LYCANTHROPES

By Chris Gunning (cjg1@ra.msstate.edu) (19 November 1995)

Nickname

Puppies

History:

The Lycanthropes can trace their history to the Anarch Revolt that spawned the Sabbat during the Middle Ages of Europe. The Sabbat were a new sect formed from the rabble of a number of more "established" clans and fought tooth and claw for their mere survival. Initially the Sabbat was composed of the Brujah anarchs and of rebel Tzimisce who were both fleeing their former clans. The Sabbat were attacked on a number of different fronts, mostly from the Inconnu and the Camarilla. The war went bad for the Sabbat who had numbers against them. They were forced into the far nothern reaches of Scandanavia to stay alive.

Another factor was at work that would eventually create the bloodline known as the Lycanthropes. Early in the Dark Ages the Tremere were similarly fighting for their lives and needed diposable troops to gaurd themselves. The Tremere used a number of their blood-magics and collected a diverse collection of mystical agents to create the bloodline that was to protect them. The foul concotion was composed of two major catalysts: Gangrel blood and Nosferatu blood. From the black cauldron arose a frightful creature, enveloped in its own leathery wings. It was here the Gargoyles were born. They were forced into slavery and suicide missions for their Tremere masters.

This new terror was used on more than one occasion against the Tzimisce vampires who were to become the integral to the Sabbat. The Tzimisce saw how effective these creatures, the Gargoyles, were in their role as minions of the Tremere. The Tzimisce leaders came together in an enclave and decided that they to needed such a race of vampires to protect them and wage the wars they did not want to get personally dirty in. The rivalry between the Tremer and Tzimisce is well known and so the Tzimisce at this secret meeting vowed to not be outdone by their rivals, to come up with a bloodline more capable than even the Gargoyles.

So the Tzimisce gathered again a mere month later to create this new monstrosity. A hired Nosferatu antitribu had recovered the "formula" that the Tremere had used in the creation of the Gargoyle. This, coupled with the Tzimisce's ability to manipulate flesh and bone were all pooled into a vat. This vat was similar to the cauldron that the Tremere used, except that the Tzimisce did not use any Nosferatu blood (part of the payment to the Nosferatu who recovered the "formula") and insted added some of their own infected blood as well as the blood of a Garou.

What arose this time was less than the Tzimisce had expected as well as much more. A naked human form crawled out of the bubbling mass and pulled itself into a chair. It held itself in the fetal position and wailed. The Tzimisce were bewildered at what they had created. They had wanted a beast capable of the most inhuman acts they called on it to do. What they had before them was a frail form baying at an unseen moon. Needless to say the Tzimisce were disappointed. They called their ghouls in to dispose of the wretched thing and they planned to try once again.

The ghouls walked up to the crying vampire and picked it up by its shoulders prepared to take it to the sewers and execute it. Once the two ghouls touched the vampire it stopped its wailing and looked deep into the bigger ghouls eyes. The new kindred's own eyes flashed into a bright yellow that glowed against the torchlight. Its upper lip curled into a snarl and it rumbled a quiet growl. In the time it took to blink the new Kindred no longer was being held by the ghouls, but a huge, hairy, albino form of teeth and fangs instead stood where the created vampire was. Something that looked very much like a crinos garou lunged for the two startled ghouls. In a hail of blood and flesh the ghouls were torn apart and leaving only unrecognisable pieces.

Nine feet of death now turned to the collected Tzimisce in the room. It strode up to them, arrogantly, teeth bared and claws at the ready. An elder Tzimisce, known simply as Festus, stepped forward and met the beast's gaze. Using his high ability in Dominate he commanded the creature to sit down and hold still. The beast complied, entranced. Festus turned to his companions with a feral grin and said "It seems we have not failed my brothers."

Indeed, they had not. The Lycanthropes were born that night. The Tzimisce kept the new bloodline under wraps, using them as elite trrops when they could not trust the other Sabbat to complete vital missions. The bloodline stayed small as the Tzimisce realized that large numbers of these creatures would be nigh impossible to control. Everything worked well for the Tzimisce concerning their new creation until the late Middle Ages.

It was then that the Gargoyles revoted from the Tremere masters. The Tremere were unable to halt the revolt and so let the Gargoyes become an independant bloodline. The Gargoyles and Lycanthropes had met numerous times on the battlefield in service to their feuding masters. When the Gargoyles tasted freedom many did not forget about their brothers in servitude, the Lycanthropes. A number of the Gargoyles came together and with the help of some Camarilla Gangrel (and it is rumored some of the Tremere, since they took every advantage to smite the Tzimisce) staged a well orcestrated attack on numerous unsuspecting Tzimisce strongholds.

Most of the Lycanthropes were freed from their servitude. Those who were unable to escape slit their own throats. Thus the Tzimisce lost control of their servitor race just as the Tremere had done.

The Lycanthropes who did escape fled to the woods and other secluded places away from the Kindred as a whole. The only clans they kept in contact with were the Gangrel and Gargoyle. Few stayed behind to sell off their services to the highest bidder. The Lycanthropes have been forever grateful to the gargoyles for what they did.

Appearance

As a rule the Lycanthropes have a 'rugged' appearance. After the first of their kind few could be described as puny. They wear very utilitarian clothes that are inexpensive to replace (see below). They care little about what other people think they look like.

Haven

Anywhere secluded, from log cabins to sewers.

Backgrounds

The Lycanthropes very rarely embrace anybody. When they do they always choose individuals who can take care of themselves (draw your own conclusions) and those who stay away from the populace as a whole.

Character Creation

Most Lycanthropes have the Working Joe or drifter concepts. Their natures and demeanors are often similar as Lycanthropes see little reason to hide what one is from everybody else. Physical Attributes and Talents are commonly primary and backgrounds can include almost anything (except herd).

Disciplines

None. Must buy all disciplines as non-clan (see below). When a charachter is created the player has 2 dots to put into any disciplines the stoyteller deems appropriate.

Weaknesses

Only 2 dots in disciplines to start and must buy their disciplines as non-clan. This represents the Lycanthropes weak grasp on how the nature of disciplines work. The Tzimisce only rarely taught them disciplines so they never learned how to learn.

All Lycanthropes owe minor boons to every Gargoyle they encounter for the service the bloodline did in freeing the Lycanthropes.

Advantages

The Lycanthropes can enter two of the Garou's forms (even though they are in no way Garou, ie no gifts, no rage, no gnosis, etc): Crinos and Lupus.

In Crinos they gain: Str: +4, Dex: +1, Sta: +3. Apperance goes to 0 and manipulation subtracts 3 (note, no Delerium).

In Lupus they gain: Str: +1, Dex: +2, Sta: +2. Manipulation drops by 3 and the character has a -2 to all perception difficulties.

Preferred Paths (if Sabbat)

Path of the Guardian (another piece of gratitude to the gargoyles, no Lycanthrope will serve a Tremere), Path of Harmony, Path of Honorable Accord.

Organization

No established meetings. There are so few Lycanthropes and they so rarely come into contact organization is nigh impossible.

Quote

"You social butterflies make me sick! You hide behind your 'society' and make yourselves seem more than you are. Unfortunately for you, not only do I hold the opinion that you are a scab on us all but so does my employer. I am here to pick the scab. Grrrroowl."

Sterotypes

Brujah: We share common beginnings, rebellion. We knew when to end it though.

Lasombra: Manipulators all! I never pass up the chance to gut one of these... monstrosities.

Tzimisce: It is for the best that they no longer control us; I would hate to see what would happen to them if they ever tried something like that again.

Pander: They have lost their freedom. Put them out of their misery.

Assamite: Kindred spirits.

Gangrel: They helped us achieve our freedom. I refuse to work against them, only with them for they know the value of privacy.

Malkavian: I do not know how such diversity can be called a clan. Most are just too plain insane to carry on a conversation so I leave 'em alone. Might be contagious.

Nosferatu: They constantly put their noses where it does not belong. Still, they are ostracised much as I am so I take their probing with a grain of salt.

Toreador: They hide behind attitudes that make me grow ill. Few see the depravity in their art that must signify a deeper psychosis. Put them out of their misery.

Tremere: The Gargoyles hate 'em so I do. Their form of manipulation is even scarier than the lasombra or Ventrue. Put 'em out of their misery.

Ventrue: They seek to control all that we despise. Let them have it and see how well they do with it. I pity them.

Ravnos: They get annoying real quick. Leave 'em be.

Followers of Set: A cross between the Ventrue and Tremere receiving the worst of both. But 'em out of their misery.

Samedi: Whew, them boyz is ugly. Do not screw with them, though can screw right back.

Daughters of Caucaphony: As bad or worse than the Toreador.

Baali: Kill 'em all. They serve things best left alone.

Gargoyle: Our greatest allies and our best friends. If they ever need your help do not hesitate to give it them.