Sabbat Backgrounds
Alternate Identity
You maintain an alternate identity within another sect or clan. Only a few know your real name and identity. You serve your sect or clan by gathering information about the enemy.
This Background is much more common among the Tremere of the Camarilla than any other group. It is virtually impossible for a spy to infiltrate the Sabbat.
Some of these vampires are only part-time spies or sleepers. They do not actively gather information, but they can stay in enemy territory unsuspected by most. The rest of the vampires are full-time spies. They do not maintain their real identity at another location, and they are always actively gathering information or accomplishing tasks. Depending upon which type of spy you are, you may or may not be able to live your own unlife. You might have to constantly live the Alternate Identity for the length of the mission.
You have developed trust among those upon whom you spy and, at your discretion, your mission is known only to your liaison, to whom you pass on information and from whom you receive your orders. You may or may not have real friends among the enemy, but you must never reveal your secret to anyone.
The following descriptions are for full-time spies. Part-time spies are not as trusted and may not increase beyond a rating of two without good roleplaying. Tremere antitribu cannot take this Background Trait.
* You are new at this spy game. You have not developed complete trust and you will be a prime suspect if something goes wrong. You have virtually no clout or access to information.
* * You are a capable spy. You have a fair reputation and the trust of a few good friends within enemy ranks. Your access to information is limited.
* * * You have had years to build up a good reputation. You are well respected and you are trusted as well as any vampire is trusted by another. You are privy to some private conversations between leaders, but not a whole lot.
* * * * You are of high status and respect among the enemy. You will not be suspected of any wrongdoing. You have the trust and friendship of many powerful Kindred. You have access to most information discussed in private.
* * * * * You are the ultimate spy. You are trusted by almost everyone, and many owe you big favors. You have so many secrets that you could keep most mouths shut if they were to find out who you really are. You are trusted by the prince and the primogen, and you may even be one of them if you choose the appropriate Background Traits.
Black Hand Membership
You are a member of the notorious Black Hand. Of course, you must be a member of the Sabbat in order to take this Background. You are a full-fledged member of the Hand with all the rights and responsibilities that accompany the position.
You may call upon other Hand members for assistance in times of great need. They also have the right to call upon you. You will be given great opportunity for both diablerie and destruction. There is a certain prestige that accompanies being a Hand member. You must answer when your leaders call and you must obey the leaders of the Sabbat as well as those of the Black Hand. Early in your career as a Hand member, you will be given the most dangerous assignments. You will also be involved in Crusades that will take you away from your pack.
Your rating in this Background shows your relative position in the Black Hand.
* You are a lowly grunt.
* * You are known and respected in the Hand.
* * * You are equal to a lieutenant in rank, even though the Hand has no defined ranks. You may lead a small force of the Hand.
* * * * You are a well-respected leader in the Hand. You are the equivalent of a major in rank. You are allowed to order and lead a large group of Hand members.
* * * * * You are a dominion in the Black Hand. This is the equivalent of a general in the military. You may order and lead large numbers of Black Hand members.
Pack Recognition
In addition to Clan Prestige and Sabbat Status, there is another area of social distinction - Pack Recognition. It acts much like Prestige or Status, influencing other vampires to act in a manner you desire; however, it is limited to your own pack. The amount of Recognition you possess defines your relative leadership position within your pack.
While it may seem Sabbat Status would overwhelm Pack Recognition, the members of your pack see you only by your Pack Recognition rating. Thus, you could be a bishop and still be so disliked by your packmates that they would not support you. It is important to have your pack's support if you want to ever achieve real power. Unfortunately, Recognition occasionally runs at odds with Prestige and Status.
* You are accepted in the pack.
* * You are well liked by most of your fellow pack members.
* * * You are treated with great respect by your comrades.
* * * * You are considered a pack hero.
* * * * * You are unmistakably the leader of the pack.
Background Changes for Sabbat
Allies
Sabbat do not keep mortals as allies. Mortals are weak and would lead to trouble for the Sabbat. This means any allies a Sabbat may have are ones made before joining the sect. If Sabbat leaders find out that a Sabbat has mortals as allies, they will dish out drastic punishment to the vampire and kill the mortal allies.
Contacts
Sabbat may still have mortal contacts, but they must never reveal to them that they are Sabbat. If a human contact were to find out, the contact would disappear - permanently.
Fame
Most Sabbat avoid turning movie stars into vampires, but it has happened. Fame can bring unwanted attention to the sect, so those with Fame cannot use it in any real way. They have to be very careful or else their own leaders will kill them for being threats to Sabbat security.
Herd
Most Sabbat keep small herds, since large ones can be a threat to security. Sabbat are not encouraged to keep more than seven vessels. Usually, Sabbat drink from whomever they damn well please.
Influence
The Sabbat has great influence in mortal society, but the sect usually leaves it alone. The typical Sabbat is advised to stay out of mortal matters, as they do not concern him. A Sabbat not in a leadership position should not have Influence. If he does, he may get in trouble if he flexes his political muscle.
Mentor
A Sabbat vampire may have a mentor. The mentor may be the vampire who Embraced her, or it may be another pack member who takes an interest in her. Her mentor may even be outside her pack. One example is that of the City Gangrel antitribu. While they are loners, almost all of them have a mentor early in their unlives. The mentor is always another City Gangrel antitribu.
* Mentor is a priest or ancilla
* * Mentor is a bishop
* * * Mentor is an archbishop
* * * * Mentor is a priscus
* * * * * Mentor is a cardinal
Retainers
Sabbat will not have retainers unless they are ancillae or older. The Sabbat does not let the young run about with a bunch of humans who know their secrets. Even the Sabbat who do have retainers will only have one or two, and these will most likely be ghouls. Sabbat have no preference for humans over animals, since many Sabbat consider both to be equal. If anything, Sabbat prefer animal retainers such as dogs or cats. The Country Gangrel antitribu are known to prefer coyotes, wolves and bobcats.
Sabbat Status
Sabbat Status is similar to that of the Camarilla, but the Sabbat has more defined positions of leadership. Most Sabbat with Status are leaders, hut this is not always the case. Status can play an important role in getting and keeping a leadership position.
* Priest or pack leader/Well-known
* * Templar or paladin/Respected
* * * Bishop/High Status
* * * * Archbishop/Powerful
* * * * * Priscus/Luminary
((Player's Guide to the Sabbat))
ABILITIES
Talents
Dreaming: This Talent allows you to remember and control your dreams as well as gain insight into them. (This Ability is common only among mortals and vampires who know the Thaumaturgic path Power of Morpheus)
* Novice:You can recall your dreams almost every night in their entirety.
* * Practiced: You have the ability to alter aspects of your dreams which you do not like.
* * * Competent: You are able to alter large parts of your dreams.
* * * * Expert: You are capable of dreaming whatever you wish.
* * * * * Master: You are the master of your dreams, and are able to gain insight into your life when you let your dreams take their own course, though often the understanding you glean will be vague.
Fortune Telling:
You may or may not have the gift to really tell fortunes, but you can make people believe you do. This may prove useful as a plot device or as a means for the character to earn money.
* Novice: You are able to use one method of divination adequately, and treat this Ability as a pastime.
* * Practiced: You can use one method of fortune telling well, and can tell someone general information that will apply to her.
* * * Competent: You know a lot about certain methods of fortune telling and can tell anyone detailed information that will apply to them.
* * * * Expert: You are able to use multiple methods well, and have a keen understanding of what people want to hear.
* * * * * Master: Gypsies take lessons from you
Panhandling:
You are a skilled beggar. You are able to get people to give you money just by asking for it. The art of panhandling is performed through a subtle blend of Manipulation, Empathy, Intimidation, Streetwise and Subterfuge. You know whom to ask, how to approach them, what to say, and how to avoid police. This is a useful Talent for picking up quick cash or for creating a cover.
* Novice: You can tell a good hard luck story.
* * Practiced: You can gain sympathy from most people.
* * * Competent: Real smooth. You can hit even the hard-hearted for a few bucks.
* * * * Expert: People will want to take you home and feed and clothe you.
* * * * * Master: You can just about get whatever you want (within reason) for free.
Skills
Blind Fighting:
Even when unable to see your foes, you can use your Brawl or Melee Abilities. It may also be part of the requirements in a duel under the rules of Monomacy. However, the most important use for the Blind Fighting Ability is when combined with the effects of Obtenebration. This skill may be of great use when not in
combat as well. It should be noted that this skill does not grant any ability to actually see better in darkness. For each level of ability the character has in this Skill, reduce the difficulty for performing actions while blind by one.
* Novice: You don't stub your toe in the dark.
* * Practiced:You can pinpoint the direction from which sounds come.
* * * Competent:You can fight and predict where your enemies are at the same time.
* * * * Expert: You can almost "feel" where your opponents are.
* * * * * Master: You possess an almost mystical sense - Zen and the Art of Spatial Awareness.
Body Alteration:
You are skilled in making alterations to the body. You may possess the Vicissitude Discipline or you may just be a guy who does tattoos or scarification. In any case, you are used to working with flesh as the medium for your art.
* Novice: You can do body piercing.
* * Practiced:You can make decent tattoos or changes to the person's body, but nothing elaborate.
* * * Competent: You are quite good at your craft and can make elaborate designs or changes.
* * * * Expert: You can do work better than almost anyone.
* * * * * Master: You can craft the Sistine Chapel of the body.
Fire Eating:
You know how to extinguish flames with your mouth without burning yourself. This Ability is extremely rare even among the Sabbat, since fire is a very real threat. The only real uses for this Ability are during performances or certain Ignoblis Ritae. The difficulty is based on the trick performed and the heat of the flames.
* Novice: You are capable of trying it without frenzying, but you may still get burned.
* * Practiced: You may even be able to do it without being burned.
* * * Competent: You can accomplish the task with relative ease, and without being burned in the slightest.
* * * * Expert: You may perform tricks with the fire and put out really hot flames.
* * * * * Master: You are capable of performing intricate tricks and possibly even breathing back the flames.
Fire Walking:
You can enter a trance-like state which allows you to walk across hot coals and leap through open flames. Few vampires outside the Sabbat have this Skill, but most Sabbat do, since it is used in the Fire Dance, an Auctoritas Ritus. The effects are the same as Fire Eating except it is applied to flames and heat in contact with the skin. This skill is also used when vampires handle fire. This does not grant any immunity, but does allow the vampire to avoid being burned or frenzying. The user must concentrate on Fire Walking and nothing else.
* Novice: You are able to make leaps, so you are not a coward.
* * Practiced:You are either naturally good or you have been doing this for a while.
* * * Competent: You can occasionally impress other Sabbat, for you do not fear fire in the least.
* * * * Expert: You are an acrobat in the flames and a real showoff.
* * * * * Master: You can outdo almost anyone in your leaps and can perform any Fire Dance trick.
Snake Charming:
You can mesmerize snakes, making them passive and willing to obey hand gestures. Snakes are used in a few Ignoblis Ritae by some packs.
* Novice: You are inexperienced, but know how it is done.
* * Practiced: You are capable of influencing a snake and making it less aggressive.
* * * Competent: You can easily make one snake passive and handle it (with care).
* * * * Expert: You can make any number of snakes passive and can handle them with ease.
* * * * * Master: You are a master cobra tamer. You can make snakes dance and move where you wish.
Tightrope Walking:
You can walk a tightrope, something you may have learned as part of your training in the Sabbat or while alive. Tightrope walking is used by some templars and members of the Black Hand to aid them in their work.
* Novice: You can walk a tightrope slowly as long as nothing disturbs you. Wind, loud noises, or looking down can all cause you to fall.
* * Practiced: You can walk a tightrope with minor distractions or without the aid of a balance pole.
* * * Competent: You can walk a tightrope while distracted, as well as when the rope is slanted or slack.
* * * * Expert: You are as skilled as a ninja. You can walk a tightrope with ease, as well as slant and slack ropes.
* * * * * Master: You are a circus-level performer. You can walk a rope carrying objects or people. You may ride a tightrope bike across the rope or perform difficult tricks.
Torture:
You know how to inflict pain. Your ability is so precise as to be a science. You are capable of interrogating prisoners through torture and prolonging their suffering, keeping them barely alive - or undead.
* Novice: You know how to hurt people in different ways.
* * Practiced:You are good at causing extreme pain and can keep someone alive for interrogation purposes.
* * * Competent: You are equal to a military torturer. You can create pain never experienced by most.
* * * * Expert: You are equal to a professional torturer. You are able to get almost any information you want out of your subject.
* * * * * Master: You are an artist and a scientist of pain and suffering.
Knowledges
Black Hand Knowledge:
You have learned information about the Black Hand, information known to few outside the organization. You know the history of the Hand, typical strategies used by the Hand, intrigue within the Hand, and Hand rituals. In addition, you can recognize all Black Hand within your own city and the surrounding area.
* Novice: You know mostly secondhand information.
* * Practiced: You know what most Hand members know.
* * * Competent: You know a great deal of information not known by many Hand members.
* * * * Expert: You know as much as the dominions know.
* * * * * Master: You know as much as the Seraphim know.
Camarilla Lore:
You know information about the Camarilla. You know who many of the princes are, who many of the real rulers are, details about the Masquerade, Camarilla history, legend and propaganda.
* Novice: What just about all Camarilla Kindred know
* * Practiced: What most Ventrue know
* * * Competent: What most Nosferatu or Tremere know
* * * * Expert: What most princes know
* * * * * Master: What most Methuselahs know
Clan Knowledge: You know information pertaining to a clan (generally, but not always, your own). This information is not privy to most and it may have taken years before you picked up any useful information. Many clan members know very little about their heritage, usually because they do not care to.
* Novice: What some clan members know
* * Practiced: What most ancillae know
* * * Competent:What most elders know
* * * * Expert: What most Methuselahs know
* * * * * Master: What only the clan leader knows
Sabbat Lore:
You know information available only to members of the Sabbat. If you are not Sabbat and you possess this Knowledge, you had better keep it a secret. If the Sabbat were to find out, your unlife expectancy would plummet. You know Sabbat history, legends, rituals, tactics, strategies and much more.
* Novice: What almost all Sabbat know
* * Practiced: What most Sabbat priests know
* * * Competent: What most Sabbat bishops know
* * * * Expert: What most Sabbat archbishops know
* * * * * Master: What the prisci, cardinals and Regent know
Sewer Lore: You know much about sewers in general and a great deal about the sewer system in your own city. This is valuable because it allows you to know what tunnels to take to go where you want to go. You know where the havens of the Nosferatu are, and you know where the city's Giovanni meet. You may know of other creatures in the sewer. You could survive safely in the sewers indefinitely if you needed to do so. You also have enough general knowledge to navigate through unfamiliar sewers and come close to your destination.
* Novice:You are a real tunnel rat
* * Practiced: What a city worker might know
* * * Competent:What a Nosferatu or Giovanni would know
* * * * Expert:What older Nosferatu would know
* * * * * Master: What a Nosferatu elder might know
((Player's Guide to the Sabbat))
MERITS/FLAWS
Psychological
Lunacy:
You are affected by the phases of the moon. On nights of the new moon you are extremely passive, but on nights of the full moon you are extremely emotional and volatile. During the waxing moon you are pleasant and more focused on your tasks. During the waning moon you are a little apathetic and touchy. During the entire cycle of the moon, you vary your emotional level to suit the stage of the moon.
Kindred Ties
Family Member:
A member of your mortal family is also a vampire. You have a good relationship with the family member and he will come to your aid if you call.
Pack Distinction:
You have a certain degree of fame within your pack. The reason relates to some great heroic action that possibly saved many of their unlives. You may consider this two points that can be added to Pack Recognition. You may not be pack leader, but you may be more respected than the leader.
Special Rapport:
You have a special bond with another vampire that extends beyond any other type of bond you know of. You may or may not love the other vampire, but you have a special link to her. This link allows you to always know when she is in trouble, when she is in pain, when she is lying, and when she needs you. In return, she knows the same about you. Both characters have to buy this Merit. This Merit should not be abused by allowing a relatively weak character to choose a powerful one.
Pack Punishment:
You are bound by some special punishment imposed on you by your pack for doing something in opposition to pack rules. You are limited from doing something you normally could do, such as making solo trips, going with the pack out of town, hanging around the Rack, associating with certain individuals, and so on. The exact nature of the punishment is left to you.
Pack Rival:
You have an intense rivalry with a member of your pack. You are always competing with this individual, either for fun or out of spite. You have been known to go to extremes to best this individual, and he has been known to do the same to you. Your rival occasionally gets the best of you, but you do the same to him.
Special Responsibility:
You have some sort of duty that you are required to perform for the entire pack. You are not really given any special credit for doing it, but if you were to stop you would lose much of its respect. The exact nature of the duty can be anything. Some ideas are: act as pack messenger and coordinator, gather victims for Blood Feasts, cover up other pack members' messes, or issue loans to fellow pack members.
Pack Disgrace:
You have done something that has brought shame to your pack and you personally.
Pack Enemy:
You have made an enemy within your pack. This individual would like to see you out of the pack and possibly destroyed: perhaps just because he doesn't like you or perhaps for a good reason. In any case, this pack member tries to get others to side against you, and he tries to ruin every positive thing you accomplish for yourself or for the pack. The Vinculum scores between you and your enemy are automatically zero, and will never increase no matter how many times you partake of the Vaulderie together.
Probationary Sect Member:
You are a defector. You turned traitor on the Camarilla, Followers of Set, or some other vampire group. You have just been accepted on probation into the fold. You still have much to prove before you will be an accepted member. You are treated well by most Sabbat, but you know you are not trusted. You are always assigned the most dangerous missions and you are always at the front of the fray. Your pack watches you like a hawk and limits your actions. You are not allowed to speak to Kindred outside the sect, you are not allowed to go anywhere outside pack territory without a fellow pack member, and you are required to prove your loyalty time and time again.
Aptitudes
Natural Leader:
You are gifted with a certain charisma that sets you apart from the rest. You have the natural ability to lead others. You get to reduce the difficulty level by three in any situation directly involving leadership.
Mortal Society
Accepted Ally:
You have a useful connection in the mortal world, a connection of value even to Sabbat leaders. You are allowed to keep this contact as long as there are no complications. If the need should arise, you are expected to kill your contact to protect the Sabbat or prove your loyalty.
Approved Friendship:
You have a friendship with a non-Sabbat, either mortal or Kindred, that you are allowed to keep for some reason. Your friend must have some influence or ability that makes him valuable to the sect or else you would have been ordered to destroy him long ago. However, if the need arises, your leader may ask you to kill your friend.
Secret Friendship:
You maintain a friendship with a mortal or a vampire outside the Sabbat, despite knowing that if you are discovered there is a good chance that both of you would be destroyed. You are always having to cover up this relationship. You must never reveal this secret or you will be in deep trouble.
Supernatural
Enchanting Voice:
You have an almost magical voice, beautiful beyond words.
Lunar Influence:
The moon has an unusually strong effect on you. During periods of the new moon, your Strength, Dexterity and Stamina are cut in half (round down). During periods of the full moon, your Strength, Dexterity and Stamina are increased by half again. During the waxing and waning phases, the Attributes are normal.
Magic Sensitivity
You have a supernatural gift that allows you to know if any magic is in use or has been used recently within a 10-foot radius of yourself. This includes all supernatural Disciplines as well.
Silence:
You have an unusual ability to move quietly that goes far beyond the norm. You are even able to move quietly over dry leaves. Should the wind blow while you are moving, there is no way to hear you.
Mystic Ability:
For some reason, you have visions. The visions are not necessarily precognitive, but like precognition, the visions occur outside your control. You may make yourself more sensitive to them through ascetic practices, but you can never consciously induce a vision. Then again, you may have a vision as you are walking down the street minding your own business. Unlike Precognition, the visions are always steeped in symbolism, and they apply only to your own unlife.
Sanctity:
For some reason, everyone considers you pure and innocent, though certainly not naive. You have a saint-like quality that is hard to put a finger on, but others tend to see it in you. You are trusted, even if you are not trustworthy. You tend to receive lesser punishments for wrongdoing and are liked by most.
Oracular Ability:
You see signs and omens in everyday life. You are able to understand many magical portents that are revealed to people every day, but are seen by few and interpreted by less. You are able to draw advice from these omens, for they provide hints of the future and warnings for the present.
Precognition:
You have the ability to perceive events before they happen. This ability is not under your control. The premonitions come to you when you least expect them. The focus of the premonitions is not under your control either. This Merit should not be used to cause problems in the game, but to intensify the experience through additional drama.
Innate Magical Ability:
You have some sort of magical ability that makes you unique. The ability is different from any normal vampiric power or Discipline. The exact nature of the ability should remain somewhat mysterious to you, though you have some say in what the ability is. The ability has an estimated power level similar to a Level Three Discipline.
Nine Lives: ,br> Fate has granted you the opportunity to come as close to Final Death as anyone can get and still survive. You basically have nine lives. If a situation arises in which you should be killed, you actually survive, though you may be the worse for wear.
Cast No Reflection:
You actually cast no reflection in mirrors, just like the vampires of legend. This can have a very detrimental effect when trying to pass as human. At least you can stalk prey in a house of mirrors with relative ease. Lasombra cannot take this Flaw.
Eerie Presence:
Other people get a strange feeling when they are around you. You seem to make others very uncomfortable, especially animals and mortals. Many Tzimisces possess this Flaw.
Physical
Catlike Balance:
You possess an innately perfect sense of balance. You are able to land on your feet from a fall virtually every time.
Early Riser:
You always seem to be the first to rise and the last to go to bed. You always get up at least one hour before everyone else, even if you stay up until dawn. You seem to have the ability to exist on less rest.
Lazy:
You are simply lazy. You do not like to do anything that requires a lot of effort on your part. You prefer to let others do the hard work. You like to lie around and, by vampiric standards, you are certainly a coffin potato.
Vulnerability to Silver:
You suffer aggravated wounds from silver, just like a werewolf.
Infertile Vitae:
For some reason you are unable to create new vampires. All those you try to Embrace die. Your vitae is faulty even beyond that of Thin Blood. You may not create any childer no matter what you do. However, unlike the Flaw Thin Blood, you can use your blood just as all other vampires can.
Slow Healing:
You are slow to heal all wounds. This can be dangerous for aggravated wounds. You are slow to heal normal wounds as well.
Addiction:
You are addicted to some substance in addition to blood. You make sure your victims have ingested the substance before you drink from them so, you can enjoy the effects. The substance can be alcohol or any form of drug. You are more likely to frenzy if you do not get your fix for the night.
Disease Carrier:
Your blood contains a disease that affects the mortals upon whom you feed. It may not affect all of them all the time, but it does so regularly. Because of this, you are not allowed to participate directly in the Vaulderie. However, even though others will not drink your blood, you still have to drink theirs. You are not allowed to drink directly from vessels because you will contaminate them, so you have to remove the blood and pour it into a cup first.
(Player's Guide to the Sabbat)
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