you; don’t go there unless you’ve taken the time to study
Alexandria
The Gangrel were more involved in the golden days of
ancient cultures than you might expect, given our bestial
reputation. We were there to witness the rise of Greek
society. We were part of Alexandria, the Berber kingdom of
Almoravid, and a lot of the viciousness on the Barbary Coast.
Plenty of people will tell you about the education
and culture of the ancient days of Greece. If you look
closely, you can see they had a special relationship with
the wilderness, too. Hunters, farmers, vines, and seasons
were integral to Greek culture, too. Some of that was our
influence. The Byzantine era of Greece was one of the
few times that my Clan actually tried to cut its teeth on
“civilization.” Of course, after the Ottoman conquest that
all fell apart, and we scattered again.
With the decline of the Berber dynasties in the fifteenth
century C.E. came the fall of more than a few civilized
territories. Gangrel flocked to Morocco and North Africa.
We fought in the conflicts between the Spanish Habsburgs
and the Ottoman Empire, and when that ended, we fled
to the sea. I’ll admit, I’m told that piracy was a popular
occupation for our Clan. There’s one legend about this
hoary old Portuguese elder named Benigno. His ship, the
Gallantry, sunk somewhere between Lisbon and Tunisia
with a belly-full of artifacts. The legend’s grown so many
times over the centuries that the last time I heard it, the
gold was said to have been salvaged from Enoch itself.
Another thing, the vampires of Africa — including our
so-called brethren, the mysterious Akunanse — aren’t
like us. The stories aren’t even entirely sure we share
a common ancestor, much less that they descend from
our line. Because it’s so dangerous, the Gangrel consider
travelling to the depths of Africa a badge of honor. Even
though we are keepers of the land, the spirit of that
beautiful continent is a powerful, wild, and fierce thing.
I’m even told that Clans thought to be dead are hiding
there, thriving.
Once you get through the gatekeepers in Egypt, Morocco,
and Tunisia, you’ll find the vampires of Africa live in a
chaotic mishmash of independent domains. Some of them
are intelligent, educated, and well read, while others are
little more than militant warlords. I guess that’s what you
get anywhere in the world. It’s not about the primitivism
of some cultures resident in Africa. Gangrel certainly
have no room to talk about the primitivist lifestyle, and
we know well that “uneducated” definitely doesn’t mean
“lesser.” It’s the rules. In Africa, they have a political
system much like the Camarilla and its Traditions, but
with very different rules and expectations. I’m warning
LORE OF THE CLANS
their Tenets. The Laibon expect you to live — or die — by
those rules, no matter where you originate.
One of the most influential Gangrel, and one of the
oldest among us, is a woman who calls herself Hypatia.
I’m not sure if she actually was the librarian at the school
in Alexandria, or if she just took the name of that famous
martyr because it meant something to her. I can tell you that
the Hypatia I met has marks across her honey-colored skin,
with slashes and scars on every inch of her flesh. Maybe
that Christian mob really did flay her with oyster shells.
Who knows? In any case, Hypatia’s the link between the
modern world and the wilderness of sub-Saharan Africa.
If you’re a Gangrel and you plan to do anything in the
area, you’d best talk to her.
They say that Hypatia is a leader in a Gangrel Sect known
as the Disciples of Anubis. They trace their origins back
to a really old vampire named Anpu, cast out of Egypt by
the priests of Isis for some ancient sin. Since then, I guess
they’ve been trying to go back. At least, they’ve done a lot
of fighting to keep vampires out of Egypt, utilizing some
ritual they called the Rite of the Sun-King. I’m not trying
to be deliberately vague. It was hard enough to figure out
that this group existed; I couldn’t get much more on their
history or purposes. It’s not something I recommend you
talk to Hypatia about. Not if you want to keep talking.
Hypatia and her brood form a vital link that keeps the
continent open so Gangrel can wander. There’s a price for
passage, though, and it’s usually paid in ashes. Hypatia’s
particularly fond ofpeople whomurdertheFollowersofSet.
There’s been a feud on between the Greek Gangrel and the
mistress of Mombasa’s illegal underworld, a Setite named
Zhenga. There’s a lot of bad blood between the two, and
Gangrel that want to wander across Africa’s wide plains had
best be ready to avoid landmines — both political and literal.
Arnulf and the Gargoyles
There were Gangrel among the Golden Horde of the
Khans, destroying the civilizations of Asia and Russia.
Dobrul the Brave — founder of the Anda, a bloodline of
Gangrel that swore never to settle in on place for a very
long time — led many of them. The Mongols were heaven
and home to the Anda. Some of us rode with them for
the thrill of battle. Others were invested in destroying
Ventrue and Tremere enclaves throughout Europe. We
rode with the Cimmerians and the Scythians around the
time the “new Clan” of Tremere were capturing our young
childer, twisting them in dark rituals and using them as
Gargoyle slaves. I’d better explain that before we go on
to the real story.
77
 how a bunch of Ventrue, Tremere, and Toreador elders
Scandinavia dragged everybody together and convinced them that it was
Most people associate the Gangrel with Vikings, better to work together than let the Inquisition tear them
barbarian raids, Valkyries, the futhark, Radbod’s rejection apart. Well, convinced everyone except the proto-Sabbat,
of Christianity and the building of the Danevirke. Those who followed some woman out the door screaming for
stereotypes aren’t wrong. We call our gathers “Althings” blood and ravaged the town of Silchester in the bloodiest
and standing in the Clan rises and falls by the stories you massacre before Nanking.
tell by the fire, just like in ye olden Norseman days, or so
I’m told. Gangrel who harm other members of the Clan What were the Gangrel doing there? Good question.
outside of fair combat or the hunt, or who show cowardice, We’re an independent Clan, unwilling to trust others or
are outcast according to ancient traditions of the Danelaw. join the crowd. Half of our Clanmates spend their unlives
tearing down civilization, so why would the Gangrel be
The first legends of our Clan center on the snowy climes part of the founding of vampire society? Of all the Clans,
of the Nordic lands. Even though we travel around the we have the best ability to avoid hunters. We sleep beneath
world, many Gangrel think of those lands as home. These the earth, or anywhere we choose. We turn into animals,
hardy people made up the bulk of our Embraces, and we fly, and we can become untouchable pockets of mist.
even now, a majority of our Clan’s elders has names like Yes, the Beast marks our faces and our bodies with fur,
Asbjörn, Volker, and Signy. The Ventrue make claims on scales, fangs, claws, and other curses, but we’re still the
the Holy German Empire, but the people — the land, and most likely to survive any kind of hunter attack. Tying
those who work it — have always been ours. ourselves down to the other Clans and promising to be part
From early history, the All-High, the Jarl of the North, of some unified effort just hurts us. In the eyes of some
has been the nominal leader of these lands. His vargr roam of our elders, it allows the weak — the other Clans — to
the icy halls across Europe, insisting that they are still at the survive. The elders say that’s against the laws of nature.
height of their power. The upheavals of two world wars and But we did it anyway.
the rise of technology have not changed the vargr’s claim They say that we’re a cold, hard lot. We abandon our
on the majority of the northern lands. “Modernism” aside, childer and let them live or die on their own. It’s true,
they have no intention of releasing control. to a point. There’s also no mother like a Gangrel, and
Sometimes, modern Gangrel can join this ancient once the child has successfully survived the fall from the
group, if they earn the vargr’s respect. When someone nest, a Gangrel sire can be like a lioness. The Tremere
has reached this pinnacle, the vargr invite him or her into had been kidnapping our childer, twisting them into
the order (it is exceptionally bad form for a non-initiate abominations. We were promised this was a way to stop
to ask to join). The vargr prize valor, individual acts of that from happening — a way to force the Tremere to give
heroism and courage, and personal strength or cunning it up and seek peace. The elders of the Camarilla created
in a warrior far more than they do “handicaps” such as the Montmartre Pact, and our Clan was convinced to sign
weapons, technology, or group tactics. on, but only just. The Camarilla insisted we give up our
Paths of Enlightenment and return to Humanitas. That
The vargr are single-minded, and mostly fanatic. Even
caused even more problems. However, there were some
the younger Gangrel in this faction tend to be hardcore;
in the Clan who agreed. The philosophical movement
they have been taught that the world is not a gentle place,
of ethical humanity was picked up by our ancillae, and
and they believe that the Gangrel Clan must be strong
pushed forward until it became a major proponent of the
in order to survive and prosper. Even young members of
Clan in the modern age.
the vargr disdain modern weaponry in favor of claws and
cunning. This is not because they do not see the worth Still, Gangrel are pragmatists and survivors. Our elders
in such technology. It is because they feel they are above knew that the Clan would be stronger if they allied with
it, and that such items as GPS, rifles, explosives, or other others. The Nosferatu and the Brujah had already shown
aids make a hunter weak and soft. us the virtues of alliance; the fall of the Salubri was a
constant reminder of what happens when a Clan stands
Convention of Thorns entirely alone. The Camarilla provides soldiers to fight
against larger threats, and plenty of non-Gangrel vampires
Most vampires know something about the famous to sacrifice if we needed to save our own hides. Like I
Convention of Thorns and the creation of the Camarilla said, pragmatists. What, did you think everyone joined
in the fifteenth century C.E. You’ve heard the tales about the Camarilla to play at being friends?

LORE OF THE CLANS 79

 The Althing that year was a bloody one, with plenty
of scraps and arguments. Three elders died resisting the
idea. More left, choosing to remain independent rather
than make peace with the Tremere. Nevertheless, in the
end, we accepted a place in the Camarilla. It was a narrow
thing, and even generations later, still argued at Althings
the way your grandparents argue about where they went
on their first date.
Gargoyles
Gargoyles. That’s a hard one. Twisted little Frankenstein
creations that the Tremere made out of baby Gangrel,
Nosferatu, and Tzimisce. They kept crafting them — right
up until 1489, when the Montmartre Pact forbade them
from continuing. After that, the Camarilla went and
released all they could find. A lot of Gargoyles spent years
making sure their brethren were free. They knew where
the Tremere hid the birthing laboratories, knew which
Tremere had mastered the spells of patchwork creation.
Even with all that information, everyone knew that a few
had escaped. Three, in particular — massive, legendary
creatures: Chaundice, Saxim, and Ublo-Satha. All three
are blood-bound to Tremere elders of the highest rank
and order. One, Chaundice, vanished long before the
revolution, and is rumored to be serving as guard and
protector over the torpored form of Tremere himself.
One of the other two, Saxim, served Etrius. The third,
Ublo-Satha, was seen in Chicago, defending the chantry
during the last major Sabbat attack. If we’d been able to
prove that rumor, we might have been able to finally throw
those dirty wizards out of the club.
The fire of our hatred toward the Tremere never died.
Gangrel teach their neonates about the Gargoyles from the
moment they’re taken in, after they survive the Embrace
and prove themselves worthy of survival. Tremere are a
sort of natural enemy; not a predator, like a wolf or a
shark, but an opportunist, like a spider or an earwig. Give
them an inch of trust, and they’ll chop you apart. It’s to
our benefit to make sure none forget the stories about
Gargoyles. We keep an eye on them, and ensure that they
can’t keep that kind of activity hidden. One mistake, just
one mistake. One Gargoyle still enslaved, one asshole
that starts bioengineering neonates into stony, brainless
cannon fodder, and we have what we need to force the
Inner Circle to throw them out.
We wouldn’t be alone, either. The Nosferatu are right
beside us. It’s one of those things our Clans completely
agree on. Once the Tremere no longer enjoy the Camarilla’s
protection, they have plenty of enemies who will gladly put
80 GANGREL
a fang to their throat. Hell, half the Clans of the Sabbat are
only there because it gives them a chance to kill Tremere.
One error. One provable mistake. That’s all we need to
destroy them.
Modern Myths
The world is updating faster than the rapid breath of
fleeing prey, faster than the moon chasing the sun. Wild
places are fewer, and cellphones reach everywhere but the
deepest parts of the jungle or the most desolate ice plains
of the Antarctic. There are very few frontiers left. Still,
like most animals, we Gangrel are adaptable. It’s part of
being able to survive. If you can’t change with the seasons,
you’ll die when winter comes.
As the world’s become more technological, our childer
have brought new knowledge and an understanding of
urban survival into the Clan. It’s hard for us to adapt,
but not hard to see the need. Gangs on the street have
become our new “packs.” Some measure territory in city
blocks and their borders by paved roads instead of rivers
and forests. The modern world changed us, true, but it’s
also made us stronger.
Computer messages are swift, but hacking and online
crime makes them unstable and untrustworthy. We serve
as messengers, flying on our own wings and finding it
easy to slip aboard airplanes and other transportation as
clouds of mist. We move silently, and we can’t be traced
or hacked. Primitivism is experiencing a resurgence, from
tribal tattoos to hitchhiking college students wandering
through Europe. Greenpeace makes war on whaleboats.
Environmentalism is a big deal, and urban decay is giving
us back areas of wildness in the heart of once-major cities.
Hippies aren’t dead; they’ve just gone viral. There are
still plenty of opportunities for “traditional” Gangrel to
be useful.
More than that, our adaptable blood has proven itself
again within the modern milieu. The Lycaon, also known
as the Greek Gangrel, were once a group of philosophers
of our Clan. They studied the changeability of the blood,
and they kept the lore of all the bloodlines that had
spawned from our seed. Since the Industrial Revolution,
the Lycaon struggled to keep up with the political changes
and technological advancements sweeping that area of the
world. It was from their evolving blood that the first City
Gangrel or Coyotes sprang. I’m not sure how the Lycaon
did it, but in doing so, they destroyed their own lineage.
No more Lycaon have been Embraced; all of their childer,
and their childer’s childer, have turned out to be Coyotes.
The Lycaon line is dying. The Coyotes are the new blood,
and while they used to be primarily members of the Sabbat,
the proliferation of the bloodline has increased. They’ve
become more common in the last decades. A few have
even tried to join the Camarilla.
It’s happened before. Shifters by nature, the Gangrel
have a proclivity for changing their form on a constant
basis, turning from human to wolf, to bat, to any of a
number of other animals. They turn to mist, or sink into
the earth to sleep days and even years. With such constant
physical alteration, and the Clan’s proclivity for survival
encouraging a Darwinian evolution, it’s no wonder the
Clan’s blood continues to alter itself on an intrinsic
level. The known bloodlines of the Gangrel include:
Mariners, Noiad, Anda, Coyotes (City Gangrel), Lycaon
(Greek Gangrel), Lhiannan, Ahrimanes, and Akunanse.
I know there were more, but they’ve died out as the world
advanced over the centuries. Those mutations that cannot
prove themselves quickly die off. Those who evolve traits
that help them survive will endure.
That’s not the only part of the modern world that
affects the Gangrel. Our predatory instincts translate to a
lot more than bows, arrows, and tracking buffalo. As the
modern world becomes more cutthroat, we grow more
comfortable in the boardrooms and business offices.
The Coyotes are right; there’s a lot of bloodletting going
on, and the unflinching predatory instinct to tear out a
throat helps us fit in on Wall Street. We’re not as out of
place among the 1% as you might think.
Animalistic and Bestial
Being a Gangrel isn’t like being a member of any
other Clan. We’re not Clan-first, like the Brujah or the
Nosferatu. We’re not trying to leave a lingering impression
on the world, like the Toreador. We don’t seize power
like the Lasombra or the Ventrue. For the most part,
being a Gangrel means not giving a fuck about the other
Clans or their machinations. It means concentrating on
your own personal power, your individuality, and your
capacity to survive anything the world throws at you.
We’re animalistic and feral, we’re cold-blooded killers of
every stripe, and we don’t care about honor or duty — we
care about survival. Survival over the corpses of allies if
necessary, and certainly when it means crushing the ashes
of your enemies beneath your boots.
I know you’re thinking about your friend, the noble
and kind Gangrel. That guy in the Camarilla court who’s
always talking about his time in the military and the
LORE OF THE CLANS
ideals of honor and duty he learned as a mortal. Sure,
I bet he’s a great guy. I’ll bet he’s young, too, and hates
the feeling of his Beast moving hungrily inside his spirit.
The image of the “Tarzan” Gangrel — the “noble savage”
of Edwardian dime novels — has a few adherents. But the
more we indulge the ravaging anger of our Beast, the flow
of blood between our teeth or the feel of flesh tearing
beneath our claws, the less you’re likely to ever find that
“noble” again.
Believe me when I tell you that everything for our Clan
comes down to survival. Everything. I can’t stress it enough.
Anything else we do, from politics to humanity, is just
passing time. You know those zombie movies that are so
popular right now? The ones where two men who have
been friends since childhood betray one another out of
desperation to get away from the undead horde and leave
the other man to be eaten? “I don’t have to run faster than
the zombies, I just have to run faster than you.”
That’s Clan Gangrel. Every member, every drop of our
blood has that absolute calling. We cover it, fight it, deny
it, but when it comes down to the wire, our most primitive
instinct is to survive, and you’d sure as hell better not get
in the way.
Survival is the reason we Embrace and abandon. It’s
a dichotomy; a Sire has an instinct to protect her childe,
but no Gangrel wants a weak brat clinging to her for all
eternity. Weakness is the one thing our Beasts can’t abide.
So we Embrace those who seem the strongest, the toughest,
and the apex predator of their pyramid. Then we leave
them to see if they’ll survive on their own. Some Sires
stay nearby and watch; others leave entirely, allowing their
childer to risk the Masquerade, be destroyed by hunters,
or any other fate. When we do return and find a childe
has survived, there are few Sires as proud and committed
as a Gangrel. We’re just not willing to become attached
if the fledgling is defective, weak, or stupid. Better we let
you die than bring you into the brood and weaken us all
when the survival of the group is at stake.
Mark of the Beast
Other Clans have easy-to-ignore flaws. Sure, the Ventrue
are picky eaters, and the Toreador have attention-span
issues in museums. But do you think that counts for
anything to the guy whose face just morphed into spider
eyes, or the girl with breasts like a wolf’s eight teats? Give
me a break. Every time a Gangrel’s Beast gets away from
her, whenever she enters a frenzy, the Beast leaves a mark
on her flesh. Most of the time they’re temporary — the
fleeting cost of becoming closer to one’s inner demons.
81
You sleep it off or wait a few days, and usually the visible
appearance of humanity returns. But not always.
A lot of our elders, the really old ones, barely look human
anymore. Sometimes they can go into torpor for a few
hundred years, and the animal parts slowly revert — for
the most part — but it’s unusual to meet one that’s not
carrying more than a few marks. It’s why a lot of our elders
left their Humanity behind in the first place. Frenzies are
our bane. Frenzies literally tear up our bodies, rip into our
spirits, and make us less human, every time. Permanent
or not, when you undergo that kind of change, you can’t
avoid the fact that you’re living with a demon inside you
just itching to get out. You’re an animal, whether you
like it or not.
There used to be a group of Gangrel called the Knights of
Avalon, who saw the animal markings as a sign of shame.
Back in the Dark Ages, the stigma of god-cursed was even
stronger than it is today, and these vampires took the
religious implications of “turning into a beast” to heart.
They tried seriously hard never to frenzy, never to gain
animal features, or at least to hide them when they did.
The philosophy has had something of a resurgence in the
last century. Since the advent of photography, as well as
analog and digital recordings, bestial features have become
even more of a danger. The new Knights of Avalon not
only specialize in keeping themselves from gaining such
features, they also teach the rest of us techniques to help
hide ours.
Anarch, Autark, and Independent
I’ve mentioned how difficult it was to get the Gangrel
Clan to join the Camarilla. We got a lot of promises that
they’d keep the Tremere in line. The other Clans called in
a lot of boons over our elders and their broods, too, and
those were important. Survival was another reason, but
that didn’t convince everyone. Plenty of Gangrel refused
the Camarilla’s call because they knew we didn’t need the
Camarilla to survive, and they saw no reason to weaken
the Gangrel Clan by tying our broods to the defense of
mewling Toreador or pretentious Ventrue.
A lot of young Gangrel see the Anarch Movement as a
“halfway house.” It’s social enough that they’re involved
in things, but it doesn’t have the fundamentalism or strict
rules that you find in the Sabbat and the Camarilla. They
stay in the Movement for a while, then eventually “grow
up” and pick a place either in one of the Sects or as a
legitimate independent. To me, that seems like just more
vampire bullshit. Dedicate yourself to something, and stop
mewling about “freedom.” Nobody’s really free. You were
82 GANGREL
never really “free” as a mortal, and you sure as hell will
never be “free” as a vampire. You do the best you can to
stay independent, and that’s the best you’re going to get.
Unlike the other pillars of the Camarilla, a large portion
of our Clan remained Independent. Hell, the word
“Autark” is a German word, first used by our Clan. It means
“self-sufficient,” or “self-governed” in some translations.
Using it was sort of a sneaky method for our elders to
answer a question in a half-ass way. Are you Camarilla
or Sabbat? Autark. Most Gangrel are Sect-agnostic, and
that’s the way they like it.
See what I mean about survival? Our elders didn’t want
to piss anyone off or become a target of either Sect. They
wanted to remain free, but also ensure they still had the
opportunity to join a Sect later, if they wanted to do so.
“Autark” initially meant “I’m still considering whether I
want to join a Sect, but for now, I’m getting along just
fine on my own, thanks.”
It wasn’t intended to last forever. It was only an answer
to put off questions until we could see that the Camarilla
was more than a flash in the pan. Like Embracing a childe,
and waiting to see if it would survive on its own, the
Gangrel Clan needed to know that the Camarilla wasn’t
going to be a burden on the Clan. When it proved stable,
more of our elders joined, and our ranks swelled. Hey, a
wolf will eat from a bowl when the meat’s fresh and the
gate’s still open, right?
Even now, there are a lot more Gangrel independents
and Autarks than any other “Camarilla pillar Clan.” The
Camarilla puts up with it, because they know our broods
are strong and our youth aren’t idiots. We don’t break the
Masquerade, we don’t risk our unlives for stupid reasons.
Survival runs strong in our veins. You can always count
on that.
Althings
For a Clan of individualist loners, we sure love to talk.
Stories, eddas, epic poems, and all manner of chatter. We
have an oral history, for the sake of Fenris, and once you
get us started, you can’t shut us up.
The Gangrel once considered themselves lore masters.
Not the book-reading, scientific, hoary old leather-faced
scholar type, but the masters of living history. The
taletellers, who kept the past alive. Of course, that was
before the Camarilla banned a lot of information about
vampiric history. They got really fussy about a text called
the Book of Nod, along with the research a Gangrel named
Beckett put into translating and compiling it. I read a little
on, and then we leave. If you learned well, then you’ll be
around to show up at the next Althing and share a few
lessons of your own.
Camarilla Gangrel will come together on the full
moon before most significant Sect gatherings (conclaves
and the like), in order to share stories and earn one
another’s respect. The Gangrel who has performed the
most courageous deeds, accomplished significant tasks,
or who has done well in informal combats or trials held
at the Althing is often chosen to be the Clan’s Warden:
a speaker and point-of-contact between the Gangrel and
the Sect leaders. After the conclave is over, the individual’s
“rank” fades away, until the next Althing determines a
new speaker for the assembled Clan. Like I said, we aren’t
big on unity.
Not all of our Althings are friendly. Sometimes the
Gather is an excuse to draw in a Gangrel that has become
prey. If they are strong enough to attend, say their peace,
and survive, then the Clan will overlook any sin. If they
are not, then… problem solved.
The Ravnos and the Rroma
You could say there’s a lot of history between the Gangrel
and the Ravnos. Bad history, bad blood. We don’t need
“gods” to justify the feud between our Clans, and we
don’t need the Camarilla to back us up when we fight
our enemies. From the oldest legends that depict our
Antediluvians as rivals, fighting out of rejected love or a
territorial instinct, our two Clans have hated one another
for a very long time. There are plenty of murders in that
history. I don’t think I know a Gangrel who hasn’t heard
the old stories about Ravnos killing Gangrel.
The earliest fights between the two Clans (at least, the
earliest that I can confirm) happened over territory. They
started around the time that the Ravnos claimed India
and parts of the Middle East. I’m embarrassed to say that
despite old tales painting us as heroes, it’s most likely that
the Gangrel were raiders: vicious, cruel, and seriously
thugging the Ravnos lands. Driven out of the Middle East,
we headed north toward Germany and Scandinavia to
find lands of our own. We were better off there, anyway.
The rivalry didn’t stop when we left, though. Spats
between the Ravnos and the Gangrel continue everywhere
we find each other. There’s a deep philosophical difference,
for one. Frenzies turn us into animals, so many of us are
humanist, trying to avoid the scourge of our vampiric
condition. The Ravnos, on the other hand, embrace the
fact that they’re undead. They feel that being a vampire is
84 GANGREL
part of their karma or dharma or something. It’s fate. It
was meant to be, and they don’t fight against it or try to
find a way to evade their vampiric state. Even our elders,
the ones on Paths of Enlightenment, can’t stand the way
the Ravnos parade around prattling about the “karmic
cycle,” acting proud of the fact that they’re dead men
walking. Hell, they sound like the Sabbat. Ravnos don’t
fit into the natural world, and we don’t fit into their crazy
reverence about being a monstrosity. Those philosophies
are just never going to mix.
Beyond that, they’re tricksters, constantly getting into
trouble, making everyone look at them. They’re showmen.
They like the attention. We’re survivalists, and we don’t
want people to see what we’re doing or remember us
too well. They’re liars, while we know truth is necessary
to stay alive. Anyone who looks at the Gangrel and the
Ravnos and says we should be buddy-buddy just because
both Clans wander the wilderness probably can’t tell a
Toreador from a Ventrue either.
Since the days of ancient history, our Clans have been
bitter enemies. We fight over the animals we control, we
fight over land, and we even fight over people. Ghouls,
yes, but larger groups than that: the travelers, loners, and
wanderers. Including, but not limited to, the Rroma.
History certainly gives us plenty of reason to have grudges
against individual Ravnos, but that’s just an allegory to
cover a darker tale. One that has little to do with vampire
rivalries, and a lot to do with vampire fear. Stark, cold,
ravening fear, the kind that turns to lead in your belly.
There’s a medieval legend about the “fourth nail.” Tales
say that when Jesus was to be nailed to the cross, Roman
soldiers commissioned four nails to hang the Savior: one
for each of his hands and feet. According to the Manoush
people of Alsace, one of their ancestors would gladly have
saved Jesus from death. When he failed to rescue Jesus,
he did the best he could to stop the crucifixion by stealing
the nails. Even there, he didn’t manage to stop Christ’s
death entirely, making off with only one of the four nails.
God, it’s said, smiled on those who tried to keep his son
from pain and anguish, and placed a blessing upon them.
Whether the details are true or not, a Lithuanian Gangrel
elder named Intam believed the story enough to spend
most of his unlife searching through the Rroma tribes,
looking for some sign of God’s grace. When he found it
in one kumpaniya — or at least, claimed he’d found it — he
claimed that tribe as his own and took them under his
proverbial wing. Beckett told me that Intam thought he
could parlay the tribe’s connection with God into a way
out from under the vampiric curse.
 If there’s one thing you should know about the Ravnos
Clan’s system of enlightenment, it’s that they hate anyone
who tries to skip out of the system. When some of their
most rabid spiritualists found out what Intam was doing
and what he was protecting, they came like smoke and
storm. Our elder’s ashes were found among the bodies of
the mortals he’d sought to protect. The Ravnos claimed
credit for the slaughter, actually taking pride in what they’d
done. Instead of telling the real reason for it though, they
spun stories based on the legends of the Antediluvians,
blaming the fight on ancient grudges and feuding mythical
figures. They didn’t want anyone to follow up on Intam’s
research, or look to see any member of that particular
kumpaniya was still alive.
Anyway, Intam’s death really set off the hatred between
the two Clans. Things exploded quickly, stories spread,
and just as quickly got stamped out as revenge followed
revenge. The reason was fear. Fear, whether Intam was
right or wrong. Intam was looking for hope. That kind
of story could spread, and make a lot of idiot vampires
interested. Some of them want to destroy any Rroma
that might be part of the legend, and others are trying
to enslave or use those poor people. All of them acting
out of some kind of belief, some kind of hope — hope
that there might be a God, after all — and He might be
paying attention.
Trust me on this. Hope can be an amazing source of fear.
Lupines
By now, you’ve probably heard all sorts of stories about
how we Gangrel are related to lupines, or how we’re half
werewolf, or werewolves are half-vampire. All Gangrel are
some kind of crazy half-unicorn fae mage bullshit, right?
Let me tell you this straight up: It’s not true.
Werewolves are dangerous. They’re not our friends,
they’re not our brothers, and we don’t go to their birthday
parties or hang out at their coffeehouses. They’ll kill a
Gangrel just as quickly as they’ll kill any other vampire, and
they’ll grin the whole time they’re doing it. We’re probably
the ones they want to kill most, in fact. We wander “their”
woodlands, and we bump into them the most. They don’t
come into the cities, so they don’t have a lot of chances to
slaughter the other vampire Clans. No, it’s Gangrel they
find, and it’s Gangrel they kill. Just like that.
Yeah, the Gangrel know a lot about the werewolves,
because we’re the ones that keep bumping into them, out
in the wilderness. Werewolves have some crazy belief that
the whole world is alive, like a great cosmic spirit, and
LORE OF THE CLANS
vampires are a plague. Our very existence is a blight on
the earth, and it’s their entire goal and purpose to wipe
us out. There’s no arguing or compromising. You might as
well debate your purpose in life with a wood-chipper. Now,
I’ve heard tales that a few Gangrel managed to figure out a
way to trick the werewolves for a night or two; cover their
scent, hide themselves like animals in the forest, and spy
on those big furry killing machines. Terrible idea, really,
but neonates can be stupid. They came back telling stories
about shifter politics that sounded just as convoluted as
the Jyhad and twice as hopeless.
Werewolves make terrible servants; neither blood nor
mental domination controls them for long. They’re far too
dangerous and unpredictable to be allies; they’ll kill any
vampire the first chance they get. They frenzy more than
we do, so neither blackmail nor hostages can ensure their
loyalty even for a short time. Seriously, there’s nothing
to gain by dealing with the moon-beasts. Just point them
at someone else, and stay the holy fuck out of their way.
Character and Traits
Concepts
Auction Shark
Money’s like blood; it flows, it swells, and it’s the reason
to stay alive. You follow its tracks, seeking out antique
paintings owned by senile old ladies and Revolutionary
War memorabilia in the hands of heirs who think their
grandfather’s hobby was a waste of time. Then, you strike,
and once there’s blood in the water, you don’t stop until
your belly’s full.
Burning Man
You’re a wild child, a rambunctious thing, a worker of
metal and a survivalist on the desert playa. Every year, you
roamed out to Burning Man and several other festivals,
indulging yourself in drugs, alcohol, camaraderie, art,
and the joy of utter wildness. Surviving as a vampire was
easy — you knew where the orgy tent was, and you were
more than capable of convincing a few friends to give in
to your new “blood fetish.” When your Sire showed up
again the next year, you were the one with things to offer:
a herd of your own, and a new art project centered on the
hides of the animals you hunted to survive.
Executive Headhunter
Cold-blooded, type-A, and ruthless, you’ve transferred
your predatory instinct to the business world. When people
85
think “Gangrel,” they think barking and rolling in the
dirt, and they couldn’t be more wrong. Your claws are just
as sharp, and your business acumen is the equal of the
greatest trackers in the world. You love to find weakness
and exploit it, and you’re not afraid to shoot to kill.
Grease Monkey
Your Sire Embraced you because he couldn’t figure
out these “new-fangled machines,” and you ran with
it. Despite a few years that’ve passed, you’ve kept up
with engines, cars, and motorcycles. It’s a passion.
You don’t mind being covered in dirt — literal
or metaphorical. If they want to keep things
running in this city, they’ll have to come to you.
Hostel Hitchhiker
Your father pushed you to go to
university, but your mother’s gift
was a bank account with enough
Euros to spend a year wandering
Europe. You packed a backpack,
downloaded a list of hostels, and
bought a map of the train lines across
the continent. Little did you know
you’d never be coming home again.
The Embrace was difficult for you,
and hiding from Interpol was even
worse, but after a few months, your
Sire took pity on you and showed
up again. You’ve done better with
a little education, but you’re still
comfortable only when you’re on
the road. Settling down is just asking
for trouble.
Mother Bear
Your brood’s one of the largest, and the
strongest. You’ve taught them well, cared for
them, and you know when to step in and
when to let the childe learn his lesson. You
have a bad habit of adopting Caitiff and
other lost cubs, which has been a boon
and a bane. You’re protective and a bit
feral, and everyone knows not to anger
the mother bear.
Nature Documentarian
Gentle and peaceful, the Embrace
has been something of a nightmare
for you. You struggle against the loss
86 GANGREL
of Humanity, fearing that you’ll become an animal if
you lose control. When you were alive, you appreciated
the beauty of nature — a sunrise you’ll never see again.
You struggle to make something of your afterlife, but all
too often, you sink into depression, drinking blood from
sold-storage bags and ruminating on the way things were.
Roller Derby Girl
You’ve always been a “fight to survive” sort
of girl; a tough cookie who made it through
an abusive childhood and supported her
younger siblings after both parents were gone.
You sacrificed your own education for theirs,
worked in a coffee shop until late hours
just to keep food on the table, and
the only fun you managed to have
were the nights when you got to
be a derby girl and take your anger
and resentment out on the opposing
team. Now you’re a vampire, and you
get off on the power. You’re finally in
control of your life, and nobody’s ever
going to take that from you again.
Transportation Specialist
In life, you were the guy who could sneak things
across any number of borders: people, drugs,
munitions. In death, you’ve maintained that
role, increasing your prices and inflating
your lifestyle. Now, in addition, you move
vampires and information central to the
Sabbat-Camarilla war. You aren’t afraid
to work both sides, so long as the price
is right.
Urban Shaman
An urban shaman may be an older vampire
who has recently awakened and become
infatuated with the world, or it may be a younger
primitivist who has accepted the Embrace with vitality
and eagerness. In either case, she sees the modern world
through the smoke of the past, realizing that the old ways
and the new sciences aren’t so very different.
Merits and Flaws
Hive-Minded (1 or 2pt. Merit)
Your Animalism works on insects and other
creepy-crawlies in addition to mammalian
animals. If you select the two-point version of
this merit, your Protean forms may take the form of an
insectoid swarm rather than a single creature (though the
swarm must be of a size equivalent to a wolf or a bat, as
appropriate).
Skald (2pt. Merit)
Anytime you make an Occult roll to know a fact about
vampiric history, you may add a die to your dice pool.
Further, you have exceptional memory for oral histories,
and you are a quick study when it comes to memorizing
large amounts of rote information. This is not true eidetic
memory, but constitutes the ability to memorize poetic
eddas, codes, or complex messages with only a few hours
of study.
Lesser Mark of the Beast (4pt. Merit)
Common to the Gangrelknown asthe KnightsofAvalon,
you are able to control how your Beast manifests more than
others do. Whenever you would gain an animalistic feature
(V20, p. 55), roll your current Willpower (difficulty 12 -
Humanity rating, maximum 9). If successful, you manage
to channel your humanity to avoid gaining an animalistic
feature. However, your Beast is further from you, making
you at +2 difficulty to rolls involving Animalism or Protean
(or combo Disciplines involving those powers) for the rest
of the evening. Vampires on a Path of Enlightenment lose
all access to this Merit.
Totemic Change (5pt. Merit)
Your Protean forms are flexible; you may choose a
different animal form each time you change shape. The
form you choose each time must follow all the conventions
and rules of standard Protean animal shapes (see p. 91);
you simply may choose to appear as a different animal
each time you take Beast Form.
Member of the Pack (2pt. Flaw)
You can only summon, speak to, and command a
specific type of animal — ravens, rats, and so forth — with
Animalism. Your Storyteller is the best adjudicator of
what types of animal are appropriate for this Flaw, but
the choice should be fairly limiting. Other animals do not
respond to your uses of Animalism at all.
Rat in a Cage (2pt. Flaw)
Anytime you are penned in or physically restrained
(such as by a cage, or with handcuffs), you suffer acute
anxiety. The difficulties of any rolls made under such
circumstances are increased by two.
LORE OF THE CLANS
Discipline Powers
Blissful Summer (Protean Level ••••• •)
Although most vampires must return to their normal
physical form when they sleep, Gangrel who have mastered
Protean to this extent may remain in Mist Form even
while comatose during the day. This power offers great
protection, though it is not invulnerable, and fire and
sunlight can still injure the vampire. Further, a vampire
sleeping in Blissful Summer is not roused by noise or
activity in her area.
System: No roll is required to activate Blissful Summer,
but the transformation requires the expenditure of five
blood points. Once activated, the user remains in Mist
Form (V20, p. 200) until the next dawn, whereupon the
vampire resumes physical form. Physical attacks cannot
affect a vampire sleeping in Mist Form, though fire and
sunlight can still harm her. The vampire cannot awaken
before dusk unless her Mist Form is injured.
Shape Mastery (Protean Level ••••• •)
It is one thing to master your own flesh and shape
your form, but it’s something else to force your will upon
another, demanding that his or her physical form take the
shape you command. Certain exceptional elder Gangrel
have mastered this ability, and can use his or her blood
to overcome another individual’s native command of
shapeshifting. For this power to function, some portion
of the Gangrel’s blood must have been ingested by or
otherwise be in contact with the target’s flesh or worn
clothing, whether unwillingly or willingly.
System: The Gangrel must first place her blood on the
target. If the target has successfully attacked the Gangrel
with natural weapons, or with a short weapon like a knife,
it fulfills this requirement. Otherwise, the Gangrel must
smear at least one blood point worth of her vitae on the
target by making a successful attack or by making a small
blood mark on an unsuspecting target. This may be done
in advance, but the blood must still be wet (within a few
minutes), and the subject must be in line of sight in
order for this power to be viable. Thereafter, the Gangrel
activates this power by spending an additional blood point
and making a Perception + Survival roll (difficulty 7).
Two successes are required to force the target out of his
shape-shifted form and into her native (original) shape.
While this power is active, the individual cannot assume
any other form. This power persists for a full scene, or until
the target removes the Gangrel’s vitae from his body (or
87
clothing), whichever is sooner. The process of cleansing
oneself of the Gangrel’s blood takes at least one full turn
of action. If the target has actually consumed the Gangrel’s
blood, then she cannot remove the blood so easily.
Use of this power will persist for the full scene, and
Shape Mastery may be attempted again thereafter (this
power does not consume the blood with its use), so long
as the Gangrel still has line of sight. If the target chooses
to resume his adapted form after this power ends, she
must reactivate that power, incurring any associated costs,
and performing any appropriate rolls.
This power is effective on the shapeshifted forms
of Obtenebration, Protean, Serpentis, Thaumaturgy,
and Vicissitude at levels equal to or lower than the
vampire’s Protean. Further, it also confounds the native
shapechanging abilities of other supernatural creatures,
such as Lupines and Fae.
Smoke and Mirrors
(Protean Level ••••• •)
One of the most notable and fascinating powers of the
Gangrel is the ability to turn to mist. Some elder Gangrel
have found a way to harness this power and use it on
instinct, converting themselves to mist in order to avoid
the most threatening blows.
System: When attacked, you may spend four blood
points to turn instantly to mist, as per Mist Form (V20, p.
200). The attack automatically misses you, and you revert
to your physical form once the immediate danger is past.
You may activate this power reflexively once damage is
determined, but as soon as damage is marked down or
the scene has moved on from damage determination, you
may no longer use this power on that damage.
Animal Swarm (Protean Level ••••• ••)
Upon activating this power, the Gangrel dissolves into a
swarm of small creatures, such as rats, crows, or scorpions.
The creatures remain under the Gangrel’s control, and he
may direct them in unison or as individuals.
System: The Gangrel may disperse into as many creatures
as he has blood points, with each creature carrying that
one blood point; he may choose to form fewer creatures,
in which case the blood points are divided as evenly as
possible among them. The creatures may act in concert,
or individually follow a simple plan such as “scatter and
hide.” The Gangrel may pay close attention to only one
component creature at a time. For example, he may listen in
on a conversation using the body of one rat, while directing
the dozen others to keep moving and avoid detection.
88 GANGREL
While using this power, each creature within the swarm
of animals must remain within 300 yards/meters of one
another; any animal that leaves this radius immediately
dissolves into ash, and the vampire forfeits the blood
carried by that creature. The vampire may reform from
any of the creatures in the swarm, but when she reforms,
all animals within 10 yards/meters are drawn back into
her physical substance. Other animals (those who are
too far away) dissolve into ash, and the vampire forfeits
their blood.
This power takes one turn to take effect, and lasts
until sunrise or until the Gangrel chooses to retake his
humanoid form. At that time, all of the component
creatures present are re-absorbed into the Gangrel’s body,
along with the blood points that animal carried. If this
leaves the vampire with less than three blood points,
she must immediately check for frenzy. Creatures who
do not rejoin the Gangrel’s body may be reabsorbed at
any time, though if there is only one creature left in her
swarm, the Gangrel immediately reverts to her natural
physical form.
The vampire must reform at sunrise. She may choose
which creature out of the swarm in which to re-incorporate.
Any creatures not reabsorbed dissolve into small piles of
ash and blood at dawn.
The vampire may use the following Disciplines while in
Animal Swarm: Auspex, Celerity, Fortitude, Obfuscate,
and Potence. The individual creature that is the tangible
source of the power must fuel any Disciplines that require
the expenditure of blood. Creatures reduced to zero blood
points are immediately destroyed.
Mythic Form (Protean Level ••••• •••)
Some Gangrel have so mastered the powers of Protean that
they can shapeshift into creatures of legend — massive beasts
whose existence is known only in myth. This mythical beast
is usually something important to the individual Gangrel’s
culture or psyche, and must be non-human. A griffin,
sphinx, dragon, thunderbird, or kirin would be appropriate
manifestations of this power for more ancient Gangrel;
younger vampires who achieve this level of Protean mastery
mightchoosesimilarcreatures,ormoremodernlegendssuch
as the Loch Ness monster, a chupacabra, or the jersey devil.
In addition to the great size and terrifying form of these
creatures, a Gangrel who takes Mythic Form also acquires
some of the special abilities commonly attributed to the
beast; a griffin, for example, would have the ability to fly
and a devastating claw attack. Once a character’s mythic
form has been chosen, it is set for the character’s existence.
(claws, fangs, or other natural weaponry). These dice are
in addition to the vampire’s usual Stamina + Fortitude,
i.e. Fortitude is counted twice.
This power costs 18 experience points to learn.
Flesh Wound
(Fortitude ••, Obfuscate •••)
True predators know when to rely on cunning and
trickery to defeat enemies. Using this power, the Gangrel
gives the appearance of taking no damage from attacks. In
reality, the attacks hurt like hell, but the Gangrel maintains
a facade of invulnerability in order to unnerve opponents.
Particularly canny vampires may convince foes that they
are, in fact, immune to assault.
System: The player spends one blood point to activate
this power. For the duration of the scene, the Gangrel
appears as she did upon activation of this power; any
wounds or scars already present will remain visible. Further
damage does not show on the Gangrel’s form, nor do any
logical results, such limping or leaking blood. This power
ends if the Gangrel reaches the incapacitated health level
or is staked. Under no circumstances can the wounds be
discerned by an outside source before the power ends.
This power costs 15 experience points to learn.
King of the Beasts
(Fortitude ••, Animalism ••••)
The vampire who masters this power has the ability
to extend the auspices of her Fortitude to those animals
who are summoned by her blood, ensuring that they are
protected. This power requires no further expenditure
on the user’s part; her very nature steels and fortifies her
minion against damage.
System:CreaturesyousummonwithAnimalismgainone
dot of Fortitude so long as they stay within your line of sight.
This power costs 18 experience points to learn.
See the Reflected Form
(Auspex ••, Protean ••••)
Using this power, the Gangrel may use Aura Perception
to pull detailed information from his subject’s aura. In
that aura, he can see the beast forms of Gangrel or other
vampires possessing Protean; the forms of the Lupines
and other shape-changing beasts; the half-real dream
forms of fairies; and the shadows of vampiric forms from
disciplines such as Obtenebration, Protean, Serpentis,
and Vicissitude. Further, the user of this power can tell
which form is “native” or original to the subject.
90 GANGREL
System: The player rolls Perception + Awareness
(difficulty 6). One success gives the character knowledge
of the individual’s native form, regardless of the form that
the user inhabits at the time. Three successes allow the
user to see all forms that the individual in question may
assume, and know the Disciplines used to achieve those
forms. With five successes, the user may see the images
of all forms assumed by non-vampires (such as Lupines
or Fae), though the user may not understand the powers
used to transform into those shapes. This ability does not
reveal the visual changes of Obfuscate, as those are not
truly transformative powers.
This power costs 18 experience points to learn.
Shatterproof
(Protean •••, Fortitude ••••)
A Gangrel with this power toughens his flesh and allows
her body to absorb damage, spreading a blow’s impact
throughout her entire form to avoid significant injury.
System: The Gangrel may roll both Fortitude and
Stamina together to soak aggravated damage. This does
not include automatic soaks with stamina versus regular
damage. Each use of this ability requires the expenditure
of one Willpower.
This power costs 21 experience points to learn.
Spirit Tracking
(Protean ••, Animalism ••)
Your beast is an exceptional tracker, sensing the lingering
trails of another beast through the spiritual ether rather
than relying on physical senses alone. Indeed, your Beast
can sense and follow the path of another vampire’s Beast,
tracking it even when the prey takes physical precautions
against being followed or found. Your inner senses are so
keen, in fact, that it is difficult to fool you with mirages
or false trails, making it more difficult for the powers of
the Ravnos to trick you.
System: When tracking a vampire, you may roll
Perception + Survival (difficulty 7) in order to track the
individual so long as they are within 10 yards/meters.
With three or more successes, you may continue to track
the individual so long as they are within 100 yards/meters.
With five successes, you may sense specific individuals who
have been in a location within the last three days, though
you may not track them unless they are still currently
within 100 yards/meters. Further, you are not fooled by
illusions created using the power Ignis Fatuus (V20, p.
144). Unless the Ravnos creates an illusion that appeals to
all of the senses (i.e., uses Fata Morgana or some greater
power), your animalistic nature can instinctively tell the
mirage is false.
This power costs 12 experience points to learn.
Animal Forms
When a player makes a Gangrel character and purchases
the Protean power Shape of the Beast, she should choose
her animal forms. One of those forms should be that of
a large predator (such as a wolf), and the other should
be that of a smaller, flying or swimming predator (such
as a bat or a fish). Once those forms have been chosen,
they are set for the character’s existence. She will always
change into that specific wolf, and that specific bat, with
individual markings and appearance. Note that non-
Gangrel characters always turn into a wolf and bat, unless
they select the Totemic Change Merit.
Furthermore, assuming an animal’s form gives the
character certain abilities based on that creature. In wolf
form, the vampire’s teeth and claws inflict Strength +1
aggravated damage, he can run at double speed, and the
difficulties of all Perception rolls are reduced by two. In bat
form, the vampire’s Strength is reduced to 1, but he can fly
at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour/30 kph, difficulties
for all hearing-based Perception rolls are reduced by three,
and attacks made against him are at +2 difficulty due to
his small size.
The Storyteller may allow Gangrel to choose a different
animal shape when they purchase this dot of Protean. If
the player does so, then the player and Storyteller should
establishwhatnaturalabilitiesthatformgrantsthecharacter,
based on the mechanics of the standard wolf and bat forms.
Remember that animals which are too “humanesque” (such
asmonkeys)andanimalsthatarenotpredatorsorscavengers
(such as horses or other herbivores) are not appropriate for
LORE OF THE CLANS
Protean forms. Here are a few examples of alternate Protean
forms that a player may choose:
Fight Forms
• Bear: In bear form, the vampire’s teeth and claws inflict
Strength +2 aggravated damage, he can run at double
speed, and the difficulties of all Perception rolls are
reduced by one.
• Hyena: In hyena form, the vampire’s teeth and claws
inflict Strength +1 aggravated damage, she can leap
twice as high as a normal human, and the difficulties
of all Perception rolls are reduced by two.
• Lynx: In lynx form, the vampire’s teeth and claws inflict
Strength +1 aggravated damage, he can run at double
speed and halves all damage from falling, and the
difficulties of all Perception rolls are reduced by one.
Flight Forms
• Barracuda: In barracuda form, the vampire’s Strength
is reduced to 1, but she can swim speeds of up to 20
miles per hour/30 kph. Difficulties for all sight-based
Perception rolls are reduced by three, and attacks made
against her are at +3 difficulty due to her small size and
agility.
• Hawk: In hawk form, the vampire’s Strength is reduced to
1, but he can fly at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour/40
kph. Difficulties for all hearing-based Perception rolls
are reduced by two, and attacks made against him are
at +1 difficulty due to his small size.
• Vulture:Invultureform,thevampire’sStrengthisreduced
to2,butshe can flyatspeedsofup to20 milesperhour/30
kph. Difficulties for all hearing-based Perception rolls are
reduced by three, and attacks made against her are at +1
difficulty due to her smaller size.
91