|
Clan Brujah is largely composed of rebels, both with and without causes. Individualistic, outspoken and turbulent, Brujah hold social change near to their undead hearts, and the clan's ranks contain some of the most violent of the Camarilla Kindred. Most other vampires perceive the Brujah as nothing more than punks and miscreants, but the truth of the matter is that genuine passion lies behind their polemics. Brujah Kindred adopt pet passions and causes, which they support with volume and vitriol. Some Brujah follow charismatic members of their clan, while others prefer stances of blatant, defiant individualism. The clan claims a history rich with warrior-poets, and it has adapted this concept into the modern night; many Brujah are glad to have an opportunity to speak their minds, then indulge in a bit of destruction afterward to illustrate their points. |
|
The Rabble's espousal of change unites them, albeit tenuously, in their nightly crusades. Given a common enemy, Brujah with vastly differing ideals will join side by side to oppose their foe. After that foe is defeated, however, all bets are off and it's back to business as usual. A common Brujah theme involves the foundation of a Kindred "Utopia," or the re-creation of a mythical one from nights past, though each Brujah vampire has a different idea of what said Utopia is. Brujah rely on chaotic behavior and upheaval to get their ideas across, and the Rabble are allowed a certain leeway that other clans do not have. In fact, Brujah are almost expected to be incoherent and bellicose; this stereotype works to the advantage of many eloquent, well-spoken members of the clan, who have no need to resort to violence when making their arguments. Respected for their martialry and readiness to rally under a banner, the Brujah are the physical strength of the Camarilla. Of late, however, many Rabble neonates see their role in the Camarilla as an institution unto itself, and more than a little unrest circulates among the clan. Other Kindred believe that the Brujah would be the first to leave the Camarilla. The Brujah believe it, too. Nickname: Rabble Sect: Rhetoric aside, most Brujah are in the Camarilla. Brujah Kindred also support the anarchs, arguably more so than the Camarilla. Indeed, the anarchs have more Brujah than members of all other clans combined. Appearance: Brujah vary widely in appearance, though many adopt radical styles and bold looks. If dismissive stereotypes are to be believed, the typical Brujah wears a biker jacket, tattered jeans, combat boots and a fearsome array of high-maintenance hair. In truth, few Brujah fit this image. Youthful, fashion-forward dress and noteworthy hairstyles are indeed found among many Brujah, but others favor tasteful wardrobes that encourage others to take them seriously. In the end, a Brujah's appearance often suggests his attitudes: A skinhead bravo is likely an open rebel or anarchist, while a bespectacled pedant in a tweed suit is probably a reformationist or liberal. It should be noted, however, that given the Brujah penchant for nonconformity, any assumption of ideals based on appearance could be potentially dangerous. Brujah look how they want. Haven: Wherever they damn well please. Are you going to tell them to leave? More so than any other clan, the Brujah keep the company of other vampires, and one haven might house an entire brood. Brujah Kindred also keep multiple safehouses and boltholes, as their conflict-driven existences often make single locations inhospitable. Some Brujah neonates even carry on the urban practice of the home invasion, Dominating or killing a home's occupants and taking over. Like other pursuits, however, home invasions rarely sustain the Rabble's interest, and the vampires often move on once they grow bored with the locale. Background: Brujah prefer those who espouse change in one form or another, and often recruit from college campuses, political groups or oppressed minorities. Young Brujah may hail from any background and often have a pet cause or issue of burning personal importance. All types of dissidents find their way into the ranks of the Brujah, from bomb-throwing biker anarchists to vociferous fascists to nihilistic radicals. This is, of course, part of the reason the clan is so disorganized - hatred between Brujah is often more bitter than hatred for those whom they mutually oppose. Character Creation: Brujah often have violent, criminal concepts, but they are as likely to be intellectual or socially adept. Natures and Demeanors tend to be aggressive and similar, as Brujah wear their emotions on their sleeves (when they have sleeves). Physically predisposed characters are predominant among the clan, but some favor Mental Attributes. Likewise, Skills are favored, with Knowledges running a close second. Any Backgrounds may be appropriate to a Brujah character, though many in the clan cultivate Contacts, Allies and Herd. Very few Brujah claim Mentors. Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Presence Weaknesses: Fiery passion is at once the Brujah's blessing and curse. Though they are quick to adopt a cause, they are equally as quick to fall to frenzy. Of course, the Brujah rabidly deny this penchant for excitement, and become quite hostile when the issue is raised. The difficulties of rolls to resist frenzy (p. 228) are two higher than normal for members of Clan Brujah. Organization: Clan Brujah is far too fractious and torn by internecine conflict to have true organization, and the clan never meets formally. Two conventions the clan does support universally are the Rant and the Rave. Rants are just that: informal meetings of Brujah (and other insurgents, Kindred and kine) at which anyone who can scream loudly enough can have her opinions heard. Raves, named after the all-night techno dance parties started in England, are social gatherings in the guise of huge-scale musical or entertainment events. One usually leads to another, and clues to the locations of the events are often hidden in the media of the gathering in progress. These meetings almost invariably degenerate into riots, further eroding the organizational base of the clan. Bloodlines: Brujah antitribu of the Sabbat are, ironically, almost bastions of stability. In a sect devoted to chaos and destruction, the Brujah are the most dependable of the monsters who populate the Sabbat. They are viewed less as impassioned rebels and more as brutal shock troops. Sabbat Brujah tend to be less intelligent and discerning than their Camarilla brothers and sisters. Their causes fall by the wayside at the promise of new havoc to wreak. Quote: Think for yourself, or you're better off dead. Either way, I'm satisfied. Stereotypes Assamite: They fell too far from the tree to have a place in our world. Followers of Set: Oily bastards. I have to wonder what they're hiding if what they don't mind showing you is so heinous. Gangrel: They fight well, and they're willing to go to the wall for what they believe in. Maybe we'll join them if they leave the Camarilla. Or maybe we'll leave first. Giovanni: I'm not sure what their angle is, but if it involves dealing with the dead, it can't be good. Lasombra: Swing first and ask questions later when dealing with these Kindred, or they'll talk you into slitting your own throat. Malkavian: They're completely batshit, but at least they don't immediately hate you based on who you are. Nosferatu: Geh! Still, they hit as hard as we do, and they know everything, so it's probably best just to be civil with them. After all, the poor bastards need all the friends they can get. Ravnos: Touch my shit and I'll rip out your fucking heart, Eurotrash. Toreador: Have any of these Kindred ever actually done anything? Or do they just snipe at each other every night? Tremere: It's like someone Embraced a bunch of D&D geeks and told them their spells were real. Tzimisce: Take 'em or leave 'em. The one I met seemed more trustworthy than most of my Camarilla "Kindred," but I can't help but think it's because she wanted something. Ventrue: These fascist assholes are complete hypocrites, just like anyone else with a bit of power to throw around. My sire says they fucked us over a while back. Paybacks are hell, motherfuckers. Caitiff: I have a couple of friends among the Clanless. We are the only clan that treats these unfortunates as equals. Camarilla: The lesser of two evils - at least they're better organized than the Sabbat. Sabbat: Then again, there's something to be said for decisive action. |
History[]
Scratch the surface of a Brujah thug, and these days you are more than likely to find a Brujah thug underneath. However, the clan is a fallen clan, still mourning the death of their Carthaginian paradise and decaying from their era of warrior-scholars to the petty rebels common today.
Early History[]
Little consistent is known about the Brujah Antediluvian because the stories may confuse two individuals: the original founder of the Brujah (named as "Ilyes" in one account and as "Troile the Elder" in another), and his diablerist, Troile.
According to most records, [Brujah] was a callous and fiercely logical creature. Dispassionate in the extreme, the Antediluvian sired a clan of equally dispassionate childer. Among these, however, was a less controlled whelp - Troile the rebel. What events caused the Embrace of Troile are unknown, but clan history holds that Troile diablerized her sire and claimed the clan as her own. A small bloodline, the True Brujah, claim descent from [Brujah] and hold this grievance close to their dead hearts.
Following the death of [Brujah] in unrecorded history, the clan's next major moment is also its greatest moment. The Brujah built or co-opted a Phoenician colony, Carthage, for a grand experiment. The Brujah say that Carthage was a utopia — a city where Kindred and kine lived in harmony, and where justice reigned.
Other clans, and history, tell the story somewhat differently. The Carthaginians were cowed by their gods, offering their children to the flames of Moloch; and, apparently if the blood of sacrifices should flow down the gullet of a Methuselah, Moloch won't mind. Exactly what happened in Carthage is dependent on who speaks of it - the Brujah claim paradise, the other clans claim the presence of Baali and sacrifice. Some Brujah who were there, however, admit and acknowledge the truth.
Carthage fell during the Third Punic War, when Scipio Aemilianus, aided by the Malkavians and Ventrue of Rome crushed the shell of a city hollowed out by two previous wars. The earth was salted (preventing those Kindred who had melded with the earth from rising), the land was plowed and the Brujah experiment ended.
Dark Ages[]
[1]Clan Brujah in the Dark AgesAdded by IanWatsonDuring the Dark Ages, the Brujah were considered part of the High Clans, a clan of warrior-scholars noted for their fierce devotion to radical philosophies. The Brujah viewed themselves as the practitioners of a Greek philosophy of total mental and physical discipline (commonly called entelechy), and would often train their neonates in combat and the classics with equal discipline. Brujah of the Dark Ages were associated primarily with politics, especially in Greece. Their historical association with Carthage gave them a dim view of Rome and her heirs.
Brujah of the Islamic faith were known as Bay't Mushakis, and many were the childer of the Carthage kindred. They spread throughout North Africa in particular, with the younger ones declaring jihad and looking to punish the Roman kindred who had destroyed the great experiment. It seemed to work; most, if not all, of the Ventrue were pushed from the Islamic lands and spent much of the Dark Ages trying to regain a foothold there. Other Mushakisins sought to use Islamic teachings to re-construct their great experiment.
Victorian Age[]
[2]Clan Brujah in the Victorian AgeAdded by IanWatsonDuring the Victorian Age, the Clan was divided in those few who lived true to their legacy as the Learned Clan, and those bulk who were mere troublemakers and criminals in the eyes of their sect, as many neonates rebelled against the oppressive and stagnant politic of the Camarilla. The closeness of the clan to mortal passions brought forth the best and the worst of the Age within the clan. Many Brujah started to regard themselves as the proletariat of vampiric society and wanted to change this through revolution.
Many Brujah during this time were fierce supporters of various ideas like Marxism, collectivism, syndicalism and Darwinism and engaged in various revolutionary groups to topple the rising pauperization during the Industrial Revolution.
Final Nights[]
In the final nights, the Brujah are the clan of rebels. The ancient traditions of the clan are all but forgotten, with a few reluctant throwbacks like Theo Bell and undying artifacts like Critias to remember the clan's history and tradition.
For the Brujah, the twentieth century is marked by a sequence of failed projects. Two daring projects defined Brujah culture throughout the final nights: The Anarch Free State and the Soviet Union. In the first case, California was turned into a new kindred society, led by the Brujah Jeremy MacNeil. The AFS was almost a separate sect for the Kindred for nearly 5 decades. However, under the weight of Camarilla influence, the invasion of the Kuei-jin and the eventual betrayal by Brujah such as Tara of San Diego, the Free State largely collapsed.
The Soviet Union was another, arguably more daring, and ultimately more frightening experiment. In the early twentieth century, the Brujah pitched in with the Soviet Revolution, eventually forming a separate council which managed the entire USSR's vampiric affairs. This Brujah Council was destroyed overnight, however, when Baba Yaga rose from torpor and mystically separated Russia from the rest of the world. Only with the Little Grandmother's death at the hands of a Nictuku have vampires been able to cross the Shadow Curtain and survey the ruins of vampiric Russia.
- VTDA: Veil of Night, p. 120 -121
Organization[]
As a clan, the Brujah have next to no organization. Outside of the clan, the Brujah adore building structures, and then other Brujah adore tearing them down. Among modern Brujah, the primary structure is the division between the Iconoclast and Idealist factions of society.
Iconoclast[]
The iconoclasts are rebels and almost uniformly young Brujah. They fulfill the clan's stereotypical image as mad, bad and dangerous to know.
Idealist[]
In contrast to iconoclasts, idealists are the intellectuals and theorists of the clan. They are usually elders or ancillae, and the elders are idealists simply because their habits haven't changed since their embrace.
All items (1)