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Hideous deformities and misshapen features are the hallmarks of the Nosferatu, vampires reshaped by the Curse of Caine. Though they (usually) remain aware and intelligent, all Nosferatu are physically altered in some way by the blood of the clan. Boils, growths, altered features, hairy spots, warts, odd skin colors, animalistic features and even scales sprout on the faces and bodies of these wretches. Little wonder, then, that the Nosferatu prefer to congregate in sewers and caverns, away from the judgmental eyes of others. Whether the deformities of the Nosferatu hail from a curse placed on the line by Caine himself or from some other unwholesome source, the results are the same. As the Nosferatu cannot hope to interact with the rest of society, they must survive on their own, which they do with incredible skill. Shunned by everyone else, the Nosferatu gather in their own groups or avoid contact altogether. The outskirts of civilization and the refuse of society become their homes and sustenance. As the Nosferatu scurry through the secret byways and catacombs in which they lair, they unearth lost secrets and find hidden caches of knowledge. Indeed, with the incredible stealth engendered as a necessity of their condition, they find it easy to spy on Kindred and kine alike in search of valuable bits of information. Spies and rumormongers of the first order, the Nosferatu parlay such information in exchange for favors, trading with clanmates freely and treating with outsiders for services and boons. Some Nosferatu develop their powers of concealment well enough to eavesdrop unnoticed in the middle of meetings of other Kindred, selling their secrets to the highest bidders. Woe unto the outsider who seeks to turn a Nosferatu against his clan, though - in their communal misery, the Nosferatu have forged strong ranks of loyalty. When the only ones to keep company with a monster are other monsters, they develop powerful bonds indeed. As outcasts, the Nosferatu often Embrace among those like themselves - derelicts, vagrants, the antisocial, the wayward and unstable individuals - in a commonality of social pariahs. Other victims include the beautiful and vain, or sociopaths and criminals, to whom the Nosferatu wish to teach a permanent and disfiguring lesson. Whatever the case, the Embrace often has a surprising effect. Aside from inflicting the deformities characteristic of the clan over the next few weeks, the abrupt and extreme changes often force the fledgling into an utterly new existence, one in which his clan is his only anchor. It's Unsurprising, then, that recruits find themselves with friends and allies among those they would otherwise scorn. The Nosferatu remain on the fringes of vampire society. The clan lacks any sort of overarching organization as a whole, but among themselves, the Nosferatu are unfailingly polite and well-versed in the peeking order. Outsiders may see nothing but a ragged band of deformed and pitiable creatures, but among their unearthed secrets and hidden tunnels, the Nosferatu hide more Influence and knowledge than the other clans would Care to know....
Roleplaying Hints: Though you may appear hideous to others you are no less a person for it. You may shun the trapping of your humanity like the Visage you sloughed off during your Embrace, -or you may seek to regain the feelings of mortality; either way, you are cursed with this form. Outsiders treat you with contempt, fear or hostility. Among others of your kind, though, you can be civil; after all, you are brothers in arms. Outsiders expect you to act like a crude, bestial, monster, so you play up that stereotype for what it's worth and you use your sophistication to learn the secrets that can be sold or put t6 good use. You have to take care of yourself since nobody else will now.
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Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence |
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Advantage: Ail Nosferatu learn the ways of skulking and hiding, simply to avoid unwanted attention. With their signature command of a city's hidden byways, they discover lost hideaways and secrets. As a result, all Nosferatu have at least one Trait of Stealth at no cost and they also gain one Ability Trait of Survival at no cost. |
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Disadvantage: The hideous countenance of the Nosferatu precludes ever holding normal social relationships without the use of concealment or misdirection. No Nosferatu may possess the Social Traits Alluring, Gorgeous or Seductive without calling on special powers (such as the Obfuscate Discipline) to gain those Traits. Furthermore, all Nosferatu suffer from the Negative Social Traits Repugnant x 3 whenever their true forms are apparent. These Traits may never be removed with Experience Traits or Free Traits. A Nosferatu in his "normal" visage cannot initiate any Social Challenges except for the purposes of intimidation, although he may defend against Social Challenges normally. |
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Bloodlines: There are no distinctive bloodlines of Nosferatu; indeed, the Nosferatu antitribu of the Sabbat actually retain cordial (if distant) relations with their Camarilla counterparts. Some inside the clan maintain that there exists a line of monsters, Embraced by an ancient, which hunts the rest of the Nosferatu clan. These beasts, called the Nictuku, are considered mythical by most Nosferatu, but whenever a warren goes silent or a clanmate vanishes mysteriously, the fears return. |
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