From Know Your Kindred
Know Your Kindred – Jamal
Name: Jamal
Clan: Assamites
Generation: 4th
Embrace: Unknown
Jamal was a warrior from Africa who rose to prominence among the Assamites in the 12th century. Jamal distinguished himself as a leader, master swordsman and archer during the Crusades.
But during the Anarch Revolt, Jamal would suffer his greatest failure. The Eldest sent him on a mission to destroy the Tzimisce elder Dracula, who was standing in the way of the proposed Assamite-Tzimisce alliance. Jamal disappeared for a century, returning to the Alamut bearing the scars of a vicious battle. He spoke to no one, except the du’at and Eldest of his defeat, and they never made the details public.
Five years later the Treaty of Tyre was signed with the Camarilla and the Eldest committed suicide to expiate his shame. Jamal, then the oldest active fourth generation Child of Haqim, assumed the Black Throne in 1497.
Jamal proved a cunning and effective Eldest. But his practice of the Muslim faith troubled many Assamites who followed the Path of Blood. They didn’t believe a mortal religion could reconcile with Haqim’s codes.
In the end, Jamal’s faith would be his undoing. When ur-Shulgi arose, Jamal refused to recant his faith in favor of utter devotion to Haqim. Ur-Shulagi staked him and impaled his body above the Black Throne for a month. After draining his body of all its blood, ur-Shulagi scattered Jamal’s ashes across the sands of Petra. But the message did not intimidate the Muslim Assamites as ur-Shulagi thought. Instead they now use Jamal’s name as a rallying cry.
– Source: Clanbook: Assamite (Revised), pg 95
Know Your Kindred – Fatima Al-Faqadi
Name: Fatima Al-Faqadi
Clan: Assamite
Generation: 6th
Embraced: 1102
Fatima is widely regarded as one of the most proficient killers among the Children of Haqim. Yet she lives in exile from the rest of her clan. Like Jamal, she too is a dedicated Muslim, who regards Haqim as only a guide for affairs on Earth.
After completing a contract to kill the Sabbat Cardinal, Ambrosio Moncada, Fatima received word from her sire that she must choose between Allah and Haqim or face destruction. She never returned to Alamut and simply vanished. Ur-Shulgi declared her a renegade and must be destroyed. Fatima cares little about this now. After a year of meditating in a cave near Mecca, she renewed her faith in Allah.
Fatima is the definition of beauty. She is very graceful and posses a lean, muscular build and large, almond-shaped eyes. Usually she dresses in a manner that suits the current contract she is pursuing. Otherwise she wears traditional Arab garb.
Fatima was a former lover to the Lasombra Lucita. The two sparked a romance long ago during the Crusades. But the two women were often at odds. Over the centuries they’ve fought for and against each other. Although their affair has ended, Fatima still has strong feelings for Lucita and has often saved her life. When the Elders put Fatima on a contract to kill Lucita, she leaked word back to Lucita of the impending danger. When Fatima showed up to strike, Lucita was ready and sent Fatima to torpor. It is the only contract Fatima ever failed to complete.
When other Assamites engage Fatima in combat, they found themselves staked and shipped to Baghdad with the warning “mercy is sharper than any knife” ringing in their ears.
In the final nights of Gehenna, Fatima was visited by Haqim himself. The invisible Antediluvian whisked around her unseen, like a desert wind. Terrified beyond belief, Fatima bravely explained she had no regrets about her faith. All she ever did was to serve her clan and give glory to Allah and also to Haqim when possible. After she was done the Antediluvian circled around her, then vanished. Fatima was very grateful and fell to the ground crying tears of joy, for Haqim had declared her worthy.
– Source: Clanbook: Assamite, pg 95. Children of the Night, pg 80-81. The Final Night, pg 293-294.
Know Your Kindred – Thetmes
Name: Thetmes
Clan: Assamite
Generation: 5th
Embraced: 25 B.C.
Thetmes was a young Egyptian recruited to fight against Cleopatra and her Roman allies. The battle ended in defeat and Thetmes was sold into slavery as a gladiator. He excelled in the ring and caught the eyes of many wealthy spectators. He was eventually sold to a rich Syrian who offered Thetmes the opportunity to join the Web of Knives.
Thetmes rose to lead the Web and many thought he epitomized the stereotype of the Assamite assassin – no longer a solider or gladiator, but an artist whose chosen craft was death.
After the disastrous assault on Vienna in 1529, that saw the destruction of 30 warriors and a dozen sorcerers. Thetmes returned to Alamut and challenged the Caliph who commanded the assault to an unarmed fight to the death. The duel lasted just long enough for Thetmes to shatter each of the Caliph’s major joints and twisting his head from his shoulders. He presented the crumbling skull to Jamal before it turned to dust. Thetmes was then named the new Caliph of Alamut.
Thetmes was at odds with Jamal‘s adherence to the Muslim faith, but he never censured anyone who professed Muslim beliefs. When ur-Shulgi returned, Thetmes disappeared. Rumors spread that he was killed in a manner similar to Jamal, or that he was on a covert mission for the Eldest. Infact Thetmes is ur-Shulgi’s right hand man. Thetmes is troubled that during one of his many periods in torpor he missed Haqim’s last appearance. Thetmes believes serving ur-Shulgi will atone for that shortcoming.
Thetmes carries himself like a hunting cat: eyes constantly in motion and his body is still. When dealing with non-Assamite vampires, he uses Obfuscate to blur his features and uses cosmetics to lighten his jet-black skin, downplaying his age and clan in order to create a false sense of security.
– Source: Clanbook: Assamite, pg 96.
Know Your Kindred – Conrad Adoula
Name: Demra Makemba Adoula, “Conrad”
Clan: Lasombra
Generation: 10th
Embrace: 19th Century
Demra lived along the banks of the Congo during the Belgian occupation of the 19th century. She grew up around European technology and culture. Her intelligence and leadership potential caught the eye of a 200 year old Lasombra named Elias Bruylant.
When Demra’s brooding European lover died suddenly, she fell into a blind panic. Elias then brought her to his haven in the Congo River. There he explained very politely what he as going to do to her, then he forcibly Embraced her.
Demra adapted quickly to being a vampire, since she already despaired of life. Elias took Demra to his homeland in Europe and Demra was dazzled. She’s never returned to the Congo since. While in Europe Demra joined the ranks of the Sabbat. In the 1920s, she began calling herself “Conrad” in honor of a Polish-English writer whose poetry inspired her to reshape the world.
During the Great Depression she came to the New World, where her natural flair for rhetoric gave her many opportunities in black communities in North and South America. She dreams of one day organizing a Sabbat effort to provoke white governments to see if more people like herself would emerge.
Conrad has a deep hatred for mortal society – for the conquerors who destroyed her hopes and for the people who won’t rise up and fight back. She considers Gehenna ludicrous to believe in. It seems like somebody’s world is always ending.
Conrad is a tall slim woman with extremely dark skin. Her face is scared with ritual marks overlaid with western symbols. When dealing with mortals, she uses Obfuscate to slightly alter her features just enough to allow her to belong in whatever community she’s manipulating.
– Source: Clanbook: Lasombra (Revised), pg 98-99
Know Your Kindred – Fakir Al Sidi
Name: Fakir Al Sidi
Clan: Gangrel
Generation: 4th
Embraced: Unknown
According to legend, the Laibon descend from Fakir Al Sidi, who the Assamites speculate was an undocumented Methuselah.
It is believed that Fakir migrated down to the African desert, where he Embraced just one childe, Kamiri wa Itherero, and taught him the magics of blood and earth. Thus the Laibon was formed. Only 10 Laibon are known to exist. They remain loyal to one another and do not create childer on a whim. Their hierarchy follows typical tribal structure.
– Source: A World of Darkness (2nd ed.), pg 127
Know Your Kindred – Kamiri wa Itherero
Name: Kamiri wa Itherero
Clan: Akunanse
Generation: 5th
Embraced: Unknown
Kamiri wa Itherero is the first Laibon sired by Fakir Al Sidi. All Laibon history and knowledge has been passed down from Kamiri. He is respected by the Kenyans, who often seeked his advice. The people called Kamiri “the official poisoner” and hired him to posion their enemies. But Kamiri, being a fair man, would contact the victim beforehand and warn him, giving him the opportunity to correct the wrong he had committed.
Kamiri was last seen 1,000 years ago, meditating at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. Traditionally, the Laibon living near Mombasa takes the name of Kamiri wa Itherero, in honor of the Founder’s son. The current Laibon known as Kamiri was Embraced in 1582.
– Source: A World of Darkness (2nd ed.), pg 127
Know Your Kindred – Rafael de Corazon
Name: Rafael de Corazon
Clan: Toreador
Generation: 5th
Embraced: 1182
Many Toreador see Rafael as the symbolic heart of the clan. Though he is not the eldest, most powerful or most talented of the Toreador, he is the most influential. He won their hearts and minds during the Inquisition.
Rafael de Corazon is the author of the 5th Tradition – “Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the blood.” His passionate speech reached even the most closed minds and prevented the Kindred from launching an all-out-war with the mortals. Instead they covered their tracks and many believe it was Rafael who saved their kind from extinction.
Rafael is exceedingly vain, loathing anything that is more beautiful than himself. As such, he surrounds himself with people of lesser beauty.
He is also a mediocre artist and was not respected by the other Toreador. So he used his power to damage and embarrass them. Since he can not create great art himself, he uses his wealth to sponsor many talented artists.
Rafael hates the anarchs with a passion and wants to destroy them.
In life Rafael was a simple altar boy, resented by the other boys for his beauty. He used his favor with the bishop to lash back as his bullies. This was his first taste of power.
Rafael found little success as a priest, as he lacked the talent and knowledge needed for the job. Passed over again and again for important positions, he began to oversee the creation of mosaics and illustrated manuscripts. Rafael claimed credit for the finest pieces the monks created and threatened anyone who challenged him.
Rafael was embraced by Callisti y Castillo, a mysterious noblewoman the other clergy said was a pagan witch. She was taken by Rafael’s beauty and the illustrations he claimed to have made.
Callisti took him to her lair and embraced him. When she asked him to make more drawings, he tried, but they were mediocre at best and he admitted deceiving her earlier. She almost killed him in anger, but he begged for his unlife, arguing that his lies were a form of great art. This excuse amused Callisti and she spared him.
Eventually Callisti traveled to India and left Rafael to run her affairs while she was away. He wasted no time in exploiting her power, using her authority to propose treaties, form alliances, launch territorial wars and create numerous childer.
Sources: Children of the Inquisition, pg 35
Know Your Kindred: The Ankou
Name: The Ankou
Clan: Malkavian
Generation: Perhaps 5th?
Embraced: Unknown
There are many tales about the being known as Ankou. It is an ancient terror that stalks the night and appears in Malkavians’ dreams as a remorseless, lifeless monster that silently treads country roads with an ox-cart and scythe.
Most reliable visions hint that it is a Methuselah, grandchilde of Malkav and faithful servant of his 4th generation creator.
The Ankou can roam through Lupine territory untouched, through a busy downtown unseen, and even vanish from one place and appear miles away, visible to only it’s victims.
Malkavians vanish from their hunting grounds all the time, but sometimes after a disappearance, the Madness Network vibrates with whispers repeating “Ankou.”
Source: Clanbook Malkavian (Revised), pg 100