The Ventrue offer a very simple boast: They win. They always win.
Other Kindred often despise the Lords, but they seldom dispute the clan’s boast. All too often, a Kindred works and schemes to win some prize, only to find that a Ventrue owned it all along. The officers who lead a city’s Kindred almost always include several highly placed Ventrue. The Lords acknowledge no defeats, only setbacks. The clan shares a ruthless will to power and the power to enforce its will.
Their favored Disciplines account for some of their success. The Ventrue learn to command the thoughts of other beings almost by instinct. Their mastery of lesser animals harks back to nights of domains in which the Lord was a master of beasts as well as men. Although they do not especially cultivate the arts of combat, they often prove remarkably hard to kill. Ventrue regard their supernatural gifts, however, as merely a tool to begin the acquisition of real power — the power of money, property, corporate stock, political contacts, rank in Kindred society and large numbers of mortals, at every level of society, begging to lick their boots and fulfill their commands.
The Ventrue take the feudal nature of Kindred society very seriously. Every sire tells her childe that some people rule, and some are ruled. As Lords, they should strive to place themselves among the rulers. Most Ventrue neonates already believed this before their Embrace. Throughout the clan’s history, the Ventrue have sought power in whatever forms mortals offered. Kindred historians say that in ancient Rome the clan Embraced senators and patricians. In the Middle Ages, they brought knights and churchmen into the fold. As commerce became an avenue to power, they cultivated merchant princes, bankers and magnates. When states grew more bureaucratic, the Lords Embraced high-ranking civil servants. The rise of organized crime brought mob bosses and drug kingpins into the clan. At the start of the 21st century, Ventrue elders ponder the merits of Embracing scientists, engineers and computer wizards. No matter where in society the power lies, the Ventrue vow to exploit it before other Kindred even know it exists.
Nickname: Lords
Covenant: Many Kindred see the Ventrue as almost synonymous with the Invictus. Indeed, Ventrue tend to rise to leadership positions within that covenant. Almost as many find a place in the Ordo Dracul, acquiring immediate power of a different stripe, which the Lords ultimately turn toward the same ends. They also rise to leadership among the Sanctified, however, and some Ventrue find the power they crave within the Carthians, the Circle of the Crone or even amid the ranks of the unbound. Some Ventrue neonates hardly bother to hide their intent to use a gang of unaligned Kindred as a stepping-stone to power within another covenant.
Appearance: Ventrue often adopt a conservative, lowkey appearance that expresses high status without being flashy. Young Lords sometimes favor a “preppy” look, the timeless suit-and-tie uniform of business, or (for female Lords) elegant gowns or business skirt-suits, with unobtrusive jewelry. Ventrue elders might keep the styles of long ago, at least in their own havens, and in public they still tend to look decades out of date. Even rebellious young Ventrue wear their metal-studded jackets like a uniform, asserting their dominance. A Lord surrounds himself with other trappings of wealth and status, too, from the big, fancy car in the garage to the wine cellar full of vintages he will never again have the opportunity to enjoy.
Havens: If a Ventrue did not possess great wealth before the Embrace, she often becomes rich afterward. Ventrue select their havens to reflect their wealth and power. Many Lords dwell in mansions or actual walled estates. Few would settle for anything less than a classic townhouse or penthouse apartment (with secure curtains, of course). Clan tradition holds that any Ventrue may claim sanctuary from the sun at any other Lord’s haven and not be refused, but few Lords ever invoke this right. Not only do proud Lords hate to beg another Kindred’s aid, a supplicant henceforth owes a debt of honor to the Ventrue who provided refuge. Great shame would befall any Lord who denied a clanmate or who could not provide a comfortable rest, however, so a prudent Ventrue makes sure his haven can accommodate a Kindred guest or two.
Background: The Ventrue most often seek childer among the ranks of professionals or the cream of high society. Some Lords prefer childer from “old money” families or political dynasties, as the closest the modern world comes to feudal nobility. Other Lords prefer self-made leaders such as millionaire entrepreneurs, politicians, military officers or even crime bosses. As new professions and new forms of power arise, the Ventrue bring them into the clan. The rise of the computer industry, for instance, has prompted a wave of tech-sector childer.
Character Creation: Ventrue favor Social Attributes and Skills — the traits needed for leadership — though they also value Mental Attributes and Skills such as Politics and Academics. The clan excels at Social Merits such as Resources, Contacts and Status. Most Lords possessed great social influence in life, and they acquire more in undeath.
Favored Attributes: Presence or Resolve
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, resilience-vtr
Weakness: Power corrupts, and among the Ventrue, even the thirst for power can corrode an ambitious Kindred’s moral bearings. Over time, some Ventrue grow paranoid, ever more wary of rivals’ desires (real or imagined) for their own holdings. Others become willing to do whatever it takes to acquire the smallest iota of additional power. Still others turn inward, delude themselves as to their ability and importance, or trouble their minds with other maladies. Ventrue Kindred suffer a -2 penalty to Humanity rolls to avoid acquiring derangements after a failed degeneration roll.
Organization: The Lords track their ties of blood and obligation through an old-boy network that extends across generations, bloodlines and continents. A respectable Ventrue knows his fellow Lords’ ancestors, their broodmates, allies, enemies and Kindred owed and owing favors (though the information might be a century out of date). Two Ventrue often compare lineages and acquaintances when they first meet. Thus do they establish their relationships and status within the clan.
The Ventrue also take clan offices very seriously. Ventrue Whips, Prisci and other clan leaders often try to hold monthly meetings of all clanmates, regardless of covenant. The Lords use these meetings as opportunities to brag, size up the competition, cut deals and chide clanmates who seem to show insufficient ambition. After all, the Ventrue have a reputation for steel-fisted power to uphold. One does not want other Kindred thinking that any Lord might go soft.
Concepts: Corporate CEO, crooked cop, gang chief, military officer, old-time ward boss, patron of the arts, political consultant, rave promoter, realtor, society matron, technical wizard
Bloodlines
Much of the clan consists of lineages that claim descent from famous Ventrue of the distant past, such as the great Cassius. These “bloodlines” merely express pride in ancestry: A Cassian Ventrue, for instance, does not differ greatly from other Lords. Other prestigious lineages include the Licinii, the Beni Murrahim and the Rötgrafen. The comparatively new Malkovian lineage suffers even more debilitating madness than the parent clan.
- Adrestoi — A bloodline obsessed with conquest and rule, even more so than other Kindred, they feel compelled to do so as the only way they feel alive. (Ventrue p104)
- Apollinaire — Favored of the Haitian god of death, they possess the inherit ability to see ghosts, as well as a discipline that grants them great power over doors and passageways. (AB p63)
- Architects of the Monolith — Sorcerers who see the path to power is through controlling cityscapes, this bloodline has a unique bloodline capable of manipulating the landscape. (Hidden p30)
- Bron — A fallen bloodline, who feels destined to rule but are cursed to be unable to do so, they continually seek out new territories in the hope of one day finding that will accept them. (Legendary p10)
- Canda Bhanu — Indian bloodline that seeks to redeem mortals and Kindred alike for their sins. (AB p53)
- Corajoso — Portuguese discipline, originally composed largely of a once-mortal family, that developed gifts of telepathy to facilitate their shared endeavors when the voyages of their country spread them far apart. (AB p99)
- Deucalion — Arrogant to the extreme, the Deucalion believe they are perfect beings who can do no wrong, and they look down with contempt at Kindred and mortals alike for their failings — an area they possess great power over. (Carthians p160)
- Dragolescu — A pariah bloodline with a particular interest in spirits and the soul. (Ordo 150)
- Geheim — Hedonistic German aristocracy, with a penchant for pushing the limits of the Blood for all its worth. (AB p81)
- Gorgons — This bloodline traces its lineage back to Medusa (or so they say), an entity which they claim possessed divine blood. They possess a deep affinity for snakes and serpents. (Crone p176)
- Icarians — Followers of a legendary murdered archbishop, the Icarians see themselves as pious and noble lords who believe they are natural rulers over all. (Lancea p167)
- Macellarius — An ill-reputed bloodline, known chiefly for its morbid obesity, they are believed to consume blood in great quantities, sometimes even devouring bodies to get their fill. They are none the less often as socially charming as their Ventrue brethren. (Legendary p90)
- Malkovians — A Russian-descended bloodline that inflicts insightful madness on its bearers, feared and reviled by other Ventrue. (VTR p241)
- Malocusians — Spiders are a bloodline intimately bound to their havens, gaining significant power inside of them via their Domus discipline. (Invictus p168)
- Melissidae — A bloodline which is largely quiet, after a late 19th century massacre. They are leaders over mortals who seek to create utopian societies, with themselves at the top. (Legendary p103)
- Nahualli — A relatively modern bloodline which believes in synergy with the Beast, infamous for committing ritual murders (even on fellow Kindred) for this cause. (Hidden p78)
- Rötgrafen — Descendants of Nordic pirate raiders, who have not completely forgotten their roots. (Chosen p56)
- Sons of Cade — Descendants of an infamous and bloodthirsty Ventrue, who follow his might-makes-right philosophy. (Sinners p49)
- Sotoha — A bloodline dedicated to the principles of the Samuri, chiefly loyalty. They swear allegiance to a master whom they serve faithfully and dutifully. (Invictus p170)
Mention only:
- Aja Dhrsta — Ancient and powerful Indian bloodline that has become greatly diminished over time. (AB p59)
- Beni Murrahim — (VtR 113)
- Cassians — Descendants of Cassius (VTR p113)
- Las Cocas — Vampiric drug lords whose blood has been altered by cocaine addiction. (SoM p87)
- Licini — (VTR p113)
- Veracruz — Sanctified Bloodline that gains spiritual power by invoking the names of Saints. (SoM p87)