City of Shadows Mux City of Shadows Mux

ICARIANS

Parent Clan: Ventrue Sobriquet: Ascendants Source: Lancea Sanctum, p. 167. Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Resilience, Vigor Revised by: Ganymede

Background

The Icarians were once pariahs among the Sanctified. That was before the Fall. Now, the Icarians have found a renewed purpose: purging the unclean.

Supernatural creatures have existed in the world, and always have. The Icarians have always understood that spirits come from another plane of existence, and that ghosts are echoes of the living. However, there are things that are neither of flesh nor ephemera that threaten the living: the horrors that lurk in the darkest corners to prey upon the living. The Strix belong to this group, along with many of the monsters that spirits can create – werewolves, the Ridden, the Host, etc. These abominations – the Unclean– must be destroyed if humanity is to survive.

After the Fall, the Ascendants have distanced themselves from the remnants of the Lancea et Sanctum. For many of them, the obliteration of the world and the rise of the Unclean was a sign that God had forsook the Earth itself, leaving the Kindred and the vestiges of humanity to rot; the Messiah was not coming a second time. Therefore, there was only one choice: save what is left, try to help as many as possible to rise, and prepare for Armageddon.

The Unclean stand in the way. To the Ascendants, the only purpose of the Unclean is to taint God’s will and plan. There is to be no quarter with them, no peace – only death.

This stance has put them at odds with werewolves, who are abominations as amalgams of flesh and spirit. Ascendants see little difference between them and the Host or the Ridden, and their encounters with the Forsaken go as well as those with the Pure. It also puts them at odds with their own Kindred brethren, who would rather avoid unnecessary conflicts in lean times. The Icarians tend to go off on their own personal, deadly quests regardless of whose territory they come through.

Their message, however, is simple and attractive. Recruitment among Kine and ghouls is easy, and the Ascendants are not picky: if you can pick up a weapon and fight your way out of a box, you are good to go. Granted, new recruits are often thrown at the Unclean as fodder, but reconnaissance is an important element of war, and war never changes.

Bloodline Gift

The Ascendants are able to sense the presence of any of the Unclean: people who are ridden, possessed, or controlled by spirits or ghosts. Such creatures are automatically detected on a successful Wits + Composure roll, unless they are using supernatural powers to conceal themselves; the latter case, there is a Clash of Wills. Their fervor also grants them advantages when fighting one of the Unclean: their Defense is considered 2 points higher, and they enjoy an extra 2 dice to any attribute or pool to resist or contest a Dread Power.

As they are also considered Unclean, the Ascendants can also sense werewolves. Their Defense is boosted, and they gain the above bonus to resist or contest a werewolf’s Gifts.

Bloodline Bane

An Ascendant’s success at war is based on his ability to shut out distractions and focus. Unfortunately, any pursuit not directly related to the hunting and destroying of the Unclean means very little to an Ascendant. Consequently, they cannot spend Willpower on any roll to complete a task not directly related to hunting or destroying the Unclean, and cannot gain any Willpower for an unrelated action, even if it would satisfy the Ascendant’s Mask or Dirge.

Bloodline Devotions

Fear Denies Faith (Animalism *, Resilience * or Vigor *)

The Ascendants are known for their unflappable courage and drive. When this effect is active, the Ascendant may add a number of dots to his Resolve or Composure attributes equal to his Resilience or Vigor, whichever is higher. This will raise the Ascendant’s Willpower score, and also add temporary Willpower points that are lost when the scene ends.

Cost: 1 Vitae per scene.

This Devotion costs 1 Experience.

Pain Cleanses the Body (Resilience ***, Vigor ***)

The Ascendants can reverse the Pain of Knowledge through their willpower alone. They sometimes use this effect to cow other Kindred, and to convince them of the righteousness of their purpose.

Cost: 1 Willpower Dice Pool: Stamina + Athletics + Vigor Action: Reflexive

Whenever exposed to a fire source, the Ascendant may spend a Willpower point to roll the pool. If the number of successes rolled is equal to or greater than the damage that would have been suffered, the Ascendant instead heals any damage that he may have suffered before. For example, if the Ascendant walked through an Inferno, from which he would have taken 3 aggravated damage, but succeeded using this devotion, then the Ascendant would heal 3 levels worth of damage.

Walking through fire may be cool, but it still requires a roll to resist Frenzy.

This Devotion costs 3 Experiences.

Purge the Unclean (Dominate **, Vigor **)

With this devotion, an Ascendant may cripple the Unclean, making it easier to kill.

Cost: 1 Vitae Action: Reflexive

So long as the Ascendant causes damage in an attack, he may spend 1 point of Vitae to cause a Tilt of his choosing. This devotion only works on the Unclean.

This Devotion costs 2 Experiences.

Work Earns Salvation (Animalism **, Dominate **)

The Ascendant utters a phrase that fills his target with holy passion that instills him with the courage necessary to face down the Unclean.

Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Intelligence + Empathy + Dominate – target’s Resolve Action: Instant

If successful, the Ascendant’s command grants the Inspired and Steadfast Conditions, which may only be resolved if taking an action directly related to hunting or destroying the Unclean. No Beats are gained if resolved.

This Devotion costs 2 Experiences.