SHURA

By Tyree Quincan Kimber (caius@ksu.ksu.edu) (15 May 1996)

Introduction

As the vampires of the world continue to speculate wildly on the nature and even the existence of the Asian Kindred one group of entities from beyond the Silk Curtain is slowly beginning to force their Western counterparts to take notice. These are the Shuras, a group equally as hate-filled and wicked as the Sabbat with only the basest and most self-serving regard for the Masquerade.

Originating in Japan, the Shura Bloodline is a band of restless and battered souls. They know not of their origins and don't seem to care much. What they do care about appears only to be the spread of death and pain, at least that's how it appears in the eyes of the few Occidental Kindred who have encountered them. In reality their objectives run much deeper.

The Shura has been a part of Japanese myth for centuries and the strong belief in Shintoim and Buddhism creates a minimal need for a masquerade in their home country. In legend, Shuras were angry spirits of warriors slain on the battlefield who howled through the sky at night in search of old enemies and new victims to torment. The truth is pretty much the same, but the Shuras are not spirits. They are in fact vampires, but vampires whose grip on the material world is tennous at best.

Shura packs embrace only those who have died in battle or at the very least, a violent death. The bloodline fell on hard times during the three hundred years peace of the Edo period, but following the Meiji Restoration began to pick up steam again. These demonic Kindred revelled in the violence of World War Two, producing a Shura population explosion never before equalled. Now as Gehenna approaches and war races across the face of the World of Darkness the Shuras bask in the endless bloodbath which they sustain for their ultimate subjugation of mankind.

Life as a Shura

Like scavengers, Shuras roam the scene of a battle during the night looking for the dead and the dying to embrace. As an apparent evolutionary survival mechanism a Shura can embrace anyone up ten hours following their death. This is a cruel process as the victim's soul is violently wrenched from the netherworld back into his body. This process often drains the victim of any and all humanity. Those embraced while alive in all likelihood will not retain their humanity for long as their sire and his pack will constantly abuse and torment the unfortunate neonate until he is as demented and bloodthirsty as they are.

Additionally, the insubstantiality created by the clan's combination of the Fu'shin and Obtenebrate Disciplines often leaves a Shura with the feeling that it is a complete monster bearing no semblance whatsoever with its human self and bitterness at its condition feeds its endless rage.

Although the advanced surveillance and detection involved in much of contemporary warfare has forced the Shuras to employ far more stealth in their operations, they may still be found wherever wars are fought. They believe that their condition is indeed a curse and many a Shura sees himself as an avenging angel of sorts, enternally damning those who revelled in or sought to gain profit by means of killing to an existence of nightly strife and torment. However, they also recoginze the potential power offered by the vampiric existence and to do everything they can to increase their personal power. So runs the twisted karma of a Shura...

The fact that the Shuras are a ravenous and potentially very dangerous lot cannot be denied, but their great weakness lies in their disorganization. Shura constantly fight one another and a chance meeting between two rival packs nearly always results in a fight to the death regardless of time, place or circumstances. The bloodline's recent experiments with embracing gang members of American inner-city areas has only exacerbated this attririon rate. Nevertheless, these Asian kindred have begun to draw considerable attention from the Sabbat with whom they share much in common. Loyalty to the sect overcomes individual concerns in the end and Sabbat Shura never fight one another under any circumstances.

Appearance

Shura vampires are easily recognizable due their pale grey to midnight blue skin, although many are very handsome. While their eyes appear normal under artificial lighting in the darkness of night they perpetually glow a vicious yellow which adds +1 all rolls using Intimidation under such circumstances. The overwhelming majority of this clan are Japanese but this has begun to change over the past century or so. Shuras never embrace females.

Organization

Shura packs exist under a quasi-feudal structure with several packs swearing allegiance (and becoming Blood Bound to) an Elder of high Generation known as a "daimyo." Daimyo Shura are always of Asian stock and Gaijin (non-Japanese) will always be awarded lowest status within the warband until they have proven themselves in battle.

Status is awarded chiefly by means of expanding the domain of the Shuras as well as by defeating rival packs, warbands and other supernaturals in honorable combat. Interestingly, many Shura rivalries are an extension of conflicts from the rival packs' breathing days but most are mearly the machinations of Elders in an attempt to destroy one another. In short, typical Jyhad.

Nickname

Nihiritsuo (Nihilists)

Character Creation

Being warriors rather than politicians or strategists, Physical Attributes are primary, as are Skills. Anyone who went down fighting is fair game for a Shura. Possible concepts include Soldier, Mercenary, Gang Member and Yakuza.

Preferred Paths

Most identify with the Paths of Death and the Soul, Honorable Accord and Power and the Inner Voice. Once a Shura acquires a Path his Virtues become Sabbat-style virtues due to the degree of brutality to which he has grown accustomed

Clan Disciplines

Fu'shin, Obfuscation, Obtenebration.

Clan Weakness

Thanks to the Obtenebration discipline the Shuras share the Lasombra weakness of casting no reflection, leading many to blelieve the two clans to be related. Additionally and far more serious is the Bloodline's weak ties to the physical world. Whenever a Shura enters Torpor, either voluntarily or due to damage, he must roll Willpower vs. Difficulty 9 or fade out of existence altogether, becoming Finally Dead.

Stereotypes

While the Shuras' contact with their fellow Kindred has been limited until recently, they have formulated very stringent opinions in this time.

The Camarilla: Typical of those not of Japan, they are ruled by their emotions and lack any sense of honor.

Tremere: Although they side with the fools of the Camarilla, we respect them. At least they have tried to make an effort to understand us and our culture. Their sorcery makes them easily the most powerful of the Western clans but also the most dangerous.

"Such ill-tempered little scrappers. They will be a great boon to the Camarilla once we find out how to bait them."

-- Thomas Wyncham, Tremere envoy to the Far East

The Sabbat: These seem to be the only Kindred who understand what it means to live and die as a warrior. When they are victorious we shall stand together and revel in our enemies' blood.

"Monsters we are, monsters they always shall be."

-- Hannya Akiko, Tzimisce Bishop of Kobe

Assamite: They appreciate power and destroy their enemies by fooling them into handing them the power they desire in return for petty services. These warriors have taken the bad situation in which the Camarilla entrapped them and made the best of it. If they were to reunite with their more unrestrained breathren of the Sabbat then all Kindred would tremble at the mention of their name.

"Angry dead more ghost than vampire. They are more uncontrolled than the Brujah, but I would think twice before agreeing to a contract against one. After all, how does one kill a ghost?"

-- Mala Ibn Rasuli, 9th Generation Assamite

Giovanni: I look forward to watching them die, they who are so confident.

"Asian streetpunks throwin' lightning bolts, huh. Let's see them try it in my city." (sound of shotgun being cocked)

-- DeLeo Giovanni, 13th Generation Giovanni

Setite: They think their demon god will bring so much power when he awakens. They think that even in the face of all their enemies they can still win. When I fought against the Chinese in Nanking I too felt the same. A few years later my country lay in ruins. So it will be with these poor dishonorables.

"Let me taste you, storm-child. Let me show you how easily I fall!"

-- Sebek, 5th Generation Setite

Ravnos: Thieves and worthless in a fight. I know. I kill them all the time.

"Oh, you're gonna kick my ass? Oh Shura are! Narf!"

-- Dan Gish, 11th Generation Ravnos

Kares: They were destroyed long ago. They are of no consequence.

"Destroyed, huh? Give my regards to Bruce Lee, pal!" (claws spring from fingers.)

-- "Crazy" Karen Mathaus, 8th Generation Kare

Wessynix: Some are called to be priests of nature and that is good. Our struggle is not against them.

"Who?"

-- Howard Kruger, 10th Generation Wessynix

Salubri: The Tremere war against them, but I hear tell that they make incredible allies. They alone seem to understand the secret of releasing us all from this damnable hell of a living death. More power to them if they survive. Considering the centuries it's taken to exterminate them, I think there are more than the Tremere believe.

"An army of puppets who live on their knees before the Beast. Minister unto them, my children. Their pain is great. Those who crave redemption the most are sometimes those who acknowledge it the least."

-- Cephas, Salubri