Assamite

Vampires are the killers in the night, and none moreso than the Assamites, slayers of both Kindred and kine. Called in regularly by the world's Justicars as archons and by princes as assassins, no clan is more feared by the Kindred. Secretive and taciturn, Assamites will travel anywhere in search of their targets, accepting as payment the blood of their employers.

While Assamites spend much of their time in the same solitary pursuits as other Kindred, they are best known for their skills as hired killers. In exchange for using their unique talents against the enemies of princes and anarchs alike, Assamites demand a portion of their employers' vitae They do not accept every petition for aid, but once they have accepted a "contract," they consider themselves honor

bound to carry out the exact word of the agreement.

The clan was founded more than a millennium ago in the hinterlands of the Turkish mountains, and

has always fiercely protected its privacy. Assamites are fundamentalists of a bizarre brand, practicing a faith that is a mixture of many Middle Eastern religions and Kindred mythology. They believe

that the only way for vampires to reach heaven is to become closer to Caine - and the only means of doing this is to lower one's generation.

For much of the clan's early history the Assamites engaged in diablerie, seeking always to bring themselves closer to "the One." They became the most feared killers among the Kindred. Assamite leg end claims the clan founder slew two of the second-generation Cainites by his own hand.

Unfortunately for the clan, it is no longer possible for Assamites to engage in diablerie. During the late Middle Ages (during the period of the Sabbat uprising"), the Assamites found it easy to hunt their prey. So many elders were killed that the Camarilla declared a Blood Hunt against the entire Assamite clan. After a period of seven years, Alamut, the clan's ancient fortress sanctuary, was close to being discovered. For the first time in its history the clan sued for peace, and negotiated a complicated treaty.

The Assamites agreed never again to hunt other Kindred for their blood and, in exchange, the Blood Hunt against them was called off. The clan was forced to allow the Tremere Council of Seven to cast a great ritual upon all its members. This ritual made it impossible for Assamites to drink the blood of other Kindred (see Weaknesses, below).

However, the Assamites managed to adapt some of the most ancient rites of their clan into an approximation of diablerie. The blood they take as pay from those who hire them is collected and then used in a ritual of creation. When the clan holds its five-year gatherings at Alamut, its members are able to brew potions using the blood thus collected. These potions can reduce the effective generation of a clan member.

Any Assamite hoping to reduce her generation must gather 200 Blood Points from non-Assamite vampires of equal or lower generation for the potion to be effective - it usually takes decades to gather that much blood. Each Assamite gives her sire a tenth of the blood she gathers.

While not Blood Bound or Dominated into following clan traditions, individual Assamites are usually fanatically loyal to the clan. Should anyone try to cheat an Assamite, or attack her under circumstances other than an assassination attempt, the weight of the entire clan will crash upon the offender's head.

Should an assassin be killed by a target, however, the clan will take no additional revenge. Its members will not accept any other contracts for that person's head, and will even honor her when they are given a chance.

Once a contract has been accepted, the assassin will not stop trying to fulfill it until the target is dead or the Assamite has proof that the employer violated her trust (told her a vampire was ninth generation when he was sixth, or neglected to mention that the target was protected by a pack of Lupines).

Nickname: Assassins

Appearance: Because most Assamites are of Middle Eastern heritage, they share the characteristics of people from that area - swarthy skin, aquiline features and black hair. Additionally, while most vampires become paler over time, the members of this clan become darker as the years pass by, until their skins turn a dark ebony.

Haven: Assamite elders live at Alamut, a fortress located atop a mountain somewhere in Asia Minor. While away from the clan haven, neonates choose the most inaccessible and private locations as their havens.

Background: Generally, the clan watches a given human for a long time before allowing a member to initiate the subject. If permission is granted, the mortal must serve the sire-to-be for seven years, and only if she serves exceedingly well is she Embraced (otherwise she is killed). She is then called a fidais and apprenticed for another seven years, during which time she is introduced to the mysteries of the clan and taught the techniques of assassination. During this entire period, she is expected to be fanatically loyal to the clan.

Character Creation: Almost all Assamites are of Middle Eastern descent, and many are former soldiers, explorers, investigators or criminals. Their Natures and Demeanors are usually similar but almost never the same. Any Attributes may be primary, but Skills are usually the primary Abilities. Popular Backgrounds include Mentor (the sire) and Clan Prestige (to get plum contracts).

Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus

Weaknesses: Assamites have two blood related disadvantages. The first is the clan requirement that all its members give a 10 percent blood tithe to their sires. The second is that they are unable to imbibe the blood of other Kindred, and if it is forced into them it acts as does poison to a mortal. Each Blood Point from another Kindred that somehow enters an Assamite's system inflicts one Health Level of non-aggravated wounds before it is purged.

Organization: The Assamite leaders hold court in Alamut ("Eagles' Nest"), their ancient mountain fastness, far from others' prying eyes. Here they receive assassination requests from the most powerful Kindred and kine, and assign assassins to specific contracts. Though no assignment is mandatory, Assamites lose much Prestige if they refuse assignments. Younger Assamites are spread across the world, and use their own judgment on accepting assignments from individuals other than clan leaders.

Gaining Clan Prestige: The most obvious route for gaining Clan Prestige is through successful assassinations, but there are other ways. Members of the clan often trade each other blood they have received as payment. For instance, a ninth-generation Assamite may trade two Blood Points of 10th-generation vitae to a 10th-generation sister in exchange for one Blood Point of ninth-generation blood. Assisting other clan members in this manner gains one Prestige as well.

Quote: "What need have we for ruling a petty mass of squabbling sycophants when we are already on the true path? There is none who does not quake at the slightest hint of our presence, and that leaves a taste sweeter than blood in my mouth."

Stereotypes:

* The Camarilla - A very useful pool of employers, but for our clan to join would be the height of stupidity. We gain far more acting outside its laws than we would within.

* The Sabbat - Useless childer. They kill for no reason and with no grace - what good is a murder if it takes the deaths of 20 of your brothers and sisters? It takes 100 of them to do what one of us can do.

* The Inconnu - These elders are the greatest challenges of all. If any fool requests that you kill a member of this ancient group, send him to the mountaintop.