Cappadocian Antitribu

When the founder of Clan Cappadocian brought over a family of Venetian necromancers to expand his knowledge into the lands of the dead, some protested. They went unheeded until the treacherous patriarch of the family destroyed the founder and attempted to purge the Cappadocian Clan of all but his own family and followers. There was a war among the Clan of Death as the upstarts attempted to destroy their sires. Despite the thick blood and dark magic of the necromancers, they were defeated by the more experienced and numerous Cappadocians. The survivors of the Clan's internal warfare were left to decide their course.

The Convention of Thorns saw the splintering of the Clan of Death into those who believed the founder of their Clan had brought destruction upon them with his mad schemes and those who simply wished to continue as they had been. The battle-scarred survivors of the Giovanni uprising allied themselves with the nascent Sabbat, taking nearly half of Clan Cappadocian with them. The Lamia bloodline harbored deep hatred for the schemes of the Antediluvian, for they cost the cult their High Priestess and direct connection to the Dark Mother.

The Cappadocian antitribu and the Lamia quickly established themselves as invaluable allies to the Sabbat, contributing any number of dark rituals and bloody practices to the repertoire of the budding sect. The Zombies have ample evidence that the schemes of the Antediluvians will bring only destruction and a frigid determination that they will not suffer for the schemes of the Elders again. Free will, self-determination and self-defense are the rallying of the Zombies. Those who have confronted death repeatedly and triumphed in each case, those snared in the schemes of those more powerful than they and survived, these are the mortals who draw the attention of the Cappadocian antitribu.

For over four hundred years the Cappadocian antitribu were the preeminent magicians of the Sabbat. Then the House of Goratrix defected to the Sabbat and brought with it the secrets of Thaumaturgy. The Tremere antitribu soon displaced the Zombies as the magi and advisors of the Sabbat. For the next two centuries the Zombies were reduced to common foot soldiers. Some of the best to be sure, but still foot soldiers.

Only after the conflagration in Mexico City that destroyed the Sabbat Tremere have the Cardinals and Archbishops remembered their old advisors and magicians. Now, in desperation, they turn to the Zombies. The ill-treated Cappadocians smirk smugly and say that it was merely a matter of time. In public. In private, they plot revenge on those who usurped their places. Any rumor of a surviving Tremere antitribu is tracked down, and obliterated. The raging Zombies are hitting even the Camarilla Tremere hard.

Nickname

Zombies

Appearance

The appearance of Cappadocian antitribu follows few real trends. They are Embraced from all races, ages, and genders. Everything from the runaway teenager to the hardened war veteran is present among their ranks. There is only one general rule: the Zombies are all fit, healthy, and able to fight. Those who can not defend themselves in some way are never chosen for the Embrace. Zombies often adopt a paramilitary culture and dress accordingly, with necessary modifications depending on their specific brand of survivalism.

Haven

Zombies often lair with their pack mates, but those who don’t tend to make homes in places of death and pain. Cemeteries, prisons, abandoned hospitals, and mausoleums are all popular choices. These havens are typically kept spare, with little furniture beyond the basic necessities. The Zombies who are especially adept in the ways of Mortis? keep many books around their havens. It is a rare home that does not have at least one rack of weapons ready to be used at the slightest notice.

Background

The majority of the Cappadocian antitribu hail from violent backgrounds. They may have been soldiers, police officers, bounty hunters, or mercenaries, it doesn't matter. The key is the ability to confront death and triumph over it. Consequently, it is highly unlikely that any Zombie will be unable to defend themselves at some standard of excellence. With the recent demise of the Tremere antitribu, the Zombies have been called on along with the Tzimisce to provide the Sabbat with sorcerous shock troops. Those Cappadocian antitribu chosen for their mystic prowess are still fit, though the emphasis is on their mental strength more than physical.

Character Creation

The headstrong and often violent Zombies tend to Embrace many neonates with Bravo and Deviant Natures. Self-reliance, strength of personality and determination are chief factors in the selection process. High Willpower and Courage scores are exceedingly common, as are healthy levels of Physical Attributes and Talents, though there is little excuse to skimp on Skills. Mental Attributes and Knowledges are a secondary concern for the Zombies; they often focus specifically on those traits which allow them to excel at the deadly magic for which their bloodline is famous. That isn't to say the Zombies are stupid, they are well aware the mind is a valuable weapon. They just tend toward a more physical view on self-defense.

Clan Disciplines

Auspex, Fortitude, Necromancy

Weakness

Cappadocians exude a spiritual blight as a result of their innate closeness to death. Insects die if they come too close and plants wither at the touch of a Graverobber. Extended periods of time in physical contact with a Cappadocian cause inexplicable weakness and fatigue, inflicting one level of Bashing damage per hour. This unnatural Aura of Death unnerves mortals and even vampires, adding 1 to the difficulty of all Social rolls not based on Intimidation. Finally, Cappadocians may never spend blood to appear more human; they are far closer to a corpse than a living being and cannot pretend otherwise.

Organization

The Cappadocian antitribu organize themselves much like a guerrilla army. They have no true leader for the entire line; they are broken up into small ‘cells’ of between four to seven members. These cells function exactly like normal Sabbat Packs, but are generally comprised only of Cappadocian antitribu, Lamia and Samedi. Some of the more open-minded groups will allow outsiders entrance, but usually such progressive Cappadocians simply join standards packs. A Zombie is normally chosen as the cell's Commander (ductus), and a Lamia or a sorcerer for the Sergeant (priest). The rest of the group is generally made up of Zombies, Gorgons and Stiffs evenly. Sometimes several of these cells with join together for larger strikes, but they prefer to operate independently.

The best sorcerers are often given positions of high respect for their art and virtually all Zombies are expected to learn the rudiments of Necromancy at some point in their unlives. Knowledge of the deadly powers of the Discipline is a prerequisite for advancement among the cells.

Bloodlines

The Lamia followed their Cappadocian masters to the Sabbat en masse. They serve the sect as warrior-priestesses, fighting and preaching the word of the Sabbat and of Lilith?. Their disciplines are Fortitude, Necromancy and Potence and their bite carries a virulent magical plague. A few of the rotting Samedi have joined their cousins in the Sabbat; they have the Discipline of Obfuscate in place of Auspex.

Quote

Death nearly got us last time. *sound of a gun being cocked* This time it wont stand a chance.