TOREADOR
The memebers of this clan are known for their hedonism, though that is a misinterpretation of what they truly are. They are proud and regal Kindred, highly excitable, and they cultivate expensive tastes -- but hedonism is going a bit to far. Artists are always so misunderstood. The Toreador are the most sophisticated of the clans. They ae concerned wit beauty in a way no mortal can fathom. They use the rarefied senses and tastes given to them by the Embrace to become as consumed an impassioned as possible. Ideally, to a Toreador, nothing matters as much as beauty, though in many cases the search for beauty is overwhelmed by the search for pleasure, and the Toreador becomes little more than a sensualist.
Like all true artists, they search for a truth beyond an existence they fear to be meaningless. It is that struggle for the truth, and ultimately salvation, that has inspired them with what they consider to be their mission -- protectors of the genius of the human race. They are truely in love with the vigor and passion of the mortals, and never tire of marveling at their creations.
The clan as a whole considers its members conservationists; their protectorate consists of the world's greatest artists. They specifically seek out those whom they consider to be the most talented and grant them the boon of immortality, thus preserving their genius against the ravages of aging and death. They constantly search for new talent and spend a great deal of time deciding whom to preserve and whom to leave to their fate. Among the Toreador are some of the greatest musicians and artists who ever lived.
The greatest weakness of the Toreador is their sensitivity to beauty. They so reflexively surround themselves with elegance and luxury that they often lose themselves in the endless pursuit of vice after vice. Some among this clan become concerned with nothing but their own continued pleasure -- the reputation of the entire clan is affected by thier excessess.
NICKNAME:
Degenerates
APPEARANCE:
The members of this clan are usually good-looking. They always dress in the very latest fashions from the most expensive stores. Of all the Kindred, only the Toreador manage (or bother) to keep up with the ever-changing panoply of human fashion.
BACKGROUND:
They pride themselves on only selecting the most exemplary members of human society for initiation into their clan. Most members were artists or musicians, and many continue their artistic pursuits in undeath.
ORGANIZATION:
The members of this clan meet frequently, though these gatherings are more social occasions than councils. &nbs;In times of great urgency, they become united and ferociously active, but typically they are to apathetic to be much of a force.
CLAN DISCIPLINES:
Auspex, Celerity, Presence
WEAKNESSES:
The members of this clan are as much prisoners of their artistic vision and sensitivity as they are its beneficiaries. They are often overcome by the beauty they see around them, and become immobilized with fascination. Such things as paintings, neon signs, or even sunrises can captivate them. This trait explains why Toreador so often fall in love with mortals.
Clans listing
TREMERE
The members of this clan ae dedicated and extremely well organized. Others, how ever, think of them as arcane and untrustworthy. They are aggressive, highly intellectual and manipulative, and respect only those who struggle and persevere despite all odds. The Tremere believe they must use the other clans in order to prosper. "Be friendly with them, let them think that we are one with them, but never forget that we serve our clan first and foremost," the Tremere elders whisper to their progeny. "If you must use your friends in service to the clan, then you know that your time was not wasted".
The Tremere are an odd lot indeed. They claim to have once been wizards who voluntarily gave up their "art" for the powers and eternal life of the vampire. They have never named a founder, and some claim they have none, having instead harnessed mystical powers to achieve their state. Most elder Kindred discount this claim, however.
Their link to the substance of blood apparently runs deep, and they are rumored t be able to use blood in special ways to gain extraordinary powers. Many also believe that the knowledge of those practices has been passed down from generation to generation, and that it is now viewed by teh younger Tremere as natural and commonplace -- certainly not magic.
The leaders of this clan are based in Vienna, though they have chantries("guild houses" for the practice of magic) on every continent of the world. A council of seven elders is said to control the entire clan from the Vienna chantry. From that locus, they maintain a tightly ordered, highly hierarchical group, one that allows no outsider to view their inner workings.
Tremere typically have immense love for and loyalty to their clan, and the younger members of Clan Tremere are expected to obey their elders without question. This is not as true in practice as it once was, however. Though there are some rebels and anarchs from teh Tremere line, it is thought that they are posing as such on the orders of the clan, as part of its long-term plots.
NICKNAME:
Warlocks
APPEARANCE:
Tremere traditionally wear black coats or even cloaks with high, upturned collars and arcane symbols sewn on the lining. Though this is no longer universal, they still prefer black, impressive-looking clothing (such as the pinstripe power suit). Many Tremere also carry props such as canes; sometimes of these "ornaments" are rumored to be potent mystical talismans.
BACKGROUND:
They choose the most aggressive and ambitious people as their neonates, preferring males. They carefully train and nurture them for years, calling them "apprentices".
ORGANIZATION:
The Tremere are tightly organized and very hierarchical. The younger members are expected to obey the older ones without question, but this is not as strong a tenent as it once was.
CLAN DISCIPLINES:
Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy
WEAKNESSES:
Tremere neonates must all drink from the blood of the seven elders of the clan when they are created. This means that all Tremere are at least one step towards being Blood Bound to the clan, and therefore must watch their step very carefully when around their leaders.
Clans listing
VENTRUE
Old-fashioned and tradition-bound, the Ventrue are sophisticated and genteel. They believe in good taste above all else and work hard to make their lives comfortable. They are most frequently the leaders in the Camarilla, and are cautious, honorable, social and elegant Kindred.
The Ventrue fancy themselves a clan of the modern world, and deny that they live in the past. This may be true of the most powerful members of the clan, but many are unable to give up the habits and dress of the time when they were Embraced. The attitudes and beliefs of one's mortal days are never forgotten by a Ventrue.
They are most often found among the upper crust of the mortal world. Their sophistication serves them in good stead among the elite of mortal society, and it allows them to control many of the more powerful members of the city. Because of the relative ease in which they fit in among such company, the Ventrue often have a monopoly on plitical control of the city. If something goes wrong, it is often to the Ventrue that the other Kindred turn to for aid.
There is a strong Ventrue tradition that any member of the line may find safe refuge with any other member of the line, and cannot be refused. Thus many Ventrue aid their fellow clan members before the need arises for this tradition to be invoked. Harboring a fugitive in one's haven can be detrimental to one's welfare.
They are vey proad of their leadership of vampire society, and will always insist that they were the founders of the Camarilla. They will do nearly anything to retain their grip on the politics of the cities and the Camarilla, and are exceedingly protective of their reputations.
NICKNAME:
Blue Bloods
APPEARANCE:
The Ventrue do not change their ways easily, so they often dress in very old-fashioned styles -- lace and ruffles, top hats and evening coats. Younger members still dress very well -- preppy would best describe it.
BACKGROUND:
Typically they select older and more experienced people as neonates, usually membersof the upper class. Sometimes they will only Embrace their own mortal descendants.
ORGANIZATION:
Though the Ventrue clan meets often, their councils are sarcastically called "debating societies" because of the amount of talk and lack of action. The Ventrue consider this the only civilized way to get anything done.
CLAN DISCIPLINES:
Dominate, Fortitude, Presence
WEAKNESSES:
Ventrue have exacting and rarefied tastes, even when it comes to blood. They fixate on one type of blood and will feed off no other type, not even if starving or under duress.
Clans listing
~~EXCERPS FROM THE WHITE WOLF BOOK OF THE MASQUERADE~~