The week of nightmares
Kindred debate when exactly the Week of Nightmares fell, with some claiming it landed just prior to the turn of the millennium, while others conflate it with the supposed commencement of Gehenna. In truth, the “Week” of Nightmares sprawled across years, sweeping up several thousand vampires in its wave. During the Week, an impossibly ancient vampire arose and purged its own clan: the Ravnos. Thin-blooded vampires emerged with omens and portents as the Red Star, Anthelios, blazed in the night sky. You witnessed the mania of the Week of Nightmares and survived it, manipulated the chaos to your own advantage, or you studied the actions of those who did. Now you watch for signs of dooms to come.
| • | Oral History: You have heard and told the tale of the Week of Nightmares countless times, and you know exactly what to embellish and which parts to conceal. Your telling of the tale is popular in Elysia, where you are sometimes invited to speak as historian and entertainer. Important Kindred from all over come to hear your retelling. Add three dice to Performance dice pools to tests to tell the story. |
|---|---|
| • • | Ravnos Remains: Prior to the Week of Nightmares, the Ravnos were a clan – now, they have little more than a bloodline. You know some Ravnos remnants and perhaps share their grudge against the Gangrel who left them to annihilation. You have three dots of Mawla representing this group of contacts. They carry news and warnings to you, and can perhaps be convinced to cast mighty illusions once per chronicle, but association with them is frowned upon, if discovered |
| • • • | I Was There: You didn’t just hear about it, you were on the front line. Your reputation as a survivor and on-the-spot veteran of the Week of Nightmares grants you Status among Kindred historians, occultists, Ravnos, and Gehenna cultists alike. Once per story, you can use this Status to earn a minor boon from one of those groups or from a prominent courtier in the domain with a sudden interest. |
| • • • • | The Red Star: Anthelios (NASA designation 28978 IXION), called Wormwood, harbinger of Gehenna, still glows in the sky – to your eyes, at least. You believe it looks back at you, changing you somehow. Once per story, you can either reduce your Hunger to a rating of two or gain a die to the pools of one Discipline for a night by staring at the star for 10 minutes. |
| • • • • • | Blood of Zapathasura: The Ravnos Antediluvian met Final Death in July 1999 at the hands of parties unknown, armed with advanced weaponry and the power of the sun. Before he died, he drained vitae from all his clan, driving them to frenzy and cannibalism in his death throes. Thick, sentient ropes of his vitae stained the ground in Bangladesh where he fell. The noonday sun did not destroy it all. You own a small vial containing the Blood of the Ravnos Antediluvian. What you do with this vitae is up to you, and what it does to anyone who imbibes it is up to the Storyteller. |