HIBAKUSHA KUEI

By Jenny Parr (j.l.parr@bradford.ac.uk)

Description

The Kuei were once the protectors of the jungles and woodlands of the far East Asian shores, fierce tiger-men who (though few in numbers) fought strongly by the side of the Khan were-tigers to protect the sacred temples hidden deep in the forests. The common people worshipped the tigers as the great hunters and deified them, forming cults of tiger worshippers. But the Kuei were not satisfied with their duties. They saw how the Ju, Kasa, Mora, and the Onyudu commanded the Kine, took whatever they wished and were never told by the other bloodlines that they were not doing their duty. So in 1956 the seven Kuei elders of the great Eastern jungles decided to increase the status of their bloodline. Their first action was to declare war on all Western vampires (and any Eastern vampires that got in their way of killing Westerners.) They even went as far as suggesting that the battle be taken to their enemies in America and Europe but this idea was discarded for a while when it was pointed out that the Kindred would be at a distinct advantage on home territory.

The Kuei also made another big change in their lifestyle that they thought would increase their standing -- they moved to the great cities of China and India, noting how all the other bloodlines lived among the peoples. Setting up small shrines and recruiting believers from the cities and their outlying villages into the Tiger Cult. New childer were taken from the true believers and others were used as ghouls and missionaries to other cities and towns. They left the depleted ranks of the Khan to protect the jungle they loved and started to offer their services as bodyguards and enforcers to other bloodlines. Unfortunately the only bloodline that decided to make use of their talents was the Ju.

After agreeing to work for the Ju, the Kuei decided to increase their numbers dramatically. They recruited whole street gangs (often in Hong Kong under the Camarilla's nose) as retainers or cultists, often embracing five or more childer at a time, much to the annoyance of the Ju who started to see them as a threat to their little empire. In order to rid themselves of the Kuei, the Ju developed a strain of rabies that affected Kindred and Kine alike. It heightened strength and increased pain tolerance but at the cost of lowering perception, intelligence and causing death within 2 weeks of infection. This was given to as many Kuei as possible as a "magic elixir to help in combat" who were then sent off to Vietnam to battle the Kindred who had come with the American troops. Approximately half the Kuei were killed along with the majority of the western vampires. Rumours abounded in the jungle of Pzuzu tiger-men who attacked even the trees swaying in the wind.

When the Kuei discovered this attempt at genocide they turned on their former employers and slew them. However there have been sightings of four Ju survivors and the Kei would do anything to wipe these last Ju from the face of the Earth, even going as far as cultivating contacts among the Faithless Western vampires in order to gain any snippets of information.

Quote

"Grrrrrr................."

Nickname

Rakshasa

Origins

China, Taiwan and Korea

Appearance

Those of the Kuei bloodline are often of Chinese or Korean origin with a few recently embraced Indian and Vietnamese childer. As a result of being members of the elusive tiger cult they have long manes of black hair which they will not cut under any circumstance short of death.

Haven

The Kuei are a closely knit brotherhood, often having been in the same street gangs and then cults as when alive. They usually stay in cult 'safe houses' or with the gangs.

Background

Most Kuei were members of street-gangs before the embrace. Older Kuei are often long serving members of the tiger cults, having served the Kuei faithfully for many years. Hunters and scouts are often embraced in new areas in order to gain tactical advantage over the original Kindred of the area.

Character Creation

The concept of a Kuei is most often criminal, outsider or an outdoor profession. Some are shaman of the tiger cult and perform the ceremonies. Physical attributes and talents are primary for most, social attributes being primary for the shaman. Common archetypes are Survivor, Bravo and Cavalier.

Clan Disciplines

Animalism, Fortitude, Hu Do.

The disciplines employed by the Kuei are those needed for survival in the jungles. Recently they have tried to adapt to the cities with obfuscate and celerity prized among the street Kuei.

Weaknesses

As the Kuei become more adept in the art of Hu Do they become more like tigers. At level 1 they develop cat-like eyes; at level 2 they gain permanent claws; at level 3 they develop slightly pointed ears; at level 4 they gain tiger striped hair; at level 5 their fangs cease to retract and at level 6 they gain a light covering of fur.

Geography

The Kuei can be found in all the dark forests and jungles of South East Asia as well as all the major cities. Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Calcutta and Jakarta have the largest concentrations of 'street' Kuei with the largest concentrations of 'jungle' Kuei being in North Eastern India and the South East Asian Peninsular. There are no Kuei in New Guinea. They give no reason for this and do not like people asking why.

Structure

The structure of the Kuei is very loose. In the jungles one Kuei usually watches over his own tiger cult and protects that particular temple while the shaman perform the ceremonies and offer secret offerings of blood to him. Any new Kuei are sent away to form their own temple. In the cities, however, the Kuei believe in safety in numbers and will stay at the temple.

Gaining Power

Among the Kuei power is gained by raising the status of the bloodline as a whole. Gaining personal status among the Hibakusha of a city is respected and any such Kuei will be awarded clan prestige as well.

Gathering Days

The Kuei meet on every new moon to hold wild meetings and hunts through the wilderness. Even street Kuei will travel into the wilderness to these gatherings. The largest meeting is held just outside Hanoi on the anniversary of the discovery of the Ju's treachery in memory of the dead.

Power Rumours

The Kuei are desperate to increase their status among the Hibakusha and are prepared to go to great lengths in order to gain the respect of the other bloodlines. As a result of this the most numerous and powerful faction of the Kuei is the one that advocates the complete destruction of the Western Kindred, hoping to gain the respect of the others with their zeal for following the orders of the Founder. Recently a small faction of street Kuei have started to gain power by taking over the business concerns of the Faithless they have destroyed. Their mercenary approach has won disfavour among the elders, but respect from the younger Kuei.

Internal Order

There are four main internal orders of the Kuei: the Lauhu, the Ngwan, the Urban Swords and the Walkers Towards The Dawn.

The Lauhu are usually the eldest of the jungle Kuei. They tend the Tiger cult temples and protect the depths of the forests with their brothers, the Bastet Khan. Rarely seen out of their protectorate except for important meetings, the Lauhu tend to be insular and territorial.

The Ngwan are the messengers and scouts of the Kuei. They carry messages and gifts from Lauhu and Urban Swords to other Kuei in inaccessible or remote areas. They are often the childer of Lauhu who have not founded their own temple.

The Urban Swords are the street Kuei, the rulers of the Oriental underworld. Their use of street-gangs and secret societies to recruit their childer has been very successful and they are the fastest growing faction of the Kuei. Their use of the Faithless' resources turned to the benefit of the Faithful has earned them much respect and they often collaborate with the Drukpa and the Onyudu to foil the latest colonisation plans of the Faithless.

The Walkers Towards the Dawn are the true Kuei fanatics. Small in number, they have spread around the world seeking to destroy the 'final four' Ju they believe still exist. They even walk among the Faithless to find information about the Ju.

Allies

The allies of the Kuei are most likely to be cult members who have travelled to new cities in order to recruit new members. They are not likely to have much power so they do not draw the attention of the authorities.

Contacts

The Kuei are the masters of information gathering among the Hibakusha. Their cult members come from all walks of life and have access to large sources of information unavailable to the other bloodlines.

Influence

In rural areas the Kuei have much influence. The tiger cults have such power that they can easily pull strings with the area governors. The mayors and chiefs of small villages are usually chosen from high-ranking cult members or their families. In the cities the Kuei have a lot of influence over organised crime and it simply takes a word to the right gang to put the pressure on a certain politician.

Military Force

The Kuei are not particularly concerned with financing military units but do keep their gangs well armed and ready for combat if the need arises.

Resources

The Kuei do have large amounts of money at their disposal. Most of this come from donations by cult members.

Status

The Kuei are not held in high regard by the other Hibakusha. Although they are, in general, liked, they are not regarded as particularly intelligent or worthy of leadership. The Kuei are, not surprisingly, trying their best to defeat the stereotyping but without much success.

Supernatural

The supernatural ally must often encountered with the Kuei is the Khan Bastet, the 'real' were-tigers. However the Khan take their role as protectors of the jungles and forests very seriously and will not often be encountered travelling outside of these areas. Occasionally a Kuei will have a Gangrel Faithless/Converted ally. This is dangerous and not seen too often as both allies will be severely punished if their friendship is discovered. Wahkeena Yei may also be allies of a Kuei.

Merits

Among the Kuei Silence and Cat-like Balance are very common merits as well as Baby Face, Lunar Influence and Magic Resistance (only the strong have survived.) They are also among the few bloodlines who can take Gift of Proteus -- allowing them to take the form of other large cats rather than tigers.

Flaws

Common flaws include Vulnerable to Silver, Lunacy and Uneducated. Anachronism is also common among the more primitive tribes the Kuei recruit from in the depths of the jungles. It is very rare for a cultist with a noticeable physical flaw to be embraced by the Kuei.

Skills

Clan Knowledge-Kuei, Jungle Lore.

Stereotypes

Drukpa: Fickle friends, but we have common enemies.

Hantu: Allies and friends; both are hard to find but the Hantu stand by us.

Hibakush: They are real. They are here. They are dangerous.

Ju: (The Kuei takes a swipe at the questioner with his claws)

Kasa: Their 'honour' has replaced their intelligence.

Kyuketsuki: The most beautiful thing I have ever seen is a Kyuketsuki dancing in the moonlight. Not even the sun is more entrancing.

Onyudu: Leave them their boardrooms and petty squabbles.

Sanatan: Weaklings. We should hunt them down before they betray us all.

Bushi: They do not stand with us. They may be a greater enemy than we expect.

Gaki: Fun to scare. They think we are little were-cats...

Sazan: (Looks at the questioner as if she is mad. Walks off.)

Shreh Ren: They just want us to do their dirty work.

Faithless: Not all deserve to die, just the majority.

Camarilla: They shall all die for their arrogance in assuming they would conquer us.

Sabbat: They deserve worse than the Camarilla. They have no respect for their mortal kin.

Gangrel: We respect their views but they keep strange company.

Nosferatu: They are not really vampires but Shinma in disguise. If you ever see one do not hesitate in attacking it.

Tremere: Maybe they will help us to destroy the Ju, but it is more likely that they would use us like the Ju did.

Yei: Don't believe the hype. They are our brothers from the Eastern Lands.

Lupines: Leave them alone to die. They have no real will to fight against their inevitable end.

Bastet: Our brothers. Give them respect and honour.

Mages: Obsessed. Leave them to their studies.

Wraiths: The dead do not belong here.

Fae: Faeries... Do you really think I'm stupid.

Gehenna: Even the Khan have warned us that the end is coming. The Ju must be destroyed before they are allowed to cause all our deaths.