saber de clanes 344257123-V20-Lore-of-the-Bloodlines-11056187-pdf | Page 46
the tangled strings controlling the organization — are the
only vampires who recognize the danger, even if they fail
to understand the nature of the threat.
We’re driven by pure instinct to annihilate those servants
of Cappadocius and his followers, the Giovanni among
them, but where possible, we will give the option to join our
enterprise. Rejection of our mercy will see them reduced
to ash, their souls bound to our army of the dead.
I tell you this; revenge is a mere stop on the road to glories
denied us. It is imperative you move beyond instinctive
hatred of Giovanni, and become like the Harbingers of old.
We can be great again, whether your ambition mirrors the
dreams of entropy spread by Lazarus’ disciples, is a wish
for the destruction of Antediluvians and their vassals, or
you desire to command the legions of wraiths with whom
we’ve made alliance.
Greatness awaits us. Doom awaits all who oppose us.
Flesh on our Bones
As declared by The Gentleman, Wearer of the Medico
Della Peste Mask
You truly are dismal little neonates to believe all we intend
will be carried out through our meager numbers alone. As
the beautiful Marchesa made clear, we Harbingers make
inroads to disassemble the fine structure of Clan Giovanni,
snatching bloodlines here, reintroducing ourselves to
submerged Giovanni who never partook of the purge there.
The Rossellini are my pet project. Long mistreated by the
Venetians, they all but leap at the prospect of serving new
masters offering them a manner of reprisal.
Revenge is a succulent course.
As we Harbingers of old would bury ourselves in the
courts of our enemies, new Harbingers from among the
Premascine Giovanni, along with Rossellini and Pisanob
families, will become Harbingers within their own Clan.
They have but to lose their faces.
When we were at our height, the Harbingers were the
skeleton of Cainite society. You’ve no doubt heard the old
Malkavian proverb attributing Clans various body parts.
We glued those fleshy parts together, whether they realize
it or not. A body should not be without a skeleton, for
it grows soft and pliable. How is it you think the cursed
Antediluvians manipulate the Camarilla with such ease?
Our absence caused this weakness, so now you see why
Laodice and the nascent Camarilla were so enthusiastic
for our annihilation.
We’ve renewed relations with the Followers of Typhon,
or whatever they call themselves these nights. We remember
their oath of protection, and their failure to protect. They
may be Serpents, but the eldest among them honor pacts and
have been suitably meek when presented with requests for
a renewal. We therefore spread throughout Setite domains
with little reprisal, even being awarded territory, as we
possess proficiencies and knowledge Serpents still crave.
It strikes you as hypocritical how we lay abed with vampires
who outwardly worship their founder, when we know the
dangers such daemons present. Rest assured, little neonate;
Lazarus has addressed this issue. The vampire known as
Sutekh is gone — shattered into infinity — but the Setites do
not believe this. We play the game of manipulation better
than they, as we are not smitten with promises of divinity.
Through our consorting, we continue to tease them with
the promises of necromancy, while gaining the benefits of
their peculiar, faith-based powers.
The Lasombra mystics of Iberia have become partners
in the years since our return to the lands of the living. It’s
all very well proclaiming your membership in the Sabbat,
but if one of the pillars does not stand for you, you might
as well be screaming into the Tempest. Thankfully, several
prominent Lasombra — including those notorious Knights
of the Abyss, Sir Talley and Lord Rickard Argentis — have
taken an interest in our voyages through the Underworld.
They believe we know something of their Abyss. We
call it by other names, but the Neverborn denizens of
the Shadowlands and those alien beings with whom the
Lasombra consort share undeniable similarities. Keepers
have thus supported Lazarenes attaining positions of
sectarian prominence in the Americas, and we are beholden
to them for this kindness.
We’ve regrettably failed to make accord with Clan
Tzimisce, to date. I recall nights when we acted as
chamberlains and spymasters in their castles, but the
bloodline has thinned and lost all pretense of nobility. I’m
told Cardinal Alleluia of their Clan denounces us as “eaters
of souls,” which is rich coming from a vampire infamous
for her practice of diablerie.
Despite our lack of success so far, you’d do well to parlay
with the Fiends, and find common cause. Surround yourself
with members of their Clan, and share vitae if you must.
Become the eager Sabbat recruit they want you to be, and
we may gain some traction within this cumbersome Sect.
The Camarilla does produce some vampires of a high caliber.
Our greatest sorrow is in the withering of our fine friendship
with the Ventrue. Like the Tzimisce, few these nights would
know us to look at us. In truth, the Ventrue were our favorite
LORE OF THE BLOODLINES
45