City of Shadows Mux City of Shadows Mux

MYRMEX

Parent Clan: Ventrue Sobriquet: Exalted (among themselves); Sheep (derogatory) Inspiration: Deucalion, Carthians, p. 160; Melissidae, Bloodlines: The Legendary, p. 103. Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Majesty, Resilience Revised by: Ganymede

Background

No one is quite sure where the Exalted came from, but the bloodline’s members speak of her as a sort of God figure that all of them can speak to. Many have claimed to have met the Myrmex, but few can corroborate their stories. The Myrmex is part-Messianic and part-Doomsayer, but all Exalted agree that she warned that the end was nigh. They point to the Fall as the truth of the Myrmex’s message.

In truth, the Myrmex are a perversion of the Melissidae. One of the first of her line into the New World, the Myrmex found herself immediately enraptured with the call and power of evangelism. With the United States’ rich cultural heritage in proselytization and her natural abilities, the Myrmex soon enraptured small communities across the rural Midwest – the sort of unincorporated towns that people forget exist. Eventually, the Myrmex would find a home in Topeka, from which she sent her most treasured minions to spread her prophecy of the end of the world.

For the Exalted, the end of the world has already occurred. Their mission is to take what is left of the world and turn it into a utopian paradise. Their ideals are communist in nature, with everyone fitting into a certain, acceptable role in their society. The Exalted see everyone and everything in terms of how they can best fit in their vision. Those of value are encouraged to join the Exalted as one of their cherished members; those that are seen as unworthy or unfit are simply ignored. Attributes such as strength, beauty, and ingenuity are prized; a person’s race, gender, or background is unimportant.

Thus, the Exalted have a place for anyone of value in their ranks.

In truth, the Exalted slowly and inexorably twist the minds of their devotees. Their message is popular and populist, and their powers allow them to easily convince the weak-minded – but who have substantial resources and connections – to give what they have. Those in the ranks who become injured or weak are quietly ostracized or deserted. Every member of an Exalted’s herd of followers must regularly test themselves at a Proving, with new recruits showing their worthiness while older members must show their continuing value and devotion.

In modern nights, the Exalted have become quicker to accept others, simply to take what they can for their own purposes. Those that continually pass the Proving are eventually raised to become another Exalted follower of the Myrmex. And so the cycle begins again.

Bloodline Gift

The Exalted have the ability to form a hive mind of mortals, ghouls, and childer who share a blood tie with her. By spending 1 Willpower, the Exalted is able to perceive what others who share a blood tie with her may perceive, as if she were there, creating a sort of hive-mind for a night. The range of this hive-mind is a radius of 100 yards x the Exalted’s Blood Potency.

The Exalted can permit those within her hive-mind to perceive what others in the hive-mind, but the effect is disorienting, causing the perceiver to suffer a -1 penalty to all non-resistance rolls.

The Exalted can also use her social disciplines (Dominate, Majesty, and Nightmare) on her hive-members through the hive-mind.

Bloodline Bane

Sharing perceptions has its downfall; when the hive-mind is active, the Exalted suffers wound penalties if her hive-members become injured equal to the highest level of penalties. If one becomes incapacitated, she must make a Willpower roll or fall unconscious. If one is inflicted with a Condition, the Exalted must make a Willpower roll or suffer the same one.

The Exalted also cannot be far from a member of her hive. She must have someone with a blood tie to her within (10 – Blood Potency) x 100 yards of her at all times. If no such person is in that vicinity, she immediately gains a persistent Lethargic Condition which is only resolved if a person with a blood time comes within the vicinity again.

Bloodline Devotions

Colony Mind (Animalism ****, Dominate ****)

When the hive-mind is active, any member can use any of the Exalted’s social disciplines (Dominate, Majesty, and Nightmare). Willpower may be used to activate any power that would require Vitae, if the member does not have Vitae to spend. All activation pools use the member’s statistics.

This Devotion costs 4 Experiences.

Inculcation (Dominate ***, Majesty ***)

By focusing her will on an individual, the Exalted is able to use her supernatural influence to form a bond similar to a blood tie – with her as the mistress of it, of course. The effect is subtle and not detectable, but a savvy Kindred will know that something is wrong with the way she is feeling.

Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Presence + Empathy + Majesty vs. Composure + Blood Potency Action: Extended

The Exalted must achieve successes equal to or greater than the target’s Willpower. If successful, then a level-1 blood bond is formed between the Exalted and the target. If successfully used on the next night, then the bond increases to a level-two bond, and so on until a level-3 bond forms. This bond forms over existing blood bonds, but, if a target is required to choose between domitors, he will pick the actual bond over the false one.

Unlike conventional bonds, the bond begins to fade quickly. Every night that the target does not interact with the Exalted in person, the false bond fades by one step. Using the hive-mind to reach out to the target will also keep the bond alive.

Royal Jelly (Dominate *, Resilience *)

An Exalted’s Vitae is especially addictive. Anyone who imbibes it suffers a -3 penalty to resist blood addiction.

This Devotion costs 1 Experience.

Workers’ Compensation (Animalism **, Dominate *, Majesty *)

When the Exalted activates her hive-mind, the members no longer suffer a penalty when they are able to perceive what another member perceives. Also, the hive-mind is able to understand one another’s thoughts instantly.

This Devotion costs 2 Experiences.