Part One: The World of Darkness Common Knowledge
All characters are taught either by their Sire, a Mentor, or nightly unlife on the streets a little bit about the history, structure, and politics of Vampires in the World of Darkness. Further
knowledge can be gained through the secondary abilities of Kindred Lore or Clan knowledge (specific for each clan, or bloodline the knowledge pertains to). The following represents a
general knowledge that most Kindred can be assumed to posses regarding their kind.
Innate Abilities: Vampires have the ability to grow (drop) their fangs out to puncture their victims while hunting or in combat. They have the ability to use the blood in their systems to
increase their strength, dexterity, and stamina. They can also use the blood in their system to heal damage done to them.
Strengths: Vampires do not age, suffer from diseases (though they can carry and pass them on), or suffer from other mortal ailments. They only take half damage from crushing type wounds
(i.e. fists, or falling). They do however; take full damage from slashing and piercing wounds (i.e. knives, swords, or stake).
Weaknesses: Vampires take extra damage from fire, sunlight, and the claws or fangs of other supernatural creatures. A stake through the heart will not kill but will paralyze a vampire.
When dawn approaches a vampire becomes weekend. When the sun is up they are almost powerless and almost always asleep. It is during this period that the vampire’s body maintains
itself and forces it back to the condition it was in the night it was embraced. Thus a hair cut or altered, scars, tattoos, and many other temporary effects will disappear by nightfall the next
evening. A vampire’s body requires the use of blood to maintain itself. Every night, the vampire’s body spends a small amount (1 blood point) to achieve this. If the body is empty of
blood it begins to deteriorate. If this deterioration goes too far the vampire will enter a coma like state called Torpor.
Torpor: Occasionally a vampire will take a huge amount of damage and go into this state. This state, as already mentioned, can also be brought about by lack of blood or voluntarily if the
vampire wishes to remove themselves from the world for a time. Basically this is a form of hibernation that a vampire enters. If the vampire enters torpor voluntarily they can chose when
they will awaken (to within an hour). If a vampire is forced into this stated because of massive trauma or lack of blood there is no way to know how long they will stay that way.
Blood: The blood of a vampire is very potent. If it is ingested by a mortal creature (not just human), they become ghouls. Ghouled creatures are still living but gain some of the strengths of
vampires such as slowed aging, able to heal wounds as a vampire, and increased strength. If any creature drinks the blood of a single vampire on three separate occasions they will become a willing slave of the vampire they drank from, this is known as a Blood Bond. If a vampire completely drains a human (and some other creatures) of blood and then feeds them a small
amount of their own blood they will turn the victim into a vampire, this is called the Embrace.
Diablerie: The greatest crime among the kindred. This is where one vampire not only drinks all of the blood of another vampire but goes so far as to drain the victim’s very essence and soul
absorbing it. This act destroys the soul of the victim and gives the aggressor power.
Disciplines: Vampires are capable of supernatural powers called Disciplines. These Disciplines are often fueled by the blood of the vampire. There are many disciplines, and most can be
learned by any vampire (though some require a teacher). Some disciplines are closely held Clan secrets.
The following are a list of commonly known disciplines though what each does at a given level
is unknown short of a secondary ability or possessing the sufficient rank in the discipline itself.
Anamalism (animal control), Auspex (supernatural sense), Celerity (supernatural speed),
Dominate (mind control), Fortitude (supernatural resistance to damage), Necromancy
(control of the dead), Obfuscate (stealth and disguise), Presence (emotion control),
Protean (shape changing), Serpintis (snake magic), Thaumaturgy (Vampire magic
capable of theoretically anything), Quietus (assassination)
All characters are taught either by their Sire, a Mentor, or nightly unlife on the streets a little bit about the history, structure, and politics of Vampires in the World of Darkness. Further
knowledge can be gained through the secondary abilities of Kindred Lore or Clan knowledge (specific for each clan, or bloodline the knowledge pertains to). The following represents a
general knowledge that most Kindred can be assumed to posses regarding their kind.
Innate Abilities: Vampires have the ability to grow (drop) their fangs out to puncture their victims while hunting or in combat. They have the ability to use the blood in their systems to
increase their strength, dexterity, and stamina. They can also use the blood in their system to heal damage done to them.
Strengths: Vampires do not age, suffer from diseases (though they can carry and pass them on), or suffer from other mortal ailments. They only take half damage from crushing type wounds
(i.e. fists, or falling). They do however; take full damage from slashing and piercing wounds (i.e. knives, swords, or stake).
Weaknesses: Vampires take extra damage from fire, sunlight, and the claws or fangs of other supernatural creatures. A stake through the heart will not kill but will paralyze a vampire.
When dawn approaches a vampire becomes weekend. When the sun is up they are almost powerless and almost always asleep. It is during this period that the vampire’s body maintains
itself and forces it back to the condition it was in the night it was embraced. Thus a hair cut or altered, scars, tattoos, and many other temporary effects will disappear by nightfall the next
evening. A vampire’s body requires the use of blood to maintain itself. Every night, the vampire’s body spends a small amount (1 blood point) to achieve this. If the body is empty of
blood it begins to deteriorate. If this deterioration goes too far the vampire will enter a coma like state called Torpor.
Torpor: Occasionally a vampire will take a huge amount of damage and go into this state. This state, as already mentioned, can also be brought about by lack of blood or voluntarily if the
vampire wishes to remove themselves from the world for a time. Basically this is a form of hibernation that a vampire enters. If the vampire enters torpor voluntarily they can chose when
they will awaken (to within an hour). If a vampire is forced into this stated because of massive trauma or lack of blood there is no way to know how long they will stay that way.
Blood: The blood of a vampire is very potent. If it is ingested by a mortal creature (not just human), they become ghouls. Ghouled creatures are still living but gain some of the strengths of
vampires such as slowed aging, able to heal wounds as a vampire, and increased strength. If any creature drinks the blood of a single vampire on three separate occasions they will become a willing slave of the vampire they drank from, this is known as a Blood Bond. If a vampire completely drains a human (and some other creatures) of blood and then feeds them a small
amount of their own blood they will turn the victim into a vampire, this is called the Embrace.
Diablerie: The greatest crime among the kindred. This is where one vampire not only drinks all of the blood of another vampire but goes so far as to drain the victim’s very essence and soul
absorbing it. This act destroys the soul of the victim and gives the aggressor power.
Disciplines: Vampires are capable of supernatural powers called Disciplines. These Disciplines are often fueled by the blood of the vampire. There are many disciplines, and most can be
learned by any vampire (though some require a teacher). Some disciplines are closely held Clan secrets.
The following are a list of commonly known disciplines though what each does at a given level
is unknown short of a secondary ability or possessing the sufficient rank in the discipline itself.
Anamalism (animal control), Auspex (supernatural sense), Celerity (supernatural speed),
Dominate (mind control), Fortitude (supernatural resistance to damage), Necromancy
(control of the dead), Obfuscate (stealth and disguise), Presence (emotion control),
Protean (shape changing), Serpintis (snake magic), Thaumaturgy (Vampire magic
capable of theoretically anything), Quietus (assassination)