From August, 2018
Know Your Kindred – Count Vladimir Rustovitch
Name: Vladimir Rustovitch
Clan: Tzimisce
Generation: 6th
Embraced: 876 AD
A peculiar combination of nobility and evil, Vladimir Rustovitch is the embodiment of the term “vampire lord” and was one of the most powerful Tzimisce in Eastern Europe and high general of the Transylvanian voivodate. Werewolves have trembled at his name for centuries.
Born during the bleakest era of the Dark Ages, Rustovitch grew up in a family already subjugated as warrior-revenats for the Tzimisce clan. After showing his mettle as a solider fighting in the Tzimisce’s wars and expanding the fiefdom of House Rustovitch as its leader for almost 10 years, he was embraced by the ancient fiend Kosczecsyku.
Kosczecsyku met final death from a pair of treacherous clanmates — Mischa and Csikos. They fled from the lands after Rustovitch killed the other co-conspiractors. He then took over Kosczecsyku’s fiefdom and carved out a dominion between Western Hungary and Transylvania proper using equal parts fear and strategy.
For centuries, Rustovitch led successful campaigns against the Gangrel, Ventrue, Old Clan Tzimisce, the Tremere, and the Garou tribe known as The Shadow Lords. Rustovitch expanded his fiefdom again and again. Other Tzimisce voivodes paid him their respect and the most beautiful women in all of Hungary were brought to his castle as food or as brides-to-be.
That all changed in 1313 A.D., after defending the country’s borders from a Teutonic Knight invasion, Rustovitch returned to his home… or what was left of it. Micha and Csikos had returned and manipulated the Shadow Lords to attack his castle. Rustovitch’s bat banners were torn down, his guards lay strewn throughout the courtyard and his brides torn to tattered, bloody rags. Rustovitch’s wrathful frenzy on that night is still told by Shadow Lords who wish to frighten unruly cubs. Eventually, Micha and Csikos were captured alive and what Rustovitch did to them sends a shutter up the spines of other Tzimisce.
Afterwards, a grieving Rustovitch filled a sack with dirt from his courtyard and began to wander the world, angry and bereaved. All he cares about now is revenge against the Shadow Lords. He joined the Sabbat to help him capture Micha and Csikos, but cares little for the sect’s mission and more about killing werewolves.
Rustovitch is the embodiment of Old World gentleman. Standing six feet tall, perfectly groomed and manicured (thanks to Vicissitude) in immaculate suits and cravats.
Rustovitch is able to use his Animalism to extend his consciousness into a swarm of bats, controlling the swarm like a puppet. With Auspex he is also able to “see” in 360 degrees by means of sonar emissions, like a bat. With Vicissitude he can assume the Chiropteran Marauder shape and transform himself into a hideous, tusk-fanged bipedal bat.
Sources: Rage Warriors of the Apocalypse, pg 125-126. Transylvania by Night pg 117. Under the Black Cross, pg 95.
The Story Behind Camille Devereux and The Raven
For many years, playing a Gangrel deck usually featured two vampires who had the exact same capacity and discipline spread – Camille Devereux and Raven. Some players probably thought it was amusing, if not puzzling, that there were two Gangrel who were exactly alike.
Well, there was a reason for this. In 1994, when Jyhad was released, Camille Devereux was one of the original cards printed in the game’s debut release, but the card’s artwork by L.A. Williams was taken directly without permission from a photo published in a Victoria’s Secret catalog of the model Stephanie Seymour.
A year later, when the base set was reprinted under the game’s new title Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, a replacement card was created called Raven, with a different illustration by L.A. Williams.
Both cards were considered unique onto themselves and did not contest with each other. That changed in 2004, for the Tenth Anniversary Edition, when both characters were combined into one card.
