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