Nosferatu

Arrayed by Clan

In the dark no one can see your face...

Clan Disciplines
Animalism
Obfuscate
Potence

Mirror, Mirror... - the Early History

As with all the Antediluvians, the Nosferatu Antediluvian (referred to as Absimiliard from now on) was embraced in the shadow of Enoch. Powerful and vain, Absimiliard was a hunter of great skill and beauty who thought he was powerful enough to track and kill Zillah, the daughter of Caine. Instead, Zillah fought off Absimiliard easily, and instead of killing him for the affront, Embraced him for his strength and bravery. As a reminder of her strength and his arrogance, Zillah left a tiny scar on Absimiliad's face that inflamed his vanity. His wounded pride, coupled with his ego, led him to resent, then hate his sire. Eventually he began Embracing childer in an affort to depose and destroy Zillah - much like Zillah was planning to depose and destroy her two brothers-in-blood.

As with his brethren, Absimiliard had sired a small clique of childer by the time of the Second City. His childer, hunters all, remained loyal to him except for one woman who fled further than he could chase. When Caine returned in judgment, he cursed Nosferatu with hideousness, a curse passed to all his descendants, including the hidden maid. Since that time, Absimiliard's eldest descendants, the Nictuku, have chased her. Absimiliard hopes to exterminate all of her childer, the clan Nosferatu, in atonement for his crimes before Caine or in bitter vengeance. The result is the same either way.

There is a persistent myth surrounding the origin of the Clan which says that Absimiliard and Arikel were lovers and shared a blood bond. This is not a story of which the Nosferatu are particular proud, but it is passed around nonetheless. When Absimiliard was cursed by Caine with ugliness, Arikel professed not to care, but Absimiliard was too enraged to listen to the counsel of his lover. He turned his back on human and vampire society alike, and retreated from the world by hiding in deep caves. This story helps to explain the strong antipathy between the Nosferatu and the Toreador, especially the Toreador posuers, but for some reason the Nosferatu don't feel like explaining it to them.

The Meek Shall Inherit the Sewers - Dark Ages

In the middle age, Nosferatu were one of the Low Clans, and notable in particular for their embrace of Christianity and redemption.

The Nosferatu did effectively split during the formation of the Sabbat, however Nosferatu antitribu are largely identical to their Camarilla kin. Nosferatu tend to place a higher emphasis on clan unity and mutual survival, and are consequently fairly cordial with each other even though technically enemies.

Goblin Men - the Victorian Age

The Nosferatu were very (some would say suspiciously so) quiet during the Victorian Era. In a time when physical beauty was supposed to reflect spiritual beauty, the Nosferatu experienced one of the greatest periods of exile in their long and lonely history. Where the Toreador were ascendant, the Nosferatu were relegated to the slums and ghettos of Europe. More than one Prince of London banned them from entering Elysium.

So, instead of parading around the brightly-lit mansions of the wealthy and noble, the Nosferatu scuttled around the back alleys of London, taking over derelict buildings and, yes, the sewers. The banks of the Thames were downright infested with Nosferatu, for the river was a convenient way to cross the city without being seen. The Nosferatu also lived in what was termed "the Thieves' Citadel", which was the name given to high-crime areas of London. These zones tended to be self-contained both culturally and architecturally - the Nosferatu ensured that they controlled how and when new construction went on in these zones for their own protection and that of their herd.

Sewer Rats - the Final Nights

Fortunately, the Nosferatu have done very well for themselves within the past century or so. The First World War solidified the Nosferatu role as information gatherers and traders of secrets. The Second World War saw the Clan fleeing Europe en masse, as many of their herds and warrens were captured or destroyed by the Nazi regime. Many didn't make it out. More didn't have anywhere to go, as the European princes cited "overpopulation" and "breaches of the Masquerade" as excuses to keep them out of their cities. Higher-generation Nosferatu eventually reached the United States and made themselves indispensable to the war effort. Older ones called in favors and debts, taking what they were owed in the form of cash, bolt holes, and transportation away from the front lines.

In the Final Nights, the Nosferatu feel their Antediluvian metaphorically breathing down the back of their necks. Technologically savvy, the Sewer Rats adopt every technique they can to protect themselves. Most notably, the Nosferatu develop an information sharing network - SchreckNet, a parallel internet that the Nosferatu use to enhance their traditional information gathering and reporting skills.

The most terrifying and unique event in the early 1990s was the rise of the Shadow Curtain in Russia, a mystical barrier that separated the vampires of the former Soviet Union from the rest of the world. The Shadow Curtain eventually was revealed as the product of Baba Yaga, a fourth generation Nosferatu of almost incalculable power. Most frightening of all was not the witch, however, but her demise. In the late 1990's, Baba Yaga was destroyed, most likely by a Nictuku, but other sources claim it was Lupines. Either way, there's something out there powerful enough and savage enough to kill off a Nosferatu Methuselah... and leave no trace.

The second blow to weaken the Nosferatu was a political one: in 1998, their Justicar, Petrodon, was destroyed by persons unknown. Even in a clan famous for discovering secrets, the Nosferatu had no idea who killed the Justicar, or even exactly when he died. Calebros, before becoming Prince of New York, spent a great deal of time and energy tracking down those responsible, along with the potent aid of Cock Robin, the new Nosferatu Justicar.

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3rd Generation

• -- Absimiliard --

4th Generation

• -- Babba Yaga The "Little Mother"
• -- Medusa The Gorgon, The Matriarch
• -- Melachoate Sire of Androvikas

5th Generation

• -- Androvikas Child of Melanchoate, Sire of Rasalon
• -- Avetis Vardanis
• -- Elexius
• -- Nsia Despina -- North African vampire, unknown Sire
• -- Urghalt -- Killed by Varros Dominus before 1 A.D.
• -- Varros Dominus -- Ancient Computer Lord of Paris, Childe of Urghalt, Sire of Fra'Gerard

6th Generation

• -- Drasko Radic -- Nosferatu Elder from Munich
• -- Fionnaghal -- Nosferatu Elder of Glasgow, Scotland.
• -- Kothar -- Sire of Ephraim. Leader of the Nosferatu network in {Jerusalem}.
• -- Khalid -- Primogen of Chicago. Progeny of Elexius
• -- Tormod Swenhaugen -- Progeny of Avedis Vardanis

7th Generation

• -- Al Mills --
• -- Don Carlos -- Nosferatu Primogen of Houston.
• -- Ephraim -- Progeny of Kothar and sire of Hannah. Nosferatu Primogen of {Jerusalem}.
• -- Fra'Gerard -- Primogen of the Sewer Rats of {Paris}.
• -- Richard Worde -- Former spymaster of Avalon. Killed in the 17th century by agents of the Cainite Inquisition in revenge for his hand in the destruction of their sect in England.
• -- Stanford Warwick -- Progeny of Powell. Sire of Lawrence Meeks and Kurt Densch. {Providence}, Rhode Island.
• -- Hans Schultz -- Sewer Rat Elder of Frankfurt and sire of: Adair, Althea, Jane, Roger.

8th Generation

• -- Citrine Greene -- Baroness of Lincolnshire and Prince of Nottingham. Childe of Richard Worde.
• -- Fra'Raymond -- Sewer Rat Elder and Whip to the Noferatu Primogen. {Paris}
• -- Hannah -- Progeny of Ephraim. Pilgrim on the Bitter Journey. Her last missive to the vampires of Jerusalem was received in 1399. {Jerusalem}.
• -- Harold Tanner -- Primogen of London and Chronicler of Avalon. Childe of Richard Worde.
• -- Nathaniel -- Sewer Rat of Chicago
• -- Adair Simpkin -- Embraced Circa 1915 -- Sire ? -- Originally from Kentucky and fought in WWI.
• -- Althea Carine Keefe -- Underground Chemist and would be Alchemist.
• -- Jane Marriette Tholberg -- American heiress and woman of international intrigue.
• -- Roger Sinclair -- Embraced Circa 1918 -- Sire ? -- From Indiana and fought in WWI

9th Generation

• -- Finola Hume -- Sire of Samuel Faucheux and resident Sewer Rat of {Baton Rouge}.
• -- Margaux Latour -- Sewer Rat Elder of {Paris}.
• -- Rikko -- Primogen of Leeds. Childe of Citrine Green.

10th Generation

• -- Samuel Faucheux -- Progeny of Finola Hume and recent emigre from Baton Rouge to {Quebec City}.
• -- Francach -- Reprobate freak of Glasgow.
• -- Gracy Pettingill -- Sire of Hammond Leads, Cleopatra of Memphis
• -- Orson Morris -- Animal trainer and vampiric warrior of London.
• -- Petit Lard -- Progeny of Margaux Latour and sire of Lilianne Le Parisian. Primogen of Sewer Rats in {Quebec City}.

11th Generation

• -- Hammond Leads -- Progeny of Gracy Pettingill
• -- Lilianne Le Parisian -- Progeny of Petit Lard. {Quebec City}
• -- Sylvester Mahoney -- Dog breeder and veterinarian. Childe of Orson Morris. London.

Those of Unknown Generation

• -- Harold Tanner -- The Nosferatu Primogen & Leper Archivist
• -- Violet Mary -- The Hidden Harpy
• -- Rathe Haversham -- Prince of the Poor
• -- Skreed -- Sewer-Rat Reprobate
• -- Hex -- Cyber-terrorist for Hire
• -- Pai Celio -- Leper Priest of Rio de Janeiro

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