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THE SHADOW AND THE ASPOpen Development, Vampire: The RequiemRose Bailey - March 24th, 2014, 9:28 pm

As I mentioned last time, we’ve beenexperimenting with different ways to designbloodlines, based on the new mechanics anddesign patterns employed in Blood and Smoke.The first in the series was an all­new line, theNeglatu. The second updates an old favoritefrom Bloodlines: The Hidden. Here are DavidHill’s Khaibit.KhaibitYou say you know the darkness. You know it like a child that’s read a fairytale. I know it, because it’s part of me. It’s in my blood. My eyes. My seed.My spit. Unless you know me, you don’t know the darkness. And nobodyknows me. Nobody still standing, at least.

The Khaibit are an ancient line, drawn from Egyptian stock. They comefrom a Mekhet cult that all but died off centuries ago. Their role was initiallyto serve Set, and to do his will in forcing back some greater, unknowndarkness. While the specifics of their role have been lost to the ages, theynow have a different calling; they’re the best known line of defense againstthe Strix.

To fight the darkness, they became the darkness. Set endowed their bloodwith a darkness beyond the simple absence of light. The blood in Khaibitveins mutates, and becomes an inky blackness they can call forth as aweapon against the unnatural.

Background: The Khaibit stand as one of the oldest known bloodlines.Most that know of them know they come from Egypt, their name meaning“shadows”. In recent history, the Khaibit rose to prominence as a reactionto Strix attacks in South America and the Mediterranean. As cities fellvictim to the Owls, a few Khaibit took up the task of fighting them back.While they’re not widely known, they’re a rumor on numerous tongues.

For more on the Khaibit, you can read a thorough history in Bloodlines: TheHidden, and other information in Fall of the Camarilla.

The Becoming: Khaibit are chosen for their will and integrity, and oftentheir ability to fight. However, while the first two are of the utmostimportance, the third can be taught. Khaibit often Embrace their prospectsdirectly into the lineage. When outside Mekhet are brought into the line, it’sbecause of a specific need. Often, recruits are inducted to fill a highlyspecialized role. For example, a Khaibit may need an infiltrator that knowscomputer­based intrusion techniques. While they could Embrace a mortalwith those skills, it’s impractical to find a good fit that both has the desiredskills, and can learn what they need in the time frame necessary.

In the Danse Macabre: Khaibit act as sentinels and bodyguards. Whilethe details of their calling are lost to all but the most scholarly, theirabilities have an obvious application in fighting off the Strix. This gives

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them a protected status in besieged domains, where courts with knownKhaibit will overlook most minor crimes they commit. After all, the Khaibitrepresent their clearest weapon against the Parliament of Owls However,this sometimes goes to extremes. Powerful Kindred will bribe or coerce aKhaibit into Embracing their bodyguards, or acting as an Avus to theirassociates in order to proliferate further defenses.

Individually, many Khaibit sell their services to the highest bidder. Abodyguard who can stand against not only other Kindred but the yellow­eyed monsters under the bed is a valuable asset. Khaibit are also mastersof intrusion and stealth, and can escape situations too sticky for theirKindred.

When Khaibit join the All Night Society, they tend toward the Circle of theCrone as a way of exploring and understanding their spiritual heritage.Some more knightly members join the Invictus.

Nickname: Asps

Clan: Mekhet

Bloodline Bane: Khaibit blood is so attuned to the darkness that theysuffer in immense light. In any light bright enough to inhibit normal vision,the Khaibit suffers the Blinded Tilt and lose access to their Udjat gift for thescene.

Bloodline Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Obfuscate, Vigor

OBTENEBRATIONThe Khaibit gift of Obtenebration expresses their affinity for the darknesswithin their blood. In addition to the ability to control and shape shadows,Khabit can temporarily become darkness and travel through the darkness.Lastly, they can wield the shadows as a weapon against otherworldlyforces. This makes them invaluable against the Strix.

All Khaibit gain the first Devotion, the Udjat, upon joining the bloodline.Additional Devotions have prerequisites as normal, and cost 2 Experienceseach. For those that have never seen Obtenebration, it can inspire deep,instinctive fear. The first time a character experiences a clear manifestationof Obtenebration, he must succeed at a Resolve + Composure roll or sufferthe Shaken Condition.

Udjat

This most basic gift of Khaibit heritage gives them perfect sight in even theutmost darkness. Khaibit never suffer penalties from darkness, and seesubtle shifts in heat and movement where others would be blind. They areunaffected by blindness induced by injury or supernatural forces.

By focusing her attention and spending a point of Vitae, a Khaibit canattune her senses to the unseen. This allows her to see spirits, Strix,angels, and other immaterial beings for the scene. This includes beings inTwilight. While she has her senses so enhanced, she’s immune to theStrix’s possession.

Tyet

By opening a vein, the Khaibit can release the darkness within her blood asan instant action, blanketing the area in darkness. With the expenditure ofa single Vitae, the cloud of shadow extends out from the wound in a radiusa number of yards (or meters) equal to the vampire’s Blood Potency. TheKhaibit can expend more Vitae to expand the cloud further from its center.Alternatively, the Khaibit can expel the cloud from her mouth instead of anopen wound.

Shadows touching those the Khaibit has created with the Tyet become hersto shape. She can manipulate their forms, absorb them into the cloud, and

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otherwise mold them to her liking. While the shadows have no physicalpresence, they can be used to divert, trick, and distract.

Prerequisite: Vigor 2

Pseshkf

This signature gift of the Khaibit allows her to draw the shadows into apalpable form with the expenditure of one or more Vitae and an instantaction. She can use this to coat simple tools or weapons. Weapons socoated cause 1 additional lethal damage to physical targets (includingKindred), but cause her Blood Potency in lethal damage to noncorporealentities, including spirits and Strix. Coated objects add her Blood Potencyas Durability, and the number of Vitae spent as Structure. If she possessesTyet as well, she can manipulate the item coated with Pseshkf as if shewere touching it with her hands.

Prerequisite: Vigor 2

Ba

Khaibit can draw shadow to themselves, and become one with thedarkness. To use the Ba, the Khaibit must be touching a shadow at least asbig as herself (this could include her own shadow in many cases, or shadowcreated by the Tyet). She spends three points of Vitae, and at least oneinstant action, or more if her Blood Potency means she cannot spend theentirety in a turn. Once she’s become shadow, she’s immune to anythingshort of fire, sunlight, the Pseshkf, or things that specifically hurtephemeral entities. Other ephemera can affect her normally. She isimmune to abjuration.

In this form, she cannot directly affect her environment. However, she canactivate the Pseshkf if she possesses it, and can assail spirits and otherephemeral creatures. While in this form, fire, sunlight, and other forms ofharm cause her two additional levels of damage. She travels at half herSpeed, and must travel along solid objects. However, she’s not constrainedby anything that wouldn’t stop light.

Prerequisite: Obfuscate 2

Iteru

With this gift, the Khaibit can travel rapidly through shadows. She dissolvesinto one part of the shadow, and emerges anywhere along the same patchof shade. This can be shadow created by the Tyet. Spend a Vitaereflexively, and the character fades into and out of the shadow instantly. Ifusing this as part of a Dodge action, roll her Dodge with the rote qualityonce per scene.

Prerequisite: Celerity 2

20 COMMENTS FOR “THE SHADOW AND THE ASP”PhilipMarch 24, 2014 at 10:04 pm

I’m really not a Vampire fan. But I give these posts a look over.These guys are damn cool, and I’m liking this newer bloodline style. Imay have to get a hold on Blood & Smoke if the content is anything likethis.

Rose BaileyMarch 24, 2014 at 10:48 pm