Harbinger of Ashur (Hecata only)

Holding the Jyhad’s longest grudge, the Cappadocians were the Clan of Death before they were usurped by the upstart Giovanni. Believed for centuries to be destroyed, the Cappadocians either took to wearing masks and calling themselves the “Harbingers of Skulls” or a subfaction of the clan named themselves “Harbingers” generations before. Whatever the truth, the majority joined the Sabbat and worked aggressively against Giovanni interests. For many years it was thought that both sides would never stop until one obliterated the other, but that appears to have changed with the Family Reunion.

Despite the reconciliation and the acknowledgment of the remnants of the Cappadocian Kindred, the Harbingers of Skulls as they were could no longer exist. But neither could the Cappadocians return to their former state after so many centuries of anger. As such, these vampires respond to either name, but they have become some synthesis of the two. Like all things, the past form has died, and enriched the earth so that something new can grow.

•	The Ashen Mask: You don a plain mask made of ash wood, for while you respect the traditions of the Harbingers, you care more about studying death than status, glory, or revenge. If a Touchstone of yours is dead or dies after you purchase this lore, study of their corpse allows you to transfer the Conviction they represent to another mortal (see Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 240) as if they died peacefully. If they actually did, gain a one-die bonus to the Humanity test. If anybody else interferes with the corpse, you must test against fury frenzy at Difficulty 3.
• •	The Gold Mask: You don a rose gold mask, because you strive to balance your existence between the living and the dead. Gold has connections to both wealth and alchemy, with golden grave goods sitting in the perfect intersection between the two. As such, you have the capacity to hide your actions, and the actions of your coterie, as you explore death. You have the equivalent of four dots of Influence when attempting to cover up a death.
• • •	The White Mask: You don a bone-white mask, with not a speck of dirt on it, because it is the mask of a respected Harbinger who was lost in one of the historic purges. You speak for the elders of your bloodline, and most Harbingers (and even other Hecata) listen to you. You get three dice to any social roll against another Harbinger, and two dice to any social roll against another Hecata.
• • • •	The Obsidian Mask: You don a polished black mask, because you are more than just a vampire — you are truly half-dead. You are a wraith that has inhabited a vampire’s body. You may learn Oblivion Ceremonies without a teacher (and with half the training time if you have one anyway) due to your experience in the Underworld, but are vulnerable to effects which target ghosts (such as some Oblivion Ceremonies). You suffer a two-dice penalty to resist these effects, but gain a two-dice bonus when resisting effects that control your physical shell (such as Dominate).
• • • • •	The Lazarene Mask: You don the mask engraved in the image of one of the clan founders, for you know the true secret of the Harbingers. Their crusade was never solely about destroying the Giovanni, but annihilating all those who serve the Clan of Death. The final stage of necromancy is for all who practice it to die, and become the masters of death. You incur no Stains for any action taken in the pursuit of killing another Hecata Kindred, or any character who serves the Hecata.