White Wolf's Vampire: the Masquerade was the first adult orientated roleplaying game to be brought out and to this day it remains one of the world's most popular RPGs behind Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. So, what is it? Well, to reiterate, this is only a game, we do not believe we are vampires, nor do we act out our characters' actions in real life. If you are unfamiliar with roleplaying, please read the What is Roleplaying? and What is L.A.R.P? sections first.

Vampire: The Masquerade was the first game White Wolf brought out to be set in their World of Darkness series which also includes Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, Hunter: The Reckoning, Changeling: The Dreaming, Wraith: The Oblivion, and most of them have their Dark Ages counterparts. The World of Darkness is a gothic-punk world which mirrors our own and our own time-line but is darker and more corrupt.

Vampire is not a game for the soft or faint-hearted, nor is it for those who take what happens to their character to heart or personally. V:tM can be a particularly viscous game and even if your Storyteller doesn't run it that way, you are just as likely to fall to the machinations of the other players. You are quite likely to come across physical torture, psychological terror and merciless social bullying. Do not take it personally. You are human, your characters aren't. Remember however much you may like your character, it is a bloodsucking, monstrous, parasitical predator on humanity and the world would quite probably be better off without him or her. That said, we all have a soft-spot for our characters and end up with some means of justifying their virtual existence.

Behind the daylight world, hidden from mortal eyes, exists a far more sinister society. Wars are won and lost, economies flourish and fail, governments change, revolutions succeed or are squashed - all from the pulling of strings by these children and masters of the night.

Is their vampirism an evolutionary step? After all, they are stronger, better, faster, more powerful and with a strength of will that far outstrips their previous mortal existence. Or is it as those who put credence to the myths and legends: a curse to drink only blood and eat only ashes; to never again feel the sun, once a gentle caress and now a fatal sting; for fire to burn the flesh like driftwood; to watch those loved ones from your mortal existence die one by one and for it to mean nothing? A gift or a curse, the choice is yours.

The monstrous predators exist in a completely hidden society of their own and hierarchy and social pecking order that would put most courts of old to shame. There are factions within factions within factions, alliances both open and hidden, genuine and false. Playing the political game can be dangerous if you can't keep up with the shifting sands.

In days of old the vampires ruled the night until the church's Inquisition turned its attentions to the Kindred (as most vampires call themselves) and smoke choked the night from the fires that burned their undead corpses. In an act of desperation an organisation called The Camarilla was formed, its primary purpose to impose and maintain the tradition of The Masquerade, an act to veil Kindred existence and activities from mortal eyes.

Years later there was a revolt of younger generations against the restrictive control the Camarilla had over their unlives. The revolution was fought for many years and much blood was spilled, many elders and childer alike fell to its passionate violence and finally a treaty was signed welcoming back the anarchists (or Anarchs as they are known) and bringing them back under the umbrella of the Camarilla's protection. There were those, however who still refused to bow down to the Camarilla's rule and thus the second vampiric sect, the Sabbat was formed. The Sabbat spurn the need to hide and prefer to revel in their vampiric natures and believe that vampiric kind should once again rule the night as masters of the Kine (mortals) whom they see as little more than cattle. Consequently the two sects have warred for centuries, fighting for dominance over cities and countries.

(Please note that the Camarilla is the more popular and generally more played game. It is recommended, given the nature of the Sabbat, that only experienced roleplayers with a very mature outlook attempt to play Sabbat characters).

Outside of the two sects exist a handful of others who give loyalty to neither sect. They work towards either their own or their 'clans' ends and will work for either sect, if the price is right. These are the Independents.

Vampires are divided into clans. These clans are not out of choice. A vampire can no more change his or her clan than you could your parents and family. Clan is determined once a vampire sires (Embraces) a childe. The sire's blood is passed to the childe and she then is considered of his clan with that clan's powers and mannerisms. The clans are:

Camarilla

Brujah: often thought to be nothing more than muscle, rebels and malcontents. Many more idealistic types can often be found in this clan. Perhaps it is because even their philosophers tend to be revolutionaries. There are far more Brujah out there who are quite intelligent than the clan is given credit for. More than one Kindred has paid the price for underestimating the power of a Brujah's intellect. Push them too far however and the most seemingly level-headed Brujah will be unable but to give in to his short temper.

Malkavian: prophets, seers, or just crazies? Gifts always come at a price and the price of this clan's seemingly prophetic powers is madness. However, like Cassandra, it seems that some of the 'Kooks' have trouble communicating their predictions or advice much of the time. Rather than noone believing them however, it seems that their madness inhibits their ability to clearly state what they mean and so often they fall to giving 'lessons' which other clans think of as 'pranks'. The saying goes 'when a Malkavian talks, listen. When a Malkavian acts, run.'

Nosferatu: masters of the unseen, their gift of eternal life has come at a horrendous cost. These pitiful creature are cursed to hide in the tunnels beneath our cities and hide their appearances, no matter the cost, earning themselves the nickname of Sewer Dwellers. It is not long after their sire gives them blood to her childe that their body painfully twists itself into hideously deformed countenances. This being the case, they have mastered the art of moving unseen. And it is amazing what you hear when noone knows you are there. They have become the unparalleled information-brokers of the Kindred world. Never annoy a Nosferatu or you may find some interesting tidbits you'd rather kept quiet finding their way into your enemy's hands.

Toreador: degenerates, social elite and struggling artists all. The Toreador dictate who's who in the social pecking order and their merciless, scathing tongues have been known to make or break a Kindred's chances in the Camarilla Courts. Often accused of being fops, the Toreador can be more viscous than any other Kindred.

Tremere: of all the clans that make up the Camarilla, these warlocks are the most untrusted. Their very foundation as a clan seems to be shrouded in a tangled web of controversy and intrigue. The Tremere are the sole (so they hope) practitioners of Blood Magic, and that's the way they like to keep it. This clan comes across as a strange mix of sorcerers and wizards out of fairytales and a bizarre religious cult with a very rigid hierarchy.

Ventrue: also known as the Blue Bloods, this aristocratic clan traces its lineage back to royalty and nobility. More recently they seem to Embrace stock with business acumen. They are generally political sharks, justifying this by seeing themselves as the shepherds for Kindred-kind. The other clans don't always look at it like this. There are more Ventrue princes than of any other clan. In most cities they dominate the business world and the influence they have over the mortal world is quite truly astounding.

Caitiff: gender, race, religion and most other class distinctions mean nothing to eternal creatures. Age, generation, position, family line and clan. These are the status symbols of the Kindred and can earn respect - or derision. The Caitiff have no clan, no sire who wants them. Their blood is often weak and most are quite young. They are at the lowest end of society - the white trash of the Kindred. The Caitiff can expect to be used as fodder or pawns by the vast majority of Kindred, however it is possible that a particularly clever, quick-witted and talented Caitiff may be able to grasp onto a minor position and even a rare few might garner some small modicum of respect. However, being clanless is a stigma that will push them down for the rest of their unlives.

Independents

Assamites: not much is known of this most secluded and secretive of clans. It is known that they hail from mountain ranges in the Middle East. It is also known that they are the most feared and unparalleled assassins of Kindred-kind and are rarely ever seen or heard. However, recently their dark faces have been seen more and more in the courts of the Camarilla.

Followers of Set: more commonly known as Setites, these Kindred are even more commonly known as 'snakes' behind closed doors. Drugs, prostitution, money laundering, gun-running, black marketeering. Corruption is their game and they play it very well. However, the clan also holds many learnéd scholars from whom much can be learned. The question is - which is which?

Gangrel: until recently, these almost feral, animalistic vampires were the seventh pillar of the Camarilla. However, they recently suddenly left that illustrious organisation. It did not come as a surprise to some as the Gangrel had always been very solitary creatures, preferring to risk the supposedly werewolf-infested wilderness than to stay for over long in the safety of the cities. Fierce fighters with little need for social graces, the Gangrel often resemble such animals as they seem to prefer the company of.

Giovanni: this clan is descended from a prosperous Italian merchant family from Venice. The clan is often known to be Necromancers but the many members tend to come across as traditional mobsters. They always seem willing to make deals and even to honour them - to the highest bidder. The Giovanni, like the Ventrue, appear to have connections and connections and connections.

Ravnos: these tricksters are often looked on as rat-like pests by most Kindred who groan as soon as they hear of their presence within a city. Renowned as thieves and criminals, few other Kindred have shown remorse at the Ravnos' mysteriously dwindled numbers.

Sabbat

Little is known by most Kindred of the bestial and savage Sabbat but here is a little of what may be true or myth.

Lasombra: generally acknowledged as the leaders of the Sabbat, these shadowmancers are feared for their ability to cow others with shadows as thick as blankets that can suffocate the still breathing creatures of this world. Their regalness rivals that of the Ventrue. Just never mention the fact to either clan.

Tzimisce: these creatures, for no other terms suits for they surely do not resemble the humans they once were, are commonly known as fiends. Or pretzels. Or, given the many different ways of pronouncing the clan name (most of which the person telling you will swear is the 'correct' way), Clan Bob. They can twist their forms into all manner of hideous visages and seem to control similar monstrous beasts.

Antitribu: The antitribu are those who were, or their forebears were, of the Camarilla or Independents who have forsaken their clans to revel in the depravity of the Sabbat way of unlife.

That's a very brief rundown of Vampire: The Masquerade but it should be enough to give you a brief understanding of the game. There is much more to learn, which you can do by either playing, reading the books, or both. Both is recommended. For more information see White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade books.

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