The Obour

Origin: Bulgaria.

Origins: It is rumored that the Obour is an offshoot of the Tremere line,
but both will deny this to the point of frenzy. Once, long ago, the Obour
were very much like the mythic vampire of old: Their very bite meant an
Embrace, all they bit loved them, and they were powerful and terrifying.
When the Camarilla was formed, the Justicars soon saw that the Obour
violated both Masquerade and Progeny with their dangerous feeding habits,
and a terrible blood-hunt was declared against all their kind. In the early
1900’s at the start of the industrial revolution, with but few left, the
clan was in rout. The great house Obour had fallen, and they begged the
Camarilla for mercy. The Camarilla agreed, on condition that the Obour obey
the Traditions: Essentially, the entire clan was placed on probation. Many
Obour failed to obey these restrictions in their arrogance. They fed as they
pleased, and were destroyed.

However, some Obour turned to science, and found mechanical means to extract
the precious vitæ, thereby upholding the Traditions while continuing to
exist. Finding new ways to feed led them to a scientific investigation of
the vampiric state (from a first-hand perspective, as it were) and many
great discoveries, which the Camarilla has been grateful to draw upon from
time to time.

Character Creation: Older Obour may be of any background, but all modern
Obour are scientists, so will have excellent Mental qualities and
Knowledges. They almost always have specialties in one or more sciences.
There are very few new Obour, and many of the surviving ones are of lower
generation than amongst the other clans.

The Obour are naturally skittish about Embracing, but often do ask if the
victim is a great scientific mind in the field of medicine or the study of
blood. A great many Obour are doctors, nurses or coroners, and use the local
facilities to snack.

Disciplines: Fortitude, Prophyria, Quietus

Clan Weakness: Obour inject blood into their victim each time they feed, 1
blood point for each 2 they drain. Hence, Obour Embrace any victim they
accidentally kill, and make ghouls or blood-bonded thralls of the rest. The
rampaging plague of vampires in Bulgaria in the last century was largely due
to the Obour feeding “naturally”, which is why all modern Obour use
mechanical means to draw their victim’s blood. All Obour are forbidden to
draw blood by fang, and this is enforced by Camarilla, Justicar and Obour
alike.

Politics: In some ways, the Obour clan is both the oldest and youngest of
all the clans. The old clan was highly visible and its ways were the basis
for much of the modern human’s misconception about vampires, and yet, the
new clan is already deeply embroiled in Camarillan politics though it is not
even 100 years old.

First and foremost, there is bad blood between the Tremere and the Obour.
The Tremere vehemently opposed the new Obours’ entry into the Camarilla, and
try to prove the utility of their Thaumaturgy over any Obourian scientific
methods whenever challenged. Were the Obour a larger clan, they would pose a
serious threat to Tremere power within the Camarilla, but since they are so
few, and their ways so bizarre, they are expected to die out fairly soon.
The real quarrel between these two is probably something more basic, that of
Science vs. Magic..?

Secondly, the Obour (for obvious reasons) made friends within the Giovanni
early on. This other clan also has difficulty feeding, and the Obour make
use of their blood-banking facilities whenever possible. In return, the
Giovanni have enjoyed the benefits of the Obour’s scientific wonders. It is
largely thru the Giovanni’s empire that the Obour have spread and prospered
over the past few years.

Some Obour, particularly younger ones, are a little bitter at the
restrictions imposed on them by the Camarilla, but they remain a loyal and
responsible clan.

Appearance: Successful Obour eat very well, and are often portly (if not
fat) older gentlemen of intellectual appearance. Many of the younger (less
successful) Obour are lean and hungry-looking. Obour are among the few clans
that care little if nothing about the appearance of the victim.

Clan Leader: The clan leader of the Obour is not the oldest among them, but
rather, a blood- specialist of tremendous intellect. He views his role as
director of a vast undead research facility into That that is Vampire, and
not as “feudal lord of a clan of Samurai.” He avoids all but the most vital
of Camarillan functions, preferring to send a proxy more versed in politics
and diplomacy where possible. He will intercede as would a supervisor on the
part of one of his clan should they require a voice, but his interests
basically begin and end with the research. He is not likely to stand behind
a young Obour wishing to feed “naturally”, for example.

PORPHYRIA: (New Discipline)

Porphyria is the science of vampires, much the way Thaumaturgy is their
magic. Vampires with Porphyria are able to apply scientific methods to what
is essentially a supernatural phenomenon as if it were a normal, measurable
thing.

Like Thaumaturgic Rituals, the discipline of Porphyria is associated with
secondary powers called Devices. These powers, however, are not magical in
nature, but rather scientific discoveries based on the analysis of the
vampiric state. The Porphyriac is, for example, able to devise techniques,
synthesize drugs, and construct devices which give them other vampiric
powers. Like rituals, these techniques require research to devise, and some
preparation to use.

• Chemistry: This is the science of blood analysis. By carefully analyzing
the blood (requires a Science/Chemistry + Occult roll) the vampire can tell
much about the vampiric elements in it. They can detect through various
means the approximate age, generation, clan, bloodline, power, and even how
long ago it fed, and so on. This operates like Thaumaturgy 1, a Taste of
Blood, only the information it provides is more detailed and scientific.

Specialties: Blood (Science or Chemistry) or Vampires (Occult.)

•• Physiology: Here, the vampire begins to understand how vampire physiology
works: How the blood is transmitted through the vampiric system, how their
bodies function without veins, hearts, bones or even brains, how it is that
blood can be “burned”, why sunlight burns the skin, what Torpor is, how
staking immobilizes vampires, and how drinking blood allows them to survive,
etc. The roll here is also Medicine + Occult.

Specialties: Physiology (Medicine), Vampires (Occult.)

••• Medicine: Capping off his knowledge of the undead body, the vampire now
knows how to use Medicine on the Kindred to repair wounds, speed the healing
of aggravated damage, bring them out of Torpor (perhaps safely), assist with
the regeneration or reattachment of severed limbs, restore senses lost to
Auspex, etc. The roll required is Medicine + Occult.

Specialties: Vampires (Medicine or Occult.)

•••• Psychology: The vampire begins to divine the inner workings of the
undead mind, how it differs from the human mind, and what drives it, .. the
Psychology of Vampires. This is the study of such mental states as
Rötshrecht and Frenzy, Derangements and the Toreador fascination, how
Dominate works and why it is defeated by Generation, what the blood-bond is,
why vampiric minds are harder to read and to control, and so on. The roll is
Psychology + Occult.

Specialties: Vampires (Psychology or Occult.)

••••• Engineering: At this supreme level of Porphyria, the character has
learned so much of the science of vampiric existence that they can even use
machines and devices for vampiric purposes. Feeding by mechanical means is a
trivial thing compared to what can be done at this level, where machines can
be devised that affect vampiric creatures (anti-vampire machines, for
example.) The roll is Electronics, Repair or Engineering (or other skills of
that type) + Occult.

Specialties: Vampires (Occult), anything for the others.

Sample Porphyriac Devices:

Note: Though these Devices are all based on scientific techniques, and
should be universal, they generally only work when applied by a skilled
Obour. It is true that some of these Devices can be made by Obour and then
used by others (like the concentrated blood) but in general, the scientific
analysis of the vampiric state is a study endemic to the Obour, and is their
special gift. While a Story-teller is not asked to make it magical, i.e.,
the minute it leaves the Obour's hand somehow it doesn't work, but rather,
it should be gracefully discouraged as in, "You inject the serum, but
nothing happens.. maybe its lost its potency..? Maybe you injected it
wrong..? You don't know."

Fortunately, usually this limitation is built right in. Most devices are
used up, run out, go off or require specialized knowledge (which other
characters do not have.)

Concentrated Blood (1): This simple technique distills out the nutritional
elements in human blood and concentrates them. The resulting brackish brine
is much stronger, and will keep better than ordinary blood, making a single
blood-bag full worth 9 blood points instead of 1 or 2. No blood- points are
created by this technique, and 10 blood points must be accumulated in the
normal way before distilling. The one point lost is due to some waste in the
procedure.

Elder Boost (1): Another distillate, this one isolates the boosting power of
an elder's blood without the necessity of diablerie, nor the danger of
blood-bonding. This injection will drop a vampire's generation by 1
temporarily (for one scene), with all the benefits thereof. Naturally, this
distillate first requires the blood of an elder, and a sizeable amount of
it, which is often somewhat hard to come by.

Bloodprint (1): Obour discovered that the blood of each vampire is as
distinctive as a fingerprint to a human. By analyzing a sample, the Obour
can tell a great deal about the vampire in question, and if they have
comparative samples to work with, they can even identify from which vampire
the blood comes, who their Sire/Dam is, whose blood they have drunk, and
other incriminating.. previously undiscoverable things. (i.e., Auspex may
detect diablerie, but if you've drunk from an elder, it will show up in your
blood-print.)

Substitute (1): Many organic compounds can make a morally-satisfying
substitute for human blood. Naturally, animal blood makes a perfect
substitute, but is less nourishing. Through a painstaking process that
requires a number of comparatively rare products, the vampire can synthesize
a serum that substitutes more completely for human blood. Without proper
manufacturing, synthesizing this is too time-consuming and expensive for
permanent use. By way of comparison, a volume of human blood worth 10 blood
points would be worth only 5 in the same volume of substitute.

End Torpor (2): Obour long ago discovered that a dab of blood on a vampire's
lips can temporarily revive them from Torpor. Similarly, small amount of
elder blood (even diluted) placed on the lips can have the same effect, and
can even end Torpor completely if injected directly. A suitable serum can be
prepared from an elder's blood. If injected prior to normal Torpor entry,
the character is allowed one Willpower save to remain conscious and active.
If they fail, they will still enter Torpor.

SunBlock (2): A chemical salve which, when applied to the skin, blocks out
the elements in sunlight that burn the vampire's skin so badly. Applying
this ointment liberally to all exposed body parts before exposure to the sun
protects them as would heavy, black clothing for hours.

Break the Bond (3): A transfusive technique, this isolates the invading
blood-elements in the vampire's system that create the blood-bond and
removes them, terminating it and the emotional attachments thereof. In
actuality, the blood can never be totally purged, the elements can only be
weakened. After this procedure, it is as if the character had only drunk
twice, instead of three times. If they are made to drink again, the bond
will re-surge.

Fight the Rötshreck (3): Rötshreck is an instinctive stimuli response,
similar to the fear of sunlight, caused by hyper-activation of certain
vampiric nerves in the eyes. Obour with this device have learned to look
around the fire (or sunlight) to lessen the hysteria it causes. This lowers
the difficulty of Rötshreck rolls by 3 when employed.

Vampire-Bomb(2): This device is a gas-bomb which releases a compound that
acts on vampires the way a normal gas-bomb does on humans. The paint-like
spray is injested into the vampire's system through the skin (since they do
not breathe) and poisons their blood supply. If enough of the blood is lost
(to zero) the vampire enters Torpor but with no loss of attributes. The bomb
rolls 8 dice of blood- damage at the spot it hits, reduced by 1 per yard
distance, difficulty adjusted for skin surface exposed. Obviously, it takes
more than one of these to take down even neonates, and it takes much more to
get elders. Obviously, this bomb is of much greater danger to vampires with
low humanity, since it affects them for longer.

Mind Blank (4): According to psychics, vampires have no mind, but Obour say
they simply have slippery, elusive ones, .. ones that are very unlike human
minds. It is this alien quality that makes it harder to read and control the
vampire mind, and it is a technique one can employ to one's advantage. By
focusing on the alien aspects of the vampire psyche (the bloodlust, for
example), a vampire can make their mind much harder to read or control by
humans or psychics (or vampire with high humanity.) Similarly, by focusing
their mind on human thoughts and feelings, their minds become more difficult
to read for vampires whose humanity is low, for whom those thoughts are
alien. The effort requires the spending of a Willpower point, but lasts a
scene. During that time, all rolls to read or dominate the character are at
+3 difficulty (even over 10.)

Regenerate (5): This device is mentioned only to give an example of a
fifth-level device. No Obour would employ this technique, given their shaky
status within the Camarilla. This is a highly illegal procedure which splits
up and concentrates the 1% remnant of the blood of a vampire's Sire still
lingering in their system, isolates it, reproduces it and eventually
replaces their entire blood-volume with it. This is a lengthy, painful
procedure, but when complete, it will have permanently lowered the character
into their Sire's generation. This can only be performed once per character,
though the Obour do say that within that Sire's blood is contained 1% of
their Sire's blood, and so on...