MalkavianEven other
Damned fear the
Malkavians. The cursed blood of their
clan has polluted their minds, with
the result that every last Malkavian
across the world is incurably insane. What's worse, a Malkavian's
madness can take nearly any form,
from overpowering homicidal tendencies to near-catatonia. In many cases,
there's no way to tell a Malkavian apart from the "sane" members of other
clans. Those few whose psychoses are immediately obvious are among the most terrifying vampires
to stalk the streets.
For as long as even the eldest Cainites can remember, the Malkavians have always stirred
Kindred society with their passage. Although the clan has instigated no great wars nor toppled
mortal governments (at least, to the best of their fellow vampires' knowledge), the very presence
of a Malkavian works a subtle change on a city. Chaos nips at the Lunatics' heels, and those who
associate with even the most well-meaning Malkavian often find their lives or unlives altered by
the Cainite's madness.
Recently, the Malkavians executed their grandest "prank" of all. None
can say whether it was worked in a great Malkavian Parliament held
somewhere in an isolated European village, or on a bleak and forgotten
moor somewhere far from the cities. A few stories speak of a epidemic
of contagious dementia exploding among those of Malkav's blood.
Whatever the cause, Malkavians across the world have begun displaying a
new, dangerous edge to their madness, accompanied by bizarre events in
Kindred cities around the world. A longstanding Malkavian conceit holds
the Jyhad to be a joke instigated by the founder of the clan; some
Kindred wonder if, in fact, Malkavians have played the joke on them all
along.
None
can say what exactly makes the Lunatics so dangerous. Certainly, their
madness often frees them from fear of pain or Final Death. More than a
few demonstrate horrifying murderous urges or a complete lack of
emotion, including compassion. But most convincingly, the Malkavians
are free from the confines of rationality and may do whatever they like
- and this freedom is coupled with an uncanny insight, a strange wisdom
that cannot be perceived by the sane. The Malkavians possess a dark
intellect that is often - and increasingly - set to frightening
purposes.
Nickname: Lunatics
Sect: The Malkavians as a clan have an... understanding... with the Camarilla.
They also populate the Sabbat in lesser numbers, where they frighten even their
packmates with their psychotic displays. But when it all comes down to it, their true
loyalties likely transcend sects. When Gehenna arrives, nobody can say for sure
where the Malkavians will stand.
Appearance: Malkavians run the gamut from terrifyingly psychotic
to convincingly ordinary in every way - sometimes both at once. Just
like serial killers, they could be anyone - the scruffy bum talking to
himself, the pleasant but quiet neighbor, the borderline-suicidal
musician. These vampires are capable of great subtlety, and rarely show
anyone a face other than the one they want people to see.
Haven: The Lunatics by and large take whatever shelter
they like, although more than a few find aging hospitals and
poorly funded asylums to their tastes. Many seem to enjoy the
company of desperate mortals, and prefer slums and institutions
to more secluded havens.
Background: Malkavians take their childer from all walks
of life and for all number of reasons. Anyone can be chosen to
further a sire's twisted purposes, although most Lunatics prefer
Embracing those already close to (or subject to) madness. Most
other vampires believe that the Malkavians Embrace their childer on a whim; however, virtually all Lunatics discover
themselves subtly championing some barely perceptible "purpose," the full extent of which none - not even their sires - can
properly fathom.
Character Creation: Malkavians come in all shapes and
flavors, but many have primary Mental Attributes, befitting the
clan's reputation for wisdom and insight. Apart from that, it's
anyone's guess just what Traits a Malkavian may manifest -
with the diversity of their concepts and backgrounds, these mad
vampires could be anyone. Anywhere.
Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate.
Weaknesses: Every last vampire of Malkav's blood is irredeemably insane in some form or another. Some attribute this to
a curse of the blood, while other Lunatics actually call it a special
blessing, a gift of insight. When a Malkavian character
created, the player must choose at least one deragement (see p.
222) for that character at the time of the Embrace; this derangement can be temporarily fought with Willpower, but can never
be permanently overcome.
Organization: The hierarchy of the Malkavians, if it
exists at all, defies description. Most are usually conent to
let one another do as they like from night to night. But now
and again, in times of great need, Malkavians demonstrate
an uncanny ability to act in unison, wen without any
apparent leadership - and sometimes even without any
apparent communication. As one, they arise from their
desolate haunts; as one, they fall on the problem at hand. And when it is a problem no longer, they drift back to their
usual routines. If the Malkavians indulge in any form of
machinations as a clan, they are incomprehensible to outsiders - which may be a blessing.
Bloodlines: Before the Dementation Discipline spread
contagiously, throughout the clan (in 1997 or so), a great
number of Malkavians expressed their mind-warping talents
through the use of the Dominate Discipline. A few
Malkavians weren't caught in the redoubled tide of insanity
that swept the clan, and still possess that power in lieu of Dementation. The rest of the clan pays these offshoots no
particular notice; indeed, with only a few exceptions
Malkavians don't differentiate between this bloodline and
the clan proper at all.
Quote: Laugh if you like. Doesn't matter. Assume that
you're so much smarter than the poor, broken lunatic. Doesn't
matter. But think about this: You're a dead thing, same as me.
You died and were reborn...as this. What makes you and me
different? Simple - I remember what I saw when I was full anc
truly dead. You'd be mad, too. 
