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The process of ghoul creation is largely up to the ST, some will deem
that the moment that blood of a vampire is imbibed, the ghoul is created,
and now gains the disciplines of its domitor's family. Others require a
period of "becoming" before those benefits manifest. The Coven employs
the second method, as it leaves the door open to play the discovery and
emotions associated with the transformation. If the ghoul is left on their
own, with no training or input from a mentor, they may never realize their
full potential, as many of the Disciplines would require training.
Alternately, in a moment of fear or panic, a discipline such as celerity
may manifest itself. Its up to the ST how discipline gaining occurs, and
certainly leaves a lot of room for dramatic and intense scenes.
The information below is straight out of the book
Ghouls: Fatal Addiction with random annoying notes from me in
red about Coven differences ...
The information here is NOT necessarily what is allowed in
The Coven it is offered as is for player enlightenment.
When creating a character for play please see the rules for
the room at Ghoul Rules
thank you!
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Charcater Creation Quick reference
¤Step One: Character Concept
Choose concept: Vassal, Revenant or Independent(Revenants only)
Select ghoul family:
Bratovitch: Monstrous and bizarre hunters and deviants.
Grimaldi: The most human of revenants, they live among mortals.
Obertus: Reclusive scholars who seek forbidden knowledge.
Zantosa: Hedonist dilettantes who serve them-selves.
¤Step Two: Select Attributes
(See Coven rules we use a higher point spread)
Prioritize categories: Physical, Social, Mental (6/4/3)
Choose Physical Traits: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina
Choose Social Traits: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance
Choose Mental Traits: Perception, Intelligence, Wits
¤Step Three: Select Abilities
Prioritize categories: Talents, Skills, Knowledges (11/7/4)
Choose Talents: Your natural aptitudes
Choose Skills: What you've been trained to do
Choose Knowledges: What you've studied
¤Step Four: Select Advantages
Choose Backgrounds (5), Disciplines (Potence 1, + 1 other
Discipline) and Virtues (7, or 5 for Sabbat ghouls and revenants)
Vassals: Choose a Discipline known to your domitor Revenants:
Choose a family Discipline Independents: Choose any Discipline
¤Step Five: Finishing Touches
Record Virtues, Humanity/Path of Enlightenment, Will-power
and Blood Pool
Spend "freebie points" (21) (15 in The Coven)
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Character Creation expanded and explained
Step One: Concept
Character concepts cover a lot of ground. A
ghoul can be anybody, who's been ghouled for any reason. Let's
face it; if a Toreador catches sight of a pretty face in a crowd,
ghouling said darling is far less risky than giving her the
Embrace. If you grow tired of her, no one will complain if
you neatly dispose of her. A childe is forever - a ghoul is
only for as long as it suits you. What's more, anybody who's
good at anything, whether it's car maintenance, secretarial
skills or street combat, might be ghouled by a Cainite who has
use for that particular skill. So what if a Brujah is only
interested in Embracing someone as sexy as she is hell, her
ghouls could look like Mr. Whipple and Martha Raye. Since the
standards for ghouldom are less exacting, your basic concept
could range anywhere from an Indiana Jonesish archaeologist to
"that quiet guy next door."
Your concept includes your basic image (and
self-image), Nature and Demeanor. It also defines your role in
the chronicle. Generally speaking, your character begins the
game either as a vassal under the Blood Bond to a domitor, as a
member of a revenant family, or as an independent with alternate
means of obtaining vitae to preserve her powers. Whichever way,
you should at least think about the following questions, the
better to flesh out your character.
¤ In General: How did you first find out you were
twice as strong as before, and what did you do with your newfound
power? What's your day job; do you have trouble there these days?
Have you ever been driven into a frenzy, and how? Do you know
you're an addict, or do you fool even yourself? How do you
rationalize your "habit"? What sorts of problems do you have in
your everyday life - your boss, significant other, relatives? Do
you hate anybody enough that you now feel like doing something
about it - or have you done it already? Do you know that you can
heal yourself from near-mortal wounds, and how does that knowledge
affect your behavior? How would you describe the Blood; what
metaphors best sum up that incredible rush? Do you know that other
ghouls exist; how do you feel about them? Would you let a loved
one become a ghoul; would you encourage her or try to prevent it?
¤ Vassals: (allowed)What sort of person were you before you
became a ghoul? How have you felt your personality change since
you began your service? Do you define yourself solely in terms of
your relation to your master? Why were you chosen; what do you
have to offer your domitor? Were you tricked into becoming a ghoul,
or did you go willingly? Are you treated fairly, or is your liege
abusive? What clan is your master, and what role does she play
among the city's Kindred? Is she of high status, an outcast, or
something else? Are you szlachta; if so, do you ever go out in
public? Have you ever felt anything as powerful as the Blood Bond?
¤ Revenants: (not allowed in coven) What family do
you belong to? How strong is your loyalty to your family? How did
your extremely pro-longed childhood affect you? Were you abused
by your family? Do you have any sibling rivalries? How much do you
knowabout the Sabbat? Were you immersed in Sabbat politics early
on? Have you been abused by the ghoul-hating members of the sect?
Why are you active away from home? Will you ever go back, and if
so, how do you think you will be received?
¤ Independents: (not allowed in coven) How did you
receive your first taste of vitae? Did you know about vampires
before you became a ghoul? How do you maintain your supply of the
Blood? Do you interact with Kindred on their own terms, or do you
deliberately avoid becoming entangled in their politics? Do you
know anything about the clans? Are you an escaped ghoul? If so,
what was your role: paramour, szlachta, aide? Have you been
contacted by the Unmastered? Do you know about any other denizens
of the World of Darkness? Do you want to?
Step Two: Attributes
Mortals begin play with less raw potential than vampire characters do.
A ghoul has fewer dots to divide among her Attributes, as her
capabilities are more mundane - at the start. You begin play with
one free dot in each At-tribute, of course. After prioritizing your
Attributes, you may then spend six dots among your primary Attributes,
four among your secondary, and three among your tertiary.
Your concept helps define how you arrange your At-tributes; for more
information, see the two-page spreads on ghoul types.
Step Three: Abilities
Again, ghouls start with fewer dots than do Kindred characters. After
prioritizing your Abilities, you have 11 dots to divide among your
primary Abilities, seven for secondary, and four for your tertiary
Abilities. As usual, you may not spend more than three dots in any
Ability during this stage of character creation.
Step Four: Advantages
Although far weaker than Cainites, ghouls still have an edge over
ordinary men and women. All ghouls begin play with one dot of
Potence, which is instinctively learned almost immediately. Each
ghoul also has one dot in another Discipline, which should be chosen
according to the character concept. If you're playing a vassal, you
must pick a Discipline that your domitor knows. Check with your
Storyteller; your domitor's clan will usually be a guide. If you're
playing a revenant, you should choose your second Discipline from
the traditional Disciplines of your family. Independent ghouls have
no "clan" restrictions, but if you are creating an independent
character, the Storyteller may require you to choose your second
dot from among the "instinctive" physical Disciplines (Celerity,
Fortitude and Potence).
Two exceptions to this rule are Protean and
Thaumaturgy; these highly specific Disciplines are available only to
Gangrel and Tremere vassals, respectively. And while the independent
and Sabbat clans' Disciplines are not "off limits" as such, ghouls
who know Quietus or Obtenebration (for example) had better have a
good reason for their knowledge. (just don't do it)
Ghouls (and revenants) are typically limited to
learning only the first level of any Discipline; their borrowed vitae
simply isn't potent enough to bestow more powerful abilities. (see
Coven Rules) However, they can exceed this limit by consuming blood
from more powerful vampires.(if approved by ST) The potency of said
blood is directly connected to the donor's generation- the closer the
vitae to Caine, the more powerful the Disciplines a ghoul may learn.
The ghoul must drink this blood for a considerable period of time
(i.e., long enough to gain the requisite experience points to buy such
advanced Disciplines ).
The chart below gives the standard correlation
between a donor's generation and the level of Disciplines a ghoul may
attain. What's more, there is an optional rate of progression for
Storytellers who wish ghouls to be more immediately powerful. Unless
your Storyteller tells you otherwise, assume that this option is not
being used.
Virtues are a little more complicated and depend on
whether your character follows the code of Humanity or one of the
Sabbat Paths of Enlightenment. Most ghouls should have Humanity by
default, and should therefore possess the Virtues of Conscience,
Self-Control and Courage. Ghouls are human, after all, and their
instinctive virtues are hard to set aside. Although the Blood can drive
a person into madness and depravity, few ghouls bother to rationalize
their dark impulses via a customized system of morality. If this makes
them poor examples of humans, then so be it.
Only revenants and Sabbat ghouls who are being groomed
for the Embrace should follow Paths of Enlightenment. The revenant
families teach alternate morality as part of their grotesque domestic
customs, and most of them care little for "weak" human virtues. Only those
Sabbat ghouls with true promise would be instructed in the ways of vampiric
enlightenment. Even this is quite rare as most Sabbat see it,
enlightenment begins only after the Creation Rites, and teaching vampire
morality to living beings is a waste of time. Until they experience the
dehumanization of the Creation Rites, they just won't get it. No ghoul,
revenant or not, may begin the game with a Path of Enlightenment rating
above 5.
Those rare ghouls who follow Paths of Enlightenment
possess the Virtues of Callousness, Instincts and Morale. No matter
what the Virtues, ghouls receive one free dot in each; ghouls
practicing Humanity receive seven dots to assign as they please, while
characters practicing Paths of Enlightenment receive five dots to
assign to their Virtues.
Ghouls may choose many of the same Backgrounds as
vampires, but there are some marked differences. Obviously, ghouls
cannot take Generation and have no need of Herd. The Mentor Background
is normally restricted to independent or revenant ghouls. A domitor
usually does not permit an outsider to become close to her servitors,
and almost never acts as a mentor herself. The master/servant relationship
does not blossom into friendship except in the most extraordinary cases.
Similarly, domitors do not usually permit their vassals to keep retainers
that is the role of the ghoul, and servants are not in need of servants.
Finally, ghouls possess no Status among Kindred; they are considered chaff
at best. A character may earn the respect of the local Cainites, but such
a thing is rare, and must always happen in play.
However, vassals may purchase the new Background of
Domitor, to represent their relationship with their master.
For details, see p. 82.
Step Five: Finishing Touches
The finishing touches are pretty much the same for ghoul and
vampire characters. Your beginning Willpower rating equals your Courage or
Morale. Your Humanity is equal to the sum of your Conscience + Self-Control
ratings, unless you currently follow a Path of Enlightenment. In that case,
generate your Path score as usual (maximum 5).
Your beginning Blood Pool is usually at the standard level; roll a die
to determine how many Blood Points you possess. (Storytellers may allow
vassals to reroll a result of a "1," as they should logically begin play
with a decent supply of vitae.) The exception here is the independent
ghoul, who must halve the result (beginning play with one to five Blood
Points).
Finally, ghouls get 21 (15 in Coven)
freebie points to spend as they choose. You may use these points to raise
any Trait you like, or to purchase Merits. You may also take up to seven
points of Flaws to add to your freebie point total (which cannot exceed 28).
Freebie Point Purchases
Disciplines/Path: 10 per dot
Attributes: 5 per dot
Abilities: 23 per dot
Virtues: 2 per dot
Willpower: 1 per dot
Humanity/Path: 1 per dot
Backgrounds: 1 per dot
(Coven rules differ)
Sponsor's Maximum Optional
(dominator) Discipline Maximum
Generation Level Discipline Level
13th-11th 1 1
10th-9th 1 2
8th 1 3
7th 2 3
6th 3 4
5th 4 4
4th 5 5
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VassalsThis is the only type of Ghoul currently allowed
When most vampires think of ghouls, by default
they picture the vassal. Many Cainites find it inconceivable to
create ghouls for any other purpose; indeed, to most Kindred, any
ghouls other than vassals are blasphemies.
By and large, vassals are the "normal people"
among ghouls. Most of them didn't ask for their new power or
immortality, although few complain too much once the Bond takes
effect. Scant few of them know even one-quarter what a neonate
does about Kindred society. Somewhere along the line, they were
just singled out by something old and powerful, something that
wanted another pair of hands.
Although a vassal's supply of vitae is pretty
much assured, that's really all she has to look forward to. In
fact, she'd better be on her very best behavior if she wants to
keep her liquid strength coming regularly. She also has to come
to terms with the fact that she's in love - truly, passionately,
in a way she didn't think she'd ever feel again after her first
love left-with a person who treats her with passing kindness at
best and draconian cruelty at worst.
And the sad thing is that the great majority
of vassals really have no idea what's going on. They don't know
why they feel the way they do; they don't know what's in that
miracle drink their new friend gives them. But they're loyal,
if for no other reason than they don't want the magic to stop.
They don't want to go back to the monochromatic, tasteless lives
they knew before. And you know what? They're the lucky ones.
Because once a ghoul's been dragged to the other side of that
mystery, once the Masquerade's been broken, she exists entirely
at the sufferance of her domitor.
Vampires often select vassals with families,
particularly when they choose to ghoul the servant clandestinely.
Domitors prefer ghouls who can handle responsibility, and what
better choice than a reliable parent? The conflicting loyalties
of family and the Blood Bond usually end in the same way - the
vassal chooses the domitor and the incomparable passion she feels
for the Cainite. Interestingly, manydomitors enjoy selecting
vassals for whom the choice is unbearably difficult; they see
this as proof that their ghouls take the relationship seriously.
Role: By definition, vassals play a role
in Kindred society, whether they know it or not. Why else create
them? Many are chosen as simple guards, either to protect the
master's haven during the day or to make sure that there's
always someone to cover his exit. The more versatile bodyguards
usually see better treatment, while those with few skills other
than fighting ability wind up as szlachta or cannon fodder.
Other vassals maybe chosen for particular
skills. Certainly, this includes the computer whiz and the
chauffeur who lend their 20th-century know-how to the tragically
anachronistic Cainite. But it can also include the starving yet
talented artist whose work is passed off as a Toreador's own,
or the prince's diplomat to the Brujah ("About time he sent
somebody who understands us!"). Finally, a vassal may serve
no purpose save window dressing - and why should it be
otherwise? Mediterranean "concubines" may be all the rage this
season....
Character Creation: A vassal's Abilities
and Attributes should reflect the reason she was chosen to become
a ghoul. A Toreador consort, for example, will usually have high
Social Traits but not quite as much mental facility. Szlachta,
bodyguards, stalkers and other fighting ghouls usually have
primary Physical Attributes, while scholars, pet scientists and
hackers would more likely have primary Mental. Vassals with
primary Social Attributes are typically negotiators, politicians,
concubines or showpieces.
Weaknesses: Vassals begin play Blood
Bound to a domitor of the Storyteller's design. The player may
purchase the Domitor background to represent a more amiable
relationship with her character's master, but in no case is
this relationship wine and roses.
Quote: No, you listen to me. I don't care who you are or who you're
with; the lady asked not to be disturbed. And she isn't going to be.
Capisce?
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New Abilities
The following Abilities add to those in the main rulebook and The
Vampire Players Guide. They are intended for ghouls, but Storytellers
may approve them for other sorts of characters. As always, let common
sense guide you.
Talents
Masquerade
Vampires manage to feign mortality; this Ability allows you to turn the
tables on them by pretending to be a vampire. Most ghouls have little
reason to learn this Talent, but there are exceptions. Certain domitors
may call upon their more subtle servants to indulge in a little espionage.
Independent ghouls may find that posing as vampires can lengthen their
lives. The masters of this talent are the bizarre and ancient ghouls of
the Methuselahs; these servitors are often as powerful as (or more powerful
than) younger Kindred, and they move among the lesser vampires in search
of prey for their masters.
The only ghouls who may not purchase this Talent at character creation
are revenants; aping one's masters is viewed poorly in the Sabbat, and
those who try are quickly (or not so quickly) disposed of.
o Novice: "Ruddy? Oh, I fed recently. That must be it."
o o Practiced: Another vampire's ghouls would recognize you as Kindred.
o o o Competent: You receive invitations to Elysium.
o o o o Expert: You can just about fool the ancillae who have Auspex.
o o o o o Master: You can sup with the prince without raising suspicion.
Knowledges
Steward
You have studied the art of managing a household and mastered the various
intricacies of such a task. You make a serviceable butler, valet, seneschal
or major-domo for your domitor. What's more, you keep up with her affairs
among the local Kindred, the better to serve her. You can run every aspect
of your master's haven if need be, and might be targeted by enemies who
would appreciate your knowledge. Of course, should you ever defect, your
master will almost certainly make your death or recapture top priority
o Student: You can keep an apartment in order.
o o College: You're considered reliable if not sparkling.
o o o Masters: Practically one of the family
o o o o Doctorate: You keep the manor running smoothly and remind the master
of his appointments with the prince.
o o o o o Scholar: Alfred Pennyworth
Vampire Lore
Unlike Kindred Lore (The Vampire Players Guide, p. 63), this Knowledge can be
taken at character creation. It represents the amount of lore you know about
vampiric society. Without this Ability, you may not even know your domitor's
clan. This Knowledge covers most of the basics that a sire teaches a fledgling
childe, as well as any local political tidbits that the Storyteller wishes to
impart.
o Student: You know roughly what vampires and clans are.
o o College: You know most of the Traditions.
o o o Masters: You know the name of the prince.
o o o o Doctorate: You know that the Malkavians are named after Malkay.
o o o o o Scholar: You can name all 13 clans and give their nicknames.
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New Background
Domitor
You are Bound to a vampire who provides you with blood and may offer you
protection. Of course, you cannot think to abuse your domitor's generosity.
The purchase of this Back-ground does imply, though, that your master has at
least a passing interest in your continued well-being. The level of this
Background implies two things: the general generation and power of your domitor
(which influences the level of Disciplines you may learn), and how well he
favors you. The more ancient and powerful the domitor, the less likely he is
to care about the welfare of an all-too-replaceable servant. Conversely, less
powerful vampires tend to take better care of their ghouls, as they possess
fewer resources and usually value what they have.
o Your domitor is 11th generation or lower, and considers you a valued
confidant.
o o Your master is ninth or 10th generation, and is passing fond of you.
o o o Your domitor is eighth generation, and will sometimes let you get a
word in edgewise.
o o o o Your domitor is seventh generation, and expects you to do your job -
nothing more.
o o o o o Your master is sixth generation, and remarkably has not yet grown sick
of the sight of your face.
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Merits and Flaws
Merits
The following Merits and Flaws are meant for use with ghoul characters only.
Some duplicate certain Merits or Flaw, found in The Vampire Players Guide;
in all cases, this book is assumed to take precedence. Ghouls are not subject
to all the limitations or prerequisites Kindred may be, and the rule;
governing ghouls should be appropriately different.
(alphabetical list that may be more expanded than what is here
..so if your not seeing it here look here under
GHOUL.
Pale Aura (1 pt. Merit)
Due to some quirk of fate or your reaction to the Blood
your aura is naturally pale. Vampires reading your aura via Auspex assume
you to be Kindred unless they have strong reason to suspect otherwise.
This Merit can be of great use ii you wish to impersonate a vampire,
but can also cause some very dangerous misunderstandings.
Blood Flaw Immunity (3 pt. Merit)
For some reason, you are resistant to the bloodline flaw
of any vampire from whom you drink. You can guzzle Nosferatt vitae until
your stomach bursts, and your complexion won't suffer a whit.
Benevolent Domitor (3 pt. Merit)
You must purchase the Domitor Background to buy this
Merit. For whatever reason, your domitor is actually rather fond of you.
Perhaps your service has been exemplary, or perhaps you simply remind him
of someone in his past- given the alien nature of the vampire mind, you
may never know for sure. Your domitor treats you with some measure of
compassion and does not casually endanger your life. Of course, he still
expects you to give your life for his if need be, but until that night,
the two of you are something akin to friends.
Kinfolk (4 pt. Merit or 4 pt. Flaw)
Whether you know it or not, you are kin to a werewolf
tribe. You carry the blood of the Garou in your veins, and your own
children may be Garou. For ghouls, being Kinfolk can be an advantage or
a hindrance. If purchased as a Merit, then you are still on amicable
terms with your relatives (Garou and Kinfolk alike). Although they will
never allow you to bring any vampire "friends" into their territory (and
may well use lethal means to enforce their privacy) , they have an
interest in your well-being and give you aid so long as this doesn't
compromise their principles. Of course, your kin do not want you to be
a ghoul forever, as they would like you to return to their society and
raise a family of your own. Typically, only independent ghouls may
purchase Kinfolk as a Merit.
However, it's more likely that the Garou consider a
ghoul Kinfolk to be a serious threat. If bought as a Flaw, then your
extended family believes you may compromise their security. They seek
either to remove you entirely from your diet and/or domitor's influence,
or to kill you as a favor to your corrupted soul. This Flaw earns you
dangerous enemies, one from whom your domitor (if any) is very unlikely
to intercede and rescue you. This Flaw is more appropriate for vassal
ghouls, as no werewolf would agree to let one of their precious Kin be
sworn to a vampire.
Revenants cannot be Kinfolk, either as a Merit or as a Flaw.
Supernatural Companion (4 pt. Merit)
You are allied with a supernatural being, but not a
vampire. This may be a werewolf comrade, the ghost of a relative, or
even a friendly mage. You may ask for her help in times of need, but
she may not always be able to help. She may also require your help at
inconvenient times (such is the cost of friendship). It is highly
improbable that your allegiance is looked on favorably by her kind,
and any Kindred who discovered your relationship would almost certainly
disapprove. The Storyteller will create your companion, be it werewolf,
wraith, mage or something else entirely, and won't reveal her full
capabilities.
(Note: This Merit supersedes those of Werewolf Companion and Spirit
Mentor in The Vampire Players Guide.)
True Gypsy (5 pt. Merit)
restricted--subject to aproval
The blood of the Rom runs true in your veins. Perhaps
you have a Ravnos domitor who chose you for your potential, or perhaps
you simply acquired a taste for Kindred blood in your travels. You may
purchase Blood Affinities, or other Gypsy-only abilities from World of
Darkness: Gypsies. Your relatives may or may not approve, depending on
the whys and wherefores of your ghouling.
Revenants may not purchase this Merit under any circumstances.
Unbondable (6 pt. Merit)
restricted--subject to aproval
You cannot be Blood Bound to a vampire, no matter how
often you drink from his veins. This Merit is obviously very useful for
one whose powers depend on vitae, and its cost is accordingly high for
ghoul characters.
Vicissitude Modifications (Variable pt. Merit)
Although you may not be talented at the Tzimisce
forms of fleshcrafting and boneshaping, at some point you have
been. . .modified into a more warlike form. Generally speaking,
you're a szlachta, and most modifications necessitate the purchase
of the Flaw: Monstrous (The Vampire Players Guide, p. 19). As a rule,
the Tzimisce make sufficient cosmetic alterations to ruin the looks
of all their battle-ghouls, even those whose modifications are not in
and of themselves hideous.
These modifications are permanent unless shaped away by further
Vicissitude. Although dangerous, any weaponry causes normal damage
only; despite its horrid appearance, your arsenal is still only mortal
flesh and bone. You may purchase as many modifications as you can
afford, but your social abilities are probably doomed.
¤ Circular Vision (1 pt.): One of your eyes has been
moved to the back of your head, granting you the ability to see at a
wider angle. This is a difficult operation and can be performed only
by masters of medicine and Vicissitude. In addition, your depth
perception is poor at any angle, and you suffer a two-die penalty to
any rolls that involve gauging distance, including use of missile
weapons. You must take the Monstrous Flaw.
¤ Fangs (1 pt.): Your teeth have been lengthened and
sharpened; your smile may resemble a shark's or cat's, or may be unlike
anything found in nature. You may use the Bite maneuver, but lose two
dice from any Manipulation Dice Pools that do not involve intimidation
or causing fear.
¤ Digestive Modifications (2 pts.): You are able to digest
any organic material that you can break up and swallow. Your Stamina is
treated as two points higher for purposes of resisting ingested poisons.
¤ Spurs (2 pts.): Long bone spurs protrude from your
forearms, back and/or legs. You may slash with these for Str + 2 damage;
however, they are hard to conceal, and you must subtract three dice from
any Social Dice Pools save those involving intimidation.
¤ Carapace (3 pts.): You are covered with bony or horny plates
that protect you from attack. You may add two soak dice to your pool, but
you must take the Monstrous Flaw.
¤ Patagia (4 pts.) : Your bones have been hollowed, and flaps
of skin (from yourself or another hapless soul) have been grafted onto your
arms, giving you the appearance of a human pterodactyl. You may use these
flaps to glide, though you may not actually fly. While gliding, you may not
use your arms. Furthermore, you subtract one from all soak pools to resist
strikes from fists and blunt weapons, or any other forms of concussive damage
( your bones are hollow). You must take the Monstrous Flaw.
Note: Ghouls may never heal Vicissitude modifications, not even with
vampire blood. In this respect they are as helpless as mortals. The
exceptions are ghouls who themselves possess Vicissitude, though a lowly
Zantosa may well find herself helpless to repair the mutilation inflicted by
a seventh-generation Tzimisce (to repair Vicissitude alterations, a ghoul
must have a level of Vicissitude superior to that of the vampire who inflicted
the mutilation).
Virulent Strike (7 pt. Merit)
Through strange Thaumaturgical sorcery, unknown rituals or even an odd quirk
of your ghoul physiognomy, you have been imbued with the power of the
upernatural. You can cause aggravated damage to supernatural creatures by
striking them, biting them, raking them with bonecrafted spurs - whatever.
This is considered standard Brawl damage against mortals, and should normally
apply to only one attack form (bite, bone claws, etc.). You should work with
the Storyteller to find an explanation for this Merit, and the Storyteller
may disallow this Merit entirely if she so chooses.
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Flaws
Artificially Aged (2 pt. Revenant Flaw)
You have been fleshcrafted to look like an adult, although true maturity is
still some time in your future. Although you can pass as older than you actually
feel, you have difficulty dealing with complex situations. Your difficulty to
resist frenzy is only one less than that of a vampire (or one more than normal,
in the case of Bratovitches); tantrums come easily to you. You must also subtract
one die from all Social Dice Pools that involve subtlety or sophistication.
Domitor Pariah (2 pt. Flaw)
You are Bound to a vampire who, for whatever reason, is unwelcome among or even
hated by the other Kindred of the chronicle area. Without Cainite allies, she
finds herself relying on her human and ghoul associates to get by. You will
likely find yourself given additional responsibilities, which may present
opportunities for you to further ingratiate yourself with the master. However,
if other Kindred discover whom you serve, your life might well be in danger.
The Storyteller willdetermine why your domitor is so despised; you are welcome
to offer suggestions, but the Storyteller is under no obligation to tell you
the cause of such antipathy. You might not even know that your beloved liege
is hated at all; after all, who could dislike such a wonderful creature as
she...?
Romantic Notions (2 pt. Flaw)
You believe your entire existence as a ghoul to be head and shoulders above
your previous life. You feel that your domitor needs you, and that every feeding
is nothing short of an act of purest love. Revenants with this Flaw want nothing
more than to serve the glorious ideals of the Sabbat, and leap to indulge any
Sabbat vampire's whim.
Your Willpower is considered to be two points lower when the object of your
romanticism attempts to use Dominate or Presence on you. For a vassal, the
domitor triggers this penalty; for revenants, any vampire known to be Sabbat
may easily influence a ghoul with this Raw. Independents may not take this Raw
unless the Storyteller approves a common sort of vampire whom the ghoul idolizes,
and with whom the ghoul puts herself at a disadvantage in dealings, due to her
romanticized ideas.
Vitae Sink (3 pt. Flaw)
For whatever reason, you metabolize vitae more quickly than other ghouls do. You
must be fed every two weeks, rather than every month, or lose all supernatural
traits and revert to a human once more. Few ghouls with this Raw last beyond
their natural life spans; at this rate, missed feedings do happen....
Top
Recommended Merits and Flaws
The Vampire Players Guide provides numerous Merits and Flaws
for Vampire characters, and it would be a shame to ignore the possibilities
they offer. However, not all of them are appropriate for ghoul characters. The
following is a list of recommended and prohibited Merits and Flaws for ghouls.
Recommended Merits and Flaws are generally those that provide
insight into why a Cainite chose a retainer or reflect the changes that the Blood
worked in the hapless ghoul. (Some are listed simply because they make for
particularly interesting characteristics inaghoul!) Disallowed Merits and Flaws
are just that: They cannot be taken by ghouls, only by vampires. The Storyteller
is free to override this list if she sees fit, but should make exceptions with
good reason.
Psychological
¤ Recommended: Berserker, Dual Nature, Compulsion, Short Fuse
¤ Disallowed: Prey Exclusion
Mental
¤ Recommended: Lightning Calculator, Eidetic Memory, Weak-Willed
¤ Disallowed: Deep Sleeper
Awareness
¤ Recommended: Acute Hearing, Acute Vision
¤ Disallowed: None
Aptitudes
¤ Recommended: Computer Aptitude, Pitiable, Natural Linguist
¤ Disallowed: Eat Food
Supernatural
¤ Recommended: True Love, Medium
¤ Disallowed: Inoffensive to Animals, Taint of Corruption, Repulsed by Garlic, Repelled by
Crosses, Can't Cross Running Water, Light-Sensitive
Kindred Ties
¤ Recommended: Enemy, Twisted Upbringing
¤ Disallowed: All Others (Ghouls are not Kindred, and are treated accordingly.)
Mortal Society
¤ Recommended: Most Ties Merits
¤ Disallowed: Anachronism (not appropriate for player characters, but possibly for supporting
cast), Hunted
Physical
¤ Recommended: Double-Jointed, Efficient Digestion, Huge Size, Allergic, Short, Disfigured,
Child, Monstrous
¤ Disallowed: Selective Digestion, Permanent Wound, Thin-Blooded
Top
Ghouling the Supernatural
In the constant quest for bigger and more effective servitors, a vampire may
decide to try transforming other supernatural creatures into ghoul servants.
Players may also be interested in crossing over characters, using a ghouled
werewolf or changeling with the rest of the group. This doesn't work in all
cases, however.
¤ Werewolves: Garou are unlikely to be willingly ghouled. Most
of them suffer allergic reactions to vampiric blood, and cannot stomach it for
long. Only a few can drink vitae without vomiting immediately, and even they
tend to avoid putting themselves in debt to their traditional enemies.
Perhaps the only reliable way to ghoul a Garou (or other
werecreature) is to do so before her First Change, before the allergies reach
their peak. The main difficulty with this method, however, is that an unaging
ghoul will never reach adolescence, and thus may never Change. Add to this the
difficulty of detecting a pre-Change Garou at all, and it's easy to see why so
very few ghouled werewolves exist.
¤ Mages: Being ordinary mortals in almost every way, mages can be
ghouled normally. A mage may break the Blood Bond through a judicious use of
Mind magick, although she wouldn't be likely to try unless she knew she was being
supernaturally controlled. Similarly, Life magick can be used to transmute the
vitae in the system into ordinary human blood. Both cases are relatively tricky,
however, and shouldn't be attempted by novices.
¤ Wraiths: The Restless have passed beyond the need for biology, and
therefore have no metabolisms to process vitae. Even when Embodied, wraiths do not
digest food or drink as usual, and cannot benefit from being ghouled. This is just
as true for the Risen, whose lurching cadavers are bereft of anything vaguely
resembling life. Pouring vitae into a Risen's mouth is wasting good Blood.
¤ Changelings: Vampires are generally unable to perceive changelings
as anything other than mortals, although some Malkavians and Ravnos find themselves
strangely drawn to the dreamers. Although a changeling can be successfully ghouled,
he gains a point of Banality each time he drinks a vampire's blood. Worse, extended
ghouldom tends to lead to permanent Bedlam.
¤ Mummies: For some reason, vampiric blood has no effect whatsoever on the
Reborn. They cannot be ghouled, and would generally find the process distasteful to
begin with.
¤ Fomori: These twisted hybrids of Bane and human are as easy to ghoul
as anyone else. In fact, most make very serviceable vassals, gladly performing
atrocities for their domitors in exchange for heady vitae. However, vampires who
know offomori are usually reluctant to ghoul them. For one, a fomor is often a
deteriorating creature, and the spiritual decay fomori suffer cannot be halted
by the temporary immortality of ghoulhood. Also, one can never tell exactly
whether afomor's loyalty to his domitor is total, or whether it will be
countermanded by a darker, previous pledge... .
|
Experience Point Chart (after char creation)
|
| Trait |
Cost |
| New Ability |
3 |
| New Thaumaturgical Path |
20 (Tremere Ghoul Only |
| New Discipline |
20 |
| Willpower |
Current Rating: if your willpower is 4 then it cost 4 xp to raise by one dot |
| Humanity |
Current rating x2 |
| Virtue |
Current rating x2 |
| Ability |
Current rating x2 |
| Attribute |
Current rating x5 |
| Thaumaturgical Path |
Current rating x15 (Tremere Ghouls Only |
| Clan/Family Discipline |
Current Level x15 |
| Other Discipline |
Current Level x25 |
¤ As a general rule, a vassal gets a cost break on the
actual Disciplines of her firstdomitor'sclan (so, while a Toreador
may know Dominate, it is not considered a clan Discipline for
purposes of experience points) . A revenant gets a cost break on
the Disciplines of her family, while an independent gets a cost
break on Potence, Celerity and Fortitude.
¤ A vassal who leaves a vampire's service is treated
as an independent from that point on, while an independent who
becomes Blood Bound to a domitor is treated as a vassal. So, yes,
it is possible for an enterprising player to "minimax" this
system - but the dire ramifications of dealing with the Kindred
in this fashion should make the point moot.