Caitiff
“Let them hate us. At least then they’re acknowledging that we exist.” — Stoneman
Nickname: Trash
Disciplines: Caitiff choose three in-clan disciplines from the following list: Animalism, Auspex, Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Presence, or Potence
The Caitiff are not a clan. They are lumped together as outcasts, but they have no ties of lineage to one another, nor do they bear any universally distinguishing traits. On occasion, a vampire’s blood does not carry any marks of her sire’s clan. These unfortunate childer are usually abandoned, disregarded as unfit for vampire society. They are thrown out of their lineage, an embarrassment to their sires. The very appellation implies that the vampire is worthless, an outcast to the vampiric world.
Most Caitiff flit from city to city, their very existence rendered meaningless by an accident of the Embrace. As a group, Caitiff have very little in common. They may come from any walk of life; they may have been chosen specifically by their failed sires, or their Embrace might have been a complete accident. At best, they are a pale shadow, a reflection of the clan that failed to Embrace them, with little to recommend them in the halls of vampiric society. Caitiff are alone in the night.
Other vampires shun Caitiff, even those who are otherwise open-minded. Long ago, superstition claimed that Caitiff were an infection, a disease, and that spending too much time among them would cause a vampire to create a Caitiff when she next attempted to Embrace. Other rumors call the Caitiff a curse, a punishment from God, Caine, or some other eternal force. Still other, darker legends say that an abundance of Caitiff is a sign of the End Times; they are an omen that signals vampiric power is waning and the world will soon be destroyed by fire.
Organization: Caitiff have no organization, and little sense of unity. They are killed in some domains, driven out of others, and completely ignored in still more. When a Caitiff has something to offer, she is used ruthlessly by other vampires. When she is no longer useful, she is eliminated. On occasion, small groups of Caitiff band together for protection, but they are as likely to sell one another out for safety and advantage as they are to keep their alliances.
Inherent Weakness: Caitiff cannot begin play with more than 2 dots in the Generation background. Caitiff can increase their Generation through diablerie. Caitiff cannot teach their in-clan disciplines.
Clan Merits: Caitiff can purchase any of the following Caitiff-only merits.
- Auspicious (1 point merit): This merit duplicates the effects of any one general merit with a cost of 3 points or less.
- Eclipsed Blood (2 point merit): You find it easier to stay awake during the day and you take normal damage from sunlight (instead of aggravated damage).
- Vestiges of Greatness (3 point merit): You can add one of the following disciplines to your list of possible in-clan disciplines: Dementation, Protean, Serpentis, Quietus, Obtenebration, Vicissitude, or Chimerstry§.
