Baali Bloodline: Vampire the Masquerade Sourcebook

DEDICATIONS
For all the Baali fans out there and for the love of the game.
DESIGNS
WRITTEN BY - The many creative creatures over the years, most of this book is a
collaboration of the Baali Clanbook and other Vampire the Masquerade Source-books
(With a little creativity on my part).
EDITED BY - Jasin Holliday, so any mistakes blame him.
ART
COVER ART DESIGN BY - Jasin Holliday | Vampire the Masquerade Logo by Chris Elliott,
Tomas Arfert.
BOOK DESIGN AND LAYOUT - Jasin Holliday
PHOTOGRAPY - iStock | ShutterStock
Original Baali Clanbook Cover by John Bolton.
THE CONTENT WITHIN THIS BOOK IS TO BE USED FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY
NOT FOR SALE.
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
1
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
2
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
3
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
4
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
Baali
Devils,
Demons,
Infernalists,
Shaitan
5
BAALI
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Baali
The Destroyers - Servitors of the Void
"For while they sit contriving, shall the rest, Millions that stand in Arms, and longing wait the Signal to
ascend, sit lingering here Heaven's fugitives, and for their dwelling place accept this dark
opprobrious Den of Shame, the Prison of his Tyranny who Reigns by our delay? No, let us rather
choose armed with Hell flames and fury all at once over Heaven's high Towers to force resistless way,
turning our Tortures into horrid Arms against the Torturer; when to meet the noise of his Almighty
Engine he shall hear Infernal Thunder, and for lightning see black fire and horror shot with equal
rage..."
-- John Milton (Paradise Lost)
"You walk in darkness so
others can see the light."
6
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
the conflict greatly reduced their numbers and power
as well. The Banu Haqim holy war closely followed
the Salubri assault, which further weakened the
bloodline. Diminished in numbers and in strength,
the Baali suffered correspondingly greater
persecution by the other Kindred, mortal witchhunters, as well as conflicting Baali factions. forcing
them to go into hiding in order to survive.
Who are the Baali?
The origins of the Baali are unclear, but they are as
ancient as any of the Clans. The Baali are as old as the
first dark rites held around a primitive campfire,
designed to take control of the forces at work in the
world, rather than be forever at their mercy. An
ancient tribe of humans desired power and so made a
pact with darkness and the night. Over time, these
dark forces acquired have had many names and forms
– the Children of the Outer Darkness, The Lords, and
other much stranger names. The Lords were called
Ba’al in the language of the time, and so their servitors
came to be known as Baali, and later the Shaitan then
simply Demons and Infernalists.
The transmutation of the mortals into Kindred is
an event shrouded in mystery. The two constants in
the stories of the Baali bloodline’s creation are hubris
and foolishness. As the stories have it, A vampire
toyed with the Baali – for fun, to teach them the
foolishness of their ways, or to teach them how
pathetic their attempts at “evil” were, depending on
the tale. Whether it was deliberately or accidentally,
he touched them with his blood. The three who
survived his attentions became the founders of this
tainted line; Moloch, Nergal and one only known as
the Nameless.
The Baali in Kindred
Society
“Just a little farther now, a little farther, and you will
know the truth….”
The sane Baali stay inconspicuous, staying out of
sight and avoiding obvious positions of power.
They operate outside the normal parameters of the
Kindred feudal system or pass themselves off as
members of other Clans; their existence is a
masquerade within the masquerade. The low profile
gives the Baali considerable opportunities to do
valuable research. They collect information, worm
their way into unassuming positions of influence
over those in power, seduce those they can, and in
other ways set themselves up for later advances.
The Baali see existence as a struggle between two
great powers. For lack of better identifications, they
call these sides good and evil, or light and dark. Much
greater than the petty wars and sins of Kindred, these
powers encompass all existence. Everything and
everyone are a part of this conflict; to the Baali, the
only measure of worth is in whether you can
participate in the game.
The major obstacle for the bloodline currently is
their own bloodline. Sects within the Baali disagree
about the end of the world, the followers of
Moloch’s teaching fight to prevent the Sleeper from
waking and devouring the world, then there are the
others who wish to hasten the end by waking the
Sleepers. The Order of Moloch goes to great lengths
to stop their fellow bloodline form waking the
Sleepers, sometimes destroying entire Nest's.
The Baali were doing well for themselves and
might have come into their own as a clan of power,
but an ancient clan of vampire, known as the Salubri,
long ago took up arms against them, crusading to wipe
out the "Infernalists". Although the Baali brought low
most of the best the Kindred warriors,
Typically the only time other Kindred ever notice
the Baali are when the Order of Moloch have failed
in their duty.
7
KINDRED BLOODLINE
BAALI
The Embrace
Your new gods, your new ways
All seek to dispel me
With doctrines of fear built on lies
The hidden one, no longer
I claim my dominion
To the sun of your age, I arise
Cernunnos – Faith and the Muse
Childer are usually indoctrinated into their sire’s cult
upon their Embrace and are expected to follow his
dictates. After five to ten years they’re allowed to strike
out on their own, although they often return to report
to their sires, just as each sire must report back to his
sire, and so on back to the Baali’s infernal masters. Baali
value loyalty greatly in their childer, but they do not
value blind loyalty, which they see as a sign of a weak
mind. The Baali feed upon the weak-willed, but they
Embrace the strong. They try to avoid self-serving,
prideful manipulators, instead preferring mortals who
have glimpsed the larger conflict of the universe and
been drawn toward the darkness?
of Christianity. It also includes scholars who seek
meaning in the universes. The Embrace is preceded
by a long process of indoctrination and culminates in
the induction into the sire’s cult as one of his
favoured acolytes.
The Baali traditionally Embrace by pouring their
vitae into an eviscerated heart and forcing their
chosen to claw through a pit of dead and decaying
bodies to reach it. This also make the Baali one of the
only clans that give their progeny a choice of
becoming a vampire.
They believe this guarantees that only the strongest
candidates make it into the clan. The Baali also know
how to Embrace members of other clans into their
own by means of a ritual called Rite of Apostasy.
This includes people who have dabbled in the occult
or who keep faith with the older gods in the face of
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BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
Elders’ havens are known as nests, and their childer
spend server years with them in that nest before
striking out on their own. Although childer usually
remain loyal to their sires, it is common to see
competition and sometimes even war between different
nests. Different Baali worship different aspects of the
demonic powers; because of this, their agendas and
practices differ as well. Such differences often cause
them to fight among themselves.
They squander the wealth they have
accumulated, they make deals they cannot
possible hope to live up to, and they do so with
no apology and no attempt at excuse.
Most Baali know they are in decline, and that
their bloodline is disappearing into the mists of
time The bloodline has enemies, after all.
Infernalists 'those who call up and worship
demons' are one of the very few beings that can be
called “common enemies” by most of the denizens
of the World of Darkness, Kindred and otherwise.
‘And
behold, a pale horse, and his
name that sat on him was Death, and
Hell followed with him.’
Ever noticed it’s in past tense?
That’s not a mistranslation.
Despite their small numbers and host of enemies,
the Baali are still dangerous. The majority of the
Baali are not Faustian bargainers, looking for
comfort or even knowledge. Most do not wish to
reign in Hell. They believe they know that the
world is doomed. The End Times are here, and
every sacrifice they make, every murder they
incite, is one more chink in the dam holding back
the deluge of blood called Gehenna. If they have
to die to break that dam, so be it. They die
knowing that what they do is what must be done.
Our History
Or legend, perhaps — there are many stories of the
Baali, perhaps you could say the History of the Baali
is the History of the Kindred. The Baali's ledgends go
back as far as the first tribe or men which they say
they originated from. One story says that the childe
of an Antediluvian made a pact with forces beyond
human understanding in order to make war on the
thirteen Clans. He took the name Baal-the-Destroyer,
and he led his apostles against the Second City. The
battle was terrible, and none caught in its wake were
spared — Demon and Kindred alike perished. But the
Baali and their unholy allies were routed and fled,
and over the millennia, they faded from memory, to
legend, to cautionary tale.
Mortal Cults
The Baali prefer to draw cults of weak-willed
mortals around them to feed upon and to use for
their deprave rituals. The typical cult follow the
ideological and philosophical beliefs based on
Satanism, however there are maybe cults based on
other religions, however most are pagan so they
can perform their depravity.
The trappings of religion fascinate them, and
they often take up residence in abandoned
churches and other places of worship that no
longer feel the touch of faith.
The Baali do still exist, the First Inquisition weeded
out the stupid and the careless, but left the clever and
the patient. Some went into torpor, while others
simply claimed membership in another Clan and
begged for sanctuary. Now, in modern nights, the
bloodline sees more concentrated activity than it has
for centuries. Baali are explorers and seekers of
secrets. They will do almost anything and sacrifice
almost anyone to gain access to occult mysteries.
Osiris is the most common Predator Type for the
Baali but others feeding practices are not
uncommon.
9
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
The Factions
The Destroyer
Those who follow the Ba'al-called-the Destroyer
seek an end to all things, that their masters might enter
this world and begin again. They do not seek the
wanton slaughter of innocents, but rather to inherit the
legacy of incessant chaos, and to grant a birth right to
the next turning of the cycle of oblivion.
There are factions and there are cults. Factions are the
teachings of the Three Baali Methuselahs that all Baali
has descended. One does not have to of descended
from a specific Methuselah to follow the faction, but
the majority of Baali do fallow the teachings of the
one they descended from.
Baali who fallow a faction agree through action that
there are certain ways to do things. There are four
main factions of Baali but lesser known faction do
exist.
Many among the Baali bloodline who deserve the
"bloodthirsty cultist" stereotype with which they are so
frequently identified are these "Servitors of the Void," as
many are wont to call themselves. Militant disciples of
ultimate destruction, they have been behind assorted
fabrications and folktales about depraved infemalists
and demon worshippers throughout history. In the past
they would muster great armies in misguided attempts
to slaughter entire cities as sacrifice. Today they have
learned to orchestrate from the shadows as puppet
masters and ring leaders. Many of the devoted in
modern times have been drown in by unreasonable
hatred and bloodlust and have lost sight of the true
goal. They became inextricably entangled with Satanic
hordes, diabolical host, and other conceptions of
infernal. The Destroyer’s welcome the coming of their
venerated Masters, they engage in blatantly obscene
rites and rituals using Dark Blood Sorcery, learned from
there demonic Lords, to open to Void and bring chaos
and destruction into this world.
The Celestial
Many Baali insist that sages such as Solomon,
beneath their Gnostic, Kabbalist and mystical
trappings, all served the same masters -- lofty powers
beyond angel and demon, beyond Heaven and Hell,
beyond even such meaningless distinctions as "good"
and "evil." Over these beings, in a place none can follow,
their creator rules, a nameless, omnipotent entity akin
to the God of modern religions.
10
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
Following in the footsteps of their predecessors and
parent cultures, angelic and demonic scholars use
millennia of compiled charms and circles to yoke
otherworldly beings to their will. These Baali do not
often make their presence known in Cainite power
struggles; such temporal concerns are unimportant to
them. They are more concerned with the lifetime of
lifetimes they have with which to acquire knowledge
-- with the ultimate goal of using that knowledge
to achieve godhead. Occasionally one such creature
(or, more likely, her summoned minions) emerges
from solitude to acquire some trinket or grimoire her
circle does not already possess, but such occasions are
few and far between.
These "Celestial" idolaters, with their thousand
names, credos and magics, are among the most
difficult of the Baali to identify, much less hunt
down. They do not acknowledge a common name or
pantheon of godlings; such names are known to
have true power in the hands of those suitably
informed (or indiscreet). Celestials are often found
in association with mortal and Cainite occultists,
many of whose beliefs and theories intermesh
perfectly with their own -- disparate parts in an
unholy union.
The Swarm
Some Baali claim to hear the siren song of their
masters much more clearly than the rest of their
brethren. To them, the world stirs with a secret
symphony, the strains of which have long been
chittered by some of its oldest inhabitants -- insects.
Avatars of the Swarm (for their ideology admits
none of the familiar Cainite concepts of siring or
generation) unfailingly cling to a single unifying
principle. Their sole purpose, or so they claim, is
perpetuation of the swarm from whence they were
born, and promulgation of the sweet songs that
issue therefrom. To this end, the insect-beings
employ mortal prisoners as grotesque birthing-flesh
for their larvae, defy traditional conceptions of
death through the cultivation of gargantuan organpits, and gather in great subterranean hives, the
better to perfect their unity.
Ironically, these servitors -- drones in service to
their progenitor, who is king, queen, mother, father,
and shelter to them all at once -- are among the
most tolerant of Baal's children, for they work to
unify all oppositions into their vision. Theirs are the
parts made strong in a seamless whole. Theirs is the
secret that has slept since the birth of the world.
And theirs is the great rebirth that will herald the
return of darkness, under a sky blackened by
billions of beating wings.
11
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
The Mystery
The Multitude
It is not known which of the faces of the Children
are, or might be, the "original," but Scholars of the
Enigma of Existence have been a part of human
society for as long as human society has existed.
The same holds true for vampiric philosophers of
the primal urge, and especially for the Baali. For
as long as the bloodline has existed, certain of its
members have pursued that ultimate Why. The
Baali most devoted to the question are alien
creatures, who have turned their unflinching
attentions away
from the lesser concerns of society, solidarity and
even survival in contemplation of their Masters'
mysteries. Theirs is the secret at the centre of
existence, the riddle that has plagued the universe
since the beginning of time. Such ancients have
forsaken everything petty and temporal in their
single-minded quest for the ultimate answer and
will let nothing stand in their way of their plan to
uncover it -- or crack the world trying.
Some of those few who have heard more than
old wives' tales about the Baali believe
internecine squabbles rooted in individual (and
often irreconcilable) philosophies, practices,
and political divisions to be the sole reason the
Baali have not triumphed. The more energy
they expend on internal strife, the less is
available to use to summon the universal
demiurge.
Despite their fervour and fanaticism, it is clear
that a fundamental division of ideology and
practice strikes at the heart of these perverse
practitioners, leading to vicious battles
between nests, and even the occasional betrayal
of the odd infernal school to mortal hunters.
The greatest trick
the devil ever pulled
was convincing the
world that he does
not exist.
Driven by motivations even they do not fully
understand, these "Children of the Enigma"
frequently regard as earth shattering that which
seems inconsequential to others. Indeed, some
younger Baali dismiss these scholars as being
more Hecate ideology than Baali. They prize
nothing so much as enlightenment -- however
alien the notion might seem to others of their
kind -- and thrive on fierce intellectual debate
over the smallest matters. A coven of Children of
the
Enigma may convene to plan for a ritual sacrifice
one night, concentrate their attentions on
corrupting clergy the next, and then abandon
both courses of action in the interests of arguing
the implications of some obscure Sumerian
prophecy. As irregular as they are insidious, the
Children may hold the key to the bloodline's
ultimate triumph -- or they may be ineffective,
deluded fools.
12
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
Baali Archetypes
Clan Compulsion
The Baali do their best to blend in wherever they are,
and so they dress in modern fashion typical of the
country or region. Since the Baali enjoy influence over
others, their clothing is usually of good quality. Baali
however, can be found in all walks of life from all over
the globe.
Mental or Social Attributes are usually primary, with
the other being secondary. Knowledges of all kinds are
common, particularly Occult and Academics. Skills
such as Intimidation, Subterfuge and Leadership also
show up quite often
BAALI: DEFILEMENT
The vampire is compelled to corrupt or defile
innocence. They will do this physically or mentally
depending on the situation. Their desire to defile is so
strong they will receive a two die penalty on any roll
not involved with the corruption or defilement of
others. This will continue until they are satisfied with
corrupting the body or soul of an innocent.
Disciplines
ENTREPRENEUR
You have always been a people person. When it came
to grade school, you were always picked first and
never disparaged any opportunity to get up in front of
the class and give a speech. After graduation, you were
on the fast track to success, always the talk of the
town. And then, you were chosen by the Baali to
become their face to the masses.
Presence: The ability awe or cause dread in their
victims. The Baali use Presence to terrify and seduce
their victims. When feeding, the Baali use this power
so their favoured vessels will always come back for
more more, or to create a specific Resonance in the
blood to feed on.
CLAN MIMIC
You have infiltrated a clan. You have learned to
impersonate someone from another Clan that shares
similar Clan Disciplines (Toreador, Malkavian, The
Ministry). You may have come from a line of Clan
Mimic to completely cover your origin story.
Obfuscate: The ability to melt into shadows, craft an
illusory appearance, or fade from plain sight. The Baali
spy on their prey clad in shadow, whether to feed
discreetly or learn a targets sins and vices from the
shadows.
RELIC HUNTER
Some would say you watched way too many Indiana
Jones movies.
Daimonion: The Baali use this dark power to peer
into the souls of their victims soul, cause pain and to
curse. With Daimonion the Baali can learn others
weaknesses and exploit it or corrupt them to feed the
Children's Dreams.
OCCULT SCHOLAR
The Baali have some of the best occult knowledge in
the world. In life you may have studied the occult and
in unlife you continue to do so.
Daimonion
Daimonion is a diabolic power practiced by the Baali,
they powers were taught to them by The Children to
harness the corruptive powers of the Outer Darkness.
ƒ Type: Sorcery
ƒ Masquerade Threat: Low-High The individual
level of Daimonion very in effect.
Bane
The Baali are particularly vulnerable to religious
symbols; unless those symbols have lain abandoned for a
least half a century, the Baali are repelled. Crosses, Stars
of David, chants of verses from the Qur’an – all repel the
Baali as the Flaw Folklore Block to Holy Symbols.
The Baali also suffer double damage from any Faithbased power.
ƒ Blood Resonance: Choleric. The
blood calls out for fear and and
terror.
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BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
 System: The Baali must
first be able to speak to
the target, playing upon
his inadequacies and the
inescapable consequences
of his shortcomings. For
the duration of the scene,
the user may attack a
single individual each
turn in a Daimonion +
Manipulation vs
Composure + Intelligence
conflict, causing Mortal
victims into fits of terror,
mindless panic-borne
flight like Rötschreck.
Vampires effected by
Fear the Void Below feel
their pending doom and
Daimonion
These are the mysteries of the
Baali, black arts torn whole and
beating from the sorcerer-kings of
ancient cultures and prehistoric
civilizations, incoherent
memories passed from tome to
tongue, hearkening to times of
oblivion. They are sibilant secrets
in which all begins to end and
begin again. With every new night
and novice brought into the
circle, the telling grows shorter.
Level 1
SENCE THE SIN
can only act in their own defense for a turn. If the
Mortal cannot escape the presence of the Baali they
will pass out for three turns. Kindred targets may resist
after the first turn with a Willpower roll equal to the
Baali's margin of win. If the Kindred target garners
more successes than the Baali did on her original roll,
he resists the power completely.
A real mark always convinces himself. The most
dangerous Baali aren’t the ones that use extortion, threats,
or over displays of power; the most dangerous Demons
simply know how to talk their victims into cutting their
own throats. This power allows the Baali to find a target’s
vice.
 Cost: One Rouse Check
 Dice Pools: Daimonion + Insight vs
Composure + Subterfuge
 System:The player rolls Daimonion + Insight vs the
subjects Composure + Subterfuge. If successful, the
Baali can sense the subject’s greatest weakness. The
significance of this information is dictated by the
degree of success: One success might determine a low
Humanity, weak Willpower, or a poorly defended
avenue of approach, while two might yield a closely
guarded secret or conversational misstep. Three or
more yields a central derangement or formative
trauma from the subject’s past.
Level 3
CONFLAGRATION
Not all of the Baali’s powers are designed for
manipulation and subtlety. The Demons can also call
up the fire from the realms of their infernal patrons,
hurling it at their enemies in exultation of the Outer
Dark. This fire spreads and burns normally, but when
it is first created it is black and cold, as though drawn
from a place where terrestrial physics do not apply.
Level 2
 Cost: One Rouse Check
 Dice Pools: Daimonion + Occult
 System: The player burns their own vitae making a
Rouse Check, this creates a bolt of black flame that
inflicts one die of aggravated damage; more Rouse
Checks may be made to increase the size and
damage of the flame. Such fires are fleeting and
dissipate at the end of the turn, unless the Baali
continues to make Rouse Checks on Conflagration
over several turns, gradually creating a larger flame.
FEAR THE VOID BELOW
Once the Baali has mastered reading a subject’s darkest
secrets, he can reach into the victim’s mind and twist what
he finds there. The shock of feeling one’s sends the victim
into catatonia or fits of panic.
 Cost: One Rouse Check
 DicePools: Manipulation + Daimonion
vs Composure + Intelligence
14
KINDRED BLOODLINE
BAALI
The player also rolls Dexterity + Occult (difficulty 6) to
hit his target, who may dodge as normal. Vampires
confronted with this black fire make Rötschreck tests
as if confronted with a similar quantity of normal
flame.
ll injuries sustained by the target in such an encounter are
illusory (substitute catatonia or torpor for death as
appropriate) and vanish upon the phantasm’s defeat or the
Baali’s loss of concentration.
Level 4
Level 5
PSYCHOMACHIA
With this power, the Baali combines his ability to read
the psyche of a victim with the ability to summon up
matter from the Outer Dark. Psychomachia pits a
victim against the most dangerous, shameful parts of
her own subconscious.
 Cost: One:Rouse Check
 Dice Pools:Daimonion + Manipulation vs
Composure or Resolve
 System: The vampire, after learning the targets
tragic flaw (such as after using Sense the Sin), forces
the subject’s player to roll her Resolve or
Composure (difficulty 6). Failing this roll pits, the
target against an apparition summoned from her
darker self, perceptible to the subject only. The
target may see or feel his abusive father, a long-dead
lover, a childhood bogeyman, or (for Kindred
victims) even the Beast itself. A botch indicates the
target has been overwhelmed and frenzies — or,
worse, becomes possessed by his inner demons.
This imaginary antagonist may be wholly narrated
or assigned Traits equivalent or slightly inferior to
the victim’s, at the Storyteller’s option. A
15
CONDEMNATION
The Baali levies a curse upon the victim. The more skillful in
her dark studies the Baali has become, the direr the curse is
likely to be. Legend states that some Baali can wield curses so
foul that the victims attempt suicide after a single night —
only to find that they can no longer die.



Cost: One Rouse Check
Dice Pools: Daimonion + Occult
System: A Daimonion + Occult roll (difficulty equal to
the subject’s Willpower) dictates the length
and severity of the curse. Successes must be split
between both these effects, as per the sidebar below.
The player must split successes between effect and
duration – curses with zero successes allotted to
duration last for one night. For example, if the Baali’s
player rolls four successes, she can inflict a two-success
curse for one month, a three-success curse for up to
week, or a four-success curse for one night. At any time,
the Baali may choose to end the curse. Storytellers
should feel free to invent creative or story-appropriate
curses.
KINDRED BLOODLINE
BAALI
The Children of the Outer Darkness
The Children are ancient beings who sleep deep in an incoherent maze known as the Labyrinth waiting for
Oblivion to consume everything. They are known by many other names; Neverborn, Malfeans, Primordials,
Never Dead and Decani. Whatever name they go by they are being with almost god-like powers, which have been
around since the creation of the world.
No one truly knows how they came into existence was unknown, and they were thought to have simply been
around since the creation of the world. The scholars of the Baali have a few theories about the Children’s origin,
the most common theory is that The Children are the cosmic pain taken form of flesh and soul when life and
death were separated.
These beings have physical bodies in self-created tombs in the earth, when the flesh body of one of the Children
is found the Baali build a pit known as Wells of Sacrifice on that spot. These Well’s are used as a conduit to
commune with the Children.
The physical body is linked to the Children’s souls and minds which exist in the Labyrinth on the edge of
Oblivion. The Children are forever dreaming, but that doesn’t stop them from interacting with the world. Many
of them have legions of dead souls following and worshiping them, these souls are known as Spectres. They carry
out their masters will to hasten the end of all creation.
The Baali believe that if the Children’s soul is reunited with their body, they will bring the end to all creation.
Some Baali wish to waken the Children from their slumber to bring on the end. However, some Baali wish to
keep the Children asleep in their torpor by performing rituals of depravity and sacrifice they lull the Children to
sleep, dreaming of the depravity and corruption they crave. The first Baali wars were fought between sects
because of these two views, one side lead by Nergal and the other Moloch.
Oh my time is up
I know you’re going to burn me
Your judgment coils just like a snake
Around my neck
My destiny is certain
Your curse floats above me
Like a melody I hear
And Heaven’s gates are bolted But
now I’m not even sure
If they want me down in Hell
Let me know, lest we rest
Sing me this song of death
16
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
THE TAKING OF THE SPIRIT
Dark Thaumaturgy
By calling upon the power of Hell, this path allows the
infernalist to strip away the temporary Willpower of
her victim, leaving an almost soulless automaton ready
to serve the infernalist without question. Some
fiendish vampires have built entire legions of servants
for themselves with this power. This fearsome path
works on vampires and kine alike.
■ Cost: One or more Rouse Checks
■ Dice Pools: Willpower vs Willpower
■ System: The infernalist loudly calls forth the legions
of Hell to steal away the spirit of her target and then
touches her target. Depending upon the
circumstances, the Storyteller may require a successful
Dexterity + Brawl roll for the thaumaturge to make
contact with the intended victim. Once contact is
made, the infernalist must engage in a contested
Willpower roll against the subject. If the victim
accumulates more successes on this contested
Willpower roll before being reduced to zero
Willpower, he resists the powers of Hell. In addition,
the suffering he endured hardens his mind, and this
infernal path may not be used against him again a full
year. If the victim is reduced to zero Willpower, he
must do the vampire’s bidding, not speaking, staring
blankly forward, in a state much like a zombie until
he has regained one dot of Willpower, as per the chart
below. If the infernalist is killed, the victim regains all
of his lost Willpower immediately. A Beastial Failer
on the part of the infernalist has unique results: He
loses a number of temporary Willpower points that
corresponds with his mastery of said path. These
Willpower points return at a rate of one per night. If
all points are lost, he may come under the control of
otherworldly forces.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
— Hamlet, I.5, 166-167.
The Baali have been diabolists longer than any other
creature on the planet, and were gathering infernal lore
even before their progenitor cast them down into the
ancient well. With the True Names taught to them by the
Children they called upon the hosts of Hell to teach them
the rites and rituals of the damned.
■ Nickname: Infernalism, Dark Thaumaturgy, Dark
Sorcery.
■ Characteristics: Dark Thaumaturgy is expressly defined
as sorcery taught by demons. Rather than the vampire
utilizing magic inherent in her blood, she calls out to the
demon and it allows her to utilize its infernal energy. Dark
Thaumaturgy is absolutely, unashamedly, viciously evil.
Dark Thaumaturgy requires the user to call out demonic
names and speak infernal blessings, is infernal and
corrupts the user’s soul with each use. All of these powers
require a point of morality loss when they are first used
and continuing tests against a character’s Humanity each
time they are used after the first.
■ Type: Sorcery
■ Masquerade Threat: Low-High. The individual
appearance of the powers and Rituals in Dark
Thaumaturgy varies as widely as their effects.
■ Blood Resonance: Sanguine. Although not inherent in
the Blood itself, Dark Thaumaturgy responds eagerly to
blood from human occultists, sorcerers, and cult leaders,
as well as murders and sinners.
■ Duration: The Willpower siphoned by this power
returns at a rate determined by the Dark
Thaumaturgy’s rating:
•
Return of 3 Willpower points per day’s rest
•• Return of 2 Willpower points per day’s rest
••• Return of 1 Willpower point per day’s rest
•••• Return of 1 Willpower point per week’s rest
••••• Return of 1 Willpower point per two week’s rest
18
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
BIND THE INTERLOPER (LEVEL 1-5)
Rituals
This ritual allows a vampire to force a demon
summoned by another infernalist into servitude,
allowing him to command the demon as if he
summoned it himself. Some methods may include
promising a bounty of souls to the infernal in
payment, knowledge of the demon's True Name
(which probably differs from its summoning name) or
a sacrifice of a valuable object or commodity like the
caster's blood. The ritual's level varies depending on
the potency of the entity being bound (see the table
below), and the ritual requires 10 minutes per level to
perform. The vampire must know the demon's name
and achieve more successes on the roll than the
original summoner accumulated when calling the
demon forth. Should the binding succeed, the demon
serves the vampire for the remainder of its servitude
period, without beginning a new one.
Level
Demon
1
Imp (a mindless, slave demon -- Physical
Attributes of 1, Intelligence 1).
2
Shade (a tormented soul -- Physical
Attributes of 2, Mental Attributes of 2).
3
Pit Lord (a demonic sergeant-at-arms -Physical Attributes of 3, Social and Mental Attributes
of 2).
4
Lesser Demon Noble (a ruler of some
territory in Hell -- all Attributes of 3 or greater, likely
with 10 - 12 points in Disciplines).
5
Greater Demon (All Attributes of 5 or
greater (though these may rise to godlike levels), with a
daunting array of Disciplines).
Unless otherwise noted, performing a ritual, wards or
warding circles are the same as in the core book .
Level 1
CALL FORTH THE HOST (LEVEL 1-5)
This ritual draws forth a demon or tortured spirit from
the Inferno. The creature appears through the power of
the ritual and follows the vampires’ instructions to the
letter (but not the spirit -- demons are known for warping
their orders to serve their own ends). Note that most
demons resent being summoned and ordered around in
this way; they may return later of their own volition to
torment the would be sorcerer. The character must know
the name of the demon she wishes to summon for this
ritual to take effect. Demons take many forms, though
they may generally disguise themselves to walk unnoticed
among humankind.
System: This ritual requires one hour per level to perform
(for example, summoning an imp takes only one hour,
while summoning a shade takes three). The summoned
demon serves the character for a number of hours equal to
10 minus the level of the ritual (again, by way of example,
an imp would serve for nine hours while a shade would
serve for only seven). During this period of servitude, the
demon may not harm the caster, and it must follow her
instructions exactly. When the duration of servitude
expires, the demon vanished in a puff of sulfur and returns
to Hell (though it may return of its own accord later to
even the score).
RITE OF CONTACT
This is a method by which Baali can announce their
presence to others of their clan in a city. When a half
hour incantation is recited, with the Baali enveloped
in total darkness, a telepathic message is sent to the
oldest Baali in the area and then to all others in order
of age. The ritual allows a one minute dialogue with
each individual, contacted at their discretion. This
ritual has also been used as a distress call.
Level
Demon
1
Imp (a mindless, slave demon -- Physical
Attributes of 1, Intelligence 1).
2
Shade (a tormented soul -- Physical Attributes of
2, Mental Attributes of 2).
3
Pit Lord (a demonic sergeant-at-arms -- Physical
Attributes of 3, Social and Mental Attributes of 2).
4
Lesser Demon Noble (a ruler of some territory in
Hell -- all Attributes of 3 or greater, likely with 10 - 12
points in Disciplines).
5
Greater Demon (All Attributes of 5 or greater
(though these may rise to godlike levels), with a daunting
array of Disciplines).
APORT OBJECT
This ritual allows the practitioner to magically
enchant an object. The next time the Infernalist
desires the object in her hand, all she has to do is speak
a magic word and the object appears. This ritual takes
several nights to complete. The infernalist must spend
hours holding the object and repeat the magic word
that will be spoken to summon it.
■ Ingredients: The vampires Blood and a bit of her
flesh.
19
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
VERITAS LOQUI/ SPEAK TRUE
BIND THE FAMILIAR
The caster entreats demons to answer his questions,
revealing secret knowledge or unearthing mysteries.
Most demons are not omniscient, however, and this
ritual's effectiveness is limited by the demon's
knowledge. This ritual has no visible effect, but
individuals with Auspex sometimes claim to have seen
imps or homunculi whispering into the vampire’s ear.
The number of successes accumulated on the roll
determines the extent of the information the demon
must reveal. The caster may ask only one question of
the demon, but he may cast this ritual as many times as
he wants.
The Ritual calls a binds a familiar to the infernalist. This
hour-long ritual calls up a minor imp that possesses an
animal's body and serves the infernalist faithfully.
■ Ingredients: The freshly dead corpse of animal to be
possessed.
THE KNOTTED CORD
This Ritual has saved many an infernalist from trial and
execution, by silent accusers. The infernalist must knot a
length of rope while reciting the name of whomever she
wishes to silence. Unless the target beats the infernalist in
an opposed Willpower roll, he is unable to denounce her.
■ Ingredients: A length of rope
DOMIOE OF LIFE
Many Baali have low Humanity and cannot use the Blush
of Life as effectively as others, this Ritual allows the
vampire to simulate one aspect of humans. The vampire
can eat, drink or breathe just as a mortal can. The vampire
can assume the flesh tone of a mortal, her body
temperature to rise, make her heart beat, or anything else
she desires. The effects last for one entire night.
Successes
Amount of Information
1
Yes or No.
2
A short sentence.
3
A descriptive synopsis (3 - 4 sentences).
4
A complete answer.
5
An encyclopedic answer, which may
include the topic's history, interesting personages’
involved or even apocryphal lore never before known
to mortals or Cainites.
■ Ingredients: The caster must break a dried bone in
two for this ritual to take effect.
CURSE OF OEDIPUS
This ritual blinds the target - who need not be seen, though
the caster must know her name or what she looks like - for
a number of hours equal to five minus her Stamina.
■ Ingredients: Burn a stick of heavy incense
Level 2
Level 3
HAUNTING MEMORIES
WARD AGAINST DEMONS
A Baali can maintain his Humanity through this ritual, the
practitioner creates painful images and transfers their
Stains to the next person touched. The victim will be
haunted by these reoccurring, demoralizing images until
they roll to remove the Stain from their Humanity. The
vampire can transfer all their Stains with this Ritual if they
wish, however only one can be transferred per turn.
This Ritual wards an item against demons, in spirit
form and in possession or a body or item. Any attempt
by them to manipulate or pass through the item
triggers the effect. This ward uses the standard rules
for Wards (Core Book p. 275).
■ Ingredients: A handful of powdered bone mixed with
the Blood.
BRING FORTH THE HELL BEAST
Through the use of this Ritual, an infernalist may infuse an
animal with corruption and rage. The beast becomes
twisted and evil, seeking to wreak the Devil's own havoc on
humanity. An infernalist who knows this ritual merely
needs to lay his hands on any beast and thereby infuse it
with a little of his blood (one Rouse Check). The animal
flies into a rage and attempts to kill anyone and anything it
encounters, until slain. This trace of infernal taint provides
increased strength (Potence 1), and the animal becomes so
frenzied that it feels no pain (and is not affected by wound
penalties).
SIGN OF THE DEMONIC
This ritual makes the Infernalist immune to the attacks
of all spirits – demonic or otherwise – for one scene,
though she cannot affect them for the same period. By
remaining absolutely motionless, the Infernalist may
extend its duration three fold. Movement after the first
scene automatically dissolves the protection.
20
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
THE LEADEN HEART
VILE SWARM
An infernalist uses this Ritual to bind a target to the spot
so he cannot flee the fate in store for him. After a 10minute Ritual, the victim finds himself unable to flee the
area, unless he can beat the Infernalist’s successes in a
Willpower roll. Should the victim botch this roll, he grows
paralyzed with fear and cannot act in any way until the
magic expires. The Ritual's power ends either at cockcrow
(dawn/dusk). This Ritual is not limited by any distance; as
long as the infernalist has a personal token she may affect
her subject. Luckily for that subject, the token is consumed
each time this Ritual is enacted.
■ Ingredients: Targets name and a personal token (a piece
of clothing, a lock of hair)
This Ritual allows entire swarms of vermin to be
commanded and used on missions of destruction. The
infernalist performs the Ritual to summon a horde of
creatures (insects, bats, or rats) and then feeds them
her blood. These bound creatures swarm at the
Infernalist’s command, overwhelming foes and
destroying crops and property. As long as the
infernalist concentrates, the swarm is disguised (such
intense concentration requires the player to spend one
Willpower point each hour). Hundreds, even thousands
of creatures compose the swarm, and only fire or some
other form of destruction can halt its rampage.
LETHEAN CHAINS
The infernalist may erase memories from his target by
using a special potion, thereby concealing his evil
actions. This Ritual allows the infernalist to distill a
potion that causes the imbiber to forget all that
happens for the space of one night - in her amnesiac
state the victim is easily led astray and can even be
blamed for the crimes of the infernalist. The Ritual
itself is simple, taking only a few minutes of
preparation time.
■ Ingredients: The potion's ingredients include the tears
of a demon or water from an Underworld, so are hard
to obtain. Each preparation of the potion contains a
number of doses equal to the Infernalist’s successes.
Level 4
WARDING CIRCLE AGAINST DEMONS
This Ritual creates a circular Ward on the floor or ground,
intended to prevent the passage of spirits. Although more
difficult than some Warding circles, it is one of the most
commonly found in grimoires and other sources. A human
occultist could potentially reconstruct a functioning
version of this Ritual with an Intelligence + Occult test
(Difficulty 6), although they could not cast it without vitae
or some other supernatural aid or element. This ward uses
the standard rules for Warding circles found in the core
book.
■Ingredients: The caster draws the Warding circle with an
iron knife dipped in powdered bone and Blood.
Level 5
BALEFIRE
This ritual allows the Baali to draw upon the Balefires of
Hades to bathe her body in a sickly blue green glow. The
Baali is able to throw bolts of this toxic energy at her
enemies. Any number of bolts may be thrown, at the rate
of one per turn, but each costs the Baali one Rouse Check.
Hitting requires a Perception + Occult roll; he takes three
points of aggravated damage. Any non-living material hit
by the Balefire decays; wood warps, metal rusts, stone
becomes soft and crumbs.
■ Ingredients: The material component is a piece of
radioactive waste or raw uranium.
SOUL LEECH
The Infernalist with this power can draw souls out of
the recently deceased with a successful Wits + Occult
roll (difficulty of the soul's Willpower). The Infernalist
cannot retain the souls, but drawing them out with this
ritual destroying them while replenishing the
Infernalist. Each soul thus absorbed gives the
Infernalist five Rouse Checks worth of blood and heals
one wound or slack Hunger. The Infernalist also
receives a rush, stronger than any blood drinking could
give. Souls go through complete agony during these few
moments. They appear as vapour cloud of swirling light
wisping around the Infernalist, making terrible
moaning sounds for the entire duration. The face of the
victim can be seen in the vapour.
21
BAALI
KINDRED BLOODLINE
INTO THE ABYSS
This ritual allows the vampire to step into Hell itself. Why
anyone would want to do this is unknown, but some say
that ancient artifacts lie among the hoards or Hell. This
ritual requires 24 hours to cast, during which the vampire
must remain awake. At the end of the ritual, the portal
opens, and it will remain so for a number of hours equal to
the caster's Willpower. Denizens of Hell may not escape
through this portal, though they may attempt to deny exit
to any vampires who have invaded their realm of eternal
torture.
■ Ingredients: To enact this ritual, the caster must wash an
entire wall with the blood of children; the wall then
becomes the portal into Hell.
OF FILTH AND FLIES
More than any other Kindred the Infernalists have every
reason to fear final death. Not only are they hated by most
other Cainites, some have even sold their souls to demonic
forces in exchange for vast power. This ritual was
developed so Infernalists could ensure continued service
under their demonic masters as well as postponing the
inevitable loss of their soul. This ritual turns the infernalist
or his chosen subject into a huge swarm of flies in the face
of imminent death. Within the next 24 hours after the
ritual has been performed, whenever the subject hits
Incapacitated or below when taking damage he will instead
burst into a sentient swarm of flies. When the swarm
returns to the circle the subject will awaken the next
evening buried in the soil where the carcass was,
incapacitated but with a Hunger points total reflecting
how much of the swarm managed to return. If the swarm
fails to return within the 24 hour limit it will transform
back into the subjects physical body without blood and
Incapacitated at the spot where the largest part of the
swarm is located.
■ Ingredients: The Infernalists needs a mammal corpse, the
size of a pig, dog or human kid, and bury it in loose soil. He
then needs to mix three Rouse Checks worth of Vitae with
faeces and draw a wide circle with it around the spot where
the carcass is buried. The infernalist or a subject of his
choice then sits in the middle of the circle and paints an X
with the mixture on the forehead. The subject then has to
consume two handfuls of maggots. These will be absorbed
by the subjects’ Vitae and won't result in vomiting.
TRANSFER ESSENCE
This ritual has save many Baali from which hunters and
their many enemies. The ritual transfers the Infernalists
soul into a new body. The casters old body crumbles to
dust. This ritual requires a Stamina + Occult roll.
All mental and social skills and attributes and are
transfered, the physical statics are the same as the dead had
in life. All vampiric Disciplines and Blood Potencies are
transfered as well. If the corpse is more than human werewolf or changeling -the vampire may be gaining new
powers as well, becoming an Abomination or Maeghar
(Storytellers discretion).
■ Ingredients: A fresh new human corpse, no more than ten
hours dead.
22
LORESHEET
Sahar-Hannibaal
A
fter his grandsire Tanit, went into torpor he became
the leader of the Order of Moloch.
The Baali that are the descendants of the Methuselah known as
Moloch, who was also called Andramelech by the Cainites of
ancient Phoenicia and Ba’al-Hammon by the Cainites of Carthage,
where he was worshiped openly as a god. Subtle, seductive and
cruel beyond human imagination, Moloch devoted his existence to
controlling the sleep-cycle of the powerful entities known
primarily as the Children.
Moloch’s descendants follow his teachings, committing horrors
and atrocities by defiling humanity, lulling the Children down
with a symphony of horrors to prevent them from waking and
ending the world.
Lore
● Occult Library: Your connection to
Sahar-Hannibaal and his followers
gives you access to a secret library
somewhere close to your domain, or
the domain you are visiting. You
know from rumour or reliable
sources where one of these libraries
should be located. Once per
chronicle you can use this knowledge
to study in this library and develop
your Occult Knowledge. When you
have access to the library any Occult
Roll has a 2-dot bonus, subject to the
Storyteller’s approval.
● ● Order Member: Sahar-Hannibaal
leads the cult known as the Order of
Moloch. You are either a member of
the Order or have a close bond to
those who are.
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|omembers of the Extended Cult,
who may assist you, or school you.
Note that unlike regular
Backgrounds, use of these dots
require a Boon in return.
● ● ● Occult Relic: You have in your
possession or know the location of
an Occult Relic. You can trade this
relic for three dots in Resource or
for a boon from a prominent
member of the order of Moloch,
including Sahar-Hannibaal.
Possessing this relic gives you a
Status bonus of one die to Social
rolls when you are among other
Baali.
23
The exact nature of the Occult Relic
is subject to the Storyteller’s
approval.
●●●● Defender: The Order of
Moloch are the secret defenders of
the world, keeping the Children
slumbering. Either you were taught
the ways of The Order by SaharHannibaal, or his cult taught you
Moloch's dictates. But Baali respect
your knowledge and will contact you
for knowledge, in return you can ask
for boons and favours.
●●●●● Personal Favour: Your
relationship with Sahar-Hannibaal is
such degree that he has agreed to
come to your aid when you are in
need. You have been taught a ritual
that will show him your location and
visions of your soroundings. This
can be used once be story.