NEPHILIM

by Arthur-Trevor D.M. Lasher (atlasher@ix.netcom.com) (4 July 1995)

Nickname: The Children

One of the eldest Bloodlines in existence, the Nephilim are also one of the most secretive. Their allegiance to the Sicariot is indisputable though: they helped bring it about.

While the Abaddonites can justly claim to have gathered together the Lost Six Lines of the Sicarii, it is the Nephilim to whom the Priests owe their inspiration to. An idea, stemming from a decades-long discussion between Patriarch Jaques d'Etaples of the Abaddonites and Templar Benyamin Bar-Koch of the Nephilim. The Templars-already a theoretical hedge against the Hand - were interested in securing a more solid base for themselves and more 'purer elements' within the sect.

The rest is history.

Today, the Nephilim provide the Abaddonites with cover against some of the more intrusive queries of the Regent and her minions. They, more than any other Bloodline, are caught in Limbo between their loyalty to the Regent and their faith in the tenants of the Thornites. Eventually, though, they do not doubt they will have to heed the call of the Unholy See. It will simply be the most painful act they will ever have to comply with.

The Children are so-named because of their claim to be the literal progeny of Adam's first wife, Lilith: the physical union of a no-longer-quite-human entity and the Seed of Abel. They are quite unlike any Kindred Bloodline known and are, to some, almost in a different class by themselves. They do one thing that no other vampire has ever done: breed and give birth.

All Nephilim are born to couplings of Nephilim or, under certain circumstances, the breeding of a mortal and a Nephilim. Such a latter mating will succeed in producing an offspring only in 1 per every 100...and will otherwise cause a malformed foetus to be created, one which will inevitably destroy itself and its mother as is siphons off the very life's blood from its placenta. In that rare instance where a human/Nephilim coupling produced a birth, an unknown - probably magickal - process manages to find an equilibrium between the nutrition the foetus needs and the needs of the mother to live.

A Nephilim cannot create a Nephilim by the normal vampiric methods. Any attempt to do so will create a Caitiff, for the stuff of which the Children are intrinsic to is found in the altered and dead gamate of the Nephilim, itself. No amount of vitae exchange will produce anything other than a bastardised Childe.

Of course, all of this means that the Children are exceedingly rare. And that, apparently, is just the way they prefer it.

Appearance: To describe a Kindred as being almost angelic in nature would seem to be slightly blasphemous. However, there is no other word that fits the Nephilim. They are seemingly made of the purest of marble, their skin uniformally white. Most dress in black or grey, often to accentuate their skin tints, which can, at times, be startling in their purity. Their hair tends to favour more recessive types: reds and albinos, mostly. Their eyes, likewise, hold little colour. Some even have no discernable colour at all.

Haven: Nephilim are a solitary lot. Their's is a thankless job, one which forces them to spend long hours guarding the palaces of the powerful or planning the assaults of tomorrow...all this, while keeping a semblance of their decor. As a result, they tend to have havens in the most remotest of areas: the deserts, the Arctic; mountains and wide praeries, far and away from the cities.

Background: Uninterested in politics in general and loyal to the utmost with regards to the principles upon which the sect was formed, the Nephilim are almost alien to the human mindset because, frankly, they've never lived the mortal life. They're distant from the fray, observing it all from their perch. Most have almost no conception of what it is like to feel human emotions, though they do manage a reasonable facsimile of them at times. Many Nephilim become Templars/Paladins but more now are simply becoming wonderers of a sort, trying to find their place in an increasingly fragmented vampiric world.

Character Creation: Fanatic and Loner seem to be common Natures for Nephilim, with equal amounts of both being widely represented within the Bloodline. Demeanours tend to be either Architect or Judge, though not a few Deviants are found ('deviant' in the sense that they simply are too alien to be considered within the realm of humanity in general). Mental and Social Attributes dominate, though not a few have high Physical scores as well.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Defiance, and Presence.

Weaknesses: No one could ever confuse a Nephilim for a human or, at least, not for long. It's not that they're inhuman-looking, it's just that they don't act human. Though this would seem to work against them with regards to mortal interaction, the Nephilim don't seem to care all that much about it. It's simply not an issue with them. Also, Children tend to fall rather hard in love--inexperienced as they are in emotions. This makes for disasterous results at times, especially when the potential lover is incapable of reciprocating the same feeling (for whatever reason). Nephilim are easy to frenzy during situations where their emotions are firing at all pistons.

Preferred Paths: The Nephilim, it is said, first brought the Thornite faith to the Abaddonites, thus beginning their long relationship with the Clan that has become absolutely indistinguishable with the Path of Thorns. An overwhelming amount of Nephilim are Thornites, though a smattering of Cathars and Noddists can be found as well. Strangely, there are no Lilins known to be within the ranks of the Nephilim...a fact which has some raising eyebrows and questions the Children would rather not answer.

Organisation: Very loose. Nephilim are solitary and like their independence. It is said that they planted the idea of the Loyalist movement into the Belialians, who then transplanted it to the Ventrue antitribu. Whatever the case may be, Children rarely, if ever, meet in groups larger than four or five. Anything larger and it's an event of metaphysical proportions, simply because they keep their numbers small and tend not to lead a sociable lifestyle.

Gaining Clan Prestige: Children have no time or interest in one-upsmanship. They take life far far too seriously for that to effect them.

Quote: "We were here before all who now walk the Earth. We'll be here still when the Antediluvians come to reclaim what they consider theirs. Leave us be."

Stereotypes

Lasombra: They have dominion over us, but they have betrayed their principles in a blind lust for power. We shall see to it they do not suffer long.

Tzimisce: Their knowledge is one born not of this realm and we feel an affinity for them. We hope for their continued existence, but we fear it is too late for them now.

Assamite antitribu: Do they think themselves safe >from the wrath to come? Fools. Prepare for judgement.

Brujah antitribu: They do not know what of they ask. When they receive it they will not know what to do with it. A definition of a fool.

Gangrel antitribu: Noble, in their own special way. Others cannot see what inner beauty they hold. Theirs, however, is not our way. We wish them well, but we cannot to ought save pray for their eventual union with us.

Malkavian antitribu: The Unholy Fools. They are the scion of prophesy, and we would be wise to pay close attention to them.

Nosferatu antitribu: Traitors are not to be suffered lightly, even if they go through the proper rituals. Yet, there is no general damnation for them. Judge each on his or her own merits. Dispatch the unconverted.

Panders: A tool for the powerful. We pity them.

Ravnos antitribu: The irony of their existence -- that they should hold within themselves such power -- is more proof that the Dark Ones have a sense of humour.

Serpents of the Light: Blatant heretics. They are a constant thorn in our side. The Regent is unaware of how dangerous they are to the sect. We, however, are thankfully not as blind.

Toreador antitribu: We cannot fathom these ones, so we simply stay away from them.

Tremere antitribu: They know of us and fear us. That is all the same. We're tiring of them and their constant prodding where angels fear to tread.

Ventrue antitribu: Our little chesspieces.

The Black Hand: Adversaries, all. There will come a time -- soon -- when they will suffer the bite of the fang and the heat of the flame. There are machanations behind them that make us collectively shudder.

The Camarilla: Naifs.

View the Defiance discipline.