Tismanu
You have the strength to overcome the wild evils lurking outside these walls, unless you surrender it to them
The Tismanu are the hands and voices of The Ordo Dracul’s Damned faith, and holy traitors against the blessed authority of the papacy. They are agents of atonement for the Dragons, bred from the righteous philosophy of Wallachia’s Christian churches and the bloodthirsty brutality of Dracula’s crusaders. Were it not for the historical and supernatural ties that bind them to The Ordo Dracul, they would surely be in league with The Lancea Sanctum tonight.
Whereas The Lancea Sanctum takes its lead from Catholic Christian traditions, the pious Kindred known as “Dragon Monks” follow a variation on Eastern Orthodox beliefs. They are a niche subculture born from the unique intersection of Orthodox Christianity, the spirituality of Slavic and Dacian peasants and the faith-shaking truth of vampirism. Thus, the Tismanu are considered to be, foremost, Kindred of a particular philosophical bent, rather than a lineage or familial line — though they are that, too, in the manner that vampires measure such things. In cities where word of the Dragon Monks has arrived in stories and legends of other domains, but no Tismanu vampires are actually present, the moniker of “Dragon Monk” is sometimes misattributed to any priestly Dragon who withdraws himself from the politics and societal scheming of the larger covenant to maintain an introspective, monkish existence. Strictly speaking, however, only those Kindred who study in the remote and historic monasteries of Romania, Greece and the Czech Republic — or under the direct tutelage of a Tismanu Avus — can change their blood into that of the true Tismanu.
The earliest Tismanu were pious contemplatives struggling to civilize and soothe the Kindred of the surrounding lands — especially themselves. They had little organization in those nights, and existed mostly as pairs of elder and younger vampires on the lookout for troubled Kindred to house, heal and enlighten. In the long absences between vampiric visits, the Tismanu quietly fed from mortal monks — some of whom even knew the true nature of the Tismanu, but kept their secrets to honor the pious efforts of hopeful monsters, like monastic blood dolls. Some Tismanu still maintain similar relationships with such mortal monks; it is a violation of the Masquerade, to be sure, but one that has been going on for centuries in one the most isolated corners of Europe without disaster.
In the decades before Dracula’s damnation, the Tismanu were hardly known to most Kindred. They had little or no contact with mainstream Kindred society in those nights; the Prince of Bucharest at the time is said to have denied their existence as “a legend of peasants, undead or not.” That small number of vampires who spent nights in the care of the Tismanu — often hiding from the threats and intrigue of the city — did little to publicize the efforts of their reclusive Allies. The Tismanu didn’t want their refuges to be spoiled by careless vampires, and the Tismanu’s refugees wanted to keep their Allies to themselves.
Even the name “Tismanu” is a fairly recent development. For decades, the so-called vampire monks of Carpathia had no name for themselves. For a time, it seemed that Kindred historians had neither recognized them as a bloodline nor even as a common philosophy. Though one Tismanu taught another, who taught another and so on, the line of tutelage was never well-recorded or remembered, it seems. The blood of the Tismanu spread throughout Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia without much fanfare or historical impact. Those who know the Tismanu hardly find this surprising — they do not think of themselves in the same way they think of others. While the first of the undead monks that would become the Tismanu were helping to record the history of Dracula and his land, their own story was going unwritten.
While in Dracula’s time it seems that the Tismanu had no name for themselves, later centuries would find them with a surplus. For a time in the 19th century, when the history of the Dragon Monks was gaining popularity with The Ordo Dracul as a tale of dedication in the dark years before the formation of the covenant, the Tismanu were known as Snagovians, after the monastery of Snagov, near Bucharest, where mortal history records that Dracula was buried. This name stuck for a few years among The Ordo Dracul due almost solely to Dracula’s celebrity and Snagov’s historic reputation. At least one Tismanu lurked in the tiny monastery of Snagov well into the 1900s, but the Tismanu have no other connection to that place.
By the 1920s, the Snagovian name had also fallen out of favor among the Dragons. Those who used it were considered to have fallen for a kind of popular misconception by learned and elitist Dragon academics. During this time, however, the Kindred who would become the Tismanu were spoken of much more often than they were encountered. Dragons throughout Europe talked about “Dracula’s monks,” but they had little real importance in the covenant. In truth, most Dragons considered them to be some sort of nobly backward, religious bumpkins — they were trivia, spoken about around the local chapter house as a means of seeming important.
Late in the 1930s, however, a few of the Tismanu were persuaded by a Parisian Dragon to transplant themselves to cities in western Europe and America. The spiritual aid and timeless insight of the Dragon Monks, it was thought, could bring special comfort to new Kindred of the Order who found themselves unable to appreciate the history and mysticism of the covenant in the face of the modern age. Within a few decades, the Tismanu had developed new ways of doing things. Quaint new monasteries, paid for by wealthy Dragons, were built in Canada, the United States, Scotland and Germany to house Tismanu coteries. The number of Kindred practicing the bloodline’s unique Discipline is estimated to have doubled from 1940 to 1975 — an astonishing growth for the undead.
Yet the Tismanu are by no means commonplace. A census-taker working on behalf of the Prince of Prague concluded that six Tismanu vampires resided in his city, giving it the largest population of Tismanu vampires in the world, by the covenant’s reckoning. In most cities where the Dragon Monks reside at all, one Tismanu Mentor and one Tismanu pupil is more likely. The Tismanu desire privacy, refuge and a withdrawn location suitable for contemplation. Few cities can offer locations that meet the Tismanu standards for remoteness.
It is far more likely, however, that the Tismanu who supposedly conversed with Dracula “over 10 nights, years apart” never revealed his true nature to the Wallachian ruler. The exact era of these meetings is uncertain, but some Tismanu believe the meetings must have occurred prior to the construction of the monastery at Tirgsor, which was a gift from Dracula to the monks he so cherished. In its night, Tirgsor was supposedly Haven to four Tismanu, who slept in underground cells dug specifically to house creatures of their kind.
Again, the rumors are extremely suspect. In Rites of the Dragon, Dracula makes it clear that he did not consider vampires to be real until he was cursed to join their ranks. Therefore, it is doubtful that he knowingly bestowed gifts on vampires when he was mortal.
What is commonly accepted, however, is that Dracula respected the efforts and enlightenment of the Tismanu during his nights as a vampire in Romania. It seems that the Impaler’s appreciation of the clergy did not die with him. Two of the eldest Tismanu in modern Romania claim to have met Dracula, and one supposedly still keeps a letter written by him. These tales, coupled with Dracula’s recorded historical appreciation for monks and their ilk, makes the Tismanu prized members of The Ordo Dracul.
The Tismanu perform essentially the same services for common Kindred. In addition, they strive to create safe refuges where vampires can recover from the wounds inflicted by a harsh world and better resist the strenuous pull of the Beast. Dragon Monks believe it is their eternal duty to make the Requiems of other Kindred easier, to guide other vampires toward an existence free of turmoil and spiritual strife. In the harsh and unwelcoming night of the World of Darkness, this goal seems unobtainable, and the Tismanu see that. Unable to save the world or their own souls, they work to save individual nights from descending into chaos and avoidable evil.
If a Tismanu can bring serenity to another vampire, he is succeeding in his philosophy. When a Tismanu has helped another Kindred attain the personal awareness and insight necessary to change himself — such as by learning The Coils of the Dragon — the Tismanu betters himself as well.
The evil of the world cannot be stopped, but it can be kept at bay. The evil acts that define Kindred existence cannot be ignored, but they can be minimized. The evil in a monster’s heart cannot be denied, but it can be put to good use.
Surely, in time, the locations of these monasteries will be common knowledge, but the Dragon Monks want that knowledge to spread through genuine need and generosity. Kindred on the run are welcome at these monasteries, but the Tismanu do not grant true sanctuary. If Hounds come looking for a refugee, the Tismanu do not stand in the way.
The following monasteries are only some examples of those kept by the Tismanu.
Whereas The Lancea Sanctum takes its lead from Catholic Christian traditions, the pious Kindred known as “Dragon Monks” follow a variation on Eastern Orthodox beliefs. They are a niche subculture born from the unique intersection of Orthodox Christianity, the spirituality of Slavic and Dacian peasants and the faith-shaking truth of vampirism. Thus, the Tismanu are considered to be, foremost, Kindred of a particular philosophical bent, rather than a lineage or familial line — though they are that, too, in the manner that vampires measure such things. In cities where word of the Dragon Monks has arrived in stories and legends of other domains, but no Tismanu vampires are actually present, the moniker of “Dragon Monk” is sometimes misattributed to any priestly Dragon who withdraws himself from the politics and societal scheming of the larger covenant to maintain an introspective, monkish existence. Strictly speaking, however, only those Kindred who study in the remote and historic monasteries of Romania, Greece and the Czech Republic — or under the direct tutelage of a Tismanu Avus — can change their blood into that of the true Tismanu.
Older Than the Dragon Himself
The Tismanu were a bloodline back when Dracula was mortal. Kindred of this lineage had already settled into sunless, monastic cells in Wallachia when Dracula was just a child. Thus, it is said that the loyalty of the Tismanu belongs to God, first and The Ordo Dracul, second.The earliest Tismanu were pious contemplatives struggling to civilize and soothe the Kindred of the surrounding lands — especially themselves. They had little organization in those nights, and existed mostly as pairs of elder and younger vampires on the lookout for troubled Kindred to house, heal and enlighten. In the long absences between vampiric visits, the Tismanu quietly fed from mortal monks — some of whom even knew the true nature of the Tismanu, but kept their secrets to honor the pious efforts of hopeful monsters, like monastic blood dolls. Some Tismanu still maintain similar relationships with such mortal monks; it is a violation of the Masquerade, to be sure, but one that has been going on for centuries in one the most isolated corners of Europe without disaster.
In the decades before Dracula’s damnation, the Tismanu were hardly known to most Kindred. They had little or no contact with mainstream Kindred society in those nights; the Prince of Bucharest at the time is said to have denied their existence as “a legend of peasants, undead or not.” That small number of vampires who spent nights in the care of the Tismanu — often hiding from the threats and intrigue of the city — did little to publicize the efforts of their reclusive Allies. The Tismanu didn’t want their refuges to be spoiled by careless vampires, and the Tismanu’s refugees wanted to keep their Allies to themselves.
Origin and History of the Tismanu
The name “Tismanu” almost certainly comes from the name of a monastery in western Wallachia, called Tismana. Little physical evidence exists, however, to suggest that the monastery is actually a site of historical importance to the Tismanu. Although the oral history of the Tismanu suggests that the first vampire to change his Blood into that of the modern Tismanu first manifested the bloodline’s unique supernatural powers in a remote monastery of eastern Europe, the eldest existing Tismanu uphold that the monastery was located in Transylvania, not Wallachia.Even the name “Tismanu” is a fairly recent development. For decades, the so-called vampire monks of Carpathia had no name for themselves. For a time, it seemed that Kindred historians had neither recognized them as a bloodline nor even as a common philosophy. Though one Tismanu taught another, who taught another and so on, the line of tutelage was never well-recorded or remembered, it seems. The blood of the Tismanu spread throughout Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia without much fanfare or historical impact. Those who know the Tismanu hardly find this surprising — they do not think of themselves in the same way they think of others. While the first of the undead monks that would become the Tismanu were helping to record the history of Dracula and his land, their own story was going unwritten.
While in Dracula’s time it seems that the Tismanu had no name for themselves, later centuries would find them with a surplus. For a time in the 19th century, when the history of the Dragon Monks was gaining popularity with The Ordo Dracul as a tale of dedication in the dark years before the formation of the covenant, the Tismanu were known as Snagovians, after the monastery of Snagov, near Bucharest, where mortal history records that Dracula was buried. This name stuck for a few years among The Ordo Dracul due almost solely to Dracula’s celebrity and Snagov’s historic reputation. At least one Tismanu lurked in the tiny monastery of Snagov well into the 1900s, but the Tismanu have no other connection to that place.
By the 1920s, the Snagovian name had also fallen out of favor among the Dragons. Those who used it were considered to have fallen for a kind of popular misconception by learned and elitist Dragon academics. During this time, however, the Kindred who would become the Tismanu were spoken of much more often than they were encountered. Dragons throughout Europe talked about “Dracula’s monks,” but they had little real importance in the covenant. In truth, most Dragons considered them to be some sort of nobly backward, religious bumpkins — they were trivia, spoken about around the local chapter house as a means of seeming important.
Late in the 1930s, however, a few of the Tismanu were persuaded by a Parisian Dragon to transplant themselves to cities in western Europe and America. The spiritual aid and timeless insight of the Dragon Monks, it was thought, could bring special comfort to new Kindred of the Order who found themselves unable to appreciate the history and mysticism of the covenant in the face of the modern age. Within a few decades, the Tismanu had developed new ways of doing things. Quaint new monasteries, paid for by wealthy Dragons, were built in Canada, the United States, Scotland and Germany to house Tismanu coteries. The number of Kindred practicing the bloodline’s unique Discipline is estimated to have doubled from 1940 to 1975 — an astonishing growth for the undead.
Yet the Tismanu are by no means commonplace. A census-taker working on behalf of the Prince of Prague concluded that six Tismanu vampires resided in his city, giving it the largest population of Tismanu vampires in the world, by the covenant’s reckoning. In most cities where the Dragon Monks reside at all, one Tismanu Mentor and one Tismanu pupil is more likely. The Tismanu desire privacy, refuge and a withdrawn location suitable for contemplation. Few cities can offer locations that meet the Tismanu standards for remoteness.
Dracula’s Favorites
One legend told by the Tismanu — and quite popular among the Kindred of The Ordo Dracul — claims that Dracula himself consulted with a Tismanu vampire in the Impaler’s mortal years. If the supposition that Dracula struggled with his Beast even before his damnation is to be believed, the Tismanu legend does not seem so unlikely. Perhaps the Impaler took comfort in knowing that even cursed monsters such as the Kindred could find solace and wisdom despite their bloody ways.It is far more likely, however, that the Tismanu who supposedly conversed with Dracula “over 10 nights, years apart” never revealed his true nature to the Wallachian ruler. The exact era of these meetings is uncertain, but some Tismanu believe the meetings must have occurred prior to the construction of the monastery at Tirgsor, which was a gift from Dracula to the monks he so cherished. In its night, Tirgsor was supposedly Haven to four Tismanu, who slept in underground cells dug specifically to house creatures of their kind.
Again, the rumors are extremely suspect. In Rites of the Dragon, Dracula makes it clear that he did not consider vampires to be real until he was cursed to join their ranks. Therefore, it is doubtful that he knowingly bestowed gifts on vampires when he was mortal.
What is commonly accepted, however, is that Dracula respected the efforts and enlightenment of the Tismanu during his nights as a vampire in Romania. It seems that the Impaler’s appreciation of the clergy did not die with him. Two of the eldest Tismanu in modern Romania claim to have met Dracula, and one supposedly still keeps a letter written by him. These tales, coupled with Dracula’s recorded historical appreciation for monks and their ilk, makes the Tismanu prized members of The Ordo Dracul.
Philosophy
Tismanu philosophy reflects the beliefs of the Orthodox priests who ministered to the peasants of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia during the Middle Ages. Although many folk remedies exist to combat the spells, hexes and curses of witches and mages across the land, only the holy efforts of the Church are to be trusted. It is the Priest’s duty to exorcize demons, break enchantments and protect common people from supernatural threats.The Tismanu perform essentially the same services for common Kindred. In addition, they strive to create safe refuges where vampires can recover from the wounds inflicted by a harsh world and better resist the strenuous pull of the Beast. Dragon Monks believe it is their eternal duty to make the Requiems of other Kindred easier, to guide other vampires toward an existence free of turmoil and spiritual strife. In the harsh and unwelcoming night of the World of Darkness, this goal seems unobtainable, and the Tismanu see that. Unable to save the world or their own souls, they work to save individual nights from descending into chaos and avoidable evil.
If a Tismanu can bring serenity to another vampire, he is succeeding in his philosophy. When a Tismanu has helped another Kindred attain the personal awareness and insight necessary to change himself — such as by learning The Coils of the Dragon — the Tismanu betters himself as well.
The evil of the world cannot be stopped, but it can be kept at bay. The evil acts that define Kindred existence cannot be ignored, but they can be minimized. The evil in a monster’s heart cannot be denied, but it can be put to good use.
Monasteries of the Tismanu
The Tismanu maintain a number of monasteries across the World of Darkness. Some are open only to Kindred of The Ordo Dracul, others are open to all Kindred. The locations of Tismanu monasteries are not common knowledge, however, and are not meant to be. The Tismanu insist that every Kindred who knows a monastery’s location is permitted to tell just one other vampire — ever.Surely, in time, the locations of these monasteries will be common knowledge, but the Dragon Monks want that knowledge to spread through genuine need and generosity. Kindred on the run are welcome at these monasteries, but the Tismanu do not grant true sanctuary. If Hounds come looking for a refugee, the Tismanu do not stand in the way.
The following monasteries are only some examples of those kept by the Tismanu.
Carpathian Ruins
This ruined, stone retreat lays piled in a crack in the green mountainside like forgotten scree. From the outside, it’s hardly possible to recognize that these stacks of stone blocks were once a building. Behind the rubble and weeds, however, a series of rooms stretch deep into the black depths of mountain, and it is there that the Tismanu sleep and store their religious texts. Very few visitors come to a monastery of this sort — a mere handful every 10 or 15 years. The Tismanu keep it primarily for themselves, to study with mentors or lay in Torpor to calm their blood. Inside, the monastery is adorned with a few simple candles (evidence of their formidable calm) and a great, gold cross.Hidden Prague
In the heart of a nondescript brick building near the riverbank in Prague, there is a windowless, stone bunker. The building is owned by the ghoul of a Dragon Architect, but the chamber within belongs to a Tismanu. Only a few of the local Kindred in The Ordo Dracul know of its existence, and non-Dragons are forbidden to go there. It is a refuge for Dragons in trouble and a meeting place for secret covenant ceremonies. Though, architecturally, it is little more than a concrete cube, the space inside this modern monastery has been dressed like an Orthodox church. The massive iron door that blocks the sole entrance to the retreat is featureless from the outside — only the Dragon Monk inside can open it.Philadelphian Refuge
Tucked between two warehouses on the edge of downtown Philadelphia is a shabby house-turned-church. By day, it is a functioning Greek Orthodox church, staffed with volunteers who know nothing about its secret cellar. By day, a Tismanu sleeps below. At night, when the warehouses are empty and the volunteers have gone, the church opens to Kindred of all clans and all covenants. It serves as a kind of Elysium, but the resident Dragon Monk also maintains three private Meditation cells (each granting a +2 Equipment bonus to Meditation dice pools) and a communal Haven in the basement, where Kindred are welcome to sleep but forbidden to speak. For those Dragons versed in the third Coil of the Beast, these rooms can also be locked tight and used to Exhaust the Beast.Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Background: Though the Mekhet who become Tismanu come from all walks of mortal life, a rarer Requiem leads them to the bloodline. For centuries, all Tismanu were male vampires of the Mekhet clan born as mortals in eastern Europe and cursed to undeath by local vampires. Until the 19th century, only a handful of the few Tismanu in existence had ever dwelled farther from the Carpathians than Prague or Athens. Late in the 1930s, when leaders within The Ordo Dracul convinced a few Tismanu to transplant themselves to Paris, London and New York so that their ways could be introduced to new generations of Dragons, the ranks of the Tismanu began to change.
Tonight, a few female vampires and a scant assortment of non-Europeans have become Tismanu. Most of these exceptional Dragon Monks dwell in North America, but female Tismanu have become more common in Europe, as well (insofar as a subset of a small, niche tradition can be considered common). These modern Tismanu still study beneath the wisdom of elder Dragon Monks, however. For now, the Tismanu still observe the centuries-old tradition that only Dragon Monks who have themselves slept and studied in the line’s historic monasteries may fulfill the duties of an Avus.
Despite the expanding ethnic and gender characteristics of the bloodline, the philosophical make-up of the Tismanu population has gone largely unchanged for hundreds of years. Dragon Monks seek to find peace in their own madness, to steel themselves against the ferocity of the Beast and protect other vampires from the perils of their own damnation. Tismanu Kindred are calmly compassionate and traditionally minded, almost without exception; these Dragon Monks seek to foster relief and create refuges of peace in a world of violence and fear. Those Tismanu who do not feel this way tonight have likely changed from the supportive and settled creatures they once were.
Tonight, a few female vampires and a scant assortment of non-Europeans have become Tismanu. Most of these exceptional Dragon Monks dwell in North America, but female Tismanu have become more common in Europe, as well (insofar as a subset of a small, niche tradition can be considered common). These modern Tismanu still study beneath the wisdom of elder Dragon Monks, however. For now, the Tismanu still observe the centuries-old tradition that only Dragon Monks who have themselves slept and studied in the line’s historic monasteries may fulfill the duties of an Avus.
Despite the expanding ethnic and gender characteristics of the bloodline, the philosophical make-up of the Tismanu population has gone largely unchanged for hundreds of years. Dragon Monks seek to find peace in their own madness, to steel themselves against the ferocity of the Beast and protect other vampires from the perils of their own damnation. Tismanu Kindred are calmly compassionate and traditionally minded, almost without exception; these Dragon Monks seek to foster relief and create refuges of peace in a world of violence and fear. Those Tismanu who do not feel this way tonight have likely changed from the supportive and settled creatures they once were.
Common Dress code
Appearance: The eldest Tismanu were medieval Slavic and Greek mortals who took on the chasuble of the Orthodox church either in life or in undeath. Most lived long lives before being Embraced. To this night, the majority of Tismanu are elderly, white men with full beards and uncut hair. Most keep formal, Orthodox religious garb for covenant functions (or even for every-night wear) and favor old-fashioned clothing, from colorful, peasant sweaters to simple, black slacks and suspenders.
Art & Architecture
Haven: Dracula’s Monks sleep in places rich in covenant history, places cramped with Christian iconography, and places steeped in the memorabilia of violent piety — sites with medieval battle memorials or tombs from antiquity, for example. They favor private holy sites (like historic monasteries “owned” by wealthy Dragons or protected by trusts set up by the Order), dark and remote ruins (like forgotten catacombs and collapsed abbeys), and specially constructed, modern havens built as gifts for the eldest Monks by reverent Dragons. (One Tismanu resides in a windowless penthouse retreat in Prague, where he serves as an advisor and counselor for Kogaions of central Europe.) Tismanu frequently, and sometimes foolishly, give the religious and historical significance of a site more weight than its security. Some of the eldest Tismanu, meanwhile, sleep in the soil beneath decrepit and abandoned chapels in the backwoods of eastern Europe.
Major organizations
Covenant: All Tismanu are born of vampires loyal to The Ordo Dracul, so far as such a generalization can be made. As much as any bloodline can be devoted to any covenant, the Monks are loyal to The Ordo Dracul. Centuries of tradition have led to the common assumption that no Tismanu in the world belongs to any covenant but The Ordo Dracul. The assumption might even be true.
Despite the strength of their link to the Order, Tismanu may fraternize with Sanctified without suffering Suspicion from either covenant — they are ambassadors of sorts to The Lancea Sanctum. The Sanctified seem to stereotype Dragon Monks as simple, oldfashioned and remote religious folk whose beliefs have been molded by Eastern Orthodox theology and archaic, peasant culture into a harmless oddity. More to the point, modern Catholic Sanctified are more likely to regard Tismanu as backwards than heretical. Customarily, contact between Tismanu and Sanctified vampires is kept philosophical rather than political, concerned with theological debate rather than matters of state.
By contrast, such meetings of minds don’t often occur between the “favorite monks” of The Ordo Dracul and the pagans of The Circle of the Crone. The popular worldview of the Tismanu counts Acolytes among the masses of foreign heathens to be converted or avoided — the time Dracula spent among the Acolytes is seen by the Order’s Monks as an understandable but shameful exploration of heathenism. In the eyes of the Tismanu, Acolytes are unenlightened, like the pagan peasants of old. It’s the business of The Lancea Sanctum to confront them, however; Dracula’s Monks tend only to the souls and safety of Dragons and their Allies.
This relationship with The Lancea Sanctum (and the Circle of the Crone) sometimes helps make contact between the Tismanu and The Invictus somewhat cordial. Political types among The Ordo Dracul sometimes try to stretch the hospitality offered to the Tismanu to cover Dragons as a whole. Carthians and The Unaligned are not regarded as a whole by the Tismanu, but measured one at a time according to their sins and their piety.
Organization: Strictly speaking, the hierarchy of the Dragon Monks is virtually nonexistent. Tismanu demand their peers respect and obey the bloodline’s traditional tenets, but this expectation has resulted in only a skeletal framework of internal authority. In place of their own unique hierarchy, the Tismanu operate within the social structures of The Ordo Dracul and traditional Orthodox monastic law. Because the Dragon Monks so rarely operate their own monasteries, they often hide within the societies of mortal monasteries, existing as strange nocturnal hermits or seemingly mad recluses. Within the covenant, on the other hand, the Tismanu observe rules of conduct, but never become Sworn. The mentor-student relationship is taken very seriously by Dragon Monks, however. A Tismanu without a student is considered to be wasting time.
The traditional rules the Tismanu apply to themselves are meant to interlock with those applied by the covenant and the Church. Tismanu respect the elders of the line; a Tismanu never challenges or interrupts an elder in front of non-Tismanu. Tismanu do not reveal the secrets told to them by other Kindred, except to their immediate and current Mentor. Tismanu never Embrace without the approval of an elder. Only a Tismanu who has resided for at least 10 years and one night in one of the Orthodox monasteries historically claimed by the Tismanu may induct other Kindred into the bloodline.
Despite the strength of their link to the Order, Tismanu may fraternize with Sanctified without suffering Suspicion from either covenant — they are ambassadors of sorts to The Lancea Sanctum. The Sanctified seem to stereotype Dragon Monks as simple, oldfashioned and remote religious folk whose beliefs have been molded by Eastern Orthodox theology and archaic, peasant culture into a harmless oddity. More to the point, modern Catholic Sanctified are more likely to regard Tismanu as backwards than heretical. Customarily, contact between Tismanu and Sanctified vampires is kept philosophical rather than political, concerned with theological debate rather than matters of state.
By contrast, such meetings of minds don’t often occur between the “favorite monks” of The Ordo Dracul and the pagans of The Circle of the Crone. The popular worldview of the Tismanu counts Acolytes among the masses of foreign heathens to be converted or avoided — the time Dracula spent among the Acolytes is seen by the Order’s Monks as an understandable but shameful exploration of heathenism. In the eyes of the Tismanu, Acolytes are unenlightened, like the pagan peasants of old. It’s the business of The Lancea Sanctum to confront them, however; Dracula’s Monks tend only to the souls and safety of Dragons and their Allies.
This relationship with The Lancea Sanctum (and the Circle of the Crone) sometimes helps make contact between the Tismanu and The Invictus somewhat cordial. Political types among The Ordo Dracul sometimes try to stretch the hospitality offered to the Tismanu to cover Dragons as a whole. Carthians and The Unaligned are not regarded as a whole by the Tismanu, but measured one at a time according to their sins and their piety.
Organization: Strictly speaking, the hierarchy of the Dragon Monks is virtually nonexistent. Tismanu demand their peers respect and obey the bloodline’s traditional tenets, but this expectation has resulted in only a skeletal framework of internal authority. In place of their own unique hierarchy, the Tismanu operate within the social structures of The Ordo Dracul and traditional Orthodox monastic law. Because the Dragon Monks so rarely operate their own monasteries, they often hide within the societies of mortal monasteries, existing as strange nocturnal hermits or seemingly mad recluses. Within the covenant, on the other hand, the Tismanu observe rules of conduct, but never become Sworn. The mentor-student relationship is taken very seriously by Dragon Monks, however. A Tismanu without a student is considered to be wasting time.
The traditional rules the Tismanu apply to themselves are meant to interlock with those applied by the covenant and the Church. Tismanu respect the elders of the line; a Tismanu never challenges or interrupts an elder in front of non-Tismanu. Tismanu do not reveal the secrets told to them by other Kindred, except to their immediate and current Mentor. Tismanu never Embrace without the approval of an elder. Only a Tismanu who has resided for at least 10 years and one night in one of the Orthodox monasteries historically claimed by the Tismanu may induct other Kindred into the bloodline.
Nickname: Traditionally, Monks, but in territories where the Lancea Sanctum holds power, or the nickname is already in use, they are sometimes called Dracula’s Abbots or Dragon Monks.
Character Creation: Although they have a reputation as reclusive philosophers and holy men, the Tismanu often favor Social attributes rather than Mental. They are a gregarious, helpful people and, though they are no sort of missionary or evangelist, the most important benefits they offer to other Kindred are delivered with emotional insight, a generous ear or firmly encouraging words. Social Skills are also most favored by the Dragon Monks, who rely on Persuasion and Empathy when providing emotional (and supernatural) aid.
The remote, protected monasteries that have traditionally housed the Tismanu might be represented with the Haven Merit, but most monasteries that house Tismanu are not truly the property of the vampires themselves. Rather, Tismanu tend to maintains havens within a larger monastery or on its grounds — whether local mortal monks know he is a strigoi or not. Tismanu do not customarily take vows of poverty (though individual Tismanu might), yet they place very little value on their own wealth. Likewise,the Dragon Monks remain as neutral as possible, politically. Merits such as Resources, Retainer and City Status are uncommon among these Kindred. Allies, Contacts and Covenant Status are actually fairly common, however — The Ordo Dracul respects and protects these historic vampires.
The Tismanu practice a unique Discipline called Eupraxia. Knowledge of its mystic blessings and spiritual power is considered the real mark of a true Tismanu. A Kindred who studies with Dracula’s Abbots but cannot muster the powers of Eupraxia is just another monk.
Bloodline Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Eupraxia, Majesty
Weakness: Like all Kindred of Mekhet blood, Tismanu suffer the pains of light and fire more severely than other vampires. Whenever Tismanu suffer damage from sunlight or fire, they take an additional point of aggravated damage from that source (see p. 172 of Vampire: The Requiem).
Tismanu vampires must not only retreat from fire and the sun, but from the outside world altogether. Tismanu must seclude themselves from other creatures to meditate upon their own selves and maintain their own resolve. A Tismanu vampire must keep a Haven of his own specifically for this purpose. In game terms, a Tismanu must have a number of dots in the Haven Merit equal to or greater than his Blood Potency. These dots cannot be part of a communal Haven, though they may be spread across Haven Size, Location or Security in any combination, so long as the necessary number of dots applies to a private Haven of the Tismanu’s.
If a Tismanu sleeps anywhere but his own Haven, or his Haven has an insufficient number of dots in the Haven Merit, he becomes unsettled, nervous, anxious and skittish. Each day a Tismanu spends away from his private Haven imposes a -2 penalty to the dice pools of all non-reflexive actions the character attempts (to a maximum penalty of -5). Once the Tismanu has spent at least one day asleep in his own Haven, these penalties disappear.
Concepts: Ambassador to heathens, covenant counselor, exorcist, lore master, medieval historian, preacher to peasants, protector of refugees, repentant sinner, spiritual advisor, spy among the Sanctified, treasure-keeper.
Parent ethnicities
The remote, protected monasteries that have traditionally housed the Tismanu might be represented with the Haven Merit, but most monasteries that house Tismanu are not truly the property of the vampires themselves. Rather, Tismanu tend to maintains havens within a larger monastery or on its grounds — whether local mortal monks know he is a strigoi or not. Tismanu do not customarily take vows of poverty (though individual Tismanu might), yet they place very little value on their own wealth. Likewise,the Dragon Monks remain as neutral as possible, politically. Merits such as Resources, Retainer and City Status are uncommon among these Kindred. Allies, Contacts and Covenant Status are actually fairly common, however — The Ordo Dracul respects and protects these historic vampires.
The Tismanu practice a unique Discipline called Eupraxia. Knowledge of its mystic blessings and spiritual power is considered the real mark of a true Tismanu. A Kindred who studies with Dracula’s Abbots but cannot muster the powers of Eupraxia is just another monk.
Bloodline Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Eupraxia, Majesty
Weakness: Like all Kindred of Mekhet blood, Tismanu suffer the pains of light and fire more severely than other vampires. Whenever Tismanu suffer damage from sunlight or fire, they take an additional point of aggravated damage from that source (see p. 172 of Vampire: The Requiem).
Tismanu vampires must not only retreat from fire and the sun, but from the outside world altogether. Tismanu must seclude themselves from other creatures to meditate upon their own selves and maintain their own resolve. A Tismanu vampire must keep a Haven of his own specifically for this purpose. In game terms, a Tismanu must have a number of dots in the Haven Merit equal to or greater than his Blood Potency. These dots cannot be part of a communal Haven, though they may be spread across Haven Size, Location or Security in any combination, so long as the necessary number of dots applies to a private Haven of the Tismanu’s.
If a Tismanu sleeps anywhere but his own Haven, or his Haven has an insufficient number of dots in the Haven Merit, he becomes unsettled, nervous, anxious and skittish. Each day a Tismanu spends away from his private Haven imposes a -2 penalty to the dice pools of all non-reflexive actions the character attempts (to a maximum penalty of -5). Once the Tismanu has spent at least one day asleep in his own Haven, these penalties disappear.
Concepts: Ambassador to heathens, covenant counselor, exorcist, lore master, medieval historian, preacher to peasants, protector of refugees, repentant sinner, spiritual advisor, spy among the Sanctified, treasure-keeper.
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