Enrathi, the Vile Slavers
Revenant Family · Vampire
“My, you are a cute one! Would you like to meet your uncle now?”
Enrathi, the Vile Slavers
Legends claim that the roots of the Enrathi family tree trace back to humble beginnings in Italy, sometime in the sixth century B.C.E. They were once Etruscan farmers who had suffered greatly from the changing tides of commerce and industry, for their talents did not lie in working the land alongside their neighbors. As the Etruscan civilization shifted from farming to mining precious metals, eventually the Enrathi were forced to choose a new trade. Instead of digging for copper, however, the Enrathi became merchants and traders and prospered for a time along with their people.
Unfortunately, the newly expanded Etruscan civilization did not last long, and eventually the people were assimilated by the Romans around 500 B.C.E. Not long afterward, the Enrathi family fortunes began to crumble as the proud Romans preferred to do business with other Romans. Desperate and alone, the Enrathi joined forces with spurned traders and allies, such as the Rafastio, who were in a similar position. Not long afterward, the family turned to owning, trading, buying, and kidnapping slaves when other more respectable merchants would not.
In truth, the Enrathi may have been manipulated into becoming a revenant family of slavers over the course of many years by the Tal’Mahe’Ra. Some vampires suspect that the Enrathi may have been their loyal agents long before they realized it, and had been introduced to the Rafastio prior to the Romans stepping foot in northern Italy. While unprovable, few Enrathi doubt that their ancestors were moral and righteous, for the family has always been filled with opportunists bent on surviving at all costs, and suspect they may have agreed to an eternal life of servitude in exchange for security and the promise of Embrace.
For centuries, the Enrathi slavers continued to trap and sell desperate souls as their primary source of income. As time passed, however, some vampires believe the Enrathi’s focus shifted from
human trafficking for profit to kidnapping victims
because they enjoyed it. Why else would they
continue to risk life and limb despite significant
advances to end slavery? Ironically, while many vampires benefit greatly from the services the Enrathi perform, such as kidnapping “gifts” for visitors and luring children out of their beds
for special feedings, they also claim that this
family of revenants is even more brutal and
depraved than the Bratovich. Thus, while
the Clans and Sects have not outright
condemned the Enrathi, warnings
are often issued to tread carefully
when dealing with them, for they are not beneath kidnapping and selling vampires despite their status and position. In truth, most vampires would be shocked to learn that Clan Ventrue is one of the family’s biggest clients.
Modern Enrathi are an amalgamation of a child’s worst fears and a vampire’s. They claim
no allegiance to any Clan or bloodline, nor do
they ally themselves with a specific Sect, even though one branch of the family is loyal to the Tal’Mahe’Ra, and other branches act as free agents. While no one, mortal or vampire, has survived a visit to their fortresses uninvited, it is commonly believed that the Enrathi’s operation is as sophisticated and well-funded as any terrorist organization’s.
Despite being mortal, the Enrathi are not squeamish when it comes to torture, and do
not struggle to maintain their humanity. It
has long been suspected, however, that the
Enrathi revenants have encouraged such
rumors, for the family also performs
high-priced services such as transporting
vampires through enemy territory or
participating in a hunt for transgressors.
Appearance: Enrathi revenants who can trace their ancestry back to their Etruscan forbearers have the same characteristics as northern Italians do. Of all the families, however, the Enrathi frequently intermarry, and members are occasionally mistaken for descendants of other revenant families from eastern Europe. When seen in public, the Enrathi tend to dress well and carry arms befitting a mercenary or private security. Those who dare to examine them closer, however, might notice the dark stains on their clothing that never come out.
from eastern Europe. When seen in public, the Enrathi tend to dress well and carry arms befitting a mercenary or private security. Those who dare to examine them closer, however, might notice the dark stains on their clothing that never come out.
Appearance
Enrathi revenants who can trace their ancestry back to their
Character Creation
Most of the Enrathi have a hand in the family business, in some fashion, and characters tend to be specialized accordingly. Slavers, torturers, and kidnappers, for example, are more physical than their relatives and their Nature and Demeanor reflects their amoral personalities. While all Enrathi follow a Path of Enlightenment, it does not mean they have no social skills. Buyers, traders, spies, and lures are still unscrupulous, but have more need to be social in order to fulfill a specific need such as entrapping innocents or collecting debts. Despite their monstrous reputation, the Enrathi are cunning and, as such, understand the importance of maintaining a public face.
Weakness
Centuries of moral decay has taken its toll on the Enrathi. Members of the Enrathi family may not have a Humanity rating higher than 3, nor may they have a Conscience higher than 2.
See also 1
Clans & Bloodlines
- Ventrue vampire/faction/clan/ventrue