren.
Gangrel often take positions of leadership within a
covey, but because of the large number of Gangrel within
the covenant, this usually requires one Savage to top
another. Normally, both vampires survive this process,
but on rare occasions, a rival is killed trying to assert
his will over the covey. More often, the rival assumes
a secondary position amongst the brethren, his ambition tempered by the power of the Vaulderie. Gangrel
unable to nd a role of importance in their coveys can
become dangerous liabilities as their Beasts dwell on
the Gangrels inadequacy, even confounding the clans
legendary composure. Small slights and pointless jabs
take on the proportions of conspiracy, until even the
bonds of the Crux can no longer keep the Beast in check.
Experienced covey leaders with subordinate Gangrel
often make a point of relying on their subordinates
strength and cunning for difcult tasks, banking on the
Gangrels task-oriented here-and-now mindset to delay
any sudden grabs for power.
Brood Savages are often credited with promoting the
covenants quasi-nomadic side. While Gangrel are no
more prone to wandering the wilderness than any other
vampire, their hardy nature and innate Disciplines make
them especially well-equipped to deal with the travails
of nomadic unlife. Gangrel, especially those who have
taken on a leadership position in a covey, are rarely
hesitant to strike out into uncharted territory. Outside
of cities, the Pursuit takes on an even more introspective tone than usual, even less reliant on action against
mortals and more concerned with understanding the
Beast within. While it may seem strange for Gangrel
to seek a path less reliant on physical means, this only
re-enforces the commonly held belief in their spiritual
power and ability to guide others along the Adversarys
path. The journey becomes a time of reection for the
covey, a respite from the Pursuit that may ultimately
destroy the covey members despite their deeply held
convictions.

the devil you know

The Mekhet are numerous within Belials Brood,

second only to the Gangrel
in numbers. Unlike the
Gangrel, Shadows must
earn every iota of respect
from their brethren, for none
is given to them due to the blood fed to them by their
sires. While Mekhet are not thought to have an innate understanding of the Beast, they are regarded as
scholars of the covenants history and traditions. In this
capacity, Mekhet often nd themselves adjudicating
disputes between coveys that have tired of violence or
fear the backlash of open conict. Shadows who shirk
this imposed responsibility are not uncommon, but
most within Belials Brood expect members of the clan
to be well versed in covenant culture. According to an
often-heard rumor, older Mekhet, using a combination
of Auspex and subterfuge to nd the best candidates,
take younger protgs under their wing to instruct them
in the ways of the Brood. If this modern myth were true,
it would be a striking degree of clan solidarity that is
absent from all the Broods other bloodlines, save perhaps the Ventrue.
In a covey, a Mekhet who has not distinguished herself
beyond the prejudices of her peers is expected to take on
a secondary role, such as an advisor or a scout. Mekhet
who seek to lead a covey usually come up against stiff
opposition from more physically imposing brethren. A
few Mekhet within the covenant have made a name for
themselves as confessors of sorts, guiding covey-mates
past the less obvious pitfalls of the Pursuit. Although
these confessors are rare, coveys also depend on these
Mekhet to sort out new members who are more dedicated to accumulating power than to the Adversarys
path. When Mekhet covey leaders do emerge, they tend
to steer their brethren toward a more philosophical
understanding of the Broods precepts, although with
limited success considering the covenants emphasis on
intuition and spirituality. When a Shadow is at the helm
of a covey, matters of regional or covenant importance
are more likely to take precedence over more immediate local considerations. While this makes Mekhet less
inclined to lead their coveys into open warfare against
other members of the Brood on the grounds of territory
or respect, Mekhet leaders do occasionally nd themselves embroiled in local faction disputes that ultimately
turn violent despite their higher-minded verbiage.
The Pursuit is central to the Requiem of every For-

sworn, but the Mekhet tend to reserve a special place for

the Requiem in their nightly existence. Shadows tend
to approach the Pursuit as a project to be developed
with patience, not a headlong rush into the abyss. The
Pursuit is an endeavor they excel at, often surviving far
longer and more intact then their more enthusiastic
brethren. Although Forsworn cannot approach the
Pursuit in a clinical manner, the Mekhet seem to benet
from a healthy respect for the chaos and darkness within
their souls and understand that humanity is sometimes
best stripped away in contextual pieces. This has led to
a number of conicts in the past with less introspective
branches of Belials Brood attempting to root out heretics who supposedly downplayed the Beasts role in the
Pursuit. This may explain why pneuma-aspected factions
attract most of the covenants Mekhet to their cause.
Mekhet vampires are well represented amongst the
elder ranks of Belials Brood, nearly rivaling Gangrel in
numbers and power at this echelon of the covenant. This
has lead to some speculation by perceptive covey leaders that the Mekhet must have as great a sway over the
Broods traditions and methodology as the Gangrel have
over the covenants philosophy and rituals. Younger Forsworn usually nd elder Mekhet less approachable than
others of age within the Brood. The Mekhets exacting
focus on the Pursuit as a transformative experience often
leaves them with little time for social diversions or the
trivial distractions of local politics. While ancillae of the
clan are famous mentors, elder Shadows take on few
pupils and make a habit of sequestering themselves away
in places of Resonance when they can. While Mekhet
hermits are thought to be disproportionately common
amongst the Brood, this is not necessarily a side effect of
their age. In fact, more than one tale is told amongst the
Forsworn of solitary Mekhets guarding ancient caches
or ruined cities lled with lost secrets. Whether this is
because of their propensity for nding sites of Resonance
or some clan preference for solitude is part of the myth
that has yet to be agreed upon.

chapter two

Nosferatu

68

Within Belials Brood, Nosferatu

nd their greatest weakness turned
into a strength. Physically repulsive or socially disquieting demeanors are celebrated qualities
amongst many Forsworn, especially those who have pledged
themselves to one of the sarxaspected factions. The ability
to engender fear is often sighted as a
sign of respect in the covenant, the

the devil you know

visceral and instinctive respect of one Beast given to

another, and Nosferatu are nothing if not feared. Beyond
their mastery over the power of Nightmare, Forsworn
Nosferatu have cultivated a well-deserved reputation
as cruel monsters within a covenant of cruel monsters.
Haunts seem to relish making their brethren uncomfortable with their callous humor and their ironic air for
torture, both psychological and physical.
Horrible and unrepentant, Nosferatu are treasured
members of any covey, applying their dramatic powers
to bring an added touch of menace to their brethrens
arsenal. Younger Nosferatu are often found playing the
part of a thug within a covey, toying with mortal and
undead alike while paying lip service to the more actualized aspects of the Pursuit. The bonds of the Vaulderie
and a devoted covey leader are usually enough to temper
a neonate Haunts enthusiasm, but more than one
has been made example of for taking the Adversary too
lightly. Too stubborn to divulge their secrets, Nosferatu
are also favored as assassins by Forsworn too weak to
settle their differences in the open. As Nosferatu age,
they quickly tire of the games of their youth and seek
out positions of respect within their coveys. While
this can lead to clashes with brethren uncomfortable
with a brute in a seat of power, Haunts often nd a
temporary niche as a coveys emissary. While Daeva
are gifted in interpreting the mortal world for a covey,
the Nosferatu often nd themselves with the dangerous
task of interacting with the supernatural world outside
of the covenant. In a sick twist of the Pursuits effect
on a Forsworns Humanity, the innate malfeasance of
the Nosferatu helps mask the Broods depraved nature
from the curious. Messages delivered by these foreboding
creatures are usually succinct and sometimes shockingly violent, especially if a non-Forsworn vampire has
attracted the coveys attention.
Of all the clans, only the Gangrel can boast more covey
leaders amongst their number. While some brethren may
be initially hesitant to allow a Nosferatu to take power,
a Haunt who has survived the Pursuit long enough to
command a covey is an exceptional monster, indeed.
Nosferatu covey leaders are known for their dedication
to their brethren, if not to the Pursuit. Political and
spiritual rewards are of a lesser value to these Nosferatu
than the well-being of their covey-mates. Violence is
often seen as the hallmark of the Brood, and Nosferatu
excel at it. Coveys led by Nosferatu are ercely territorial and react to signs of disrespect with extreme acts of
barbarity. Even other coveys are not immune to these
reprisals, although these intra-covenant clashes are not
usually lethal, thanks in part to the restraining bonds
of the Vaulderie.

Ventrue

The rarest clan within Belials Brood is the Ventrue, their

numbers being such a minority,
in fact, that some Forsworn have
no rsthand knowledge of the Lords
whatsoever. Ventrue Forsworn have
a lot to prove to their brethren. Since
the clan is so intimately associated
with the tyrannical Invictus, Ventrue
of the Brood often champion the causes
of selfishness and freedom to further
distance themselves from the First Estate. Paragons of
wild abandon, Forsworn Ventrue are notoriously insubordinate and difcult to control. This has made the
clan strangely popular amongst younger Brood members
who nd the idea of being without limitations incredibly
attractive. Some of these neonates have even taken to

69

passing around audiotapes and CDs of the hottest Ventrue philosophers, ponticating on the Beast and free
will, sometimes in a spoken word performance format.
But amongst the rank and le of Belials Brood, the
vindictive pogroms against their brethren from Invictus
territories have left little love for the Lords within the
covenant. This has led the clan members to look out
for their own, and on more than one occasion attempt
to organize, although these projects have inevitably
ended in bickering and formation of rivalries amongst
the Ventrue themselves.
Subtle and overt prejudices make it difcult for individual Ventrue to secure a place of leadership within their
coveys, let alone in the covenants upper echelons. The
most dangerous obstacles a Ventrue faces when joining
a covey are the preconceived notions of his brethren.
Ventrue often adopt reactionary personas and extreme
positions to counteract any hostility that may be directed
toward them by untrusting Forsworn. Coupled to this is
the Lords supposed predilection for diablerie, a contentious taboo within Belials Brood, but a taboo nonetheless.
Whether Ventrue do have a taste for the hearts blood of
other vampires is debatable, but many in the covenant
wonder what else would drive members of such a privileged bloodline to join the Forsworn. Ventrue nd that
their brethrens trust, once won, is hard to keep, even with
the ritual of Vaulderie on their side. The Pursuit damages
Ventrue in ways that disturb even the Forsworn, warping
the Ventrues minds in unpredictable ways and with a
speed unseen amongst other clans, despite the presence
of both the Tongue and the Therion caste. Brethren
keep a close eye on their Ventrue covey-mates for signs
of degeneration. While rarely leaders, Lords often nd
a place within the covey as a procurer or problem xer.
When brute force fails to intimidate curious mortals or
materials goods beyond the coveys nancial means are
needed, Ventrue become indispensable.
Ventrue covey leaders are a rare breed in Belials
Brood, having to overcome not only deadly rivals but
also the treachery of those who fear the nature of the
Ventrues blood. A Ventrues power over memory and
free will is also viewed with great suspicion amongst
Forsworn. Any Lord who achieves even a modicum of
respect or power within the covenant is often dogged by
accusations of coercive use of the Dominate Discipline.
A Ventrue who does manage to wrest control of a covey
away from another Forsworn leads his brethren in a more
democratic manner than is typical in the covenant.
Often brought to power by toppling an excessively
domineering covey leader, Ventrue nd their brethren
even less receptive to orders and commandments than
most Forsworn.

chapter two

While Nosferatu may seem to have a distinct advantage in the Pursuit because of the inhuman nature of
their clan weakness, Nosferatu often have more trouble
casting off their mortal concerns than most would expect. Unlike their Gangrel brothers, Nosferatu take their
inhumanity for granted upon their Embrace, mistaking
the curse on their esh for the awakening of their bestial
soul. Many Nosferatu thus postpone the Pursuit, only
indulging in repetitive acts to which they had long ago
grown accustomed or inured. Thus, their human nature
survives far longer then is usually acceptable within
the Brood, hidden by the Nosferatus disturbing mien
and sick preoccupations. While this is not common
knowledge amongst the Forsworn, Nosferatu struggle to
discard the few mortal affectations that survived their
initiation into Belials Brood. These nagging shreds of
humanity can drive some Nosferatu into seclusion, afraid
of their own brethren discovering their secret. Despite
this hesitance to commit body and soul to the Pursuit,
Nosferatu hermits are rare in the covenant overall, and
Haunts seem to ourish most truly when ensconced in
the company of a dedicated covey.
Often drawn to sarx-aspected factions, Nosferatu are
known for their lust for Investments that sharpen their
ability to horrify. In fact, many elder Antinomians are
of Nosferatu blood and seem to believe the clan has a
natural talent for warping esh as well as minds. These
hidden masters cackle with a dark joy as their factions
unspeakable acts torture the psyche of mortal society to
the point of breakdown. A few more reserved Haunts
are rumored to be well placed in the Nameless as well,
carrying out secret rituals that are rumored to date back
to the time of Belial himself.

the devil you know

Pneuma-aspected factions, particularly the Mercy

Seat, have the largest concentrations of Ventrue among
the ranks, though even these are comparatively small.
And while the Roaring Serpent is known to have some
well-regarded Ventrue as members, they are far from
the factions levers of power. Unfortunately, the same
prejudices that retard a Ventrues ability to gain prestige
in her covey usually work against her inside a faction.
Even age does little to rectify this disparity in respect,
as even elder Ventrue are almost unheard of within the
Brood, outside of conspiracy theory and rumor. Certain
familial lineages of Ventrue have supposedly been active
within Belials Brood since its inception, working to keep
their kinship secret for reasons of their own.

The Others

chapter two

While relations between the Brood and vampires of

other covenants are rare in the extreme, one might
be surprised to know that they are not always hostile.
Vampires of the Brood can be impulsive, and in some
cases extremely violent, but they are also masters of the
base cunning that comes naturally to all vampires. Given
the right circumstances or convergence of the vagaries
of fate, Belials Brood has even on some occasions allied itself with vampires who subscribe to an ideology

70

the devil you know

antithetical to the covenants own. Such cross-covenant

cooperation is a very rare event, with only local ramications; alliances almost never expand beyond a citys
borders. As with many things within Belials Brood, a
Forsworns faction often has more sway in shaping the
Forsworns view of other vampires than any covenantwide orthodoxy. Since active recruitment is frowned
upon by all of the present-day factions within Belials
Brood, Forsworn who go out of their way to interact
with vampires of other covenants are often viewed with
suspicion. Although, considering the average Forsworns
ignorance of other covenants, few factions or coveys
monitor their brethren for such improper behavior.

Violence as Dialog

As many outside the covenant have surely noted,

violence has a special place within Belials Brood. While
members of factions such as the Pandaemonium have
ritualized methods of brutality, other factions, such as
the Mercy Seat, view violence as simply one of many
tactics to further the Pursuit or, in extreme cases, to
remove an obstacle. The Throne of Smokeless Fire
has developed an appreciation of violence as the most
honest means of communication, looking to the state
of nature as the template for interpersonal interactions.

The Carthian
Movement

To the Forsworn, the vampires

of the Carthian Movement personify
the worst degeneration of the vampiric ideal. Parroting mortal ideologies,
the Carthians are shackled to concepts
such as democracy and equality, concepts that should
have died along with their esh. These Kindred are the
epitome of the living vampire that many in the Brood
see as the antithesis of their core philosophy, and a
secular mockery of the Pursuit. Politics, as the Carthians understand it, should remain the lazy obsession of
mortal philosophers too afraid to get their hands dirty.
True vampires have no use for such high-minded ideals,
and the Beast is ill-used when put to such paltry work.
Brood factions that have tried to incorporate political
considerations into their ethos often nd themselves
unatteringly compared to the leaders of the Carthian
Movement. Considering that soma-aspected factions are
usually at the forefront of such endeavors to construct
a meaningful political framework within the Brood,
these factions often go out of their way to demonstrate
their scorn for any Carthian the factions can get their
hands on.
Despite the special attention of the soma-aspected,
such as the Roaring Serpent or the Throne of Smokeless
Fire, this disdain is not only limited to Forsworn aligned
with these factions. In fact, maligning the precepts of
the Carthian Movement has become a bit of a rhetorical
pastime amongst Forsworn ancillae, regardless of their

71

faction afliation. These quasi-philosophical debates

have dug a deep well of antipathy toward the Carthians.
Younger Forsworn grasping for acceptance in the Brood
can nd themselves falling into the trap of reexively
adopting anti-Carthian rhetoric as their own. For a
covenant that cherishes independence, creativity and
activism, the Carthians stand as a painfully embarrassing
reminder of how low a vampire can sink when he makes
a fetish of his former life.
While many within Belials Brood nd the Carthian
Movements appeal to members of the Unbound disturbing, their differences do not stem from a simple tussle
over the same pool of recruits. While Belials Brood
despises constraints on individual freedom and revels
in unburdening the fetters of mortal conscience, the
Carthians sell a twisted mockery of the Broods own
dogma. The Forsworn see the Carthian interpretation
of freedom and equality as a lie, opium for the dull and
dimwitted to insure the Beasts slavery to the Man. Real
freedom is personied by the Pursuit and leaving behind
the baggage of breathing days.
Still, domains with a Carthian and a Brood presence
are not always destined to devolve into bitter warfare.
Despite knee-jerk animosity from most members of
Belials Brood, the Carthian Movement is not seen as
an existential threat by the more far-seeing brethren
of the Forsworn. While nomadic coveys or violent
individuals might single out a Carthian vampire for
particularly rough treatment, most faction heads realize
that the Carthian Movement as a whole has little interest in interfering with the Broods nightly endeavors.
Although the Brood and the Carthian Movement may
squabble and clash, true mortals hold more interest for
dedicated members of the Brood than vampires who
play at living.

chapter two

To wit, as master predators, vampires are naturally

inclined to violence. Despite these different interpretations concerning the use and validity of violence, most
of the Broods aggressive energy is directed toward the
Pursuit. The covenant as a whole has no structure to
direct attacks against other groups, and the various
factions are barely better organized. While it is true
that some factions are very enthusiastic and hands-on
when engaging in the Pursuit, violence may not be their
rst recourse when encountering Kindred. Pneuma-aspected factions especially go out of their way to avoid
violence when dealing with non-Forsworn, preferring
to instigate internal strife with insidious plots without
getting directly involved in the ensuing conagration.
The ferocity and uninching nature of Brood violence
sends a powerful message to those on the receiving end
of the missive, but the Forsworn are rarely unied in the
intent and substance of their communications with
the outside world.

the devil you know

ForswornCarthian Partnerships

Forsworn coveys in a city controlled by the Carthian

Movement often nd that the needs of the Pursuit far
outweigh any cultural distaste they might feel for their
hosts, shying away from confronting Carthian vampires and concentrating on mortal victims. On the other
hand, Carthian cells in Brood territories are rarely given
the opportunity to strike up any meaningful relationships with the Forsworn before being attacked by the
overzealous. Brethren of the Brood are often relieved to
discover that the Powers That Be in a Carthian domain
are less likely to interfere with the Broods predations
on mortals. However, mistaking Carthian laissez-faire
attitudes for apathy can lead to mounting atrocities,
as the Forsworn indulge the opportunity to aunt the
purity of their convictions. The Throne of Smokeless

Fire is even known to have gone so far as to antagonize

one Carthian-led city in North America by setting up
brutal courts to try Carthian hostages using mortal
standards, with the Djinn reportedly handing down no
acquittals, of course.
On the rare occasions when vampires of Belials Brood
conspire with members of the Carthian Movement, the
union often ends in bickering and bloodshed. Only the
most self-serving Forsworn vampire can long endure
the inane ramblings and perverse theories of a Carthian
ally. When such partnerships do take place, it is usually in the form of a pact of mutual protection against a
hostile third element. Carthians, who would think of the
Brood as nihilists indulging in violent power fantasies,
would be confused by the overtly spiritual nature of the
covenant. While a few Forsworn have been known to
nd unexpected friends among those Carthians who
hold freedom as an ideal beyond empty rhetoric, these
liaisons are usually dissolved out of fear that their respective covenants will catch wind of them.

chapter two

The Circle of
the Crone

At first glance, interactions

between the Brood and the Circle
of the Crone can seem confusing to those outside either covenant.
Within a domain, periods of calm and outright cooperation between the two covenants are punctuated with
terrible nights of liver-devouring revenge. Belials Brood
sees the Circle of the Crone as a covenant obsessed with
the trappings of spirituality, but unable to make the sacrices necessary to leave behind mortal misconceptions.
According to the Forsworn, the Circle of the Crone is
satised with the few tricks the covenant has unearthed
over the centuries, and has grown complacent. The
well-known degenerative effects of Crac enforce the
opinion amongst many Forsworn that Acolytes were
once on the edge of understanding, but shied away from
taking the nal leap necessary to free themselves from
their mortal mindset.
In the present nights, the Circle of the Crone has
devolved into a hodge-podge of pagans and New Age
cultists, resting on the laurels of the Circles past accomplishments. While some within the Circle of the
Crone may still have insight into the supernatural
underpinnings of their covenants rituals, most seem
all too happy to mimic the tired trappings of the mortal
traditions they failed to grasp in life. While a small
minority within the Brood believe this makes Acolytes
the perfect allies, most harbor the same disdain for the

72

the devil you know

Circle of the Crone as they do for other covenants. Supposedly, members of the Roaring Serpent take particular
issue with the Acolytes adherence to a female progenitor, considering their belief that vampires sprung from
a very masculine Belial. Other factions seem willing to
accept the Circle of the Crone as simply the product of
a gang of vampires unwilling to forsake the trappings of
their mortal lives.
Despite the Acolytes supposed harmlessness, Belials
Brood recognizes the appeal the Circle of the Crone
holds for younger brethren of the Forsworn. The lure of
power promised by the Acolytes is wrapped in trappings
deceptively similar to that offered by the Brood, but
devoid of the visceral price demanded by the Pursuit.
Conict often arises between the two covenants when
a young Forsworn seeks shelter amongst the Circle of
the Crone or attempts to breach the sacred trust of the
Crux. Antinomians are known to indulge in especially
berserk and depraved scenarios when they discover they
have been betrayed by one of their own brethren and the
Crone. Acolytes, for their part, seem to understand that
the Brood is somehow related to the primal origins of
the Circle of the Crone, and are comfortable accepting
defectors from the Brood since such defectors have no
worthwhile information to relate once theyve left.

ForswornAcolyte Partnerships

While vampires of the Circle of the Crone would rarely

admit to having any kind of working relationship with
Belials Brood, the covenants do seem to have a tacit understand concerning the Broods many nomadic coveys.
Forsworn nomads often seek out domains controlled by
Acolytes when eeing persecution or when the Forsworn
are in need of replenishing a coveys membership. These
wandering coveys know better then to recruit from
amongst the Acolytes, but understand that the Circle of
the Crone is more likely to assume that their practices
are simply an enthusiastic outgrowth of their own. By
the time the Powers That Be suspect the wanderers are
members of Belials Brood, they have pulled up their
stakes. Nomadic coveys that have made more formal
arrangements can act as messengers for Crone Princes
with more regional ambitions. In exchange for safe
haven and anonymity, these Forsworn coveys deliver
both tidings and omens to those who have displeased
their benefactors.
When Forsworn put down roots in a domain controlled
by the Circle of the Crone, long-term understandings
become more difcult between the two covenants. Of
the factions that have tried to co-exist with the Acolytes,
the Throne of Smokeless Fire has had the most relative
success in recent years. Djinn seem to pride themselves

The Invictus

Of all the covenants, the Invictus

seems to bear the most animus toward
the Brood of Belial. The origin of this
antipathy is unknown to the Forsworn,
but many within the Brood claim the
hoary elders that hold the reins of power
within the First Estate direct it. Whatever the catalyst of the grudge, its ramications are hard to
argue against. Invictus-dominated domains are uniformly
hostile to members of Belials Brood, and actively slander
the covenant even when no covey is present within the
territory. Nomadic coveys often bear the brunt of this
hostility, becoming the targets of literal witch-hunts when
their true allegiances are sniffed out. Even political rivals
within the Invictus itself were carelessly tarred with covert Brood membership when the rivals dare to question
the status quo (ludicrous as such an allegation may be).
Some Invictus domains have gone so long without a true
Brood presence that younger vampires have even begun
to doubt that the covenant exists. In fact, accusations
of demon worship or infernalism became so common
during the early 1980s that such tactics are often greeted
with hysterics in the modern nights.
Of course, the vampires of the brood happily reciprocate this hostile stance. While soma-aspected factions
nd the power wielded by individual Invictus enviable,
most Forsworn recognize the Invictus as an agent of
spiritual ossication within vampire society. While
the ideology of the Invictus does not boil the blood of
Forsworn in the same way as the regurgitated moans of
the Carthian Movement, the actions of the First Estate
concern the Brood immensely. The Invictus is, at its
core, a secular conspiracy, and although the First Estate
may have wed itself to more religious covenants in the
past, tonight the covenant rules on its own. While the
First Estate inspires loyalty, the covenant has often found
itself unable to inspire passionate conviction, a quality
Belials Brood possesses in abundance. According to the
few politicians in the Brood, this passion gap threatens
the established order the Invictus has labored so hard
to get the other covenants to sign on to. The Invictus is
not a testament to some breathing ideal, but the rusted
cage that vampires believe will simultaneously protect
them from the Beast and the mortal world.

73

In spite of the murder of their brethren, more experienced coveys make pilgrimages to Invictus territories in
hopes of carrying out terrifying raids. These attacks are
brutal affairs lasting only a few nights, but usually spark a
string of recriminations within the citys hierarchy and a
futile search for crypto-Satanists. Even though the Invictus is often thought of as the only covenant with even a
faint understanding of the Broods ethos, in times of crisis
the First Estate nds comfort in the old stereotypes.

chapter two

on their ability to manipulate and cajole mortals into

convoluted social hierarchies. Pacts between the two
covenants invariably break down when the Forsworn
become too numerous to resist striking at their allies
holdings, or when the notoriously potent Djinn become
the targets of Acolyte diablerie attempts.

the devil you know

ForswornInvictus Partnerships

Even as the Invictus professes its hatred for the

demon-spawned disciples of Belial, ignorant of them
though the Invictus may be, few members of the First
Estate would turn their backs on an effective tool of
statecraft. While neither covenant is openly proud of
occasions of past relationship, they have served both
covenants well. To be sure, the Invictus apparent hatred for the Forsworn is not stage acting, even though
members of the Nameless seem strangely immune to
such prosecution. As the Invictus as a whole persecutes
and bedevils the Brood, less scrupulous individuals strike
bargains with the devil. Considering the taboo nature
of such contacts, many Invictus actually believe these
arrangements are novel, but the unchecked ambition of
the First Estate provides the lie to this conceit.
Forsworn coveys have surprising luck ferreting out havens
and Retainers within cities they have only recently stepped
foot in. Anonymous phone calls and ghouls bearing lists are
often the rst response a nomadic covey that has put down
stakes in an Invictus stronghold. Such coveys have to be
careful not to outstay their welcome, but can often safely
operate over brief periods of time. In domains with a more
fractured center of gravity, visiting coveys have terrorized
the holdings of city Kindred for years on end. Some members
of the Nameless faction are rumored to have a more nuanced understanding with the First Estate, serving as spiritual viziers and emissaries to Princes too old to be bothered
with the New Age glitz of the Lancea Sanctum. Considering
the Nameless association with the antediluvian origins of
the Brood, such ties to the Invictus might hint at a deeper
connection between the two covenants.

The Lancea Sanctum

More than one preacher within the

Lancea Sanctum has made her mark
with ery speeches condemning the
debased and vile practices of Belials
Brood. But despite the inammatory comments and pulpit thumping, the Forsworn
rarely have dealings or conicts with the Sanctied. The
Lancea Sanctum is most comfortable when conceptual-

chapter two

izing the Brood as an obnoxious tumor, a strange growth

of satanism on the otherwise healthy body of vampirekind. While the Forsworn are far from attered by such
ignorance, it is a state of affairs they generally prefer.
No amount of dialogue will endear the vampires of the
Sanctied to the precepts of Belials Brood, so better
that the Sanctied know nothing about the covenant
at all beyond their laughable bedtime stories. Moreover,
the Lancea Sanctum rarely takes an active role in confronting Belials Brood unless the Forsworn overtly (and
traceably) trespass one of the Traditions.
The Brood believes it is the strange powers of the
Forsworn that most terrify the Lancea Sanctum. The
fact that Belials Brood displays abilities that turn divinely imposed limitations on their head seems alien
to the Sanctied, even more so than the queer tricks
of the Ordo Dracul. When rumors of the Forsworns
powers begin to crop up amongst the ock, Sanctied
leaders are often quick to quash them, or so goes the
rumors amongst the Brood. Whether the Sanctied
truly fear the lure of Investments, or whether there is
some conspiracy with the Lancea Sanctum to misrepresent Belials Brood, is unknowable. More likely, the
Lancea Sanctum has severely limited knowledge of the
Brood and slanders the covenant out of ignorance, not
insight. In fact, the Brood itself has limited knowledge
of the Lancea Sanctum as well, as converts between the
covenants are exceedingly rare and are rarely indoctrinated into the greatest mysteries without harrowing
tests of loyalty.
Although the Lancea Sanctum enjoys the rhetorical
victories it scores against the Brood by denouncing its
barbarity, the Brood serves a useful function in the mindset of many Sanctied. The Forsworn are bogeymen and
monsters that serve as a useful reminder to those who
question Longinus call for more temperate treatment
of mortals. For their part, the Forsworn see the Lancea
Sanctum as either a worthy spiritual adversary or a paper tiger. While few factions fear the Lancea Sanctums
capability to recruit from their ranks, they viscerally
understand the fanaticism of the Lancea Sanctums true
believers. Thankfully, the leadership of the Sanctied is
often too conservative to strike out against the Brood
in force. Longinus adherents would rather point to the
shadows than risk their ock to illuminate them. When
Sanctied domains do produce a rebrand intent on
launching a crusade against the Brood, only the staunchest coveys remain in a city to witness it. Many Forsworn
simply return to their nomadic routes at the rst signs
of a Lancea Sanctum purge, hoping to return when the
res of the Sanctied have been satiated.

74

the devil you know

Unless one counts the constant use of the Forsworn

as scapegoats for the travails of misguided Sanctied,
few alliances are formed between Belials Brood and
the Lancea Sanctum. Coveys that overlay the myths
of Belials Brood with Abrahamic stories have an easier
time dealing with the Lancea Sanctum, but also expose
themselves to a greater risk of conversion. These coveys
are rare in the modern nights, but typically match up
more closely with the Belials Brood espoused by the
Sanctied. Some among the Lancea Sanctum even have
the misguided perception that the Brood is somehow
about the same business as the Sanctied, but suffer from
an over-abundance of zeal. In this strange formulation,
the Forsworn are fear-mongers, just as the Sanctied,
but have become so committed to Gods work they have
sacriced their own souls. As laughable as this premise
may seem, more than one member of the Brood has
found a sympathetic ear amongst some of the more
militant Sanctied.
Strangely, vampires of the Pandaemonium have had a
number of successful liaisons with Sanctied-controlled
domains. The factions unadulterated passion for depravity has been allowed to fester by more than one Bishop
hoping to coerce her rivals into seeking Sanctied
protection. While these partnerships are often informal
affairs, a Lancea Sanctum leader overlooks the Broods
activities or restrains her minions from taking action for
a few nights of mayhem. When formal agreements do
exist between members of these covenants, the agreements are often secret affairs between individuals unsure
of their ability to destroy one another.

The Ordo Dracul

Although both the Ordo Dracul

and Belials Brood believe in the
continually transformative experience of undeath, the paths dictated
by their respective covenants is quite different. While the Dragons seem to think
that the Beast is an obstacle to this ongoing
transformation, the Brood sees the Beast as the key to it.
Forsworn see the Ordo Dracul as shy explorers similar to
the Circle of the Crone, always making excuses for only
sticking their toes into the pool. The Dragons hide behind
scientic jargon and cerebral excuses to hide their failures.
While they chip away at the edges of what they consider
a curse, in essence defacing themselves, the Forsworn
embrace the entirety of their vampiric nature. But in most
cases, these covenants have little real knowledge of one
anothers core philosophies.

75

Strangely enough, the Ordo Dracul has taken an

increasing fascination with the Brood over the years.
The number of Dragons who have approached the
Brood seeking insight into the covenants beliefs is truly
startling. Many Forsworn believe that the Dragons, ever
power hungry, think they can simply learn the Broods
powers and return to their passionless unlives untouched
by the Pursuit. Considering the Broods strict edicts
concerning the recruitment of new members, this is,
on its face, a losing proposition. Belials Brood rejects
any attempt to justify dual allegiances and treats those
who attempt to play a double game quite harshly. If
the Dragons truly wish to learn the secrets of Belials
Brood, there is but one route that can be traveled the
Adversarys path.
Of course, the Brood also realizes that there is no stopping the most dedicated amongst the Ordo Dracul from
observing their rituals and abilities. But the Forsworn
feel secure that the experiential nature of the Pursuit
will keep their secrets safe from prying eyes. While other
covenants often seek to directly challenge the Brood,
the Ordo Dracul is a more insidious danger. Of the
Broods factions, the Mercy Seat has a special fancy for
the Ordo Draculs seemingly irrational fear of the Beast.
Faustians delight in antagonizing the Dragon who dares
snoop around their territory by laying puzzling traps of
conscience. These Dragons and Wyrms hunger not for
the Broods blood, but for its power. The Forsworn know
that a Dragons tongue is forked and that any aid taken
from the Ordo Dracul will come with an expectation
of payment.

chapter two

ForswornSanctified Partnerships

the devil you know

ForswornDragon Partnerships

When the Forsworn must ally themselves with members of the Ordo Dracul, it is usually over the use of
the one thing they truly have in common the places
of Resonance. The Ordo Dracul seems to believe that
true dragons dwell within the earth, forming places of
supernatural power. Whether these sites of power are the
same as those known as Resonants by the Forsworn is not
completely known. Sites that resonate with the spiritual
energy of the Adversary are sacred to the Brood, and
most factions are loathe to share or reveal such places
to those outside the covenant. But in domains in which
a place of Resonance has been discovered by Dragons,
sometimes the Forsworn have no choice but to share
the site if attempts to wrest it away have failed. Since
the Dragons pride themselves on being able to unravel
the secrets of their so-called Wyrms Nests, the Dragons
often attempt to dangle their expertise in front of the
Forsworn as an inducement to cooperation. While lone
Forsworn hermits may attempt to juggle such arrange-

ments in hopes of enlightening their allies with the

Adversarys power, complete coveys are less likely to risk
the Adversarys wrath or jeopardize their Pursuit.

The Unbound

Unsurprisingly, Belials Brood is very

sympathetic to the Unbounds lot in
vampiric society. Next to the Brood,
the Unbound seem to make up the
majority of the nomadic vampires traveling between the domains of the sedentary
covenants. The Unbounds strong spirit and
refusal to be co-opted into a system in which they have
no stake strikes a resonant chord amongst the independent-minded vampires of Belials Brood. Unfortunately,
unaligned vampires are sometimes persecuted for the
actions of the Brood. Although this is an unintended
consequence of Forsworn masquerading as Unbound,
the Brood makes no apologies. While the Forsworn respect the Unbound, the Brood feels no compunction to
make the Unbounds unlives any easier. If the Unbound
meet increased animosity from the other covenants
because of the Broods actions, this will only serve to
increase the Unbounds support for the Brood or sharpen
their perseverance.
Often the Unbound are seen as a natural reservoir of
recruits for Belials Brood. Unfettered by any single ideology, strong willed and ercely committed to their liberty,
the independents must nd the Broods respect refreshing. While this is an idealized view of the Unbound, it is
a common one. In truth, the Unbounds view on Belials
Brood is as varied as the vampires themselves. Few
amongst the factions seek to antagonize the Unbound
needlessly, for the factions understand that their nomadic coveys often depend on such unattached vampires
when rst arriving in a domain. Although the Forsworn
are given no ofcial sanction or protection, they know
it is in their best interests to endear themselves to the
Unbound, or at least to avoid making enemies of them.
The Roaring Serpent seems especially interested in the
Unbound. To this faction, the Unbound are the wayward
children of the Adversary and, unlike others, have yet to
be corrupted by the fanciful lies of the other covenants.
While this view certainly paints the Unbound as nave
babes-in-the-wilderness, the Archons dramatic powers
often quiet those who would take offense.

chapter two

ForswornUnbound Partnerships

Other factions within the Brood take a dimmer view of

the Unbound as a whole, but nd their lack of orthodoxy
a point in their favor. Since many coveys claim to be
Unbound when they are pestered by vampires who claim

76

the devil you know

to rule a domain, the coveys often make alliances within

the greater independent community. Unbound vampires
seem to have a deeper respect for each others privacy, and
the Forsworn take advantage of that to shield themselves
from unwanted attention. In some domains, a Brood covey
becomes the cornerstone of an Unbound community,
enforcing the territorial rights of other Unbound in
exchange for acceptance within the city. Although these
arrangements are often short-lived once the coveys Pursuit
draws too much attention, a domain with a large Unbound
population could allow a covey to operate for quite some
time before the Powers That Be could muster the courage
to move against the Brood openly.
Brood coveys are rarely hesitant to ally themselves
with unafliated vampires, for no implicit recognition
of a heretical concept or offending ofce is necessary.
The Unbound are vampires, plain and simple, and few
amongst their number claim knowledge of the true mysteries of undeath. In addition, that some Forsworn were
Unbound themselves before dedicating themselves to
the Pursuit and taking part in a Crux, and the ease with
which these two groups nd common ground, should
come as no surprise. Of course, this close association also
means that other vampires are notoriously suspicious of
the Unbound. While this would lead some to believe that
Belials Brood would come to the aid of the independents
when called, this is rarely the case. Coveys certainly help
those Unbound whom the coveys have come to rely upon,
but many Forsworn think it is distasteful to coddle those
loners who remain outside the fold.
Many Unbound in the modern nights nd religion
distasteful and keep Forsworn vampires at arms length
because their passion for the Pursuit smacks of fanaticism. Some coveys with the Brood have been known to
take the exceptional step of taking Unbound vampires
under their wing. This prolonged process of initiation
smacks of recruitment, and many factions are displeased
with the leniency shown to these newcomers. The
Throne of Smokeless Fire, known for its particularity
brutal rites of initiation, has had open revolts about
young coveys being too soft on Unbound initiates.
While the Djinn tend to handle this matter by violently
interfering in awed initiation rites, most other factions are still condent that the Pursuit will eventually
weed out the weak.

VII

As vampires, Brood members have been targeted by VIIs

assassins in the past. Because of
the preponderance of nomads

ForswornVII Partnerships

As should come as no surprise, the Forsworn have

never entered into any formal agreements with VII,
although it is rumored that especially desperate coveys
have taken advantage of VII raids to dispatch rivals who
were usually untouchable, in some cases even turning
on brethren within their own faction. These alliances
of opportunity could hardly be called true partnerships,
but VII nonetheless advances the goals of the Brood
by sheer coincidence. In an often recounted road tale
from the late 1800s, a pack of VII decimated the entire
vampire population of a Mexican border town just after
a covey of nomads had been chased out by the local
tyrant. The story goes that the Forsworn led VII to all
the havens the Brood knew, and that afterwards they
even gave up the road and set up their own little ef.
Sure enough, these apocryphal Forsworn knew their
nights were numbered, but instead of heading back to
the road, they waited in their little kingdom for VII to
return and try to nish them off.

77

Mages

chapter two

within Belials Brood, VIIs attacks have had limited success, and many Forsworn do not even realize that VII has
an agenda against all vampires. Considering the antagonism that is almost universally directed against Belials
Brood by the other covenants, VII is often seen as simply
more committed to carrying out its threats. Although
nomadic coveys have yet to nd a domain controlled by
VII to retaliate against, Forsworn who have clashed with
VII take special pride in recounting the battles against
these shadowy murderers. As far as their actions against
other covenants are concerned, the Forsworn tend to
steer clear. The nomadic lifestyle of many Forsworn is
the covenants greatest defense against VII. While obviously dedicated and efcient killers, VIIs numbers seem
small and their covenant scattered. A covey that keeps
moving has nothing to fear from them.
As for VIIs goals and mindset, those are as much an
enigma to the Forsworn as any other vampire. More
than one communal haven has been destroyed by
this groups operatives, and although VII seems to be
even more nomadic than the Brood itself, few coveys
have reported encountering VII on the road. Further
re-enforcing their mystique, members of the Roaring
Serpent claim to have destroyed an entire VII hit squad
in Baltimore in the 1960s. According to the Archons,
VII arrived from out of town specically to carry out a
strike, and intended to depart the same evening. For the
Brood, VII is a cult of assassins without ideology and
seemingly without a return address. VII is an enemy of
the Forsworn, but only the most paranoid would consider
VII an existential threat.

the devil you know

True mages are almost unknown to

the Brood of Belial. Most Forsworn
would be hard-pressed to distinguish
a mage from a carnival huckster.
While certain factions within the Brood
have attributed strange abilities to Belial as a mortal, none have claimed he was one of the
Awakened. Relations between mages and the Forsworn
are most likely dictated by the ideological leanings of
the mage who is encountered and the circumstances
of their introduction. Since few Brood members have
foreknowledge of these beings, they would most likely
be treated as mortals. This would explain why the few
anecdotes concerning mages in the covenant are usually
tales of cold vengeance acted out by an unseen wizard,
exacting his due from an incautious covey. A mages
ego is notoriously inated and fragile, and when a covey
tarnishes willworkers pride, there is often hell to pay.
While few coveys take these precautionary tales seriously, mages are a true danger to sedentary coveys. The
Pursuit can be difcult on a domains mortal population,
and mages are nothing if not meddlesome when it comes
to their mortal pawns. Factions that nd mages within
their domains usually go out of their way to avoid them.
Dispatching a mage is not impossible or even difcult,
but as mages tend to hold grudges almost as long as the
undead, if the target survives . . . More importantly,
these magicians have nothing to offer the Forsworn.
Mages blood is not known to hide any special secrets,
and despite mages great powers, their hearts are all
too human. While factions such as the Mercy Seat are
thought to be adept at the prickly diplomacy required to
manage a mages pride, no one within the Brood claims
to have made any ongoing allies amongst them.

Werewolves

As Belials Brood is a covenant

known for its nomadic vampires,
the monsters that inhabit the woods
and the highways are of particular
concern. While the Brood has no more
knowledge of the internal politics or culture of werewolves than other vampires,
Brood members have come to understand
the territorial nature of the wolf-men. Certainly, familial
differences exist among the werewolves, but coveys
sneaking through the territory of esh-eating shapeshifters rarely stop to chat. Some of the more powerful
coveys claim to have informal truces or rights of way,
but no one is aware of any true negotiations with these

creatures. Despite the view common to most Forsworn

that werewolves are more animal than man, only the
most foolhardy seek them out for sport. Respect for the
natural rulers of the wild places is a common feeling
amongst the Forsworn, and vampires of the Brood are
deferential when crossing werewolves territory.
The passion and brutality Forsworn coveys have seen
exhibited by the werewolves resonates. These strange
creatures surely have no understanding of the Pursuit,
and little within the Broods mythology mentions them.
Truly, many Forsworn envy the ease with which werewolves seem to discard their human nature, intuitively
slipping on the beasts skin. Paradoxically, factions with
more sedentary membership, such as the Throne of
Smokeless Fire, hold the werewolves in what is ultimately the highest regard. This may have something to
do with the fact that such factions have less reason to
clash with the creatures. But despite their great prowess, the werewolves are but living things, and to hear
the elders tell it, many remain hamstrung by a system of
honor completely alien to the Brood. If even creatures
such as these nd need to delude themselves, is there
truly any hope of ever stripping away the memory of
being a man?

When rst brought into the Requiem, a vampire is

usually introduced to the multitude of covenants by his
sire or on rarer occasions, by his coterie. While many
sires may expect their progeny to follow in their footsteps, few covenants will long tolerate a member who
is not fully committed to their ideologies, pedigree not
withstanding. Those neonates who are given a choice
often agonize over which of the covenants to pledge
themselves. Having vampirism forced upon them, they
nd it difcult to believe that a covenant is truly a voluntary allegiance, to be joined or left at ones discretion.
Although most covenants do punish traitors to some
extent or other, only a few hold a grudge against those
who leave their ranks without acrimony.

UNLIFE VS. FORSWORN UNLIFE

This portion of the chapter speaks, largely in

generalities but with some specic details, of
neonates, ancillae and elders. This is all
well and good for the majority of Forsworn, who
are either Embraced more or less directly into the
Brood or nd themselves drawn to its teachings
fairly early in their Requiems.
What of the vampires who do not find
themselves embracing the Broods teachings until
decades or even centuries after their mortal lives
have ended? For these vampires, consider the
distinctions discussed here to apply primarily to
their ages as Forsworn. For instance, a 90-year-old
vampire who has only been part of the Brood for
a year would, in most respects, match the persona
and attitudes of the neonates discussed herein,
even though he is technically, by virtue of age,
an ancilla.
This isnt true of all Forsworn some of those
who come late to the Brood find themselves
swiftly taking on the beliefs and attitudes of other
vampires of their age but as a rule, it applies
more often than it does not.

Considering the poor reputation Belials

Brood has amongst the other covenants,
it should come as no surprise that few
sires outside the covenant would
suggest that their progeny should
consider joining such a cult. Since
becoming one of the Forsworn is
not a choice made lightly, few
neonates come to the Brood
before having wasted their time
in another covenant. Belials
Brood holds out the ultimate
promise of freedom for those young

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78

The Youthful Beast

the devil you know

Seeking Freedom

The Forsworn are cautioned by their elders not to

hastily judge those who approach them for counsel or
succor. For amongst these neonates are the seekers, those
vampires who have been touched by the Adversary and
long to rid themselves of the Man within. While every
faction and covey has its own principles of determining what differentiates a seeker from a spy, the rites
of initiation are regarded as the ultimate test by most
within the Brood. Seekers usually come to Belials Brood
after having contact with a site or object that has been
touched by the Adversary, but can also be drawn by their
Beasts, calling out to them to cast off the memories of
their former lives and accept the death of their esh as
the death of their mortal souls. These vampires are the
preferred and most common neonates within the Brood,
and the growing ranks of the covenant only increases
the faith of the more traditional factions. Those who are
called to seek out Belials Brood are usually neonates,
but older vampires are sometimes touched by the Adversary in this way.
All Forsworn see actively recruiting other vampires
into the covenant as an act of weakness. According to
these vampires, the Adversary has set his seal on those
who will be accepted into the covenant; in time they
will seek out the Brood and survive the initiation of their
own accord, or they wont. Recruitment is therefore a
form of hubris in their eyes, as the incautious secondguess the will of the Adversary and risk deling the
ranks of the Forsworn. Despite the popularity of this
viewpoint amongst traditionalists such as the Roaring Serpent, recruitment does occur. Recruiters often
mask their efforts from their covey and usually only
approach vampires without a covenant, and from those
only vampires who have proven their ability to keep a
secret. These recruits are then presented to the covey as
seekers who sought out the Brood on their own. While
it can be difcult to deceive covey-mates in this way,
most Forsworn will give their brethren the benet of

79

the doubt when presented with a new adherent. The

danger lies in the rites of initiation, as a recruiter will
be tempted to aid his protg. Such meddling in the
Broods rituals is dealt with harshly in most cases, and
more than one neonate has met his end after watching
his erstwhile benefactor cruelly tortured.
Rarer still are those vampires who are Embraced into
the covenant. Considering the enormous spirit it takes
to advance a Forsworns Pursuit, few wish to risk their
progress by weakening themselves to Embrace another
vampire. On top of this concern rests the ideal prevalent in many factions that vampires are called to the
Brood, and therefore there is never a guarantee that the
Adversary will favor a progeny. Despite these obvious
risks, mortals are still Embraced into the Brood on rare
occasions. These Embraces are slightly more common
amongst sedentary coveys that have established themselves in a domain or have regular contact with mortals
outside of the Pursuit. While this practice is frowned
upon, it can hardly be forbidden, although the leaders of
all the factions are usually adamant that these Embraced
neonates be initiated just as rigorously as those who seek
the Brood out. Such progeny are not the responsibility of
their sires and should technically be treated as unaligned
vampires the moment they open their eyes. Coming to
the Brood is always a matter of choice.
In practice, sires often go out of their way to prepare
their childer for the initiation rites in hopes of increasing
their prospects. Coveys are usually wary of brethren who
continually Embrace new vampires: it signies a hunger for
companionship outside the Crux that is suspicious in those
dedicated to the Adversary. Of the major factions, only
the Nameless makes anything even approach a regular
practice of Embracing new vampires into the covenant,
and the Nameless particular penchant for innovative
interpretations of portents seems to give them enough of
a spiritual mandate to avoid the ire of other Forsworn.

chapter two

vampires who have long been tormented by their conicting desires and useless conscience. Added to this is
the promise of some day understanding the very core of
vampire identity and being blessed with powers other
vampires deny themselves by grasping the shreds of
humanity they have left. While other covenants depend
on a neonates ignorance to lure them into the fold, the
Brood prefers those who have been disillusioned by what
vampire society has to offer. Neonates who hunger for
more than rehashed Bible tales or thinly disguised nursery
rhymes have the zeal that the Forsworn can channel into
the Pursuit and the full awakening of their bestial soul.

the devil you know

Revelation

Neonates need not grasp all the complex spiritual doctrines espoused by the Brood. In fact, such understanding
is commonly thought to be beyond the keen of a young
vampire, nonetheless they must participate in the rituals
and obligations of the covenant even if they do not comprehend the signicance of these actions. Still restrained
by the remnants of their human nature, neonates must
work to strengthen their connection with the Beast by
embarking on the Pursuit. Every faction, and to a lesser
extent every covey, has its own orthopraxy concerning
the Pursuit. By adhering to these proscribed actions, a
neonate can begin the process. Thus through action comes
understanding of a vampires Beast, and through this dialog

the Adversarys path is slowly unveiled. Belief in and acceptance of a vampires role in the world are an outgrowth
of deeds performed in the Adversarys name.
As humanity recedes, the Beast swells and reveals the
intuitive nature of the Investments. While this progression is similar no matter the age of the vampire, neonates
usually have a longer struggle shaking off their mortal
self-image. A neonate struggling to dene herself outside
of her human nature will nd her coveys guidance indispensable. Not only is a covey proof positive that such
a state is possible, the bond shared by a coveys brethren
draws them to aid the neonate in his travails. More importantly, the covey is the repository of the Broods rituals and
practices that have been honed over the centuries to ease
the passing of the Man and herald the rise of the Beast.
Neonates who are fortunate enough to belong to coveys
with experienced leaders are taught the covenants oral
history and the parables of Belial that best illuminate the
questions raised by their Pursuit. While nomadic coveys
are more likely to have such a spiritualist amongst their
number, sedentary coveys also put great emphasis on the
covenants founding mythology.

Organizing the Young

The Call brings vampires of all ages to Belials Brood,

but most seekers are neonates. These vampires have
heeded the Call and rejected the false security offered by
those lost Kindred who continue to act out a mortal passion play. Of this brave number, some will perish during
initiation. Those who survive the process of becoming
Forsworn are now bound to those who guided them;
they are now the neonates covey. While a vampire often
changes coveys over the course of their Requiem, most
neonates will stay with the coveys that indoctrinated
them into Belials Brood. In this rst covey, they will
discover what aspect they favor and choose a faction
to call their own. More importantly, the covey is also
their badge of membership. Only a covey will know how
ardently a neonate has gone about the Pursuit, and until
she distinguishes herself, her reputation amongst other
Forsworn will prosper on the words of her brethren.
While there are ways to garner prestige outside of the
Pursuit and the covey, many Forsworn reserve their
respect for those whose actions serve the Beast.

chapter two

Coveys

The often brutal rites of initiation are a taste of what

neonates can expect from an unlife running with a covey.
Although a neonate within Belials Brood should have a
fair grasp of the Pursuit after surviving his initiation, many
do not fully comprehend the centrality of stripping away
their humanity to the covenants ethos. Neonates who

80

the devil you know

have come to the Brood after leaving another covenant

are shocked by the seeming absence of power politics and
the intense dedication to empowering the Beast over
the Man. Once a young vampire is accepted into Belials
Brood, she is expected to observe all of the rites performed
by her covey. Some of these rituals, such as the Vaulderie,
may have been revealed to her during her initiation, but
the majority are only explained once she has become a
true member of the Forsworn. Although not foolproof, the
Crux formed among the brethren of a covey is a neonates
greatest protection as she learns what awaits her inside the
Brood. Older Forsworn may sometimes chafe under the
constraints of the powerful group bond, but neonates often
nd the rush of feelings instilled by the ritual a relief. While
many young vampires are distressed when they discover
their Requiems are destined to become re-enactments of
their former lives, the Brood gives them new purpose, and
the bonds they form within their covey re-invigorate them
with newfound passion. With their coveys dedicated to
their protection, these neonates are able to survive their
initial encounters with other Forsworn.
Many coveys refrain from traveling while testing a new
initiate. In fact, some neonates are surprised to discover
that their coveys are essentially nomadic, only being told
to pack their things after they complete their trials. Unfortunately, there is truly no other recourse for these reluctant
wanderers but to follow their coveys beyond the city limits,
for, as one of the Forsworn, they will have little chance
on their own without the wisdom of their brethren. Also,
becoming a wanderer further separates a neonate from the
familiarity of his mortal home and makes it more difcult
for him to revert to his breathing habits. Neonates who
have been accepted into established sedentary coveys have
less hazardous periods of transition, but are expected to
begin their Pursuit immediately. The dangers of the road
and the lack of readily available mortals to toy with makes
the Pursuit a difcult proposition when traveling, but
coveys based inside a city do not provide their neonates
with such excuses. In fact, sedentary coveys are known for
particularly cruel rites involving a neonates living relations
and friends; beyond fullling the Pursuit, such rites also
deprive a neonate of the familiar touchstones that bind
him to his breathing days.
For a neonate, respect is most readily acquired by successfully navigating the narrow path between aggrandizing their Beast and falling into madness. This can make
gathering status within the covenant a tricky proposition
as few domains have recognized authorities trusted to make
such judgments. A neonates covey often becomes the nal
arbitration of the neonates standing within the covenant,
and in some cases, especially amongst nomadic coveys that
spend a great deal of time traveling, a Forsworns reputation

Roles of the Neonates

Partially due to the Forsworns violent unlives, many

are relatively young and occupy positions within Belials
Brood that, in other covenants, are usually reserved for
older vampires. Although the places of greatest authority and prestige are still considered the preserve of the
ancillae and elders, Brood neonates regularly become
covey leaders and some even exhibit a peculiar insight
into the nature of the Adversary that can propel them
into positions of philosophical importance. Competition among neonates to prove their devotion to the
Pursuit can be erce, and often becomes deadly. Young
Forsworn rarely come to blows over such things, but the
zeal generated from such a game can push neonates to
ignore even the pretense of caution. Final Death and
falling to the grip of frenzy are common amongst the
Broods neonates, but the Forsworn take pride in those
who heed the Call even if they meet a bitter end.
Because Belials Brood considers actions to be of far
greater merit then pronouncements, faction leaders
are constantly searching for enthusiastic neonates who
can be entrusted with greater responsibility. The power
of neonates within the Brood is further exaggerated by
the erce independence expressed by many Forsworn,
especially as they grow older and less willing to subsume
their own desires for the benet of the covenant. Those
neonates eager to learn the covenants ways and willing to give up some of their personal freedom can nd
a host of opportunities presented to them by powerful
Forsworn desperate for reliable supporters.

Neonate as Warrior

The most common niche lled by neonates within

their covey or faction is that of a soldier. Since neonates
of all factions are expected to be about the business of

81

degrading their human nature, many develop a taste

for violence. While these young Forsworn may consider
themselves combatants for their respective faction, or
even the covenant a whole, they are rarely organized
and often only further the goals of their covey. When
charismatic covey leaders or respected members of an
inuential faction call the Forsworn to arms, the appeal
is strictly voluntary. However, factions that insist upon
a somewhat stricter hierarchy, such as the Nameless,
expect a greater degree of obedience from the neonates
who rally under their banner. Even in factions with a
more moderate attitude, coveys often punish cowards
and the overly cautious. While few expect their brethren
to rush off every time a rebrand rounds up a gaggle
of followers for a night of raiding, refusing to take part
because of fear is a strict taboo in Belials Brood.
Despite the loose structure of the covenant and its
almost complete lack of cohesive political goals, Belials
Brood offers many opportunities for neonates who have
a martial calling. Most coveys depend upon a core set
of militants amongst their brethren for protection and
muscle. As these members die off or move on to other
functions, other brethren must take their place. Just as
many things within the Brood, this is most usually an
organic process and not a matter of being assigned a task
within the covey. Unsurprisingly, neonates who have
advanced their Pursuit through brutality are the likeliest
candidates to fulll this necessary function. Nomadic
coveys often encourage neonates to see themselves as
warriors and to use their time spent outside of cities to
hone their killer instinct. Wanderers have grown accustomed to seeing the younger members of their covey
go mad or meet a violent end, and push their neonates
to further absolve themselves of fear.
The Antinomians especially prize those neonates who
take on the mantle of a warrior even before they have
completed their initiation. These young foot soldiers are
guided through grueling ceremonies that shatter their
mortal faade, leaving them on the verge of Wassail.
Coveys loose these martyrs on mortals and rivals alike,
basking in the gore created by the neonates unadulterated rage. While most neonates do not survive such
initiations, those who do are known as the sarx cults
uninching devotees. The Nameless, by comparison,
have a perverse tradition of forcing some of their more
aggressive neonates to take on stints as guardians. Many
times these Forsworn do not know exactly what or whom
they must protect, only that they must watch for other
vampires who intrude on the neonates assigned territory
and inform their superiors without being detected. Such
passive work can be torture for neonates with dreams of
glory, a fact that is not lost on the factions leaders.

chapter two

only extends as far as her covey-mates. The most widely

recognized way to identify when a neonate is on the right
track in her Pursuit is the development of the Tongue of the
Beast. Investments are also recognized as signs of progress,
but the Tongue is held in higher regard in most factions.
While additional status is not necessarily imparted on a
Forsworn when she nally manifests these abilities, higher
degrees of recognition are impossible to achieve for a
neonate without a working knowledge of them. In fact,
neonates who are lax in their resolve and do not dedicate
themselves to the Pursuit may nd themselves threatened
by their own covey-mates. Such wayward neonates are
pressed to recommit themselves to carrying out depraved
acts, and reluctance can provoke a violent rebuke. Young
Forsworn who persist in such laziness are occasionally even
destroyed by their own merciless brethren.

the devil you know

Neonate as Prote-ge-

Belials Brood is often embroiled in violent conict, and

those who possess special knowledge or skills within the
covenant can never be certain of their continued existence. Neonates who demonstrate a penchant for rituals
or a keen grasp of the underpinnings of the Brood are
encouraged to be understudies to older Forsworn. Since
a coveys brethren often meet untimely ends or members
of advanced age suddenly ostracize themselves, such
young apprentices are quite appreciated by devout Forsworn. The Roaring Serpent usually promotes deserving
neonates into such positions when one of their brethren
has trespassed against them. The criminal is destroyed by
the neonate who is to take his place, symbolically passing spiritual understanding to his murderer. Despite the
added responsibility of being another Forsworns protg,
these neonates are still expected to make progress in their
Pursuit. In rare cases, an elder may call upon multiple
neonates to learn his craft and teachings, encouraging
them in their studies by openly fostering intense rivalries.
These student conicts inevitably intensify when their
elder master nal goes into seclusion, often without appointing a clear heir. The Scarlet Rite is notorious for
fostering such deep passions in its younger members by
playing one gifted neonate against another.
All Forsworn endeavor to pick up bits of the covenants
history and master its traditions, but for the majority such
rational understanding is hollow without the insight of the
Beast. Thus, it is understandably left to the ancillae and
the elders to puzzle out the deeper meaning of ancient
parables and more modern portents. Understanding the
covenants practices is an intuitive process inexorably
linked to the Pursuit. While teaching a neonate such
things is not necessary, the Broods belief in the power of
action over thought compels Brood members to instruct
the young in rituals that will eventually reveal themselves
intuitively. Neonates understanding of will evolves and
deepens as they advance in the Pursuit, but rst they must
go through the motions.

chapter two

Neonate as Cats-paw

The high attrition rate of Forsworn neonates is partly

due to the unforgiving rules that govern a covey. Young
Forsworn who backslide once they have been accepted
into the covenant are given little more leeway than
when they were just initiates. Some factions, such as
the Throne of Smokeless Fire, doubt many neonates
will last long enough to have the deeper mysteries of
Belials Brood revealed to them. These pragmatists know
the odds of a neonates long-term survival and prefer
that their underlings be competent if not discerning.

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the devil you know

Although these neonates are not thought of as disposable, their longevity is not foremost on the minds of their
benefactors. Such neonates are tasked with distasteful
duties such as maintaining a coveys herd or securing
mortal Allies for a sedentary coveys protection. Better
suited to interacting with mortals, these neonates often
excel at these responsibilities before realizing the disdain
that most Forsworn have for such interactions. Ironically, neonates who are particularly talented at dealing
with the mortal world are not as intensely pressed to
advance their Pursuit as others within their covey, but
can nd themselves suddenly condemned for the same
activities that had previously won them praise.
The Mercy Seat also nds uses for such young pawns.
Since understanding of the Beast and the Demiurge is
intuitive as a Forsworn progresses in his Pursuit, what a
neonate is taught when he rst enters the Brood is immaterial. All these instructions will be swept away as true
understanding lls the Forsworn from the Demiurge.
Thus, neonates who seem to be failing in their Pursuit
are recruited for special instruction by the Faustians.
Instead of simply being executed, they are given hints
as to the true mysteries of the covenant and sent on
cryptic missions. Although these tasks are rarely suicidal,
the Mercy Seat reserves such dupes as messengers and
distractions. Even if caught, they further the cause by
misdirecting their enemies. Those who manage to survive such a fate, and continue on their Pursuit, have
simply proven that they are true Forsworn. The lies they
were told were but trials on their journey.

Neonates and Ancillae

Along with other neonates, young Forsworn usually

deal with ancillae when interacting with the authority
of Belials Brood. The covenant is loosely organized, but
the structure that does is exist is propped up by the ancillae, who are often taking the place of an elder who has
moved on to more solitary games. An ancilla can play a
multitude of parts in a neonates Requiem in the Brood.
These middlemen can come to represent the worst
aspects of the covenant to an idealistic neonate who
truly believed that Belials Brood had truly suppressed
political double-dealing in favor of purely spiritual work.
Ancillae can also represent the promise of success. As
neonates wrestle with the demons that plagued them as
mortals, the ancillae walk amongst them unfettered by
doubt or hesitation. These vampires are not as terrifying
or aloof as the elders, but wield startling powers without
conscience or compunction. Ironically, the ancillas last
vestiges of mortal character make him more palatable
to neonates and drive him to take a hands-on role in
the running of the covenants affairs.

the devil you know

Neonates and Elders

As neonates, Forsworn rarely interact with their

elders. Some factions pass along stories of notorious
ancients within their ranks, while others chastise those
who openly admit that any elders exist within their
number at all. According to some tales, a few neonates
have the dubious pleasure of meeting an elder of the
Brood almost immediately after being initiated into
the covenant. Supposedly, many elders lead solitary
Requiems as legendary ascetics and are sought out by
nomadic coveys with promising neonates in tow. What
happens to these students after they are left behind is
part of the storys mystery. Upon rst answering the Call,
many neonates suspect that some shadowy cabal of elder
vampires controls Belials Brood. These neonates are
quickly deprived of that illusion when the true chaos
of the Broods numerous factions and coveys becomes

chapter two

Antagonism between these two age groups is common

because of the unprecedented power that can be achieved
by a bold neonate. Many of the most inuential ancillae
rose to prominence as neonates themselves, and beat the
odds to age into maturity only to be challenged by the
next generation of Forsworn who are as unspeakably shortsighted as their probable Requiems. Ancillae become easily
frustrated by neonates who believe they have earned the
right to complete freedom by simply answering the Inmost
Tug and thus shirking their responsibility to defend the
covenant from forces that would cast it down. While neonates accuse the ancillae of hypocrisy and a lack of zeal, this
mostly stems from the neonate tendency to ascribe mortal
motivations to their superiors. Divisions not withstanding,
ancillae do occasionally mentor younger Forsworn. Usually
these vampires belong to the same covey, but there have
been notable exceptions in the past.
Coveys are usually composed of a mix of ancillae and
neonates. While these are the ancillae a neonate most
often deals with, they are his covey brethren and are usually exempt from the stereotypes the Forsworn form about
the others. The most common point of conict that arises
between neonates and ancillae is the contradictions that
these older vampires inevitably bring into being when they
order other Forsworn around in the name of the covenant.
A covey leader is expected to take charge of his brethren,
and the Crux ensures his authority and responsibility, but a
vampire outside of a covey has a tenuous claim on leadership. If the primary task set before a neonate is the Pursuit,
and if the Pursuit is the central purpose of the Brood, no
obligation or mission could possibly take precedence.
While such arguments are freely expressed, ancillae are
not forgiving of neonates who undermine the authority the
ancillae have built up beyond their own covey.

83

apparent. Beyond being the bogeymen and heroes of

Forsworn fantasy, elders are the purest manifestation
of the Adversary on Earth.
Just as neonates usually see the ancillae as bureaucrats,
elders are seen as terrible gods drawn from the pages of
the Old Testament. The independence, solitude and
deference afforded to elders by other Forsworn confuse
younger vampires who had always been told that the
Brood was nothing more than a diablerie cult. Much
of what the younger Forsworn know about the elders
is transmitted through the ancillae. Since the ancillae
have more direct contact with these creatures and hope
to reach such a state themselves one night, these stories
are often embellished and romanticized. Neonates who
do have the honor of meeting an elder face-to-face are
usually surprised by the alien nature of the thing, and such
meetings usually signify that the poor unfortunate has become caught up in on of the monsters many schemes.

The Seasoned Beast

The ancillae form the invisible spine of Belials Brood.

Neither as overtly violent and brash as the neonates nor as
contemplative and spiritually attained as the elders, these
vampires all but disappear into the more dramatic shadows
of their younger and older counterparts. Nevertheless, the
ancillae form a vital part of the Brood, one without which
the covenant could not hope to continue.
It is unsurprising to those who study the Brood as best
they can that the ancillae are far smaller in number than
the covenants neonates. After all, given the tendency
of the younger vampires to engage in seemingly random
orgies of overt violence, its a wonder any of them survive
to reach maturity at all. What is far more surprising, however, is that the ancillae do not number many more than
the Broods elders. While the neonates have the highest
fatality rate, the ancillae suffer the highest percentage of
attrition from other sources. It can be no wonder, then,
that the ancillae have such a minuscule impact on the
Broods appearance and nature, at least where the outside
world of the Kindred are concerned.

chapter two

Roles of the Ancillae

It would be a mistake to suggest that the Broods

ancillae are deliberately excluded from positions of
prominence or authority. Belials Brood, after all, is not
truly a covenant in any recognizable sense of the word.
The Brood has no real formal structure for the ancillae
to be excluded from. The fact that both the neonates
and the elders drive the sect to a greater degree than the
ancillae is a product of the race itself, and the nature of
all who speak the secret tongue of the Beast. Despite this

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the devil you know

fact, the ancillae seem to recognize on an instinctual

level, if not a conscious one that they are the least
prominent, and often considered the least important and
least pure portion of the Brood, and this understanding
colors their attitude toward their brethren.

Relations with Neonates

The ancillae of Belials Brood have developed beyond

the near-instinctive, primal rage and violence that drives
the sects youngest members, and for which the Brood
is primarily known. Thus, the ancillae often look down
with disdain upon Brood neonates, not unlike a child
who has only just outgrown some infantile behavior looks
down on younger siblings who still practice it. Its not
that the ancillae of the Brood are any less possessive of
mortals, or any less eager to display their own strength
by shedding the blood of those weaker than they. Rather,
the ancillae see their ability to control those desires to
be a mark of maturity. Any animal can rip and tear at
its prey without thought or restraint. A vampire truly in
touch with his Beast, however, knows that indiscriminate
violence is not what it wants. The Beast is the soul of a
hunter, not a mass murderer, and Wassail without rst
obtaining a true understanding of the vampiric nature
is nothing more than spiritual surrender.
Other reasons for this general attitude toward the
Broods neonates exist, of course, reasons that few
ancillae indeed would admit to, or even acknowledge.
Many ancillae, having only recently overcome the
propensity to mindless violence, see it as a threat to
the sect. Already, they forget how vital a step it is on
the path to understanding the Beast that is their soul.
Where their elders are wise enough to acknowledge the
neonatal stage as a necessity, despite its inherent risks,
the ancillae believe it only draws attention the Brood
would do well to avoid.
Pride, too, drives the ancilla disdain for the neonates.
The mortality rate among Brood neonates is fairly
high, so each vampire who survives views doing so as a
personal accomplishment. Neonates who have not yet
done so are a reminder of what the ancillae used to be,
and each neonate is a potential rival, should he, too,
survive his rst years in the Brood.
But perhaps the greatest motivator of all is jealousy.
For all the ancillaes pride at overcoming their youthful
nature, at nding a balance between the Beasts myriad
instincts, they still feel the call of the Blood, still glorify
the taking of life and the heat of battle. A part of every
ancilla of the Brood, no matter how much he might
wish to deny it, longs to return to the nights of youthful
freedom he experienced as a neonate.

The ancillae of the Brood arent as easily summarized

in their attitudes toward their elders as they are toward
the neonates. All ancillae respect their elders to at least
some extent. The elders have achieved levels of understanding of the Word of the Adversary, the teachings
or examples of Belial, and the nature of vampires themselves at which their younger brethren can only grasp.
The elders have utterly mastered their own nature, or so
the ancillae believe, nding a perfect balance between
the needs of the spiritual Beast and the undead but still
corporeal esh in which it is housed.
Yet a signicant portion of the Broods ancillae scoff at
their elders as well, seeing them as too old and set in their
ways, too unwilling to provide the guidance and leadership
that could turn Belials Brood from a semi-united religious
sect into a true covenant. These ancillae do not yet understand that doing so would be counter to the nature and
teachings of Belial, that the group must remain driven by
instinct and religious faith, not by any political hierarchy.
They have not yet fully grasped that in order to truly
become one with the Beast, the Foresworn must devote
their attentions inward, leaving both mortals and outside
Kindred alone save where interaction is absolutely necessary. No, these ancillae see only the worldwide spread of the
covenants the Invictus, the Ordo Dracul and especially
their spiritual rivals, the Lancea Sanctum and they
wish for an equal degree of power and authority.
They are a minority amongst the ancillae of the Forsworn, but those who think this way are numerous enough
to cause problems for their brothers and sisters in the
Brood. These ancillae push for their elders to do more,
to take a true and active leadership of the Brood. These
ancillae deride the elders for failing to do so, and some
among them have even attempted to take such positions of
power for themselves. To date, the scattered and informal
nature of the Brood has prevented any ancillae from doing
so, but should any of them succeed, it would represent
the rst true formal organization of the Forsworn (even
in minute quantities). How other Forsworn, and indeed
outside Kindred, might react to such an occurrence is
something these ancillae might do well to consider.

Faith, Observance
and Forsworn Nature

The Forsworn ancillae are the most overtly and expressively devout members of Belials Brood. This isnt to say
that theyre any more religious than their elders; if anything,
the reverse is more frequently the case. The elder Foresworn
understand, however, that their veneration of the Adver-

85

sary, and Belial his messenger, is a very personal thing, an

understanding between the Beast and the shell that houses
it. The ancillae, however, are still new to their faith, and
they believe they have a far greater understanding of their
religion such as it is than they actually do.
Many ancillae make a mistake common to so many
practitioners of religion, be they Kindred or mortal:
specically, they confuse practice for faith. By this
reckoning, anyone who practices the rites and the rituals frequently must, perforce, be more devout than one
who does so less often. They scowl at elders who do
not participate as frequently, questioning their devotion to the Brood and the depths of their belief. Even
most ancillae who do not fall into this logical fallacy are
frequent and devout practitioners of the rites, seeking
within them a greater connection to, and understanding
of, the Adversary and their own dark souls.
Thus, ancillae gather regularly when circumstances
permit, sometimes even on a nightly basis, to perform
the various Archontes and dynamei. While the Broods
neonates are more likely to perform random, homemade
or simply half-understood sacrices to a being they believe is the Biblical Satan, anyone who has witnessed a
true Forsworn Black Mass has almost certainly witnessed
a covey formed largely, if not solely, of ancillae.

chapter two

Relations with Elders

the devil you know

Relations with the Unlearned

A great many of the ancillae grow haughty and arrogant about their religious practices. If they look down
upon neonates for their wild, uncontrolled ways, and
at some of their elders for failing to practice as often,
the ancillae view vampires outside the Brood with little
more than scorn. How blind these fools are to the truth
of their own nature! How weak they are, how unworthy
of Belials teachings or the blessings of the Adversary!
This attitude makes it difcult for some Forsworn
ancillae to interact with non-Brood vampires, at least
in the long term. While their elders have learned how
to balance their religious practices and beliefs with the
needs of nightly living when among the nonbelievers,
many ancillae are unable to hide their contempt. Many
of those Forsworn ancillae who die at the hands of other
Kindred do so not specically because they are members
of the Brood, but simply because their condescending
attitudes anger one vampire too many.
A signicant minority of ancillae who do not feel this
way move, instead, too far in the other direction. The
teachings of Belial discourage any form of proselytizing;
all those who are appropriate for the Brood will be drawn
to the Brood of their own volition, led by their own Call
and Cathexis. By their ability to speak the Tongue of the

Beast, and by their instinctive knowledge of at least the

basics of the Adversarys desires, are they known. To seek
out converts, to spread the word of Belial by any means
other than action, is a subversion of those teachings.
Nevertheless, some ancillae fail to grasp the importance
of this prohibition. They do, indeed, observe the other
Kindred of their cities, seeking those they feel have the
makings of the Forsworn, and approaching them. They are
not stupid in this. They dont simply walk up and began
talking about Belials Word. They attempt to get to know
the other vampire, to make her acquaintance, to feel her
out on various dictates and strictures of the Brood without
making it clear that this is what they are doing.
In the vast majority of cases, one of three things happens: either the other vampire proves inappropriate for
some reason (after many long nights of discussion and
observation), the other vampire freaks out and ees
when the topic of the Brood itself nally comes up or
other Forsworn learn of what is occurring and admonish
their misguided brother to cease what hes doing.
On rare occasions, however, a vampire attempts to
join Belials Brood in this fashion. To date, none of these
false Forsworn has ever manifested the Broods language, suggesting that no vampire can truly understand
the Adversarys criteria for choosing his servants. True
members of the Brood slaughter these false Forsworn
wherever they are found.
Other ancillae, those who better understand the
nature of Belials Brood, also seek out new converts
not by proselytizing, but by nding those who have
come to their own instinctive understanding of the
Adversary and the Kindred nature, and bringing them
into the fold. While a substantial number of Forsworn,
particularly neonates, never truly realize they are part
of a larger fraternity of vampires, the more organized
sects and coveys of the Brood prefer to nd as many
of these newcomers as they can, the better to educate
them (and, not incidentally, to swell that coveys own
ranks). Obviously, other neonates cannot be trusted to
undertake such a task, and the elders tend to have better
things to do, leaving the ancillae to pick up the slack.

chapter two

Understanding Through Faith

One of the needs that drives all Forsworn ancillae

is the search for understanding. They have outgrown
their phase of acting on pure instinct. Even though the
instincts of the Beast are to be embraced, they represent
merely the rst step to true comprehension of the teachings of the Adversary. For a vampire to become what he
was meant to be, he must nd a complete balance of the
Beast within the connes and dictates of the physical
world or at least to make every effort to do so until

86

the devil you know

he is somehow slain, and gone to join the Adversary directly. Neonates do not yet understand or share this need
for understanding, and elders have had time to grasp at
least the fundamentals, to discover their own methods
of spiritual learning, to turn their attentions fully inward
rather than outward. For the ancillae, however, the quest
is new, and it is all-encompassing.
Not all ancillae approach this learning in the same
fashion, of course. Many simply continue their nightly
Requiem, abiding by what they understand of Belials
teachings, in the hopes that greater understanding will
come to them instinctively, even as did their rst taste of
the Beast set loose. Others seek out elders or older ancillae
of the Brood, hoping to serve them, and through service,
to learn. (Most ancillae understand enough to know that
if they seek simply to study at an elders feet, theyre in for
disappointment. Belials teachings have no room for passive learning; to learn, a vampire must do.) Some ancillae
feel that even the more learned Forsworn can provide only
a limited amount of knowledge, and seek out other, more
ancient sources of information on Belial or the teachings
of the Brood. In fact, while the hunt for such ancient
texts and historical curiosities is common throughout the
Brood, the ancillae make up the overwhelming majority
of such seekers. Finally, a small but growing number of
ancillae attempt to learn about their own natures by submerging themselves, if only briey, in the society, politics
and culture of other vampires. By observing how the weak
behave, by watching them in their foolish and ultimately
futile struggle against the Beast, the Forsworn hope to learn
through negative example how best to commune with
their own dark souls. (It probably goes without saying, but
the few ancillae who choose this route are, perforce, not
numbered among those who cannot hide their disdain for
non-Forsworn vampires, as discussed previously.)

Investments

Of all the Forsworn, the ancillae are the most likely to

deliberately seek out opportunities to learn and master
the Investments that are the hallmark of the Broods mysticism. Some neonates develop such abilities instinctively,
spontaneously manifesting powers that others have to
work at, but this is an unpredictable, if not particularly
uncommon, phenomenon. Elders, on the other hand,
have often mastered at least the rudiments of a wide
array of Investments, and prefer to devote their efforts
toward increasing their understanding of the powers they
already have. The ancillae, however, have just begun
their deliberate delve into the occult secrets of the Brood.
Some devote themselves to it body and soul, spending
countless nights in study, prayer or service to their elders
in exchange for a promise of illumination. Even those who

Factions and Allegiance

It is perhaps to be expected, but ancillae are the Forsworn

most likely to shift factions within Belials Brood. Neonates
are often drawn to a faction through pure instinct, or even
fail to recognize the difference in factions at all, while the
elders have had time to nd their niche, but ancillae are
still nding their own path. While the majority of Forsworn tend to remain in a single faction, nding that they
t well within the group to which they were instinctively
attracted, a signicant minority nd their attitudes and
beliefs changing over the years. A Forsworn might nd her
belief regarding the origin and nature of Belial swayed by
her mytho-historical studies. More frequently, a Forsworn
vampire might nd himself driven to pursue a different
aspect of the Trinity altogether, following a period of intense
delving into the rst, or to simply develop his mastery of his
existing aspect. A Hyletic of the Scarlet Rite might nd his
attitudes hardening, for example, driving him toward the
more brutal expressions of the Pandaemonium.
This has little to do with the age of the ancillae; rather,
this is simply the rst opportunity most Forsworn have
to really study and analyze their own beliefs, as well as
the other options available to them. Nevertheless, more
than a few elders within the Brood view their younger
brethren as ckle, due to this precise effect.
With a very few exceptions, this faction-jumping has
few true repercussions. The ancillas old comrades may
harbor resentment, and his new ones might be somewhat
distrusting, but only the most violently fanatic Forsworn
would take action against a brother or a sister for changing factions. In a few cases, however such as the now
infamous Purifying Djinn of Salem, Massachusetts, in
the late 70s a member of a faction is indeed sufciently
fanatic, or a convert is sufciently prominent, that such a
defection does indeed result in beatings, long-term enmities and even the occasional assassination or sacrice.
Far more rare, but of far greater importance and repercussion, is the occasional Forsworn apostate. The instinc-

87

tive draw toward the Brood means that nearly all who
join have the appropriate personality and temperament to
remain Foresworn for the entirety of their potentially limitless existence. Every now and again, however, a member
of the Brood seeks to leave the fold. Her experiences, as
she ages, might cause her personal beliefs to drift out of
line with the teachings of Belial and veneration of the Adversary. She may nd her political ambitions outweigh her
commitment to the Brood, causing her to seek temporal
power among the other Kindred rather than remain with
her brothers and sisters. She might simply prove unable
to shake the last lingering traces of guilt that come with
even the slightest remnant of Humanity.
Again, the ancillae produce the overwhelming majority of these apostates, and for much the same reasons
that the ancillae shift factions more often than anyone
else. Again, the neonates havent reached the point
when they can begin to make these sorts of decisions
or to question their beliefs, and the elders have had
time to grow comfortable with their positions and to
cement their faith and attitudes. The ancillae, however,
especially the relatively young ones, are only just now
reaching the stage when they can truly examine their
actions and the teachings of the Brood with any degree
of detachment and logic. Only a tiny fraction of ancillae
ever attempt to leave the Brood but this is still a far
larger percentage than any other age group.

chapter two

consider Investments a secondary priority, however, are

unlikely to pass up the opportunity to learn.
This is a potentially dangerous stage in the growth of
the Forsworn. More than one ancilla has become drunk
on the power of the Investments, forgetting that they
bear a cost beyond those of most Kindred Disciplines.
On occasion, such ancillae lose all sight of their faith,
seeing the power of the Investments as an end unto itself.
Ultimately, these Forsworn either fall into Wassail, or
drift so completely away from the dictates of the Brood
that they lose all access to the Investments with which
they were so obsessed.

the devil you know

Struggling with Humanity

While neonates have the highest mortality rate within

the Brood, ancillae are the Forsworn most likely to fall
to Wassail. The younger members either get themselves
killed before they have the chance to lose the last vestiges of their Humanity; or else they reach a stage of
vicious equilibrium, wherein the bloody rampages for
which they are known are no longer capable of causing
further degeneration. The elders of the Brood have almost universally low Humanity, but they have learned
to walk the nest of lines and to take full advantage of
Belials teachings, allowing them to maintain a thin line
between them and Wassail. The ancillae, however, have
reached the stage when they must deliberately shed all
but the barest traces of their humanity, yet they lack the
elders knowledge and occult skills. Some succumb to
the Beast during occult rites, others when performing
acts of brutal and methodical barbarity extreme even
for Belials Brood. The informality of the Brood and the
inability of outsiders to study Brood members in depth
makes precise percentages impossible to determine, but
its possible that as many as one-quarter to one-third
of all Forsworn who survive to become ancillae fall to
Wassail before reaching their elder years.

chapter two

Ancillae and the Hexad

While the previous material applies more or less

equally across the various factions and sects of Belials
Brood, the ancillae of various aspects do indeed differ
from their brethren in some key respects. Presented here,
in brief, is an overview of the three aspects of the Trinity,
highlighting the differences as they apply specically to
the factions ancillae.
The Nameless
The ancillae of the Nameless devote much of their
attention to searching for signs of Belials return and supervising the factions efforts at discovering the modern
remnants of his mortal line. Their elders may interpret
prophecy and maintain a greater understanding of the
Adversarys scriptures, but their younger brethren go
out into the world and seek hard evidence, or even the
most subtle omens, of the end times.
Paradoxically, Nameless ancillae lead a nightly existence that, at least on the surface, seems more similar
to that of non-Forsworn vampires than do most other
members of the Brood. Nameless ancillae practice a
great many rites and rituals, of course, but beyond
those, the Nameless need to observe the world largely
unaltered by their own activities, if they are to have the
greatest opportunities to discover and interpret the signs
of things to come.
The Roaring Serpent
The ancillae Archons take their existence as hunters
of humanity completely to heart. The Archons are direct
descendents of the rst vampire, and they will behave
as such in his name and his memory. They focus on the
hunt, and on their efforts to become the embodiment
of the vampiric state. These ancillae eschew the mindless violence of their younger brethren and the static
contemplation of their elders, preferring instead to ride
the wave of their instincts and their Beasts without
forgetting who and what they seek to become.
As hunters incarnate or at least those who wish to
become such the vampires of the Roaring Serpent
endeavor to eschew political and social machinations
even more than other Forsworn. They consider it a
distraction from the true nature of the vampiric state,
and scoff at those who allow themselves to be caught
up in such matters. The ancillae are frequently the
most disdainful of other vampires, making even other
Archons look tolerant.
The Pandaemonium
The direct opposite of the Nameless, at least on the
surface, the Foresworn of the Pandaemonium spend an
enormous number of their waking hours engaged in Sa-

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the devil you know

tanic and occult rites, and the factions ancillae are easily
the most wrapped up in those rituals. Neonates might
seek to practice these rituals, but they often have little
clue what theyre doing, thus performing Black Masses
that are hardly more legitimate than those of rebellious
teens. The ancillae, however, have learned a substantial
amount of the true lore and practices behind the rites,
while not yet reaching the level of mastery that allows
them to practice primarily on their own. When outsiders
picture the nightly requiem of the Forsworn assuming
outsiders picture anything beyond the mindless violence
of the Broods youngest members odds are the outsiders see the ancillae of the Pandaemonium.
The Mercy Seat
To those unfamiliar with the faction, the ancillae of the
Mercy Seat would seem, far and away, to be its least effective members. The rate of failure in their efforts to lead
mortals into temptation and sin is staggering, as compared
to the success of both the neonate and elder Faustians.
In truth, this has nothing to do with the ancillaes
abilities, but rather their focus. By the time they reach
this age, the ancillae have outgrown the neonate tendency to focus on easy targets, to celebrate in the corruption of those who have already lived lives of sin. The
ancillae realize that corrupting a criminal or a sinner is
no accomplishment at all, but they have yet to achieve
their elders skill in leading even the righteous to damnation. Thus, though they attempt to lay low the pure
and the faithful, they have not yet fully mastered the
methods for doing so. They spend much time discussing
their efforts with their brothers and sisters, developing
the skills that should eventually transform them into
tempters worthy of the Demiurge itself.
The Throne of Smokeless Fire
Djinn ancillae have just begun to obtain positions
of true power, both within the faction (or at least their
own covey) and in the mortal world. They have taken
to heart the lessons they learned as neonates, and have
dedicated themselves to the individual advancement
so prized by the sect. Capable of a level of long-term
scheming unreachable by their younger brothers, but not
yet as set in their ways as the elders, the ancillae of the
Throne of Smokeless Fire rise and fall far faster
and more frequently than any other Djinn.
The nightly life of the Djinn ancillae resembles that of
non-Forsworn vampires more than those of most other
members of the Brood. Whether Djinn ancillae are competing with their fellow Djinn for mastery over the covey, or manipulating mortals in a bid for temporal power, the ancillaes
ambitions certainly seem to match those of outside Kindred,
even if the Djinns motivations are very different.

The Eldest Beast

When one speaks of the elders of the Forsworn, one

is speaking of what are perhaps the most malevolent
and alien beings in all of vampirekind. Luckily, due to
the extreme course that their spiritual path takes, these
monstrosities are a true rarity. The reasons for the low
count on elders among Belials Brood can be attributed
to several factors. First, similar to most of their brethren,
the elders steer clear of Kindred society as a whole. Due
to grossly deteriorated humanity, the acquisition of Investments and the pillar-like role they play in their coveys, Forsworn elders are much like living treasures to the
Brood, with some factions revering these self-sculpted
demons as a Roman Catholic would point to the ceiling
of the Sistine Chapel a testimony to the achievements
of their faction and to Belials Brood itself. Among some
coveys, where the ancient Forsworn have maintained a
coherent focus, the elder takes on a role that is similar
to that of a hermit, left to his own devices until times of
spiritual quandary, when his cryptic, inhuman ranting is
deciphered through complex and non-intuitive rites that
unfold the coveys future direction. In cases in which the
elders have become less approachable, they function in
the capacity of a twisted role model, a paragon of bestial
wisdom and spectacular inhumanity.
Due to the nature of Investments, deteriorated Humanity and the hatred many vampires feel for the Forsworn, elders of Belials Brood often seem rare because
they usually desire solitude. Occasionally tempted to
commit explosive violence and ritual cruelty even at the
expense of the covey, many elders do not keep regular
company with their coveys, only surfacing to participate
in rituals or aid in protecting their covey-mates. At other
times, the elder is entirely invisible, moving about the
havens and territories of his covey like a legendary beast,
transforming the whole of the territory into his personal
ritual chamber onto which he inscribes the massacres

89

of his devotion. Between 1979 and 1981, a Forsworn

elder known only as El Abominar transformed 20 square
blocks of the city of Santa Ana into a bloody offering
in honor of its Beast. The incident would have been
disastrous to the areas Forsworn population were it not
for the activities of mortal right wing death squads that
were also active in the area at that time. Luckily for the
Forsworn, the World of Darkness is rarely without such
horric occurrences that serve to hide their doings.

chapter two

The Scarlet Rite

The ancillae of the Scarlet Rite make even the heights
of vampire erotica pale in comparison. The entire faction is devoted to lust, gluttony and excess, but nobody
practices them to such a degree as the ancillae. They
have had the time to advance beyond the fairly unoriginal orgies and excesses of the neonates, but have not yet
found their preferred debasements as have the elders.
Thus, the Hyletic ancillae are the Foresworn most likely
to feel out and experiment with the extremes of sexual
taboo, to push well beyond the boundaries of even the
most broadminded mortal fetishist into horric levels
of sadism and perversion.

the devil you know

Thirst

Just as any other vampire of advanced age and Blood

Potency, the Forsworn elder eventually develops a taste
and need for the blood of other vampires. Unlike Kindred who are immersed in a continuous culture of their
own kind, the Broods eldest must make more complex
efforts to acquire the precious Vitae. The most common
method of feeding makes use of the blood of the covey
members themselves. This simply involves the elders
covey-mates pooling offerings of their blood and then
giving the blood to the elder. While this practice is both
natural and familiar to a Brood covey, the fact that the
other covey-mates do not also partake of the pooled
Vitae can sometimes cause complications, as the sole
members ingestion of every drop can do strange things
to an elders relationship with his covey. Although heavily distorted by the Vaulderies effects, odd spasms of
dependence and attachment can cause the elder to act
even more unpredictably than normal, often resulting
in a disruption to the coveys operations.
The alternative, however, is the sacrice of another
vampire to the coveys elder. Ideally, the covey will hunt
for a member of one of the other covenants, often preferring those who embody a virtue that is opposed to their
coveys philosophy. For some, the members of the Lancea Sanctum represent spiritual stagnation; for others,
the Carthians represent the obstacle of humanity itself,
whereas the Invictus might embody cowardice and the
Circle of the Crone represents the teetering reluctance
to embrace ones true birthright. Regardless of covenant,
the Kindred are generally fed to the elder by his covey
to show contempt for the associated ideology as well as
to appease the elders terrible hunger.
In cases of extreme isolation, however, other measures
may become necessary. The rst method, sometimes referred to as veal by the younger Forsworn, involves the
capture of a human being. Once this human is selected,
she is Embraced, outside of any ritual context. The vampire
who performs the Embrace sees his contribution as sacred
and is often looked upon fondly by the elder for whom the
vampire did the service. After the Embrace, the newly created vampire is locked in a lightless cell and sustained on

only enough blood to keep from falling into torpor. Over

the period of one year, the incarcerated vampire quickly
goes mad from pangs of shaking hunger, terror and fury
a sacrice to the Demiurge made up of her sanity. At the
close of the year, another human is introduced, bound and
gagged, to the cell. After gorging herself on the blood of his
cellmate, the vampire is pulled from her prison, fattened
and sated, and staked through the heart. The vampire is
then stretched out by the covey and ceremonially fed to
the elder. As vile as this may seem, even for the Forsworn,
many of the scholars of Belials Brood believe this practice
dates back to the Broods origins, when the one known as
Enkhatur would create and prepare vampires specically
intended as sacrices to great Belial himself.
The very last resort, of course, is the sacrice of a
member of the elders own covey. In each such case, this
sacrice has either betrayed the covey or has become too
chaotic for the covey to function as it needs to. Forsworn
elders bereft of covey-mates must nd sustenance the
same as any other elder.

chapter two

Roles of the Elder Beast

While some generalizations can be made about the

powerful elders of Belials Brood, their function and
nature is primarily dictated by the philosophies theyve
used to steer themselves toward such a state. Therefore,

90

the devil you know

to explore the elders of the Brood, one must consider

the aged vampire in relation to the faction to which he
has given he allegiance.

Elders and the Sarx

Elders who have dedicated themselves to factions

focused upon the actualization of the sarx are dreadful
monsters in the most traditional sense of the word. Consumed by enormous lusts and compulsions of violence,
they often gorge themselves on blood during elaborate
rituals, which they celebrate with their coveys, acting as
the demented ringleaders of complex sacricial litanies
derived from there unfolding insanity. Nonetheless, because of the physical nature of the sarx cults sacraments
and austerities, the elders are often far more coherent
at their core than those Forsworn who seek the renement of the more cerebral pillars of soma and pneuma.
Because of this, sarx-aspected elders are often capable
of coherent leadership and strategy, often possessed of
their faculties to a degree that allows them to masterfully
negotiate the snares laid for his covey by Kindred of the
covenants and others who would seek to destroy the
Forsworn. In contrast, when elders who exalt the sarx
do nally snap, the physical nature of their Investments
ensures that the true monster born of permanent frenzy
will be a force to be reckoned with.

91

on the esh. For this reason, the elders of the faction

serve as focus points when the Scarlet Rite performs
their more elaborate rites. Like stones set within the
concentric circles of a Zen gardens sands, the elders
are a point of meditation amidst the undulating esh of
the Scarlet Rites orgies. Because the Hyletic philosophy
prefers beauty to brawn when selecting its candidates
for Embrace, the power that comes with age is vital to
the defense of the factions havens. In instances such
as these, the uid grace of the elder becomes savage
and destructive, fully capable of fending off any but the
most extreme threats. Regardless, violence is not their
preferred method of dealing with conict; they prefer to
win their enemies trust so that they can be lead through
the labyrinths of Hyletic belief transformed into the
source of their own undoing.

chapter two

The elders who afliate themselves with the hyperviolent branches of the Pandaemonium are, oddly, some
of the most human of Forsworn, or so they seem. Due
to their strange combination of intellect and savagery,
Antinomians create an ideological labyrinth in which
they trap both the Man and the Beast. Although the
non-linear occult formulae the faction makes use of
help to deteriorate the Humanity of the younger Antinomians, these are the same ideas to which the human
remnant clings when it nds itself dangling over the
yawning maw of the Beast. The language they use might
be nonsensical, but it is still motivated by a desire to
express devotion and abide by the coveys rites. Their
appearance might be monstrous, but it is still mutilated
and modied in a way that was born from a reactionary
and individuating process styled along a very human understanding of what those things are as well as mean.
In a faction that clings so heavily to formality and
traditional occult forms of hierarchy, Antinomian elders
are treated as revered clergy, often adored by their covey
(as either dark saint or enlightened demagogue), which
often results in the covey having a very Manson Family
atmosphere. Regardless, the elder does not remain on a
pedestal as he is constantly called upon to transmit extended teachings, expound upon alien koans, and craft
and rene the ritual process that the covey believes will
lead it to total bestial consciousness. The elder often
serves as the voice of the coveys history, which is often
important to Antinomian scholars, who, for some reason,
insist on maintaining an true and faithful account of how
their number brought the world to its end. Only in the
minds of the deeply mad would such a pointless exercise
be worth such a devoted effort or make any sense.
Perhaps the most perverse of Forsworn elders are those
who have pledged their hearts and minds to the Scarlet
Rite. Whereas the Antinomians painstakingly fashion
themselves into hideous monsters or living symbols
of some obscure occult concept, the Hyletic elders,
similarly, represent the Scarlet Rites physical and
spiritual ideals. Instead of mutilating and twisting the
physical form, the Hyletic elders cultivate androgyny,
youthfulness and a strange, gossamer otherworldliness
that results in a presence unlike any other. Due to their
mastery of secret devotions known only to devotees of
the Scarlet Rite who have demonstrated an advanced
understanding of the sensual and sexual arts, the perceptions of those around them are distorted and their
inhibitions stripped from them.
Beneath their alien beauty, the masters of the Scarlet
Rite are beyond attachment. Abiding by the tenets of the
Hyletic philosophy, all meaning and purpose is stripped
from anything they come into contact with, leaving

the devil you know

Elders and the Soma

In the minds of many Forsworn scholars, the pillar

of soma represents those things that many believe to
be the very essence of being a vampire. Domination,
predation and violent competition are all characteristics
emphasized by these cults. Therefore, the elders of these
cults usually nd themselves in positions of signicant
power, leading their coveys and providing the vision
that guides them spiritually. Unlike the elders of sarx
and pneuma cults, the elders of the soma cults are more
like generals or Princes, leaving the ne points of ritual
and other such preparation to zealous neophytes and
the ancillae who oversee them. Although such rigid
power structures might seem uncharacteristic for such
vicious and violent factions as the Roaring Serpent and
the Throne of Smokeless Fire, the effect of these coveys
is more like the eerie unication that one would see in
a pack of jackals, a swarm of starving rats or the alien
hum that sounds from a swarm of locusts.
Take your typical Invictus elder and strip away every
last vestige of decency, mercy, grace and justice. Then,
where there was once humanity, insert the most destructive and dominant of beasts, a perfect vampiric killing
machine. This is the nature of the elders of the Roaring
Serpent perfect vampires, nothing more, nothing
less. Through the actualization of the most pure and
natural desires and instincts of the Beast, the Archon
elders are often imbued with any variety of Investments,
not merely those associated with the soma. Within their
coveys, Archon elders are very similar to the Princes of
those cities controlled by the ve covenants. Archon
elders delegate to their covey-mates and harshly judge
and punish those who would fail to fulll the desires
of the groups Crux. In very, very rare instances, when
multiple coveys devoted to the Roaring Serpent are

cooperating, a kind of shadow Prince may be instated,

mimicking the methods of a proper Kindred city but
unhindered by the slow politics of those wishing to
maintain a semblance of civility.
Djinn elders are quite different from those who dwell
among the Archons. Given to elaborate ceremony, the
martial and competitive nature of the Throne of Smokeless Fire is personied in its elders, who create the rituals
and trials that temper their coveys neonates into hardened Djinn soldiers. Though not as abjectly hierarchical
as the Roaring Serpent, the Throne of Smokeless Fires
elders are the keepers of what little Djinn lore exists
and provide the structure in which the ttest and most
ruthless grow to inherit their birthright. In matters of
physical competition, merciless Djinn elders judge the
ghts and take a deep pleasure in condemning those
who fail in their trials to slow, painful deaths, making an
example of the weakness that failure and defeat bring to
light. When the ancillae of the Djinn compete against
each other in matters of territory seizure, campaigns
of terrorism directed against mortal institutions and
other more drawn-out affairs, the wise and watchful
eye of the Thrones elders monitor the contest. Most
importantly, Djinn elders hold themselves responsible for
ensuring the observance of the Archontes and dynamei
that forge the tie between the Djinn and their future,
actualized and perfect selves. However, although the
Vaulderie protects elders from threats of diablerie from
within their covey, the ancient vampires of the Throne
of Smokeless re are terribly paranoid and reactionary
beings, always watchful for those Djinn outside their
coveys who would claim the power of the elders hearts
blood for their own.

chapter two

Elders and the Pneuma

The philosophies embraced by the cult of the pneuma

have a particular appeal for reclusive, paranoid elders.
Methods used by the Forsworn spiritualists simultaneously evolve the elders capacity for interacting with
his Beast that gradually grows more and more powerful. Elders invested in the rites and philosophies of the
pneuma are the most likely of the Forsworn to act as
gurus, communicating through teachings derived from
their own descent, poetry derived from the surging blood
and fury of frenzys throes and the unspoken language
of ritual ordeals constructed to liberate the bestial soul
from the oppression of morality and fear. Although their
self-mastery often exceed that of elders devoted to the
sarx and soma, their unpredictability is also far greater.
Given to meditations upon the irrational and vicious
genius of the Beast within, their motives are seemingly
random to anyone outside of their coveys and viewed

92

the devil you know

with a religious zeal by those closest to them. The words

of these elders are often recorded and form the substance
of grimoires (many of which become Resonants) which
not only nd use outside of their coveys, but also among
Forsworn of other factions due to their profound insights
into realm of the Adversary. These books are often found
by Kindred elders of the other covenants, slowly coaxing
them by appealing to the most intellectualized aspects
of their repressed Beasts.
Faustian elders are rarely seen by any outside of their
coveys. Devoted to semi-religious precepts implied by
their understanding of the pneuma as well as their belief
in a pure, untainted realm of spirit, the elders of the
Mercy Seat isolate themselves in ongoing meditation in
an effort to keep their minds and spirits equally pure of
intention. While they certainly perceive themselves as
beings of pure malevolence, the course of corruption that
a Faustian covey follows is not a simple or obvious thing,
or the selection of prey. Locked away in well-guarded
temple-mansions, the Faustian elder plots the undoing
of those he sees in his visions, and then delegates the
steps and instructions to his covey-mates, in some cases
not letting the various operatives have any sense of the
overarching scheme. In this way, the elder of a Mercy
Seat covey can maintain the integrity of his vision without the insubordination or individual interpretations of
his younger brethren. In this way, the neonates can learn
their roles, and the ancillae can master the emptiness
necessary to perfectly assume anothers identity.
During self-imposed isolations, elders of the Mercy
Seat become lost in research and meditation. Their
research mostly consists of two things: identities and
infrastructure. The construction of new identities for
their covey-mates to assume is tricky, as each must be
specially tailored to the Forsworn that is to assume them.
When dealing with larger organizations, Faustian elders
spend enormous periods of time analyzing channels of
communication, resource allocation, as well as all of the
dirty laundry of every signicant individual who participates in it. Such research can take years, but with the
help of the covey, the Mercy Seat elder crafts plans that
would dizzy the head of the most acute Kindred elder.
The doctrines and methods of the Nameless are perhaps the most well-guarded secrets in all of Forsworn
society. It is even believed by some scholars that the elder
mystics and philosophers of the faction have access to
Resonants and rites crafted by the hand of Belial himself.
These objects of power are said to be tied to the egregore
of the Demiurge itself and to hold clues that supposedly reveal the true nature of the progenitor of Belials
Brood. Because of this knowledge, elders of the faction

Heeding the Call

Whereas younger vampires of the ve covenants are

often seduced into serving the Brood while their humanity is still fresh and intact, elders are rarely approached
with such intentions. Ancient and potent, old vampires
are not to be tried with as they are often capable of
rallying death squads composed of subordinates with
but a phone call. One misstep or unpredicted frenzy,
and the entire house of cards can come crashing down
on the heads of the citys Forsworn population. This is
just one reason why elders are left to their own devices
when nding the Brood. Although such interest might
be difcult for the Forsworn to monitor, sometimes the
convenient placement of a book in a Sanctied library,
the inclusion of a questionable idol in an Acolytes rite
or an allusion to a private party into the ear of the Invictus elite is all that it takes. An elder enlightened in this
fashion is often the center point around which a new
covey forms. This is only natural as one who has lived
for centuries is unlikely to throw in his lot with younger
vampires when treading on such precarious ground.

Release

For those elders who have grown old among the Forsworn, there comes a time when the last thread of Man
is nally cut, when the Trinity of Being burns, and the
supernal Beast is liberated and sent off into the night
to nd its way to the Adversary. Although the rites may
vary from covey to covey in language and method, the
manner in which the draugr of Belials Brood are released
is universal. When an elders Humanity is nally extinguished, the Vaulderie for the fallen is performed, and
the elder enlightened to permanent Wassail is separated
permanently from the coveys Crux. Forsworn insist that
these creatures neither return nor even exist after the
rite is performed. Perhaps through some strange effect
of the Vaulderie itself the coveys are kept safe from the
reprisal of these castoff monsters. Nonetheless, there
have been accounts of these frenzied beasts terrorizing

93

isolated locales for upwards of two centuries. In undeveloped parts of the world, such monsters can feed and live
in blood-gorged bliss until a powerful and knowledgeable
party puts them down for good.

chapter two

sometimes (and in rarer cases, ancillae) take oaths of

silence, believing that the creation of a concept through
the use of language is a blasphemy against the unholy
void to which they bend unliving knee. The counterconceptual philosophies of the Nameless elders become
increasingly demented as their humanity deteriorates,
often making their revelations difcult to transmit to
their younger covey-mates. Although the underpinnings
of their belief are the same at their core, the concocted
models of oblivion that these monsters realize are as
many as there are coveys, possibly more.

the devil you know

Relations with Neonates

Within Belials Brood, elders and neonates are a

world apart. Even among the ve covenants, age creates a disparity of experience that is nearly impossible to
close as the perspective of a 300-year-old elder results
in an entirely different outlook from that possessed by
the newly Embraced. Among the Forsworn, this gap is
exaggerated by the elders lowered Humanity, which
creates a second factor to drive a wedge between the
two worlds. Whereas the neonate is often a zealous new
recruit who has just begun her Pursuit, the Forsworn
elder is a carefully cultivated bomb of inhumanity that
tenuously holds to his coherence by way of his faith and
a single-pointed desire to serve the Adversary. What is
interesting, however, is that despite their radically different outlooks, Forsworn elders do not view neonates
as lesser, merely less experienced, embryonic version of
themselves, as they know it is not ones age but ones
closeness to the Demiurge and a thorough mastery of
the sarx, soma and pneuma that brings true power and
station. Because of this, neonates take deep pride in the
power of their coveys elders (assuming they have any)
and consider them powerful saints of the Brood who
can protect them and guide them to a more actualized
and powerful state.

Relations with Ancillae

The ancillae are the tried-and-tested movers-and-shakers among the Forsworn. Not as far gone as the elders and
not as wet behind the ears as the neonates, the ancillae
have the experience, focus and vision that enable them to
maintain the most important operations of their coveys.
For this reason, the relationship between Forsworn elders
and ancillae is extremely tight. As most of the Broods ancillae have moved beyond the stark-raving zealotry of the
newly initiated, they require the elusive insights of their
elders in order to progress their Pursuit. In turn, elders
who can no longer interact with the world outside of the
Brood require these more experienced ancillae in order
to actualize the nal steps of their own descent. In cases
in which the elders have taken on the role of Forsworn
guru, they often take apprentices from the ranks of the
ancillae. These carefully selected disciples are instructed
in the secrets of the coveys most hidden rites, and will
likely be the ones to lead the Vaulderie of release when
the elder reaches the end of his Pursuit.

chapter three
94

blood of belial

blood of belial

Its not your blood.

Its ours.
Lets see it.

chapter three

Chapter Three
Blood
of Belial

95

Every specific body strives to become master over all space and to extend its
force its will to power and to thrust back all that resists its extension. But
it continually encounters similar efforts on the part of other bodies, and ends
by coming to an arrangement with those of them that are sufficiently related
to it. Thus, they then conspire together for power.
The Will to Power, Friedrich Nietzsche

chapter three

After a vampires Cathexis into the Brood, he nds himself

faced with an important choice. He must decide which Brood
faction appeals most to his own essential nature as a vampire,
and its a choice that revolves around two core issues. The
rst, most determinant issue in this choice pertains to the
Trinity with which of the three aspects (pneuma, sarx, soma)
he connects most strongly. Each of the major factions of the
Brood contains Forsworn of all different stripes, but what
binds the vampires of a given faction together most is their
mutual focus on a particular aspect of the Trinity. The second
issue, then, is with which of the cults of his favored aspect
he feels most at home, most empowered as a Beast.
The process is similar to a Sanctieds choice of creed, or
a Dragons choice of rite, but is more inherent than that,
more akin to ones choice of overall covenant. Of course,
many new Forsworn rarely even realize that they have a
choice, for their experience of the Brood is limited to the
beliefs of those who brought the new ones to it. All the
same, a vampire whose essential nature calls out to the sarx
is going to know something is missing when inducted into
the Brood by a pneuma cult. It then falls upon him to alter
his perspective, to make the appropriate choice regardless of
what hed been taught by others up to that point.

96

blood of belial

Its important to note that ones choice of aspect is a

completely personal one, and requires neither tutor nor
acceptance from others. Similar to a vampires adoption
of a covenant, a Forsworn who feels what he feels and
knows what he knows is already a member of the appropriately aspected cult, by denition and by default.
A given Brood member may know little of the specic
ways and means of a specic cult of his aspect until he
gets to know the members, but once the issue of aspect
is resolved, the rest is just details. While most coveys do
tend to fall along faction lines, coveys composed of members of multiple factions are far from uncommon.

The Hexad

The Hexad is composed of the six most prominent

factions in Belials Brood, and they represent the six
default beliefs and perspectives on Belial and the
Pursuit. While minor factions do exist (see p. 115), most
are merely extensions of one of these six broader groups,
sub-factions of the umbrella nature of their aspects. Of
the six, two correspond to each aspect, as bets the Forsworn duality of being.

the nameless

Of all the factions of Belials Brood, the

vampires of the Nameless hold what is
perhaps the most controversial perspective on the nature and origin of
Belial. The Nameless believe he
was a mortal man, born to the
syphilitic womb of a dying whore
in a dirt-caked village of the pre-Biblical era Middle East. According to
their own legends, Belial was the child
of the Demiurge itself, sent to Earth to
redeem the souls of all vampires, who
were dwelling in the darkness and squalor
of the age, eking out miserable existences
off the misery of miserable mortals. Belial,
a bronze-smith by trade, drew to him a ock
of these earliest vampires ve in number, at
rst and showed them the truth of their condition, the
truth of their bestial souls. He relieved them of the burden of their given names, the anchor on their souls and
the source of ones ability to exercise power over them,
and put them on the path of the Pursuit. If the legends
hold true, he also revealed to them the mysteries of the
rst Investments, the eldritch gifts of his father.
Although Belial himself shufed off his mortal coil
after a lifetime of guiding the souls of the undead into
truth, his legacy lived on; and even more, for the Nameless believe that Belial the man, acting true to his own
mortal nature, took for himself a mate and propagated
his number before his time ran out. The Nameless believe
that this mortal bloodline continues to this day, and in
this bloodline are contained the secrets of his fathers
plan for the Forsworn . . . and everyone else.
As such, the Forsworn are, among other things, an
apocalyptic cult. While few of them believe in the JudeoChristian-Islamic Bible, or in its Book of Revelations per
se, many are of the opinion that an end of days of some
kind or other will come, and that when it does, Belial will
return. Some think he will be born of his own bloodline,
rebirthed to draw the age of man to a thunderous close,
while others feel he will not be reborn until the Nameless discover his mortal descendants and take pains to
shepherd his second vessel into the world themselves.
Whatever the truth, the Nameless of tonight are hoarders

of secrets and omens, purveyors of hidden knowledge

and blasphemous insight. They search for clues in the
ebbs and ows of humanity, and seek
to incite ery revolts of thought in their
own kind, much as their living messiah
once did for them.

Nameless Domains

Widely regarded as the oldest Brood faction, the Nameless have spread far and wide
since the legendary and controversial passing
of their mortal messiah. The
factions inception was in the
Old World, and the holdings
of its adherents remain the
strongest there, but coveys of the Nameless
can be found anywhere.
In North America, the Nameless are most present and
inuential in the oldest areas. In the United States, coveys
of the Nameless hold sway in parts of New England and
all along the Eastern seaboard, with perhaps the most
widely known and established Nameless covey operating out of Massachusetts. Interestingly, the faction is
even stronger in Canada than in the United States, and
powerful Nameless coveys can be found from Ottawa to
Vancouver.
Europe is where the faction truly shines. London is
home to one of the oldest extant coveys of the Nameless
in the world, with the coveys members often acting as
the hub of communication networks among Nameless
(and even other Forsworn) all over the globe. After London, the faction is strongest in cities of historical value,
wealth and learning, particularly the cities of Calais, Edinburgh and Vienna. Small coveys of Nameless nomads
are known to make something of a circuit among the
cities in Europe where the faction has established roots,
working to further the overall power and usefulness of
their information network.
Outside of Europe, the faction is strongest in eastern
Asia, where the Nameless has been working steadily to
increase its knowledge and holdings since the nights of
the Silk Road. The Nameless more or less avoids Africa,
with the notable exception of Egypt, where an intrepid
covey has maintained operations for more than a century

chapter three

The Nameless

97

now. And even more recently, several nomadic coveys of

the Nameless have made the long trek to the Australian
continent, where they work to establish themselves
among the disparate ocks of natives (both mortal and
otherwise).

Rites of the Nameless

chapter three

The ritual practices of the Nameless are perhaps the

diametric opposite of the stereotypes most commonly
envisioned when mention of the Brood arises. When one
imagines living sacrices overtop blood-drawn diagrams
of pentagrams, or orgiastic sex feasts in the name of the
Morningstar, one is thinking of the cults of the sarx, such
as the Pandaemonium or the Scarlet Rite. As a pneuma
cult, the rites of the Nameless take on a substantially
different tone.
The Nameless do not disregard the more visceral aspects of their ethos, and are known for performing the
Vaulderie in particular with just as much devotion and
regularity as any other faction. (Indeed, the Nameless
claim to have been the rst to practice the Vaulderie,
along with every other Archonte, so their pride is clear.)
Rather, the Nameless focus on the deeper mysteries
invoked by the ritual formulae, the secret and unseen
movements of energies central to the rites themselves.
Where some factions perform rituals as displays of devotion or worthiness, the Nameless perform rites largely as
a meditation, a way of communing with both their higher
selves and the Demiurge that is their patron.
Within this paradigm, two rituals stand out as exemplary of the factions mode. The rst of these is a sacred
dynameis format that the Nameless use to stir the
pneuma among participants in the ritual space. During
the rite, none but the ritemaster speaks (and even he
speaks only in the Tongue of the Beast) and all movement
of the physical form is inhibited to as great a degree as
possible which is substantial, given that the undead
have no need of drawing breath except to speak. When
the ritemaster is nished reciting the names of power, the
covey members take turns burning or otherwise removing
their own eyes. This done, the remainder of the rite is
spent in an attempt to see while bereft of esh.
The other rite that is perhaps best exemplies the
Nameless is the Archonte that all Forsworn use to induct a mortal into the Doulosi cult. The Nameless take
great pride in having essentially created and supported
the Doulosi as an institution, and all bravado notwithstanding, the Nameless performance of the rite truly is a
wonder to behold. And with the reverent way they treat
their ghouls, it remains little wonder that few ghouls
would actively desire to be with any other faction.

98

the nameless

99

Background: Almost without exception, the Nameless draws vampires with extremely active minds and
spirits to its banner. For these Forsworn, the extended
contemplation of the world and of the vampires place in
it most often sends them to the Brood in the rst place,
so carrying that contemplative nature into their activities among the Brood is a natural extension. While the
Nameless do not seek out new inductees any more than
any other faction, the Nameless power and inuence are
legendary among the Forsworn, and as such, this faction
does seem to court with some regularity the attentions of
those who do their homework on the Brood.
Organization: While the tendency for all Forsworn is to
shy away from overt or excessive organization, the Nameless
have been around so long, and are so entrenched in various
schemes and operations worldwide, that theyve developed
something of an accidental organization despite their best
efforts. Such organization, however, is not true hierarchy
or even real structure, so much as a network. Information
is the typical Nameless members stock and trade, and as
such, the more sources one can securely rely on, the better.
Over time, this has resulted in a web of Forsworn (and their
trusted ghouls) who know enough to communicate with one
another, even across great distances. This is not to imply that
all Nameless know one another, and individual members
are just as responsible for forging their own contacts as any
other Forsworn, but to aver that the contacts are in place
should the individual take the time to develop them.
Favored Aspect: Pneuma. The Nameless is perhaps the
quintessential embodiment of the pneuma cult, focusing as
the faction does on the hegemony of the spirit over the esh,
the triumph of the will over the body. For the Nameless,
everything is possible, and thus prioritized, under will.
Concepts: Archeologist, cryptographer, doomsayer,
dream speaker, genealogist, occultist, private investigator,
prophet, research assistant.

chapter three

Nickname: None (though some refer to them as the

Hidden)
Appearance: Few vampires go so far out of their way to
appear nondescript as do the vampires of the Nameless.
These Forsworn detest drawing unwanted attention, and
ones appearance is the rst and most obvious factor in
determining how much attention one garners. For this
reason, there are fewer Daeva present in the Nameless
than in any other faction (though not because the Daeva
are not accepted into its ranks; all are accepted if they
believe), just as the Mekhet and Nosferatu are prized for
the very same reason. Sometimes, in the case of a covey
that is bereft of either of these two clans, the covey will
make a priority of exalting one of its number into the
Therion bloodline if for no other reason than to make use
of him as a tutor in the Obfuscate Discipline. However it
happens, the Nameless take every pain to pass unnoticed
through the night.
Haven: As bets their hidden (and some would say,
paranoid) nature, the Nameless tend to make their havens in the most remote and/or secure locations they
can nd. When remoteness isnt a viable option, such
as with those Nameless who dwell in urban centers, the
second best option is camouage, as the ability to blend
into ones surroundings is often the best defense in a
city setting. Coveys composed entirely of the Nameless
tend to pool their resources in the interests of securing
one truly exceptional haven, where all its members can
congregate in safety but where none of its members
are truly beholden. In these cases, each member also
maintains a private haven separate and distinct from the
communal one. In such instances, the Therion of the
covey often is the only one who knows the location of
every members private haven, assuming the covey has
conducted the rite to exalt one of its members into that
august bloodline.

the nameless

Come the End of Days, we shall see

who was wrong and who was right.
In the meantime, do yourself a favor, childe,
and forget you ever saw me here.

chapter three

The Roaring Serpent

100

Arguably the most powerful of Brood

factions, the vampires of the Roaring
Serpent are the consummate predators,
reveling in all that makes them
vampires. Some of these selfstyled Archons perceive their
mandate as a dark interpretation
of John 3:15 As Modes lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness, so must
the son of Man be lifted up. Disciples
of the Serpent hold that Belial was
the rst of their kind, spontaneously
cursed with the Embrace in the darkest
pre-dawn of living man and charged by the
Demiurge with becoming, in essence, the
anti-Man. Regardless of the truth of their
origins, the race of vampires is in a very real
way the serpent that came into the garden, the essence
of all that opposes, in the words of one Serpent scholar.
The physical world is the realm of the Demiurge, and
so long as a vampire is bound to it, he must be true to
his Beast, his opposing soul he must be the very best
vampire he can be.
Much as the vampires of the Nameless await the night
when their concept of Belial will return as a mortal,
the vampires of the Roaring Serpent await the return
of their progenitor, too. But unlike the Nameless, who
are active only in the search for what they believe to be
Belials mortal heirs, the Serpent actively seeks out the
gure the faction believes to be Belial. A great many (the
vast majority, truth be told) Archons hold to the notion
that Belial still walks the Earth tonight, still alone, still
undead. Some feel that if Belial can be located, he will
reward the faction that nds him and return to lead
the entire covenant into a new dark age. And even if
he doesnt, simply nding him and conrming his
identity as the father of all vampirekind will prove the
rightness of the Serpents claims, and thus put them
above the other factions for good, as they believe they
were meant to be.

Roaring Serpent Domains

As bets the factions age, status and belief system, the

Roaring Serpent claims numerous powerful coveys, reach-

the roaring serpent

ing into every shadowy corner of the globe. Wherever

vampires thrive, the Serpent is there, making an
unholy paradise of every darkened place
it aims to call its own.
The faction is undeniably at its strongest in the New World, where members of
the Roaring Serpent have grasped the reins
of opportunity with both inhuman hands
and bent the reins to the factions will at every
turn. With brethren in the Pandaemonium, the
Serpent shares the distinction of being the most
prevalent Brood faction in all
the United States. Coveys of
ambitious Archons grow fat
on the blood and resources
of mortals in almost every urban center, from
Albuquerque to Zanesville. Americas literal and
economic bloat provides a rich backdrop before which
Serpent coveys can prosper, and a number of the most
powerful Archons in the world hold sway here, guiding
their subordinates to ever greater nadirs of inhumanity
and vice. Within the faction, perhaps the most infamous
of these is the Serpent covey that makes its home in
south central Los Angeles. Thirteen members strong,
its individual members are some of the most powerful
vampires in all of California.
Mexico, too, is a veritable playground for the Brood,
and for the Roaring Serpent in particular. It is said that
Mexico City is a veritable arena for Brood competition,
where multiple Brood coveys compete for dominance
against the citys backdrop of intense heat, poverty and
crime. While the faction has a much smaller presence in
Central America than many might believe, the Roaring
Serpent remains strong in select parts of South America.
Colombia has a substantial presence, and among the
Brood, the Brazilian coastline is infamous for its sheer
numbers of Forsworn. The teeming city of So Paulo plays
host to a handful of Brood coveys, the most powerful of
which is composed entirely of Archons.
Outside the western hemisphere, the Roaring Serpent
is the most prevalent in areas frought with mortal strife.
Coveys of Archons move through the broken and destitute villages of sub-Saharan Africa, trailing the wake
of the tribal warlords like hyenas following the scent of

Rites of the Roaring Serpent

Of the factions in the Hexad, the Roaring Serpent

has at once the most mainstream and the most peculiar
approach to rites and rituals. Archons are known for
performing all the Archontes, and the Vaulderie in
particular, with not a shred of either disrespect or inefciency, and visiting Forsworn are often transxed by the
harmonious words and motions of a Roaring Serpent
Vaulderie. Not ones for the wasteful bloodletting of the
Pandaemonium, or the psycho-sexual pomp of the Scarlet
Rite, the Archons rites are primarily designed around
utility rst and reverence of the Belial gure second.
In this latter regard, the most involved and unique of
Roaring Serpent rituals appear. All Archons venerate
Belial, the Father of Vampires, and each covey has its own
rites to honor him. But the one rite that every Serpent

101

covey practices with somber reverence, and that coveys of

no other faction perform, is a complex dynameis ritual
the highest of all Roaring Serpent dynamei that
its practitioners often call the sacrament of blood.
The true purpose behind this rite is for an Archon to
effectively commemorate the crystalline moment when
consumed mortal blood transubstantiates into vampiric
Vitae. By the taking of blood, an Archon is effectively
lling himself with the essence of Belial himself, and
such an honor is not to be taken lightly, no matter how
often it occurs.
Second only to this unholy sacrament is the reverse of
the very same ritual. In another sacred dynameis rite, the
Archons likewise commemorate the moment of crystallization when their own dead blood enters the body of
a mortal, and with its immortal Potency, halts the aging
process of the living vessel, and in so doing, claims it for
the Archons Beast. For this reason, Serpent members
take all formation of ghouls very seriously, and the induction of ghouls into their coveys even more seriously.
When a covey of Archons elects to exalt a ghoul into the
ranks of the Doulosi, the night is special indeed, full of
glory and dark memoriam.
Nickname: Archons
Appearance: Many Archons strive to
emulate the glory and eminence of
their dark founder, to embody and
exemplify the vampire in its quintessential form. Some achieve this
by projecting a visage of power,
using their appearance as a social
tool with which to coerce allies or
beat rivals into submission. Others
still, taking a more cerebral approach
to their factions ethos, do their level
best to blend in wherever they go, as
they feel that the quintessential vampiric predator is
best evinced by its ability
to move among its prey
with grace and ease.
Haven: The mandate of the Roaring
Serpent is one that
cannot help but
e a r n fo r i t s
members bitter rivals

chapter three

the kill, and doing likewise in some areas of southeast

Asia. The Serpent tends to leave the Middle East largely
to its confederates in the Throne of Smokeless Fire, but
the brutal oppression of the Palestinian occupation in
particular has proven too attractive to resist, and so the
Serpent has slowly been increasing its activities there in
recent years, feeding off the ceaseless misery of both the
Palestinian people and their Israeli occupiers.

the roaring serpent

at the very least, and hated enemies at worst (and perhaps

more commonly). In seeking out a haven, the Archon
seeks not extravagance but razor-keen precision and
efciency in suiting his needs. A prospective haven is
selected for the sum of its advantages and detractions,
and Archons are wise to study everything from the havens
size and location to its defensibility. For these and other
reasons, Archons are notorious for moving around and
for selecting new personal havens without so much as
consulting their covey-mates.
Background: Contrary to the average Antinomian,
members of the Roaring Serpent are, almost without
exception, born to lead, or at least born to carve out
their own niches within existing systems. Beyond this,
the issue of ones mortal history is almost moot, as the
Roaring Serpent very embodies the Broods overall
reluctance to Embrace directly into its ranks. Indeed,
the preponderance of Archons deem the act of bringing
a mortal into the faction without rst allowing her to
experience undeath among the Unlearned a sin against
the Brood, most often punishable by the ritual sacrice
of the new inductee, at a bare minimum. On the exceedingly rare occasions when an exception is made to this
rule, the exception is made on behalf of a hermit or pair
of Archons seeking to make for themselves a true covey.
In this case (and in almost no other) the sin is forgiven,
and the faction is obliged to accept the new recruit as it
would any other brother or sister, but even then, the sin

often remains a stain on the new coveys reputation, a

lingering sign of its inability to draw legitimate converts
to its cause.
Organization: Vampires of the Roaring Serpent form
something of an intriguing exception to the usual rule
pertaining to structure among the Forsworn. Due to the
factions focus on the empowerment of the vampiric creature, Archons tend to establish hierarchies of traditional
dominance based upon achievement. In this regard, they
are perhaps the truest meritocracy found in vampirekind,
putting the mask of meritocracy worn by covenants such as
the Invictus to shame with the unapologetic frankness of
the Archons conviction. This makes Roaring Serpent coveys
veritable crucibles of competitiveness, but unlike their fellow
soma adherents among the Throne of Smokeless Fire, the
Archons draw the line at acting directly against one another
unless absolutely necessary. They take the lessons of their
founder with utmost seriousness, and will go to great lengths
to show that they are indeed the superior examples of their
race to be found anywhere in the world, especially when
compared to the Kindred of the Unlearned.
Favored Aspect: Soma. The eshly vessel is the instrument
by which the vampire exerts dominance over both the body
politic and the material spirit. Without soma, both pneuma
and sarx are rendered inert, and therefore powerless.
Concepts: Benighted lord, born killer, dark prodigy,
kennel master, law enforcement ofcer, natural leader,
survivalist, urban predator, vampire historian.

chapter three

We are his body, and I am his blood.

Drink of me and know his glory.

102

the roaring serpent

the pandaemonium

Although many of Belials Brood seek

to hide the outward signs of their dark
path, the Pandaemonium makes its
way with pride and malevolent
glory through the endless night.
Claiming origins as early as the
rst sacricial cults of ancient
Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica and
the Far East, the modern face of the
faction rides the coattails of satanic
hysteria. With pentagrams and other
sigils carved brazenly across their bodies, these so-called Antinomians assume
the role of fanatical, demon-worshipping
terrorists who willfully throw themselves
into the front lines of what many of them
view as the war against God.
The ancient faction known as the Pandaemonium has
worn many masks throughout time. Where some claim
that the faction was birthed in prehistory, marked by the
rst occasion when early man offered esh and blood
out of fear of unforgiving spirits, a sizeable number of
Antinomians in the modern nights believe that Lucifer
himself birthed their bloodthirsty number. They cast
Belial in the role of literal devils advocate of all the
hoary host of Hell, the one demon responsible for managing the interaction between the souls of the Damned
and their unknowable deity gure. In their view, Belial
brought forth the truth of the vampiric soul to the rst
ignorant Kindred in ancient times, bearing the gifts that
the Brood would come to know as Investments.

Pandaemonium Domains

As one of the oldest factions of the Brood, the Pandaemonium is widespread and has many coveys squirming
within the cracks of every population on Earth. Whether
out of First World deviance or Third World despair,
the Antinomians are there to cast down the holy and
revere the abominable with savage sacrices and dark
invocations.
In North America, the cult of the Pandaemonium
accounts for a sizeable portion of the Broods presence.
Although reports of Forsworn demographics are always
sketchy at best, it is believed that Antinomian coveys

account for almost one-third of all Brood in the

continental United States and Canada. While in
many countries, such excess and the
aunting of sacrilege can still result in
suspicion and even legal persecution,
such bold displays are the fashion of the
day in many fringe subcultures throughout
the United States and Canada. Cult abuse
and ritual murder, though often stripped
of satanic sensationalism and reduced to the
attention tactics of psychopathic pedophiles,
happen every day throughout
the cities, suburbs and rural
regions of the United States,
particularly in the World of
Darkness. Behind such media smokescreens
and basic denial the true and actual machinations
of the Antinomians ourish with each missing runaway
or abducted child.
In Central America, the Caribbean and the more
impoverished areas of South America, drug cartels and
other forms of organized crime create a rich loam in
which Pandaemonium coveys can take root. During a
prolonged drug war or the upheaval caused by a corrupt
political regime, the Antinomians can take what they like
without fear of reprisal. In addition, the deeply Catholic
climate of the region produces a magnicent backdrop
against which the Adversarys henchmen can cast the
glamour of their blood-curdling blasphemies.
In Europe, the faction thrives in Germany, Denmark,
Poland and the Scandinavian peninsula. Thanks in part
to the rise of the Black Metal underground, national socialism, satanism and a bastardized mockery of traditional
Germanic heathenry are married into a subculture of
violence and blasphemy. Gang ghts, hate crimes, satanic
art and church burnings all serve the greater interests
of the Pandaemonium in the Old Country. In war-torn
areas of Eastern Europe, the Antinomians can purchase
children from black market pornographers and pimps to
be offered in hidden temples among the blasted buildings
and barbed wire.
In the Middle East, the Antinomians are at their most
conservative and discreet. While coveys do exist in the
lands they claim saw the factions birth, they are very

chapter three

The Pandaemonium

103

careful not to stir the waters of violent fundamentalism. Military conicts provide adequate cover for the
Pandaemoniums activities, but Kindred in service to
the Adversary make no great display of their devotion
in public, as even a hint of such activity could result in
a fully funded hunt that could end with an entire covey
being dragged from its hiding place to bake in the hot
desert sun. Nonetheless, the Antinomians of this region
are some of the most devout, as they feel the most deeply
connected to the history of their cult.
In Asia and Africa, the impoverished masses are like elds
of ripe fruit for the Adversarys own. Whether the throngs
of prostitutes and the destitute in the streets of Bangkok,
the terried and isolated peoples subjected to the terror of
military warlords or black market slavery rings, such places
are like a dark paradise for the Pandaemonium.

chapter three

Rites of the Pandaemonium

No other sizeable faction of Forsworn is so meticulous

in the crafting of its rites as the Pandaemonium. Because
such a substantial number of Antinomians recognize
the Adversary as the Judeo-Christian-Islamic Prince of
Darkness, their ceremonies are elaborate and full of
devotional pomp, as fear of a dissatised liege is a very
real thing for members of this faction. Through any
number of stylized horrors, the Pandaemoniums rites

104

the pandaemonium

paint a picture of centuries upon centuries of service to

the Morningstar himself.
Although all Forsworn commit acts of blasphemy and
horror, the deliberateness of heretical and sacrilegious
elements in Antinomian rites is perhaps their dening
aspect. And though the coveys of the Nameless seek their
secrets, and the Scarlet Rite celebrates its meaningless
ruin in a gala of sin, the point of most Pandaemonium
rites is largely to offend the God gure as the Antimonians hold up evidence of their masters victory on Earth.
While the tattoos and ritual marks of this faction often
seem childish, risky and supercial to others among the
Brood, these outer signs help demonstrate an Antinomians contempt for the vessel that many claim was made
in the very image of the holy.
More so than any of the other factions, sacrice lies at
the very center of these Brood members faith. Whether
a black goat, an abducted human or even a fellow Brood
member who has been judged an adequate gift, the offering of esh has many levels of signicance for the
Pandaemonium. On the most basic level, the methods
employed seek to mutilate the esh, making a mockery
of the God gures design. In the case of human offerings, members of the human clergy are often chosen, and
in the case of Kindred sacrices (rare in the extreme),
exceedingly devout advocates of Sanctied philosophy

105

the Forsworn of the Pandaemonium are not sticklers

on this point, as writing such history themselves taking
little time.
Background: Individuals who are drawn to the
Pandaemonium are generally followers of one sort or
another. Whether they are sycophantic teenagers binding their weak wills and lack of self-esteem to something
greater than themselves, or socially alienated occultists
who tire of being big sh in small, largely ignored ponds,
Antinomians prefer the types who will latch on to power
with utter zeal.
Organization: Unlike many of their brethren, the
Forsworn of the Pandaemonium are given to organizing
their coveys along the lines of an occult order. While the
Therion are recognized, the senior member possessing
the greatest academic understanding of demonolatry and
occult history is typically appointed as leader, and has a
signicant impact on the lore and the fashion in which
his covey brothers and sisters approach the Pursuit. Also,
Antinomians often work to restrict covey membership
to a specic number of members 3, 6, 9 and 13 are
the most common. Insofar as mortal aspirants go, the
Pandaemonium often organizes outer groups to buffer
the core cult, which consists of the covey and its most
trusted ghouls. Because of this, many who would attempt
inltration are dissuaded, confronted with a seemingly
endless gauntlet of initiations and ceremonial formality,
the majority of which has no true meaning aside from
protecting the kernel covey.
Favored Aspect: Sarx. While emphasis is often placed
on higher aspects of being in the ceremonial prayers
and liturgies of the Pandaemonium, Antimonians focus
primarily on esh and blood. Whether mortifying their
own esh through ritual branding, scarication or elaborate tattoos or meticulously ritually mutilating sacricial
victims, most Antinomians understand the esh as the
throne and cathedral of the Dark Lord himself.
Concepts: Christian cultist, demonologist, heavy
metal musician, modern monster, new babysitter, Satanist, serial killer, skinhead, tattoo artist.

chapter three

are abducted after a long and careful process of scrutiny. Beneath the surface, blood sacrices are viewed as
the supreme method for revealing the mysteries of sarx
itself. Although closely guarded, there exist grimoires of
Antinomian lore that read like arcane medical texts with
instructions of a mad saint guiding his ock down the
labyrinthine corridors of pain, suffering and the frailty of
the eshy vessel, and how to explore these hidden levels
in a way that satises the spiritual needs of the aspiring
devotee of the Pandaemonium, as well as the endless
hunger of whatever idea of the Adversary to which the
covey seeks to pay homage.
Nickname: Antinomians
Appearance: For the most part, the Kindred of Belials
Brood take great pains to be ignored by both vampire
and human society. This is the farthest thing from the
truth when speaking of those Antinomians who take
great effort to embody every feared rumor concerning
satanic cults and devil worshippers. While elders of
the faction may exercise restraint, restricting themselves
to ostentatious occult jewelry and black suits and the like,
most of the younger Antinomians aspire to maximum
devotion by covering their esh in imagery drawn from
classical occult sources, including Goetic sigils, Qlipphotic glyphs and those symbols and images of modern
satanic hysteria, such as the head of the Horned Goat
of Mendes encased in an inverted pentagram, or the
exceedingly common upside-down cross. Even in the
case of those among the faction who do wish to remain
undetected, hidden scarring, brands and tattoos are not
uncommon.
Haven: While the Pandaemonium is given to amboyance when it comes to appearances, its individual
members do take great pains to hide their havens, as
these places serve as the temples in which some of the
most elaborate and baroque of Brood rituals are conducted. Isolated warehouses nestled in the depths of
derelict industrial parks, decaying barns in the middle
of rural desolation and abandoned tenements amidst
desperate urban sprawl are common. Although a history
of violence or evil is preferred when selecting these sites,

the pandaemonium

I am the hand set against the tide of Creation.

I am the serpent that stirs to bite the hand of the saint.
Through my flesh and blood, I offer Gods children
on the altar of the Adversary. Ave Satani,
and by my hand it is done.

chapter three

The Mercy Seat

The Forsworn of the Mercy Seat make
up some of the most dedicated and
focused coveys of Belials Brood. This is
because these appropriately styled
Faustians believe strongly in
the Forsworn notion that the
material world is the realm of a
deity of matter, in which the souls
of men and beasts must play through
the drama of life, with all of its impure
and sloppy imperfection, until death
releases them into the realm of spirit,
be they worthy or not. The condition of
the vampire, however, is to remain in this
world, no matter what comes, bound to the
pillar of sarx for eternity. Nonetheless, in this
hopelessness the Faustians nd purpose. As
an act of devotion to the Demiurge and the purity of the
supernal realm, the Faustians protect the balance of the
pure and impure. The path of the Mercy Seat to mire the
unworthy in the nets and snares of their own sin, providing irresistible obstacles of corruption and distraction to
prevent all but the most worthy from moving beyond the
world of the Demiurge.
These purest of souls, however, are the greatest prize of
a true Faustian. Although a drunk can be lead to drink,
or a whore to fornicate, in leading saints and the selfless astray the Faustians greatest reward may be found.
As each good soul is turned to sin, the higher realms
are deprived of their bounty. This is important to the
Faustians, as they believe their return to the Adversary
is conditional upon the emptiness of Heaven.
The Mercy Seat traces the beginning of its hellish mandate to the rst time man fell victim to his desires and
caused ruin in his world. Although some even claim the
Eve and the Apple Story as one of Faustian origin, the
reality of the Faustians past is far more complicated and
subtle. Despite the poetics of such belief, the historical
rise of the Mercy Seat as a dominant faction coincided
with the rise of the city-states of northern Italy in the
11th century. As the new merchant class struggled to
secure its footing amidst the theater of political fragmentation, coveys of Forsworn entrenched themselves in
preparation for what was to come. Although the people

106

the mercy seat

of these merchant communities struggled against

both the papacy and the courts to maintain their
independence, vampires of the Brood
worked against these forces. Once the
city-states secured their footing with the
unseen help of numerous Kindred coconspirators, Genoa, Milan, Pisa, Florence
and Venice arose as powerful presences and
became independent city-states. On this new
playing eld, the Faustians would work their
widening dark agenda. Although these new
states thrived economically and
culturally, they became nests
of decadence and corruption,
redening the viciousness of
man in a new and powerful way. The nascent
factions crowning achievement occurred when the
Mercy Seat managed to drive a wedge between the region
and the Pope by helping to foster a struggle between the
Guelphs (the lapdogs of the pope) and the Gibellines (the
supporters of the emperors). The Faustians work toward
to the legacy of such epic corruptions to this very day.

Mercy Seat Domains

Whereas most factions choose their domains based

on some sort of resource or economic condition, the
Faustians do not. The Mercy Seat chooses its areas of
activity based on the individuals the Faustians are seeking
to corrupt. While there are certainly places in the world
where lovers of vice congregate, a Faustian covey is as
likely to be found in Des Moines as in Paris. Wherever
the Forsworn of the Mercy Seat are, they seek out little
lattices of relationships, regret and unlled desire so
that they can begin engineering the spiritual undoing of
whomever they are preying upon at the time. This being
said, there is a handful of domains in which the Faustians
are always lurking, watching and scheming.
In North America, one of the largest Mercy Seat coveys
in the world has set up shop in and around the downtown district of old Las Vegas. Since the early 1900s, the
Faustians have been there, sharing their history with the
rst Red Light district on Block 16. Preying on gamblers,
prostitutes and other desperate souls, this covey has enjoyed many victories of suicide and despair.

Rites of the Mercy Seat

Although the Faustians are highly practical in their

plans and schemes, the Mercy Seats ceremonies are often deeply symbolic and solemn. Rich with the depth of
their twisted philosophy, rites among the Faustians often
include ritual dramas that play out the themes present
in the cosmology of their beliefs.
One curious rite of the Mercy Seat is also the primary
source of the factions nickname. Sometimes used as an
initiation, the ritual is unusual because a non-vampire
specically, a ghoul takes the role of a major operant
during the working. The ritual makes use of the Goetic
circle and summoning triangle, which are both etched
upon the oor in the blood of a sacricial beast. Wearing a belt of lion fur (inside which is etched the names
of the Adversary in glyphs drawn from the Tongue of
the Beast), the ghoul stands within the circle while the

107

vampire stands in the triangle. Then, amidst thick clouds

of dense incense smoke, the ghoul evokes the vampires
Beast. At that point, the vampires Beast is believed to
be briey liberated of its eshy shell, and is then able
to give dark insights to the gathered celebrants at the
ghoul-magicians command.
Although deeply spiritual, the most sacred ritual of the
Faustian covey is the ceremonial acknowledgment of a
soul turned away from the supernal realm. In most cases,
this means that a mortal under the sway of the Faustians
has committed some abominable sin from which he cannot morally or spiritually recover. Although such victories
depend more on the sinner than the sin, the rite that
ensues is one of grim afrmation. Once the completion
of a corruption has been achieved, the covey gathers and
in the blood of the presiding priest (whether it be one of
the Therion or another covey member prone to revelation
and insight), the name of the fallen is scripted upon a
piece of vellum and cast into an open ame. While the
rite is simple, it is the subject of quiet celebration for the
agents of the Mercy Seat, and is generally followed by a
celebratory Vaulderie.
Nickname: Faustians
Appearance: To make a xed statement about the
appearance of Faustian Forsworn would be an exercise
in futility, as their attire and any witnessed face can
change like a shift in the wind. The Princes ghoul, the
Seneschals lover, the Priscuss condant any or all of

chapter three

The largest and oldest of Faustian strongholds, however, remains located at the site of the factions Renaissance, in the beautiful city of Genoa, Italy. Although the
Mercy Seat has branched out into every possible facet of
corruption, the proudest of the faction still have their
eyes xed on what they feel is the greatest trophy that
any end could desire the Vatican, itself. Although
direct confrontation with the papacy is something wise
Faustians know better than to pursue, chipping away at
the edges of the Catholic Church has been a meditation
of the Mercy Seat since its inception.

the mercy seat

which could be a Mercy Seat operative, if the faction

ever cared to meddle in the affairs of the Unlearned. As
a covey moves from soul to soul, individual members
could assume dozens of identities: whatever is required
to bring their quarry to ground.
Haven: Much as their dress, the residences and resting
places of the Faustian cult are acquired and shed like the
skin of a serpent. However, as the ambitions of the Mercy
Seat can run rather high, some coveys require more than a
safe house or a tastefully decorated condo. In some cases,
a Faustian will have need of technological surveillance and
other monitoring equipment. For this reason, agents of the
Mercy Seat may have state-of-the-art alarm systems, security
camera networks, well-trained ghouls armed to the teeth
and similar expensively precautionary measures.
Background: The Faustians select their new members
with intense discrimination. Although the rites of other
factions can often be tended to by the deranged and incompetent, the Faustian gambit is an advanced game and
cannot be tried with by amateurs and idiots. For this
reason, members of the Mercy Seat are generally highly
educated or have demonstrated skill at intrigue and social
engineering. Therefore, those of political and psychiatric
backgrounds are often selected. Among the Kindred,
Ventrue and Mekhet have gifts and predilections that are
well suited to the Faustian agenda. Because of their ability to move unseen and pull up the darkest fears of their
prey, the Nosferatu make excellent agents of the Mercy
Seat. And though rare within the faction, that occasional
Gangrel who throws in with the Faustians is invariably a
multi-leveled predator of utterly terrifying capacities.

Organization: For the most part, the methods by

which the Faustians manage themselves vary dramatically from covey to covey. Effectively, local organization
is set as needed, as the agents of the Mercy Seat must
play many roles to bring their plans to fruition. Nonetheless, each member of a covey has a dened role and
is completely responsible for everything that falls under
its purview. Although mystics at their core, the Faustians
can seem almost military in the practicality of these roles.
Despite their internal cohesion, coveys of the Mercy Seat
almost never work with each other, as each covey has its
own projects, many of which are mutually exclusive to
those of other groups. All the same, a style of honor
among thieves holds true among members of the Mercy
Seat, as members realize that all Faustian coveys seek to
keep foul the corrupt material world.
As they are a cult of the pneuma, Faustians afford
members of the Therion caste even more respect than
they receive in other factions. Because of the deeply
philosophical path of the Faustians, the inspired words
and cryptic suggestions of the Advocates are the subject
of much contemplation, and often chart the courses of
the coveys to which they are attached.
Favored Aspect: Pneuma. The world of esh is corrupt
and beyond the wants of the spirit. Only by holding the
tides of matter and frailty at bay does the spirit become
pure. If the spirit is brought low to this awed plane, the
spirit may never return to the Demiurge.
Concepts: Assassin, con artist, counselor, informant,
priest, psychiatrist, senators aid, tactician, terrorist.

Ich bin der Geist, der stets verneint!

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(I am the spirit that denies!)

108

the mercy seat

the throne of smokeless re

The Throne of Smokeless Fire seeks

to personify the most aggressive and
competitive facets of the Beast. Jockeying
endlessly for the top position of
every environment, the self-styled
Djinn believe that only by winning the race will their hunger
be appeased. Agents of the Throne
of Smokeless Fire lay their nets from
the shadows and quickly devour the
weak and unworthy who would walk
into their snares. At every level of society, Djinn move through the night in
violent competition for what they believe
is the Adversarys dark favor.
The history of the Throne of Smokeless
Fire is etched in a seemingly endless litany of the
individual histories of powerful Forsworn. Whether in
the accounts of great warriors, generals, monarchs, murderers, assassins or statesmen, the history of the Throne
of Smokeless Fire is one of individual achievement. Nonetheless, the beginnings of the Djinn are not such, as they
are said to have taken root in the ancient Middle East.
A sheikh who was well-known among the Sus came to
the Valley of Lalish, where he created an order of mystics
who paid homage to God. Late one night in the desert,
however, the Adversary appeared to the sheikh in the
form of the angel Asael, a terrifying apparition wreathed
in smokeless re, and gave him commandments of the socalled Path of Flame a brutal doctrine of predation and
power. After receiving the transmission, the sheikh was
transformed, dreading the light and desiring the blood
of his disciples. Upon returning to his ock, the sheikh
devoured those loyal to him and set out to nd those
worthy to hear the teachings of his new master. Since that
time, the Throne of Smokeless Fire has forgotten much
of the details of its past but has not faltered in upholding
the path that was taught to the Djinns ancient founder
on that fateful night in the cold, dark desert.

Djinn Domains

Whereas some factions of Belials Brood enjoy the sprawl

of the impoverished masses, this simply will not do for the
Throne of Smokeless Fire. Whereas others seek to move as

wolves among sheep, for the Djinn only the position

of strongest among the strong will do. As most who
are loyal to the Throne of Smokeless Fire
believe that vampires are clearly superior
in their capacities to humans, the Djinn
seek out centers of dense Kindred population so that the faction members can test
themselves against those who may be worthy.
These domains also serve the faction as sources
of new membership, as one is rarely made a
Djinn; such an honor must be earned by ones
own efforts.
The Djinn are at their
most numerous in the continental United States and
Western Europe. Among the powerful and
inuential, the agents of the Throne of Smokeless
Fire establish temples where those who rule among the
more tame breeds of Kindred can come and test their
so-called sovereignty. While these sorts of gambits can
result in all involved being blood-hunted to the greatest
extent time and money will allow, the Djinn are hardly
wanting for resources and can easily recover from such
attempts, quickly establishing new bases of operation
from which they can issue their challenges to the next
worthy comer.
Along the North African coast, between Morocco and
Iraq, the Djinn are abundant. This is likely because the oldest of the Throne of Smokeless Fires temples were built in
this region during the Crusades. Although the Djinn were
as strange and frightening to Muslims as the Djinn are to
the Christians of the age, these sites were likely selected to
avoid the pilgrimage routes of fanatical Templars and the
Knights of Malta as they made their way to the Holy Land,
and the Djinn thus built their temples distantly south of
the southern coast of Europe. The location of the Valley of
Lalish in Iraq is but a couple of miles from the largest and
oldest Djinn temple still extant in the modern world, and
Morocco houses several of the largest and most powerful
coveys of the Throne anywhere in the world.

Rites of Smokeless Fire

The ceremonies and traditions of the Throne of the Smokeless Fire are an intense mix of formality and brutality. Though

chapter three

The Throne of
Smokeless Fire

109

chapter three

malevolent and predatory in intention, the Djinn rites are

often thick with powerful iconography and expensive preparations. Black marble baptismal fonts, antique ritual weapons
and huge statues are not uncommon when the Throne of
Smokeless Fire gathers to honor power. However, despite the
Djinns love of draconian and fascist imagery, the rituals of
the Throne of Smokeless Fire are not as ancient as one might
think as the factions emphasis on action and conquest take
complete precedence, leaving scholarship and the translation
of ancient texts as a passing afterthought.
The initiations to become part of the Throne of Smokeless Fire are paragons of violence and brutality, consisting
of a gauntlet of tests to forge the perfect monster. The
ability to command, endure pain, induce fear, control
ones own fear and emotions, and outsmart an opponent
are all elements of such rites. Among the masters of the
Djinn, only the hottest ame can forge an adequate
weapon if one is to leave ones mark.
Competition and dominance are the sacrament
and birthright of the Djinn. As nearly every interaction can be transformed into a contest, every
act of aggression is blessed. However, only
in the Djinns Trials of Fury is the extent
of the factions viciousness on display.
Unlike the controlled, cryptic rites
of other factions, Djinn Fury rites
are dreadfully simple. Ritual
combat, duels against wild
beasts and unevenly
matched pit fights
give the Throne of
the Smokeless Fire

110

the throne of smokeless re

a clear-cut method
to measure the dominance and predatory
skill of their most
devoted brethren.
Also, Trials of Fear
are held several times
a year, as the abilities
to resist intimidation
and steel ones resolve
are deeply valued tools
of the Throne of Smokeless Fire.
However, more elaborate
and intellectual contests are
the preferred test of the factions
masters. Monitored by a council of respected Djinn, competitors duel through elaborately woven lattices of lackeys,
patsies and dupes. Contests such as these can last for
decades and have even been known to span multiple generations. The victor in such contests will generally receive
a reward of great value to the covey or of gross value, such
as a large sum of money or control of one of the losers
ghouls. However, the stakes may be all or nothing, with the
winner seizing the losers assets, servants and unlife.
Nickname: Djinn

111

stable psychology that gives them an edge when interpreting the dictums and traditions of the Djinn. Needless to
say, the Nosferatu are also strong among the Djinn, for
no other clan commands fear in mortals with the same
virtuosity of the Haunts. Of the Unlearned covenants,
members of the Invictus are the most likely to convert to
the cause of the Djinn.
Organization: Somewhat unique among the Brood,
the Djinn are organized along the lines of rigid hierarchies of dominance. However, these are ofces of pure
control and do not obligate the Djinn to any role of
demagogue or guru, only master. Regardless of titles, the
soldiers of the Throne of Smokeless re are self-absorbed
and unconcerned with enormous networks of operatives
and slaves. If a Djinn of high rank needs something done,
he may command a less achieved brother to resolve the
matter for him but is just as likely to do it himself, adding another notch of achievement to his belt. Coveys of
the Throne of Smokeless Fire also tend to be a bit larger
than those of other factions, but still within a manageable
pack structure, and thus tend to average six members. An
area with more than six Djinn produces a second covey,
which vies bitterly with the rst.
Favored Aspect: Soma. Power, rage, dominance and competition: the body is the instrument of power in the world.
Whether physical combat, emotional resilience or intellectual rigor, the Throne of Smokeless Fire seeks to actualize
its members into perfect predators, feared and respected by
all as the chosen agents of the Adversary on Earth.
Concepts: Crime boss, deranged mercenary, ex-marine, foreman, gang leader, hit man, pit ghter, Third
World warlord, union rep/union buster.

chapter three

Appearance: The Djinn wear the skins of wolves in

whatever setting they prowl whether in a power suit, a
biker jacket or a one-of-a-kind evening gown, the Throne
of the Smokeless Fire aims to intimidate and control.
At the street level, the Djinn will be dressed in gear
that clearly represents his rank and power. In business,
members of the Throne of Smokeless Fire exude menace
and wealth through carefully selected garments. However,
only among their own, in the privacy of their havens and
ritual halls, are the Djinn free to adorn themselves in trophies of those they have crushed and destroyed, hoping
to attract the favor of the Adversary that guides them.
It is important to note that even though the Djinn are
fanatical and brutal, their emphasis on action over theory
means they almost never wear visible occult trappings.
Haven: Needless to say, in the modern world one
needs more than brawn to win most battles worth winning. Because of this, the Throne of Smokeless Fire is
rarely without ample resources with which to enable its
members ascent to power. Massive estates, luxury penthouse apartments and technologically enabled militia
compounds all serve as suitable havens for the Djinn.
Background: As mentioned earlier, the Throne of
Smokeless Fire accepts the most aggressive, ruthless and
superior of Kindred into the factions august ranks, rarely
if ever going out of the way to select untested humans
unless they are of an incredibly actualized nature. Where
these types are found varies depending on what level these
gifts have manifested. Gangrel are often prized for their
savage wisdom and raw survivability, whereas Daeva are
valued for their force of personality and explosive strength
and speed. The Ventrue, however, provide excellent stock
because they possess both a capacity to rule and the un-

the throne of smokeless re

Turn your eyes from me, child of sheep,

lest I pull your entrails out your mouth.

chapter three

The Scarlet Rite

Where some factions express their
understanding of the Adversary through
acts of systematic brutality and cruelty,
the Scarlet Rite chooses a softer
shade of indulgence. While many
such sarx-afliated cults existed
before, the faction truly came
into its own amidst the perfumed
parlors and salons of the early 18th
century. The so-called Hyletics seek out
ever-increasing carnal pleasures in order
to satisfy the esh that calls out for it. Although often dismissed by fanatics of more
visceral cults as mere perverts and junkies,
the path to Hyletic enlightenment is one of
unrestrained lust, of both personal and material excess. While not as xated on murder and
mutilation, the limits of sexual deviance mark the point
at which the ceremonies of the Scarlet Rite begin.
Undeniably the newest of the major factions of the
Forsworn, the Scarlet Rite found its rise to prominence
among the occult societies of the Age of (so-called)
Enlightenment at the beginning of the 18th century.
Where society still maintained its veneer of piety and
higher thinking, in England, two organizations calling
themselves The Hellre Club surfaced with an agenda
that frightened the prudish minds of the day. Although
neither of these societies performed the Black Masses
and satanic rites for which they are so infamous, one
did consciously work toward undermining conventional
morality to the best of its ability. Nonetheless, many
of the members who were interested in more visceral
satisfaction departed at this time. These degenerates
then created their own society, called the Scarlet Rite,
which focused on acts of immorality instead of words.
However, on the evening of January 18, 1723, a Kindred
calling herself the Chalice of Babalon arrived. After that
evenings events, half of the societys membership was
dead and the other half had become the most powerful
covey the ideology had ever seen. This covey, more than
anything, was responsible for the rise of the Scarlet Rite
as a major Brood faction. The Rite has grown rapidly ever
since, taking powerful root in every debauchery human
civilization has had to offer.

112

the scarlet rite

Scarlet Rite Domains

Unlike a good number of Forsworn,

the Scarlet Rite prefers to take up residence among the swarming masses of
modern society. Where other factions
need spend many years entrenching themselves and setting up operations to insure
their functionality, the Hyletics often nd that
they can jump right into most mortal social
environments and turn them on their ear.
In North America, the Scarlet
Rite works on two fronts. On
the coasts and in the major
cities of the Midwest, the
Hyletics establish their havens and cultivate
surges in vice that they can steer toward greater menace. In places such as New York, Montreal, Los Angeles,
Miami and Chicago, drugs, prostitution and black market
pornography are spread out before Hyletics like a garden
of earthly delights. However, the rare jewels are found
in Americas Bible Belt. In the repressed, quiet towns of
the Midwest, a covey of the Scarlet Rite can demolish the
social norm, using their ghouls and cultists to coax a quiet
hardware store owner into an incestuous relationship with
his own daughter or push a church activities director into
secret atrocities of abuse and molestation.
In Central and South America, the Hyletics have
entrenched strongholds in the cities of Rio de Janeiro
and Buenos Aires. In these cities, the rich can come and
enjoy unimaginable debauchery in luxuriously furnished
compounds without any worry of legal scandal or legal
consequence. In such places, the Hyletics and their cults
have access to inuential politicians, powerful corporate
executives and famous entertainers, and the Hyletics
infuse them with sugar-coated versions of their own dark
philosophies that can later be disseminated to their social
circles when they return home.
In Asia, Bangkok serves as Mecca for the Scarlet Rite.
As anonymous connoisseurs of esh and sin crawl like
ants over the sex trade districts of the Sodom of the
East, the Forsworn of the Scarlet Rite sit at the top of
the hill. It is said that the sacredness of Bangkok is
so signicant to the Hyletics that more than a dozen

Rites of the Hyletics

The aim of most Hyletic rites is to consume and

devour without care or consequence, focusing almost
exclusively on the satisfaction of appetite. The zealous
among the Hyletics are marked by a total and constant

113

gluttony, denying the present moment and the past in

favor of a future of more and more esh. While Hyletic
rituals may not be as horrifying as those of the Roaring
Serpent or the Pandaemonium, what makes them truly
powerful is how easily others, human and Kindred, are
lured to participate.
The Scarlet Rite practices the Vaulderie in a number of
ways. Because the drinking of blood and blood play are
considered a high-risk activity for humans insofar as the
spreading of disease is concerned, indulging in such a
ritual would be a rare opportunity for the human libertine.
In some extra decadent performances of the Hyletic Vaulderie, am exceptionally attractive ghoul may serve as the
vessel, with participants taking their ll from the ghouls
mouth or from incisions made in his body. In addition,
performances of the Vaulderie will often take place in the
midst of mass orgies, where the desire for esh and the
thirst for blood can be satised simultaneously.
Although undeniably a sarx cult, the Scarlet Rite also
encourages the heavy use of hallucinogens and uninhibitory drugs during the factions rituals. Not only do
such substances relax the moorings around the moral
foundations of the participants nearly to collapse, but
they also create a dreamlike atmosphere where what is
actually happening is difcult to discern. Under these
conditions and the provocations of persistent Hyletics,
what would normally be a little drug experimentation
and exotic sex among consenting adults can be taken to
a much more ominous level.

chapter three

permanent temples have been established throughout

the city, and have been maintained since the end of the
19th century. The Scarlet Rite has also made itself strong
in Hong Kong and Tokyo, although these strongholds
do not play host to nowhere near the magnitude of the
factions activities in Bangkok.
The fall of the Iron Curtain also resulted in heightened
Hyletic activity in that region. In addition to legal and illegal
prostitution, drug-related crimes have also seen an increase.
In the city of Prague, young people are turned out for prostitution and hardcore pornography regardless of age, and
every form of perversion can be met with but a few American
dollars. It is not by chance that an increase in such things
directly correlates to the arrival of Hyletic cults.
While zealous in their explorations of the limits of
pleasure, the Hyletics are not stupid. In the areas of the
world where sexual misconduct can be met with torture
and death at the hands of religious fundamentalists, the
Scarlet Rite stays clear. To wit, few Hyletic cults maintain
power bases in any major city of the Middle East. During
the early 1800s, the Scarlet Rite had a signicant presence
in China, but there has been precious little Hyletic activity there since the beginning of the 20th century.

the scarlet rite

Despite the parties and kink of the Hyletics, however,

the Trials of Hunger among the Scarlet Rite are no less
terrifying than the most debased rite of any other faction.
In the private ritual chambers of these Forsworn, ritual
rape, pedophilia, bestiality and even necrophilia are commonplace. In some cases, a victim will be restrained for
several nights of ceremony, repeatedly subjected to ritual
abuse for the fulllment of the Scarlet Rites insatiable
carnal appetite.
Nickname: Hyletics
Appearance: Despite the bestial nature of their pastimes, the Hyletics still maintain fairly human standards
of dress and attractiveness. Depending on the stock from
which they feed, devotees of the Scarlet Rite will wear
anything from designer suits to stylish club wear to couture fetish accessories. Unlike the more brutal Pandaemonium, members of the Scarlet Rite are often too vain for
excessive piercing or tattoos, generally only indulging in
such body play in the interest of making themselves more
attractive or as a sexual enhancement. There are always
exceptions, however, as sometimes remaining completely
innocuous serves the faction to better effect.
Haven: The Hyletics, though wanton and reckless in
their ways, prey on two levels of society the estranged
and desperate of the sex trade and the curious and deviant of high society. The havens the Hyletics select reect
this focus. The most common sorts are private residences
of the rich. Enormous mansions with all the amenities prove more than adequate playgrounds for Hyletic
gatherings. On one occasion, a Hyletic Therion seized
control and inuence over a preparatory academy in rural
Massachusetts. The resulting scandals still precipitate
to this day. While such opulent atmospheres are highly
desirable, the Hyletics most often hole up in weekly
rent apartment complexes in close proximity to red light
districts, hourly fee motels located near truck stops and
biker bars, as well as massage parlors, escort services
and actual brothels. In addition, it is not uncommon
for members of the Scarlet Rite to establish temporary

settings of excess in the form of private, underground

sex and fetish clubs. Entry is for members or by invitation only, and the experiences that lie within are beyond
the imagining of even the most jaded. Nonetheless, the
Hyletics generally select their havens because of the ease
of their maintenance, as most cannot be bothered with
exhaustive record-keeping or business management, and
will rarely devote more than a mortal servant or two to
such things.
Background: Although promiscuous in almost all
other matters, members of the Scarlet Rite are rather narrow when it comes to the stock from which the factions
adherents are drawn. Sex trade professionals (both legal
and illegal) and the wealthy constitute a strong majority
of the factions membership. Among the Kindred, Daeva
are preferred for any number of reasons, though Gangrel
and Ventrue likewise nd the Rite appealing. Among
the covenants, members of the Lancea Sanctum and
Carthian Movement are most susceptible to the Scarlet
Rites allure.
Organization: Overall, the Rite is non-hierarchical,
though Sentinels and eunuch ghouls are often used for
security at important events. Temporary ofcers called
patrons often host such galas and are responsible for
procuring havens and holdings. The Therion (called
Perfecti among the Hyletics, and often by non-Hyletic
Brood scholars, as well) are often used as unliving centerpieces at orgy rites, as the infertility of the priest caste
serves as symbol and crux to the meaninglessness of all
the frenzied lust and sex.
Favored Aspect: Sarx. The Forsworn of the Scarlet Rite
are concerned almost exclusively with the satisfaction and
appeasement of the esh. Whether through sex, drugs
or more obscure pleasures, the satisfaction of desire is all
that matters, and all laws, spiritual tenets and lofty aims
of apocalypse fall silent at the feet of supernal lust.
Concepts: Blood junkie, club owner, dominatrix,
fetishist, pornographer, prostitute, serial rapist, starlet,
trust fund dilettante.

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If you think that felt good,

just take one of these and follow me.

114

the scarlet rite

blood of belial

While the factions of the Hexad constitute the most

numerous and powerful of Forsworn philosophies, they
are far from the only ones. In a covenant as diverse as
Belials Brood, the number of potential sub-factions is
limited only by the number of coveys worldwide. Since
the factions of Hexad comprise the six most archetypal
mindsets of the inhuman vampire, most of the factions
outside their ranks are truly just offshoots of one of the
six parent factions, but some are different enough to
bear discussion as truly separate entities. The important
thing to remember about sub-factions is that regardless
of their specic behaviors or beliefs, they all share in the
same basic tenets that bind all Forsworn together, core
elements that include the Pursuit, the Tongue of the
Beast, the Vaulderie, the manifestation of Investments
and of course, the Trinity.
In this latter regard, the identity of these smaller factions
can be most singularly and efciently personied. When
incorporating or even designing a sub-faction of the Brood,
the most important question a Storyteller needs to ask is,
With which aspect of the Trinity is the covey most heavily
associated? Is it a pneuma cult, a sarx cult or a soma cult?
Some concepts dont fall so neatly into one of these three
categories, but its important that the Storyteller ultimately
settle on one as being most iconic because the coveys
favored aspect benet will be derived from this decision.
Of course, a Storyteller can always choose to deny his subfaction a favored aspect benet at all, but in the interests of
fairness, every Brood member regardless of his factions
size or power should have the opportunity to receive a
favored aspect benet from his faction.
The minor factions presented here are intended to
showcase the manner in which factional offshoots can
arise, and what form such diversion typically takes.

The Corpus Delecti

(The Body Criminal)

More than an extended covey, less than a faction, the

Corpus Delecti refers to itself most frequently as a cabal.
The history of this bizarre religious sect (bizarre even by
Belials Brood standards) can be concretely traced to the
occult fascination of Englands Victorian Era, though
members of the Corpus Delecti themselves claim that

their beliefs descend from far more ancient sources.

Members of the cabal believe strongly in the duality of
mortal (and vampire) nature, the juxtaposition of the
esh and the spirit, but they carry that belief to an extent
that, in the eyes of other vampires, can only rationally
be dened as mad.
The Corpus Delectis philosophy is complex, spread
across dozens of occult mantras and philosophical treatises, but when boiled down to its simplest, most fundamental concept, states simply this: he who consumes the
blood of a man, so, too, does he consume the essence,
the soul, of that man. Every mortal a vampire drains unto
death, according to Corpus Delecti belief, is a soul added
to the vampires own spirit, making him that much more
a being of spirit, of pneuma, that much less a being of
esh. Should a vampire consume a sufciency of souls,
he can become a being truly beyond the esh entirely, a
being of pure soul, just as the Adversary himself. This is
the nal fate of those vampires who prove most worthy,
and the ultimate goal of every member of the cabal.
This renders the Corpus Delecti a threat to the Masquerade beyond even the rest of the Forsworn. Because
a mortal must be consumed completely for her soul to be
taken in with her blood, members of the group very rarely
leave their vessels alive. In fact, paradoxically, only if a
member of the cabal frenzies while feeding is the vessel
likely to survive. Even though feeding is the most intimate
act of which the Kindred are capable, the vampires of the
Corpus Delecti always hunt in groups of at least three.
This is so that, should a feeding vampire frenzy, the others
can pull him off his prey. These vampires believe that only
pure souls bring the one who consumes them closer to
ascension. Frenzy during feeding is a sign that the Beast
has recognized a darkness in the mortal soul akin to its
own, and the presence of that darkness makes the soul far
too impure for absorption. To be allowed to feed from a
vessel while in frenzy is, for the Corpus Delecti, a horror
akin to the way most mortals view cannibalism.
Similarly, any soul already taken in by a vampire has
bonded with the Beast, and become too impure for anyone else to benet from. As such, the Corpus Delecti
abhors the notion of diablerie, and its members prefer
any fate up to and including Final Death to committing the detestable and sacrilegious act.

chapter three

Minor Factions

115

chapter three

The Horned ..Hand

(Alpdru cke)
The extended covey known as the Horned Hand was
born in the forested hills of Bavaria shortly after the turn of
the 16th century. At that time, the cult was a Circle of the
Crone coterie dedicated to a goat-headed folk god who had
allegedly guarded the people of the region since the pre-conversion times of the eighth century. Some hints concerning
the original cult can be found in Indiculus Superstitionum Et
Paganarium, a document fragment dated from around AD 740
in Bavaria. It is also believed that the historical accounts of
the Hartz Mountain Witches are related to this circle. During their days as Acolytes, members of the cult was discreet,
though often the subject of superstition and tall tales in the
nearby village of Teufelziege a town that has barely changed
to this very night. When a town elder by name of Leopold
Von Metzger was Embraced by the covens Hierophant, however, everything changed. This Hierophant of the Horned
Hand (a Nosferatu known only as Frau Uli) had taken to
the earth for the long sleep, and her subordinates lacked
direction in her absence. Suspicious of Von Metzgers intent,
the coterie prohibited him from attending Winnowings and
kept him distanced from other major rituals. Von Metzger,
who actually was plotting to take control of the cult, was
still profoundly insulted by the presumption. So he rallied
the towns populace with the help of his three mortal sons,
and had the old Horned Hand (as well as its elder) destroyed
while the Acolytes slept, helpless.
Since that time, the cult has assumed almost total control of the isolated village of Teufelziege, making ghouls
of some and holding the rest captive with terror, violence
and nightmares (for which the cult members were given
their nickname). The covey now consists entirely of
Forsworn claiming to be Von Metzgers sons and grandchildren, all of whom maintain the patriarchal tenets of
their father in his absence. Leopold Von Metzger himself
is believed to be resting somewhere in the forest, sleeping
the sleep of ages as his covey waits for his return.
Most rites of the Horned Hand take place on the same
holy days recognized by the Circle of the Crone, with the
primary exception being the elimination of the Crones
Liturgy and the addition of a feast celebrating the birth of
their beast-god celebrated on the day of Von Metzgers
Embrace. The similarities end there, however, as the Forsworn of the Horned Hand believe that empowerment
and enlightenment have but one price and one price
alone . . . and that price is paid with a steady ow of living
blood. Offered upon shrines hidden deep in the thicket
of the Bavarian Forest, the Alpdrcke use the blood and
pain of their sacrices to summon up their own Beasts.

116

blood of belial

Once the frenzied rite is in full motion, the members of

the cult descend like jackals on the living sacrices, ripping them to shreds and endeavoring to lap up every drop
of blood. Woe be unto the unwary traveler who should
happen upon the blighted town of Teufelziege.

The Teeth of Yamatu

The Eaten)
(
Although this minor faction of the Forsworn likely

claims no more than a couple dozen members worldwide,

the Teeth of Yamatu is a source of terror even among
Belials Brood itself. Where the other factions may conduct their rites of power, destruction, blasphemy and
lust, the Eaten are inspired only by the singular desire to
consume creation itself. Nightmarish in both practices
and appearance, the Teeth of Yamatu claims to be the
most ancient of all sarx cults, its population diminishing
over time to allow for the undiminished purity of its rites
to continue.
It is the belief of the Eaten that there is no Adversary/Demiurge in any traditional sense. The yawning
and devouring void, which they call Yamatu, is that to
which all esh must return, and the hunger of that void
must be appeased. Life feeds this emptiness, they believe,
and it is on this simple idea that their views of Kindred
existence are based. However, the extreme to which the
Eaten take this idea is terrifying even to the most jaded
of minds. Although respected among sarx adherents as
masters of that aspect of the Trinity, the Teeth technically fail as a body of the Brood, as they only practice
two of the Archontes the Vaulderie and acts of blood
sacrice. This is because the Vaulderie serves as the sole
method of initiation among the Eaten, and sacrice is
its inevitable result.
Because they exclusively focus on the hunger and appetite of the Beast, the Eaten are cursed to devour live
esh and blood if they are to nd nourishment. Stores
of blood will not serve the pangs of the Eaten for long,
so access to a large herd is a must. For this reason the
Eaten are generally only found in Third World or wartorn countries where people can go permanently missing
for any number of reasons. Even in such a setting, the
Teeth of Yamatu avoids human contact almost entirely
and doesnt use ghouls or a human cult.
To join the covey of the Teeth of Yamatu, one must
undergo a very simple but profoundly unsettling initiation. After fasting for three nights while surrounded by
ones covey brothers and sisters, the candidate must
devour the esh and blood of an entire human (or in
special cases, another vampire), leaving nothing but the
bones and teeth. This trial can require an enormous

blood of belial

PARENT CLAN: ANY?

Both the Therion bloodline and the Doulosi

ghoul family are oddities of vampire physiology.
How does a bloodline emerge without a parent
clan? How does a ghoul family solidify its mystic
properties enough to pass on the supernatural
power of the Blood without also inheriting the
unique aspects of the clan from which they derive
their power? If bloodlines can be formed without
the fetters of blood shackling them to one clan or
another, if ghoul blood can achieve the difcult
goal of graduating to a full-edged ghoul lineage
without an intimate debt to any one clan, why
dont more vampires strive to win this kind of
exibility for their own bloodlines and their own
ghoul families?
In the ctional game world of Vampire, the
answer is simple: The Therion are not really a
bloodline and the Doulosi are not really a ghoul
family. At least, not in the same way that other

bloodlines and ghoul families are. Rather, they are

unique anomalies of the Blood, perhaps caused
by ancient contact with hellre but reproducible
through the same Vitae-altering methods that
Kindred use to transmute their essential blood
from that of a clan to that of a bloodline. The
sanguine mutations that make a vampire into a
Therion, for example, are not strictly the same as
those that result in more traditional bloodlines,
but the changes these transformations cause
in the Blood render vampires unable to adopt
any other bloodline. The effect is similar for the
Doulosi their weakness even demonstrates how
volatile it can be to mix these blood anomalies
with more common vampire blood factors.
In the language of the game itself, the issue
is even less fantastic: What happens in the
game world and how its described in the game
mechanics are not always the same. Vampires in
and out of the Brood mistake the Therion and the
Doulosi for things more commonly encountered
(bloodlines and ghoul families), but that doesnt
make them the same. The effects of the Therion
and the Doulosi on gameplay are similar enough
to those of regular bloodlines and ghoul families
that its not worth your trouble to learn new
systems to use them. The role that these elements
play in Belials Brood require these mechanisms to
be available to characters of any clan, and opening
each element to any clan is the most direct way to
represent that in the game. Five different Therion
bloodlines could have been described one for
each clan, for example but that would just use
more pages to say the same thing.
The basic mechanics of the Doulosi, as
described in this book, are enough to use them
in most Vampire chronicles, but if you want more
information on proper ghoul families and how
they work, get yourself a copy of Ghouls.

chapter three

span of time, as the candidate may only use his own

teeth and ngers to feed himself. During this grizzly test
of endurance, the aspirant undergoes a physical change
as well as a spiritual one; the eyes of the candidate ll
over white as a red crackle of vessels covers the eyeballs,
while the initiates teeth turn as black as obsidian. After
this transformation and the feast are over, the teeth are
jerked clean of the sacrices skull and given over to
the newly initiated Eaten as a symbol of his acceptance.
After the completion of this rite, the new member feels
a compunction to derive nourishment from blood only
if it is taken with equal parts of esh. (In game terms,
every member of this faction possesses the Belials Feast
Investment.)

117

Therion

chapter three

You have been lied to, brother. But rejoice now,

for you have found truth at last, and it shall set you free.

118

In a covenant of inhuman beings ruled by their passions

and led only by instinct, one cant help but wonder how
the Brood manages to maintain even a semblance of
social order, composure or spiritual contiguity. In a
primitive pack structure, where each member is more
monstrous than the next, one wonders what sort of
being could effectively shoulder the responsibility of guiding the others toward that very order,
composure and spiritual contiguity. In such a
harsh and alien context, what sort of creature
could even know how to provide such
guidance? And even if it did, what sort
of creature could hope to inspire both
confidence and fear in sufficient
measure to make it all work?
The Therion is just such a creature.
While the Brood happily accepts aspirants of all clans
and bloodlines, the Therion is the only vampiric bloodline that is actually unique to the Forsworn. Known as
the bloodline of the Beast, the Therion are the gurus
and shamans of the Forsworn, guiding their covey-mates
Beasts toward greater wisdom and power. If the Crux
can be likened to a wheel, with each covey member
represented by a single spoke, then the Therion is the
central hub, the anchor point for the bonds of his covey.
A Therions primal understanding of the Demiurge, and
of the Beasts interplay with its ethos, surpasses that of
most any other Brood member.
Due to the nature of their role in the covey, and of
how they are created in the rst place, the Therion are
the subjects of equal parts reverence and fear from other
Forsworn. The Therion are the product of a strange and
powerful rite, performed by a covey with the specic intent
of exalting one of their number into the bloodline. Similar to other Archontes, this rite is one that all Forsworn
have an instinctive awareness of how to perform upon
bonding with others of their kind via the Crux, but their
actual understanding of the rite (and thus the Therion)
is largely limited to what they feel what their Beasts
know as opposed to what their thinking minds know.
This subconscious assurance has a tendency to make the

therion

Forsworn a little unsettled by the Therion, even by the

one they made, but they know that having one around
to aid them is far better than not having one around at
all. It is almost unheard of for a Brood covey to have
more than one Therion among its ranks, however,
for the Therions gifts cannot benet those tied
to the Therion by blood more than once (thus
making redundancy the only real purpose
to having a second Therion in ones covey,
and its presence would undoubtedly do
more harm than good).
In keeping with patterns central
to other aspects of the Brood, the
Therion focus on the Forsworn
view of existence as being partitioned into three stages: mortality, vampirism and vampirism among the Forsworn. While some Therion hail from
the rare ranks of those Embraced directly into the Brood,
the vast majority led unlives of blithe ignorance among the
Unlearned before hearing the Call, and most consider it a
weakness for one to have joined the bloodline bereft of this
crucial experience (with exceptions, of course, made for
those Therion prodigies spoken of in Brood prophecy).
While most of their dark wisdom is, like so much else
in the Brood, largely a function of the primal, of the
instinctual rather than the intellectual, a number of Therion have attempted to express in written format the ideas
most central to their bloodline over the centuries. The
practice began in Italy, after a Milanese printer named
Panlo Castaldi developed an early printing press using
blocks of moveable type (some 10 years prior to the work
of a certain German goldsmith). Seeing the potential
inherent in the machine, an Antinomian Therion of the
time by name of Arturo Ceniza secured the plans and
constructed for himself a duplicate. With this device,
he printed the rst copies of the tome that would come
to be known by many names, the rst and still the most
prevalent of which is the Book of Threefold Darkness.
The closest thing the Brood has to a Bible, the Book lays
out, in head-swimmingly cryptic and circuitous fashion, a
series of interwoven treatises on the nature of the Beast

119

but similar to other Forsworn, he does lose all Investments.

In addition, a Therion apostate also loses knowledge of
any Choronzon powers he may have learned, as
well as any Devotions for which Choronzon
and/or Investments are a prerequisite.
Appearance: The Therion are
almost deliberate in their lack of
consistency in appearance, as
a group. What connects one
Therion to another is not
clan, or faction or even
blood, but something far
more ephemeral. One
tells the Therion of a
Brood covey not by the
color of his skin or the
clothes draped over his
frame, but by the way his
brothers and sisters act in his presence, and if
one pays close enough attention, by the inscrutably disquieting and utterly alien look in his eye.
The Therion are monstrous and detached,
regardless of their outward seeming.
If they could hide their homicidal insanity,
they wouldnt. The image of the Therion
that gets spread in the whispers of other
Kindred might make you think theres
just one of them, but youre not so
lucky. According to rumor, they
shave their bodies, so that no hair
competes with their dark eyes
for attention. They go barefoot, because theyre not
afraid of a little pain. They
wear loose ponchos sewn
together from the best
parts of human skins,
stained and branded with
angelic glyphs stolen and
defaced by a thousand
years of Satanists. The
Therion chew on these
ponchos to keep their
hunger at bay. Dizzying
black tattoos run down
their arms to utterly black
hands, dripping with blood,
which they walk through, leaving
behind bare red footprints.
How much of that fearmongers image is true? Any of
it? Meeting a Therion is the only way to know the truth
if you survive long enough to know youve met one.

chapter three

and its relation to man. And, similar to the Bible, the

Book was born of numerous authors, each of whom held
different revelations and approaches, but nearly
every version sees disturbingly consistent agreement on the basics, each version divided into
precisely nine chapters. Cenizas true intent
was for the book to serve as a powerful
resonant, to help draw other vampires
to the Brood, and as the Books legacy
has spread, his wish has come true
many, many times over.
Parent Clan: Any (though Gangrel is far and away the most common). Brood members of at least
Blood Potency 3 can adopt this
bloodline without need for
an Avus if they have at least
two other Brood members
to aid them in the rite. In
essence, covey and Vaulderie combine to replace
the need for an Avus. (See
Chapter Two.) This is the
only way for a character to
join the Therion.
Nickname: Advocates.
(This name is only known
and used in so far as it is
the word that best describes
the complicated concept that comes
to mind when the Forsworn speak to
one another about their bloodline in
the Tongue of the Beast.) In practice, what
a Therion is called has more to do with
the faction afliation of the speaker
than anything else. The vast majority of Scarlet Rite-dominant
coveys, for example, refer
to the Therion as Perfecti,
while Antinomian coveys
tend to call them magisters and Archons often
refer to one as a Fortunatus. The Nameless deliberately avoid speaking
of the Therion outside of
the Tongue.
Covenant: Vampires outside
the Brood are incapable of manifesting
this bloodline. A Therion who chooses to raise his
Humanity or join another covenant (and thus leave the
Brood) does not stop being a member of his bloodline,

therion

chapter three
120

Haven: As important as the Therion are to their coveymates, the Therion take no special pains to make their
havens in any one particular place or fashion, as a rule.
They will, however, often assume the role of covey Seneschal, opening their own havens for use as communal
resting, ritual or meeting spaces, or in some cases, securing a separate place exclusively for the coveys use. Once
a haven is established, the day-to-day details are typically
left to subordinates (often a trusted ghoul of the covey),
but the trust a covey places in its Therion is the often
the rst step to getting such measures underway, if not
resolved outright. After that, its just a matter of making
sure the haven is secure, wherever it may be.
Background: A prospective Therion can come from any
vampiric clan or mortal walk of life. The determining factors
revolve much more heavily around the characters philosophical outlook and moral composition. Since no vampire
comes to the Brood already a Therion, the importance of
ones background is, as so many other things among the
Forsworn, primarily about the process. Facets of ones rst
stage are pertinent only as they pertain to the attainment
of the second stage, much as second-stage experiences are
important primarily insofar as they pertain to ones heeding
the Call, and so on. If an aspect of a Therions background,
mortal or otherwise, stands in the way of his Pursuit, it falls
upon him to address it, but solely in the interests of deconstructing it and ultimately stripping the forgotten thing of
its present or future hold over him. Otherwise, the things
of the past are religiously, relentlessly, left to the past.
That said, certain fundamental personality traits do seem
to appear more often than not among the Therion, despite
their disparate nature as a bloodline. Foremost among these
is a strong tendency toward introspection, an inborn gift, if
you will, for what people call soul searching. A vampire
who does not yet know who (and what) he is or what he
believes is not yet ready to be a Therion. Second only to
this trait is the Therions ability to bear witness to anything
and everything in the interests of attained enlightenment
what some Brood scholars have dubbed an avid willingness to gaze uninchingly into the abyss. The ascension of
a Therions blood opens his eyes to images and truths that
would easily shatter more delicate minds, and history has
shown this propensity to develop early on in the mortal
lives of all but the rarest few of the Therion.
Character Creation: A Therion is likely to continue
focusing on whatever Traits he favored before adopting the
bloodline, with an added interest in developing his Wits
score. The Therion are repositories of primal wisdom, and
as such, tend to focus on such Skills as Animal Ken, Empathy
and Occult. Physical Traits tend to merit the least attention
for those who walk the path of the Advocate, but as they

therion

are still vampires (and Forsworn vampires at that), Skills

such as Stealth and Survival will always retain their appeal.
Depending on the characters role in the story, he may nd
it worthwhile to pursue acquisition of Contacts who can
be of benet to his covey, but on the whole, Merits tend to
take a back seat to other pursuits once a character becomes a
Therion. Remember that a character must have at least three
dots of Blood Potency to even be eligible for the bloodline.
Bloodline Disciplines: When a character adopts this
bloodline, his player selects two of his clans favored Disciplines. The third is dropped and replaced by Obfuscate.
The bloodline Discipline is Choronzon, the hallmark of
the Therion.
Example: The Daeva head of a Brood covey reaches Blood
Potency 3 and decides to inherit his blood legacy as his covey-mates
resident Therion. After the character spends the requisite permanent
Willpower dot and engages in the proper Vaulderie ritual, his player
selects Celerity and Majesty from among his clan Disciplines, thus
dropping Vigor and acquiring Choronzon and Obfuscate.
Weakness: All Therion suffer from their parent clans
weakness. A Nosferatu Therion remains as frightful as a
Ventrue Therion remains mentally deranged. Those who
adopt this bloodline suffer from an additional blood-borne
debilitation, however, and some nd it a grave one indeed.
Once a vampire has gone through the mystic transformation that makes him a Therion, he may never again sire
childer. Forsworn Advocates are incapable of passing on
the Curse, and should they try to Embrace anyway, their
subjects always die screaming, their eyes turning a glossy
black before smoldering painfully away into thick, black
ash. This infertility is a sacrice on the part of the Therion
that cannot be undone, and the Forsworn look upon it as
further proof of the bloodlines devotion to the Brood.
Organization: As one might expect, the Therion have little
organization to speak of when it comes to other Therion.
While the caste itself is large and inuential in the covenant
worldwide, each Therion, similar to each Brood covey, is very
much an individual, and beyond that, an important member
of the covey he serves. All other considerations pale in comparison to an Advocates duties to his bonded brothers and
sisters, though Brood members outside the covey can expect
to be treated with some respect, particularly if they, too, are
of the Therions own faction. Depending on the region, and
the number of coveys present therein, the Therion of a given
faction will stay in communication with each other (this is
especially true of those in the Nameless and the Perfecti of
the Scarlet Rite), but like just about all Forsworn, are leery
of getting too involved in one anothers business.
Concepts: Anthropologist, clinical euthanasist, confessor, idiot savant, modern primitive, philosophy professor,
psychonaut, street chemist, swami.

the doulosi

Thats good advice, but Im no stranger, dear.

Im an old friend of your mothers, and shes terribly hurt.
Hop on in and well go to her together. Theres a good girl ...
The Doulosi cult of ghouls is
perhaps one of the strangest entities
to arise in the shadow world of the
undead. The Doulosis ability to
blend into the changes of the ages
often leads those who investigate
such things to grossly underestimate
the true antiquity of the Doulosis
line. Although several factions of the
Forsworn claim to be the ghoul cults
source, just as many claim that the Doulosi
were, in fact, founded by Belial himself.
Nonetheless, the Doulosi are actually a cult,
and not a true ghoul family, that for centuries
lled its ranks primarily with the descendents
of six mortal families who made their homes
along the Mediterranean in northern Italy,
around the Greek Islands and in Cyprus. The families
were generally wealthy, but of lower social standing and
often on the outs with their respective courts or ruling
bodies. After making their pact with the Doulosi patricians, their woes were mysteriously eased and the Doulosi
would collect their payment. Payment usually consisted
of a rstborn child, or the head of the house taking of
the blood of Belial, which was provided by one of the
Forsworn of the nearest covey.
The original six families of the Doulosi (a variant on the
Greek word for bondservant) were the Androphonis,
Anleemoni, Avigsonne, Carcassonne, Diakonos and the
Schiavari. The Avigsonne are perhaps the most well-known
among Forsworn worldwide, although the Androphonis
are believed to be the oldest. It is said that Concett
Avigsonne was the widow of Lothario Avigsonne, an
unsuccessful drunk of a merchant whose familial estates
were seized in his home of Sardinia. After numerous failed
attempts at restoring his fortune, Lothario fell into an irreversible depression. Disgusted by her husbands failure
and weakness, Concett calmly poisoned him. Committed
to restoring both her station and her wealth, even while
under suspicion for her husbands demise, Concett
Avigsonne attended parties and dinners in search of a
new husband. Although she did not nd a husband, she

did encounter a Forsworn ghoul

who made her an offer she was
unable to resist. Although her station in mortal society was never
restored, Concetts unseen inuence and wealth was profound,
and the power of her line has grown
considerably over the centuries.
Regardless of family, the Doulosi cult has
been an invaluable support network for several
factions of Belials Brood for at least 2,000 years.
This fact is made even more signicant when
one realizes that the members of this ghoul cult
rarely become Forsworn themselves (the reasons
for which remain debated to this night). In addition, as the Doulosi are a cult and not a true
family, children are born human and require a
special ceremony and ritual to become Doulosi.
Similar to the core Vaulderie, the rite of making used to
create the Doulosi cultists is an Archonte. Several coveys
of the Forsworn have refused to perform the rite, but all
Forsworn know how, and most coveys have at least one
Doulosi to attend to their needs. The ritual itself is similar to a Vaulderie in the way that the blood of the ghoul
candidate (or ghoul) lls a ceremonial vessel, pooling with
that of the members of the hosting covey. After the goblet
is lled, however, the covey turns its back to the candidate
as the aspiring Doulosi empties the vessel in its entirety,
often vomiting up the excess in the case of larger coveys.
This done, the covey takes up metal styluses and inscribes
prayers of blessing, claims of ownership and curses against
betrayal on the ghouls body. At that point, the mortal or
ghoul becomes a full member of the Doulosi cult. Among
the Nameless, there is a belief that the ghouls who undergo
this transformation symbolically inherit the bloodline of
Belial himself, whom they believe was a human who sired
a hidden litany of mortal offspring. Whether there is any
truth to the latter, it does account for the respectful way in
which the Nameless handle their Doulosi, and why elders
of the Nameless (as well as some of the other factions) take
heed of their chosen ghouls, minding them not only for
advice, but also for signs and portents.

chapter three

The Doulosi

121

chapter three

Nickname: None. Individual members of the Doulosi

are often referred to by their family names (e.g., Avigsonne, Diakonos, Androphonis, Anleemoni). In the case
of new blood, the ghoul will either take the name
of one of the older families (depending on the
region and covey) or simply be called by the
term Doulosi.
Clans: Any. As the Doulosi are not traditional ghoul families, the regnant can be of
any clan. Ghouls of the Daeva are sometimes
chosen because they are often physically powerful and can socially inuence other mortals.
Gangrel ghouls make excellent soldiers as
well, but more importantly, have experience in dealing with vampires who
are dangerously close to the Beast.
Mekhet ghouls who have achieved
any mastery of their regnant clans
Disciplines are invaluable, making
excellent watchdogs for the Forsworn.
In addition, because of the abundance of
Mekhet scholars and lore-hoarders, ghouls
from their number often possess acute intellect and research skills. Nosferatu ghouls
are beloved of many of the more visceral
sarx cultists for their ability to unleash terror and physical punishment, but are also
valued by the Brood in general because they
tend to come with strong stomachs and an
innate tolerance to things disturbing and
nightmarish. Ghouls sustained by Ventrue
regnants are versatile and useful, often
used to taking orders from domineering
Kindred who weave complex schemes that
revolve around others undoing.
Factions: The uses of the Doulosi vary
widely depending on the covey and faction to which they are sworn. Among
the Archons and the Djinn, Doulosi are
used chiey to maintain mortal affairs of
the Brood. As soma cultists often acquire
signicant resources and stores of material
power, the aid of those who can move by
day are essential to their operations. In
the case of the Faustians, ghouls
are absolutely required for the
success of most of their plans,
as the intricate methods of
corruption can often require a signicant supporting
cast. Antinomians make use of the Doulosi to facilitate
large-scale rituals and, in some instances, use more
experienced Doulosi to indoctrinate their young and

122

the doulosi

ignorant recruits. The Scarlet Rite shares a history with

the debauched Androphonis family and includes the
esteemed members of the old family in their licentious
agendas, and also employs them to maintain its holdings. In the case of both sarx cults, the Doulosi are
key in maintaining a connection to the real and
actual living esh. However, the Doulosi hold the
most importance for the Nameless. Because of the
factions particular outlook, the Nameless requires a
mortal interface to maintain balance and inuence. Nonetheless, the Nameless belief that
the Doulosi are the inheritors of the blood
of Belial himself that gives them a sacred
value to the members of that faction.
Appearance: In both the modern
nights and those of the past, Doulosi are
often prized for their ability to blend in.
Although they may serve the vicious and
violent warriors of the Throne of Smokeless
Fire, or the amboyant and gory Antinomians, the Doulosi all cultivate a passing inconspicuousness that allows them to seek out and
obtain those things that the Forsworn cannot
obtain on their own. However, the Doulosi are
often no less devoted to the concept of the
Adversary than any of Belials Brood. For this
reason, the ghouls will often carve or tattoo
the marks of their allegiance on areas of their
bodies that are normally concealed.
Ghouls of the Brood are marked by their
inconspicuous nature. As they are the hands
of those who cannot walk freely among men
without notice, the ghouls are indoctrinated
into a silent practice of faith in the Broods
philosophies without bearing any conspicuous marks. However, due to their zealousness,
many of these ghouls (especially among the
sarx-focused factions) engage in secret rites of
self-mortication, such as carving or branding
sigils onto parts of the body that are generally
hidden by clothing.
Havens: The havens and holdings of the
Doulosi cult take on many forms, largely
depending on the covey (or coveys) that the
ghouls serve. In the case of the Mercy Seat,
Doulosi will generally take up residence with
the covey itself, whereas those who serve
the Scarlet Rite often open their homes to
the members of the covey. The Throne of
Smokeless Fire generally keeps its ghouls at
a distance, the Doulosi being no exception.

123

themselves acclimate well or readily to the Embrace.

Once ritually inducted into the Doulosi, a ghoul almost
never survives the transformation into undeath. When a
Doulosi is Embraced, roll the characters Morality with a
2 penalty. Only if the roll is a success does the Doulosi
survive to become one of the Kindred. With any other
roll result, the ghoul dies screaming.
Organization: The Doulosi ghouls are placed in positions of rank and function in accordance with what their
covey requires. Within the Pandaemonium, Doulosi can
play almost as much of a role as the Forsworn themselves,
often undergoing the same initiations as those of the
core covey. Doulosi in service to the Roaring Serpent are
perhaps the most traditionally handled, acting as bonded
servants to their undead masters. When the Doulosi
cult is employed by the Mercy Seat, they are occasionally
placed in the care of subordinate, non-Doulosi ghouls.
The Nameless treat the Doulosi as truly sacred, and often
put them in direct service to their ranking priest gure,
most often a member of the Therion bloodline (assuming
the covey has initiated one). The Scarlet Rite, though not
to the degree of the Nameless, will often incorporate the
ghouls into their priesthood as well, as they feel the living
ghouls can provide valuable insights into the sarx.
Concept: Bodyguard, coroner, cultist, groundskeeper,
legal clerk, next-door neighbor, occult bookstore owner,
personal assistant, youth center coordinator.

chapter three

Nonetheless, Doulosi who serve the Djinn are generally

very inuential and powerful, sometimes owning palatial
estates, as the Forsworn of the Throne will accept nothing
less. The ghouls who mind the affairs of the Roaring Serpent generally mind the affairs of the covey and have residences that reect these mundane roles. The Forsworn of
the Pandemonium almost always incorporate the Doulosi
ghouls into their inner cults and share their havens with
them, as the loyalty of the ghoul cult has stood the test
of time. However, the Doulosi who serve the Nameless
are the best off, being provided with the sort of luxury
the legendary get of Belial would deserve.
Strengths: Even as ghouls, the Doulosi may purchase
up to one dot of status in Belials Brood (Covenant Status
), and, just as for vampires of the Brood, status confers
the privilege of learning Investments and Devotions for
which Investments are a prerequisite. Ghouls must still
meet all prerequisites to learn such gifts (i.e., Morality 4
or lower), and they never benet from having a favored
aspect, regardless of faction afliation. Any ghoul who
chooses to raise his Morality score loses all Investments
and all Devotions requiring Investments.
Weaknesses: The fact that the Doulosi have withstood the test of time to the degree they have is truly a
testimony to their conviction and commitment. While
they may serve for decades as slaves of the most inhuman of vampires, the ghouls of the Doulosi cult do not

the doulosi

chapter four
124

the wages of sin

the wages of sin

What the fucks the point

of having an edge
if youre not going
to jump off it?

chapter four

Chapter Four
The Wages
of Sin

125

Piety, n. Reverence for the Supreme Being,

based upon His supposed resemblance to man.
Ambrose Bierce, The Devils Dictionary

The strange vampires of Belials Brood practice the same

blood-borne powers found in others of their kind, and
indeed, generally tend to focus even more on the advancement thereof than do many of the Unlearned. And while
the vampires of Belials Brood eschew covenant-based mysticism that sits contrary to their own ideals the practice of
Theban Sorcery and the Coils of the Dragon in particular
they do have dark arts of their own, powerful secrets
manifested by and found only among Belials Brood.
These arts of the Forsworn can be divided roughly into
three categories, the discussion of which is the subject
of this chapter. The most prominent of these powers are
known as Investments, gifts bestowed upon the Forsworn
as they progress along the path of their Pursuit. The
second type of power, the Discipline of Choronzon, is
the bloodright of the enigmatic Therion bloodline. And
the chapter closes with a sampling of vampiric Devotions
developed originally by the Brood.

chapter four

Choronzon

Few creatures in the World of Darkness are as unsettling

as a Forsworn vampire whose covey-mates have exalted
him into the ranks of the Therion. Once so inducted,
the new blood priest can expect fear and reverence in
equal measure from any other creature with a Beast, including his own covey-mates, and the sacred practice of
Choronzon is one of the primary reasons why. With little
measure of exaggeration, it can be truly said that the Brood
itself would risk collapsing under its own weight without
both the guidance of the Therion and the unique power
of their Discipline. Without these, the Forsworn would
be crippled by their own beliefs rendered impotent (or
worse) by the very Pursuit that drives them in all things.
Through Choronzon, the Therion can draw on the power
of the Crux (and the Adversary itself, some say) to manipulate the very essence of the vampiric curse, aiding the
coveys ability to function despite its inhumanity.
Choronzon powers are often invoked with great ceremony, usually in conjunction with the Vaulderie, but
such solemnity is not technically a requirement. What is a
requirement, however, is that the Therion stays true to his
covenant and to his beliefs. A Therion who actively chooses
to abandon his covenant and/or increase his Humanity

126

the wages of sin

rating loses all dots in Choronzon; if he later returns to the

Brood, he must relearn any lost Choronzon dots.
Only the Therion and those covey-mates connected to
him by means of the Crux can benet from the effects of
his Choronzon powers (keeping in mind that a covey can
have no fewer than three and no more than 13 members).
And since the Crux itself must be maintained through
the Vaulderie, any covey member who stays away from
his covey long enough to be detached from the Crux
(366 days) loses the benets of its ongoing Choronzon
effects. (Returning to the fold thereafter requires the rites
be performed again.) If a covey member other than the
Therion leaves the covey with two or fewer members,
the Therion and the remaining member continue to
gain the benets of existing effects but cannot conduct
new Choronzon rites until the third member has been
replaced. If the Therion leaves the covenant or meets
Final Death, the benets of his rites end at once for all
involved. Otherwise, the effects of each rite last for so
long as the Crux binds its participants together. If a new
covey member arrives (or an errant one returns) and
wishes to partake of the Therions Discipline, each rite
must be performed again to integrate the new member
into the mystical group bond.
Cost:
Dice Pool: Choronzon, unlike most Disciplines, is
composed of several concomitant effects, none of which
is actively rolled. Rather, the boon of each effect grows
alongside the Therions escalating mastery of Choronzon
itself. Once the initial ritual for each effect is performed,
the effects are considered always on for each participant
thereafter. All Therion have access to all four of these effects as soon as they gain their rst dot in Choronzon.
Action: N/A

Consolamentum (The Consolation)

Perhaps the most iconic mystery of Choronzon is a rite

known as the Consolamentum (the consolation) for
the way it consoles the spirits of the Forsworn. Over the
course of the rite, the Therion anoints the brow of each
participant in turn including himself with a drop of
blood, often from the communal Vaulderie chalice. Those
who partake of this rite feel their spirits strengthened, as

127

the effects of this power at the time, he gets to add his Therion
covey-mates Choronzon rating () as bonus dice to the
derangement roll, in this case doubling his chances of success.

chapter four

of a mystical grip settling around both Man and Beast.

This power confers two related benets. Ordinarily, vampires risk degenerating into madness with each successive
drop in their Humanity. As the systematic dissolution of
Humanity is integral to the Forsworn, however, this power
works to aid in that intentional descent. All participants in
the rite gain some measure of protection from the usual risks
that accompany Humanity loss. First, any time a participant
commits a sin for which he must make a degeneration roll,
that covey member may opt to use the Therions rating in
the Choronzon Discipline (the current rating, not the rating at the time the rite was conducted) instead of the usual
dice pool. Second, any time one who participated in the rite
must roll for a derangement after losing Humanity, he or
she adds the Therions rating in Choronzon as bonus dice
to the Humanity roll (to a maximum of 10 dice).
Example: A Brood member who took part in the Consolamentum rite nds himself faced with a degeneration check after
cold-bloodedly murdering a child. Normally, he would roll only
two dice to see if he drops in Humanity, but the rites power
permits him to use his Therions Choronzon rating instead. His
Therions rating is , so hed get an extra die in this case, but
he decides he doesnt want the help this time. He rolls just the
two dice . . . and fails, falling from Humanity 4 to Humanity
3. Usually, he would now roll his new Humanity rating (three
dice) to see if he gains a derangement, but since he was under

the wages of sin

Convenenza (The Promise)

Central to the operation of the Brood is the pivotal

covey dynamic that lies at the core of Forsworn belief.
A Therions mastery of Choronzon aids not only in the
individual members spiritual control, but in the coveys
effectiveness as a unit, as well. An important part of this
effectiveness stems from the Broods practice of riding
the wave of frenzy condently, and with as little risk to
other covey members as possible. Choronzon effectively
oils the gears of this process by means of the Convenenza,
a rite during which each covey member makes a sacred
promise to his brothers that his soul will draw strength
from their bond, and in so doing, help him direct the
Beasts power where it will be most effective.
Each dot of Choronzon reduces the number of successes required on Resolve + Composure rolls for each
participating covey member to ride the wave of frenzy
(see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 181). As the standard
number of successes is ve, this means that a covey whose
Therion has Choronzon can ride the wave of
frenzy almost at will, though each member must still roll
Resolve + Composure to see if a dramatic failure results.

Also, certain conditions may increase the number of successes required to ride the wave above ve, and in these
cases, each member who wishes to ride the wave must
still roll to acquire the difference.

Endura (The Fasting)

Almost as essential to the Brood as the Consolamentum is the Endura, the rite of ritual fasting. By keeping
himself and his covey-mates marginally deprived of Vitae,
they can all more easily rouse themselves to action during the period when the Beast is normally at its weakest
from dawn until dusk.
just as other Choronzon powers, this rite needs only
be performed once with the Therions covey, after which
the rite self-sustains through the power of the Crux. Once
the rites performed, the Therion and his covey-mates
gain some measure of added awareness and control
during daylight hours, so long as they observe at least a
minimal fast. Any covey-mate who participates in this rite
is allowed to add the Choronzon rating of the Therion
to the covey-mates Humanity rating to determine his
maximum dice pool when trying to wake or take other
actions during the day (maximum 10 dice), provided
his blood pool is at anything less than full capacity. A
Forsworn can spend Vitae upon rousing to receive the
benets of this power.
Example: A Brood member who took part in the Endura nds
himself roused by a sound during the day. Instead of rolling
just his Humanity (two dice) to rise, he can add his Therions
Choronzon rating () as well, for a total of ve dice but
only because he was not full up on blood when he went to sleep
that morning. Once fully awake, his pools for daytime actions
will be limited to ve dice, rather than two.

chapter four

Reconsolatio (The Cleansing)

128

The deep sleep of torpor is rarely a balm for the mind

of any vampire, but torpor is undeniably rejuvenating
for the undead body. The question, then, becomes one
of time: How long must the vampires mind endure the
Fog of Eternity while his mind waits for his body to reconstitute itself? Traditionally, a vampires activity cycle
increases the closer to human his brand of morality. This
has the unfortunate side effect of putting the Forsworn
out of commission for extremely long periods of time,
while those outside his covenant rise much sooner after
repairing even more grievous wounds to their undead
esh. The power of the Reconsolatio rite, however, works
to even the scales some in this regard. The rite is known
as the cleansing for the way it prepares the Forsworn
soul for the rigors of torpor.
Each dot of Choronzon adds 1 to each participating
covey members Humanity rating for the purposes of
determining time spent in torpor (see Vampire: The
Requiem, p. 175), to a maximum equivalent rating of 10.

the wages of sin

A Brood member with Humanity 3, for example, would

normally spend a base time of one decade in torpor
(which is then multiplied by his Blood Potency to determine the total time spent in torpor). If he participated
in the Reconsolatio as led by a Therion with Choronzon
, however, he would be considered Humanity 6 with
regards to torpor, and would thus reduce his base time
spent in torpor to just two weeks, rather than 10 years.

Investments

Once a member of the Brood has progressed far

enough in his Pursuit, his soul comes to know the secret
of manifesting abilities unlike anything hed ever known
before. The Forsworn call these dark gifts Investments,
and the source of their power is the subject of much
discussion. Some maintain that Investments are at once
the purest and most attained form of vampiric power,
and that all others are merely either precursors or outright distractions to ones true potential. Others hold
that Investments are gifts from the Adversary himself,
funneled by his grace through the power and presence
of the Forsworns emergent Beast.
In terms of game mechanics, the Investment system
is similar to a Dragons progress through the Coils of
the Dragon. Each Investment is a separate level, the
purchase of which is accompanied by an incremental rise
in experience cost. Unlike Coils, however, the specic
multiplier of that cost can vary from level to level, depending on the characters Humanity rating (see Investments
and Humanity, below). Similar to other covenant-based
gifts, the ability to manifest Investments is linked to
membership in Belials Brood. If one has not experienced Cathexis or otherwise been ritually inducted into
a covey (i.e., does not simultaneously have at least one
dot of Covenant Status (Belials Brood) and no dots of
Covenant Status in other covenants), one cannot learn
Investments at all.
Some Investments also have specic prerequisites listed
in their description, all of which must be met before a
character can purchase that Investment. The nature of
these prerequisites varies from Investment to Investment,
and involves everything from knowledge of other Investments to minimum Blood Potency ratings and in some
cases, even the characters possession a specic Vice.
Prerequisites still apply after the vampire has manifested
an Investment, so if an event or condition would permanently alter the characters ability to qualify for a given
power, he loses that Investment and must repurchase it
with experience. (Temporary alterations, such as through
suffering a powers effect, do not count.)
The Investments below are divided into three subcategories, one for each aspect of the Trinity pneuma,
sarx and soma. Accompanying each category is a benet

the wages of sin

Investments and Humanity

Investments, whatever their origins, interact with a

vampires Humanity in several substantive ways. First
and foremost, Investments become easier to learn as
the Forsworns Humanity fades (see table). Vampires
cannot manifest Investments at all until their Humanity scores drop to 4, when the Beast within has nally
grown prominent and receptive enough to call upon
their power. After that, manifesting Investments grows
easier with each successive drop until the characters
Humanity reaches 1, at which time learning Investments
becomes as second nature to him as learning even the
most familiar of vampiric powers. While Investments
are tied undeniably to the Beast, a vampire who retains
no shred of Humanity cannot learn new ones, for the
truly unfettered Beast lacks both the patience and focus
required to learn much of anything.
While it may seem economical for a Forsworn to wait
until hes fallen to Humanity 1 before manifesting his rst
Investment, its generally not a good idea; the Pursuit is
about understanding the path, not just arriving at the destination. Smart vampires know better than to rush through
the descent, and elders often advise younger members to
learn at least one new Investment at each step of the way.
The unusual bond Investments share with Humanity
also lends the two traits some measure of mutual exclusivity. If a vampire ever chooses to raise his Humanity
once hes dropped it low enough to manifest Investments
in the rst place, he immediately loses all Investments
known. (Re-losing the regained Humanity does not bring
them back; they must be relearned from scratch.)
Similar to many other vampiric powers, Investments
receive a +2 bonus to their appropriate dice pools when
turned on those with whom the user has a blood tie. The
dice pools for Investments involving Empathy, Persuasion
or Socialize dont suffer when turned on mortals, regardless of the Humanity rating of the user.

STORYTELLERS OPTION: LIQUIDATION

Abandoning the Brood does have its benets,

however, at least where ones Humanity is
concerned. When a Forsworn loses all his
Investments due to joining another covenant or
opting to raise his Humanity, all the collected
knowledge that went into acquiring those
Investments is liquidated into a pool of
experience that the vampires beleaguered soul
can use to slowly climb back into the light. For
every Investment lost, the vampire gains three
experience points that he may apply to attempts
to regain lost Humanity. Thus, if a vampire had
four different Investments when he left the Brood,
he would leave with a pool of 12 experience points
set aside for him to spend on raising his Humanity
rating. These 12 experience points could not be
spent on anything but raising his Humanity.
Character Humanity
105
4
3
2
1
0

Investment Cost
N/A
New Level x 8
New Level x 7
New Level x 6
New Level x 5
N/A

Pneuma Investments

The aspect of pneuma is the aspect of the spirit, the soul

and the will. Pneuma Investments often rely on the users own
understanding of vice and of his spirits place in both its covey
and in the corrupt material world. For a Brood member afliated with a faction whose favored aspect is pneuma either
the Nameless or the Mercy Seat, most commonly increasing
knowledge of pneuma bestows a commensurate rise in the
Forsworns ability to fool the living world into believing he
isnt the monster he appears. Every pneuma Investment such
a character knows raises his equivalent Humanity by 1 for the
purposes of interacting with non-vampires, to a maximum
equivalent Humanity of 10. For example, a Nameless Forsworn with a Humanity of 2 and three pneuma Investments
interacts with the living world as though he had a Humanity
of 5 in every regard. This benet does not affect how long
a character spends in involuntary torpor, how active he is
when roused during the day or any other element pertaining
to or derived from Humanity. This benet only affects how
he appears to those non-vampires with whom he comes into
contact (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 185).

Aeons Crux

One of the pinnacles of achievement for a student of

the pneuma is the ability to weave ones very soul into
the Crux, the bond one shares with ones covey-mates.
Through this linkage with the Crux, the vampire can act
as conduit whereby the other interconnected Beasts can
draw upon the primal strengths of one another.

chapter four

reserved for those whose favored aspect corresponds to

it. If a vampire shifts from one faction to another during
the course of play, he loses the old favored aspect benet
and acquires the new one. All Forsworn are free to select
any Investment for which they meet the prerequisites,
but some choose to focus their efforts toward unearthing
those secrets most pertinent to their spiritual view.
Faction
Favored Aspect
The Nameless
pneuma
soma
The Roaring Serpent
The Pandaemonium
sarx
pneuma
The Mercy Seat
The Throne of Smokeless Fire soma
The Scarlet Rite
sarx

129

Prerequisites: Beast Sense, Scent of Socius

Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: One turn per success
Dice Pool: Resolve + Blood Potency
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted, and
the Forsworn cannot spend Willpower for the remainder
of the scene.
Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted with no effect.
Success: Each member of the users covey is mystically
linked for one turn per success on the roll. For the duration,
each covey member may use any Investment known to any
other covey member as though he possessed it himself, regardless of prerequisites (though each must pay any required
costs and make any required rolls to use a given power).
During this time, the one who manifests Aeons Crux must
concentrate on maintaining the link, and may invoke no
other supernatural power (not even other Investments). If
and when he does, the effects of this power end immediately. This power does not allow Devotions, Disciplines,
Merits or any other Traits to be likewise shared.
Exceptional Success: The user can call upon Investments as well, even while the powers effects persist
(though he still cant activate Disciplines or other powers
without it instantly terminating this effect).

chapter four

Appetite for Weakness

This Investment allows a vampire to literally feed on

the weakness of others. The Brood member draws on
the potency of his own vice to draw physical enrichment
from the denial of moral satisfaction in the troubled
soul of another.
Prerequisites: Must have Gluttony or Sloth as a Vice
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Larceny victims Resolve.
If another soul fullls a Virtue in the Forsworns presence, the Forsworn may spend a point of Vitae to activate
this power. The Forsworn need not know the victims
specic Virtue to use this Investment.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the Forsworn cannot regain Willpower for the remainder of
the scene.
Failure: The Vitae is wasted with no effect.
Success: The target regains no Willpower for fullling
his Virtue, and the Forsworn gains a number of Vitae
equal to the number of Willpower the target would have
regained if not for the success of this power (up to the

130

the wages of sin

vampires normal blood pool maximum). As this power

essentially robs souls of their moral victories, it tends to
leave victims feeling confused and unsure about what
they truly believe. Daeva vampires cheated by Appetite
for Weakness do not lose additional Willpower points
due to their clan weakness.
Exceptional Success: The vampire regains one Vitae
per Willpower point the victim would have regained,
and the victim of the power loses a Willpower point, as
well. If this would drop the victims current Willpower
to 0, the victim lapses into a dribbling fugue state until
at least one Willpower point has returned.
This Investment may only successfully affect a given subject once per chapter. If two vampires activate this power
on the same target simultaneously, the one with the higher
Initiative wins. In the case of an Initiative tie, the vampire
with the stronger connection to the target (through Virtue
and/or Vice) wins out. The Storyteller is the nal arbiter
of when and how this power comes into play.

Beast Sense

Most vampires stie the voice of the Beast, afraid of

what heeding its feral call might make of them. But for
those who reach out to the Beast, and open their senses
to what it senses, there is great wisdom to be found. The
Beast sees and knows much that the Man does not, and
those with this power learn how to listen.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: None, or Wits + Investigation
With the offering up of Vitae, the Forsworn coaxes
his Beast to the surface, where his Beast lends him its
primitive powers of perception for the duration of a scene.
During this time, the vampire can sense the presence of
all vampires in his immediate area (as dened by line of
sight equivalent, whether the Forsworn can actually see
them or not). Normally, this power requires no roll, but
should a vampire take pains to conceal his Beast by means
of the Obfuscate power of Mask of Tranquility, then the
two vampires must engage in a contested roll, pitting the
Forsworns Wits + Investigation against the others Wits
+ Stealth. If the user of this power accumulates more successes, he detects the presence of the interlopers Beast,
though the user cannot pinpoint the exact location of any
vampire in his area by means of this power alone. This
power senses the Beast itself, so powers such as Cloak of
Night and Twilight Projection provide no immunity.
When the Forsworn senses another Beast, the Forsworn does so as if he had just encountered that Beast
directly, which means he also gets a sense of the others
Blood Potency relative to his own (i.e., whether its weaker

Feet of Clay

For those Forsworn who are strong in the pneuma,

reaching out to the spirit of another becomes no more
complicated or obscure than the act of blowing a kiss. By
means of this power, a vampire can draw on the eminent
power of his own Beast to humble and suppress the Man
in another soul, sapping the other of its will to defy, even
as it ees for its very existence.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Contested, resistance is reexive
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: One turn per success
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Intimidation + Blood
Potency contested by the targets Composure + Blood
Potency
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted, and
the Forsworn is rooted to his present spot until the end
of the following turn.
Failure: The Forsworn fails to accumulate more successes than his target in the contested roll. The spent
Willpower is wasted with no effect.
Success: The vampire accumulates the most successes
in the contested roll, and the target is gripped by a debilitating terror for one turn per success gained. During this
time, the target suffers a penalty to Initiative equal to the
number of successes (potentially altering the targets place
in the Initiative roster). In addition, the faster the target
tries to move, the more it slows down. Taking normal
moves (moving up to ones Speed) reduces the targets
Speed by an amount equal to the number of successes
rolled. Trying to run, however (i.e., taking a full action to
move), fails and reduces the targets base Speed by twice
the number of successes on the Forsworns roll. In the
event of a foot chase (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 65), the targets Stamina + Athletics dice pools
are likewise reduced by one for each success on the roll.
The effects of this Speed reduction can easily shift from
turn to turn, based on the actions of the target.
Example: A Forsworn bests his target with three successes
on the contested roll, meaning the target will suffer the powers
effects for three turns. First, the targets Initiative immediately
drops by 3. In the rst turn, the target tries to move calmly away
at a jog, but nds his Speed reduced by 3 for his efforts. In a
panic, he makes a run for it and tries to double his Speed, but
nds his base Speed reduced by 6, instead. In the third and nal

131

turn, he manages to calm down and drop back to a walk, and

his Speed once again suffers only a penalty of 3. But by then,
of course, the Forsworn has already caught up to him . . .
Exceptional Success: The effects of the power persist
for two turns per success on the contested roll, rather
than one.
One may only successfully affect a given target with
this power once per scene, but the target is not immune
from subsequent uses of the power by other sources.
Overlapping applications of this power do not stack
with one another.

chapter four

or not). Even though this latter effect mirrors the direct

touching of Taints, the Forsworn need not check for
frenzy upon sensing an unfamiliar Beast until and unless
the other shows itself and demonstrates without doubt
that it actually stands in his presence.

the wages of sin

Fire in the Head

Forsworn disciples of the pneuma are known for the

intricate and often horric games they play with the souls
of others. This insidious power is one of the reasons for
this reputation, as Fire in the Head allows a Brood member to call on the power of his own Vice to draw spiritual
enrichment from the indulgence of others.
Prerequisites: Must have Envy or Greed as a Vice
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy targets Composure. If someone fullls a Vice in the Forsworns
presence, he may spend a Willpower point to activate
this power. The Forsworn need not know the victims
specic Vice to use this Investment, but does need to
be at least peripherally involved in the victims attempt
to fulll his or her Vice, even if only as an observer or
subtle provocateur.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted, and
the Forsworn cannot regain Willpower for the remainder
of the scene.
Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted with no effect.
Success: The vampire regains two Willpower points,
while the victim regains no Willpower for fullling his Vice.
In essence, the Forsworn robs the target of any satisfaction
he might have otherwise felt through indulging his Vice.
This leaves most victims feeling temporarily unsatised
with their usual pleasures, though they may not immediately realize the vampires role in their dissatisfaction.
Daeva vampires cheated by Fire in the Head do not lose
additional Willpower points due to their clan weakness.
Exceptional Success: The vampire regains the two
spent Willpower points and the victim of the power gains
a Willpower point, as normal for fullling a Vice.
A given target may only be successfully affected by this
Investment once per scene. If two vampires activate this
power on the same target simultaneously, the one with the
higher Initiative wins out. In the case of an Initiative tie, the

vampire with the stronger connection to the target (through

Virtue and/or Vice) wins out. The Storyteller is the nal
arbiter of when and how this power comes into play.

chapter four

Hiriliu

132

A vampires Beast is a creature of passion, and for no

one is this any truer than for the Forsworn. A vampire
with this Investment knows how to draw on the pneuma
as a sympathetic conduit for the Beast, making of herself
a sort of mouthpiece for all the fettered passion of her
undead soul. When summoned up and released as a
single roar a cry known as the hiriliu among the Brood
the resulting torrent of fervor calls out to the dark side
in another sentient being. The Forsworn often use this
power to quickly learn the nature of a mortals vice.
Prerequisites: Feet of Clay
Action: Contested; resistance is reexive
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: One scene (special)
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Animal Ken + Blood Potency versus Composure + Blood Potency
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted,
and the user cannot activate this Investment again for
the rest of the scene.
Failure: The vampire fails to acquire more successes
than his subject, and the spent Willpower is wasted with
no effect.
Success: The vampire acquires more successes than the
subject, resulting in one of two possible effects depending
on the type of target. If the target is a non-vampire, the
subject immediately attempts to fulll his or her Vice,
regardless of the circumstances or surroundings. Affected
subjects can spend Willpower to delay giving in, but must
spend a number of Willpower points over successive rounds
equal to the Forsworns successes on the activation roll. If
the subjects dont, they must immediately give in to their
dark side (typically revealing their Vice for all to see in the
process). If the subject is a vampire, her Beast hears the call
of the Forsworns Beast and immediately begins to enter
frenzy, though the subject has no conscious idea of from
where the provocation originated.
Exceptional Success: The vampire can demand that
a non-vampiric subject try to act out both his Virtue
and Vice in the same scene. A 2 penalty is applied to a
vampiric subjects attempts to resist entering frenzy.
The primal scream issued forth by means of this power
is silent, a mystical cry from the Beast into the dark heart
of anothers soul. No sound need be made. Multiple
applications of this power upon a subject do not stack
with one another.

the wages of sin

Incite Katharos

A favorite of the manipulators of the faction known

as the Mercy Seat, this Investment allows Forsworn of a
certain moral turpitude to project desire and weakness
into the spirit of another. And when the subject at last
gives in to his articial failings, he grows that much more
powerless against the Forsworn.
Prerequisites: Must have Lust, Pride or Wrath as a Vice
Action: Contested, resistance is reexive
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: One hour per success
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Blood Potency contested
by subjects Composure + Blood Potency
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted, and
the Forsworn cannot regain Willpower for the remainder
of the scene.
Failure: The vampire fails to acquire more successes
than the subject, and the spent Willpower is wasted with
no effect.
Success: The subject adopts a Vice of the vampires
choosing for the duration of the effect. The affected subject immediately feels an urge to act on his new impulses;
each time a situation arises that calls out for the subjects
new Vice to fulll itself, the subject must roll Resolve +
Composure to resist giving in. If the subject fails so much
as a single one of these rolls during the duration of the
powers effect, he immediately indulges in the incited
Vice to the best of his ability. For the subject, the upside
is that if his indulgence fullls the terms for regaining
Willpower under the description of the incited Vice,
the subject does regain Willpower as though the Vice
were his own. The downside is that giving in puts the
subject even further under the vampires sway, granting
the vampire a +2 to all actions and dice pools involving
the subject until daybreak.
Exceptional Success: In addition to the above, the
vampire also regains one of his own spent Willpower
points whenever the victim of the power regains Willpower for fullling the incited Vice.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
2
The vampire has successfully incited
the same Vice in the target before.
+1
The incited Vice corresponds with the
Investment users Vice.

Pneuma Transfer

With enough mystical comprehension of pneuma, a

Forsworn can learn to permanently move her soul into

133

faster or slower than any other soulless husk. If measures

are taken to ensure the bodys protection from decay,
theres no reason the body cant stick around more or less
whole for some time thereafter. The Forsworns soul cannot
return to this vessel again (as it isnt alive), but nothing says
the body cant be used for other purposes.

chapter four

another living vessel. The process is taxing, but allows

the vampire to experience unlife from within the esh
of another, and in so doing, to be reborn. Thus, Pneuma
Transfer is a sacred rite of passage in the eyes of the
Brood, and particularly among the Therion, who are
denied the ability to sire childer.
Prerequisites: Feet of Clay, Hiriliu
Action: Contested and extended; resistance is reexive
Cost: 1 Willpower dot
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Resolve + Empathy contested by the victims
Morality. The rst one to accumulate successes equal to
the others Willpower rating is the winner. A tie indicates
that the vampire fails to usurp the body, and the victim
dies peacefully.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The spent Willpower is wasted, and
the Forsworns progress is halted. He has failed to usurp
this mortal vessel.
Failure: The Forsworn achieves no successes on this
roll, but may continue, provided his opponent hasnt
already gained the required number of successes.
Success: Success indicates that the vampires soul
passes to the body of the mortal, in effect granting the
body a sort of back door Embrace. The new body is
now a vampire in every way, and the soul of its previous
inhabitant is lost forever. The Forsworn gains the mortals
physical Attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina) and
Skills, but keeps his own social and mental Attributes
and Skills. He brings with him all powers he knew in his
former body, except for the three physical Disciplines
Celerity, Resilience and Vigor which he leaves behind
for good. If he wishes to have these powers in his new
body, he must relearn them anew.
Exceptional Success: No additional effect.
The vampire can only target ordinary mortal men and
women (not mages, werewolves or any other type of being)
with this power. Once the vampire has selected a victim, the
vampire must prepare that victim in every way as though
for the Embrace. The vampire drains the victim of his
life-giving blood as normal, but at the moment of death,
activates this power in lieu of reviving the body with Vitae.
If the vampire wins the contested roll, her spirit leaves her
esh and enters the dying body, reanimating it instantly
as one of the undead. If she fails or ties the contested roll,
the mortals soul ghts off the intruding Beast just long
enough to pass away peacefully, rendering his former body
impenetrable to the Forsworn spirit.
When used successfully, this power leaves the users
former body utterly unscathed, much like a perfectly functioning home with no occupant. Bereft of the presence of
its soul, the body will begin to break down and rot, but no

the wages of sin

Scent of Socius

All Forsworn share some measure of connectivity with

their covey-mates due to the nature of the Crux, but
those with this Investment are even more sensitive to the
bonds of blood. The Forsworn call creatures with whom
they share a blood connection socius, a term translating
roughly as companion, and they use it in reference to
covey-mates and ghouls bound to the covey (anyone who
has tasted the vampires blood on three separate occasions). This Investment grants the Forsworn the ability to
track down those with whom he shares such bonds.
Prerequisites: Beast Sense
Action: Instant
Cost: None
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Wits + Occult
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The vampire gleans no information
and cannot try to use this Investment again for the rest
of the scene.
Failure: The vampire gleans no useful information.
Success: The vampire gets a strong feeling of the
general direction and distance to his blood companion.
While sharing a blood sympathy (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 163) with a vampire already allows such augury,
the vampire cant usually choose when the sensations
will come. With this Investment, he can, and can even
feel out ghouls, too, which ordinary blood sympathy
doesnt allow.
Exceptional Success: For a moment, the character
perceives himself to be the subject. He knows exactly
whats transpiring and the exact location of his socius.

Undying Beast

It is said that the Beast is but an extension of the

Demiurge, a nger of his black hand. The Forsworn are
the re that can never be consumed, who burn all who
would seek to contain them. Vampires who would drink
of their hearts blood will nd themselves consumed in
turn. The same lips that tasted the last of the undying
Beasts soul will rejoice at its inevitable return. While
this Investment has a particularly narrow focus, many
Forsworn develop the Investment all the same, out of
either suspicion at their fellow predators or a desire to
avenge their own future murders.

chapter four

Prerequisite: None
Action: Contested and Extended; resistance is reexive
Cost: Special (see text)
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Resolve + Blood Potency versus diablerists
Composure + Blood Potency. The rst to gather a number
of successes equal to the opponents Willpower rating
wins the extended roll.
Roll Results
After being diablerized, the vampire with this Investment is dead for all intents and purposes, but a portion
of his soul still lingers in the psyche of his diablerist. If
the Forsworn can erode his murderers Willpower dots
to zero before fading away, he can usurp the body. This
power may only be activated once per game session (but
no more than once per night), and usually happens at
a moment when the diablerists Vice comes to the fore
in the story. When the power is activated, the extended
roll begins, though the diablerist has no idea what is
truly taking place.
Dramatic Failure: The Forsworn loses a Willpower dot
in his attempt to accumulate a number of successes equal
to his diablerists Willpower, and must wait until the next
game session to try again. If this loss reduces the Forsworn
to zero Willpower, his soul suffers Final Death.
Failure: The soul of the Forsworn fails to accumulate
the required number of successes before his opponent
can. The Forsworn loses a Willpower dot, and must wait
until the next game session to try again. If the Forsworn
is reduced to zero Willpower after this failure, his soul
suffers Final Death.
Success: When the Forsworn accumulates the required
number of successes before his opponent does, the diablerist loses a Willpower dot as the Forsworns soul erodes his
self-control. In the case of a tie (both attain their required
successes simultaneously), neither one loses any Willpower
and the struggle resumes the next game session. If the
diablerist is ever reduced to zero Willpower dots (over an
extended series of extended rolls), the Forsworns soul takes
control of the diablerists body. The diablerists Humanity,
Virtue, Vice and Willpower dots are replaced by those of
the Forsworn. The Forsworns soul gains complete control,
but in inheriting the diablerists Attributes, derangements,
Merits, powers (Devotions, Disciplines, Investments) and
Skills, the Forsworn loses all derangements, Merits and
powers known before. In most cases, this results in the
characters expulsion from the Brood (since he loses his
Covenant Status), as he becomes, in effect, a new and
interesting hybrid of the two personas. This new soul will
remember little of his experiences among the Brood, but
may nd himself called to rejoin it. Such decisions determine the course of his new unlife.

134

the wages of sin

Exceptional Success: The Forsworn is well on his way

to defeating his opponent.
Note: This is a narrative-intensive power, and its use
requires both commitment and a time investiture on
the part of the Storyteller. The Storyteller determines
when each new roll must be made, and under what
circumstances. Regardless of who played the Forsworn
character before his diablerie, his soul fragment is, for
all intents and purposes, a character under control of
the Storyteller, who is assumed to be making any and all
required rolls in private. The Storyteller can choose to
turn over control of the character to a player if and when
the soul fragment takes over the diablerists body, or to
keep the character as a Storyteller character.

Sarx Investments

Sarx is easily the most primal and visceral aspect of the

Trinity. The sarx is the esh, purely and simply, and it
will be neither denied nor cast aside. The vampire cults
of the sarx believe in the importance of the material in
a material world, and the powers they manifest tend to
focus heavily on the strengthening and manipulation
thereof. At their most powerful, these Investments can
effect drastic and often monstrous changes to esh both
alive and undead.
Brood members who excel in the way of the esh,
such as the degenerate Hyletics and the Antinomians
of the Pandaemonium, can draw upon their intimate
understanding of sarx to widen their own capacity for
indulgence. Each night, any Forsworn whose favored
aspect is sarx may by silent act of will expand his blood
pool maximum by one for each sarx Investment he knows.
This expansion does not mystically grant the Vitae
that comes with the extra space, but merely allows the
vampire to store more blood in his system. Every such
expansion lasts for one scene or one hour (whichever is
shorter), but the vampire neednt spend all his bonus
slots at once.
Consider an Antinomian with a Blood Potency of 1
and three sarx Investments. Normally, he can only store a
maximum of 10 Vitae in his system at one time. Because
he has three sarx Investments, however (and because hes
an Antinomian), he can raise his blood pool maximum
by a total of 3 over the course of each night; he can do
it all at once, granting him a blood pool of 13 for one
scene, or he can spread it out across two or even three
different scenes over the course of the evening (assuming he nds enough benet in raising his blood pool
by just 1 each time). This benet does not create Vitae,
or affect how much Vitae one may spend per turn. Any
blood in excess of the vampires normal maximum is
vomited forth in a crimson gout unless spent before the
end of the scene.

While all vampires of Belials Brood understand the

hunger intimately, some of the Forsworn even take
pains to deepen their hunger for life. Blood is but the
simplest substance the Beast craves, but esh can also
satisfy the Beasts desire. Forsworn well versed in the
sarx may make a meal of meat, both living and dead. Its
a dinner of souls as much as meat, and only the esh of
the sentient satises.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
For the duration of the scene, the Forsworn may derive
a meager sustenance from the esh of the living or the
dead. Eating esh garners but a single Vitae per three
turns of consumption, and only the esh of humankind
(of either gender) can be transmuted via this power. Every Vitae gained inicts an automatic lethal wound on
the body from which its taken (even if the vampire feasts
on his own esh). Feasting on others, such as vampires
or living mortals capable of resisting, requires that they
be restrained or be willing victims. In either case, Vitae
gained in this manner cannot exceed an active victims
Stamina. When consuming the esh of the truly dead
(including expired vampires), the target bodys effective
Stamina is reduced by 1 for every six hours that its
been deceased, to a minimum of 1. Even the beeest
mortal body has only a single Vitae worth of edible
esh after being dead for 24 hours. Bones and the ashen
remains of Kindred can be consumed by means of this
power, but such meals provide no true sustenance to
the Forsworn.

Flesh Spider

The Forsworn often acknowledge that the spirit is

stronger than the esh, but the esh is a powerful tool
when put rmly under the yoke of the Beast. Just as the
Adversarys unholy power allows a vampires corpse to
move and imitate life, so can this power animate esh
and bone that has become separated from the whole.
Hands and limbs can be made to writhe and move at
the vampires whim, so long as they stay within his line
of sight. While separated, these portions can move on
their own, following the directions of the Forsworn that
detached them.
Prerequisites: Warp Corpse
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult

135

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the vampire takes a lethal wound in the attempt.
Failure: The limb or appendage is not detached, and
the Vitae is wasted.
Success: The vampires limb or appendage is detached
and animated. Detached limbs have Health levels equivalent to their Size, a Defense of 1, a Strength of 1 and a
Speed of 8. This removal has no effect on the Forsworns
overall Health levels. A detached head can move on its
own, but leaves the vampires body helpless. Detached
heads have a Size of 2, Health levels equal to its Size (2)
+ the vampires Stamina, a Speed of 8 and a +1 bonus to
Defense. Detached heads get about with the ailing and
serpentine movements of a mass of dangling viscera that
separates from the body along with the head. A detached
head has full access to the vampires blood pool and can
make use of any Discipline that doesnt require a body or
gestures. A detached head that fails to reconnect with its
body at the end of the scene must spend one additional Vitae per scene, or the vampire will enter involuntary torpor.
Appendages other than the head can be animated if the
vampire purposefully removed them in a previous turn.
Exceptional Success: The vampires detached limb or
appendage can be controlled even if it leaves the sight of
the controlling vampire. Limbs and appendages cannot
travel more than [Blood Potency x 10] yards from the body
once they leave the heads line of sight. Appendages that
travel beyond this limit become lifeless and begin to rot
away until such time as the vampire can bring his body
close enough to animate them.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
+2
The vampire wounds himself to physically remove the limb or appendage before animating it. This bonus does not
apply to attempts to detach a head.
1
The vampire attempts to remove his
hand or foot.
2
The vampire attempts to remove his leg
or arm.
3
The vampire attempts to remove his own
head.

chapter four

Belials Feast

the wages of sin

Hands of the Beast

Forsworn who give their esh over to the Beast understand that the Adversary hungers for the blood of the
living. Empowered with dark Vitae, a vampires sts take
on a bruised and blackened appearance. By channeling
sarx-stained blood into his hands, a vampire whets his
Beasts appetite for violence, allowing his brawling attacks
to tear through esh and bone with frightening ease.

Prerequisite: Warp Corpse

Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One turn (special)
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate. Until
the beginning of the vampires next turn after activating
this Investment, all his brawl attacks inict lethal damage.
In addition, they also benet from a +2 bonus to damage
against living opponents during this time, while vampires
wounded by the Hands of the Beast take a 2 penalty on
frenzy and Rtschreck rolls as long as the wounds inicted
by this power remain. If the Forsworn activates this power
while he is himself in frenzy (and he may), the benets
last for the duration of the frenzy.

chapter four

Mantle of the Adversary

Infusing her body with the power of the Beast, the

Forsworn causes her esh to bloat and harden with dead
blood. In this monstrous form she is unnaturally large
and inured to all but the most extreme pain. Despite the
vampires increased girth and stature, the telltale signs of
her undead nature are exacerbated while this Investment
is active, often producing striking supernatural clues,
such as a foul grave stench or an especially unnatural
pallor to the skin.
Prerequisites: Unfeeling Skin, Warp Corpse

136

the wages of sin

Action: Instant
Cost: 2 Vitae
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
The vampire receives a +1 bonus to Size, a +2 bonus to
Armor rating and ignores all wound penalties until her
last Health box is lled with a lethal or aggravated wound,
at which point the usual affects apply. In addition, all of
the vampires social dice pools not relating to Intimidation are at a 2 penalty for so long as she maintains the
Mantle of the Adversary. The mantle can be dismissed
by silent act of will of the vampire.

Mark of Hungers Prey

By tasting the esh of another, the Forsworn can opt

to place the mark of the Adversary upon that creature.
No refuge or secret shelter can hide one so marked from
the gaze of the vampires Beast.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One night per success
Dice Pool: Presence + Occult targets Resolve. A
victim must be bitten, though not necessarily fed upon,
for this power to be activated. This usually requires a
separate grapple (Strength + Brawl) roll.

Rotting Touch

The Adversary is often viewed as the embodiment of

chaos; whatever the Beast Lord touches is stripped to its
base elements and laid bare. The unchanging state of a
vampire form is only an extension of the Beasts will to
survive, and a Forsworn with an intimate understanding
of sarx may strip the material form of other creatures. With
the lightest touch of the hand, the vampires Beast ays
the esh of the living and rots the corpus of the dead.
Prerequisites: Flesh Spider, Hands of the Beast, Warp
Corpse
Action: Reexive
Cost: 2 Vitae
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult victims Stamina.
A victim must be touched or grabbed for this power to
be activated. This usually requires a separate grapple
(Strength + Brawl) roll.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the Forsworn takes an aggravated wound as rot spreads along
his skin.
Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the power fails to
damage the victim.

137

Success: Each success garnered on this roll translates

to a point of lethal damage to living victims, or a point
of aggravated damage to dead or undead victims. Living victims affected by this power leave behind strips of
muscle and skin, while dead or undead esh melts away
into putrescence.
Exceptional Success: The victim has been impaired
or crippled by the Rotting Touch, and, of course, limbs
stripped of tissue are a gruesome sight. Victims take a 1
penalty to all Physical and Social dice pools until the end
of the scene, or until the damage from Rotting Touch is
healed, whichever comes rst.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
1 to 2
The victim is heavily clothed or covered,
with little exposed esh.
+1 to +2
The victim is very lightly clothed or
nude.

chapter four

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the Forsworn is unable to establish a connection with this victim
for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the power fails to
take effect.
Success: A blood tie (see Vampire: The Requiem,
pg. 162) is established with the subject. This false blood
tie is mutual between the victim and the vampire, and
is in addition to any other blood ties either creature
may have. While mortals often lack the wherewithal to
understand the strange visions that enter their dreams
after being bitten, vampires may slowly come to realize
the signicance of their predicament.
Exceptional Success: The false blood tie lasts an
entire week.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
2
The victim is under the effects of the
Vinculum to another vampire.
3
The victim is fully blood bound to another vampire.
+2
The victim has never been fed on by
another vampire during his lifetime.
+2
Power is turned on a vampire with whom
the user has a blood tie.

the wages of sin

Unfeeling Skin

One of the rst sarx powers learned by many Forsworn

imparts the uncaring nature of the Beast onto the
vampires esh. With barely a moments thought, the
Forsworns esh becomes bruised and livid, as the Beast
inures his skin to the dangers of the outside world.
Prerequisite: Warp Corpse
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One turn
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate. The
vampire receives a +3 bonus to his Armor rating, and this
bonus stacks with any other armor the vampire may have.
This bonus lasts until the beginning of the vampires
next turn. Although ineffective against the anathema of
sunlight or re, this eshly armor does protect against
the attacks of other supernatural creatures and against
magical effects that do not make use of sunlight or re.

Veil of Flame

With enough understanding of sarx, a vampires esh can

sidestep even the most timeless of banes. Warmed by the
inner re of the Adversary, the Forsworns skin becomes
inured to the mundane ames of the material world.
Prerequisites: Unfeeling Skin, Warp Corpse
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
With the reexive expenditure of but one Vitae, the
vampire can render his esh more resistant to the harmful
effects of re. For the duration of the scene, any and all

re damage inicted upon the vampire is automatically

downgraded from aggravated to bashing damage. As
this power is entirely reexive, a Forsworn may declare
its use in response to suffering a re-based attack (and
thereby assuage the attacks severity), so long as he has not
reached his Blood Potency-based per-turn limit in Vitae
expenditure at the moment of the attack. This Investment
offers no protection from the harmful effects of sunlight
or other damage types, and does not downgrade re-based
damage suffered prior to its activation.

Walk the Walls

Much as an insect, the vampire may crawl along sheer

horizontal or vertical surfaces with ease upon activating
this Investment. While walking along a wall or ceiling,
the vampires Speed is reduced by half.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: This power itself requires no roll, but
Strength + Athletics rolls are required to cling to crumbling or hazardous surfaces or to move at faster than half
Speed. Movement is easiest when both hands and feet are
in contact with a surface, but one may attempt to cling
to a surface with just ones hands or feet.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
1 to 3
The surface is crumbling, structurally
weak or hazardous.
2
The vampire attempts to move at full
speed while clinging.
3
The vampire attempts to cling while upright or with only his hands in contact
with the surface.

chapter four

Warp Corpse

138

A vampires seemingly human body is but a puppet

composed of esh, a sham the Beast uses to lure the
living into its clutches. For most vampires, this ruse also
becomes their trap, as they accept the physical limits of
their mortal lives despite the dead esh they now wear.
With the simplest understanding of sarx, however, a
Forsworn can take advantage of his bodys morbidity
without giving in to false pain and discomfort. A vampire making use of Warp Corpse can contort his body
to squeeze under doors, through building ducts or even
between bars.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Vitae

the wages of sin

Duration: One turn

Dice Pool: Dexterity + Athletics
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the vampire takes a lethal wound in the process.
Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the vampire makes
no progress moving through the opening.
Success: The vampire moves through an opening that
is too small for his body to pass through. The vampire
moves at half normal Speed while passing through the
opening. If the contorted position has to be maintained
for more than a single turn, an additional Vitae must be
spent. (This is a reexive action that does not require
a new roll.) A vampire unable or unwilling to spend
Vitae to maintain an unnatural contortion is shunted
out of the space hes squeezing into at a rate equal to
half his Speed. If a vampire ejected in this fashion is
still contorted at the end of the turn, he suffers a lethal
wound.
Exceptional Success: The vampire moves through the
small opening at full speed.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
+2
The vampire uses Protean or another
Discipline to assume a form of a slightly
smaller size, such as a wolf.
+3
The vampire uses Protean or another
Discipline to assume a form of a signicantly smaller size, such as a bat.
1
The vampire can only fit his head
through the opening being squeezed
through.
2
The vampire can only fit his hand
through the opening being squeezed
through.

Soma Investments

The aspect of soma is the aspect of the body. Investments of this kind revolve around the eminence of the
vampires Beast, and around his empowerment over the
physical form. For any Forsworn afliated with a somaheavy ideology, such as that held by the Archons and
the Djinn, the understanding of soma itself is like unto
a nurturing womb for the Beast within. For those whose
favored aspect is soma, every soma Investment adds 1 to
the vampires effective Blood Potency score, but only as
it pertains to the Predators Taint system. Whenever
such a Forsworn touches Taints with another vampire,
his Beast appears for all the world as though it were
commensurately stronger, more quintessentially predatory. For example, an Archon with a Blood Potency of 2

the wages of sin

Blood Calls to Blood

The vampire may control the blood of others, calling it

to him with the deadly allure of the Beast. Spilled blood
can be drawn to the vampire almost effortlessly, while
blood still in a vessel may resist the mystical summons.
Blood controlled in this manner ows to the ground and
undulates unnaturally towards the vampire, bubbling
from an active victims eyes, mouth and even pores. While
vampires nd the sensation of having their blood mystically stolen incredibly unnerving, the experience can be
downright excruciating for living victims.
Prerequisites: Blood of the Beast
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: One scene (special)
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy contested by
victims Stamina + Blood Potency. Die rolls to control
spilled or unattended blood are not contested.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Willpower is wasted, and the
vampire is unable to use this Investment for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: The Willpower is wasted, and the power fails
to manipulate the targeted blood.
Success: Each success gathered on the roll causes
a lethal wound to living victims, while vampires lose
a number of Vitae equal to the number of successes
gained. In both cases, a number of blood points equal
to the successes gathered travels at a speed of 10 along
the ground toward the controlling vampire as long as
he continues to concentrate on this power, or until the
end of the scene, whichever comes rst. Once the blood
reaches the powers user, the blood immediately begins
to enter his body at a rate of up to two blood points per
turn, for so long as he continues to concentrate. If the
vampire activates a Discipline, attacks, performs a dodge
maneuver or moves more than his Speed in a turn, the
effects of this power cease. Vitae stolen from another
vampire has its normal effects when imbibed. Vampires
and other supernatural creatures with no Vitae or blood
in their system are immune to this power.
Exceptional Success: An exceptional success indicates
that the controlled blood moves at a speed of 20, and
the powers user may imbibe up to ve blood points in
a turn as long as he continues to concentrate.

Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
1 to 2
The spilled blood is old or partially
mixed with another substance.
2
The target is more than 10 yards away.
2
The target is a vampire with ve or fewer
Vitae in his blood pool.
+1
The target is presently bleeding from a
wound.
+2
The vampire is touching the blood to
be controlled.
+2
Power is turned on a vampire with whom
the user has a blood tie.

Blood Curse

By awakening the blood of an enemy with the whispers

of the Adversary, a Forsworn can open arteries and explode
hearts. The Blood Curse is thought to be one of the oldest
Investments still practiced by Belials Brood, an invocation
of the Demiurge that is often out of place amongst the
less spiritual members of the covenant. When placing the
Blood Curse on another, a Forsworn vampire spills his
own blood in front of the would-be victim, a warning of
what is to come. Soon after, the victims body begins to
reject its own blood as his skin cracks open and coagulated
blood begins to join the token spatter at his feet.
Prerequisites: Blood Potency 3+, Blood Calls to
Blood, Blood of the Beast
Action: Contested; resistance is reexive
Cost: 2 Vitae
Duration: One turn per success
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Subterfuge contested by
victims Stamina + Blood Potency
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the Forsworn vampire is unable to spend Vitae for the remainder
of the scene.
Failure: The Vitae is wasted, and the Blood Curse fails
to take hold of its victim.
Success: Each success gathered on the roll causes a
single blood point per turn to boil out of the targets skin
and veins. Blood that is hemorrhaged out in this manner
is foul and useless. Living victims suffer an aggravated
wound every turn, while vampires lose one Vitae and suffer a lethal wound every turn so long as the effect persists.
Vampires (and anyone else) with no Vitae or blood in
their systems are immune to this power, so the effects of
this power can wear off prematurely if a target is reduced
to 0 Vitae in his blood pool by this process.
Exceptional Success: The vampires target takes a 2
penalty on all frenzy checks as long as the Blood Curse
continues to do harm. Mortals suffer immediate heart
failure and pass away in extreme agony.

chapter four

and four soma Investments gives off the vibe of being

a Blood Potency 6 vampire. This benet does not grant
extra dice to rolls made to resist Disciplines, and does
not grant any other benet associated with higher Blood
Potency. The benet merely affects the seeming of the
Beast as it relates to other creatures Beasts.

139

Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
2
The victim is a vampire with ve or fewer
Vitae in his blood pool.
+2
The victim is in frenzy.
+2
Power is turned on a vampire with whom
the user has a blood tie.

Blood of the Beast

chapter four

The Beast is not a vampires slave; it is his very soul

howling for release. A Forsworns esh is the esh of the
Beast, his blood, the blood of the Beast. When he is torn,
the Beast shall mend; when he bleeds, the Beast shall
lick the wound. A vampire with this Investment allows
his better half to heal his wounds while he concentrates
on more immediate matters. The Beast is both shrewd
and cunning when healing wounds, too greedy even to
risk its own hunger.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Reexive
Cost: None
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
The vampire may spend one additional Vitae per turn,
regardless of Blood Potency, but this extra blood must be
spent to heal lethal or bashing wounds. This Investment
is considered always active and continues to function
even when the vampire is in frenzy or torpor.

140

the wages of sin

Blood Rage

The Adversary knows no boundaries, and teaches its

monstrous children to pursue its trail. The limit of a
vampires reach is not dictated by the length of his arm, so
why should the threshold of his power be held back by the
body he wore in life? This Investment is the Adversarys
gift in reply the rage-lled strength of a vampire truly
unhinged from mortal limitation.
Prerequisite: Blood Potency 3+
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One physical action
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate. By
paying the cost of this Investment, a Forsworn calling on
Blood Rage may augment any one Physical dice pool with
bonus dice equal to his Blood Potency score. The bonus
dice granted by this Investment do not stack with the
bonus dice granted by a vampires physical augmentation
ability (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 157).

Hide Within the Heart

Vampires who master the soma delve into the true nature
of the Beasts power to give new life to dead esh. The will
to live does not reside in the brief ash of a neuron; the live
to will rests within the heart of the Beast. No matter how
mangled, torn or desecrated the esh, those who keep the
Adversarys counsel always come back to repay their debts.
Prerequisites: Blood Potency 6+

Led by Thirst

By allowing the Adversary to guide his actions, a Forsworn with this Investment can move with frightening
alacrity. The Beast within senses danger and opportunity
faster than any vampire, and even Forsworn who have
made allies of their Beasts are hard-pressed to keep up.
Prerequisite: Blood Potency 2+
Action: N/A
Cost: None
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
The Forsworns Blood Potency is added to his Initiative
whenever he takes a physical action.

Masters Will

Many Forsworn hold that the Beast itself knows no

fear, and that it is just the remnant of mortal thought
that lls vampires with the memory of fear. To become the
master of himself, a vampire must become the predator,
and forget the prey. Masters Will allows the Forsworn
to use the eminence of his Beast to steel himself against
the frantic pleas of his own mortal mind.
Prerequisites: None
Action: Reexive
Cost: None
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Blood Potency. After entering Rtschreck,
a vampire with this Investment may roll Blood Potency
as a second chance to resist the frenzy.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The vampire enters an uncontrolled
Rtschreck and must make a degeneration roll to avoid
gaining a derangement. If this roll is failed, the Storyteller
determines the derangement, based upon the character
and the circumstances.
Failure: The vampire experiences the Rtschreck as
normal.
Success: The vampire resists the Rtschreck for the
scene.

141

Exceptional Success: The vampire does not frenzy,

and receives a +2 bonus on any roll to resist Rtschreck
for the remainder of the night.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
1
Rtschreck was instigated by the anathema of re or sunlight.
+2
At least one of the vampires covey-mates
is present.

chapter four

Action: None
Cost: None
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
When decapitated, the vampire does not die, but immediately enters involuntary torpor. The blood of other
vampires cannot awaken a vampire sent into torpor in
this fashion, although the blood can be used to heal
wounds. The vampire awakens whole when the torpor
duration runs its course. If the vampire loses this Investment due to a loss of Blood Potency while in torpor, he
still awakens whole at the end of the torpor.

the wages of sin

Predators Allure

It is in the nature of the living to be drawn to death,

and this, too, is the allure of the Beast, the very instinct
that brings a moth to ame. Mortal and vampire alike
seek their downfall in the Forsworn who has mastered
the Predators Allure, for he is the destruction for which
they have so secretly wished. By using blood to augment
the appearance of life and vitality, a vampire can sidestep
the better judgment of his prey.
Prerequisites: Blood Potency 2+
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 to 3 Vitae (special)
Duration: One social action
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
The vampire may add a +2 bonus to a single social dice
pool by spending one Vitae. This Investment may not
be invoked more than once per turn, but vampires with
high Blood Potency may empower Predators Allure with
multiple Vitae in that time, thereby doubling or even
tripling the bonus dice. (No more than three Vitae may
be spent on this Investment per turn.)

Strike of the Adversary

Masters of the soma often teach that instinct is faster

than thought. To think is to hesitate; to plan is to react.
Action requires instinct and nothing more. To strike as
the Adversary is to strip away thought and infuse the
body with the inchoate passion of the Beast.
Prerequisites: Blood Potency 4+, Led by Thirst
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One turn
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate.
The vampire may spend one Vitae to immediately move
himself to the top of the Initiative order before the rst
action in the Initiative order has been resolved. If more
than one vampire activates this power in the same turn,
they all act simultaneously and take their actions for the
turn before the start of the regular Initiative order. The
Forsworn must take a physical action immediately after
activating this Investment.

Way of the Marauder

Guided by the Adversarys will, the Forsworn rains

blows on his enemies with unimaginable speed and inexhaustible brutality. Consumed by the fury of his own
Beast, a vampire who treads the way of the marauder
seems to truly channel the Demiurge, becoming in essence the hand of destruction, itself.
Prerequisites: Blood Potency 4+, Led by Thirst, Strike
of the Adversary
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Willpower
Duration: One turn
Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to activate. After
spending a Willpower point, the Forsworn may make a
total number of physical attacks at their full dice pools
equal to one-half his Blood Potency (rounded down) on his
Initiative that turn. A vampire cannot take a move action
in the same turn that he activates this Investment, and his
Defense is reduced by one-half (rounded down) until the
start of his next turn. A vampire with Blood Potency 5 and
Defense 3, for example, could shoot one target and then
stab a second target in the same turn, but would have a
Defense of 1 until the beginning of his next turn.

Forsworn Devotions

The nature of the Pursuit, and of the average Brood

members strict attention to it, makes Devotions something of a rarity among the Forsworn. Once they are
capable of manifesting Investments, most prefer to focus
their efforts on increasing their knowledge thereof, rather
than seeking out new blood secrets. All the same, vampires
are an inquisitive sort and the Forsworn are certainly no
exception, and so a number of unique Devotions have
arisen and been spread from covey to covey over the course
of the Broods history. Most are derived from Investments
of one sort or other, as few Forsworn care to waste their
time unearthing Devotions that any of the Unlearned
could design with similar ease. Below is a sampling of the
most common of such Devotions among the Brood.

chapter four

Child of the Night

(Beast Sense, Animalism )

The primeval vampires of Belials Brood are known for

their intuitive understanding of the more primal aspects
of existence, and this power is a natural extension of that
understanding. With Child of the Night, a Forsworn
can draw upon the acuity of his own Beast to sense the
presence of all low animals in his vicinity.
Action: Instant
Cost:
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Wits + Animal Ken + Animalism

142

the wages of sin

Each success on the activation roll allows the user to

increase the range of his perception. With one success,
he can sense the presence of certain animal life in his
immediate vicinity dened as roughly 100 yards. Each
success thereafter increases the range by a further 100
yards. A dramatic failure indicates that the vampire
cannot get an accurate sense of nearby animal life for
the remainder of the scene. Only low animals can be
detected by means of this power, a category that includes
arachnids, bats, rats, reptiles, wolves and insects of all
varieties. (Apart from this list, the Storyteller is the nal
arbiter of what constitutes a low animal for the purposes of this Devotion.) The Forsworn detects the presence and approximate number of animals of each type,
but he cannot pinpoint their exact location. This power
does detect supernatural creatures who have assumed
the shape of one of the aforementioned creatures, but it
doesnt distinguish them from any normal animal of the
same type (unless its a vampire in animal form, in which
case the Forsworn detects the vampires presence).
This power costs six experience points to learn.

Discerning Palate
(Belials Feast, Animalism )

For those who manifest both a taste for esh and a

mystical understanding of the primal side of existence,
this power is often the next logical step. Discerning Palate
allows a Forsworn to draw information from the meat of
other sentient beings simply by consuming it. This devotion is popular among the various sarx-dominant coveys,
particularly the grisly Forsworn of the Teeth of Yamatu.
Action: Reexive
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: N/A
Dice Pool: Wits + Empathy + Animalism contested
by Resolve + Blood Potency
No matter how much of the subjects esh the character
consumes, he only rolls for this power once. Obviously, an expired subject gets no roll to contest, but invoking this power
on dead esh carries its own disadvantages (see modiers).
Success allows the vampire to learn a piece of information
about the subject, the type and specicity of which is dictated by the number of successes he scored in excess of his
subjects. With one extra success, the vampire can only learn
something about the creatures body common examples
include age, state of health, the rating of a Physical Attribute, Skill or Discipline or Blood Potency rating. With two
excess successes, the vampire can learn a piece of personal
data about the subject (e.g., likes, dislikes, fears and ratings
of Mental or Social Attributes, Skills or Disciplines). And
with three or more extra successes, the Forsworn can unearth
specic memories, even those buried in the subconscious,
assuming he knows what to look for. Regardless of suc-

Disquieting Mien
(Masters Will, Majesty )

This Devotion is a favorite among young Forsworn who

revel in lording over chaos. By allowing ones Beast to
subtly purr and tease at those around him, the vampire
agitates the minds of everyone in his immediate presence. Mortals and vampires alike are susceptible to the
primal taunting of Disquieting Mien, but all would be
hard-pressed to identify the source of their subtle unease
without resorting to mystical means (e.g., Auspex).
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Vitae
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation + Majesty contested by opponents Resolve + Blood Potency. (The vampire
rolls once and compares his results individually.)
This power affects everyone within 10 yards of the
vampire for so long as the ability is active. Those who
fail to accumulate as many successes as the Forsworn
take a 2 penalty to all rolls involving the Composure
Attribute for the remainder of the scene, for as long as
they remain in his presence.
This power costs six experience points to learn.

Mesmeric Taint
(Predators Allure, Majesty )

A vampires Beast is a creature of passion and territoriality. Weaker vampires can be cowed into submission by
the mere presence of a Beast worthy of respect. Mesmeric
Taint allows Forsworn to subjugate those who would challenge their authority by crushing any deance presented

143

to their own Beasts. Forsworn of the Throne of Smokeless Fire consider this aura a mark of some distinction
within their ranks, and some take a perverse pleasure in
the fawning attention of weaker vampires.
Action: As Entrancement
Cost:
Duration: As Entrancement
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy + Majesty contested by Composure + Blood Potency
The potency of this Devotion is equally as substantial
as it is narrow in scope; its effects only come into play in
situations when touching Taints actually calls for opposed
Composure + Resolve rolls (e.g., when meeting other vampires for the rst time). When an unfamiliar or startled
vampire fails his Composure + Resolve roll upon touching
Taints with the character, instead of succumbing to frenzy,
the other vampire must immediately enter a contested roll
with the Forsworn to resist being Entranced (per Majesty
). If the near-frenzy vampire fails this contested roll,
his impending frenzy is averted, and he is instead affected
per the Entrancement Discipline. If he wins the contested
roll, his frenzy or Rtschreck proceeds as normal.
This power costs 12 experience points to learn.

chapter four

cesses, the only piece of information a corpse reveals is the

cause of its death, a byproduct of which also confers a sense
of the subjects identity if not the actual name (though not
the killers identity). A vampire may only turn this power on
a given subject once per night, regardless of how much of
the creatures esh he consumes at a sitting.
Suggested Modiers
Modier Situation
+2
The subject is in frenzy at the time the
esh is consumed.
+2
Power is turned on a vampire with whom
the user has a blood tie.

Subject of the power is an animal, vampire or other supernatural creature.

1
Subject of the power is a living mortal.
2
User has turned this power on the same
subject before.
3
Subject of the power is a corpse (includes
expired vampires).
This power costs nine experience points to learn.

the wages of sin

Song of Bonded Blood

(Scent of Socius, Auspex )

The bonds of blood are strong among the Forsworn,

and many of the covenants rituals revolve around the
pack dynamics of the covey. A vampire who develops this
power learns how to use his mastery of Auspex to project
his thoughts into the minds of those with whom he shares
such a powerful bond, even when they are removed from
his immediate presence.
Action: Instant
Cost:
Duration: One scene
Dice Pool: Wits + Empathy + Auspex
This Devotion allows the user to transmit mental messages to any creature with whom he shares a blood connection his own ghouls, the coveys ghouls, his covey-mates
themselves and any other creature with whom he shares a
blood tie. Success on the activation roll allows the user to
transmit messages (at a rate of one per turn) to any one,
some or all of those connected to him in this fashion,
for one scene. Subjects cannot reply with thoughts or
messages of their own unless they are within line of sight
of the user of this power (or they, too, possess this Devotion). A dramatic failure results in the user not being able
to focus his mind enough to single out specic subjects;
every thought he transmits goes out to every creature with
whom he shares a blood connection. The power of this
effect is limited to a range of about 50 miles.
This power costs 15 experience points to learn.

appendix
144

the advesary

the advesary

We got the same enemy.

So die brave.
Well eat whats left.

appendix

Appendix
The Adversary

145

appendix

After Buddha was dead, his shadow was still shown for centuries in a cave a
gruesome, terrible shadow. God is dead, but given the way of men, there may
still be caves for thousands of years in which his shadow will be shown. And we,
we still have to vanquish his shadow, too.
Friedrich Nietzsche

146

Similar to the other covenant sourcebooks for the

Vampire game, Belials Brood is meant to be both a
player resource and a thorough guide for Storytellers
who wish to introduce new material into their games.
This appendix is lled with Storyteller characters who
are meant to embody and fulll that mandate. For ease
of reference, the characters provided below are divided
roughly into non-combatants and combatants (with the
usual breakdown of game statistics), but all characters
herein were compiled and designed to serve dual purposes as both ready-made contacts and mentors for the
players characters, and as sources of inspiration for the
players themselves, should the Storyteller confront the
demanding challenge of running an all-Brood chronicle.
This appendix offers glimpses of what is typical or illustrative of those belonging to the major factions of the Brood,
while it simultaneously presents examples of what sorts
of curious individuals tend to orbit around the periphery
of stories featuring or focusing on the Forsworn.
That said, it bears repeating here that the entire concept
of Belials Brood is a complex one, and a tricky one to
introduce into a game, even under the most model circumstances. The Forsworn tackle and represent some extremely
mature themes, and any Storyteller who intends to feature
them in any depth or realism should think long and hard
about the role he expects the Brood to play in his game.
Whatever else the Forsworn are, they are not black-and-white
stereotypes, and Storytellers simply looking to throw new
and evil vampires at bored players are better served using
VII for those ends. Members of the Brood keep mostly to
themselves, which makes the idea of other vampires running afoul of them largely circumstantial, and more often
than not, a matter of competing resources.
This tone would seem to suggest that the best method
of using the Brood is to run an all-Brood game, and thats
certainly one viable option. But Storytellers should feel
free to get creative with how they see the local covey (or
coveys, depending on the setting) tting into the big picture. Running the players characters-as-covey may be the
tidiest solution, but the point is that games featuring the
Brood dont have to revolve solely around Brood charac-

the advesary

ters and indeed, the Brood as a whole works best when

it retains some element of both its mystery and aloofness.
The major differences in mindset between the Forsworn
and other vampires, coupled with their intense pack
mentality and focus, makes subtle interweaving of the
Brood into an existing game a complicated prospect, but
it can be done. All it takes is a bit of planning. Just keep
in mind that setting the Forsworn as directly antagonistic to
a coterie of non-Forsworn characters is the weakest, most
ineffectual use of the material in this book. Storytellers
should try to think more narratively, more outside the
box, when it comes to Belials Brood.

A Hoary Host

Storytellers should make use of the following sample

characters primarily as non-combatants, in situations that
call for diplomacy, nesse or simple dialogue. Although the
Forsworn are instinct-driven and inhumane, the average
Vampire character (which is to say, a vampire) neednt fear
their wrath on that basis alone, and indeed, should nd direct conict with the Brood rare in the extreme. For better or
worse, the Forsworn are almost exclusively preoccupied with
their relationships with humanity and their own souls.

Agent of the Djinn

Quote: I understand its an heirloom. Nevertheless,

my associates require it. So, be a good little sheep and
give it to me before there are . . . consequences.
Background: Although some members of the Throne
of Smokeless Fire have little interaction with the mortal
world, the agent of the Djinn specializes in securing resources and acquiring those things needed to carry on the
rites of her covey. Empowered and ruthless, such agents
move through the throng of human inadequacy with grace
and competence, intimidating the weak and charming
the strong. Although loath to travel far from their covey,
when journeys abroad become necessary, an agent usually
makes the trip. Capable of inltrating the Princes court,
covenant sanctums and well-guarded havens, what the
covey needs, the agent of the Djinn will get.
Description: The agent of the Djinn is a fair-faced,
socially savvy predator. The agent dresses powerfully for

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147

skilled at eliminating evidence of her passing and obscuring the methods used.
Intimidation (dice pool 7) Although she is a trained
operative capable of the most subtle means, the agent of
the Djinn is still a warrior of the Throne of Smokeless
Fire. When confronted with social obstacles, the agent
will generally resort to brute intimidation rather than
honeyed coercion.

appendix

Antinomian Scholar

whatever her habitat whether it be an perfectly tailored

Armani suit, expensive street gear or top-of-the-line club
wear. In impoverished areas of the world, the agent will
generally dress to scare rather than impress. Regardless
of her ensemble, the look in her eyes reveals her bestial
nature. Even though the agent of the Djinn is slender and
appealing to the eye, she is no fragile weakling, but physical
combat is not her arena of choice. In instances of physical
conict, the agent of the Djinn prefers a quick escape.
Storytelling Hints: The agent is the hands and eyes
of the covey in the mortal world. Similar to other members of the Throne of Smokeless Fire, she carries herself
with a posture of superiority but knows when to rein it
in for her own good and that of her covey. As the agent
is often required to resort to theft and murder, those
of whom she is not aware may pursue her. Consorting
with or harboring an agent of the Djinn can make one
a lot of new enemies, whether mortal law enforcement,
representatives of the church or the vengeful loved one
of someone shes wronged.
Abilities:
Computer (dice pool 6) The agent of the Djinn
requires enormous amounts of information in order to
achieve her goals. To procure this data in a timely fashion,
the agent is usually adept at accessing electronic les and
records as well as penetrating their associated passwords
and security protocols.
Larceny (dice pool 7) Many of the things the
Throne of Smokeless Fire requires are not for sale.
Whether in a private residence, a medical facility or a
briefcase by the bedside, the agent of the Djinn must be
prepared to take aggressive measures to get the things her
covey needs. In these instances, the agent of the Djinn is

Quote: The correspondences are indeed consistent

with the astrological phases. If the sacrices are reverenced this evening, He should be appeased.
Background: The Pandemonium crawls with some of
the most blatant and crazed madmen that Belials Brood
has to offer. However, even with these self-made horrors
holding the line against the forces of righteousness, even
bloodthirsty mobs need direction if they are to be of any
use. The Antinomian scholar, through the construction
of bizarre rituals based on the exhaustive research of
the most obscure occult and anthropological sources, is
one of these leaders. Hunched over dusty grimoires and
anachronistic ritual tools, the scholar of the Pandemonium often draws the blueprint for his coveys blasphemous doings. Despite his social limits, the Antinomian
scholar is intellectually brilliant and can provide a wide
range of useful information if managed by a covey sister
possessed of more practical sensibilities.
Description: Insane and obsessed, a scholar of the
Pandemonium is an occult clich bespectacled with
ratty hair and questionable fashion sense, given to trench
coats and ostentatious occult jewelry that the tackiest
teenager wouldnt be caught dead wearing. Although not

as bold as the rank-and-le psychopaths of his faction,

the Antinomian scholar holds his own when it comes to
anti-social creep factor and odious habits.
Storytelling Hints: Despite a lack of any appealing social traits, the Antinomian scholar is valued as a treasure
house of occult lore and detail. Obscure rites, names,
histories and rumors are his bread and butter, and he is
capable of correlating any of the above into confusing yet
consistent conspiracies. In some cases, an Antinomian
scholar will uncover information that reveals dark secrets
about a domain or those who rule it. In other instances,
a scholar can reveal the whereabouts of sacred objects
that have been lost to his covey by spending hundreds of
hours researching in the isolated darkness of his private
occult library. If left to his own means, the Antinomians
unstable mind can weave elaborate conspiracy theories
that unnerve members of his covey and terrify the members of the coveys mortal cult.
Abilities:
Academics (dice pool 7) Lacking the physical intensity of many of his covey-mates, the Antinomian scholar
compensates with seemingly limitless access to strange
and uncommon facts. Versed in critical inquiry, history
and the classics, the scholar will often understand details
and nuances that his brutish companions cannot.
Investigation (dice pool 5) The Antinomian scholar
doesnt always have what he needs at his ngertips. In
some cases, down and dirty investigation is what is called
for and the scholar of the Pandaemonium is not at a loss
when these times are at hand.
Occult (dice pool 8) Above all other things, the
Antinomian scholar is a master of occult lore, formula
and ritual. Although other Forsworn demonstrate their
faith through zeal and devotion, the scholar expresses
his faith through tireless research into every aspect of
the world beyond. Although more teacher than guru,
because of his advanced knowledge, Antinomian scholars
will often take up important supporting roles during the
performance of rites.

appendix

Faustian Manipulator

Quote: One cant go through life thinking in terms

of need. If one is to be truly immortal, one must give
equal weight to want and desire.
Background: The Faustian manipulator is a dangerous
and feared master of the game. Regardless of the sin, the
Mercy Seats corruptors know how to bend any vice toward
the benet of their faction. Coercive and false, the manipulator can coax his victim to descend to lower and lower realms
of debasement and then bring him lower by appealing to its
shame. In many cases, the Faustian manipulator must assume an entirely new identity to perform his role. Once the

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soul of the manipulators prey is secured, the manipulator

will dive into his next role without looking back.
Description: To provide a picture of what Faustian
manipulators look like, one must address the roles that
they are currently immersed in. Whatever the roles may
be, these saboteurs will play the part to the very edge,
perfectly imitating every habit and idiosyncrasy. Even
without the aid of vampiric Disciplines, the Faustian
manipulator can convey the subtlest nuance and earn
the trust of the most skeptical mark.
Storytelling Hints: The Faustian manipulator is not a
person in any conventional sense. When the manipulator
is looked at closely, one realizes that he is merely a husk
of cunning wrapped around philosophy of corruption
and nihilism. Beyond that, the manipulator is whomever
he needs to be in order to satisfy the plans of his covey.
When inltrating the institutions of the mortal realm,
the manipulator will know the subtleties and modes of
etiquette, never faltering in his perceived perspective.
Sometimes, however, the agenda is more personal, and
these cases give the manipulator the chance to exercise
the vilest aspects of Faustian methodology. Twisting
honesty into lies, and trust into suspicion, a Mercy Seat
corruptor in ones midst is perhaps the ultimate nightmare for the moral mind. By warming up to individuals,
he will learn their secrets, insecurities and deepest fears.
After he has acquired such knowledge, the Faustian manipulator will reweave the truth out of pure falsehood
and exploit any sign of distrust between the individual
and his closest companions.
Abilities:
Empathy (dice pool 6) In many cases, the Faustian
manipulator has incomplete data from which to work.

the advesary

Nameless Genealogist

Quote: Its ironic to see so many obsessed with the

question of whether or not the Nazarene carpenter ever
propagated, when the real question is whether or not
the living line of Belial still walks the Earth. This is the
truth that I seek.
Background: Almost every researcher of the Nameless
is a dangerous combination of meticulous thoroughness and almost single-minded dedication, but none so
singularly personies these traits as does the Nameless
genealogist. Although the faction is interested in all the
secrets it believes are hidden away in the blood of countless families, the Nameless genealogists are primarily
concerned with discovering the mortal descendants of
their living messiah, whom they believe increased his
number before returning once more to the Adversary.
Description: Bookish and reserved though he may be,
the genealogist of the Nameless is nonetheless devoted
entirely to his work, and his aspect betrays his willingness
to do whatever it takes to uncover the next piece of vital
data. Some are hardy and worldly, having already done
more traveling and exploring than most vampires will do
in their entire unlives, but such gures certainly qualify
as the irregular exceptions that prove the rule.
Storytelling Hints: For his largely unassuming demeanor, the Nameless genealogists is still one of the
Forsworn, which is to say, an inhuman predator. He is

appendix

When dealing with these circumstances, he is often

forced to glean the rest of his prole from the emotional
queues and body language of a close relation of the mark.
Although often far from academic, the Faustian manipulator is capable of detecting and interpreting these signs
with the acumen of a skilled psychotherapist.
Expression (dice pool 9) The Faustian manipulator,
if anything, is a master of disguise. Although hell often use
makeup and costumes to alter the gross aspects of his appearance, his perfect grasp of mannerism and theatrical technique make him the supreme wolf in sheeps clothing.
Persuasion (dice pool 7) Over the roll of time,
Mercy Seats manipulators have ended entire dynasties
through their powers of coercion. With a well-placed
suggestion in the midst of crazed desperation, the experienced Faustian can break the resolve of the most vigilant
and pious of mortal souls.
Subterfuge (dice pool 7) There are perhaps no greater liars than those who serve the Mercy Seat. Whether
twisting of the truth, omitting an essential fact, feigning
sincerity of commiseration, or telling a bald-faced lie,
the Faustian manipulator is so convincing that even his
own covey brothers and sisters treat his true nature as
if it were an act.

149

brutally intrepid, and precious little will deter a Nameless genealogist once hes caught a scent he feels may
lead to discovery. Of all the Forsworn, a researcher of
the Nameless is perhaps the most likely to encounter
Kindred outside the Brood, for he is sworn to following
his research wherever it may go. For these reasons, he and
his ilk are prone to forging passable relations with specic
non-Brood individuals in the occult and academic communities. In these cases, he is sure to play his cards very
close to his chest as much to spare his useful contact
the retribution that comes with meddling as to advance
his own agenda with condence.
Abilities:
Computer (dice pool 6) The Forsworn may be
predatory and instinctual but theyre not moronic, by
and large. The Nameless genealogist knows enough about
computers and the Internet to not only navigate their
pathways, but even to hack certain security measures
and, with any luck, conceal the evidence of both his
intrusion and his passing. Researchers like him are one
of the main reasons the Brood has any virtual awareness
or presence to speak of.
Persuasion (dice pool 7) Similar to other vampires,
the Nameless genealogist often nds himself with a need
to persuade others to do something he wants them to do,
frequently something theyre not particularly inclined to
do otherwise. (For example, few archivists or le clerks
are initially predisposed to disclosing condential records
just because some stranger asked them to.) In these and
other situations, the Forsworn nds it useful to know
how to coerce and cajole.
Research (dice pool 8) Research is a researchers
bread and butter, and there are few things for which the

Nameless genealogist is better suited. Whether obtaining

access to a singular but extensive library, making a plethora
of knowledgeable contacts, having an incisively brilliant
mind or a combination of all these things and more, he just
knows how to nd information, pure and simple. It may not
come fast, and it may not come complete, but the immortal
have all the time in the world to seek it out.

Scarlet Libertine

Quote: What is the nature of this esh we wear? Are

these not our masks for this great and terrible ball? Tell
me, child, will you wear the frowning visage of guilt, or
don the magnicent cowl of your desires made manifest?
Background: The Scarlet Rite is a faction bent on
consumption, lust and waste your average Hyletic being
nothing more than a philosophically deluded derelict
and pervert with a penchant for occasional violence and
gluttonous thirst for blood. In the midst of writhing orgies, you will nd the conductor of the whole nihilistic
symphony. These masters of the Hyletic rite are known
as the Perfecti. Initiated into the sacred caste of the Therion, these attained deviants wield enormous inuence
within the extended cult of a covey and are respected
throughout the Scarlet Rite at large. Although incapable
of siring progeny of his own, the libertine serves as dark
father to his Hyletic covey.
Description: Although the pursuit of lust is taken to
the extreme, the Perfecti exalt the physical body and are
often meticulous about its appearance. Despite nery and
impeccable grooming, it is evident to any Kindred that
behind the powdered exterior lurks a profoundly threatening predator. In the midst of his cult, the scarlet libertine

is a gure of striking presence that belies an alien wisdom

detached utterly from moral and ethical consideration.
Storytelling Hints: The scarlet libertine is a monstrous
creature of impeccable grace who has immersed himself
utterly in the mysteries of the sarx. There is no test or sensation to which one can subject the esh that the Hyletic
Perfecti does not understand. Even if his intentions are
without motive beyond a wish for amusement, he delights
in pure cruelty beyond all else. Thus, the Hyletic Perfecti
construct elaborate games that involve many players,
Forsworn and otherwise. The scarlet libertine makes a
relentless enemy if he is crossed.
Abilities:
Empathy (dice pool 8) In order to play the role his
covey expects of him, the scarlet libertine must be able to
sense the emotions and tides of desire that ow through
and around him. While his callousness is evident, he has
razor-keen insight into the feelings of others.
Intimidation (Torture) (dice pool 7) The practices
of pleasure are not the only area of expertise of the scarlet
libertine. In ritual or the interrogation room, the art of
torture is a primary tool of the Hyletic Perfecti.
Occult (dice pool 7) As a member of the Therion
caste, the scarlet libertine is adept at conducting the
Archontes and dynamei of his sect.
Persuasion (Seduction) (dice pool 9) The presence
of the Hyletic Perfecti is a drug to those around him. To
call him charming is an understatement, as his powers
of persuasion and seduction border on mind control in
their potency.
Socialize (dice pool 7) Because of the social demands of the Hyletic agenda, the scarlet libertine must
be a model of grace and savvy. With these talents, he
moves through world of esh and man.

Zealous Archon

appendix

Quote: Whatever you call yourself be it Acolyte,

Dragon, Sanctied or some other delusional title you,
too, are of the Brood. You just wont accept it.
Background: The zealous Archon is a capable and
driven agent of the Roaring Serpent. Where other Forsworn secret themselves away with their dark rites, or
skulk unseen along the back roads of mortal degradation,
the zealous Archon takes every opportunity to put himself
at the front lines of his covenants efforts. He shows initiative, and actively pursues any lead that will further his
coveys cause (or his own personal agenda, of course). He
is quick to respond when challenged, and has mastered
the art of using body language to gain results.
Description: When set to a task, the zealous Archon is
an intractable, unrelenting force. So convinced is he of the

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151

Politics (dice pool 6) The inner workings of most

soma cults, and the Roaring Serpent in particular, are a
steaming cauldron of primate politics, always under the
constant threat of boiling over. In the behind-the-scenes
maneuverings of such groups, the struggle for dominance
between vampiric Beasts is writ large. In order to weather
such a froth of turmoil, the zealous Archon must be
armed with a strong grasp of the nature and character
of the interactions between both the politically strong
and the politically weak.
Streetwise (dice pool 7) Going hand in hand with
a solid investigative procedure is the zealous Archons
ability to maneuver in and around the gilded cage he
calls his domain. Whether tracking down another vampire or securing important street items for his covey, the
zealous Archons overall usefulness depends heavily on
his effectiveness in the eld, and that depends to no
small extent on his familiarity with the ways and means
of the urban jungle.

appendix

rightness of his faction that it comes across in his bearing.

He is tall and broad of shoulder, but comes off even bigger,
cutting a gure that seems carefully constructed to shout,
larger than life! Even in polite company, the telltale of
bulge of a concealed weapon or two is evident.
Storytelling Hints: The zealous Archon is actualized
and accomplished beast, a worthy descendant of his infamous blood ancestor and a true disciple of the vampiric
soma. His pride in his understanding of the truth of the
vampiric nature comes across in his every act and gesture,
and his disdain for those who fail to grasp the Pursuit
by the throat and make of it their own is intense, and
concealed only when it is absolutely necessary to do so.
The zealous Archon exemplies the haughty and superior
mindset often associated with cults of the soma.
Abilities:
Intimidation (dice pool 8) Whatever his particular
dealings may be, the art of intimidation is the zealous Archons stock and trade. Whether justied by actual game
mechanics or not, it can be said that the zealous Archon
possesses multiple specialties of the Intimidation skill,
for he spends much of his time cultivating and perfecting
the nuances of social manipulation through fear. It is a
grave miscalculation to presume that an Archon cannot
accomplish his goals through more delicate means; he
simply prefers to rst establish dominance.
Investigation (dice pool 6) The specic duties carried out by the zealous Archon often require a substantial
amount of fact-nding and fact-checking; after all, all the
power in the world is meaningless until and unless one
knows where and when to exert that force. Knowledge
is power, and wherever one seeks power, one must also
seek knowledge.

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The Beast Unmasked

As so often happens during dealings between the

Damned, occasionally the communication breaks down,
resulting in direct conict with one or more of the Forsworn. Few Kindred seek out such violence, however,
for those of the Brood make truly terrifying opponents,
swayed by neither mercy nor fear of nal death. Storytellers can use the following characters as combatants in
such situations.

Bogeyman

Quote: Yeah, just moved in next door. Say, you need

some help with those? They look real heavy, and well, Im
not busy just now. So, um, you live alone?
Background: The next-door neighbor hes that
pleasant guy you wave to when you are getting home
in the evenings as hes dragging in his garbage cans
from the curb. Hes single and works from home. His
lawn is always mowed, and he never causes any trouble.
Youd never guess he had a pair of gutted nine-year-olds
stretched out on his basement oor. Make no mistake:
the bogeyman is a serial killer of the highest order who
forged his allegiance to Belials Brood through contact
with one of the sacred Resonants. Since hes sold his
soul, hes maintained the appearance of being an unaligned loner, who goes about business as usual; that
is, when hes not performing the self-crafted rites he
uses to commune with the Adversary. Without a covey
to back his efforts, the bogeyman must be incredibly
careful to leave no trace of his passing, an effort that
can prove a might bit tricky considering what he leaves
in his wake.

appendix

Description: Despite his morbid pastimes, the bogeyman has a ushed look of health and well-being about
him. Conscious of how he is perceived, the bogeyman
controls his every gesture and word, conveying a false
sense of safety to those around him. Insofar as his clothing, the bogeyman is conservative and inconspicuous,
maintaining the illusion that he just doesnt seem like
the type who would do something like that.
Storytelling Hints: In dealings with fellow Forsworn,
the bogeyman is quiet and passive, obeying all covey customs and taking a kindly tone when discussing current
events. However, when the bogeyman goes back out into
the world of humans, he becomes what he is. The bogeyman is a sociopath and predator. On the surface, he does
what he does out of devotion to the Adversary to which he
has sworn himself. Although this outward devotion satises
the bogeymans intellect, it is not really the case. The bogeyman is interested in one thing, and that is power over other
beings. By torturing his victims for prolonged periods, he
gloats and threatens in order to satisfy his deranged ego.
If a mortal (even a ghoul) speaks to him in a pejorative
manner, the bogeymans psychology cannot readily handle
the offense and will later take out his fury on the offender
or someone who acts or looks similarly. Other vampires
are, for the most part, safe from this degenerate predator.
Their ghouls, however, might not be so lucky . . .
Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 3, Strength
2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Presence 2, Manipulation 4,
Composure 4
Skills: Academics 1, Brawl 1, Firearms 2, Investigation
3, Larceny (Breaking and Entering) 3, Persuasion (Earning Trust) 4, Socialize 1, Stealth 3, Subterfuge (Changing
the Subject) 4, Weaponry 2

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Merits: Covenant Status (Belials Brood) 1, Danger

Sense, Haven (Location) 3, Resources 3, Striking Looks 2
Willpower: 7
Humanity: 4
Virtue: Prudence
Vice: Lust
Initiative: 6
Defense: 2
Speed: 9
Blood Potency: 1
Vitae/per Turn: 10/1
Weapons/Attacks:
Type
Dmg Size Spec Dice Pool
Baseball Bat
2 (B) 2
4
Butchers Knife 1 (L)
1
4
Large Axe
3 (L)
3
9 again 4
Health: 7
Disciplines: Auspex 1, Dominate 2, Obfuscate 3,
Vigor 2
Derangements: Anxiety (In instances in which the bogeyman would normally become ustered, he must check
for frenzy. If he fails, he may spend a Willpower point to
immediately suppress the frenzy), Tongue of the Beast.

Forsworn Ghoul

Quote: Please dont ght, sacred one. It will all be over

in moments. And do not exhaust yourself with pleading.
It is only the will of my masters that I obey.
Background: The Forsworn ghoul understands what a
far cry he is from those who serve the covenants, and for
this he serves he covey with unswerving loyalty. Poached
from his Invictus masters, he has spent the last several
years absorbing the lore of the Archons and sealing his
ties with the Roaring Serpent. Unfortunately, this has
taken an enormous toll on his sanity as the tasks he
tends to are often of the most cruel and barbaric sort.
Because of this, his deteriorated morality is immediately
evident to other humans as well as vampires who have
maintained their humanity. He stays close to his covey,
protecting and assisting the Forsworn, but maintains a
consistency of faith that most mortals arent capable of.
The Forsworn ghoul is devout, zealous and obedient to
the whim of the covey, and for this he is richly rewarded
and deeply appreciated.
Description: The Forsworn ghoul is a distant and placid creature with the doll-like eyes of a shark when feeding.
He is extremely well fed and impeccably groomed, only
showing signs of his feral nature after assisting in the
restraint of a vigorous sacricial victim. Often pressed
to intense physical trials of both utility and ceremony,
the Forsworn ghoul is physically powerful but prefers

Hand of Belial

Quote: But for the glory of the Adversary go I.

Background: The Pandaemonium is perhaps the least
discreet of all the factions of the Forsworn. Central to
many Antinomians beliefs is the notion that they are
on an unholy crusade to destroy Gods work, and ensure

153

the victory of the Adversary and of Belial, the infernal

Duke of vampirekind. The hand of Belial is a tried and
tested fanatic, an Antinomian warrior who has all but
extinguished the very last of his self-preservation instinct,
willing to throw himself into the ames of conict at a
moments notice. Despite his aggression, the hand of
Belial is a devastating combatant, capable of eviscerating
all but the most skilled opponents. Through his martial
prowess, the hand of Belial is tireless in proving himself
to the unseen demon to whom his covey pays homage.
Description: Scarred, pierced and tattooed beyond description, the ascetic rank and le of the Pandaemonium
is inscribed with his faith covering his entire body in
strange sigils envisioned during ecstatic rites of self-torment. Despite the obscene marks and scars, the hand of
Belial is a vicious and relentless warrior, a combination
of fanaticism, brutality and sheer fearlessness.
Storytelling Hints: The hand of Belial cannot be reasoned
with. The mandates and obscure laws of his covey are inviolable, and anyone who stands in violation of its creed will
be stretched upon the sacricial slab by this fanatics hand.
If his covey is discovered, he will sacrice his own unlife to
make sure the trespassers do not live to speak of it. When
with his covey, he is unswerving in his devotion, never forgetting the prayers and evocations. Although not an operative
for subtle objectives, the hand of Belial is invaluable when
the situation calls for the application of intense violence.
Due to his zeal, the hand of Belial also takes betrayals as an
attack on his own honor and safety, and will often pursue
such transgressors on behalf of the covey. In circumstances
in which he nds himself separated from his covey, the hand
of Belial is capable of tremendous cunning and survivability,
despite being unable to blend easily into the human ock.

appendix

less direct methods than violence, especially when dealing with vampires. For this reason, the Forsworn ghoul
maintains perfect etiquette, avoiding those missteps that
could result in bloody mess.
Storytelling Hints: The Forsworn ghoul can play any
number of roles in a chronicle in which the Brood is featured. Because he is less subservient than a normal ghoul,
he is often more condent and competent when left to his
own devices. If the ghoul serves one of the sarx cults, he
serves as a living connection to the mysteries of esh they
explore. If the Forsworn ghoul is an agent of one of the
soma-oriented factions, he likely maintains management
of their physical assets as well as providing security while
his covey sleeps through the day. A Forsworn ghoul in the
service of a Faustian covey will likely play a part in one of
the factions elaborate schemes of corruption. In almost
every instance, Forsworn ghouls who are afliated with
the coveys of the Nameless will almost certainly undergo
the initiatory ceremony that transforms them into one
of the Doulosi ghoul cult (see p. 120).
Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 3, Strength
2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4, Presence 2, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Skills: Academics 2, Computer 2, Drive 2, Firearms 2,
Investigation 2, Larceny 2, Medicine (Anesthesia) 2, Occult 3, Socialize 2, Stealth (Crowds) 2, Streetwise (Black
Market) 3, Subterfuge 3, Weaponry 2
Merits: Allies 1, Covenant Status (Belials Brood) 1,
Regnant 4, Resources 2
Willpower: 6
Morality: 3
Virtue: Temperance
Vice: Pride
Initiative: 5
Defense: 2
Speed: 9
Vitae/per Turn: 4/1
Weapons/Attacks:
Type
Dmg Size Spec Dice Pool
Ritual Dagger
1 (L)
1
4
.357 Magnum
3
1
4
Health: 9
Disciplines: Nightmare 2, Obfuscate 1, Vigor 1
Derangements: Fixation (severe)

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Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 4, Strength

4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Presence 3, Manipulation 2,
Composure 2
Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl (Claws) 4, Firearms 2, Intimidation (Blatant Threats) 4, Investigation 1, Occult 2,
Stealth (Tails) 2, Streetwise 2, Survival 3, Weaponry 3
Merits: Covenant Status (Belials Brood) 3, Danger
Sense, Fast Reexes 2, Iron Stamina 3, Resources 1
Willpower: 6
Humanity: 2
Virtue: Faith
Vice: Wrath
Initiative: 6
Defense: 3
Speed: 12
Blood Potency: 2
Vitae/per Turn: 11/1
Weapons/Attacks:
Type
Dmg
Size
Spec
Dice Pool
Claws
1 (A)
N/A Uses Brawl 9
Shotgun 4 (L)
2
9 again
5
Stake
1 (L)
1
Must
7
target heart
Health: 9
Disciplines: Protean 3, Resilience 3, Vigor 2
Investments: Unfeeling Skin, Walk the Walls, Warp
Corpse
Derangements: Tongue of the Beast

High Ritualist

appendix

Quote: And lo, did the weak lay down before the
mighty and offer their heads to they who had conquered

154

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them. From goblets of iron did we take of their blood,

the rivers run red with the proof of our victory. All this
shall come to pass!
Background: Many devotees of the Throne of Smokeless Fire choose a specic path to excellence, whether it
be material wealth, physical superiority or spiritual attainment. On rare occasion, a certain type of Djinn will rise
from the swell of his brethren and manifest the traits of
the true dark sovereign. These special Forsworn, often
called high ritualists, are the favored generals of the Djinn
and hold total power over their coveys and any members
of the Throne of Smokeless Fire with which they should
come in contact. Having attained excellence and wisdom,
the high ritualist is a powerful vampire who understands
the core mysteries of the Trinity. Through meditation, the
performance of rites and countless victories in ceremonial
combat, he now bears the investments of the sarx, soma and
pneuma. Eager for confrontation in the mental, physical
and social arenas, the high ritualist has total conviction in
both his own superiority, and in the fact that he is favored
above others in the eyes of the Adversary.
Description: The high ritualist is an attained and inhuman beast of a vampire. Often marked by the self-inicted
deformities and scars earned in ritual combat, the high
ritualist carries himself with the demeanor of both a dark
saint and a predatory beast. During his coveys ceremonies, the high ritualist wears owing, red silk robes and
abundant gold jewelry, and carries the sharpened machete
with which he makes offerings to the Demiurge.
Storytelling Hints: The high ritualists of the Throne of
Smokeless Fire are the unforgiving, fascist commanders of
the faction. If one of these masters is attached to a covey,
that covey likely has both a long list of successes and access to enormous resources. Regardless, the high ritualist
is deadly on all fronts. A wide variety of high-level skills,
vampiric Disciplines and Investments of all three aspects
make him a versatile enemy. Nonetheless, the high ritualist
does not waste his time with the little things, and only the
most important matters merit his direct involvement.
Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 5, Strength
3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Presence 4, Manipulation 3,
Composure 3
Skills: Academics (Forsworn History) 4, Brawl 3, Empathy 3, Expression (Religious Ceremonies) 5, Intimidation 4, Investigation 3, Medicine (Anatomy) 3, Occult
(Covey Rites) 3, Stealth 4, Survival 3, Weaponry 4
Merits: Allies (Occult) 4, Contacts 2, Covenant Status (Belials Brood) 4, Disarm, Fast Reexes 1, Fighting
Finesse (Machete), Haven (Location) 3, Herd (Mortal
Cult) 3, Language (Latin), Language (Greek), Meditative Mind, Resources 3, Retainer (Doulosi Ghoul) 2,
Weaponry Dodge

the advesary

appendix

Willpower: 8
Humanity: 2
Virtue: Faith
Vice: Pride
Initiative: 8
Defense: 3
Speed: 12
Blood Potency: 5
Vitae/per Turn: 14/2
Weapons/Attacks:
Type
Dmg
Ritual Machete 3 (L)
Stake
1 (L)

155

Size Spec
2
8
1
Must
target
heart

Dice Pool
7

Health: 9
Disciplines: Auspex 3, Celerity 2, Majesty 4, Nightmare 4, Obfuscate 3, Resilience 3, Vigor 3
Investments: Blood of the Beast, Blood Rage, Scent
of Socius, Walk the Walls
Derangements: Megalomania (mild), Tongue of the
Beast

Paranoid Apostate

Quote: Youve made a grave error by following me.

The Brood will take you, strip your esh raw and bury
you up to your neck in salt. And all just to spite me.
Background: Once, not so long ago, there was a
paragon among the Brood; a vampire who commanded
respect from his covey-mates and great inuence among
his faction, the Roaring Serpent. He engaged the Pursuit
with a vigor and acuity not seen in decades, and his efforts
bore him delectable fruits. He amassed a host of potent
Investments, the combination of which made him a fearsome predator, indeed, and was growing into a luminary
among the Archons. Then, one fateful night, his covey
engaged in battle with a band of strange interlopers,
vampires who descended on his brothers with a ferocity and fearlessness that rivaled their own. In the fray,
his Beast overtook him, and he drank of his assailants
hearts blood, disintegrating the last shred of the Man
within him in the process and transforming him into a
raving revenant.
Knowing what had become of their brother, his coveymates solemnly conducted for him a Rite of the Released,
and put all memory of him behind them forever. What
they didnt know is that their fallen brother did not burn
himself out and return to the Demiurge, as they expected.
Rather, he eventually fell into a torpor and slept, during which he was plagued with nightmares about his
lost humanity, and when he awoke some 30 years later,

he had somehow regained some of what hed cast aside

over the years. Now no longer of the Brood, his mind is
racked with confusion, and he has come to believe that
his former brothers and sisters are hot on his tail since
his awakening. Not content to simply send him to Final
Death once and for all, he believes they toy with him at
some remove, nettling his addled brain and savoring the
torture and death that inevitably await.
Description: The paranoid apostate is a shadowy gure
with swarthy skin and Middle Eastern features. He has
a feral look to him, suggesting he is on the brink and
could easily explode into violence at any moment, and
his vampire claws never quite seem to withdraw fully into
the esh of his hands. Even at his best, it is evident to
even the most obtuse onlooker that a barely concealed
madness rages just beneath the surface of the paranoid
apostates troubled brow, and only the bravest or most
foolhardy would deliberately provoke its angry release.
Storytelling Hints: The paranoid apostate is a truly
tragic gure. Once, he was in control; he knew what to
do and what he was. Once, but no longer. Ever since
waking up to nd that he was no longer of the Brood,
his mind began to spiral dangerously out of control.
The loss of both his powers and his memories of being
Forsworn have weighed heavily on his newly invigorated
conscience, and he nightly struggles with the reemergence
of the Mans inuence on his soul. He has convinced
himself that the only hope for succor lies in discovering
who and what he once was, and in reclaiming the time he
lost to Belials Brood. Tragically, his only real hope lies
in putting it all behind him and moving on with his new
unlife, but such is the nature of every broken creature.
Still, his resolve is rm, and those who stand in his way

nd out just how unstable his mind truly is.

Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 4, Strength
4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Presence 2, Manipulation 3,
Composure 4
Skills: Academics 2, Animal Ken (Dogs) 2, Athletics
1, Brawl (Claws) 4, Drive 1, Empathy 2, Firearms 1,
Intimidation 4, Investigation 3, Larceny 2, Occult 2,
Politics 1, Stealth 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 3, Survival
(Hiding) 4, Weaponry 2
Merits: Brawling Dodge, Contacts (Occult) 2, Disarm,
Fast Reexes 1, Haven (Location/Security) 4, Language
(Arabic) 3, Language (French) 2, Resources 2
Willpower: 7 (reduced from 8 through unlife activities)
Humanity: 2
Virtue: Hope
Vice: Gluttony
Initiative: 7
Defense: 3
Speed: 12
Blood Potency: 3
Vitae/per Turn: 13/1
Weapons/Attacks:
Type
Dmg
Size
Spec
Dice Pool
Claws 1 (A)
N/A Uses Brawl 9
Stake
1 (L)
1
Must target 7
heart
Health: 10
Disciplines: Animalism 2, Auspex 1, Obfuscate 3,
Protean 5, Resilience 4
Investments: None
Derangements: Amnesia (severe), Paranoia (severe)

appendix

Wild-Eyed Cultist

Quote: So many pieces, so many pieces, so many

pieces. The wet, red pieces are arranged like this, see?
Only He can solve the puzzle of the wet, red pieces. Stop
breathing . . . He shall be with us soon.
Background: The cast-off progeny of reckless Kindred
are often unaligned and despised by other vampires.
Such treatment can result in an alienated monster that
will seek out extreme means and take risky measures to
seize some measure of power. Certain places, objects and
written records of the Forsworn resonate with a palpable
malevolence. When these estranged vampires stumble
upon such items, the result can be terrifying. The wildeyed cultist has only recently made contact with his new
covey; he is completely dedicated to its cause, even if he
doesnt consciously understand it. His covey primarily
uses him for menial tasks, such as keeping an eye on captives and disposing of the remains. Despite his inability to
blend in or serve higher functions, the wild-eyed cultist

156

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is a paragon of deteriorated humanity.

Description: The de-socialized nature of the wild-eyed
cultist is immediately noticeable to all but the most oblivious observer. Dressed in ugly pants, a wrinkled shirt and
muddy shoes, the wild-eyed cultist is often found at the
scene of the crime of many of the less discreet coveys rites
with blood up to the elbows and between his teeth.
His deteriorated humanity gives him an animal affect,
as he takes neither afrmation nor reprimand with any
marked expression.
Storytelling Hints: Let there be no mistake: the wildeyed cultist is the product of gratuitous cruelty, violence
and sadism. Although he was briey a sane and functional member of Kindred society, years of alienation
and lack of contact with his own kind has resulted in a
less-than-human result. To the darkness of his basement
hovel, he would drag his unconscious prey and mutilate
them in accordance with the chorus of demons in his
head. Despite his methods, the wild-eyed cultist is no
longer a sadist, merely an animal of habit. While more
than capable of subduing human prey, the beaten-down
Beast of this madman is easily intimidated by stronger
Forsworn, cowed like a scared dog in the presence of
superior wrath. While coveys do their best to control
these types and keep them from the eyes of both human
and Kindred society, the blood-thirst of the unpredictable
wild-eyed cultist causes him to stray, often forcing the
covey into difcult, and sometimes deadly, situations.
For this reason, many soma cults will not accept these
lunatics into their number, though cults of the sarx often use them as expendable monsters. Only the pneuma
cults are so advanced in their madness that they would
use these wild-eyed cultists as subjects of study and/or

157

Initiative: 2
Defense: 2
Speed: 10
Blood Potency: 1
Vitae/per Turn: 10/1
Weapons/Attacks:
Type
Dmg Size Spec
Dice Pool
Fist
0 (B)
Uses Brawl 6
Knife
1 (L)
1
4
Small Axe 2 (L)
1
4
Health: 8
Disciplines: Animalism 1, Obfuscate 2, Resilience 1
Investments: None (yet)
Derangements: Irrationality (severe), Schizophrenia
(mild)

appendix

meditation.
Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 2, Strength
3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Presence 2, Manipulation 1,
Composure 1
Skills: Brawl 3, Crafts (Carpentry) 2, Firearms 1,
Intimidation (Threatening Presence) 2, Investigation 1,
Larceny 1, Occult 1, Persuasion 2, Subterfuge 1, Survival
(Urban) 4, Weaponry 1
Merits: Covenant Status (Belials Brood) 1, Haven
(Location) 3, Resources 2, Strong Back
Willpower: 3
Humanity: 2
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Gluttony

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appendix
158

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the advesary

159
appendix

appendix
160

the advesary

Dont say our name.

Weep it out through acid tears.

Curse it with blood in your breath.

Choke on it like puke. Breath it like re.

Belial,s Brood

Never say it.

Scream it.
Shriek it.

Killjoy, Forsworn of Philadelphia

This book includes:

Go inside the immoral, self-destructive

society of ferocious, back-biting,
bloodsucking barbarians who worship
a demon and celebrate sin
Belials Brood.
Discover a unique bloodline, a new
ghoul family and a wicked mystic
tradition of blood magic supposedly
handed up from Hells depths.
Explode Belials Brood into a fully
realized force in your Vampire chronicles
or plunge your players into the roles of
these brutal monsters with story seeds,
complete new characters and a rich
(and disputed) history.

a sourcebook for

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