Revenants

Revenants are the result of a generations long breeding program carried out by the Tzimisce that has created an inheritable state of ghouldom. Somewhere between human and vampire but not fully either, they are often more powerful than ordinary ghouls but also more flawed.

The blending of mortal and vampiric essence in a revenant’s being results in their blood naturally having some of the aspects of vampiric blood. This extends their unghouled lifespan to 250 years. If a revenant is fed vampiric blood, it will halt ageing in the same way it would for any mortal. Thus, a revenant character under 250 years need not start the game blood-bonded—although it is unlikely their master would allow them the broad autonomy that player characters will display without some equally powerful assurance of loyalty.

The revenant families have been established for generations and have been gifted or seized in wars, so it is possible—even probable—that a revenant’s master will not be one of the Tzimisce who created the lines. All revenants are loyal to their family and to the Tzimisce who is master of their branch of it however, so while a revenant is likely to share in the feuding between Tzimisce, all revenants have a Tzimisce as their master.

The fragment of vampiric power tainting each revenant family grants them access to Disciplines as if they were a clan or bloodline but also imposes a weakness. All revenants have access to Celerity, Fortitude, and Potence without needing training; however, unlike ordinary ghouls, they are not required to have a level of Potence.

The following are the most well-known and widespread of the revenant families; while there are rumours of other, smaller families serving specific and obscure purposes, all PC ghouls who have purchased the ‘Revenant’ merit will be a member of one of these families

  • The Bratovitch are bred to be taskmasters, beast handlers, and unit leaders in their masters’ armies. Typically, Bratovitch families are raised among the natural (and created) beasts of their master’s kennels, giving most of them an animalistic perspective on life.

    Disciplines: Animalism, Potence, Protean

    Weakness: The selfishness of the Beast taints a Bratovitch’s thoughts, risking even the smallest disagreement seem like a challenge. While a Bratovitch is capable of indulging in calm and casual debate, or intellectually accepting there are multiple viewpoints, they must get two successes to resist Frenzy. This does not apply for Rötschreck.

  • The Kravcheski are the Tzimisce’s architects, engineers, and research assistants. Valued by their masters when their skills are of use, and sometimes cruelly distrusted as potential threats when they are just a little too competent, they are most at home among books or obscure tools.

    Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Koldunism

    Weakness: Bred and socialised to be closer to living tools than complete beings, the Kravcheski are more alien than most Tzimsce neonates. Although a Kravcheski can intellectually understand healthy social interaction, neither their mind nor their hormones function in that way. They cannot have a Social Attribute higher than 2.

  • The Obertus are partway between a family of scholars and a monastic order. While they fulfil the same role of assistants as the Krevcheski, their focus is the supernatural rather than the scientific. While mostly confined to Constantinople, a few Obertus are present in Bavaria undertaking specific projects on behalf of Dracon or his most trusted childer.

    Disciplines: Auspex, Obfuscate, Vicissitude

    Weakness: Bred and raised to increase their intellectual ability, Obertus suffer from monomania and other disorders stemming from putting research before self. Each Obertus has an additional Toll beyond the number usual for their Age, with an appropriate flavour (e.g. Obsessive Study, Haunted).

  • Seeing themselves as the natural lords of their realms, all Tzimisce choose only the most exceptional to be their childer. Rather than leave such quality to the whim of mere human choice, the Szantovich are bred from birth to be the ideal prospective childer— at least, according to the standards set by a small group of Tzimisce centuries ago.

    Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Presence.

    Weakness: The blood and minds of the Szantovich are tainted with all the arrogance and parasitism of their creators, making them crave luxury and pleasure, and shun effort. When presented with an opportunity to experience a new sensation, wallow in decadence, or otherwise indulge themselves for no purpose other than their own selfish enjoyment, they must test Willpower to resist the urge. If they fail, they may test again after 5 minutes.

    If they take damage while indulging, they may retest immediately with a bonus for their total wounds. IE, if a Szantovich has taken 2 wounds already, enters Fixation and takes another 1 wound, they would get a +3 bonus to their test.

  • The Vlaszy bound themselves and their descendants to the Tzimisce in payment for an ancient debt that remains secret from all but the leaders of the family and a few Tzimisce. Raised in the traditions of nobility and honour, the Vlaszy despise the inhumanity of the Tzimisce and the other revenant families; to their chagrin this purity makes them the ideal diplomats and infiltrators to advance the Tzimisce’s interests amongst both humans and more civilised vampires.

    Disciplines: Animalism, Potence, Presence

    Weakness: While each Vlaszy has been raised from birth to know their honour is nothing if they do not fulfil the ancient pact, they also know that by doing so they are choosing to serve beings of horrific evil. Caught between these incompatible moral requirements, a Vlaszy requires an extra level of success to avoid losing Road.