Bestiary

While wolves were once a classic and optimal choice for an animal ghoul, their popularity among vampires has since fallen due to their dwindling numbers. Found all over the world, wolves come in a variety of colors and have been known to interbreed with dogs. They are, however, rarely selected to be maintained as a ghoul in modern nights, especially in urban areas due to their endangered status and pack mentality.

Some vampires might adopt a wolf as an animal ghoul in its natural environment simply because it preys upon other animals. For example, vampires who prefer to go on the offensive might send their wolf ghouls to attack other animal ghouls to help even the odds in a fight, or may simply inspire them to howl and intimidate their attackers. Their symbolic nature and their telltale howl, however, does inspire some members of the Sabbat to seek them out. After all, there is no other ghoul, save the bat or the rat, that screams “vampire” more than a wolf.

Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3

Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Awareness 2, Brawl 3, Empathy 2, Intimidation 3, Stealth 2, Survival (Tracking) 4

Disciplines: Celerity 1

Willpower: 3

Health Levels: OK, -1, -5, Incapacitated

Armor rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)

Attack: Bite for four dice (lethal); claw for three dice (bashing)

Blood Pool: 2

szlachta soldiers on the eve of a planned, major conflict. Should there be a battle for territory in Los Angeles, Paris, or Vienna, for

example, a Fiend might prepare

an army of szlachta for months, if

not years, in anticipation of an

upcoming siege. The demands

of maintaining such a horde are not inconsequential,

which is why some Fiends opt to share blood to ensure

the survival of their war ghouls. Other vampires

might donate ghouls or

vitae to help bolster the

supply of pre-fleshcrafted

szlachta, and will wait

to repossess their

charges until after

the spurs, spines,

and armored bone

plates are added.

Most vampires understand that

crafting takes time, so building up and maintaining a sizable force of szlachta is a challenge at the best of times.

Like other ghouls, the szlachta may be punished by their domitors. Often, war ghouls are at risk of succumbing to frenzy, and their eroded Humanity can result in other problems. To upset a Fiend, however, is to invite the worst kind of punishment. Some Tzimisce masters continue to fleshcraft their war ghouls as a warning to show what happens when any ghoul run afoul of his domitor. One transgressor might be fleshcrafted into a veiny, wingback chair, while another war ghoul might be reformed into a skeletal coat rack. Any szlachta ghoul that has been fleshcrafted into furniture, clothing, or other inanimate objects loses all stats with the exception of Stamina, Perception, and Intelligence.

I n f o r m a n d purpose, the vozhd is the ultimate killing machine, a juggernaut of destruction designed to consume everything in its path — humans, animals, ghouls, and vampires alike. Though they have not been seen for centuries, the creation of the vozhd is cause for rumor and speculation. These monstrous leviathans are composed of multiple ghouls that are fused together into a single, fleshcrafted creation. Then, each ghoul is believed to be fed a potion containing the blood of all ghouls destined to be part of the new vohzd. Afterward, the caster continuously chants while sculpting the ghouls together, melding and shaping the individuals into a single, massive entity. If the practitioner of Vicissitude is skilled enough, the vozhd may have any number of arms, legs, or mouths between one and the total number it began with. The ghouls

condemned to become part of a vozhd, however, lose their minds from sheer terror.

Their immense size incurs a heavy cost, however, for the vozhd require vampiric blood just like any other ghoul, at a rate of five to ten blood points a month depending upon the vozhd’s physical height and width. Thus, most modern Fiends find it much simpler to simply create a

vozhd if and when the need arises, for many feel they are a waste of the Blood if they cannot be put to good use. In truth, there are very few practical applications for a vozhd in the modern era — even in the heat of battle. Additionally, the knowledge and experience to create one is rare and unlikely to be shared with other Clans or sorcerers.

In modern nights, it is hard to say how many vozhd remain; their sightings are thought to be nothing more than the frightened whispers of younger vampires who have heard of rumors of their existence. Even in ages past, when the Lords ruled over their native lands, the decision to unleash a vozhd was not taken lightly due to the destruction they cause. While the Fiends and their allies may sneer and scoff at the Camarilla, even they fear the chaos a vozhd would cause if one was unleashed.