Backgrounds

Karaktärsskapande - Vampire: the Masquerade

1.....Koncept
2.....Klan
3.....Nature & Demeanor
4.....Attributes
5.....Abilities
6.....Discipliner
7.....Backgrounds
8.....Virtues
9.....Morality
10.....Willpower
11.....Merits & Flaws
12.....Freebies
13.....Bloodpool

Age

You have survived as a vampire for far longer than many Kindred – enough to be considered an elder according to the fickle, deadly others of your kind. This background is not necessarily a simple reflection of your age; it reflects the number of years you have functioned away from the slumber of torpor. If you have fallen into torpor, you may actually be older than even this Trait indicates….

Every dot of Age gives a character a certain amount of extra freebie points to reflect her greater acumen, but this wisdom comes at the expense of Humanity. Note that the progression is not linear – truly ancient vampires learn with much more difficulty than younger ones, as stasis grips them in their unchanging state.

1. Annuated: 200 years or less active, +30 freebie points, -1 Humanity
2. Elder: 200 to 350 years active, +55 freebie points, -2 Humanity
3. Hoary: 350 to 500 years active, +75 freebie points, -3 Humanity
4. Venerable: 500 to 750 years active, +90 freebie points, -4 Humanity
5. Ancient: Active for more than 750 years (!), +100 freebie points, -5 Humanity

Bok: Vampire Storytellers Handbook

Allies

Allies are humans who support and help you – family, friends or even a mortal organization that owes you some loyalty. Though allies aid you willingly, without coaxing or coercion, they are not always available to offer assistance; they have their own concerns and can do only so much in the name of friendship. However, they might have some useful Background Traits of their own, and might provide you with indirect access to their contacts, influence or resources.

Allies are typically persons of influence and power in your home city. They can be of almost any sort, pending your Storyteller's permission; you may have friends in the precinct morgue, or perhaps even the mayor's ear, depending on how many dots you spend on this Trait. Your allies are generally trustworthy (although they probably don't know that you're a vampire, or even that vampires exist). However, nothing comes for free; if you wind up drawing favors from your friend in the Cosa Nostra, he'll probably ask you to do him a favor in kind in the future. This often leads to the beginning of a story….

1. One ally of moderate influence and power
2. Two allies, both of moderate power
3. Three allies, one of whom is quite influential
4. Four allies, one of whom is very influential
5. Five allies, one of whom is extremely influential

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Alternate Identity

You maintain an alternate identity outside your own, complete with papers, birth certificates or any other documentation you desire. Only a few may know your real name or identity. Your alternate persona may be highly involved in organized crime, a member of the Camarilla, a con artist who uses alternate identities for her game or you may simply gather information for the Sabbat about the enemy. Indeed, some Sabbat may know you as one individual while other Sabbat believe you to be someone else entirely.

1. You are new at this identity game. Sometimes you slip and forget your other persona.
2. You are well grounded in your alternate identity. You are convincing enough to play the part of a doctor, lawyer, funeral salesman, drug-smuggler or a capable spy.
3. You have a fair reputation as your alternate persona and get name-recognition in the area where you have infiltrated.
4. Your alternate identity has respect and trust within your area of infiltration.
5. You command respect in your area of infiltration, and you may even have accumulated a bit of status. You have the trust (or at least the recognition) of many powerful individuals within your area.

Bok: Guide to the Sabbat

Arcane

Certain Kindred are inherently unknowable, and those around them often fail to notice them, let alone their undead states. Some vampires have the ability to remain anonymous. This strange ability generally manifests as a strange nepenthe, whereby the person trying to remember the Kindred experiences only a strange nostalgia, absent of any detail.

A vampire with a high Arcane Trait may attempt to vanish from view, or she may simply seem too ordinary to notice. This is not similar to Obfuscate, per se, and it certainly does not help in combative (or potentially so) situations – the Kindred won't be disappearing into a puff of smoke or lingering invisibly before anyone's eyes. If someone searches for the Kindred, their quest may well prove fruitless: Somehow, no one remembers her, or the camera was out of tape, or the guard was too far away to give a reliable description.

A vampire's Arcane score subtracts on die per dot from any dice pools used to actively search for her – most often Perception or Investigation pools. A Kindred may choose to "turn off" Arcane if she so wishes, thereby enabling others to find her, as is sometimes beneficial. This is a passive Trait, not an active one; it does not help on Stealth tolls or other overt attempts to hide from others. It simply makes the vampire hard to find, whether she's lying in the back seat of a car or hidden in a crypt three continents away.

No character may take the Arcane background if she has any Status, Clan Prestige or Fame, or vice versa. Likewise, Arcane does not have any effect for Kindred of the Eighth Generation or lower – elders are simply too unnatural to slip so easily from the minds of others.

Note: This Background is as often a detriment as it is a blessing, and it sometimes conflicts with other Backgrounds. An Arcane Kindred with Resources may well have to hunt down his stock dividends while an Arcane Mentor may prove moretrouble to find than she's worth.

1. Easily overlooked
2. Hard to follow
3. It takes a detective to shadow you
4. Maybe he passed through here a couple years ago
5. Never heard of the guy

Bok: Vampire Storytellers Handbook

Black Hand Membership

You are a member of the feared Black Hand, the body of assassins and soldiers that serves the Sabbat fervently. Having this Background indicates that you are a full-fledged member of the organization, and you have all the responsibilities and benefits that accompany membership.

You may call upon members of the Black Hand to aid you, should you ever need it. Of course, this ability is a two-way street, and other Hand members may call upon you to aid them. Thus, you may find yourself assigned to perform assassinations, lend martial aid or even further the political ends of the Hand as a diplomat or spy. You may also be required to attend crusades that take you away from your pack. All members of the Black Hand must heed the call of another Hand member, especially the superiors of the faction.

Being a member of the Black Hand is a prestigious matter, and other members of the Sabbat respect the organization. When dealing with other Sabbat, should you choose to reveal your affiliation with the hand, you may add your rating in this Background to any Social dice pools, even after other Status or Abilities have been taken into account. Most Hand members, however, choose not to reveal their allegiance. Also, the Black Hand is remarkably adept at hunting down Sabbat who claim membership in the sect but do not truly belong – liars, beware.

1. You are a grunt; you may call upon one Black Hand member once per story.
2. You are known and respected in the Black Hand; you may call upon two Black Hand members once per story.
3. You are held in the Black Hand's regard; you may call upon five Black Hand members once per story.
4. You are a hero among members of the Black Hand; you may call upon seven Black Hand members twice per story (but you'd better have just cause - if it seems you're becoming soft, you may loose points in this background). You may also lead large numbers of Hand members into action should it ever become necessary.
5. You are part of Black Hand legend; you may call upon 12 Black Hand members twice per story (but see the preceding caution). You may also lead large numbers of Hand members into action should it ever become necessary. The Seraphim may even seek your counsel on matters of import.

Bok: Guide to the Sabbat

Clan Prestige

Clan Prestige is an additional Background Trait used to keep track of a vampire's standing within her clan. Clan Prestige bears absolutely no relation to a Kindred's regular Status; a vampire can be highly respected by other Nosferatu but despised by the Camarilla as a whole, or a Brujah prince might be well-respected by his peers, but loathed by his clanmates as a sell-out. Normally a vampire can only acquire Clan Prestige for her own clan, but on rare occasions one of the Kindred has done enough service for one of the other lineages to earn Clan Prestige from them as well. Examples of this would be a Toreador who, despite his sensibilities, regularly feeds gossip from Elysium and the salons to the Nosferatu, or a Gangrel archon who, in the course of performing her duties, foiled a Sabbat plot to assassinate a Ventrue prince.

Clan Prestige normally runs up to a rating of 5, though elders and legendary figures (such as those found in the appendices of clanbooks) can have Clan Prestige up to 10. Clan Prestige cannot be bought with experience. It can only be bestowed through roleplaying by the elders and other members of the clan in question. Furthermore, infamous or stupid acts, or the influence of the harpies, can strip a vampire of Clan Prestige easily. Respect within one's clan is hard to earn and easy to lose, and the way in which Clan Prestige is handed out should reflect that.

Bok: Guide to the Camarilla

Contacts

You know people all over the city. When you start making phone calls around your network, the amount of information you can dig up is almost terrifying. Contacts are largely people whom you can bribe, manipulate or coerce into offering information, but you can also have a few major contacts – friends whom you can rely on to give you accurate information in their fields of expertise. You should describe each major contact in some deatail befor the game begins.

In addition to you major contacts, you also have a number of minor contacts spread throughout the city; your major contact might be in the district attorney's office, while your minor contacts might include beat cops, CMV clerks, club bouncers or even hot-dog vendors. You need not detail these various "passing acquaintances" before play; instead, to successfully get in touch with a minor contact, you should roll you Contacts rating (difficulty 7). You can reach one minorcontact for each success; of course, you still have to coerce them into telling you what you need to hear.

1. One major contact
2. Two major contacts
3. Three major contacts
4. Four major contacts
5. Five major contacts

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Fame

You enjoy widespread recognition in mortal society, perhaps as an entertainer, writer or athlete. People may enjoy just being seen with you. This gives you all manner of privileges when moving in mortal society, but can also attract an unwanted amount of attention now that you're no longer alive. The greatest weapon fame has to offer is the ability to sway public opinion – as modern media constantly proves.

This Background is obviously a mixed blessing. You can certainly enjoy the privileges of your prestige – getting the best seats, being invited to events you'd otherwise miss, getting appointments with the elite – but you're also often recognized when you'd rather not be. However, you enemies can't just make you disappear without causing an undue stir, and you find it much easier to hunt in populated areas as people flock to you (reduce the difficulties of hunting rolls by one for each dot in Fame). Additionally, you Storyteller might permit you to reduce difficulties of Social rolls against particulary starstruck or impressionable people.

1. You're known to a select subculture of the city – local clubgoers or the Park Avenue set, for instance.
2. A majority of the populance regognizes your face; you're a local celebrity such as a new anchor.
3. You have statewide renown; perhaps you're a state senator or minor star of local interest.
4. Nationally famous; everybody knows something about you.
5. You're an internationally famous media icon.

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Generation

Plain and simple, this Background represents your generation – the purity of your blood, and your proximity to the First Vampire. A high Generation rating may represent a powerful sire or a decidedly dangerous taste for diablerie. If you don't take any dots in this Trait, you begin play as a 13th-generation vampire.

1. 12th generation: 11 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
2. 11th generation: 12 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
3. 10th generation: 13 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
4. Ninth generation: 14 blood pool, can spend 2 blood point per turn
5. Eighth generation: 15 blood pool, can spend 3 blood point per turn

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Haven

First of all, keep in mind that the Haven Background is entirely optional. A player should not be forced to purchase this Background just to keep his character safe and hidden while the sun is up. The effect of certain other Backgrounds (such as Resources, Mentor, Fame and Status), can all include the character's access to a safe haven on any given day. A character with none of those other Backgrounds, however, can still have a perfectly reasonable haven as long as he has this Background. For instance, a character might not have enough money to afford a palatial mansion in today's economy, but if his great-grandmother left him one that had been fully paid for, there's no reason he can't remain in residence there.

The ratings in levels in this Background don't measure absolute values, but rather a scale of relative values. They might reflect how big your haven is, or how important it is to mortal or Kindred society. (If such is the case, the rating will also show how desirable it is to other Kindred and how badly they'll want to take it for themselves.) By the same token, the rating might reflect how well hidden the haven is from seekers or how well defended against trespassers. This rating can also reflect how conveniently located the haven is to the local Rack and the most popular sites of Elysium.

1. You stay in a seedy apartment in a dangerous and run-down, or you're hiding among a great many people with whom you do not fit. The slightest slip and you'll be discovered.
2. You've upgraded to renting a decent apartment, a modest condo or a small house. The neighborhood isn't great, but it's well clear of the Lupines' wilderness. People suspect that there's something funny about you, but they mind their own business for now.
3. You own the house you sleep in, or at least you never have to worry about making a house payment. The neighborhood is safe and kept up well. People have no reason to suspect that there's anything strange about you.
4. You have either a very large house, or a dilapidated mansion that no one else wants. There aren't many people around regularly, so you can feed in relative peace.
5. Your haven is the equivalent of a well-maintained mansion. Feeding is easy most of the time, and remaining hidden and secure there isn't even in question. You'd have to actively try to let people find out about you here.

Bok: Havens of the Damned

Herd

You have built a group of mortals from whom you can feed without fear. A herd may take many forms, from circles of kinky clubgoers to actual cults built around you as a god-figure. In addition to providing nourishment, you herd might come in handy for minor tasks, although they are typically not very controllable, closely connected to you or even highly skilled (for more effective pawns, purchase Allies or Retainers). Your Herd rating adds dice to your rolls for hunting.

1. Three vessels
2. Seven vessels
3. 15 vessels
4. 30 vessels
5. 60 vessels

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Influence

You have pull in the mortal community, whether prestige, political office, blackmail or supernatural manipulation. Kindred with high Influence can sway, and in rare cases even control, the political processes of human society. Influence represents the sum of your political power in your community, particulary among th police and bureaucracy.

Some rolls may require you to use Influence in place of an Ability, particulary when attempting to sway minoor bureaucrats. It is, of course, always easier to institute sweeping changes on a local level than a worldwide scale (e.g., having an "abandoned" building demolished is relatively easy, while starting a war is a bit more difficult).

1. Moderately influential; a factor in city politics
2. Well-connected; a force in state politics
3. Position of influence; a factor in regional politics
4. Broad personal power; a force in national politics
5. Vastly influential; a factor in global politics

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Information Network

You've got informants everywhere. You don't even need to go to them anymore – they come to you, and they bring all sorts of dirty little secrets to trade. The secrets you gather may be completely irrelevant to the problems you have right now, in which case you can always trade them away for something you can use. A factoid or datum you harvest may seem irrelevant now but may be massively useful later; it may give you a vital lead that places you one step ahead of everyone else.

System: At the beginning of each chapter of a story, roll a number of dice equal to the number of dots you have in this background against difficulty 8. If you succeed, the Storyteller will give you a random rumor you've acquired from one of your informants. One success is a hint; three includes some commentary on the reliability of the rumor; five successes shouldn't shut down the evening's story, but it should reveal a secret valuable enough to elicit a favor from another supernatural creature in the city.

Bok: Clanbook Nosferatu Revised

Insight

Bok: Time of Thin Blood

Mentor

This Trait represents an elder – or possibly even more than one – who looks out for you, offering guidance or aid once in a while. A mentor may be powerful, but his power need not be direct. Depending on the number of dots in this Background, your mentor might be nothing more than a vampire with a remarkable information network, or might be a ceturies-old creature with tremendous influence and supernatural power. He may offer advice, speak to the prince (or archbishop) on your behalf, steer other elders clear of you or warn you when you're walking into situations you don't understand.

Most often your mentor is your sire, but it could well be any Cainite with a passing interest in your well-being. A high Mentor rating could even represent a group of like-minded vampires, such as the elders of the city's Tremere chantry.

Bear in mind that this Trait isn't a "Get out of Jail Free" card; your mentor won't arrive like the cavalry whenever you're endangered. What's more, she might occasionally expect something in return for her patronage (which can lead to a number of interesting stories). A mentor typically remains aloof, giving you useful information or advice out of camaraderie, but will abandon you without a thought if you prove an unworthy or troublesome "apprentice."

1. Mentor is an ancilla of little influence.
2. Mentor is respected; an elder, for instance.
3. Mentor is heavily influential, such as a member of the primogen.
4. Mentor has a great deal of power over the city; a prince or archbishop, for example.
5. Mentor is extraordinarily powerful, perhaps even a justicar or Inconnu.

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Military Force

You have accumulated some sway over a group of fighting soldiers. Whether as the leader of a populous gang or the dignitary of an entire nation, an armed force obeys your command. Although the nights of the vampiric warlordare long past, many elders cultivate some degree of military might, though they do so now with discretion and subtlety, to avoid the ire of others of their kind.

Military Force might not necessarily mean that the vampire has armed legions at her beck and call. Far more likely, especially in the modern nights, the vampire may suggest "police actions" or may influence brushfire conflicts in certain nations. A vampire may, under extreme duress, be able to enforce martial law, but such behavior attracts attention, and her influence would no doubt wane significally afterward.

This Trait is most suitable for elders, and Storytellers should feel free to extrapolate this Background past the sixth dot for vampires who have influence over truly frightening martial power.

1. Surly mob: 15 poorly organized and untrained thugs.
2. Militia: 25 functionally trained "security guards"
3. SWAT team: 40 capable fighters
4. Veteran troop: 75 combat seasoned soldiers
5. Elite company: 100 battle-hardened troops (6+ Special weapons, greater quantities and perhaps even national armed forces)

Bok: Vampire Storytellers Handbook

Occult Library

Some Kindred have accumulated vast stores of mystical knowledge over their many years. Such resources may have been inherited from a character's sire, treasures gleaned from previous journeys, gifts from a mentor or even stolen from the rivals. In fact, a library need not even be printed – books contained on CD-ROM or even a contact who knows occult lore may be considered a library for the purposes of this Background.

Whatever form it takes, an Occult Library aids the character in certain cases involving knowledge of the mystical or magical. Whenever the player needs to make a roll involving the Occult Knowledge and the character has the opportunity to consult the books, she may call upon this Background to help her. While this won't be of much aid if the character is held prisoner by another Kindred or visiting a foreign city, if the character is in her own library or laboratory, the information may prove invaluable.

1. A few books: +1 die to Occult dice pools
2. A modest collection: +1 die to Occult dice pools, -1 to Occult difficulties
3. Many noteworthy titles: +2 dice to Occult dice pools, -1 to Occult difficulties
4. A wide variety of lore: +2 dice to Occult dice pools, -2 to Occult difficulties
5. A veritable magical encyclopedia: +3 dice to Occult dice pools, -2 to Occult difficulties

Bok: Blood Magic Secrets of Thaumaturgy

Resources

This Trait describes your personal financial resources, or your access to such. A high Resources rating doesn't necessarily reflect your liquid assets; this Background describes your standars of "living," your posessions and your buying power. No dots in Resources is just that: You have no permanent haven and no possessions save a few clothes and possibly a weapon or pocketful of coins.

You receive a basic allowance each month based on your rating; be certain to detail exactly where this money comes from, be it a job, trust fund or dividends. After all, your fortune may well run out over the course of the chronicle, depending on how well you maintain it. You can also sell your less liquid resources if you need the cash, but this can take weeks or even months, depending on what exactly you're trying to sell. Art buyers don't pop out of the woodwork, after all.

● Small savings: a small apartment and maybe a motorcycle. If liquidated, you would have about $1,000 in cash. Allowance of $500 a month.
●● Middle class: an apartment or condominium. If liquidated, you would have at least $8,000 in cash. Allowance of $1200 a month.
●●● Large savings: a homeowner or someone with some equity. If liquidated, you would have at least $50,000 in cash. Allowance of $3000 a month.
●●●● Well-off: a member of the upper class. You own a very large house, or perhaps a dilipated mansion. If liquidated, you would have at least $500,000 in cash. Allowance of $9000 a month.
●●●●● Ridiculously affluent: a multimillionaire. Your haven is limited by little save your imagination. If liquidated, you would have about $5,000,000 in cash. Allowance of $30,000 a month.

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Resources: Santa Cruz-style

Siffrorna inom klamrar representerar månadsinkomst översatt i de tre valutorna amerikanska dollar, bolivianska bolivianos och svenska kronor. [USD/BOB/SEK]¹

- Poor: Du tillhör Bolivias majoritet, den som lever i fattigdom. Du har lite växelpengar. Du är antagligen hemlös. [0/0/0]
● Small savings: Du arbetar för minimilön eller har ett bättre betalt extrajobb. Du hyr ett litet skjul som du bor i, och några kläder men inte mycket mer. [55/415/355]
●● Middle class: Du tjänar över medellönen och hyr/äger en lägenhet och kanske ett transportmedel. [200/1515/1292]
●●● Large savings: Du har ett större hus eller mycket sparade pengar du kan sätta sprätt på. [800/6050/5170]
●●●● Well-off: Du har ett yrke som bringar in stålar. Du bor flott i en stor villa med swimmingpool i de finare delarna av staden. Motsvarar presidentlön. [3000/22700/19380]
●●●●● Ridiculously affluent: Du har flera villor och mer pengar än du klarar av att spendera. [10000/75700/64600]

Resources: Victorian Age: Vampire

● Small savings: You have several weeks paid for in a local lodging house. Whatever you own probably travels with you, possibly including heirlooms and the like. If your assets were liquidated, you would have about 15 pounds. Allowance of 7 pounds per month.
●● Middle class: A flat in a terraced building. If your assets were liquidated, you would have at least 300 pounds. Allowance of 40 pounds per month.
●●● Bourgeois: A townhouse of a detached country home. If your assets were liquidated, you would have at least 7000 pounds. Allowance of 450 pounds per month.
●●●● Well-off: A member of the upper class. You have a lavish townhouse or a sprawling country estate. If your assets were liquidated, you would have at least 200,000 pounds. Allowance of 4000 pounds per month.
●●●●● Tremendously affluent: An esteemed landowner with generations of accumulated wealth. You may have multiple townhouses and estates throughout england and the continent. You will be expected to demonstrate your wealth. If your assets were liquidated, you would have at least 1,000,000 pounds. Allowance of 12,000 pounds per month.

Bok: Vampire Age Vampire

Retainers

Not precisely allies or contacts, your retainers are servents, assistants or other people who are your loyal and steadfast companions. Many vampires' servants are ghouls – their supernatural powers and blood bond-enforced loyalty make them the servants of choice. Retainers may also be people whom you've repeatedly Dominated until they have no free will left, or followers so enthralled with your Presence that their loyalty borders on blind fanaticism. Some vampires, particularly those with the Animalism Discipline, use "hellhounds" (ghouled dogs) or other animal ghouls as retainers.

You must maintain some control over your retainers, whether through a salary, the gift of your vitae or the use of Disciplines. Retainers are never "blindly loyal no matter what" – if you treat them too poorly without exercising strict control, they might well turn on you.

Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless. A physically powerful ghoul may be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin – it's a method to bring more fully developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the Renfieldesque followers for which the Kindred are notorious. Don't abuse it.

1. One retainer
2. Two retainers
3. Three retainers
4. Four retainers
5. Five retainers

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Rituals

You know the ritae and rituals of the Sabbat, and you can enact many, of them. This Background is vital to being a pack priest – without this Background, ritae will not function. This Background is actually a supernatural investment, drawing on the magic of the eldest Tzimisce sorcerers. Sabbat vampires who are not their pack priests should have an outstanding reason for acquiring this Background, as pack priests are loath to share their secrets with more secular members of the sect.

1. You know three of the auctoritas ritae (your choice).
2. You know nine of the auctoritas ritae (your choice) and three ignoblis ritae (your choice).
3. You know all 13 of the auctoritas ritae and nine ignoblis ritae (your choice). Also, you may create your own ignoblis ritae, given enough time (consult your Storyteller for development time and game effects).
4. You know all the auctoritas ritae and 20 ignoblis ritae (your choice). You may create your own ignoblis ritae, given enough time (consult your Storyteller for development time and game effects). You are also familiar with the functions of numerous regional and pack specific ignoblis ritae, even if you cannot perform them.
5. You know all the auctoritas ritae and 40 ignoblis ritae (your choice). You may create your own ignoblis ritae, given enough time (consult your Storyteller for development time and game effects). You are also familiar with the functions of almost all regional and pack specific ignoblis ritae, even if you cannot perform them; if it's been written down or passed around in lore, you've heard of it.

Bok: Guide to the Sabbat

Sabbat Status

While the Sabbat values individuality, the strength of the packs lies within the strength of its leadership. Only the sect can achieve this level of recognition. Status plays an important role in getting and keeping a leadership position. Members of the Sabbat does not recognize Clan Prestige for the most part (though a few Tzimisce do, as do a fair share of Lasombra). Rather, sect comes before clan to most Sabbat, and thus it is better to be recognized by the sect as a whole. At the Storyteller's discretion, Sabbat Status may add to a character's Social Trait when she makes a point of it. Obviously, Sabbat Status confers no particular benefit – and is more likely a detriment – when dealing with members of the Camarilla or even some independent Cainites.

1. Ductus or pack priest/Well-known
2. Templar or Paladin/Respected
3. Bishop/Renowned
4. Archbishop/Pillar of the Sabbat
5. Priscus or Cardinal

Bok: Guide to the Sabbat

Spirit Slaves

This Trait represents a hold that you have over a ghost, or several ghosts. Usually this hold is the form of catene – either something that the ghost valued highly in life, or possibly a random object or place to which the spirito became attached during the maelstrom. Regardless, you have a hold over the spirit and can bully it by threatening its fetter. Alternatively, you might have information about the spirit's goals and can control it by aiding it or impeding it. For more information on what ghosts can do and the ratings of this Background, see the "Spirits Slaves" box in Clanbook: Giovanni.

1. You have a hold on one weak spirito.
2. You have influence over two minor ghosts, or one of greater power.
3. You're the boss of three lesser ghosts, or fewer who can do more.
4. Four ghosts are under your sway, or fewer who are stronger.
5. You have mastered five weak ghosts, or fewer who are more talented.

Bok: Clanbook Giovanni Revised

Status

You have something of a reputation and standing (earned or unearned) within the local community of Kindred. Status among the Camarilla society is often derived from your sire's status and the respect due your particular bloodline; among the Sabbat, status is more likely to stem from the reputation of your pack. Elders are known for having little respect for their juniors; this Background can mitigate that somewhat.

High status among the Camarilla doeas not transfer to Sabbat society (and will most likely make you a notorious target for your sect's rivals), and vice versa. Similarly, anarchs can be considered to have zero Staus, unless they have somehow garnered so much power and attention that they must be taken seriously. You may have occation to roll your Status in conjunction with a Social Trait; this reflects the positive effects of your prestige.

Note: Caitiff characters may not purchase Status during character creation. Caitiff are the lowest of the low, and any respect they achieve must be earned during the course of the chronicle.

1. Known: a neonate
2. Respected: an ancilla
3. Influential: an elder
4. Powerful: a member of the primogen
5. Luminary: a prince

Bok: Vampire the Masquerade Revised

Footnotes

1. Resources-värdet är modifierat för “Santa Cruz” för att passa in i den bolivianska omgivningen där fattigdom är ett stort problem och klyftorna mellan rika och fattiga är enorma. Resources reflekterar vilken typ av livsföring man kan hålla sig med i Santa Cruz, men översätts inte i en internationell standard.