CHINCADA

By ???, Jason Marshall (jcmarshall@sympatico.ca) and Hound (ambient@magi.com)

History

When Buban, childe of Saulot, decided to spread his faith, and disease, he called upon a swarm of locusts to swarm the cities of the faithless -- and the strange Indian Chincada did.

The Chincada are almost unknown to the world now, and the legends of their origin lost even from themselves. Studies of blood (as well as behaviour) indicate a Gangrel bloodline, and their history and distribution indicates an origin in India. Their discipline seems a lot like Protean, but has not been influenced by the garou, but instead by insects. It is said that an ancient Gangrel had explored his own abilities to their limits before moving to India. There he encountered drought and famine and disease and found that his own forms were not those of survivors here, but the forms of the victims. He noticed the swarms of locusts infesting the lands, surviving and flourishing where none were, and began to study. The Chincada bloodline supposedly grew from the childer of this Gangrel who's name has been lost to antiquity.

The Chincada came into notice when they were slowly building their numbers, when several of the bloodline elders met with and were persuaded by Buban, childe of Saulot, some 900 years ago. They joined with the bubanos, summoning plagues of insects to transmit disease where the Bubanos were prohibited to travel. When the burgeoning Camarilla called a Blood Hunt against the Bubanos, the Chincada were included as an assumed sub-clan. Today their numbers are small, with only occasional members here and there, rarely in contact with each other or the Bubanos.

Nickname

Bugs

Appearance

The Chincada come from any racial stock and can look like anyone, but most chosen come from survivors of disease and disease-ridden families, or of famine and drought. A number of the Chincada bear the marks of the hardships of their mortal life with pox scars or extreme gauntness.

Background

Most Chincada are of loner, drifter or working Joe type backgrounds.

Character Creation

For the Chincada, both Mental and Physical attributes can come primary, depending on what the prospective Chincada was before hand. The all tend to have Skills as primary in the abilities.

Weakness

The Chincada share in the weakness of their kin, and become more bestial as they frenzy, but the traits in the Chincada are in some ways more diverse, in some ways less. They usually develop insectoid features with each frenzy, although some become more diseased-looking with swollen, red, pussy eyes, sores, extreme gauntness, etc.

In addition the Chincada share a Blood Hunt with the Bubanos, one pursued by both the Camarilla and the Sabbat.

Disciplines

Animalism, Fortitude, Locus.

Stereotypes

Camarilla: After a brief chat with one of the Bubanos I had to agree with his viewpoint on the Camarilla. Uptight, control freaks, all of them - taking after their leadership a little too much.

"They side with the vile Bubanos. They are subject to the Blood War as well."

-- Petra, 4th generation Ventrue, Head of the Camarilla Council

Sabbat: Beasts. Interesting, but not exciting...

"They side with the Bubanos. Let them suffer the same fate."

-- Argent, Sabbat Regent

Inconnu: "Watchers" they claim. Yet executioners they often become. But none outlive the insects.

Salubri: A strange group -- healers and mystics, yet also capable of creating the bringers of disease and death.

"They bring death, much like the fallen angels of Buban."

-- Ellia, 9th generation Salubri

Ravnos: Travellers of the world, much like us.

"They have joined our travels and enjoyed our hospitality many times, but of late strange cases of sickness have come to those we have jointly visited."

-- Helena, 12th generation Ravnos

Samedi: We have often sent our minions to assist in these kindreds plans; after all a plague of locust helps lend credibility to the sayings of a priest.

"They assist us when we are in need. Their control of insects is second to none."

-- Hanna, 9th generation Samedi.

Daughters of Cacophony: Their songs could be so like those of the grasshoppers, aphids and other insects, but so rarely do they achieve such perfection.

"Ugh, I hate bugs."

-- Leia, 12th generation Daughter of Cacophony.

Merits & Flaws

Chosen Insect: 3 point merit. -This allows the Chincada to choose another insect to emulate than the locusts. This has few game effects, but the appearance of the various levels of Locus is different. (Candyman could be created this way -- and there are stories of "sunshine, the Happy Vampire" who could turn into a cloud of butterflies...killer, bloodsucking butterflies.)

Voice of the Survivors: 3 point flaw. The only noises the kindred can produce verbally are those of a swarm of insects - clicking and twittering. The character gains +4 dice on rolls to communicate with insects, but is considered mute to others.