Wiki of Darkness

CONCEPT
Vampire uses the vampiric condition as a backdrop to explore themes such as retaining the character's sense of self, humanity, and sanity, as well as simply keeping from being crushed by the grim opposition of mortal and supernatural antagonists and, more poignantly, surviving the politics, treachery, and often violent ambitions of their own kind.

GAME SYSTEM
While Vampire’s focus is on roleplaying and character interaction, dramatic scenes often involve some element of dice rolling. The Storyteller rules are designed to streamline this process as much as possible, allowing you to pay attention to the story. Also — particularly when dealing with social actions like seductions and diplomacy — the dice should never get in the way of roleplaying. If a player has his character make a particularly inspired (or painful) speech, deliver a particularly smooth (or cheesy) opening line, or come up with a brilliant (or laughable) alibi, perhaps the character should succeed (or fail) automatically, regardless of what the dice and Traits say.

BLOOD POOL: Vampires must subtract one blood point from their blood pools every night, whether they rise for the evening or not, as the unnatural magics animating their dead bodies consume the vitae they have taken from their prey. Blood points may also be spent in a variety of ways, and may be replenished only by consuming blood.

THE BEAST: The Beast is the innate predator inside of every vampire that drives and urges them to become entirely a monster. Every night, sometimes multiple times a night, a vampire has to resist The Beast, lest they forsake all humanity left within them.

HUMANITY: Morality is integral to Vampire. “A Beast I am, lest a Beast I become” has been an iconic phrase for the game, and summarizes the struggle between morality and monstrosity. The curse of vampirism can strip away the character’s mortal nature, and the character’s Humanity is a vital part of the game. A vampire without any form of morality is nothing more than a mindless killer enslaved by her thirst for vitae, so Humanity and Paths of Enlightenment are an intimate part of every Vampire character.

DISCIPLINES: Disciplines are supernatural powers granted by the Embrace, which vampires cultivate to bring to bear against their foes and prey. These powers separate the Damned from mortals, providing an incomparable mystical edge over those who would stand against them. With Disciplines, a vampire can exert the strength of a dozen men, force an enemy into thrall, ignite a fire with a glance, or take the mantle of a beast. Even the youngest Kindred, with a few token powers at his command, has an advantage over most threats, while the elders, who have often mastered a fearsome breadth of these potent gifts, can seem almost unassailable.

THE MASQUERADE: The elaborate veil of deception pulled over the eyes of the living to hide the existence of Vampires. The Masquerade is the cornerstone survival strategy for Vampires because without it, the humans would rise up and exterminate all Kindred.

VAMPIRES IN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS
Vampires are the fundamental and player characters of Vampire: The Masquerade. They are undead creatures with hearts that do not beat; they do not age, their skin is cold, and the only sustenance they require is blood. Despite their undead status, Vampires are thinking, feeling beings capable of very human emotions and empathy.

The Embrace is the act of transforming a mortal into a vampire. A vampire drains and replaces a victim's blood with a bit of their own to pass on their Clan and curse. The vampire who Embraces you is called your sire.

A newly Embraced vampire is always one Generation higher than their sire, the number indicating how many generations they are removed from the original progenitor. For example, if your sire is a 10th generation vampire, you would be an 11th generation vampire, meaning your blood is slightly weaker and more diluted than that of your sire.

Vampires of each clan have a unique weakness; something that hinders them specifically as members of their clan.

Aside from the particular Curses of each Clan, vampires share a few common weaknesses. They are all dependent on blood to sustain their existence; they universally fear fire and sunlight; a wooden stake through the heart will paralyze them; and every vampire is subject to their Beast.

VAMPIRE SOCIETY
In the World of Darkness, most Vampires belong to a Faction or sect—a social organization of Kindred composed of multiple Clans (as well as a few scant members who are traitorous to their clans, called Antitribu) with its own dogma that its members attempt to uphold.

The Camarilla is the most widely influential organization Kindred history has ever known. Its stated purpose is to preserve the Masquerade, but just as importantly, to preserve the power of the elders who control vast amounts of wealth, resources, and influence.

The Sabbat are inhuman vampires, directly opposite the Camarilla. The other factions vilify the Sabbat, and they are right to fear them. The Sabbat prefer to indulge in their vampiric nature. They refuse to wear the tattered rags of humanity or to act as slaves and cattle to their elders. They believe they are superior to humans, who they view as simple cattle.

The Anarch Movement is the revolution against the Camarilla. The Anarchs especially resent the privileged status held by elders within the Camarilla, and actively fight back against their control.

The information on this page was collated and edited from the Vampire the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition sourcebook, and the Paradox Interactive Vampire the Masquerade 5th edition wiki.