The Blood Oath

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Introduction to the Blood Oath

One of the strangest properties of Cainite vitae is its ability to forge a link between the vampire and the drinker. This power is used to create ghoul servants, but it can also be used to bind other vampires to the Cainite's will. The strength of this bond depends on the n umber of times the victim has drunk the blood of the same Cainite, but after three such sups, the drinker is almost irrevocably bound. The person (living or undead) who comes under the bond, called the "blood oath", is known as the "thrall" while the Cainite holding power over them is the "regnant".

A fully bound thrall is utterly devoted to her regnant and cannot take action against her. In many cases this is like a mortal addiction or obsession. The thrall need not like her regnant (though many do), and she may even actively despise her, but she follows her orders nonetheless, even if she is dominated or otherwise manipulated by outside agencies. Many Cainites have described the oath as a compelling force, but it is not necessarily a compulsion to do exactly as the regnant says. Rather the thrall is honor-bound to demonstrate loyalty, to not disobey orders or the express wishes of the regnant. This distinction between compelled obedience and loyalty is a fine line, but it allows the thrall to demonstrate some flexibility. Invariably, however, the thrall follows her master's wishes, the of oath-bound loyalty in the Dark Medieval world for mortals and Cainites alike. Going against the master's wishes is simply unconscionable.

The power of the oath is not dependent on the regnant's generation. The blood of a 12th-generation neonate can bind an elder as readily as the elder binds others to her will. This is the only Cainite power that does not appear to degrade with generation. A Cainite may be fully oath-bound to only one regnant, but she may have several thralls and lesser bonds (those involving one or two drinks) herself.

Taking the Oath

The blood oath is both a physical compulsion and an expression of the bonds in Cainite society. Although cautionary tales of regnants force-feeding their blood to thralls abound, very few Cainites ever come under the full effects of the blood oath. Most of the Damned are simply too willful to surrender themselves to permanently. Nevertheless, there are vampires who were ghouls before their Embrace (and thus carry on their blood oath), and the chains of Cainite feudalism can be strengthened by the power of the oath. It's fairly common for oaths of fealty to be accompanied by a single drink of the lord's blood, but taking steps beyond that is exceptional. The Usurpers of Clan Tremere use a similar technique to ensure the loyalty of their neonates.

The most common way to undergo the full oath or event the single drink is in a ceremony of outright fealty. This involves a gathering of a Cainite court, at which point the thrall drinks from the regnant's slit wrist and, her lips still smeared scarlet, swears loyalty to her lord. The lord also swears to protect his new vassal, as if she was of his own blood. It is from this practice that the oath gets its name.

The power of the blood oath depends on the number of drinks taken from the regnant (which must be at least a night apart). One or two drinks leaves the prospective thrall imperfectly bound. Only after the third drink is the thrall fully held by the oath.

The First Drink

After the initial sup of the regnant's vitae (which may be as little as a single drop of blood, depending on its potency), the drinker finds herself drawn to the other Cainite. This effect has been likened to a mortal infatuation, with the vampire finding thoughts of the regnant creeping into her thoughts and dreams, and her subconscious driving her to seek out the regnant again, usually in "coincidental" encounters. There are no hard rules for this stage of the oath, but as with infatuation, the link between the two fades with separation. Suggested effects include a -1 difficulty for the regnant using the discipline of Dominate, Presence and similar mind-affecting powers on the thrall. The drinker may find herself thirsting for the regnant's vitae (Willpower roll, difficulty 6, to resist).

The Second Drink

The second drink binds the drinker closer to the other Cainite. She begins to take deliberate actions in her regnant's favor, and she actively seeks out further encounters. The drinker may find herself obsessed with the regnant, suffering a broad range of often conflicting emotions (simultaneous feelings of intense love and hate are not uncommon). She is not bound to the regnant but may find it difficult to act against him (requiring a Willpower roll), and she may be commanded easily by the regnant (reduce the difficulty of the vampire's Social actions against the drinker by one). The drinker often rationalizes her actions as "respect" for a worthy lord and a willingness to obey those in power. The prospective thrall continues to thirst for the regnant's blood, and she must spend a Willpower point to refuse another drink.

The Third Drink

The third drink concludes the oath, tying the thrall to the regnant. In many cases, the intense passion of the weaker bonds fades, replaced by a strong sense of loyalty and belonging. Whether the thrall loves or hates the regnant, she has a sense that her place is the natural order is correct, that she is in harmony with her own lord and vassals. Like and dislike is irrelevant; respect and loyalty are the heart of her existence. An oath-bound thrall can be dominated by her regnant without the need of eye contact -- hearing her master's voice is enough. Furthermore, the difficulty of any attempts to resist the regnant's Dominate commands increases by two (+2). Generation does play a role here, though. A higher-generation regnant cannot dominate a lower-generation thrall.