AMPERE

By Matt Furman (mjesterf@aol.com)

Description

It was a cold day on March 11th, 1789, as the storm raged on in the newly formed American States. The sky was as black as all hell could have ever been imagined. Tate and his wife were on a buggie ride home when the horses, spooked by the thunder and lightning, and spilled the contents of the buggie, killing his wife and two children, and shattering the box of money they had just hijacked from the local town orderly. Tate was ready to die, the rain beating upon his bloody face. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, a pack of hungry wolves emerged from the surrounding trees, running at full pace toward him. However, gunfire interrupted them, sending the first wolf back quite a way. Tate was shocked to realize that this wolf had turn into a man, as the rest of them started too. It was true, werewolves did exist. The hunters and the weres fought long and hard; eventually the wolves lost out, and the remainder retreated back into the forest. The three men stood over Tate. It was then that his sire, John George, embraced him as clan Brujah. He was told the stories of his ancestry and what had just happened, and that they were called Gangrel, not werewolves, although they too did exist. Given him the proper information, the three men departed, leaving Tate to find shelter quickly before sun-up.

The storm raged long into the shadows of the night, lightning striking every minute, lighting up the sky with a tremendous glow. Tate struggled to keep going on, his wounds healing, and the first pangs of the Hunger setting in. It was when Tate thought he lost almost all hope in himself and his new found immortality, that he was struck by a lightning bolt, sending current upon current of voltage through his body, causing him massive pain; the aggravated damage was unsettling. He was ready to die again, when he realized that if he was still alive after that blow, he could go on. And so, with what little blood he had, he healed some of his wounds, killed a cow and drank its blood for nourishment, and found some shelter in a haybale, burying himself inside of it, hoping no one found him later. The next night he awoke and healed the rest of his wounds, going into town. He had learned his innate skills that his Sire had shown him, and decided to use his power of Presence to get attention. It had worked to an extent, but something odd happened when he shook the man's hand that gave him a free place to stay. The man shivered, like he was cold, and he pulled his hand away, like he touched a hot stove. Tate wondered if it was possible that his sire didn't teach him about this wonderful discipline? Tate acted upon himself, teaching himself this powerful new tool, using it to scare people and gain attention. He went forth, and started making more like him, with their natural affinity for electricity. Tate eventually diablerized a 7th gen vampire, and was hunted down by his own kindred society. (the highest gen an Ampere can be is 8th, the highest power than can get is 5.)

Nickname

Shockers

Appearance

Most dress in whatever is in style for that time-period, trying hard to stay with what is in. More or less, copy cats of the Brujah, leather jackets, wild haircuts, piercings, etc. Only a few, if none at all, seem to dress out of this clique, wearing business suits and trying to act like Ventrue. If any of the Amps were caught doing this, the rest of the clan would probably shun him.

Havens

Basically anywhere really accessible. Often they are found near power lines or power stations, but others believe that it may just be a coincidence.

Background

Ampere was the name Tate gave them after the discovery of electricity and all the proper names had been filed. The Amperes' special trait is their affinity for electricity, and aren't afraid of it at all. In fact, some take bets and gain money by grabbing live wires for pleasure. In the presense of electricity, no Rotschreck rolls are necessary, and they don't need to soak any damage caused by electricity.

Character Creation

Most have some sort of working man's concept before they were Embraced, and are usually converted over to a usual Brujah trait as an Anarch, punk, or individualist. Physical attributes are primary, as are their Talents. Skills are often high too, and the knowledge of anything has something to do with electricity, unless it is some natural knowledge they grew up with.

Disciplines

Presence, Potence, Voltage

Weaknesses

Like the Brujah, all frenzy checks are at +2 difficulty. Also, because of their natural affiliation to electricity, they tend to frenzy more often near natural insulation, or something else that tries to contain them and their power.

Organization

Mostly they go about doing their own thing. Because they blend in so well with the Brujah, they often go unnoticed by others of their kind in passing, and many Amps will attend any Brujah function.

Quote

"Do you want to learn what true power is . . . zzzzzzzt!"