Toreador have always been decotees of beauty in all forms. It means so much to them, for they devote the entirety of their vampiric senses to it, immersing themselces in the aesthetic. They consider themselves the preservers and guardians of the exquisite, the bearers of the flame of inspiration. Of all the clans, the Toreador are the ones who most appreciate the accomplishments of the human race. They associate themselves best with mortal astists and creators. Many elders recall the splendors of the Golden Age--but they also remember the Roman Empire, when the Toreador fell into decadence and excess. Now they seek emperance, the better to preserve the artifacts and ways of life they love. They particularly enjoy artwork that inspires others who look upon it and oversee the building of cathedrals and other works of the Church with great passion. Unfortunately, they still retain their love for pleasure and luxury; it is an easy thing for a Toreador to succumb to temptation. Their attraction to various forms of vice is legendary. Their desire to find truth and meaning in the beautiful has led many careless Toreador into ruin of some form or another. In addition, their disdain for Cainite politicking or causes has not endeared them to the other clans, who usually consider the Toreador apathetic and useless. The Artisans know this, but care little for others' opinions. They have all the proof they need that their vision is worth following. Toreador select only those with much to offer for initiation into their clan. Many members were artists, musicians or teachers of great ability. They are the clan most likely to Embrace on impulse.

Appearence: They often embrace the very beautiful in order to preserve them for eternity. Toreador are rarely slovenly or unkempt. They prefer rich textures and fabrics which please the form.

Caine's childer are called "the Damned," and none embody this more than do the wretched Nosferatu. Nosferatu bear an acient and terrible curse, for they are no longer made in God's image: the vampiric transformation warps their forms, rendering them abominations in the eyes of men and angels. Outcast from mortal and vampire society alike, these mishappen horrors haunt the catacombs, wastes and other hidden places. Nosferatu often avoid destruction by trafficking in information. They have learned even the most refined prine will often hold his gorge, cover his nose and give up bounty in exchange for such information. And should bargaining prove futile, they are not above blackmail either. Nosferatu take their vicitms from society's pariahs: idiots and freaks, lepers, hermits, vagabonds, criminals, defrocked priests and the like. They often punish the prideful, hypocrites and other sinners of God by inducting them into the clan. Since the coming of Christianity, many Nosferatu have modified their behavior. Seeing themselves as cursed by God but capable of redemption through Christ(or whomever), they endure their penance on Earth in an attempt to avoid Hell. Because Nosferatu must lurk among the lowest strata of mortal society, they find much oppurtunity to do good works from the shadows.

Appearence: Each Nosferatu is unique, and each is more loathesome than the last. Their deformities are as innumerable as they are grotesque. Some wear the visages of rotting corpses; others appear as tusked demons or feral rodents; still others sport bloated and distended features.

Gangrel spurn the trappings of civilization, preferring to roam the deep wilds in solitude. They are considered a clan only in the loostest sense; its members tend to be ruggid individuals, indifferent to the protocols of either mortal or vampire society. Gangrels retain the knowledge of the ancient sites of elder magic, allied with mythical creatures and usually traffic and converse with the more mundane beasts in the wilderness. They tend to be more comfortable with such creatures than with the mortals they once were or the vampires they have become. They are widely known as master shape-shifters, though it comes with a heavy price in that most lose their resemblance to humanity over time. Many gangrel also have lost any semblance of human behavior, and hunt and feast like wild animals. Once a prosperous clan, their numbers have dwindled as they recess back into the wastes and dark forests with the spread of human civilization. Many Gangrel resent this and battles are fought against "civilized" settlers over the reluctance to leave their own hunting grounds. Gangrels typically choose to embrace those from pagan and barbarian civilizations: Celts, Vikings, Mongols, Lapps, and the like. Those drawn from "civilized" people are usually foresters, yeomen, and other sturdy resourceful folk on the outer reaches of their culture.

Appearence: Gangrel appear as, and dress in the manner of, barbarian peoples. Furs, plaids, deerskin clothing and similar garb predominate. For those that have fallen to the prey of the Beast inside them may have tufted ears, horns, coats of fur, razor talons, catlike eyes, or even scales or feathers.

Elegant, aristocratic and regal, the Ventrue are the lords of the Camarilla. It was Clan Ventrue that provided the cornerstone of the Camarilla, and it is Clan Ventrue that directs and coaxes the Camarilla in its darkest hours. Even in the modern age, the majority of princes descend from Clan Ventrue. The Ventrue would, of course, have things no other way. In the tradition of noblesse oblige, the Ventrue must lead the other clans for their own good. In ancient nights, Ventrue were chosen from nobles, merchant princes or other wielders of power. In modern times the clan recruits from wealthy "old-money" families, ruthless corporate climbers, and politicians. Although Ventrue move in the same social circles as the Toreador, they do not fritter away their existences in frivolity and idle chatter. The Ventrue proudly wear the privileges of leadership, and stoically bear its burdens. Thus has it always been; thus shall it always be.

The Brujah are the ultimate scholar-warriors, always striving toward the perfection of mind and body. The ultimate goals of the Brujah are to bring about a better world where vampires can exist peacefully and prosper. However, the bitterness of the world as it exists and the denial of those dreams lead them to fight with a savage passion. They are the lovers of a cause, though they often lack the direction and continuity to bring such a world into existence. They are a clan divided amongst themselves, unable to agree on how best to bring change and what goals they should pursue. Some favor creating a society where humans and cainites coexit; others wish to remain in the shadows, believing they are superior to mortals. Brujah look for thinkers and those frequently dissatisfied with society as they know it. Candidates for the Embrace are considered for their thinking ability, strategy, and planning, not just for how well they swing a sword. They embrace almost as many warriors as they do scholars, perparing for the rage of battle ahead, yet the clan splinters under the weight of its own change. They tend to their own affairs for the most part, but can call on their clanfolk in times of need. They usually have aggressive or dynamic natures and demeanors. The clan is suspicious of outsiders, though once their favor is won, they are fiercely loyal to such friends.

Appearence: Brujah tend to be fit and strong, they embrace those whom near perfection in both body and mind. Though the current ages are forcing them to lower their standards somewhat. The identify with mortals and prefer to dress as they did in their former lives (or at least as normal looking as possible).

Tremere were once a cabal of mortal mages, but their leader Tremere, became obsessed with the search for immortality, the better to provide him time enough to perfect his archaic magic for eternity. Their efforts proved fruitful; although their efforts took the lives of several clan elders from other clans, the cabal achieved vampirism. Of course, the clan immediately came under seige by other clans blood thirsty for revenge. For now, the Tremere live a precarious existence. Their mortal magic was all but destroyed by the Embrace, the salvaged remnants forming their unique discipline of Thaumaturgy. They have recently managed to create a servitor breed of vampire, the Gargoyles, which are the only things keeping them from the claws of others. The Tremere normally look for students of the occult, people with intense curiousity about the world, and intellects and scholars of all varieties. Among the more recent changes, however, have lead them to also embrace a small number of men-at-arms, military officers, and diplomats to assist in soothing over matters with the other clans.

Appearance: This clan is almost entirely male, but more women are beginning to emerge within the ranks. They tend to wear dark colors, and the more traditional prefer long robes with concealing hoods and full cloaks.

Vampires are not easily frightened. They have already conquered death, and the weaknesses of their mortal selves are long gone. But the cainites of Clan Malkavian worry even the boldest or most jaded of vampires, for wherever they walk, the stale stench of madness follows. This clan seems to be the most incoherent bloodlines of vampires. Gently deluded souls and slavering psychotics are found in equal numbers, and they are but a taste of the diversity found. If not for the common trait of insanity, they would scarely seem a clan at all. But the other clans have no choice but to acknowledge them. Malkavian oracles have been part of vampiric courts for generations, seeking information and knowledge and will sup the Malkavians--with a long spoon. To this day, Malkavians wanders in and out of cainite society. They play the fools, the jesters, the seers and idiots, ever uncovering strange new secrets buried in their madness. They play bizarre, often disturbing pranks on ally and enemy alike. They embrace a cause with all their souls, or flit among allegiances like drunken moths. In the end, no one can predict how they will change to their environment. Malkavians tend to embrace those close to death, the hopelessly insane or the unusually enlighted. Malkavians have the most variable organization of any clan, they seem anarchic, but can cooperate with eerie precision if they believe it necessary.

Appearence: Malkavians could be anyone, anywhere. For every tattered village idiot clutching at imaginary butterflies, there is a normal-seeming person whose insanity visibly manifests only at the most dangerous times.