THE DRACUL: Chronicles of Depravity

By C. Spencer Roberts (candc@wolfenet.com)

Description

The Dracul were originally a revenant family of the Old Clan Tzimisce, and were once known by a different name, forgotten since their change. They were a family of nobles in the early Dark Ages charged by the lord of the land with worship of the devil, and involvement in the black arts. Pinning a string of grisly homicides on them, they were stoned to death in the Town Square. Their bodies were denied last rites, and burial, and were dumped into the pools of excrement beneath their former castle, which was destroyed and left in ruins.

Their souls had departed for the afterlife, born as mortwights, shades, and striplings on the other side of the Shroud. These twisted spectres were wrought back into their mortal (and now quasi-immortal) shells, woken from the slumber of death by warm blood filling their mouths. This immortal blood mixed with their cold, human blood, bonding them as ghouls. Their saviors, a group of Tzimisce who'd had their eyes on them for some time, embraced the family heads. Theirs souls all had the taint of Oblivion to them, and those who had been devoured by Oblivion were replaced by banes such as Kupala, <some sort of death bane>, and Seeders (the three of which would later determine the social caste/standing of members of the "Family").

Aside from a few children who could not be found (and actually were possessed by meat puppets early after their deaths), the Tzimisce took the new ghouls and kindred from that place that would become a major wyrmhole of northern Romania, and drew them into their homes and their clan. Over centuries and decades, the ghouls bred with nobility, sorcerers and quiet sociopaths, becoming a Tzimisce revenant family, their taint of oblivion passed down the line, along with their semi-immortal abilities. The fomori of the breed interbred with (and later, executed) the "cleaner" of the family, and now there are few who are not bane-inhabited, as it passes along with their madness and depravity.

Named the Dracul (the Dragons) by the serfs they lorded over, they forgot their original name and accepted this, and wore it like a badge. It inspired fear and hate, giving them an advantage (they saw) over their enemies.

The ones who were embraced became a bloodline of the Tzimisce, remaining outwardly to them. The Minunat now keep a strict practice of embracing from the Dracul, voting to "keep it in the family" (as few not of the family would comprehend the obscene practices and behavior of these...unique...individuals). In modern times, the same behavior continues, although it is much more concealed.

The Dracul are ruthless businessmen (many who hold positions in Pentex), efficient soldiers-for-hire and, occasionally, deformed and insane freaks.

Nickname

Dragons

Appearance

Through centuries of practice, the Dracul have honed their insanity to a razor's edge, and can conceal it just as well. Those who cannot, and resort to blatant acts of violence and sickness, are often disowned from the family (at least, superficially they are) and are exiles -- or are the elders. A Dracul may be your next-door neighbor, who you see drive their children to soccer, but their private lives are a different story all together, and it isn't rated G.

Family Estates

The Estates of the Dracul are numerous indeed, with the main estate in northern Romania and numerous others throughout the western world.

Disciplines

Vicissitude, Dominate, and Maleficia

Weaknesses

All Dracul are born mad, and all have a Derangement. They also, for unknown reasons, must bathe themselves in the blood of a being they have just slain once a month, or all of their die pools are decreased by one for each week they go without.

Preferred Roads

Via Diabolis, Via Typhonis

Family Organization

The hierarchy of the Dracul is based on which kind of bane inhabits them, from least to greatest, Seeders, <some sort of death bane>, Kupala.

Traits

(Suggested) Favors, Rank

Powers

(Required) Revised Procreation (5), Wings (3/5), Hide of the Wyrm (1-5); (Suggested) Cause Insanity (2 per die), Deception (7), Voice of the Wyrm (4), Roar of the Wyrm (4), Eyes of the Wyrm (3)

Taints

(Required) Breed Prejudice (5), Derangement (3), Severe Allergy (3; Ashes); (Suggested) Worms (3), The Fading (5), Brainwashed (3), Mutoid Cancer (4)

Merits/Flaws

(Required) Hidden Power (2 point merit), Scary Presence (2 point flaw); (Suggested) Stigmata of the Wyrm (4 point merit), Banespeak (3 point merit), Unpossessed (5 point merit)

Quote

"This will not work. The others are aware. We must change the attack."