Ravnos
Masters of misdirection, the Rogues prefer not to fight or bleed for something they can obtain through subtler means. They can charm and vanish within the same mortal breath, and those once fooled quickly learn to question their very senses when in the company of Ravens. For that reason, Ravnos vampires seldom advertise their nature,
and once their cover is blown they are quick to make their escape. Not that they have much choice in the matter, as inexorable doom lurks in their Vitae, threatening to consume them if they ever come to rest. But as the flash-over of the supposed destruction of their progenitor burns through the clan, new generations have managed to stay a step ahead of this blood-borne conflagration and quietly re-establish the lineage.
Which isn’t to say that they’re harmless or even sympathetic, as much risk-taking requires a heart hardened to the plight of others, and more than a few Daredevils were “self-interested” even before they became blood-drinking night-haunts. Still, that makes for an easier transition, and many Ravnos Fledglings do take to the undead state with more ease than those of other clans, having already cut their ties to friends, family, and society. While the nomadic habits (and even requirements) of the clan make any kind of proper organization difficult, something like a Ravnos revival is forming, taking root among the more communal members of the clan. A complex set of signs and signals, known and taught only to members of the clan, helps them find and identify each other, as well as set up occasional gatherings to swap rumors and trade information on the state of Kindred affairs across domains. Storytelling is popular, and a mythology of sorts emerges among young Ravens in which they identify as descendants of various mythological trickster deities, going so far as to form coteries or Embrace broods devoted to one clever god or another. Lacking still-active ancestors, they make up their own, elevating their craft to divine mandate.
An increasing number of Daredevils make do on their own, or fight their curse in an attempt to settle in established domains. To avoid their curse they set up multiple havens and frequently employ an equally impressive number of mortal masks. No clan is as adept at blending in as the Ravnos, and many operate under the radar of the Kindred community of the domain, or present themselves as innocuous Caitiff. Those who do fly the colors of their heritage tend to adopt a staunchly independent position, selling their services as spies, saboteurs, and negotiators to the highest bidding sect. Few Ravens can maintain this for long, though, and most eventually find themselves packing. Whether due to an accumulation of enemies, vengeance-driven victims, or the doom seething through their very Blood, a Ravnos vampire always ends up on the run.
Which isn’t to say that they’re harmless or even sympathetic, as much risk-taking requires a heart hardened to the plight of others, and more than a few Daredevils were “self-interested” even before they became blood-drinking night-haunts. Still, that makes for an easier transition, and many Ravnos Fledglings do take to the undead state with more ease than those of other clans, having already cut their ties to friends, family, and society. While the nomadic habits (and even requirements) of the clan make any kind of proper organization difficult, something like a Ravnos revival is forming, taking root among the more communal members of the clan. A complex set of signs and signals, known and taught only to members of the clan, helps them find and identify each other, as well as set up occasional gatherings to swap rumors and trade information on the state of Kindred affairs across domains. Storytelling is popular, and a mythology of sorts emerges among young Ravens in which they identify as descendants of various mythological trickster deities, going so far as to form coteries or Embrace broods devoted to one clever god or another. Lacking still-active ancestors, they make up their own, elevating their craft to divine mandate.
An increasing number of Daredevils make do on their own, or fight their curse in an attempt to settle in established domains. To avoid their curse they set up multiple havens and frequently employ an equally impressive number of mortal masks. No clan is as adept at blending in as the Ravnos, and many operate under the radar of the Kindred community of the domain, or present themselves as innocuous Caitiff. Those who do fly the colors of their heritage tend to adopt a staunchly independent position, selling their services as spies, saboteurs, and negotiators to the highest bidding sect. Few Ravens can maintain this for long, though, and most eventually find themselves packing. Whether due to an accumulation of enemies, vengeance-driven victims, or the doom seething through their very Blood, a Ravnos vampire always ends up on the run.
Bane:
Doomed: The Ravnos are doomed. The sun’s fire that incinerated their founder rages through the Blood of the clan, erupting from their very flesh if they ever settle down for long. If they slumber in the same place more than once in seven nights, roll a number of dice equal to their Bane Severity. They receive Aggravated damage equal to the number of 10s (critical results) rolled as they scorch from within. This happens every time they spend the day in a location where they’ve already slumbered less than a week before, and applies to Ravnos in torpor as well. What constitutes a location in this regard depends on the scope of the chronicle, but unless otherwise stated, two resting places need to be
at least a mile apart to avoid triggering the Bane. Furthermore, a mobile haven, such as a movers’ truck, is safe so long as the place where the truck is parked is at least a mile from the last location. Ravnos characters cannot take the No Haven Flaw at character creation.
Variant Bane
Unbirth Name: Ravnos vampires rely on a single inviolable truth to anchor them as they ply their trade on the edge of the real: their name. Whatever name they went by at the time of their Embrace, the Tricksters take great care in hiding it, for anyone who knows this “unbirth name” gains power over them. Anyone who speaks a Ravnos’ unbirth name to their face receives a bonus equal to the Ravnos Bane Severity to resist their Discipline powers, and the Ravnos suffers an equal penalty to resist supernatural powers
used by the name-wielding opponent.Compulsions:
The vampire is driven by their Blood to court danger. Haunted as they are by righteous fire burning its way up their lineage, why not? The next time the vampire is faced with a problem to solve, any attempt at a solution short of the most daring or dangerous incurs a two-dice penalty. (Suitably flashy and risky attempts can even merit bonus dice for this occasion.) The Daredevil is free to convince any fellows to do things their way, but is just as likely to go at it alone. The Compulsion persists until the problem is solved or further attempts become impossible.
Parent ethnicities