There’s no earthly way of knowing
which direction we are going.
There’s no knowing where we’re rowing,
or which way the river’s flowing.
Is it raining? Is it snowing?
Is a hurricane a-blowing?
Not a speck of light is showing,
so the danger must be growing.
Are the fires of hell a-glowing?
Is the grisly reaper mowing?!
Yes! The danger must be growing,
for the rowers keep on rowing.
And they’re certainly not showing
…any signs that they are slowing!
-Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Sect: Camarilla (Kiasyd, rare), Sabbat (Kiasyd), Tal’Mahe’Ra (Maeghar)
Disciplines:
Kiasyd: Dominate, Mytherceria (or Necromancy, see below), Obtenebration
Maeghar: Mytherceria or Necromancy (Pick one) and two from another Clan. We reserve the right to police this for Cheese.
Moths and Butterflies:
Changeling lorekeepers know the Weirdlings are out there – and that they’re to be avoided. First of all, these Kindred can SEE them – all the illusions and glamours Changelings use to protect themselves from other prodigals might as well just be smoke to these vampires. Secondly, these creatures are vampires, and vampires are predatory in thought, word and deed. Marconius’s brood in particular are known for ransacking freeholds and performing experiments on Changelings they catch. You’re a being of Nightmare, and the Kithain and other Changelings react accordingly.
The Thallain, on the other hand, are perfectly happy to associate with Kiasyd and Maeghar…
Reading for 300 Years or why there aren’t more Kiasyd:
Yes, Kiasyd are territorial and bookish. They might spend years at a time twiddling with some piece of esoterica of questionable relevance. They’re a true rara avis, beings that are both patient and deeply insane. But to read for 300 years you need 300 years worth of books. To perform weird experiments, you need to acquire weird materials. The bloodline’s founder is a Camarilla Prince. There’s a Weirdling sitting among the bishops of Montreal as a pre-eminent expert on the Paths of Enlightenment. Stories say there’s one that’s seeking Golconda who’s befriended an entire tribe of werewolves, or that the Prince of Corsica’s personal physician is a Weirdling (why would a vampire need a doctor?) and so on and so forth. The Weirdlings are out there, and they’re doing stuff, and that’s even more disturbing than one reading in his haven for three centuries.
The real reason they’re so invisible, the reason why there are so few of them, is because of an edict made by the Amici Noctis that in exchange for not purging the lot, no more than two of Marconius’ line can reside in a domain at a time – usually that’s sire and childe. But that’s neither glamorous nor mysterious – in fact, it’s boring, so the Kiasyd make up all kinds of lies to decorate a frumpy truth. As for why most of them are in the Sabbat when they seem like such odd fits? …Either that was also part of the deal, or they’re not such odd fits in the Sword of Caine as they might claim. Or both.
Kiasyd & Maeghar:
At some point in the past, Marconius’s line were just one group of Kiasyd with more organization than others. Then, for reasons they don’t care to disclose, Marconius and his childer turned on others like them, diablerizing and exterminating them. The survivors found safety with the Tal’Mahe’Ra and started calling themselves Maeghar.
As you can expect, relations aren’t cozy.
And here’s something both sides of this tarnished silver coin fog up with lies: Marconius might’ve twisted his blood or been created through an experiment- Kiasyd can embrace anyone and it will be true, and a Maeghar must embrace a Kinain or spawn a Caitiff. A ‘Maeghar’ is able to arise all on its own through a freak accident when a Cainite embraces a Kinain, but it doesn’t work that way for Kiasyd. While this isn’t an everyday occurance, it can still happen. But even the rarest phenomenon is documented by someone… so why does no one own up to this happening?
Merits & Flaws:
Both Kiasyd and Maeghar can take these Merits and Flaws unless otherwise indicated, as they’re two sides of a two-headed iron coin…
Prized Collection (1-2 point General Merit): You’re a collector of rare and wonderful things, mundane and esoteric, and those who value such things will look favorably upon you.
Alien Perfection (2 pt. Physical Merit): You are so beautiful it’s not right.
Paranormal Link (2 pt. Supernatural Merit): Whether by past association or random touch of magic, you have insight into another group of Supernatural beings.
Skin of Porcelain (4 pt. Physical Merit) – Your unusual alabaster skin makes you resistant to fire.
Vitae Mutation (5 pt. Supernatural Merit) – Your self-experimentation allows you to augment certain disciplines.
Lightweight (1 pt. Supernatural Flaw) – You are unable to gain sustenance from most supernatural beings, leading you to miss out on a World of Flavorful Darkness.
Illiterate (1-2 pt. Mental Flaw) – You can’t read.
Refined Palate (1-3 pt. Mental Flaw) – Per the Ventrue clan flaw. The point rating of the flaw determines the severity of your restriction.
Dreadful Mara (4 pt. Supernatural Flaw) – Some sliver of your Faerie nature is actually working against you.
Combination Disciplines:
Both Kiasyd and Maeghar may purchase these Combination Disciplines, so long as they meet the Pre-requisites to learn them. For more informtion, see Lore of the Bloodlines pg. 61.
Dreamstalker (Dominate OO, Mytherceria O) – Exert control over the dreams of a sleeping victim – and manipulate them through those dreams. (9 XP)
Sacrifice to Nightmare (Mytherceria OOOO, Obtenebration OOO) – Create a killbox of twisted Fae magic and abyssal power. (21 XP)
Kiasyd and Necromancy:
Once upon a time the Kiasyd had a reputation as Necromancers, and the Maeghar still do (as much as they can be said to have a reputation at all). …Truth be told, just like the Maeghar, the Kiasyd still have an affinity for the black arts. But Marconius’ brood are notorious plunderers of secrets, and the Masters of Necromancy in the World of Darkness don’t like their meddling and thieving ways. When a Kiasyd brood takes Necromancy as an in-clan discipline, they are also considered to have the Clan Enmity flaw for the Harbingers of Skulls and the Giovanni. See Lore of the Bloodlines pg. 60 for more information. Maeghar don’t have this problem – their relations with the Necromancers of the Tal’Mahe’Ra are well-established.
Kiasyd and Maeghar who take Necromancy as their third in-clan can still learn Mytherceria at out of clan costs. Necromancy is a little trickier to pick up as an out of clan, and requires a teacher. For Kiasyd, this means spending time with an – urgh – mentor from their own kind, indebting themselves to a Harbinger of Skulls or the Giovanni, or coming to see things from a Serpent of the Light’s religious point of view, all of which tend to stick in the craw of the notoriously independent Weirdlings.
Kiasyd Alchemy:
Kiasyd have begun achieving new plateaus in their art of blood alchemy, and might be on the verge of creating a whole new (if esoteric) methodology of blood magic. This is generally an RP tool, and a challenging field to pursue, since it involves things like the harvested blood of other supernatural beings. We might poke at a way to codify this later, but for the moment, consign yourself to the realm of creating new, interesting, and desirable flavors of blood potions. See Lore of the Bloodlines 61 for more information.
Kiasyd and Abyss Mysticism:
Yes, Kiasyd delve into the secrets of the Abyss. Lasombra don’t like it – but who cares what the Keepers want? Clods. A Kiasyd may elect to become an Abyss Mystic should they wish to. See the Lasombra page for more information.