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This enigmatic cult of necromancers has only recently joined the Sabbat, which they claim to have done solely for the purpose of vengeance. Members of the bloodline are almost all of advanced age, and many speak of returning from exile in the realms of the Underworld. As they tell the tale, a murderous band of sorcerers hunted them for their blood in nights long past, driving them to extinction to serve their own desires for power. Other members of the sect describe the Lazarenes as aloof and guarded. Some even allude to the Harbingers as paranoid, or perhaps tainted by madness after whatever ordeal that consumed them for so long. Only a few of these Cainites are known to exist, but they have accumulated an inordinate amount of power and voice in the sect for such a short period of membership. The Black Hand, the Inquisition and the consistory all have members of the Harbingers among them. The Harbingers of Skulls wield death-magic as effectively as any Giovanni, perhaps more so for (heir time in the Underworld. The sect regards the Lazarenes' Necromancy as a great benefit, allowing them a resource that the Camarilla has yet to explore. Some speculate this maybe the Harbinger's sole purpose in the Sabbat-new power in exchange for favors to be collected later.: The Embrace bestows upon the Harbingers the appearance of emaciated cadavers, which they often heighten by flaying the skin from their heads (hence their name). Whether they do this as a form of self-mutilation or simply to terrify their rivals is unknown. Also, the bloodline has a formal and extensive system of ritual that relies on masks - prominent members wear ornate headdresses, while lesser members have simpler masks.
Roleplaying Hints: Revenge is a dish best served cold, and yours has chilled for centuries. The Sabbat is a tool and nothing more; Its political agenda is secondary, but as long as you assist the sect, you collect favors that you can call upon as you need them. You don't care who knows this; the Cainites of the Sabbat have no illusions regarding your mercenary nature. To them you are an ally, and to you they are weapons to turn upon your hated foes. Note: Vampires of advanced age comprise this bloodline, and they are often not a viable option for player characters. Storytellers should feel free to restrict this bloodline to Storyteller characters or elder games.
Advantage: The Harbingers of Skulls are no strangers to the realms of politics, and are certainly not above using Necromancy to unearth secrets for blackmail material. During character creation and at no extra cost, a Harbinger of Skulls may take any permutation of three of the following Traits: Sabbat Status, one Influence or a trivial boon. For example, a player may choose for his character to possess one Sabbat Status Trait and two Church Influence Traits, or two Sabbat Status Traits and one trivial boon.
Weakness: As the Harbingers of Skulls resembles corpses, they are as visually unpleasant as the most twisted Nosferatu. They suffer a similar Weakness: Every Harbinger possesses the Negative Social Traits Ghastly x 3 whenever they reveal their true forms. These Traits may never be removed by Free Traits or Experience Traits (though they may be hidden by Obfuscate). They may never possess Traits relating to appearance such as Gorgeous or Seductive. Harbingers may not initiate Social Challenges, though they may defend against them normally.
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