Lore: Kindred

Secondary Abilities

This Lore represents the insider knowledge regarding Vampires (Cainites or Kindred, take your pick). It is a combination of the understanding of the basic physical vampiric condition and knowledge of the intricate structure of vampiric society and it's history. This Lore is very general and some of the more advanced levels may touch on things also covered in Clan and Sect specific Lores, Noddist Lore and the like.

Generally Possessed By: Kindred

Potential Specializations: Biblical/Noddist Scholarship, Carthage Scholarship, Kindred History, Kindred Physiology, Kindred Psychology

Sources Consulted for this List: Chaining the Beast (WW2432), Laws of the Night [Rev] (WW5013), Vampire: The Masquerade [Rev] (WW2300)

Lore: Kindred ●○○○○

You have a satisfactory understanding of how vampire physiology works. (Blood is good. Fire is bad.)

You are aware that staking does not actually kill a vampire, but only renders them paralyzed, and that a staked vampire is conscious for the duration of their immobility, provided that they do not fall into torpor. (LotN [Rev]: 16; VtM [Rev]: 23)

You know how the Embrace works and could perform it upon another if you so wished. You know that there is no means to revert back to mortality after the Embrace. (LotN [Rev]: 16; VtM [Rev]: 6, 23-24, 32-33)

You know of diablerie, the act of drinking the soul of another Cainite and inheriting their power. You also know that it is generally considered the most heinous of acts in the majority of Kindred society. (LotN [Rev]: 215-216; VtM [Rev]: 59, 224-220)

You know of "the Beast", a name for the base impulses to feed and kill that is present within all vampires. You are familiar with the mechanics of Frenzy and Rötschrek in reaction to certain stimuli, and have heard rumors of the condition known as the wassail, which is the result of the Beast forever taking hold. (LotN [Rev]: 209-210; VtM [Rev]: 7, 228-230)

You are familiar with the concept of "The Kiss", the ecstacy that feeding brings. You know it is shared both by the vampire who feeds and by the mortal (or other creature) who is fed from. (VtM [Rev]: 5, 59)

You know roughly what a blood bond or blood oath is and know it's probably best to avoid it. (LotN [Rev]: 211-212; VtM [Rev]: 12)

You know that a ghoul is a human or animal who regularly imbibes the blood of a vampire and hence gains some of the benefits of vampirism (slowed aging, supernatural strength) without receiving the full impact of the curse of Caine. You know that many Kindred employ such individuals as servitors or retainers. (LotN [Rev]: 20, 255-256; VtM [Rev]: 19; VtM [Rev]: 53)

You know that torpor is a sort of vampiric hibernation which Cainites enter eaither due to ennui, starvation or injury, and that a torpid vampire can remain dormant for centuries before reawakening. (LotN [Rev]: 199)

You are familiar with the thirteen Clans by name. (LotN [Rev]: 30-55; VtM [Rev]: 45-48)

You are aware of the two major Sects, the Camarilla and the Sabbat, and know the gist of their basic ideologies. (LotN [Rev]: 17, 28; VtM [Rev]: 14-15, 43-44)

You have heard that the mythical progenitor of vampires is the biblical Caine, who slew his brother Abel. (LotN [Rev]: 19; VtM [Rev]: 12)

You are aware of the basic idea of Generation, and know that the closer a vampire is to the mythical Caine through lineage, the more powerful they are said to be. (LotN [Rev]: 19-20; VtM [Rev]: 12, 53-56)

You are familiar with the concept of the Antediluvians, the legendary progenitors of the thirteen Clans. (LotN [Rev]: 19, 26; VtM [Rev]: 13, 30, 56)

You have heard of the concept of the Jyhad, the blood feud of political machinations in which elder vampires attempt to play their youngers off of one another for unknown ends. (VtM [Rev]: 56)

Lore: Kindred ●●○○○

You have a basic, if somewhat stereotyped, idea of what each of the Clans are like and know about the existence of one or two of the major Bloodlines. You can recognize all of the traditional Clan Symbols. (LotN [Rev]: 30-55; VtM [Rev]: 45-48, 68-91)

You are familiar with the general effects of the eight basic Disciplines (Auspex, Animalism, Dominate, Celerity, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Potence, Presence) (LotN [Rev]: 132-189)

You know that the act of diablerie can allow the diablerist to unnaturally lower their generation, and occasionally steal the powers, abilities and aptitudes of the victim through the act of drinking their soul. You know that this process isn't 100% clean, and that as a result, a diablerist may start to exhibit personality quirks and characteristics of their victim. (LotN [Rev]: 215-216; VtM [Rev]: 224-220)

You know that a vampire who enters wassail becomes a creature known as a Wight, a mostly mindless remnant of an individual who is driven entirely by the desire to feed and kill. You know that Wights are short-lived, but that they can be extremely dangerous and exhibit a great deal of cunning. (VtM [Rev]:)

You know specifically that a blood bond is formed through drinking a Cainite's blood on three separate nights, with each drink causing an increasing level of affection. You know that it takes one year and one day for each "level" of the bond to dissipate. You further know that if a thrall should through their own willful action kill the one who holds them bound, the bond is said to dissapate immediately. (LotN [Rev]: 211-212; VtM [Rev]: 12, 219-220)

You know that many elder vampires enter torpor and remain inert for long periods of time. You know that involuntary torpor seems to last longer for vampires of a more inhumane or monstrous streak. You further know that all vampires left staked for appropriate periods of time will eventually enter a starvation torpor as they run out of blood to keep themselves conscious - and that such specimens will eventually mummify and wither as their body tries to consume itself for nourishment. You have heard that this process is excruciatingly painful (LotN [Rev]: 199; VtM [Rev]: 224)

You have heard of the Book of Nod, an ancient chronicle supposedly telling the story of Caine's exile in the land of Nod and containing much of the founding mythology of vampire-kind. (VtM [Rev]: 53)

You have heard of the First City, known sometimes as Enoch, where Caine and his legendary childer first settled, and you have heard of the Second City, which was built after the First City was destroyed in the biblical deluge. You have also, even if you are not a Brujah, heard tell of Carthage (occasionally called the Third City), which was apparently a great Cainite stronghold of some sort before it's destruction in the Punic Wars. (VtM [Rev]: 53-55)

You have heard that the Antediluvians diablerized their progenitors (the Second Generation) and received their respective curses from Caine as a result, even if you aren't sure of what all those curses are. (VtM [Rev]: 53-55)

You have heard that there is a myth that the endtimes will come for all vampires when the Antediluvians reawaken, and that this event shall be known as Gehenna. (VtM [Rev]: 58)

You have heard of the First Anarch Revolt, an uprising during the dark ages during which the younger underclass of vampires rose up and tried to overthrow their elders. You know that both the Sabbat and Camarilla formed as a result of this. (VtM [Rev]: 44, 65)

You are aware of alternate and alien moralities known as the Paths of Enlightenment, which some few Cainites adhere to in place of human values in an attempt to keep the Beast at bay. You know that such Paths are said to take centuries to master and fully acclimate oneself to, and that followers of Paths are almost unheard of within the Camarilla. (VtM [Rev]: 286-295)

You have heard of some desperate few vampires that have thrown in their lot with infernal forces and demonic entities, and know more than enough to know that nothing good can come from this. (LotN [Rev]: 210; VtM [Rev]: 230-231)

You have heard rumors of a mythical state known as Golconda in which a vampire can find peace with his Beast and attain a respite from the damnation of his or her existence. You know that this state is almost universally regarded as a fairy-tale. (LotN [Rev]: 210; VtM [Rev]: 230-231)

Lore: Kindred ●●●○○

You can identify all of the Clan curses, and are aware of most of the Clan-specific Disciplines. (LotN [Rev]: 30-56, 132-189; VtM [Rev]: 45-48, 68-91)

You know a bit about the Salubri, the Samedi and the Daughters of Cacophony, although your information is very likely skewed and/or incomplete. (LotN [Rev]: 56-59)

You might have heard some brief mention of some of the more exotic Bloodlines (such as the Baali), but have likely heard little about them save for their names and the most scant of details.

You have heard that there are "lost" Clans, and that some of the current major "Clans" began as Bloodlines. (LotN [Rev]: 26)

You know that there are a few unsettling rumors of ghouls going rogue and betraying their masters, but that these reports are too far and few between to disuade the practice of ghouling. You have also heard whispers of ways though which a mortal bloodline might be manipulated as such that members of it's lineage are born into ghouldom. although you have no idea as to how such a thing might be done.(LotN [Rev]: 20, 255-256; VtM [Rev]: 53)

You are familiar with the details of the formation of the Camarilla and the Sabbat. You have probably read the Treaty of Thorns and know a few scraps of information regarding the founding of the Vaulderie, regardless of your Sect affiliation.

You know some of the variant details of the Caine mythos, and have either read or heard quoted fragments of the Book of Nod. You have also heard some words regarding the significance of Lillith as Caine's counterpart, and have heard that she was the being that taught Caine the Disciplines common to all vampires. (VtM [Rev]: 239)

You have heard that the three members of the Second generation: Zillah the beautiful, Irad the Strong and Enoch (or sometimes Enki) the Wise. (VtM [Rev]: 56)

You know that the Second City was founded in imitation of Enoch after the Deluge destroyed the First City, and that it was supposedly here that that the Antediluvians rose up in civil war and devoured their progenitors. You know that it was at this point that Caine supposedly abandoned his childer and laid his curses upon them. (VtM [Rev]: 53-55)

You know that the Punic wars entailed some sort of massive conflict involving Brujah controlled Carthage and Ventrue controlled Rome, and that it eventually resulted in the destruction of Carthage, much to the Brujah's on-going dismay. (VtM [Rev]: 240-241)

You are familiar (in basic theory) with some of the more common Paths of Enlightment, such as the Path of Caine, a Path which concerns itself with Noddist teachings and instructs it's followers to hold Caine as the example of the ideal vampire; the Path of Cathari, a Path based loosely on the Albegensian heresies of the middle ages, which extols vice and indulgence in the physical world; the Path of Death and the Soul, a Path based arround the ungoing meticulous study of death and the dying; the Path of the Feral Heart, the Path of the Feral Heart, a Path based on the predatory nature of Cainites and the full embrace of their animal instincts; the Path of Honorable Accord, a Path based around concepts of codified ethics and fealty; and The Path of Power and the Inner Voice, a Path based around the acquisition of power and the importance of individual ambition; and the Path of Redemption, which exhorts Cainites to attempt to redeem themselves in the eyes of a Christian God. You have also heard of the Path of Typhon, a Path originating with the Followers of Set, which is intrinsically tied to the cultic practices native to that Clan. (LotN [Rev]: 79; LotN-SG [Rev]: 76-83, 86-90, 93-95; GttS [Rev]: 127-134, 137-141, 144-146; CtB: 33-35, 43-61, 82-91, 95-100; VtM [Rev]: 294-295)

You have heard of the Path of Evil Revelations, in which a vampire pledges obedience to an infernal overlord in both an attempt to stave off the advances of the Beast and in exchange for demonic powers. You have heard that infernalists are sometimes capable of learning a damned form of blood magic known as Dark Thaumaturgy (LotN-SG [Rev]: 90-93; GttS: 141-144; CtB: 61-65)

You have heard of Golconda seekers, and know that there are enough who claim to have attained this state of perfection to lend some credence to the stories. You know that a vampire in Golconda need never fear Frenzy or Rotschreck and requires far less blood to sustain themselves. (LotN [Rev]: 210; VtM [Rev]: 230-231)

Lore: Kindred ●●●●○

You can identify the basic full set of in-Clan disciplines for every major Clan and know of the existence of most Bloodlines. (LotN [Rev]: 30-59, 132-189; VtM [Rev]: 68-91)

You are aware that some Clans seem to have different subsets within their Clan who possess slightly different Disciplines. (VtM [Rev]: 68-91)

You know an extremely detailed history of the First Anarch Revolt. You are familiar with various shakers and movers of the resultant political groups, such as Hardestaadt, Tyler, Lugoj, and Gratiano - regardless of Sect or Clan. (Although you may need Lore: Anarch, Lore: Camarilla, or Lore: Sabbat for more details).

You know that the Tremere originally began as a group of mortal magicians, and that they somehow contrived to make themselves immortal through use of vampiric blood. You know that they usurped and eventually destroyed the now forgotten Clan Salubri, which was allegedly found in the Dark Ages to be entrenched in infernal and diabolistic practices. You know that they also fought a long and protracted war with the Tzimisce during their Clan's infancy known as the War of Omens. (VtM [Rev]: 242)

You are aware that, like the Tremere, the Giovanni are also ranked among one of the "new Clans" and that they were originally Embraced by a now defunct Clan known as the Cappadocians. You know that this parent Clan died out sometime during the Rennaisance era after a protracted genocide was waged against them by family Giovanni (similar to that of the Salubri).

You know of the existance of Revanents - mortal lineages bred into ghouldom. You hear that they are traditionally associated with the Tzimisce of Eastern Europe, but can speculate that other Clans may be able to produce similar occurances.(VtM [Rev]: 20, 255-256; VtM [Rev]: 53)

You know the traditional names of most of the Antediluvians, and are familiar with a good sampling of the stories regarding their interactions/relationships. (ex: Saulot, Set and Malkav were brothers, Arikel and Absimiliard were lovers, etc... You may need Clan-specific Lores for more details.)

You have heard (according to Brujah sources) that Carthage was said to be a sort of utopia, where Kindred and Kine lived harmoniously. This claim, however, is counter-acted by numerous other observations that the city was home to infernalist worship and was heavily influenced by the ancient Baali. You know that whatever the case was, it was indeed wiped out by the machinations of Ventrue Rome, in conjunction with a fair amount of Toreador and Malkavian support, and that this to some extent has poured over into Clan tensions up into the Modern Nights.

You are familiar (in basic theory) with some of the rarer Paths of Enlightment, most of which are specific to one Clan or another. These include the Path of Blood, a primarilly Assamite Path which focuses on ritual diablerie, Clan loyalty and the position of Clan Assamite as judges over the rest of unworthy Cainite-kind; the Path of Bones, a Giovanni practiced Path said to have originated with the Cappadocians, which emphasis the quiet study of death and detachment from emotions; the Path of Metamophosis, a primarily Tzimisce Path focusing on transhumanist sentiments and bodilly experimentation; and the Path of Night, the signature Path of Clan Lasombra which calls for Cainites to act as pre-ordained agents of evil. (LotN [Rev]: 76-77; CtB: 35-43, 65-74; VtM [Rev]: 286-293)

You have heard of the Inconnu, an almost unheard of Sect of vampires who seek to escape the machinations of the Jyhad altogether and have hence withdrawn from society. You have heard a few words relating them to the State of Golconda. (VtM [Rev]: 44-45)

You have heard several variants on the Gehenna prophecy and know some of the basic portents to watch for (ex: the Time of Thin Blood, the coming of the Red Sign, etc...)

You have heard rumors that there are ways to regain one's mortality, through acts of great penitence, sacrifice or love. You are fairly certain that none of these rumors will be substantiated anytime soon. (VtM [Rev]: 240-241)

Lore: Kindred ●●●●●

   You know of every major Clan and Bloodline.

   You know about the different intra-clan divisions, such as the Assamite castes, City and Country Gangrel, and the Dementation/Dominate split between Malkavians, (although you may need Clan-specific Lores for more details.)

   You are aware of the diableries of Cappadocious and Saulot by the Giovanni and the Tremere respectively, and know a great deal of the sordid and sullied history of these two Clans.

   You have heard rumors that Enoch continued to exist in the realms of the dead, and that recently it has been destroyed once more.

   You are have heard of some of the very obscure Paths of Enlightment. These include the Path of Lillith, a Path dealing with the wisdom imparted through various obscure writings and preaching enlightenment through pain; the Path of Orion, a Path which emphasizes continuous predatory hunting of any and all weaker creatures as a means toward vampiric evolution; the Path the Path of Paradox, a path of Vedic Brahminist sentiment now almost exclusive to the near-extinct Ravnos; and the Sharia El-Sama, a Path developed in conjunction with the tenants of Islam. You have an inkling that there are probably other Paths even more obscure than this, but that you would need considerable knowledge of very specific Lores to have heard of them. (LotN [Rev]: 76-79; LotN-SG [Rev]: 90-93; CtB: 61-65, 74-82, 106-107; GttS [Rev]: 141-144; VtM [Rev]: 293-94)

   You are fully aware of the existence of the Inconnu and have heard rumors of the Black Hand as more than just a Sabbat organization.

   You can name every Antediluvian as well as several prominent Methuselahs... and you're beginning to have suspicions as to where a few of them might be slumbering.

   You have heard that is a Cainite dies a blameless, good and purely selfless death on the behalf of another that they may be gifted with a mortal death. What good this does the dead Cainite/mortal, however, is hard to say. (VtM [Rev]: 231)

   You are intimately familiar with multiple Gehenna prophecies and cults. Frankly, you should be starting to get worried...