Vampire The Masquerade: Your Family Tree

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Tyson Fraleigh - March 8, 2021

There are a lot of clan options for Vampire: The Masquerade. With new supplements coming out, it’s important to find what your particular flavour of vampire vitae is for a character you have in mind.

So, after looking through the family trees, searching through the genealogy of vampire familes through multiple generations – we have the options for you.

Banu Haqim

Your family are the protectors of knowledge. The Banu Haqim are mostly independent of the rest of the Vampire community, trying to stay out of Camarilla politics as much as possible. This means that if there is a Kindred family who are ready to attack an organization attached the Banu, the Banu are unafraid to kill – and drink their vitae to gain more power.

However, acts of diablerie hardly ever go as one may hope. Diablerie takes its toll on the soul, so the Banu have to be careful to control themselves as they age and become further disconnected from their humanity. Otherwise, they may find they are willing to perform truly dark acts for seemingly no reason.

Brujah

You’re family has a history of rabble rousing. Revolution is in your blood – whether it be peaceful or bloody is up to you.

Brujah is known for their incredible strength, speed, and inspiring presence, making it even easier to turn the tide in a near unwinnable battle. Whether you’re facing off against cops in a protest, or fighting against Camarilla kindred, being a Brujah means you fight oppression and tyranny in any form.

The same fire that ignites the fight for justice can also ignite the fire for destruction. Fear your own fury – if something is getting out of hand, you may want to take a step back before you do something you’ll regret later.

Gangrel

Some may say your more beast than man – and they would be correct.

The Gangrel clan is focused in their primal side. This means that they are able to transform their bodies into animals, or something reminiscent. Perhaps this means growing claws, fangs, or being able to see in the dark without issue. These make members of Gangrel fierce hunters, trackers, and fighters.

Similar to Brujah, it’s important to keep your fury and anger in check – quickly jumping to rage usually results in unintended consequences, potentially showing those monstrous teeth too early.

Hecata

The Hecata are the newest clan in the World of Darkness. The Hecata are outsiders both in their young age, but also in their pursuit of necromancy. Because of this search for knowledge and power beyond death, the Hecata face fewer troubles than that of their other Kindred allies. They do not look undead, and some do not even require blood or flesh to survive.

The worst part of being part of the Hecata clan is the beginning. While their latter undead lives are often immensely powerful, the first bite in transforming into a Vampire is immensely painful. This leads to less accessibility to willing prey in the world.

Lasombra

The Lasombra is a twisted clan. Having hidden inside dominate religions, the Lasombra look for those who have faced trauma and been made stronger by it. Those who they deem worthy are turned – others are merely killed. Lasombra are Darwinian in their turning process – they believe that only the strongest should be given the chance at undeath.

The one key thing working against the Lasombra is that with all their time absorbing religious knowledge, they took on the banes that the stories gave them. Reflections and recordings immediately give away a Lasombra for what they truly are – an easy target for vampire hunters everywhere.

Malkavians

The Malkavian family is… peculiar. They are known for they powers of precognition, otherworldly knowledge. They are also known for being… out there. Heads in the clouds, making patterns out of nothing, seeing things that aren’t there.

Or, is there something to the madness?

The curse of being a Malkavian truly is madness. Malkavians are independent from reality – but that is where their power is drawn from.

Ministry

The Ministry is a unique clan, devoting itself to the divine. Members of the Ministry believe they are connected to the Egyptian god Set. It is through the teachings of Set that the Ministry instructs their members to rid themselves of the chains of tyranny to live their own lives.

The biggest challenge the Ministry faces is their aversion to light of all kinds – natural light or artificial light makes members of the Ministry flinch in fear. Be careful how much you expose yourself, or you may find that your fear takes over.

Nosferatu

Ah, the dearly neglected Nosferatu. The once mortal turned to terrifying beast. Hiding in the shadows, the Nosferatu are the hive mind of the Vampire community. They are able to sneak in anywhere, hoard any information they need, then get out without anybody knowing a thing.

While Nosferatu’s are great spies, thieves, and information gatherers, there is a reason they hide in the shadows. Nosferatu are truly terrifying looking creatures. They aren’t going to win any beauty pageants, so be ready to be hide whenever your landlord comes by to pick up your rent for the month.

Ravnos

The Ravnos are the masters of deception, misdirection, and all around roguishness. They are known to be assassins, daredevils, or even… travel agents (devilish, I know). Ravnos members are fast, sneaky, and witty if necessary, making them great operatives in the field.

The biggest difficulty that Ravnos members face is that they can’t stay in one place for too long. Ravnos members must have a haven, but it cannot be stationary. Perhaps its a vehicle of some kind, or multiple locations set-up around their domain. Otherwise… get ready to feel the fire from within.

Salubri

The Salubri is not much of a clan anymore. More of an experiment than anything else, the Salubri are powerful individuals who hold magical potential within their whole being. This makes them masters of precognition and wisdom seeking – especially with the help of their third eye on the center of their forehead.

The trouble with Salubri is that their magical essence makes them prime targets for clans like Tremere to kill and use as components in blood magic. The remaining Salubri are constantly hunted, never having a moment of rest. A strong Salubri knows where to make allies, and when to run.

Toreador

The drama queens. The Toreador’s are the life of every party, whether they be the host or the talent. Toreador Kindred are often members of the artistic community, and are very good at what they do. This may have to do with genuine talent, or because of Toreador kindred’s ability to change how people perceive them.

The biggest challenge that Toreador’s face – ugliness. They can’t stand it.

Like I said – drama queens.

Tremere

The ancient sorcerers of times before, the Tremere are the blood arcanists. Casting blood magic is a obscure and strange art, but it is immensely powerful. For this reason, the Tremere clan has kept these magics secret from the rest of the Vampire community.

However, this secrecy has led to it’s own tragedy. After the Second Inquisition nearly wiped out the whole Tremere community in Vienna, the Tremere community is still reeling. Thus, the act of producing blood bonds between Kindred has been forbidden for the sake of protecting the whole clan. One little slip, and the whole community could fall apart.

Tzimisce

The Tzimisce is something truly alien. They appear polite, gentle at first glance, but there is something much more evil hidden away. Tzimisce are sadists at heart, and take no greater pleasure than to make others suffer slowly and painfully. To be Tzimisce is to abandon your humanity for something greater. Your mortal body was just a lesser form – you are now a truly ascendant creature. It’s way more important to understand what it means to be a Vampire than it is to understand your relation to humanity.

Do keep in mind: since Tzimisce are interested in expanding what it means to be a Vampire, they have a stationary base of operations where all their ‘experiments’ take place. For Tzimisce, home is where the heart is.

Ventrue

The goody-two shoes. The kings and queens of the Vampire world, the Ventrue love the way things are – whatever that way is. They don’t like to ask questions, instead looking for ways to gain more and more influence in their domain. Ventrue are coat chasers by nature, and are aided by their ability to strike fear or praise from those around them, or control mortal minds.

These figures are often very influential, and thus are very picky in their feeding choices. Make sure you don’t deviate from your preferred type of target, or you might end up throwing up your food.

Caitiff

The outcast Kindred, the Caitiff no longer belong to any kind of family or clan. They are lone wolves, trying to survive on their own, without the help of any clan. The Caitiff may be ostracized by the Kindred community, or might have been bitten by someone who was not of the formal clans. Whatever the case, you are a truly unique Vampire, able to take some abilities from nearly anywhere – which makes you a very dangerous creature to leave alive. Watch for other kindred who may be interested in stabbing you in the back.

Thin-Blooded

The new children of Kindred, the Thin-Blooded, are the youngest in the Vampire community. Their ties to other clans are usually artificial or at least limited. Since they do not have enough power to do the same things as full fledged Vampires, Thin-Blooded Kindred are seen more as failed experiments.

However, this is not to say that Thin-Bloods are useless or powerless. Thin-Blooded kindred are very adept blood alchemists, able to summon great powers from elixirs and potions.

Don’t underestimate a Thin-Blooded backed into a corner – you never know what they are capable of.