By Andrew Pidcock (andrewp@janus.speedware.com)
Origin: Bulgaria
Origins: It is rumored that the Obour is an offshoot of the Tremere line, but both will deny this to the point of frenzy. Once, long ago, the Obour were very much like the mythic vampire of old: Their very bite meant an Embrace, all they bit loved them, and they were powerful and terrifying. When the Camarilla was formed, the Justicars soon saw that the Obour violated both Masquerade and Progeny with their dangerous feeding habits, and a terrible blood-hunt was declared against all their kind. In the early 1900 s at the start of the industrial revolution, with but few left, the clan was in rout. The great house Obour had fallen, and they begged the Camarilla for mercy. The Camarilla agreed, on condition that the Obour obey the Traditions: Essentially, the entire clan was placed on probation. Many Obour failed to obey these restrictions in their arrogance. They fed as they pleased, and were destroyed.
However, some Obour turned to science, and found mechanical means to extract the precious vitf, thereby upholding the Traditions while continuing to exist. Finding new ways to feed led them to a scientific investigation of the vampiric state (from a first-hand perspective, as it were) and many great discoveries, which the Camarilla has been grateful to draw upon from time to time.
Character Creation: Older Obour may be of any background, but all modern Obour are scientists, so will have excellent Mental qualities and Knowledges. They almost always have specialties in one or more sciences. There are very few new Obour, and many of the surviving ones are of lower generation than amongst the other clans.
The Obour are naturally skittish about Embracing, but often do ask if the victim is a great scientific mind in the field of medicine or the study of blood. A great many Obour are doctors, nurses or coroners, and use the local facilities to snack.
Disciplines: Fortitude, Porphyria, Quietus
Clan Weakness: Obour inject blood into their victim each time they feed, 1 blood point for each 2 they drain. Hence, Obour Embrace any victim they accidentally kill, and make ghouls or blood-bonded thralls of the rest. The rampaging plague of vampires in Bulgaria in the last century was largely due to the Obour feeding tnaturallyv, which is why all modern Obour use mechanical means to draw their victim s blood. All Obour are forbidden to draw blood by fang, and this is enforced by Camarilla, Justicar and Obour alike.
Politics: In some ways, the Obour clan is both the oldest and youngest of all the clans. The old clan was highly visible and its ways were the basis for much of the modern human s misconception about vampires, and yet, the new clan is already deeply embroiled in Camarillan politics though it is not even 100 years old.
First and foremost, there is bad blood between the Tremere and the Obour. The Tremere vehemently opposed the new Obours entry into the Camarilla, and try to prove the utility of their Thaumaturgy over any Obourian scientific methods whenever challenged. Were the Obour a larger clan, they would pose a serious threat to Tremere power within the Camarilla, but since they are so few, and their ways so bizarre, they are expected to die out fairly soon. The real quarrel between these two is probably something more basic, that of Science vs. Magic..?
Secondly, the Obour (for obvious reasons) made friends within the Giovanni early on. This other clan also has difficulty feeding, and the Obour make use of their blood-banking facilities whenever possible. In return, the Giovanni have enjoyed the benefits of the Obour s scientific wonders. It is largely thru the Giovanni s empire that the Obour have spread and prospered over the past few years.
Some Obour, particularly younger ones, are a little bitter at the restrictions imposed on them by the Camarilla, but they remain a loyal and responsible clan.
Appearance: Successful Obour eat very well, and are often portly (if not fat) older gentlemen of intellectual appearance. Many of the younger (less successful) Obour are lean and hungry-looking. Obour are among the few clans that care little if nothing about the appearance of the victim.
Clan Leader: The clan leader of the Obour is not the oldest among them, but rather, a blood-specialist of tremendous intellect. He views his role as director of a vast undead research facility into That that is Vampire, and not as tfeudal lord of a clan of Samurai.v He avoids all but the most vital of Camarillan functions, preferring to send a proxy more versed in politics and diplomacy where possible. He will intercede as would a supervisor on the part of one of his clan should they require a voice, but his interests basically begin and end with the research. He is not likely to stand behind a young Obour wishing to feed "naturally," for example.
View Porphyria Discipline.