Age
Ivreh sighed even though he didn't need to - he had come to appreciate the irony of the act. When one spends more than three centuries as a member of the undead Kindred, one takes one's levity where one can find it. He wandered over to the chessboard, his thoughts turning to Gabrielle and their ongoing game, and moved his pawn - who represented a certain importer from Taipei - to take her bishop - the leader of a Luddite cult in Trinidad. Indeed, Ivreh had learned much more than patience since his Embrace.
You have survived as a vampire for far longer than many Kindred - enough to be considered an elder according to the fickle, deadly others of your kind. This Background is not necessarily a simple reflection of your age; it reflects the number of years you have functioned away from the slumber of torpor. If you have fallen into torpor, you may actually be older than even this Trait indicates...
Every dot of Age gives a character a certain number of extra freebie points to reflect her greater acumen, but this wisdom comes at the expense of Humanity (or other path rating). Note that the progression is not linear - truly ancient vampires learn with much more difficulty than younger ones, as stasis grips them in their unchanging state.
Note: This Background is included as a Storyteller's option for elder chronicles, and not mandatory for Storyteller characters of advanced age. By all means, create your elders to suit the story; this system is included to make sure players' elders start out with a common frame of reference, should you allow them. Although this Trait may theoretically rise above 5 (for unimaginably old characters), Storytellers should give serious thought to their game before allowing it.
1) Annuated: 200 years or less active, +30 freebies, -1 Humanity.
2) Elder: 200-350 years active, +55 freebie points, -2 Humanity.
3) Hoary: 350-500 years active, +75 freebies, -3 Humanity.
4) Venerable: 500-750 years active, +90 freebies, -4 Humanity.
5) Ancient: Active more than 750(!) years, +100 freebies, -5 Humanity.
