Post by Tami on Mar 3, 2007 12:46:58 GMT -5
The Tzimisce maintain ghoul "families" over generations, breeding their ghouls to make new servants. Over the years, that taint of vampiric vitae has been passed on, creating ghouls that are not entirely mortal but partake of a greater amount of Cainite nature. These revenants, as they are known, are gathered into families, usually with a long history of service to their vampire masters.
Revenants are like ghouls, save in a few aspects. Most fundamentally, they are capable of generating their own vitae without feeding from a vampire. They are born into condition rather than made. The child of two revenants is (usually) a revenant, and he begins generating vitae sometime around 13 years of age. Revenants gain one blood point per day, so they never need to feed from a vampire. Their own vitae is slightly thinner that a true vampire's, so it does not retard aging but it works to power all other ghoul powers. Revenants have their family Disciplines, so they are not restricted to learning their domitor's Disciplines. Each family has its own weakness, however, similar to vampire clan weaknesses.
The revenant families in service to the Tzimisce are:
Bratovitch
The Bratovitch family is made up of the foot soldiers and hunt-masters of the Tzimisce. They are among the lowest-ranking revenants, lorded over by Szantovich, but they are masterful woodsmen and trackers. They tend to be crude and common in their habits and manners, but they serve their masters loyally. They tend to be crude and common in habits and manner, but they serve their masters loyally. Bratovitvh revenants have Animalism, Potence and Vicissitude as their family disciplines. Their association with beasts shows their temper. They frenzy as if they were Brujah vampires (+2 difficulty on frenzy rolls)
The bestial Bratovitch are the Tzimisce's shock troops. They breed and keep the Fiend's hellhounds, and there is little difference between them and their charges. Bratovitches tend to live in isolated compounds, emerging only to make war or capture mates.
Bratovitch-run fiefdoms tend to be miserable, even by the standards of the Tzimisce. Constantly at war with their neighbors, Bratovitch lords quickly grow infamous for their sadistic rages and even more sadistic lusts.
Family Disciplines: Animalism, Potence, Vicissitude
Weakness: Bratovitches are infamous for savagery. They frenzy as if they possessed the Brujah clan weakness.
Destiny: The Bratovitch survives into the modern era.
Grimaldi
The Grimaldi are agents of the Tzimisce in mortal society: merchants, trader, tinkers, and the like who move quietly through the world, influencing a decision here, catching a bit of gossip there. They serve as their masters' eyes and ears, and occasionally their invisible hand as well. Grimaldi revenents have celerity, dominate and fortitude as their family disciplines. (note that, as ghouls, Grimaldi cannot use dominate on Cainites, but they can use effectively on mortal and other ghouls). As recent creations of the Tzimisce, their blood is thin compared to that of other revenants. They have only 8 blood points rather than the usual ten.
The Grimaldi family is the least populated and most recently created revenant family--but this is acceptable to its members, who are used to this position in the scheme of things. Never able to compete directly with such luminaries as the di Medici or Giovanni families, the Grimaldi has cultivated instead a remarkable adaptability, shifting allegiances whenever it is more advantageous. Serving first one major merchant house, then another, the Grimaldis were wealthy enough to be comfortable, yet never so successful that others viewed them as a threat.
This adaptability proved to be crucial to the family's survival. Sent to Bohemia to open relations in the growing city of Prague, certain Grimaldi merchants instead found themselves in a devil's bargain with Bohemian voivodes. Seeking pawns to deploy within the Holy Roman Empire, these voivodes transformed a few Grimaldi patriarchs into revenants, who quickly and bloodily took over the family, spreading their seed through the surviving members. Now the Grimaldi serve as the Fiend's distant hands--and when necessary, fists.
Family Disciplines Celerity, Dominate, and Fortitude
Weakness As recent creations of the Tzimisce, their blood is thin compared to that of other revenants. They have only eight blood points rather than the usual 10.
Destiny During the Renaissance, the Grimaldis insinuate themselves into the growing bourgeois class. Becoming the Sabbat's "deep cover" agents, the Grimaldi survive to this night as they always have--unobtrusively.
Khavi
Even Tzimisce grow apprehensive at the mention of the Khavi. This revenant line was bred by Byelobog and serves him only. The Khavi squat amid the marshes of the northlands, poling their skiffs along the Baltic rivers and coasts. They do not move among mortals, save when they run low on food or breeding stock.
The Khavi are a secretive line, existing only to advance Byelobog's goals. Exactly how he bred them is unknown, but the Khavi are a strange family, even by revenant standards. Khavi revenants emulate their master's pallor, most are albinos and their skin peels away in flakes. The most ancient Khavi, those who advise the White God directly often appear as though they are rotting or suffering from plague.
Family Disciplines Animalism, Obfuscate, Vicissitude
Weakness The Khavi's skin almost constantly flakes and peels, particularly in direct sunlight. Khavi exposed to sunlight develop painful rashes.
DestinyThe Khavi are exterminated by the Teutonic Knights; the last one is slain in the 14th century.
Krevcheski
The Krevcheski family is made up of scholars and tinkers, particularly interested in ancient lore and in new inventions of all kinds. They develop elaborate clockworks, siege engines and other devices for their masters. The Tzimisce do not entirely trust the sly Krevcheski, however, and with good reason. The family is fascinated with the lore of the Tremere, and it has already made secret overtures to the Usurpers in hopes of advancing its own lot in their service. The Krevcheski have only Auspex and Dominate as family Disciplines, a sign of Tzimsce distrust.
Like a maggot, the Khevcheski family has wormed its way through the noble houses of Eastern Europe. Krevcheski maintain small, but heavily fortified, manses; these estates house expansive libraries containing Classical works and the Khevcheski's own innovations.
Family Disciplines Auspex and Dominate
Weakness The Krevcheski have only 2 family disciplines, a sign of Tzimisce distrust.
Destiny Later in the war, the Khevcheski will break their Oaths and betray their masters, joining the side of the Tremere and changing their name to Ducheski. What becomes of them after the Renaissance is unknown, save perhaps to the Council of Seven.
Obertus
This family is the revenant wing of the Tzimisce monastic order founded in Constantinople. These mortal monks and nuns, who practice ritual copulation for reproduction, were once only known in the Greek East, but have spread in small numbers into Western Europe and back into the Tzimisce homeland over the last century. They are scholars, clerks, and librarians, painstakingly copying old manuscripts and cataloging collections of books and scrolls. When a Fiend wants to know some obscure fact, she consults one of the Obertus. If he doesn't know it offhand, odds are he where to find it. The Obertus have Auspex, Obfuscate and Vicissitude as thier family Disciplines. They're known for their single-mindedness, and every Obertus has either the Obsession or Perfectionism derangement, although their particular obsession may change over the years.
This mysterious sect of revenants serves the Draconian Tzimisce of Byzantium.
Family Disciplines Auspex, Obfuscate, and Vicissitude
Weakness They're known for their single-mindedness, members become obsessed with secrets easily. Every Obertus has either the Obsession or Perfectionism derangement, although their particular obsession may change over the years.
Destiny The Obertus join the Sabbat as scholars and researchers; they survive to the modern era.
Szantovich
The Szantovich family are the Fiends' alluring and seductive spies. They marry into noble society, pulling strings for their masters. But the Szantovich sometimes become too complacent in their roles, sliding into decadence and hedonism. The conflict between their masters and the Tremere has kept them busy and led more than one Fiend to purge their ranks of dead wood. The Szantovich have Auspex, Presence and Vicissitude as their family Discipline. They sometime become addicted to certain pleasure. Whenever a Szantovich enjoys an especially pleasurable experience, the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) to keep his character from becoming addicted to the vice.
This depraved family breeds its members for allure and charm, then sets them loose into unsuspecting noble society. The ghouls' unearthly attractiveness (courtesy of Presence and Vicissitude) quickly wins them mates, who are just as quickly disposed of and their estates appropriated. Such practices have made the Szantoviches exceedingly wealthy and influential; Szantovich revenants have married into the Premysl dynasty in Bohemia and the Piast dynasty in Poland. Indeed certain Fiends have begun to wonder whether the Szantovich has exceeded its desired scope...
Family Disciplines Auspex, Presence, and Vicissitude
Weakness The Szantovich are easily addicted to pleasure. After under going a pleasure experience, the revenant may become addicted to the vice.
Destiny During the tumult of the sect wars, the Szantovich are forced underground. They resurface in the 1700's, having Anglicized their surname to Zantosa.
Vlaszy
The hardy Vlaszy come from an honorable line of Magyar warriors and serve as the Fiend's cavaliers, skilled in horsemanship and warfare as well as statemanship. It is said that they entered the Tzimisce service willingly to repay a debt owed them. They have Animalism, Potence and Presence as their family Disciplines. As a sign of their obedience, the Vlaszy must take the Blood Oath with one of the Tzimisce upon reaching adolescence.
The family is centered in Hungary but has spread through the Old Country, dwelling in border fortresses along the most turbulent frontiers.
Family Disciplines Animalism, Potence and Presence
Weakness As a sign of their obedience, the Vlaszy must take the blood oath with one of the Tzimisce upon reaching adolescence.
Destiny After the collapse of the Tzimisce clan during the Anarch revolt, the Vlaszy have the misfortune to end up on the side of the elders. With their characteristic honor, the Vlaszy battle Velya, Lugoj, Vykos and the rest of the clan's rebellious childer, dying to a man in the process.
There are rumors of other revenants bred by various Tzimisce lords for their own purposes, including some made twisted and monstrous through the use of Vicissitude haunting the lonely forests, river valleys, and mountain passes of Eastern Europe. Even darker rumors recount that the Baali, a bloodline of infernalist vampires, have bred their own revenant families.
Da Revised and LS1
Narov and Ruthvenski (mentioned in Cbk Tzi Rev)
Revenants are like ghouls, save in a few aspects. Most fundamentally, they are capable of generating their own vitae without feeding from a vampire. They are born into condition rather than made. The child of two revenants is (usually) a revenant, and he begins generating vitae sometime around 13 years of age. Revenants gain one blood point per day, so they never need to feed from a vampire. Their own vitae is slightly thinner that a true vampire's, so it does not retard aging but it works to power all other ghoul powers. Revenants have their family Disciplines, so they are not restricted to learning their domitor's Disciplines. Each family has its own weakness, however, similar to vampire clan weaknesses.
The revenant families in service to the Tzimisce are:
Bratovitch
The Bratovitch family is made up of the foot soldiers and hunt-masters of the Tzimisce. They are among the lowest-ranking revenants, lorded over by Szantovich, but they are masterful woodsmen and trackers. They tend to be crude and common in their habits and manners, but they serve their masters loyally. They tend to be crude and common in habits and manner, but they serve their masters loyally. Bratovitvh revenants have Animalism, Potence and Vicissitude as their family disciplines. Their association with beasts shows their temper. They frenzy as if they were Brujah vampires (+2 difficulty on frenzy rolls)
The bestial Bratovitch are the Tzimisce's shock troops. They breed and keep the Fiend's hellhounds, and there is little difference between them and their charges. Bratovitches tend to live in isolated compounds, emerging only to make war or capture mates.
Bratovitch-run fiefdoms tend to be miserable, even by the standards of the Tzimisce. Constantly at war with their neighbors, Bratovitch lords quickly grow infamous for their sadistic rages and even more sadistic lusts.
Family Disciplines: Animalism, Potence, Vicissitude
Weakness: Bratovitches are infamous for savagery. They frenzy as if they possessed the Brujah clan weakness.
Destiny: The Bratovitch survives into the modern era.
Grimaldi
The Grimaldi are agents of the Tzimisce in mortal society: merchants, trader, tinkers, and the like who move quietly through the world, influencing a decision here, catching a bit of gossip there. They serve as their masters' eyes and ears, and occasionally their invisible hand as well. Grimaldi revenents have celerity, dominate and fortitude as their family disciplines. (note that, as ghouls, Grimaldi cannot use dominate on Cainites, but they can use effectively on mortal and other ghouls). As recent creations of the Tzimisce, their blood is thin compared to that of other revenants. They have only 8 blood points rather than the usual ten.
The Grimaldi family is the least populated and most recently created revenant family--but this is acceptable to its members, who are used to this position in the scheme of things. Never able to compete directly with such luminaries as the di Medici or Giovanni families, the Grimaldi has cultivated instead a remarkable adaptability, shifting allegiances whenever it is more advantageous. Serving first one major merchant house, then another, the Grimaldis were wealthy enough to be comfortable, yet never so successful that others viewed them as a threat.
This adaptability proved to be crucial to the family's survival. Sent to Bohemia to open relations in the growing city of Prague, certain Grimaldi merchants instead found themselves in a devil's bargain with Bohemian voivodes. Seeking pawns to deploy within the Holy Roman Empire, these voivodes transformed a few Grimaldi patriarchs into revenants, who quickly and bloodily took over the family, spreading their seed through the surviving members. Now the Grimaldi serve as the Fiend's distant hands--and when necessary, fists.
Family Disciplines Celerity, Dominate, and Fortitude
Weakness As recent creations of the Tzimisce, their blood is thin compared to that of other revenants. They have only eight blood points rather than the usual 10.
Destiny During the Renaissance, the Grimaldis insinuate themselves into the growing bourgeois class. Becoming the Sabbat's "deep cover" agents, the Grimaldi survive to this night as they always have--unobtrusively.
Khavi
Even Tzimisce grow apprehensive at the mention of the Khavi. This revenant line was bred by Byelobog and serves him only. The Khavi squat amid the marshes of the northlands, poling their skiffs along the Baltic rivers and coasts. They do not move among mortals, save when they run low on food or breeding stock.
The Khavi are a secretive line, existing only to advance Byelobog's goals. Exactly how he bred them is unknown, but the Khavi are a strange family, even by revenant standards. Khavi revenants emulate their master's pallor, most are albinos and their skin peels away in flakes. The most ancient Khavi, those who advise the White God directly often appear as though they are rotting or suffering from plague.
Family Disciplines Animalism, Obfuscate, Vicissitude
Weakness The Khavi's skin almost constantly flakes and peels, particularly in direct sunlight. Khavi exposed to sunlight develop painful rashes.
DestinyThe Khavi are exterminated by the Teutonic Knights; the last one is slain in the 14th century.
Krevcheski
The Krevcheski family is made up of scholars and tinkers, particularly interested in ancient lore and in new inventions of all kinds. They develop elaborate clockworks, siege engines and other devices for their masters. The Tzimisce do not entirely trust the sly Krevcheski, however, and with good reason. The family is fascinated with the lore of the Tremere, and it has already made secret overtures to the Usurpers in hopes of advancing its own lot in their service. The Krevcheski have only Auspex and Dominate as family Disciplines, a sign of Tzimsce distrust.
Like a maggot, the Khevcheski family has wormed its way through the noble houses of Eastern Europe. Krevcheski maintain small, but heavily fortified, manses; these estates house expansive libraries containing Classical works and the Khevcheski's own innovations.
Family Disciplines Auspex and Dominate
Weakness The Krevcheski have only 2 family disciplines, a sign of Tzimisce distrust.
Destiny Later in the war, the Khevcheski will break their Oaths and betray their masters, joining the side of the Tremere and changing their name to Ducheski. What becomes of them after the Renaissance is unknown, save perhaps to the Council of Seven.
Obertus
This family is the revenant wing of the Tzimisce monastic order founded in Constantinople. These mortal monks and nuns, who practice ritual copulation for reproduction, were once only known in the Greek East, but have spread in small numbers into Western Europe and back into the Tzimisce homeland over the last century. They are scholars, clerks, and librarians, painstakingly copying old manuscripts and cataloging collections of books and scrolls. When a Fiend wants to know some obscure fact, she consults one of the Obertus. If he doesn't know it offhand, odds are he where to find it. The Obertus have Auspex, Obfuscate and Vicissitude as thier family Disciplines. They're known for their single-mindedness, and every Obertus has either the Obsession or Perfectionism derangement, although their particular obsession may change over the years.
This mysterious sect of revenants serves the Draconian Tzimisce of Byzantium.
Family Disciplines Auspex, Obfuscate, and Vicissitude
Weakness They're known for their single-mindedness, members become obsessed with secrets easily. Every Obertus has either the Obsession or Perfectionism derangement, although their particular obsession may change over the years.
Destiny The Obertus join the Sabbat as scholars and researchers; they survive to the modern era.
Szantovich
The Szantovich family are the Fiends' alluring and seductive spies. They marry into noble society, pulling strings for their masters. But the Szantovich sometimes become too complacent in their roles, sliding into decadence and hedonism. The conflict between their masters and the Tremere has kept them busy and led more than one Fiend to purge their ranks of dead wood. The Szantovich have Auspex, Presence and Vicissitude as their family Discipline. They sometime become addicted to certain pleasure. Whenever a Szantovich enjoys an especially pleasurable experience, the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) to keep his character from becoming addicted to the vice.
This depraved family breeds its members for allure and charm, then sets them loose into unsuspecting noble society. The ghouls' unearthly attractiveness (courtesy of Presence and Vicissitude) quickly wins them mates, who are just as quickly disposed of and their estates appropriated. Such practices have made the Szantoviches exceedingly wealthy and influential; Szantovich revenants have married into the Premysl dynasty in Bohemia and the Piast dynasty in Poland. Indeed certain Fiends have begun to wonder whether the Szantovich has exceeded its desired scope...
Family Disciplines Auspex, Presence, and Vicissitude
Weakness The Szantovich are easily addicted to pleasure. After under going a pleasure experience, the revenant may become addicted to the vice.
Destiny During the tumult of the sect wars, the Szantovich are forced underground. They resurface in the 1700's, having Anglicized their surname to Zantosa.
Vlaszy
The hardy Vlaszy come from an honorable line of Magyar warriors and serve as the Fiend's cavaliers, skilled in horsemanship and warfare as well as statemanship. It is said that they entered the Tzimisce service willingly to repay a debt owed them. They have Animalism, Potence and Presence as their family Disciplines. As a sign of their obedience, the Vlaszy must take the Blood Oath with one of the Tzimisce upon reaching adolescence.
The family is centered in Hungary but has spread through the Old Country, dwelling in border fortresses along the most turbulent frontiers.
Family Disciplines Animalism, Potence and Presence
Weakness As a sign of their obedience, the Vlaszy must take the blood oath with one of the Tzimisce upon reaching adolescence.
Destiny After the collapse of the Tzimisce clan during the Anarch revolt, the Vlaszy have the misfortune to end up on the side of the elders. With their characteristic honor, the Vlaszy battle Velya, Lugoj, Vykos and the rest of the clan's rebellious childer, dying to a man in the process.
There are rumors of other revenants bred by various Tzimisce lords for their own purposes, including some made twisted and monstrous through the use of Vicissitude haunting the lonely forests, river valleys, and mountain passes of Eastern Europe. Even darker rumors recount that the Baali, a bloodline of infernalist vampires, have bred their own revenant families.
Da Revised and LS1
Narov and Ruthvenski (mentioned in Cbk Tzi Rev)