Who Are the Kindred?
    You have heard the name whispered in trendy late night clubs, dark alleyways, shady business offices, and even in high society social circles..Kindred.  Who are they, what are they, where do you find them? They are all around you, they have seeped into your society over the millennia, since the beginning of time. Once, they lorded over you, until you rebelled and forced them into hiding, now, in this time they call the Final Nights, they lay exposed and vulnerable while they wage war within their own society. Now, it is time you learned of them, and their mighty secret societies. You believe that Vampires are a myth? Think again mortal.. The myth moves among you like the wolf among the sheep.
 
 





The Origins of the Kindred

    Kindred history is steeped in truth and myth, fact and fiction. There have been many debates among the Kindred, and those outside their kind of their true origins. No one can certain for certain what is the actual truth, but a few common threads do tie much of their history together. The first Kindred was Caine, the son of Adam, the first born, and the first murderer. Caine slew his brother Able, and thus incurred Gods wrath. The Almighty sent his angels to get Caine to repent, but proud Caine refused and thusly cursed to be immortal, to shun sunlight, and to drink only blood. As the tale progresses, Caine met Lillith, who in turn taught him the powers of the Kindred, their Disciplines. Caine founded a city, known as the first City, and some referred to as Nod, but Nod is a debatable subject among kindred as to being the name of Caine's city. Caine created three progeny, and they in turn created even more, these progeny would come to be known as the Antedeluvians, and the founders of the Kindred Clans and bloodlines. The Antedeluvians created even more progeny that would in turn create later generations of  Kindred.

    Caine grew angry with the proliferation of his "curse" and went into hiding. Various legends cropped up with Caines influence on clan powers, curses, and origins. Eventually the Antedeluvians and their progeny warred among themselves, some Antedeluvians were destroyed in the early ages, some went into hiding lest they be struck down by their enemies or even their own progeny. Over time, the kindred situated themselves into human society, moving silently conducting their nightly affairs well into the modern age.

Kindred Society

    The Kindred, as they are now in he modern age, conduct their affairs from the sight of the world at large. They influence world affairs to varying degrees, and in various ways insure the survival of their race. Kindred hierarchy is usually based on age and generation. The older you are, and the lower your generation is, the more powerful you seem to be. This is not always the case, there are instances of  younger and later generation kindred who wield as much power as one twice their age and or an earlier generation. There are several terms the Kindred use among themselves:

Generation- This is the term used to dictate the power of ones blood, the lower generation you are, "the closer to Caine you are". A lower generation means more potent blood, which is the fuel of Kindred life, and thus the more powerful you become. Later generations blood potency have diminished and thinned, thus their power is not as great or almost non existent. Most notably, the thirteenth generation is pretty much the last of the true kindred generations. Anything beyond this is considered too weak to even create new kindred and there are rumors of fifteenth generation "kindred" that are able to walk in the sun. this would be traited to such late generations of finally thinning out the curse of Caine.

Embrace- The act of creating a Kindred. A Kindred must drain the potential victim of all his blood and to near death. Then the Kindred feeds the vessel its own blood and thusly creating a new progeny of one generation later than its creator. The change is almost instantaneous, but some find ways of dragging out the embrace making it a more torturous experience.

The Traditions- the laws of the Kindred, mostly those tenets that a sect of Kindred calling themselves the Cammarilla use to govern the lives of the Kindred. there are six traditions. I will touch on only one, for the others are far to tedious and usually mostly understood in their entirety by the Kindred themselves. this one law is the Masquerade, a law instituted to hide Kindred society form the rest of the world. In its essence, no kindred may reveal themselves, their actions, and Kindred society to any non kindred or their closest retainers. It is a law devised to insinuate themselves into human society.

Elders & Ancillae- Elders are older, lower generation kindred that influence their clans. The Ancillae are "middle aged" kindred that make up the solid core of the clans.

Neonates- The Neonates are young newly embraced kindred who have yet to make a name for themselves within Kindred society, basically the low rung on the ladder.

Methuselahs- These Kindred are the oldest and most powerful kindred that remain active. It is these beings who wield the most power over the clans, and kindred society at large. they engage each other in a secret war called the Jyhad. They fear the rising of the slumbering Antedeluvians,a nd through their machinations strive to become powerful to destroy their creators.

The Clans & the Sects

    The Kindred are divided up into clans or bloodlines. Each clan is group of Kindred descended from one of the Antedeluvians. There were thirteen original clans, and thirteen make the number of clans in the modern age. Some clans have also created offshoots (whether they admit it or not) called bloodlines. Some clans and bloodlines have been wiped out , and some clans have been reduced to bloodlines.

The Cammarilla- The Cammarilla is a governing body of Kindred composed currently of six clans, it was originally seven, but one clan has broken its ties with the ruling Inner Circle. There are kindred of other clans that belong to the Cammarilla, but they do not have the numbers, or influence to yet gain a ruling seat as it were in the Inner Circle. The Cammarilla adheres to the tenets laid down the by the Traditions, and recognizes kindred rulers of  various cities that they dub Princes. The Cammarilla also dictates law through the Justicars, one chosen from each of the six clans, to pass judgment under the direction of the Inner Circle. In most cities, the Kindred with the most power and influence rules over other Kindred of Cammarilla clans as Princes, some Princes are also figure heads for groups of clan elders, or a single powerful kindred remaining behind the scenes.

The Sabbat- The Sabbat contains two core clans, and the antitribu, or anti-clan of various others. The Sabbat are the more malevolent of the Kindred, often seen as a large group of Kindred fiends and monsters. The Sabbat and the Cammarilla are constantly at war with each other. The Sabbat claim kindred freedom form the oppressive yokes of the ancient Methuselah's, at least this, it what they think. I'm quite sure they'd be surprised by some varied truths.

Some clans claim no allegiance to either sect, they are often termed as Independants, though it is possible to find members of these clans in both sects. Most bloodlines also fall into the independent category.

The Caitiff- The Clanless. these poor unfortunate souls are embraced, and left to fend for themselves pretty much, having no claim to sect, clan or blood heritage. They are basically deemed as mutts and mongrels.Only among the Sabbat does the Caitiff hold a loose "clan-like" status that gathers the Clanless under the banner of the Panders.

I will touch briefly on he clans and bloodlines.

Assamites- an independent clan that on the large acts as hired assassins among the Kindred. Recently, the clan has split and one half may end up joining the ranks of the Cammarilla.

Brujah- From sage warrior scholars to varied street thugs and rabble, the Brujah fight for whatever cause gets their blood pumping. They have short tempers and a mean streak larger than most anticipate. They belong to the Cammarilla and usually serve as its front line forces.

Gangrel- A seemingly feral clan with a close association to animals. The Gangrel are outsiders and usually travel and act alone. They are only a clan by blood, as they usually shun the company of other kindred in general. Recently, the Gangrel acted as one body and renounced their ties to the Cammarilla.

Nosferatu- Another Cammarilla clan. Cursed with hideous visages and varied deformities, the Nosferatu are the Kindred information brokers by large. Their skills and stealth, and covertness give them the ability to glean juicy tidbits of kindred gossip and news which they offer to the highest bidders and those that they can gain something from.

Tremere- Originally a cabal of mages, they discovered a way to magically convert themselves into Kindred. Their clan founder discovered an Antediluvian known as Salout and devoured the ancient, gaining his powers. The Tremere are proficient in the blood magic's of  Thaumaturgy. They have a strict clan caste system. They are also one of the Cammarilla core clans.

Toreador- The Toreador usually draw their progeny from artists, poets, musicians and the like. They too are also a Cammarilla core clan.

Ventrue- Members of this clan wield considerable clout as Cammarilla leaders and savvy business men among the kindred. The Ventrue are a fairly close knit clan who put alot of value on clan lineage.

Malkavian- The Malkavians all inherent or already have some sort of psychological problem. Basically, they're insane..not much else beyond that...except for they are members of the Cammarilla..I don't know why.

Losombra- One of the two core Sabbat clans. The Losombra cast no reflection and have the power to manipulate the shadows. They are often the leading Kindred of the Sabbat.

Tzimisce- The second core clan of the Sabbat. They can manipulate flesh and bone, and are renowned for creating ghastly abominations of flesh to carry out their deeds.

Panders- A conglomeration of Caitiff that serve the Sabbat.

Followers of Set, Setites- A clan of kindred that have their own insidious agenda. Mostly independent or operate in "cults". They have serpentine like powers.

Kiasyd- A fae influenced bloodline of kindred. Most are associated with the Sabbat.

Salubri- A bloodline that was once a clan. When their antediluvian was destroyed, they were hunted and nearly exterminated. Once they further their powers in their clan discipline, they gain a third eye on their forehead.

Samedi- A bloodline of kindred that resemble walking rotting corpses.

Harbingers of the Skull- a small bloodline that has recently surfaced. Their visages are that of  leering skulls. It is rumored that they are the last of the long dead Cappadocian clan.

Giovanni- A close knit independent clan. They embrace by using members of  their mortal families. Once a ghoul family in service to the Cappadocians, until the family head was granted the embrace and slew and devoured the Cappadocian Antediluvian.

Gargoyle- A bloodline created by the Tremere by using Tzimisce, Nosferatu and Gangrel blood.

Nagaraha- A bloodline of flesh eating Kindred. Nearly wiped out in a recent catastrophe.

Old Clan Tzimisce- A predecessor to the current Tzimisce. They do not possess the flesh altering powers of their alternate half.

Daughters of Cacophony- a bloodline of female kindred that have the ability to use their voice as a potent weapon.

True Brujah- The ancient line of the Brujah clan. This line draws its lineage to the Antediluvian, as where the other traces it to Brujahs progeny Triole.

Ghouls- Human servitors of the kindred. Fed kindred blood, ghouls can extend their lives and gain some kindred powers. They serve as retainers, soldiers and various other functions.

Revenants- ghoul families bred by the Tzimisce. Members of revenant families are born ghouls and do not need to subsist on Kindred blood.

    There are the basics of the Kindred. There is much more to learn, but that is a quest you must take upon yourself, I will not aid you any further. I will not dispel any other myths about us, for too much knowledge is power, and as such, most fear what they do not understand. I would like to keep things that way. Be wary mortal, our world is much more, and possibly beyond your fragile comprehension as it is. There are many nights to come, and we have an eternity compared to your short lives. We do not seek to destroy the human race, for without you, we could not exist, but be warned, if a a handfull of you must perish in order to keep things s they were, you are expendable, and probably quite tasty to boot.
 

Jonas Thorne
childe of Dolores
childe of Marcus
childe of  Brujah