Mind's Eye Theatre - Vampire The Requiem.pdf - RoseRed

Nosferatu
mekhet • nosferatu
Not all curses are created equal, and even the Damned have outcasts. These are the Nosferatu,
the most overtly disturbing of the undead. Only sometimes able to pass as human,
the Haunts are horribly warped by the Embrace, either physically or… otherwise. They dwell
in shadows that other vampires would not dare. Even other undead fear the Nosferatu, for
their unsettling seemings are constant reminders that those Kindred who look mortal are
not. They grudgingly respect the Nosferatu as well. These blighted creatures have incredible
powers of stealth, terrifying strength, and they embody the monstrous destructive force that
every one of the Damned can muster if pushed too far. If they had their druthers, most other
clans would prefer never to associate with the Nosferatu at all, yet the Haunts’ inarguable
talents and brute force make them too dangerous to ignore. So other Kindred offer them
a tense hospitality, hide their unease behind wary diplomacies and pray that the Nosferatu
leave as soon as possible.
Many Nosferatu conceal their loneliness and resentment behind masks of indifference.
They scoff in turn at those who recoil from them, belittling pretty vampires with soirées and
silly political games, all the while seething at their exclusion. This isolation has fostered strong
familial bonds among the Nosferatu. To those outside
their ranks, they put on a unifi ed front, creating the
impression of a single extended network. The truth,
of course, is that Nosferatu squabble and compete
with one another as much as members of any other
clan — but when faced with an outside threat, they
close ranks.
The Nosferatu’s inability to blend in with society
forces them to dwell apart, often congregating
in places others shun. Some fi nd sanctuary
in the sewers, using infl uence
with mortal government and
construction, as well as their
own substantial strength, to
expand simple maintenance
tunnels and sluiceways into
vast underground warrens.
Others lurk in cemeteries,
sharing aboveground crypts
with sedentary occupants.
Still others prefer abandoned
homes, often giving
rise to neighborhood urban
legends of haunted houses,
or exist in the basements or
boiler rooms of modern offi
ce buildings. Tradition holds
that any Nosferatu is welcome
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