Carnon

Template:Bloodline

Covenant

The Carnon bloodline, as it stands tonight, was created by a coterie of Acolytes as a means of solidifying and demonstrating not only their devotion to the covenant but their overconfident certainty that they were bad-ass sexy thugs entitled to represent the covenant and thumb their noses at stodgy local Sanctified. Though the blood and the culture of the Carnon has managed to spread throughout the western world in the past few decades, their attitudes haven’t been diluted by new members. Bucks are still self-aggrandizing pagan rockers waging a gauche guerilla war against a close-minded, old-fashioned Kindred church that they only know how to relate to as an exaggerated cartoon of itself. The same Lancea Sanctum that the first Carnons pumped their fists at turns out not to be as narrow-minded, grey-haired and impotent as those early Bucks said they were. The rhetoric of those first Carnon was shouted so loud, though, that it’s still echoing through the bloodline. To date, no Carnon is known to have joined the Lancea Sanctum, though several vampires have joined the bloodline after fleeing that church. In practice, of course, many Carnon actually get along just fine with their local parish Priest or coterie confessor. “I hate those gay-bashing, redneck old fucks!” says the Carnon. “But not you, carnon chapter four 170 Mother Lourdes. You’re not one of those Sanctified.” Indeed, few Sanctified probably are. Carnon have wandered into the ranks of every other covenant, however. In some cities, they serve Invictus or Carthian powers as Hounds, even going so far as to maintain membership in multiple covenants. The Ordo Dracul has attracted a few Carnon into its midst over the years, as well, though the type of monster that makes a good Horned God tends not to make a good Dragon. Carnon enter the Order for short-term benefits then bail when the dues (in service, in blood, in study) get steep.

Appearance

Many modern Carnon are drawn from the various subcultures of woodsy backpackers, base jumpers and hostel regulars. The iconic image of the Carnon tonight is something akin to a buff, neo-hippy Marlboro man: stubble, long hair, great physique, easygoing demeanor. In practice, it seems that just as many Horned Gods are ratty tattooed neo-punks with thousands of dollars worth of body modifications, from earlobes with oversized inset rings to clamped collarbones to ritual scars. Twisted, overgrown beards are common — even before the Embrace most Carnon looked like the Green Man. Almost universally, Carnon have solid, impressive builds. Often this means taut muscle, but sometimes barrel chests and simple height is all it takes to fulfill the image. The change of the Gangrel blood into that of the Carnon line somehow brings with it a firm grace, a practiced strut that exaggerates the stature and posture of the Horned God. Some move with the delicate precision of a stag, others with the sure calm of a wolf. As their Blood Potency increases, Carnon develop more and more unnaturally inhuman qualities. In modern nights these seem to be subtler: some Carnon leave hoof prints inside their own footprints when they walk barefoot, others cast shadows or distorted reflections that seem to be capped with forked, elk-like horns. According to rumor, the eldest Carnon grew horns and were forced to flee the sight of mankind.

Haven

Carnon live like stags. Many dwell together in seedy, dank bachelor pits littered with unwashed clothes and crumpled magazines. Many others dwell alone in the kind of unreasonable independence that make up adolescent fantasies: sleeping in blacked-out trailers, nesting in the hidden attics of record shops and movie theaters or hiding out in the bomb shelters beneath the high school. Carnon thus favor Haven Location above all else, though for them a prime location may have as much to do with their self-indulgent pastimes as it does with the practical concerns of feeding. Haven Security is also important, though seldom is it anything high-tech; a Carnon finds safety in obscurity and cement walls, not expensive equipment. Haven Size seldom matters much to a Buck, so long as it has a good stereo or television. Eventually, all of these modern (and bright) things mean nothing to a Carnon, though. Eventually, they all must retreat from the eyes of mortals, either to prowl the wooded shadows at the edge of civilization where they can stalk other vulnerable, isolated vampires for their Vitae or to sleep off the inhuman deformities sparked by their own blood.

Background

The Carnon bloodline isn’t the sort that Kindred adopt after long centuries of searching or consideration. Carnon are impulsive, shameless (but often regrettable) creatures. Carnon worry about tomorrow when it comes. Tonight is about tonight. The vast majority of Carnon were Embraced in their youth, and maintain a mixture of teenage rebellion and twenty-something vagabondage throughout their Requiems. Carnon are often though to be exclusively male — which is to say that many Kindred passively assume that all Carnon are men while many others presume the bloodline is philosophically closed to women — but this is not the case. Only a small number of Carnon are Horned Goddesses, but such Kindred do exist, particularly in the Pacific Northwest and the UK. Plenty of Carnon are intelligent, but many lack the discipline to put it to work. The early Carnon wrote insightful, biting critiques of the Lancea Sanctum in their night — manifestos potent enough to draw lesser-willed vampires to adopt their blood. As the number of Carnon grew over the years, the percentage of great minds in the bloodline naturally dropped as followers gathered around the rock star-like leaders they celebrated. Still, rocking revolutionaries and savvy punks continue to be drawn to the Carnon family, even if they don’t realize their potential or find their discipline until decades after.

Character Creation

Carnon thus tend to favor power Attributes (Strength, Intelligence, Presence) over others. On average, Social or Physical traits tend to be primary. The Expression Skill is common among the bloodline, whether carried over from life or learned in undeath. The Iron Stamina Merit is a good choice to represent the bloodline’s reckless disregard for its own comfort or wellbeing. Likewise, though it does them little good in damnation, the Iron Stomach Merit seems to have been common among many Carnon in life.

Weakness

Carnon suffer the same base affliction as their parent clan: the 10-again rule does not apply to Intelligence- or Wits-based dice pools for these vampires. Additionally, any 1’s that are rolled subtract from successes (see p. 107 of Vampire: The Requiem). These penalties don’t apply to perception-related dice pools or to the Resolve Attribute.

Organization

Concepts

Anti-Christian death-metal singer, bodymodification artist, environmental terrorist, fear-mongering biker, free-loading emo lay-about, long-haired militant liberal, patchouli-smelling politico, Space Monkey

History

Bloodline Disciplines

The Carnon gain no Unique Disciplines but do gain the ability to use the Nosferatu Discipline of Nightmare

• (•) Monstrous Countenance
• (••) Dread
• (•••) Eye of the Beast
• (••••) Shatter the Mind
• (•••••) Mortal Fear

Bloodline Devotions