Black Rose

The Black Rose pulls unseem strings in the night, moving politicians and media moguls as their pawns, and they always play the long game.

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The Face of the Night

There is a popular image of the Vampire as a charming, wealthy individual who masquerades as a powerful, influent mortal. Seductive words, impeccable manners contrast with its predatory instincts and bloodlust. A silver tongue and unusual cunning for intrigue and mind games making them the perfect modern predator. For no bloodline, this is truer than for the Black Rose. And it's no coincidence that the Black Rose is the bloodline who often is most influential with the media. The Black Rose vampires are today the most influential of the bloodlines. Despite ups and downs in their domain, they have maintained themselves as a strong presence in the world since the Roman Empire, the time where the Black Rose traces the beginning of their dark lineage. Vampires of this bloodline are clever with their words, careful planners and cold-blooded schemers. Such is their gift in twisting words and playing with ideas that lying is seldom used, despite how good they are at it.

Characteristics

Turning

Relation to other Bloodlines

View on mortals

Bloodline Gifts

• Poise:A Black Rose vampire naturally exudes an aura of authority that dominates the room and make them immediately more likable and interesting than anyone else around, though that effect is subtle and will fade over time after initial exposure.

• Command:By spending some of their energy, a Black Rose vampire can infuse a single word with an air of authority which makes it difficult for mortals to resist obeying. The simpler the command, the harder it is to resist.

• Charm:While most vampires are naturally charming, Black Rose vampires can actually influence a targets mind using words alone. They can convince a mortal of a single fact and the mortal will believe it strongly. The more plausible the lie, the stronger its effect and harder it is to resist.

Bloodline Weakness

• Meek:While still stronger than mortals, Black Rose vampires are weaker physically than most of their Vampyr kin. They have less strength and resistance to mundane damage

• The Purple Bane:For some reason, lavender essence is deadly for this bloodline, being toxic in contact with their skin.

History

Origins

The Black Rose is as proud of a vampiric bloodline as they can be, and it can trace its ancestry to the earliest days of Rome. In the old republic, as the city grew in population and power, there was a renowned courtesan who had the ear of many high ranking politicians and rich patricians, and while she held no official titles, this courtesan was one of the most powerful people in the city. She wielded her influence with grace, but she still made enemies in positions of power. One night, a group of assassins stormed her villa, and they slit her throat, before butchering everyone of her servants. So her enemies were surprised when, the next gathering, she waltzed in, unharmed and lamenting the state of violence in the city. The assassins were found dead in the streets in the following nights, as were some senators suspected of having ordered the attack. Caecilia, for that, was her name, were known as the Rose of Rome. After somehow surviving the attack, she started to exclusively dress black, to honor her murdered servants, she claimed, and that, along with the stories of the fate that befall those that conspired to have her killed, earned her the title of Black Rose.

Caecilia might have not even been a real figure, but she's still regarded as the Matriarch of the Black Rose vampiric bloodline. Her story, however, is still a good shorthand to understand the Black Rose Clan. They thrive on intrigue, and while their conditions as vampires don't allow them to hold power in the mortal world directly, the Black Rose is often the shadow behind the throne. Politicians, the Media, big Pharma, and Wall Street, all have been infiltrated, enthralled by Caecilia's descendants. While most vampires are charming and cunning, the Black Rose make other clans seem socially awkward by comparison. They are diplomats, hosts and ambassadors, and they deal not just with the conventional world, but also with the secret mortal words such as the Templars and the Illuminati

Type

Geopolitical, Clan