“Now, your Excellency, you should perhaps reconsider your position on that particular issue and choose to view it in a different light.”
Overview
The Children of the Dracon hold a unique position in the Sword of Caine. These Cainites see their role within the sword to be the “Devil‟s Advocate” to the other Factions. They claim that without them, the bold and irrational nature of the sect would have torn itself apart from within long ago.
The Children of the Dracon are often confused with its
Tzimisce-only cousins: the Order of the Dracon. While the Children of the Dracon is predominantly filled with Tzimisce, those of other clans can be found within it as well. In other words, the Tzimisce of the Order of the Dracon brought their beliefs and methodology to the sect as a whole. That is how the Children of the Dracon came to be.
In addition to viewing themselves as advisors and the devil‟s advocates to the sect, the Children of the Dracon also believe in the dream that was Constantinople. In the glory days of
Constantinople, as the Children claim, Cainite and kine lived in harmony. The Cainites did not rule as gods, but as superiors to the humans. It was believed that as long as order, rational minds, and justice were maintained, the harmony of the First City could be realized. Foremost, in this idea was the “Rule of Three.” Instead of one Cainite claiming the Lordship of a city, three Cainites would rule together. In doing so, it was seen that all choices, options, and merits for courses of actions could be addressed and assessed. A checks and balance system. With three equal rulers, justice would be absolutely fair, as justice would be decided amongst the Three.
Tonight, the Children of the Dracon fully believe in the Rule of Three. They support the rule of Bishopric councils over ruling by one Archbishop. While these beliefs remain strong, the Children never act quickly or brashly.
Nickname Devil
Symbols and Iconography
When the Children wish to let their presence be known, their symbol is often that of a great dragon fighting a three-headed serpent.
Children often adorn and dress themselves in the manner of eastern European lords of the Long Night. A sign nobility and strength.
Role within the Sabbat
The Children of the Dracon are the advisors, calm minds, and lore-keepers of the sect. They believe that knowledge and thinking every single choice through is the only way that the correct choice in all actions can be made.
Children often take the roles of Priests, Prisci, and advisory Templars. Every so often, a Child will take the role of Bishop. However, as staunch supporters of the rule of three, Children of the Dracon never take roles where they are the sole deciders in matters. They simply do not view it as their place to do such. To them, the Children are the balance of order, logic, and reason to the sect‟s general status of chaos and disorder.
Prerequisites to Join
Storyteller Approval and Children of the Dracon Subcoordinator Notification, as well as the following:
o Abilities: Lore: Tzimisce x2 Lore: Sabbat x2 Law: Sabbat x2 Politics x2 o Backgrounds: Occult Library x1 Immediate Benefits of Local Importance
Those who join the Children of the Dracon have access to a great wealth of knowledge. As such Children of the Dracon may purchase the following:
Stereotypes
Loyalists: “Uhh, I don‟t get it.” Moderates: “Their wisdom and insight are invaluable to this sect.” Status Quo: “They would be useful, if they actually could make a
decision.”
Ultra-Conservatives: “When they speak, you should listen. They often see things many would miss.” Pander Movement: “Oh good, another group of clan-elitist fucks.” Order of St. Blaise: “Wisdom without faith is only half the answer.” Occult Underground: “We have much in common with them. We too seek knowledge in wisdom, though in different directions.”
Inquisition: “If others would listen to their words, we would have less heresy to deal with.”
Black Hand: “They are wise but slow to act. In the Final Nights, we can‟t afford such hesitation.” Cult of Lilith: “If they truly sought wisdom, they would understand there are other ways to seek
enlightenment.”
Infernalists: “True wisdom lies in darkness. They are easy enough to corrupt to our ways.”
Occult Libraries, up to level 3
Mentor (up to level 3, of an elder within the Faction)
o This mentor may only be used for the access of Lores and the ability to purchase such lores. What Lores a PC may purchase falls to the PC‟s ST to decide. Immediate Detriments of Local Importance
Children of the Dracon are never allowed to make decisions for the sect solely upon themselves. As such, Children of the Dracon may not use their status as bonus traits in any social challenge related to making a decision (chosen by themselves) for the sect.
Additionally, the Children of the Dracon despise Koldunism. As such, Children of the Dracon are forbidden to learn Koldunism. Should they do so, they will immediately be ejected from the Faction and gain the enmity of the Faction. When this occurs, the PC gains the flaw “Faction Enmity (Children of the Dracon),” which may never be bought off. Faction Enmity Flaw functions exactly like the Clan Enmity Flaw but for a Sabbat Faction instead of a Clan. Prerequisites For Advancement (Regionally Important)
Storyteller Approval, Children of the Dracon Subcoord Approval
Must be Locally Important for at least one year Abilities: o Lore: Tzimisce x3 o Lore: Sabbat x5 o Law: Sabbat x5 o Politics x4 o Etiquette x3 o Lore: Noddist x3
o City Secrets: Constantinople x2
Backgrounds: o Occult Library x4 o Retainers x3 o Herd x2 o Influence: University x3 Disciplines: o Auspex 2 o Presence 3
Immediate Benefits of Regional Importance
As mediators for the Sword of Caine, a Child of the Dracon may ignore the following (once per night) and suffer no repercussions due to their belief in the rule of the three:
The status of any Sabbat decision that they think should be more thought out and debated OR
Ignore one direct order from an Archbishop or higher Additionally, Children of the Dracon may:
Purchase the Occult Library background to level 5
Retest any failed Mentor simple test (to learn a lore) for free, once per month. Immediate Detriments of Regional Importance
At this level of reputation, Children of the Dracon are known within the Sabbat for being vague and indecisive. Children of the Dracon now gain the negative Status Trait “Indecisive.”
As staunch supporters of the Rule of Three, no Child of the Dracon may ignore the order from any group of Ducti (or higher), so long as the order is decided as a group. For example, should a Bishopric council make a decision on something and issue an order, the Child of the Dracon must support it and follow it.
Prerequisites For Advancement (Nationally Important) Storyteller Approval and Sabbat Coordinator Approval
Must be Regionally Important for at least one year
Abilities:
o Lore: Tzimisce x4 o Lore: Sabbat x5 o Law: Sabbat x5 o Politics x5
o Etiquette x5 (with a specialization in the workings of the Sabbat) o Lore: Noddist x4
o City Secrets: Constantinople x4
Backgrounds: o Occult Library x5 o Retainers x5 o Herd x5 o Influence: University x5 Discplines: o Auspex x5 o Presence x2
Immediate Benefits of National Importance
Children of the Dracon at this level are so well known for their advice (and respected for it) that they gain the favor of many members of the Sword of Caine. While the Sabbat does not have the system for boons as official to the sect as the Camarillans, a system of “favors owed” still exists.
Any time a Child of the Dracon advises a member of the Sword of Caine on a choice troubling them, they gain a favor owed to them. These allow a Child of the Dracon to call these favors upon a Cainite to make the Cainite rethink any choice they have made. This is largely a role- play benefit. It should be expected that this advantage is held to on an IC level. Someone who owes a Child of the Dracon will follow through if this is called in.
Additionally, a Child of the Dracon may add their Sabbat Status to any challenge related to making a decision or a plan.
Immediate Detriments of National Importance
At this level of Reputation, a Child of the Dracon is so well-known for his hatred of Koldunism that the entire sect knows it. As such, they gain the flaw “Clan Enmity (Kolduns).”
Children of the Dracon are also so well-known at this stage for their advice that (should their advice prove that it is made in haste or not fully thought out) they may not use any Sabbat Status until such a time that they have made amends. The Child may only have his confidence restored by a Council of Bishops or a Quorum of Prisci. Suggested Paths of Enlightenment
Humanity, Honorable Accord, Metamorphosis, Caine, Death and the Soul, Self-Focus
Suggested Merits and Flaws
Merits: Common Sense, Eidetic Memory, Higher Purpose, Natural Linguist, Coldly Logical
Flaws: Hatred: Kolduns, Special Responsibility, Territorial
Combination Disciplines
Name Shape of all Beasts
Disciplines Required Protean 4/Vicissitude 3
Book/Page Mexico by Night pg 114
Rarity Regionally Important
Suggested System Changing form costs one blood point and takes three turns. Each additional blood point spent reduces the time by one turn, to a
minimum of one turn. If the Character uses the power to transform someone else, the transformation takes minutes instead of turns. Additionally, an unwilling character can resist. In addition, to try to break free of the users grip (assuming an unwilling participant wouldn‟t be restrained in some shape), unwilling characters may also resist by making a contested Willpower challenge against the would-be-flesh- shaper‟s Physical Traits.
Unlike Shape of the Beast, the transformation does not assimilate the Cainites‟s clothing and small personal possessions. While in animal form, a character can use any of her Disciplines except for
Necromancy, Serpentis, Thaumaturgy, or Vicissitude. The ST defines the natural abilities of the various animal forms. A character with Shape of All Beasts can stay in animal form as long as she wants. She can resume her human form at will, without the need to expend more vitae. So can another character who has Shape of the Beast. Cainites of equal or lower Generation than the character can heal back the transformation, as if it were five levels of lethal damage. Mortals and Cainites of higher Generation than the character cannot reverse the change at all without extensive reshaping by another master of
Vicissitude. Or Convert to MET as you feel appropriate to your game.
Xp Cost: 12
Name Eminence of Shade (Conquering Blood)
Disciplines Required Obtenebration 5, Dominate 5 (or Vicissitude 5, Dominate 5) Book/Page Guide to the High Clans Pg 166
Rarity Nationally Important
Suggested System The vampire assumes the form of living shadow or animate blood with Tenebrous Avatar or Ascendancy of the Sanguine Humor as
appropriate, spending one additional blood point during the
transformation. In this altered state, the vampire may hunt down and grapple a potential host. Once the grapple lasts three turns without being broken, the vampire pours into the victim‟s mouth. The victim can only writhe in agony as the numbing cold of unnatural shadow or undulating blood courses through her veins. From within, the vampire may attempt to suppress the victim‟s soul and assume full control of the host body with the Dominate power Possession. If the possessing vampire fails, the victim spends a turn vomiting the shadow or blood of the Cainite‟s form. The vampire immediately shifts to normal corporeal form, stunned and unable to act for 3 turns. If the vampire strips away all of the victim‟s Willpower he seizes full control. The vampire may relinquish and subsequently regain control at any time, allowing him to slumber during the day and use the host body at night. The only
pool, which diminishes at its normal rate each evening and for other expenditures. Possessing vampires cannot regain blood under any circumstances. Once a vampire exhausts his blood pool, he is forcibly ejected from the host as outlined above for a failure. While inhabited by a vampire, a mortal gains the ability to soak lethal damage. The
vampire may heal bashing or lethal damage sustained by the host as usual. Vampires suffer the same damage as their hosts, relying on their husks‟ augmented resilience to protect them both. Both forms of this power betray clues as to the presence of the tenant. In the case of Obtenebration, the host‟s pupils descend into points of infinite empty darkness. In the case of Vicissitude, the host‟s skin occasionally undulates in a ruddy ripple. These signs are extremely subtle, requiring a successful Static Mental challenge (difficulty 9 Traits)— retest Awareness—to notice. Or Convert to MET as you feel appropriate to your game.
Xp Cost: 18
Name Unchain the Wrathful Beast
Disciplines Required Animalism 5, Vicissitude 4 Book/Page Guide to the High Clans pg 170
Rarity Regionally Important
Suggested System The vampire releases his Beast using the Animalism power Drawing Out the Beast. Once the Beast finds a home, it burns two of the vampire‟s blood points to change the host into zulo shape (Horrid Form). The painful transformation lasts two turns, after which the host enters immediate frenzy. The Beast will not attack the vampire it rightfully belongs to, but assaults everyone and anyone else in range of its claws. At any time, the vampire may recall his Beast with a
successful Simple Social challenge—retest Animal Ken. Only one such attempt may be made per turn. If the host dies before the vampire recalls his Beast, the Beast rises out of the corpse as a black, writhing miasma and flies back to the Cainite faster than mortal eyes can follow. Even after the Beast leaves the host, the physical changes remain. Vampires regain their form over three nights and lose all „beneficial‟ augmentations. Mortals and ghouls are not so fortunate, remaining locked in the zulo shape indefinitely. Worse still, mortals suffer one level of aggravated damage each day until they perish from rotted bone marrow and unnatural tumors. This decay can be slowed to one level of damage per week if the mortal remains a ghoul. Mortals (ghoul or otherwise) cannot heal the damage from their degenerating tissue, so this power spells their death sentence without extremely potent curative magic. Or Convert to MET as you feel appropriate to your game.
Name See the True Shape Disciplines Required Auspex 2, Vicissitude 2
Book/Page Guide to the High Clans pg 169
Rarity Locally Important
Suggested System The vampire scrutinizes the target and her player makes a Simple Mental Challenge—retest Body Crafts. If the player fails, the vampire senses no alteration and assumes the target is in its natural form. Success in the challenge allows the user to spot works of Vicissitude. Additional Mental traits may be expended to see through other shape- changing evoked through vampiric Disciplines, other magic (including mortal wizardry) and for “natural” shape-changing such as Lupines use. Or Convert to MET as you feel appropriate to your game.
Xp Cost: 7
Name Flesh of Wind and Water
Disciplines Required Celerity 2, Vicissitude 3 Book/Page Archons & Templars pg 141
Rarity Locally Important
Suggested System Flesh of the Wind and Water (so named because of the rippling effect seen in the flesh as it operates) allows the Tsimisce to make those alterations allowed by the first three levels of Vicissitude almost instantly (each use of the power takes but a single turn), without the need to physically sculpt the alterations.
The player spends two blood points each time this power is invoked, and must make all standard challenges required for the use of
Vicissitude. He may use only a single Vicissitude power per use of Flesh of Wind and Water. Thus, if he wanted to use both Fleshcraft and Bonecraft on himself, he would have to use Flesh of Wind and Water twice, requiring a total of four blood points, two challenges and two turns. Or Convert to MET as you feel appropriate to your game.
Xp Cost: 8
Known members
The Jackal (Tzimisce, Faction Leader):
Little is known of the Cainite called the Jackal. He/She is the recognized leader of the Children of the Dracon, but rarely does he/she make appearances. Only those at the highest level of the Faction can claim to have met him/her. Rumors abound that the Jackal is actually the Dracon himself. Though, no Child of the Dracon will confirm or (more importantly) deny this rumor.
Huroff (Nosferatu Antitribu, Cardinal of the Netherlands)
The Enigmatic Cardinal, like many of his clan, is a very elusive creature. Few knew a greta deal about the Cardinal, other than his signing of the Code of Milan. What is known is Huroff is perhaps the most famous non Tzimisce member of the Children of the Dracon. It is even rumored that it was his fellow Cardinal, Radu, which helped show him the wisdom of the Faction. What is known is that the Cardinal neither acts quickly or rashly, and holds true to the ideals of the Faction and comes at every decision he must make from every angle.
Count Radu Bistri (Tzimisce, Cardinal of the Midwest)
The Cardinal of the Midwest is legendary in the Sword of Caine. Radu is the voice of Reason in the Sabbat and a political powerhouse. He negotiated the Purchase Pack and helped draft the Code of Milan. Indeed, it was Radu who brought the Salubri Antitribu into the Sabbat and is rumored to be working to bring many of the Grangrel (who remained independent after they left the Camarilla) into the Sabbat. Cardinal Radu is one of the most respected members of the Sword of Caine and, some argue, is the Sabbat.
Media
Devil‟s Advocate Law and Order The Firm
Sources
Guide to the Sabbat Clanbook Tzimisce Mexico City by Night Archons and Templars