| Term |
Common |
| Anarch |
A
Kindred rebel who opposes the tyranny of elders. Anarchs wish to redistribute
the wealth and resources of a city equitably among the vampires therein.
Naturally, the elders oppose this, having cultivated their influence for
centuries. |
| Antitribu |
Literally
"anti-tribe" or "anti-clan". The antitribu are vampires
who have turned their backs on their "parent" clans and now
follow the policies of the Sabbat instead. One exception to this rule
is the Lasombra antitribu, who have abandoned the Sabbat in favour of
independent or Camarilla unlives. Antitribu are generally held in extremely
low regard by their parent clans, which is especially true in the case
of the Lasombra. |
| Archbishop
|
A
vampire who serves as the leader of a city under the Sabbat's influence. |
| Barrens,
The |
Areas of a city unfit for life, including graveyards, abandoned buildings,
industrial wastelands and areas of irreversible urban blight. |
| Becoming,
The |
The
moment one passes from being a fledgling into "full" vampire
status within the Camarilla. One may not Become until her sire deems her
ready and gains the prince's approval. |
| Beast,
The |
The drives and urges that threaten to turn a vampire into a mindless,
ravening monster. |
| Book
of Nod, The |
A loose collection of Kindred legendry and history. The Book of Nod chronicles
the origin of the Kindred, though it has never been published in its entirety.
Fragments of the document and many partial transcriptions circulate in
Kindred society. They are highly coveted, and exceedingly rare. Among
the younger vampires many either do not know of it, or believes it to
be myth. |
| Blood
Bond |
A
mystical power over another individual engendered by partaking of a particular
vampire's blood thrice; accepting blood from a vampire is an acknowledgement
of her mastery. |
| Cainite
|
A vampire. Sabbat vampires use this term in places where other vampires
would use the term Kindred. Sabbat vampires accept and claim descent from
Caine, while the Camarilla largely claims him to be a myth. |
| Caitiff
|
A
vampire of unknown clan, or of no clan at all. Caitiffs are typically
of high generation, where Caine's blood dilutes too greatly to pass any
consistent characteristics. |
| Camarilla,
The |
A
sect of vampires devoted primarily to maintaining the Traditions, particularly
that of the Masquerade. |
| Cardinal
|
A Sabbat vampire who oversees the influential affairs of a large territory.
Each Cardinal is attended by a group of archbishops, who govern affairs
on local city levels. |
| Childe
|
Term
used for one of a vampire's fledglings. The plural is Childer. |
| Clan
|
A
group of vampires who share common characteristics passed on by the Blood.
There are 13 known clans, all of which were supposedly founded by members
of the Third Generation (The Antediluvians). |
| Communal
Haven |
A
single haven shared by an entire Sabbat pack. |
| Coterie
|
A
small group or "pack" of Kindred, united by the need for support
and sometimes common interests. |
| Creation
Rites |
The special ritual marking a Sabbat vampire as becoming a true member
of the sect. The Creation Rites differ from the Embrace in that anyone
can be Embraced, but until he receives the Creation Rites, the recruit
is not a member of the Sabbat (and thus, not considered a vampire...). |
| Diablerie
|
The
consuming of another Kindred's blood, to the point of the victim's Final
Death, and then consuming the victims soul. Vampires of high generation
may lower their generation, and gain mystical powers through this practice;
particularly old Kindred have such rarefied tastes that mortal blood no
longer sustains them, and they must consume vampire blood. The practice
of Diablerie is the forbidden by the Camarilla. |
| Domain
|
An
area of a particular vampire's influence. Princes claim entire cities
as their domains, sometimes allowing lesser vampires to claim domain within. |
| Elder
|
A
vampire who has experienced three or more centuries of unlife. Elders
are the most active participants in the Jyhad. |
| Elysium
|
A
place where Camarilla vampires may gather and interact without fear of
harm. Elysium is commonly established in opera houses, theatres, museums
and other locations of culture. |
| Embrace,
The |
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. |
| Fledgling
|
A
newly created vampire, still under her sire's protection. |
| Generation
|
The
number of "steps" between a vampire and the mythical
Caine; how far descended from the First Vampire a given vampire is. |
| Gehenna
|
The
imminent Armageddon when the Antediluvians will rise from their torpor
and devour the race of Kindred and the world. |
| Ghoul
|
A
mortal who has been fed the blood of a vampire, although not drained,
thereby remaining mortal, but gaining the powers of the Blood. Ghouls
are very useful as servants, as they gain certain benefits from the blood,
without losing their ability to walk in the sun. With a steady supply
of vampire vitae, Ghouls may live several centuries, maybe even forever.
They may also develop Disciplines to a limited degree. |
| Haven
|
A
vampire's "home"; where she finds sanctuary from the sun. |
| Jyhad
|
The
eternal Conflict with other vampires. A secret self-destructive war waged
between the generations. Elder vampires manipulate their lessers, using
them as pawns in a terrible game whose rules defy comprehension. Sabbat
vampires use the term more loosely than other vampires, because almost
all struggle is a holy war from the Sabbat point of view. In his mind,
a Sabbat takes part in the Jyhad any time he fights. |
| Kindred
|
The
race of vampires as a whole, or a single vampire. According to rumor,
this term came about in the 15th or 16th century, after the great Anarch
Revolt. Sabbat vampires use this term to signify non-Sabbat vampires.
Most Sabbat use this term scornfully, considering Camarilla vampires to
be their inferior and laughing at their "big, happy family"
of vampires who cower from humankind. Many Sabbat also apply the term
"Kindred" sarcastically to vampires of independent clans, whom
they perceive as too selfish or foolish to take up the cause against the
Antediluvians. |
| Kiss,
The |
To
drink blood, especially from a mortal. The Kiss causes feeling of ecstasy
in those who receive it. |
| Lupine
|
A
werewolf, the natural and mortal enemy of the vampire race. |
| Lush
|
A
vampire who typically feeds from drugged or drunk mortals in order to
experience their intoxication. |
| Masquerade,
The |
The
habit (or Tradition) of hiding the existence of vampires from
humanity. Designed to protect the Kindred from destruction at the hands
of mankind, the Masquerade was adopted |
| Pack
|
A
group of Sabbat who have sworn the Vaulderie to one another. A Sabbat
may belong to only one pack at a time - usually the one that enacted her
Creation Rites - though she may have ties of blood |
| Prince
|
A
vampire who has claimed a given expanse of domain as her own, particularly
a city, and supports that claim against all others. The term can refer
to Kindred of either sex. |
| Sabbat
|
1.
The vampiric sect that. 2. A vampire belonging to the sect. 3. A group
of vampire belonging to the sect. |
| True
Sabbat |
A
Sabbat that has proven himself to the sect and has received the Creation
Rites. |
| Sabbat,
The |
A
sect of vampires that rejects humanity, embracing their monstrous natures.
The Sabbat is bestial and violent, preferring to lord over mortals rather
than hide from them. They oppose the Camarilla and the machinations of
the Antediluvians |
| Sire
|
A
vampire's "parent"; the Kindred who created her. |
| Vaulderie
|
A
mingling of the blood of all vampires in a Sabbat pack, which is then
consecrated by the pack priest and consumed by all members of the pack.
This instills a blood bond of sorts, between all the pack members. |
| Vessel
|
A
source of vitae from substance or pleasure, primarily mortal. |
| Vinculum
|
A
"blood tie" that creates an artificial loyalty to another member
of one's pack, like a minor blood bond. Vinculi result from partaking
in the Vaulderie. |
| Term |
Old
Form |
| Amaranth
|
The
act of consuming another Kindred's blood (q.v. Diablerie). |
| Ancilla
|
A
"proven" vampire; one who is no longer a neonate, but
is also not an elder. |
| Antediluvian
|
A
member of the dreaded Third Generation, one of the eldest Kindred in existence.
The Clans are named for their 13 Founders. |
| Archon
|
A
vampire in the service of a Justicar. Archons are generally nomadic in
nature, frequently pursuing the Kindred who have fled to avoid persecution
at the hands of the Camarilla. They act as messengers and global agents
of the Camarilla. |
| Autarkis
|
A
Kindred who remains outside the larger vampire society of a given city
and often refuses to acknowledge the claim of the prince. |
| Cauchemar
|
A
vampire who feeds exclusively on sleeping victims. |
| Domitor
|
A ghoul's master; one who feeds her blood and issues her commands. |
| Gentry
|
A
Kindred who preys at nightclubs, bars and other establishments of the
"red-light district", where mortals engage in reverie. |
| Golconda
|
A
fabled state of vampire transcendence; the true mastery of the Beast and
balance of opposing the urges and principles. Rumoured to be similar to
mortal Nirvana, Golconda is greatly touted but rarely achieved. |
| Humanitas
|
The extent to which a Kindred still maintains her humanity. |
| Kine
|
A term for mortals, largely contemptuous. The phrase Kindred and Kine
refers to the world at large; everything. |
| Lextalionis
|
The code of the Kindred and the system for punishing transgression. It
suggests Hammurabian or Biblical justice - an eye for an eye, and punishment
in keeping with the grievance. |
| Lineage
|
A vampire's bloodline; the Kindred's sire, sire's sire. Etc. |
| Methuselah
|
A
vampire who has existed for a millennium or more; an elder who no longer
exists among the greater whole of Kindred society. Methuselah are rumoured
to hail from the Fourth and Fifth Generations. |
| Neonate
|
A
young Kindred, recently Embraced. |
| Papillon
|
The
red-light district; the area of town punctuated by drinking establishments,
brothels, gambling houses and other locals of ill repute. The prime hunting
grounds of a city, where the disappearance of mortals goes hand in hand
with the area's general seediness. |
| Progeny
|
All
of a given vampire's childer, collectively. Less formal, and less flattering,
is Get. |
| Praxis
|
The
right of princes to govern; the prince's claim to domain. This term also
refers to the prince's matters of policy and individual edicts and motions. |
| Primogen
|
The leaders in a given city; its ruling body of elders, typically composed
of one member from each clan present in a city. |
| Regnant
|
A
Kindred who holds blood bond over another. |
| Retainer
|
A
human who serves a vampiric master. This term is almost archaic, referring
to a time when vampires kept vast entourages of mortal servants as part
of their estates. |
| Revenants
|
Individuals
who are born as ghouls. Revenants are families of ghouls that have existed
for so long with the blood of their undead masters in their veins that
it now passes on to each of their descendants as well. The vampires of
Clan Tzimisce seem to use revenants most often, and others who know of
their natures often hold them in suspicion. |
| Shakari
|
The
eldest vampires among the Assamite antitribu |
| Sword
of Caine |
The
Sabbat. |
| Siren
|
A
vampire who seduces mortals in order to drink from them, and then only
takes a small quantity of blood, so as to avoid killing them. |
| Suspire
|
The rumoured epiphany experienced just prior to the attainment of Golconda. |
| Third
Mortal |
Caine,
who was cast out and became the First Vampire. |
| Thrall
|
A
vampire under the effects of a blood bond, having drunk another kindred's
blood thrice. |
| Vitae
|
Blood. |
| Voivode
|
The
leader of Clan Tzimisce. Some vampires postulate that there is no single
voivode, and the title is one of inscrutable significance to only the
Fiends themselves. |
| Whelp
|
A
derogatory term for a young Kindred, originally used with exclusive reference
to one's own progeny. Wight Human; man; a mortal. |
| Witch-hunter
|
A
mortal who searches out and destroys vampires. |
| Whig
|
A
contemptuous term for a vampire who possesses an interest in mortal trends
and fashions. |
| Term |
Vulgar
Argot |
| Alleycat
|
A
vampire who keeps no permanent haven, but sleeps in a different location
each night. This term also refers to Kindred who feed exclusively from
the homeless, vagrants and other elements of low society. |
| Banking
|
The
practice of "withdrawing" blood from blood banks and hospital
reserves. This blood has little taste, though it will sustain a vampire,
and elder Kindred eschew this base indulgence. Kindred who engages in
this practice is known as a Banker. |
| Bat
|
An
elder vampire of the Sabbat, who often has little in common with younger
members of the sect. |
| Bitch
|
A
probationary pack member, or a Sabbat of lesser status than the speaker. |
| Blister
|
A
vampire "Typhoid Mary" who contracts a mortal disease and spreads
it to each vessel upon whom he feeds. |
| Bloodline
|
A
vampire's heritage (q.v. Lineage). |
| Blood
Doll |
A mortal who freely gives her blood to a vampire. Most blood dolls gain
a perverse satisfaction from the Kiss, and actively seek out vampires
who will take their vitae. |
| Butterfly
|
One
who mingles among the mortal high-society element and feeds exclusively
from the famous and wealthy. |
| Change,
The |
The
moment an individual ceases to a mortal and becomes one of the Kindred. |
| Damned,
The |
The race of Kindred; all vampires. |
| Dog
|
A
Lupine. In certain circles, dog also means an infectious carrier of blood-borne
diseases (short for plague dog). |
| Donor
|
A
sarcastic term for a vessel, typically human. |
| Farmer
|
A
term of mockery for vampires who refuse to feed on human blood, instead
taking sustenance from animals. |
| Fief
|
A
sarcastic term for a vampire's domain or claim thereof, most commonly
used in reference to a prince. |
| Head
|
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., crackhead, dopehead, smackhead). |
| Headache
|
Accidentally
killing while feeding. Usage Eric gave that skinny girl a headache. |
| Headhunter
|
A
vampire who hunts and feeds from other Kindred. |
| Juice
|
Blood. |
| Juice
bag |
A
contemptuous term for mortals, indication that their sole use is sustenance.
Even more irreverent is the term Bag. |
| Lick
|
A
vampire; one of the race of the Kindred. |
| Pimp
|
A
vampire charged with gathering vices for Sabbat pack mates. The pimp may
procure drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, children or any other indulgences
for fellow vampires (or mortals ...). |
| Poet
|
A
member of the goth subculture, especially one who "dresses like a
vampire". Also known as Shelleys or Byrons. |
| Rack,
The |
The
hunting ground of choice, including bars, nightclubs, drug dens, whorehouses
and other bacchanalian locales, where mortals go missing all the time
(q.v. Papillon). |
| Rake
|
A
habitual visitor to the Rack, especially in the interest of feeding (q.v.
Gentry). |
| Sandman
|
A
vampire who feeds upon sleeping victims only. |
| Shovelhead |
A Sabbat vampire created during a siege or other event that necessitated
the "quick and dirty" mass Embrace. Also known as Thwack or
Clang (after the sound a shovel makes, presumably), which is sometimes
used as a verb. |
| Slumming
|
The
practice of feeding from derelicts, the homeless and other dregs of society;
one who does this regularly is known as a Slummer. |
| Stalker
|
A
mortal who hunts down and destroys Kindred (q.v. Which-Hunter). |
| Turf
|
A
modern affectation used in reference to a domain; it may also refer to
the area under a given gang's influence. |
| Vegetary
|
A
term of contempt for one who drinks exclusively from animals (q.v. Farmer).
|
