
The Cobweb (Malkavian characters only)
You’re never truly alone. Not anymore. Not even if you want to be. Not even if you try to be. The Cobweb catches so many thoughts in its sticky strands, sends them skittering further inside, or reverberating out to the far edges. You’re not always sure the thoughts you’re hearing are from now. Some feel like they’ve been stuck for years and have just shaken loose. Others taste like tomorrow.
The Cobweb, also known as the Madness Network, is a psychic network to which all Malkavians are linked. No two clan members describe it exactly the same way. For some, it’s a constant low murmuring in their Blood. Others describe it as a kind of hivemind operating alongside their own cognition. Many — even most — Malkavians are only reminded of its presence a few times a year, like a sudden burst of static on a forgotten radio.
No one knows the Cobweb’s ultimate purpose, though it’s been used to summon a gathering of Oracles together with a subconscious imperative dubbed The Call. Some suspect Malkav himself uses the Network to view the world through his descendants’ eyes and ears, or that he simply is the Network.
• | A Break in the Static: The Cobweb is just barely perceptible to you. You catch sporadic snatches of conversation, often just a few distinct words or images. It’s enough to piece together an order or a call for aid, though you’re unable to respond. |
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• • | Step into My Parlor: You can communicate over the Network with other Malkavians nearby. These discussions are heavily abstract, limited to short phrases, simple images, and strong emotions. |
• • • | Across the Web: Your voice is one of the strongest on the Cobweb. You can hold more involved conversations with Malkavians in your city. Once per story you may initiate the Call, sending impressions of the time and gathering place to all who can hear. This does not guarantee obedience —herding cats is child’s play compared to organizing the children of Malkav. |
• • • • | Pluck the Strands: The tensile strength of spider silk rivals steel’s, and your connection to your Cainite ancestors and descendants is equally powerful. Once per story, you may use the cobweb to piggyback on your sire’s or one of your childer’s senses. You are only an observer, and cannot control their responses or their movements. |
• • • • • | Malkav’s Will: The entity in the Cobweb is awake and aware. They know your name and tell you their secrets. They have a plan and want you to help carry it out. Malkav — or a consciousness pretending to be him — speaks to you directly via the Network. Once per story, you may ask the Storyteller to divulge a secret about another Malkavian or reveal what orders the mind in the Cobweb wants you to follow. |