Lexicon

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(archaic) : terms used at least since the Dark Ages. Very old Kindred may still use these but young Kindred rarely will.

(vulgar) : street slang of the Kindred. Used more by the young.

Alleycat

(vulgar) : a vampire who keeps no permanent haven, but sleeps in a different location each night. This term also refers to a vampire who feeds exclusively from the homeless, vagrants, and other elements of low society. See footpad.

The Amaranth

(archaic): the act of consuming another Kindred’s blood. See diablerie.

The Anarch Movement

a vampire sect that opposes the tyranny of elders and has placed itself outside the secret society of the Camarilla.

Ancilla

a vampire who has proven themselves, ranking between the elders and the neonates. Plural: ancillae.

Antediluvian

a member of the dreaded third generation.

Autarkis

(archaic): See unbound.

Banking

(vulgar): the practice of “withdrawing” blood from blood banks, hospital reserves, or the dead and dying. This blood has little taste, though it will sustain a vampire. Elder Kindred eschew this base indulgence. A Kindred who engages in this practice is known as a banker.

The Barrens

the areas of a city unfit for life, including graveyards, abandoned buildings, industrial wastelands, and areas of irreversible urban blight.

The Beast

the inchoate drives and urges that threaten to turn a vampire into a mindless, ravening monster.

The Becoming

the moment one passes from being a fledgling into “full” vampire status as a neonate. In the Camarilla, one may not Become until their sire deems them ready and gains the Prince’s approval.

Blister

(vulgar): a vampire “Typhoid Mary” who contracts a mortal disease and spreads it to each vessel upon whom they feed.

The Blood

the supernatural, semi-sentient Blood of a vampire, as opposed to mortal or animal blood. Synonymous with vitae.

Blood Bond

a mystical power relationship between two individual vampires, or a vampire and a mortal with the vampire being the master.

Blood Doll

(vulgar): a mortal who freely gives their blood to a vampire. Most blood dolls gain a perverse satisfaction from the Kiss, and actively seek out vampires who will take their blood. blood hunt: a punishment sentencing a vampire to final death at the fangs of their peers. See lex talionis.

Blood Leech

(vulgar): A vampire who feeds upon the vitae of other Cainites, out of necessity or depravity.

Bloodline

a vampire’s heritage. See lineage.

The Book of Nod

a collection of Kindred legend and history.

Butterfly

(vulgar): one who mingles among the mortal high society elements and feeds exclusively from the famous and wealthy.

Cainite

(archaic): a vampire; a member of the race of Caine.

Caitiff

a vampire of unknown clan, or of no clan at all. Caitiff are typically of high generation, where Caine’s blood is too diluted to pass on any consistent characteristics.

The Camarilla

a sect of vampires devoted primarily to maintaining the Traditions, particularly that of the Masquerade.

Canaille

(archaic): the bovine masses of humanity, especially the uncultured and unsavory. The canaille are viewed primarily as a source of sustenance. See kine.

Casanova

(vulgar): a vampire who seduces mortals to take their blood, but does not kill them. See siren.

Cauchemar

(archaic): see Sandman

The Change

(vulgar): the moment an individual ceases to be mortal and becomes one of the Kindred.

Chantry

the traditional name for the Tremere headquarters in a city, usually part shelter, part library, and part laboratory.

Chasse

(archaic): the size and quality of a domain or hunting ground.

Childe

a vampire created through the Embrace— the childe is the progeny of their sire. This term is often used derogatorily, indicating inexperience. Plural: childer.

Clan

a group of vampires who share common characteristics passed on through the Blood. There are 13 known clans, all of which were reputedly founded by members of the third generation.

Consanguineous

(archaic): literally “of the same blood,” generally denotes lineage. coterie: a small group of Kindred, united by the need for support and sometimes common interests.

Coterie

a small group of vampires who are gathered together to achieve a common goal or purpose.

The Damned

(vulgar): the race of Cainites; all vampires, Kindred.

Diablerie

the consumption of another Kindred’s Blood, to the point of the victim’s final death. Vampires may lower their generation permanently through this abhorrent practice.

Domain

the area of a particular vampire’s influence. Princes claim entire cities as their domains, sometimes allowing lesser vampires to claim domain within.

Domitor

a ghoul’s master; one who gives of their Blood and issues commands.

Donor

(vulgar): a sarcastic term for vessel, typically human or kine.

Duskborn

see thin-blood.

Elder

a vampire who has experienced at least two or more centuries of unlife.

Elysium

a place where vampires may gather without fear of harm. Court functions in Elysium are strictly kept apart from mortals and surrounded by secrecy, but the Elysium building itself could be a public museum, a gallery, or club. Berghain is an anarch Elysium. The Louvre is a Camarilla Elysium.

The Embrace

the act of transforming a mortal into a vampire.The Embrace requires the vampire to drain her victim and then replace that victim’s blood with a bit of her own.

Farmer

(vulgar): a mocking term for a vampire who refuses to feed on human blood, instead taking sustenance from animals.

Final Death

when a vampire ceases to exist, crossing the line from undeath into true death.

Fledgling

a newly created vampire, still under their sire’s protection.

Footpad

(archaic): one who feeds by assaulting derelicts and others unwanted by society. See alleycat.

Gehenna

the rumored Armageddon when the Antediluvians will rise from their torpor and devour the race of vampires and the world. The Sabbat believe this time is now and have left their traditional domains, fighting the final Gehenna War in the shadow of Middle Eastern conflicts. (we may or may not use the final bit of this)

Generation

the number of “steps” between a vampire and the mythical Caine; how far descended from the First a given vampire is.

Gentry

(archaic): a Kindred who preys in such places as nightclubs, bars, and the red-light district.

Ghoul

a minion created by giving a bit of vampiric vitae to a mortal without killing them.

Golconda

a fabled state of vampiric transcendence; the true mastery of the Beast and balance of opposing urges and principles. Rumored to be a state similar to nirvana, Golconda is greatly touted but rarely achieved.

Haven

a vampire’s “home” or base; where they find sanctuary from the sun.

Head

(vulgar): a Kindred who feeds upon those who have imbibed alcohol or drugs, so as to vicariously experience the same sensations. Those Kindred who prefer individual drugs have their “poison” prefixed to the term head (e.g. meth head, dope head, smack head). See lush.