Banu Haqim

The Judges of the Banu Haqim are torn between their hereditary thirst and their passion for justice. The Judges have long set themselves apart from Kindred society to better deliver their soul stealing capital punishments. That is about to change. A schism divides the clan between followers of the newly awoken methuselah, Ur-Shulgi, and the Islamic Warriors and Viziers embraced long after the clan abandoned their merciless blood worship. Alamut — the Children's hidden base of operations somewhere in Afghanistan has fallen entirely to the blood cultists, who prepare to deliver their judgment on their kin, and most sensible Haqimites are now exiles fleeing their old home. The majority of these have joined the faithful sect of Muslim Kindred: the Ashirra, or are seeking asylum and full membership in the sect’s western counterpart the Camarilla.
Whether they are cultists or warriors for justice, all Children of Haqim adhere to a strict code of some kind, be it Ur-Shulgi’s blood laws, a personal vendetta, the American constitution, some obscure variant of Islamic law or even postmodern theories of oppression. But no vampire is free of self-interest. The uncomfortable truth is that the Children hide their uncontrollable lust for diablerie behind a strict idea of right and wrong. To the Judges someone is always guilty. And the guilty must be punished, their souls sucked out through their arteries to make the Judge stronger in preparation for the next justified murder.
The Banu Haqim include a diverse array of hunters, judges, and killers. Though the clan’s focus on judgment frequently manifests in the act of dealing death, the mortals Embraced into the clan are as often qadis, strategists, and law students as they are bounty hunters, soldiers, police officers and trained assassins. The clan’s geographical ties likewise make most of the members embraced between 600 C.E. and the early 20th century of one of the denominations of Islamic belief. Older Banu Haqim tend to worship the Blood over any mortal faith. Young members of the clan hail from any place or culture in the world, and while some convert to Islam after their death, most modern Haqimites keep the faith of their breathing days and are respected for it.
In modern nights, Banu Haqim target mortals capable of assessing and handling threats, enforcing law and tradition through force of personality or skill, and of course, killers who would contribute to the clan’s aims. The Banu Haqim keep a look out for war veterans, especially those disgraced or wounded in war. They offer them immortality, a chance at redemption, and purpose. Such mortals become prized neonates.
The Banu Haqim are more than a clan of murderers descended from al-Ḥashāshīn, though they have adopted many practices from that mortal sect. The Viziers and Warriors of the clan descend from different broods of Haqim. Each feels compelled to Embrace different mortals, with the Warriors tending toward the martially inclined, while the Viziers drain and turn those with political and legal power. The connection between the two is law. Banu Haqim within the Ashirra and Camarilla strive to maintain and enforce law, making their choice of prospective fledglings critical.
Disciplines:
1. Blood Sorcery: The power to poison vitae and use the Blood as a weapon against others, as well as sifting truth through the manipulation of Blood. The Banu Haqim keep the secrets of their Blood Sorcery close. The warriors of the clan typically pursue a form of blood magic known as Quietus that provides its practitioners murderous abilities, while viziers delve into versatile ritual aspects, gleaning secrets from their Blood and others’.
2. Celerity: The ability to move and react quicker than humanly possible. The Children of Haqim use Celerity to terrifying effect. Many are skilled in its use before all other Disciplines, to rely on speed of judgment before doubt can slow a blade to the throat. Hesitation leads to a vampire’s demise. When feeding, the Banu Haqim dance a dervish of drinking from their favored vessels, darting in and drinking their fill before disappearing as quickly as they appeared.
3. Obfuscate: The ability to melt into shadows, craft an illusory appearance, or fade from plain sight. The Banu Haqim stalk their prey clad in shadow, whether as a means to feed discreetly or deliver final death to a target without ceremony of formal challenge. Some Banu Haqim utilize this Discipline to witness a target committing a crime, before delivering judgment.
Clan Bane:
Banu Haqim are drawn to feed from those deserving punishment. This is especially true for vampire Blood, the very essence of transgression. When one of the Judges tastes the Blood of another Cainite, they find it very hard to stop. Slaking at least one Hunger level with vampiric vitae provokes a Hunger Frenzy test (See Core Rules p. 220) at a Difficulty 2 + Bane Severity. If the test is failed they attempt to gorge themselves on vampire Blood, sometimes until they diablerize their Kindred victim. This presents many problems as the Banu Haqim integrate with the Camarilla, who tend to see the Amaranth as anathema.