Glossary for Vampire the Requiem

REQUIEM Overview History Places Map Laws
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Amaranth (am • MUR • anth): Kindred “cannibalism”; draining another vampire of not only his blood but his soul. Sometimes called diablerie.

The Beast: The primal urges instinct suppressed by humans. Once awoken by the Embrace or violence, it drives the now vampire away from The Man.

The Carthian Movement (KAR • thee • enn): A vampiric idealist, one who believes in reconciling the Requiem with the politics and society of modern mortals.

childe (CHILD): Kindred “offspring”; also used to refer to particularly young neonates, or as a minor insult (akin to calling someone a “kid” in mortal circles). The plural is childer (CHILL • der).

clan: One of five families of Kindred whose lineage links back to times beyond Kindred memory.

Circle of the Crone: A covenant of ritualistic Kindred that reveres pagan gods, spirits, pantheons and/or progenitors.

coterie: A group of allied vampires.

covenant: A faction of Kindred who share certain political or theological beliefs. Some covenants are spread across the world, but they tend to have independent leadership and local variations from domain to domain.

Crúac (KREW • ack): The bloody, witchcraft-like magic practiced by the Circle of the Crone.

Daeva (DAY • vuh) : A clan of vampires known for being emotional, sensual and desirable.

Damned, the: The race of Kindred; vampires.

diablerie (dee • AHB • ler • ee): See Amaranth

Disciplines: The supernatural skills that vampires may develop by virtue of their blood, allowing them to vanish, turn into animals, control the minds of others, enhance their strenth or allure, or many other powers.

Elysium (ell • ISS • ee • um): A location used for Kindred gatherings and declared a neutral, “no violence” sanctuary by the Prince.

Embrace: The act of turning a mortal into a vampire.

frenzy: A berserk state in which the Beast takes total control over a vampire. Rage, fear and hunger can induce frenzies; when precision is needed, the term is qualified by cause (rage frenzy, fear frenzy or hunger frenzy). Unqualified, the term generally indicates rage frenzy.

Gangrel (GANG • grell): A clan of vampires known for being primal, hardy and savage.

ghoul: A mortal fed Kindred Vitae and possessed of various supernatural abilities, though far weaker than most vampires.

Harpy: A Kindred in a position prominent or estimable enough to raise up or put down others in vampire society.

haven: A vampire’s residence; where one finds sanctuary from the sun.

Herald: A spokesman for the Prince.

Invictus (in • VICK • tuss): One of the largest of the Kindred covenants, which believes in rule by a vampiric “elite” made up mostly of elders.

Kindred: The modern (and most frequent) term by which vampires refer to themselves and their race. Kindred Cards represent the vampires with whom player form coteries.

Lancea et Sanctum (LAN • kay • uh ET SANK • toom): A covenant of vampires, made up of vampiric religious zealots who honor the Roman centurion Longinus, whom they have adopted as a form of “patron saint” that teaches that vampires are damned to be tormentors and tempters of humanity in God’s divine plan.

Master of Elysium: The Kindred responsible for places of Elysium, who also makes sure that everything is prepared, that nobody fights and that word gets out about events.

Mekhet (MEK • et): A clan of vampires known for being quick, discreet and wise.

Nosferatu (noss • fur • AH • too): A vampire clan known for being stealthy, strong and terrifying.

Ordo Dracul (OR • dough drah • KOOL): A covenant of vampires known for its mystic studies and desire to transcend the vampiric condition.

Primogen (PRIM • oh • jen): An elder who advises the Prince of a city (also plural).

Prince: The ruler of, or most powerful Kindred in, a city.

Priscus (PRISS • kuss): The informal “head” of a specific clan within a city. The plural is Prisci (PRISS • key).

regnant: A vampire who has influence or sway over another vampire.

Sheriff: The Kindred responsible for enforcing the Prince’s laws and dictates.

sire: A vampiric “parent,” one who has Embraced a childe; alternatively, a verb, meaning “to Embrace.”

torpor: A death-like sleep into which Kindred fall if they are injured severely or starved for too long. Kindred can also enter torpor willingly to escape the world for a time.

Ventrue (VENN • true): A clan of vampires known for being regal, commanding and aristocratic.

witch-hunter: A mortal who seeks out Kindred and destroys them.