Veil of Night Clan Excerpt Bay't Mutasharid (Nosferatu) From the moment a member of Bay't Mutasharid feels the blood of the clan enter her body, she knows she is truly cursed. The painful changes which wrack her form over the next few days are the birth pains of something utterly inhuman. Once made in the image of God, she becomes a horrific, twisted creature. But unlike many of their European Nosferatu cousins, the Mutasharidin of the empire do not begrudge their curse. They are monsters, and taking a cue from the great hunter that spawned their line, they become true predators. While not evil per se, they are not humans and operate by a separate set of moral standards. Every encounter with other beings, whether living or dead, impresses upon them that they are horrific, to be treated as monsters. Thus, they act like monsters, seeking to satisfy their own needs with little regard for others. The bay't as a whole is ruthlessly obsessed with its survival, for it is well aware that its acceptance of inhumanity causes many mortals and vampires alike to hunt its members down. One strategy it uses is a combination of concealment and intelligence gathering. The bay't's mastery of Obfuscate makes it easy for it to avoid hunters and to spy on others for forewarnings of a potential threat. In the course of its investigations, the bay't comes across a lot of other useful information, which it happily barters for favors from other Cainites. These favors can be very useful when danger rears its head. Some members of the bay't take the opposite approach and hide in plain sight. They participate actively in coteries of vampires, working on the theory that there is safety in numbers. Of course, they still keep the location of their havens secret. Mutasharidin make use of birds and other animals to communicate with others of their kind in distant cities. The distance between communities is often vast and the journeys across the desert arduous, particularly for a vampire. It is so much simpler and faster to have a bird fly the journey instead. Elder Mutasharidin often maintain small breeding pools of blood-tainted water at oases a distance into the desert. They have learned a technique, which they guard jealously, that allows them to make the concentration of blood in the water weak enough to avoid making ghouls of mortals who drink there repeatedly, but strong enough to breed animals of superior size and strength. In recent centuries, though, a large and growing portion of the bay't has adopted the teachings of Muhammad and abandoned the traditional behavior of the Mutasharidin, rejecting the idea that they are inherently monstrous. Led by the powerful Methuselah Tarique al-Hajji, these vampires have become the heart of the Ashirra sect. They fully embrace the belief that submission to Allah offers a path to redemption, even for the most horrific Cainite. These faithful Mutasharidin call themselves the Hajj, taking their name from their founder and from the pilgrimage to Mecca every Muslim is expected to perform at least once. The hajj is a harrowing experience for Cainites, as the holy sites of Islam resonate with Allah's power and force all but the purest night-creatures to flee. Agonizing flames lick at a vampire's form as she approaches the holy cities. Few can avoid destruction if they persist in advancing. All faithful Ashirra aspire to enter the holy cities, but very few have managed it - most of them Mutasharidin. Those who succeed in the pilgrimage are welcomed by the Hajj who have already passed the ultimate test of faith and take up residence in one of the holy cities, truly deserving of their line's name at last. Of the Hajj who fail the pilgrimage, some choose to force themselves onwards, facing Final Death as divine judgment for their failure. Others turn back, bearing the burns on their bodies as marks of their failure and as spurs to greater submission to Allah. After decades of further devotion, much of which is spent teaching and trying to convert other vampires, they try once more. After a period of rest and reflection, the Hajj who has completed the pilgrimage leaves the holy cities and travels to other parts of the Islamic world. These vampires become important parts of Ashirra communities across the empire, often serving as imams, 'ulama or muezzin. Sobriquet: Hunters, Believers (Hajj only) Appearance: Each Mutasharid is unique. The curse of Caine twists her body into a mockery of the form she once had. Facial features collapse, hair falls out, boils, pustules and warts infest the skin. Bones distend, collapse or twist into impossible shapes. No one could possibly mistake a Mutasharid for human. Many Hajj bear serious burns on their forms, the result of failed attempts to approach Mecca. Unlike European Nosferatu, few Mutasharidin or Hajj hide their forms - neither is embarrassed by their horrific mien. Haven and Prey: Many Mutasharidin make their haven underground. The basements of buildings or the qanats, underground channels of sophisticated water systems, are common choices. They generally feed on the poor and homeless, although some use Obfuscate to make their way into the homes of the rich and powerful. Then they take great delight in revealing their true face to their victims before feeding on them and leaving them close to death. The Hajj make their havens in mosques or other buildings associated with Islam. They generally follow the Ashirra limits on feeding quite strictly, feeding lightly from a Muslim herd or hunting infidels. The Embrace: The Mutasharidin Embrace people who have no direction or who are outcast from society, in the hope that their alienation will allow them to cope better with the rigors of the Embrace. In recent centuries, this has backfired again and again. The ranks of the Hajj have swollen beyond Tarique's descendants thanks to newly Embraced Mutasharidin who reject idea of inherent monstrosity and try to cleanse their souls by reaffirming their submission to Allah. Since more and more younger members of the bay't are turning to the Hajj, Mutasharid unbelievers are Embracing bitter people instead. They find that the anger they have against society can quickly be twisted into the proper attitude for a Mutasharid monster. Character Creation: Mental Attributes are usually primary, although their Social Attributes often improve rapidly after the Embrace, particularly Manipulation. Talents are usually the primary Abilities. Most Mutasharid have a Nature of Monster or something similar. Allies, Contacts and Retainers are all rare in the bay't. Most traditional Mutasharidin are on the Tariq el-Shaitan (Road of the Devil) or el-Bedouin (Road of the Nomad), while the Hajj follow the Tariq el-Sama' (Road of Heaven). Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence Weaknesses: All Mutasharidin are monstrously deformed. Their Appearance is automatically rated zero and can never be improved through any means. All social rolls involving Appearance automatically fail. Organization: Bay't Mutasharid is loosely organized but well connected. Its members spread information rather freely between groups and cities. The Hajj are more tightly knit, relying on each other and their Ashirra allies to protect them from vengeful members of the bay't, bent on correcting the "mistake" that created the Hajj. Quote: I'm sure that the information I have provided will end this unfortunate incident. Of course, you would not be in this situation in the first place if you hadn't been trying to pretend that you were still one of the kine. Stereotypes The Ashirra: A game played by young ones too naïve to know the truth. The blood within us makes us monsters, and no amount of praying can change that. The Franj: More victims. Let them come. We already know more about them than they shall ever know about us. Al-Amin: An old game. Hunter hunts hunter. Now, it seems the game is over. Our foes have new problems. If the word from Europe is to be believed, new players enter the game and the rules are different. Banu Haqim: You judge me, brother? You want to drink my blood? How will you do so when I know where you rest and can look like your closest ally? Qabilat el-Khayal: We know of their role in the defection of the Hajj. They will not survive our vengeance. Walid Set: Our only allies. The Walid Set understand our aims and do much to further them in their own ways. I will not share my secrets with them, but my plans I will.