PRETENDERS

By J D Conrad (jdconrad@postoffice.worldnet.att.net)

Foreword

This "bloodline" is intended to simulate a literary creation and may not be appropriate for some campaigns. Game balance was not a primary consideration, rather I wanted something that would allow a certain type of character to operate within the Vampire: the Masquerade rules. The inspiration for this character type is Sonja Blue. Sonja is the creation of a very talented horror writer named Nancy Collins. The first tale about Sonja is titled Sunglasses After Dark and I recommend it unreservedly. (Note that all of Ms. Collins works are intended for mature readers.) Currently Ms. Collins books are being published by White Wolf Publishers who also publish and hold copyright on the game Vampire: the Masquerade. In the latest book of the "Sonja Saga" called A Dozen Black Roses, Sonja has moved from the world of Pretenders to White Wolf's World of Darkness. Some retrofitting was done in that book to make the vampire that Nancy Collins had created fit in with those created by White Wolf. I have tried to make these rules mesh with those "retrofits."

Warning if you have not read these books there are few spoilers hidden in the text below. I have tried to word things in so as to give as little away as possible, but...

Sunglasses After Dark, A Dozen Black Roses, Vampire: the Masquerade and The World of Darkness are copyrighted or trademarked by White Wolf Publishing. Nothing here is intended as a challenge or infringement of either the author's or publisher's rights.

This is not an official supplement to Vampire: the Masquerade (V:tM) or any of the World of Darkness (WoD) products by White Wolf Publishers.

Don't ask how I got this.
And if you don't believe that the danger is real?
Well it's your ass that's grass, not mine.
I just felt you had the right to know.

-- Your Friendly Neighborhood Gangrel

To Great Grand Sire Meerlinda, Greetings:

Per your instructions I have spent these last ten years pursuing information on the so called Blue Woman, also referred to by some as the Prodigy. Detailed documentation of my findings is provided in a separate folder for your perusal. However, I felt for the good of our clan, I should give you my personal views on how we should deal with this creature and others of her ilk. It may surprise you to find that there are others. Currently, I know of only one other that still exists. But first, let me give a brief synopsis of my findings.

These creatures apparently come into being when a vampire is embraced, but fails to die. Normally the passage from life into undeath is assured. A candidate must be weakened past the ability to live for the Embrace to work. However, the "miracles" of modern medical science have permitted at least four persons to be resuscitated from the very verge of death after being fed the blood of Caine. Thus "surviving" the Embrace. They seem to enter a coma and suffer some level of brain damage or trauma that causes amnesia on their awakening. Within a year or so of awakening they begin to manifest the signs of vampirism. But they never fully become vampires. They drink blood, grow fangs, frenzy and are able to learn disciplines. But they can still walk in the sun, have a libido and rumor has it that they can procreate in the mortal fashion. Their distinguishing characteristic is their eyes. They become blood red; even vicissitude seems unable to correct this.

Since the candidate has never truly passed into undeath they have many things in common with ghouls or very high generation kindred. But they do have a Beast. The eldest of these creatures refers to her beast as "The Other." Since they did not pass through the Embrace properly their Beast does not become integrated into their very being as it has in our case. It essentially becomes a separate personality fighting for control of their single shared body.

This tends to make these creatures mentally unstable, to put it mildly. However, since the beast is not fully integrated into the childe, it is not limited by the childe. These creatures posses abilities that many of your esteemed age and generation might have some difficulty matching. Add to this, they seem able to move about in full daylight without harm. You can see that they pose a tremendous hazard to any of our kind that should cross them.

And they are aware of us. Since they are not sired in the traditional manner they are effectively Caitiff. But the Blue Woman was taken under the wing of a Hedge Wizard who was very much aware of our kind, the lupines and others. He had dubbed us "Pretenders." This is what the Blue Woman calls herself and the other awakened races.

The eldest of these beings, the one called the Sonja Blue, seems to have a pathological hatred of our kind, killing any she encounters. A Ventrue and a human, who I believe to be a mage, attempted to create several more of these creatures. They apparently destroyed their creators and then themselves. My newest discovery seems somewhat less pathologically destructive, but even he has proven dangerous. Since he is very young I attempted to capture him with the assistance of three of our Archons. He destroyed two of us and managed to seriously damage myself and my last assistant before eluding our pursuit.

Rather than attempt to capture and test these creatures I believe we should observe them, and if possible manipulate them from a distance. If properly directed, they could prove handy in resolving problems that we have neglected due to the level of direct involvement required to properly resolve them. There is no way these creatures could be traced back to us. They are in effect Caitiff, but very powerful Caitiff. Perhaps the recent activities in Dead Town might be a good test?

Ever your loyal servant, Jeremiah

The System

Until very recently massive blood loss meant death. With modern medical technology sometimes people who flatline come back. What would happen if while they were flatlined they consumed the blood of Caine? Perhaps they would simply become vampires. Perhaps they would simply become ghouls. But evidently in a few very rare cases they become something that isn't either, a Pretender.

A Pretender is created occasionally when the conditions are right. A mortal must be drained of blood and dying. She must consume at least a taste of the blood of a Kindred. Then she must flatline (be clinically dead) and be resuscitated. Should this happen in the course of the game you may wish to roll to see if the character becomes a Pretender. If someone with medicine or first aid reaches her within four minutes of game time after the character drops below incapacitated, he may roll to see if he can save the character at this point. This requires three or more success at a target number of 6 plus 1 for every additional damage level below incapacitated beyond the first. Thus, if a ghoul was at crippled and then took four more damage levels the target number would be 8. This simply means that the character will survive if rushed immediately to a hospital while continuously receiving medical attention. There the doctors must make another roll with the same modifiers but only a single success is required. At this point the character will pull through. This is also the crucial point to see if the character becomes a Pretender. They have been clinically dead with vampiric blood in them, but they don't stay "dead." At this point they must roll one die with a target number of 10 minus one for every blood point of vampiric blood that was in their system at the time of "death." If they succeed the Beast awakens. Congratulations it's a Pretender.

They will remain in a coma for 1d10+2 months. Upon awakening they will have complete amnesia. Over the next several months vampiric traits will begin to appear. Decreased appetite, sensitivity to light, rapid healing, lethargy during daylight hours. Then usually in a moment of stress characters will manifest their disciplines. This is often accompanied by the first eruption of their fangs, and a frenzy. From this point forward they no longer need to eat food and their beast, called "The Other," is constantly with them. Their memories also usually return at this time, though the radical personality changes that have resulted from their ordeal, usually keeps them from fully accepting these memories as their own.

Character Creation

Create a normal Caitiff vampire using the Vampire: the Masquerade rules except for the following.
• You may not buy the background Generation. However, the character can purchase disciplines up to any level.
• You must spend at least one dot of disciplines on "Powers of the Other."
• You may not buy the merits Baby Bace or Eat Food. All Pretenders already have these merits.
• You may not buy the flaw Infertile Vitae; all Pretenders have this flaw.
• You may not buy meditation, the flaw misplaced heart, the flaw permanent wound or the merit concentration.
• The character must have become a vampire after 1969.
• The character has probably been a vampire for more than 2 years.
• Select a Nature for the human side. This can be anything.
• Select a Nature for The Other. This is usually something aggressive and unpleasant. Bravo or Deviant would be typical.

In addition to their normal blood pool a Pretender has a Psychic Energy Pool. Since their Beast is not fully integrated into them they cannot use their blood pool much more effectively than a ghoul. Most disciplines are manifestations of the beast in some way, so to use any discipline at greater than level three they must use this energy pool, not blood. They may only spend one blood point an action but they may spend as many energy points an action as they please up to the limit they currently have in their pool. To see how many points are in each pool roll 1d10 once for each. The maximum blood pool is 10, the maximum energy pool is 5 times Stamina. The energy pool can be increased above this, but every turn it is over this maximum number the character must soak one die of damage for every 5, or fraction of 5, by which they have exceeded their limit or take an aggravated wound. Also, all frenzy rolls are at one level higher per 5, or fraction of 5, the energy pool is over their limit.

Pretenders must comply with all normal vampiric rules on the use of their blood pool. They also lose one point each night per normal vampire rules. In addition their blood pool cannot be increased by diablerie. Blood points may not be used to power any discipline at greater than level 3.

A Pretender may use an energy point rather than a blood point, or willpower point, to activate any discipline or increase physical attributes and to heal wounds. It costs three times as many energy points to heal a wound as it takes blood points. Other than that they can be spent on a one to one ratio rather than either blood points or willpower points. (Energy points may not be used for automatic success, or in place of a willpower point for any purpose other than powering a discipline.) They may use as many energy points in one action as they wish alone, or in combination with their single blood point. However, every time any energy points are used the character must make a willpower roll. This roll is reduced one die for every energy point used in an action. If they fail The Other nearly gains control and they automatically frenzy. If they botch the Other gains control per the time period chart listed below. A willpower point may be expended to prevent this roll. For example, Brendan wants to increase his strength by two and dexterity by one. He spends three energy points. His current willpower is 6. (6 - 3 =3) He must now roll a 6 on three dice to remain in control.

If more points are spent in an action than the character has in current willpower The Other automatically gains control. This voluntary surrender of control sometimes makes it a bit easier for the Pretender's human side to regain control. Treat each point past the current willpower rating as a one on the botch table below. After this time has passed they must make a willpower roll at difficulty 6 + 1 for every point spent beyond current willpower. This is an extended task. Once they have made as many successes as the points by which they exceeded their current willpower the human side of the Pretender's personality may regain control. For example, Brendan currently has a willpower of 5. He expends 8 energy points in one action. Bingo The Other is now in charge of the character for at least an hour. After that Brendan can make a roll using his current willpower (5) to try and take back control of his body. He must make three extended successes with a target of 8.

Once The Other is in control it can spend any number of energy points it wishes in a single turn. This does not increase the duration of it's control. If the number of energy points ever drops below the current willpower, then the Other must roll one die for each willpower point over the current energy pool each time an energy point is spent. The target number is the current energy pool. If the roll succeeds The Other no longer can maintain control, and the human side of the Pretender regains control of the character. Normally, The Other will only expend energy points that might cost it control when the body is in danger. For example, Brendan has a current willpower of 6 and the energy pool drops to 5 the character must roll one die with a target number of 5. Success means that Brendan's Nature is now in control, not The Other. If the roll is a 4 then The Other remains in control. If it must expend another point, then it must now roll two dice. Energy pool is 4, willpower 6. (6 - 4 = 2)

Due to the presence of this un-assimilated energy pool and two natures, a Pretenders aura while pale, is usually very active and "spiky" looking with more than one color. One energy point is also lost each night to sustain The Other.

Number of Ones in Botch*	Duration
1	1 Turn
2	10 Turns
3	1 Hour
4	The remainder of the night
5	A full day
6	A full week
7	A long time
8	A REAL long time

^*Or energy points spent over current willpower.

Feeding

This is done normally per Vampire: the Masquerade rules.

This is done by "tapping" energy from other beings. Unfortunately this tapping tends to have unfortunate side effects for the "tappee." A character may tap during any turn/action where an energy point is not expended.

If the humanity is known use that in the following rules. If not assume 7 dice, half would be 3.

The Pretender may tap anyone within range of its perception. With the Auspex discipline this can be quite a distance and may pass through walls and other barriers. If the target is not stressed (very angry or very frightened) then the target number is 8. They roll 10 - the humanity level of the target. For every success they may take one energy point. If the target is stressed then the target number is 6 and they roll 10 - humanity divided by two rounded down dice to gain new energy points. A Botch indicates that an energy point is expended, and the target frenzies. This frenzy is a bit unusual; they are manically fixated on hurting the Pretender.

Being tapped tends to cause stress in an individual and will often cause suppressed emotions to surface, sometimes violently. If someone is being tapped they must make a humanity roll. Target number 7 if not stressed, 9 if stressed. They must make a full success to ignore it's effects. Partial success means the character becomes excitable and agitated. Failure means the character becomes either extremely angry or extremely frightened at the slightest excuse. A botch means that the character frenzies per Vampire: the Masquerade rules even though mortal. They also receive a derangement.

Obviously by repeatedly tapping an individual, a Pretender can take them from calm and controlled, to a stressed, possibly even frenzied state.

Follow the rules for Mortals. Only a failure on the humanity roll to resist the side effects of being tapped indicates a normal frenzy. A botch indicates a frenzy that lasts until the vampire goes into torpor or the sun rises, and they also get a derangement.

Rage and Gnosis are distilled psychic energy. A Pretender may attempt to tap any number of points up to the maximum of current Gnosis + current Rage. Roll a target of 6 to actually tap a point. Alternately reducing Gnosis, then Rage, until one or the other is gone, then take points from the remaining pool alone. This energy is so potent that the Pretender must make a self control roll to avoid frenzy if they tap a shapeshifter. They roll on self control, but this is reduced by one die per point of Rage tapped.

Shapeshifters who are being tapped must make rage rolls as soon as the first point is taken.

Spirits and ghosts may not be tapped. It is unknown if this also applies to demons, devils and angels.

Needless to say that the Pretenders method of feeding tends to leave a trail of havoc in their wake. This tends to make them unwelcome among most awakened races.

The Other

The Other is the Beast. Unfiltered and uncut. A Pretender under the control of their Other is like a Sabbat wetdream. Assume they have a humanity of zero, enjoy the pain and anger of others (after all it makes tapping easier) and have only contempt for such things as love, mercy, loyalty and kindness. How this will manifest varies somewhat depending on the Nature of The Other. It is usually easy to tell when The Other is in control; the character's mannerisms, even voice, usually change dramatically.

Examples of behavior one can expect from The Other:

• If The Other gains control in the middle of a fight for survival it will probably do its best to destroy its opponents. Then it will turn on its allies.
• The Other gains control while attempting to rescue a mortal. Once it has the mortal in its clutches it feeds on and taps the mortal until he frenzies and/or die.
• The Other gains control while the Pretender and some of her allies are fighting a powerful enemy. Then, its badly hurt or begins to run low on energy. It will flee and leave the others to their fate.

When the Other is in control the vampire is not necessarily in a frenzy. The Other can frenzy, but prefers to be in control so that it can use its powers more intelligently. The principal problem with having a Pretender fall under the control of their Other is that The Other is quite likely to do things that will cause the Pretender humanity loss. Even though they are not doing these deeds willingly, a Pretender's human side will usually remember what is done. If they don't then The Other will tell them. And when they realize what atrocities they have committed they must make a humanity roll. The Other tends to be less active when the psychic energy level is low. Especially if the current energy point level is lower than willpower.

When The Other is not in control it is still there. It nags and needles the human side of the Pretender incessantly. It will taunt them for showing weaknesses like affection or loyalty. If you own Wraith: the Oblivion you may wish to read over the rules for Shadows and use that for The Other. If played right the character should find themselves making inappropriate outbursts in response to a voice in their head that no one else hears.

Below is a quote from Paint it Black by Nancy Collins
Sonja Blue and her Other have a little chat.

"The Other's voice is a nettle wedged into the folds of my brain, impossible to dislodge or ignore. I open the refrigerator and take out a bottle of whole blood, cracking the seal open as I would a beer.

Not that bottled crap again! I hate this shit! You might as well go back to drinking cats! Wouldn't you rather have something nice and fresh? Say, a good B negative mugger or a O positive rapist? There's still plenty of time to go trawling before the sun comes up....Or you could pay a visit to loverboy.

"Shut up! I've had a bellyful of you tonight already!"

My-my! Aren't we being the touchy one. Tell me, how long do you think you can keep up the pretense of being normal? You've almost forgotten what it's like to be human yourself. Why torture yourself by pretending you're something you're not, simply to win the favor of a piece of beefstake?

"He likes me, dammit. He actually likes me."

And what, exactly are you?

"I'm not in the mood for your fuckin' mind-games!"

Welcome to the fold, my dear. You're finally one of us. You're a Pretender.

I shriek and hurl the half-finished bottle of blood into the sink. I pick up the card table and smash it to the floor, jumping up and down on the scattered pieces. It's a stupid, pointless gesture, but it makes me feel better."

Frenzy Checks

Both the human and Other sides of the Pretender must make normal frenzy checks. In addition, being in proximity to strong emotion has an effect like being near blood. Treat extreme pain, fear or anger like fresh, exposed blood. The closer and stronger the emotions, the more likely the Pretender is to lose control and start tapping people.

The Blood Bond

Pretenders may be blood bound and they may blood bind others. In addition, they may "blood bind" others who have psychic or telepathic gifts by "giving" them three points of psychic energy. This doesn't have to be on three different occasions. But the target must have either spent all of their willpower points or willingly accept the energy points. And, they must have some power that would enable them to read minds or emotions. This counts as using energy points, so the Pretender must roll to prevent loss of control to The Other during this operation. If they fail they will probably still have a thrall, but they may not be of much use as anything but "food."

Daytime Activity

A Pretender's die pools are limited by humanity per the rules in the V:tM rule book. Additionally, if The Other should gain control during the day the Pretender will seek a dark isolated place and sleep until sundown.

A Pretender can be active during the day, even move about in direct sunlight, but they don't like it. A self-control roll is needed each time a Pretender attempts to leave shelter and enter direct sunlight. Failure indicates that they simply can't force themselves out of their shelter. If forced into sunlight unexpectedly they must make a courage roll or Rotschreck.

Finally, since The Other is not willingly active during the day the Psychic Energy Pool cannot be used during daylight hours.

Stakes Through the Heart and other thorny problems

Since the Pretender never died their internal organs do not atrophy like a real vampire. Their heart still beats and they still need to breath. This means they are prey to a number of flaws. Damage that effects the brain, spine or heart is considered aggravated. Use the normal targeting rules for this. Drugs, gases and poisons still effect Pretenders but their effects can be fought off with the expenditure of energy points. Finally, a stake through the heart does not immobilize a Pretender, it is simply aggravated damage. A large enough stake or other object impaling the heart of a Pretender will simply send them to the Final Death.

The Powers of the Other

This is essentially a discipline. But each power requires that the user posses a Psychic Energy Point Pool. Consequently it is unlikely anyone but a Pretender will ever have any of these powers.

See rules on Tapping above. A Pretender must take at least this level of Power if they have begun to manifest any disciplines.

The character can send her presence into a persons dreams. She enters the dream as a character, then, if she wins a contested willpower roll, she may take over the dream. This costs one energy point. The target must be known to the character, and in fairly close proximity. (Usually the same building. Range can be extended through the use of more energy points.) While engaged in using this power the body of the character is inactive. If she botches the willpower roll to take over a dream, she will be stuck in the other persons dream, and The Other will be in control of the body.

By expending energy points the Pretender can cause the same effect over an area as she would if she were to tap everyone in that area. Normally a Pretender can only tap one individual at a time. This power allows them to incite large numbers of people into anger or atrocity, many even into frenzy. She gains no direct benefit from this, but the effect tends to produce large numbers of people who are in a stressed state, making feeding easier. The actual area covered depends on the number of points spent. One point is everyone in a radius of approx. 10 meters or yards. Two points 20 yds, three points 40 yds, four points 80 yds, etc.

The character can unleash a bolt of pure psychic energy at opponents. Each point expended translates to a die of damage. This may be resisted with willpower, making it's use a contested roll. Additionally it may be soaked normally. For example, Brendan unleashes an 8 die bolt at Count DeMonette the Ventrue. The Count has a willpower of 6, Stamina of 3 and a dot of Fortitude. Brendan rolls 5 successes (Target of 6 the Counts willpower), the Count rolls 3 success on his willpower roll (Target 5, Brendan's willpower). Now the Count must soak 2 dice of damage. His dot of Fortitude stops one automatically and he rolls one 6 on his Stamina dice. He takes the hit and keeps on ticking.

By expending an energy point each turn the character may fly at up to twice the rate she may normally run.

Stereotypes

The Camarilla: If I have to deal with others of my kind these are the lesser of evils, but I'd just as soon kill them, as talk to them.

"These abominations should be destroyed. And hopefully we can arrange for someone appropriate to go down with them."

The Sabbat: Tastes good, very filling.

"If only we could put these things through the creation rites! What soldiers they would make. Sadly we can't, so I guess we must destroy them."

The Inconnu: In who?

"These beings are something truly new. We will watch, we will wait. Perhaps they will become our allies in time."

Other Awakened Races: Mostly I leave them alone, and they leave me alone. If not, then I do some serious butt kicking.

"There's a Pretender here!? I'm outa here. You better move along too if you know what's good for you."