Welcome to Gaia! ::

01 Introduction
02 Table of Contents
03 Basic Clan Info
04 Detailed Clan Info
05 Clan Abilities & Weakness
06 Malkavian Abilities
07 Clan Archetypes
08 Clan Relationships
09 Active Members
10 Ananke Cults
11 Embracing
12-15 reserved

Origins and History
The Ananke clan is a distinguished and sinister offshoot of the notorious Malkavian bloodline, known for their reputation as lunatics and madmen. While most Malkavians are written off by other Kindred and dismissed as unintelligible, the Ananke are feared amongst other vampires. Malkavians may be occasionally correct in their prophecies from time to time but Ananke are nearly always correct. Clan Ananke are characterized by their calculated and methodical nature. Their roots trace back to ancient civilizations, including Rome, Greece, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. It was in these lands of myth and legend that the Ananke first emerged, refining their dark arts and cultivating their obsession with omniscience.

Beliefs and Practices
The Ananke are deeply entrenched in the practice of haruspex and various other forms of divination. They believe that through these ancient techniques, they can unravel the secrets of the universe and attain a form of omniscience. This pursuit of knowledge drives them to perform gruesome rituals, often involving the dissection of their victims to read omens in the entrails. Their belief system is heavily influenced by the concept of fate and destiny, named after the Greek personification of necessity, Ananke. They view their actions, no matter how heinous, as a means to fulfill a predestined role in the grand tapestry of existence. This fatalistic perspective justifies their calculated murders and the trophies they take from each kill, which they believe hold esoteric significance. Goddess Ananke was also the mother of the three Fates (Lachesis, Atropos and Clotho) and sometimes the name for all three Fates as a group.

Clan Structure and Organization
In stark contrast to the chaotic nature of the Malkavian parent clan, the Ananke are organized and strategic. Many Ananke societies are structured like cults, operating on self-sustaining compounds and communes far removed from the prying eyes of society. These enclaves are meticulously run, often with a rigid hierarchy that ensures discipline and order. Leadership within the Ananke is typically based on a combination of age, knowledge, and prowess in their divinatory practices. The most revered members are those who have demonstrated an exceptional ability to predict and manipulate events to their advantage, often referred to as the Oracles of Ananke.



Rituals and Customs
The Ananke are meticulous in their rituals, which often involve elaborate ceremonies and the use of various divinatory tools. The haruspex is the most prominent of these practices, where the entrails of their victims are examined for omens and guidance. Each kill is methodically executed, and a trophy is taken from each victim—these trophies are believed to hold mystical significance and are used in further divinations. In addition to (or instead of) haruspex, the Ananke employ other forms of divination, including (but not limited to) tarot reading, scrying, and astrology. These practices are integrated into their daily lives, and decisions within the clan are often made based on the outcomes of these divinations. Ananke tend to be drawn towards all types of divination no matter how obscure or niche it may be.

The Modern Ananke
In the modern era, the Ananke clan continues to thrive in the shadows. Their ability to mask their insanity allows them to integrate into various sectors of society where they can continue their dark work. The rise of technology and forensic science has posed new challenges, but the Ananke have adapted by leveraging their positions of authority and expertise in medical and law enforcement fields to stay ahead of the game. Their compounds and communes remain hidden, often situated in remote areas where they can conduct their rituals without interference. These enclaves are self-sustaining, with members contributing to the community through their various skills and professions. The Ananke remain vigilant in their pursuit of knowledge, ever striving to unlock the mysteries of fate and destiny that drive their existence. The Ananke clan stands as a chilling testament to the dark potential within the Malkavian bloodline. Their calculated and methodical approach to their psychopathy sets them apart from their parent clan, making them a formidable and terrifying presence in the world of vampires. Through their ancient practices and unwavering pursuit of omniscience, the Ananke continue to carve their path through history, leaving a trail of death and divination in their wake.

Dementation
As Malkavians, Ananke are all afflicted with a type of madness to some degree. Typically these are in the range of conditions like psychopathy, sociopathy, masochism, sadism, extreme narcissism. They may have some level of delusion such as delusions of grandeur (convinced they are a deity, death personified, fate itself, etc), or extreme paranoia. For the most part, Ananke will have one main affliction and occasionally other conditions that are co-morbid with it. (This is in contrast to their Malk cousins who may have multiple conditions or very complex and unspecified conditions that affect them.) Ananke also have a tendency towards addictions, so things like substance abuse and gambling can often be found ruining the 'harmony' of a compound. This has led to many Ananke forming alliances with Anvari.

Each member of Ananke will possess some access to each of these abilities in varying degree, though typically one of them will be stronger than the others. For example a vampire gifted in Haruspex may barely have access to the Tapestry. The older the vampire is, the stronger their abilities will be and the more abilities they will master over time.

The Tapestry
Madness Network is a term used by Malkavians to describe the psychic link shared by all vampires of the clan. It is also known as the Cobweb, the Tapestry, the Weavery, and by a dozen other names. To the Ananke, it is called the Tapestry, the red thread of fate linking every Ananke to one another. While other Malkavians attribute the Tapestry to Malkav, members of the Ananke consider it a blessing from Ananke herself to her Childer.

Even within the clan, few understand the nature and purpose of the Network, though all agree that Malkav himself is somehow involved. One of the more popular theories is that Malkav no longer exists in a physical form, but instead is a psychic entity – Malkav is the Network. Others claim the Network was created by him in order that he may use every one of his childer as his eyes and ears in the mortal world.

The Network's main function seems to be bringing Malkavians together for gatherings through "The Call", a powerful psychic summons. This was the method used to gather the majority of the clan for the Great Prank – the removal of Dementation – before the formation of the Camarilla. Gatherings in modern nights are generally much smaller, and are often called to organize a group activity such as pranking an elder or terrorizing a particular area of a city.

This does not mean that they are in constant telepathic communication, though, nor that they are continually bombarded by one signal after another. For what it is worth, Malkavians spend a very low percentage of their time tapped into the Network. Many hear only a faint fluttering two or three times a year. For the vast majority of his nights, the only company a Malkavian has within his skull is his own dementia. Whatever its true nature, the Madness Network does come across as largely unknowable, even to Malkavians.

Not all Malkavians can access the Network with equal skill, and only the most powerful can use it for their own purposes. The gathering of almost the whole clan, such as the Great Prank, was the doing of six methuselahs. Several high-level powers of the Auspex and Dementation Disciplines allow Malkavians to access and use the Network, and all Malkavians may learn the Talent of Malkavian Time, which allows them to tap into it with greater ease, and even – though with much difficulty – send messages to other Malkavians.

It is indeed possible for a Malkavian to "upload" their consciousness into the shared Madness Network. This is not quite a form of immortality, as what remains on the Network possesses a rudimentary sort of sentience, as much an echo of the vampire's personality as anything else. There is no evidence to suggest that the Network remnants of a Malkavian's personality have any sort of strong ambition or self-awareness, other than being a collection of ideas and memories that fire off when appropriate stimuli present themselves. Whatever "intelligence" remains is incomplete, somewhat broken and rather difficult to reason with – after all, it no longer has the context of a body and a separate set of memories. It is somewhat further outside the bounds of reality, bodiless and indistinct – and, of course, quite mad.

This particular tidbit of lore is not common knowledge at all; it is preserved as one of the greatest secrets of the clan, and it cannot be accessed through the Network itself. Anyone willing to make this final plunge will have to somehow come up with the idea in the first place, and then do the legwork to make it necessary. Nothing is ever easy for the Malkavians.

Malkavian Time
To outsiders, Malkavians have an uncanny knack for showing up in the right place at the right time. Or, in some cases, the wrong place at the right time. This ability comes from a keenly developed ability known as Malkavian Time. Clan meetings occur on this unwritten schedule, passed through to members by the Malkavian Madness Network. A message is initially sent through some form of media. The sender could write a message on the back of a receipt, whisper something into a cell phone, or press their head against a TV screen. The Malkavians able to receive the message do so by encountering the same media. The receiver will see it written on any receipt in their pocket, hear it over their cell phone line, or have the cable news pundit speak the message directly to them. The Malkavian keeps hearing the message repeatedly until they acknowledge it and take action towards it. Any Malkavian can take Malkavian Time as a Specialty of their Awareness Skill.

Any Malkavians with dots in Awareness can receive messages, but only those with the Specialty can send messages. When a meeting is coming, the Storyteller secretly rolls Perception + Awareness (difficulty 6). Successes clue the Malkavian in to an upcoming meeting. The more successes, the more time the Malkavian has to prepare to see the rest of her Clanmates. One success means the meeting just started, two successes means there’s a meeting tonight, three successes means a meeting tomorrow, with each success adding an additional night for the Malkavian to prepare. Sending messages requires a Wits + Awareness roll (difficulty 6). Every success means the message gets out on another form of media.

Eye of Chaos
Some Malkavians, especially those who employ the use of Dementation or Auspex, can access a Malkavian ability called Eye of Chaos. In essence, this is the concept that some Ananke can read a person's aura and get an accurate judge of their character and motives without much information provided. They may be able to pick up on details that are being hidden/concealed from them through a combination of the Ananke's intuition and psychic abilities, or being manipulative enough to convince the person to spill more details without realizing it.

This peculiar power allows the vampire to take advantage of the fleeting clarity hidden in insanity. She may scrutinize the “patterns” of a person’s soul, the convolutions of a vampire’s inner nature, or even random events in nature itself. The Kindred with this power can discern the most well-hidden psychoses, or gain insight into a person’s true self. Malkavians with this power often have (or claim to have) knowledge of the moves and countermoves of the great Jyhad, or the patterns of fate.

System: This power allows a vampire to determine a person’s true Nature, among other things. The vampire concentrates for a turn, then her player rolls Perception + Occult. The difficulty depends on the intricacy of the pattern. Discerning the Nature of a stranger would be difficulty 9, a casual acquaintance would be an 8, and an established ally a 6. The vampire could also read the message locked in a coded missive (difficulty 7), or even see the doings of an invisible hand in such events as the pattern of falling leaves (difficulty 6). Almost anything might contain some hidden insight, no matter how trivial or meaningless. The patterns are present in most things, but are often so intricate they can keep a vampire spellbound for hours while she tries to understand their message.

This is a potent power, subject to adjudication. Storytellers, this power is an effective way to introduce plot threads for a chronicle, reveal an overlooked clue, foreshadow important events, or communicate critical information a player seeks. Important to its use, though, is delivering the information properly. Secrets revealed via Eyes of Chaos are never simple facts; they’re tantalizing symbols adrift in a sea of madness. Describe the results of this power in terms of allegory: “The man before you appears as a crude marionette, with garish features painted in bright stage makeup, and strings vanishing up into the night sky.” Avoid stating plainly, “You learn that this ghoul is the minion of a powerful Methuselah.”

Voice of Madness

By merely addressing his victims aloud, the Kindred can drive targets into fits of blind rage or fear, forcing them to abandon reason and higher thought. Victims are plagued by hallucinations of their subconscious demons, and try to flee or destroy their hidden shames.

Tragedy almost always follows in the wake of this power’s use, though offending Malkavians often claim that they were merely encouraging people to act “according to their natures.” Unfortunately for the vampire concerned, he runs a very real risk of falling prey to his own voice’s power.

System: The player spends a blood point and makes a Manipulation + Empathy roll (difficulty 7). One target is affected per success, although all potential victims must be listening to the vampire’s voice. Affected victims fly immediately into frenzy or a blind fear like Rötschreck. Kindred or other creatures capable of frenzy, such as Lupines, may make a frenzy check or Rötschreck test (Storyteller’s choice as to how they are affected) at +2 difficulty to resist the power. Mortals are automatically affected and don’t remember their actions while berserk. The frenzy or fear lasts for a scene, though vampires and Lupines may test as usual to snap out of it.

The vampire using Voice of Madness must also test for frenzy or Rötschreck upon invoking this power, though his difficulty to resist is one lower than normal. If the initial roll to invoke this power is a failure, however, the roll to resist the frenzy is one higher than normal. If the roll to invoke this power is a botch, the frenzy or Rötschreck response is automatic.

Total Insanity

The vampire coaxes the madness from the deepest recesses of her target’s mind, focusing it into an overwhelming wave of insanity. This power has driven countless victims, vampire and mortal alike, to unfortunate ends.

System: The Kindred must gain her target’s undivided attention for at least one full turn to enact this power. The player spends a blood point and rolls Manipulation + Intimidation (difficulty of her victim’s current Willpower points). If the roll is successful, the victim is afflicted with five derangements of the Storyteller’s choice. The number of successes determines the duration. On a botch… well, the Storyteller can decide what a vampire inflicts upon herself by attempting to incite the primal hells lurking within the darkest recesses of a victim’s mind. The victim (or the target of a botch) can spend a number of Willpower points equal to the successes rolled to end the duration prematurely. The Storyteller decides when such Willpower points can be spent (such as after a therapy session or after a friend has managed to prove a particular delusion to be false).

Babble

This power allows a Kindred to speak with multiple targets using telepathy. All of their minds are linked, but they must communicate with each other by speaking out loud. Furthermore, each person linked speaks as if the person he or she is talking to is standing right next to him or her. For example, if Alexandria and Mister E. are connected with Babble, Alexandria can murmur quietly and be heard since he’s in a movie theater, while Mister E. has to shout because she’s on the dance floor of the local dance club.

System: The vampire may link a number of targets equal to her permanent Willpower. Malkavians may push the number of people connected to Babble to her Willpower + Empathy, if all the subjects possess at least one derangement and don’t resist the Discipline. Kindred with the Malkavian Time Specialty may choose to use their Awareness instead.

Lingering Malaise

While lesser Dementation powers allow a vampire to inflict temporary (though often long-lasting) madness upon a victim, elders of the Clan have developed the ability to infect the minds of their victims with permanent maladies. Lingering Malaise causes permanent psychological shifts within the victim, making him, as one Gangrel elder remarked, “an honorary Lunatic.”

System: The character speaks to his victim for at least a minute, describing the derangement that Lingering Malaise will inflict. The player rolls Manipulation + Empathy (difficulty equal to the victim’s current Willpower points); the victim resists with a Willpower roll (using his permanent Willpower at 8 difficulty). If the user of Lingering Malaise scores more successes, the victim gains a permanent derangement chosen by the individual who inflicts it. Lingering Malaise may only be used to inflict one derangement per night on any given victim, though multiple attempts may be made until the derangement takes hold.

Shattered Mirror

Although Dementation’s low-level effects are primarily to initiate or promote insanity rather than to create it spontaneously, some of its more potent manifestations are not as subtle. The wielder of this fearsome power can transfer her own deranged mindset into the psyche of a hapless victim, spreading her own brand of insanity like a virus.

System: The vampire must establish eye contact with her intended victim to apply this power. The player then rolls Charisma + Subterfuge (difficulty equal to the target’s current Willpower points) resisted by the target’s Wits + Self-Control/Instinct (difficulty equal to the Dementation user’s current Willpower points). If the aggressor wins, the target gains all of her derangements and Mental Flaws for a period of time determined by the number of net successes the aggressor scored.

The Call

Malkavians say that Malkav speaks to them. (For Ananke, of course they attribite this to Ananke rather than Malkav.) Unlike the reasoning from Eyes of Chaos, this isn’t without justification. Malkavians are linked on the subconscious level, somehow, by their shared blood. Even without a shared language or differing Derangements, Malkavians can often come to a mutual understanding with frightening rapidity. The exact nature of this link is hotly debated, the secret closely guarded. In nights hence, savvy Seers will call this the Madness Network.

Those of low Generation can directly call upon this link, communicating with and or summoning their lesser. The ancient Iktomi uses this to call from a land unknown to all contemporary Malkavians, save a few raving madmen in the old Danelaw.

System: To Call, a Malkavian (and only a Malkavian) names another Malkavian of equal or lesser Generation, then rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty 6). Success within the allotted range establishes a pseudo-telepathic communication with the named target, so long as she is in range. The catch is that the communication must be verbal, carried on as if the participants are standing next to one another. A Malkavian in a quiet chamber room must loudly shout to talk to the Malkavian on the battlefield, while the latter need only whisper to be heard. The vampire using Fire Voice must also test for Rötschreck upon invoking this power, though his difficulty to resist is one lower than normal. If the initial roll to invoke this power is a failure, however, the difficulty of the roll to resist the frenzy increases by one instead. If the roll to invoke this power is a botch, the Rötschreck response is automatic.

If no target is named, this power instead sends out a general pulse to those in range, carrying with it a one-word feeling of intent. This can be a call to convocation (these nights, that’s tantamount to invitation for battle with the Brujah) or a beacon of distress. Other clan members hear and attend if they so choose. The Call merely conveys an impression, and a feeling of a place and time. The Call is instinctive, such that an Iberian Malkavian visiting London would be able to follow his impressions and visions to the gathering place as readily as any native Cassandra.

Generally speaking amongst other clans, the Ananke fall somewhere between "feared" and "revered". Many vampires may not even believe the Ananke truly exist and are just a legend told to make the Malkavian clan look less insane and more calculated for the sake of appearances. Those that do know of the clan typically have one of two relationships with them; some vampires see them as an asset or tool and seek them out when they want divination or killing services performed. Others avoid the clan entirely out of terror or disgust - as the Ananke are more than willing to slay their own kind for fun. Malkavians of course are far more accepting of their madness and will be more likely to be drawn to an Ananke thru the Tapestry.

Ananke & Other Ananke
The Ananke have a complicated relationship to one another. You could say each one is always looking over their shoulder at the other, just in case of becoming their next victim (being a murderer amongst other murderers will do that to you). However, for the most part there is a mutual respect amongst Ananke, if not some "friendly competition" about the number or notoriety of their targets. Anyone who has proved themselves worthy of the clan is at the very least dangerous enough that they shouldn't be provoked. Higher-ranking and older clan members are highly respected by even the newest fledgelings (at least, to their face).

Ananke & The Masquerade
Most Ananke respect the Masquerade and would not reveal their true nature unless forced by the most dire circumstances. However, some of the more rebellious or truly twisted Ananke might casually bring it up in conversation to gauge their victim's response and torment them with fear before they kill them.

Ananke & Mortals
Ananke have a complex relationship with mortals. Economically, there are many Ananke who depend on them for resources like income or housing, so they are at the very least cordial with them. Plenty of Ananke will just view mortals as playthings and a food source. Some Ananke may have a deep-seated hatred towards mortals which makes mortals the main target of any Ananke's dark desire to kill.

Ananke & Malkavians
The Ananke, for the most part, look down upon the Malkavians with shame and pity. They see Malks as their chaotic and unhinged cousin, and see so much wasted potential. If only they could learn to conquer their madness as we have, they would not be looked down upon by other clans... Ananke, on the whole, reject the traditional Malkavian belief that Malkav is their disciple/founder, instead believing that Ananke to be their progenitor. The most common belief is that Ananke is both a vampire and the goddess of fate. There are certainly still some Ananke who hold entirely different beliefs that are unique to their specific cult - perhaps worshipping their own cult leader and dismissing Ananke.

Ananke & Camarilla
Blood traitors and thieves who took what did not belong to them! Ananke look upon the Tremere with disdain and disgust as most clans do. Even the most psychotic Ananke cannot condone the actions of Tremere and their tainted vampirism. While, yes the Ananke sometimes kill their own kind, it's considered a ritualistic killing within the clan holding extreme spiritual significance and, in their own twisted minds, fulfilling some sort of destiny or helping their victim 'ascend'.

The Ananke have formed a deep sisterhood with the Galloi bloodline/clan, with both clan members obsessed with macabre rituals. There is an understanding that the "extra blood" will be traded to Galloi for their "leftover parts" for the Ananke to divine with.

As far as other Camarilla the Ananke are for the most part neutral/cordial towards one another, occasionally exchanging services/money. There are no particular clans that they are especially 'friendly' with except perhaps Ventrue or Banu Haqim. They say that money talks when you deal in the dark. One could also say that some Ananke may feel a sort of kinship or similarity to those in Nosferatu and Gangrel. In particular many Pagan and Wiccan Ananke find they have much in common with members of Lhiannon.

Ananke & Sabbat/Antitribu
Ananke generally do not care for the Sabbat. They will never mate/breed with a Sabbat clanned vampire regardless of circumstance. They are also generally uninterested in Antitribu due to their rejections of clan loyalty, though some Ananke can somewhat relate to the sentiment it's rare any Ananke themselves become Antitribu. (You could say too many Ananke have been indoctrinated too deeply to even consider it. That's not to say there will never be an Ananke Antitribu, but it would be exceptionally rare.)

Ananke & Independent
Ananke tend to be less critical of Independent clans and bloodlines, and will sometimes spend time around them to offer divination services or conduct other business deals. There have been some Ananke known to work closely with members of Cappadocian to gain dark knowledge.

This is a WIP and is going to take time, but eventually there will be some cult leaders created into Ananke and their owners will be allowed to start/run their cults as they please.

All Elder ranks will be reserved for cult leaders.

Pythia's temple is a breathtaking blend of ancient grandeur and dark mystique, perfectly reflecting her dual role as the oracle of Delphi and the eldest vampire of the Ananke clan. The temple, nestled high on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, is a place where time seems to stand still, shrouded in both history and legend. The temple's exterior is a masterpiece of classical Greek architecture. Majestic carved columns, weathered by centuries, stand tall and proud, supporting a grand pediment adorned with intricate carvings depicting scenes from Greek mythos. The marble facade glows with an ethereal light under the moon, giving it an otherworldly appearance. Ivy and climbing roses, dark with age, entwine around the columns, their leaves and thorns hinting at the vampiric presence within. Inside, the temple's grandeur takes on a more eerie and mystical quality. The main hall is vast, with a high vaulted ceiling that seems to disappear into darkness. Flickering torches cast long shadows on the walls, where ancient frescoes depict prophetic visions and the history of the Ananke clan. The air is thick with the scent of incense and a hint of something more metallic. The temple exudes an aura of power and ancient wisdom, mixed with an undercurrent of dark energy. Visitors are often struck by a sense of awe and unease, as if the very walls are alive with the whispers of centuries-old secrets. The blending of the sacred and the profane, the divine and the undead, creates a unique and unforgettable ambiance that leaves a lasting impression on all who enter.



At the heart of the temple lies the Oracle's Chamber, where Pythia delivers her prophecies. This chamber is a circular room, with the center dominated by a stone tripod over a fissure in the earth. From this fissure, a continuous stream of vapors rises, casting a haze over the room and adding to the otherworldly ambiance. The walls are lined with ancient texts and scrolls, recording centuries of prophecies and clan lore. Pythia's throne, where she sits in her role as the oracle, is a majestic seat carved from obsidian and adorned with gold and ruby inlays that catch the light in a mesmerizing dance. The throne is elevated on a dais, allowing Pythia to look down upon those who seek her wisdom.

Hidden beneath the temple, accessible only through a concealed passage, is the vampire sanctum. This underground lair is a stark contrast to the ancient Greek elegance above. Here, the walls are of rough-hewn stone, and the space is lit by the eerie glow of phosphorescent fungi. Elaborate coffins and relics of the Ananke clan's history are carefully arranged around the room, creating a solemn and reverent atmosphere.