The last Clan for open development in Lore of the Clans, and we’re ending on an interesting conundrum.
Today we present the Brujah, written by Alan Alexander. As usual, Alan has written over wordcount with a lot of interesting material, so I’ll have a lot hard choices on what to cut. But there’s one particularly interesting component this time around. He proposes a radical new idea: a blood sorcery path for the Brujah called Situationism.
Normally I play my cards close to my chest, but in this case I’m sincerely torn. My gut says giving the Brujah blood sorcery is not the right direction, but I don’t know if I want to revise this into something else (maybe a series of rituals like the original Anarch rituals), move it to another part of the book (Toreador, maybe?), or use it in a different project. As always, I’d like to hear what you have to say.
Nashville by Night is next week, and I can’t guarantee I’ll have Internet access, which presents another wrinkle. After a lot of debate, I’ve decided that I’ll try to close comments on this one on Friday, September 19th, but I may have to do it earlier, or I may close it without making it clear that it’s done, or I may do something with it at the show. We’ll see how the next week goes.
Before I give you the link, a few things to keep in mind as you read:
Discuss, but be polite: A few people are confusing “expressing concern” with “insulting other people.” If you are concerned about something, please express those concerns concretely — I do want to hear them. If you veer into insulting the writer, Onyx Path Publishing, or other commentators, I’ll ask you politely to stop (which, so far, is all I’ve needed to do). Anything after that, I’ll shut the conversation down and move on.
Keep calm and carry on: This is a preliminary draft. Things will likely change between this draft and the final book. If you see something weird or that you don’t agree with, don’t freak out. Just comment on the concerning area, and I’ll look into it. That’s exactly what this process is for.
Comments only, please: Everyone (except me) is restricted to comments only and suggestions. Please use comments only, and do not write your opinions into the draft text. Don’t resolve someone else’s comments or mine, either.
Substance over style: I’m focusing purely on the content, not punctuation or grammar. That kind of refinement of the material will happen in a later draft. Don’t worry too much about commenting on those concerns, unless such an error makes the material confusing to understand.
Cards close to my chest: Aside from my comment on Situationism (duplicated on the document), I’m keeping my thoughts on how I want to redline this chapter to myself because I don’t want to bias the discussion. I’ll certainly answer questions and help steer conversation away from unproductive avenues, but in general I want to see what you think, not tell you what I think.
And now, here’s the link to the Google Doc:
Edit: Link removed now that open development is closed. Thank you!
Instead of blood sorcery for Brujah, why not make situationalism a thaumaturgy path for Anarchs?
Per Rites of the Blood, the word Thaumaturgy now refers to blood magic as the Tremere practice it, while blood sorcery refers to systems of blood magic practiced by non-Tremere. It’s mainly stylistic, though Tremere do get some advantages from their more systematic approach compared to Anarchs schools.
What Alan said.
I agree that blood magic doesn’t fit my view of the brujah the rituals themselves are very interesting in flavor and theme. Unless the true brujah are covered in the up coming black hand book I personally would want to see a little more than a paragraph as I really like the true brujah in style. I found the covering of iconoclast, idealist, and individualist to be wonderful.
The True Hand are getting a whole book, and I expect the True Brujah will get more coverage there.
Emma: Yes. That was done in August.
I recommend you to use a web feed program to help you not to miss nothing from the different sites you are interested in.
I should also clarify that Situationism is not a Brujah style so much as an Anarch style that was developed by Brujah and of which the Brujah are currently the majority of practitioners. That will likely change as the underlying principles are disseminated through the Movement. I originally had the idea while working on Rites of the Blood but didn’t have space for it alongside the other 4 Anarch styles that were broader in scope.
Situationism reads more Toreador than Brujah. It’s gimmicky based on being dicks and copying art pieces and doesn’t seem like a natural outcome of being annoyed with the universe.
Also, an individualist is best defined if the rest of the clan hates you and tries to kill you.
I loved this! Made me like the Brujah even more. The section on Gatherings was my favorite one, please don’t cut anything from there!
On the Situationism sorcery: I like it a lot. Very inspirational. I noticed its rituals increase in potential cruelty (even if *artistic* cruelty) with their power level. Level 5 feels almost like Hannibal Lecter aesthetics. Which is fine and very interesting.
As the text mentions and some have commented, it fits as a School of Punk Sorcery – or rather, it could be said that Punk Sorcery is Situationism updated with Punk aesthetics, since Punk came later. I would just say Situationism is the precursor of Punk Sorcery and that both are the same blood sorcery Discipline. Perhaps not to contradict Punk Sorcery published rules, the Discipline/Abilities required could be specific to each Ritual, instead of the Discipline as a whole.
A radical different option would be to use these powers as combo disciplines (most paired with Presence). But I’m not a fan of this idea myself.
Call me a traditionalist but i don’t think that Blood sorcery and Brujah mix. Actually my first thought was “NOOOO! What are you doing?!? Stop! I like the idea of the rituals, but i dont think they are suited in the Brujah chapter of this book. I really like the Path of Enlightement you guys put in here though. Instead of the Blood Magic, maybe write down some more awesome combo-disciplines or Elder level discipline powers. Or just go into greater detail about the ones that already written.
Btw, great writeup this one. It mixed the views of Anarch and Camarilla Brujah really well, plus you actually had some information about the Antitribu, which is great. If i could suggest one non-mechanical change it would be intresting to hear some of the antitribus views leaking into the chapter somehow.
Really? Another path of blood sorcery? So besides Tremere, Tzimisce, Assamites, Setites, Lasombra (Abyss Mysticism), Giovanni (Necromancy), we are getting another clan practicing blood sorcery? By now, I wonder how you get anything done in Masquerade without being a blood sorcerer. Not thrilled.
I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Seriously, enough people have magic. Magic is HARD (I assume). I even think Abyss Misticism was a step too far. Obtenebration was already cool and powerful enough when you add in combo disciplines like Abyssal Armory.
Brujah are the rabble. If you want them to do spectacular things as a Clan instead of just one gifted individual, that’s what combo disciplines are for.
While my gut reaction to this is also “no,” it is important to remember that the word Brujah does mean “witch,” so giving them some sort of blood magic could help explain their clan name. I do think it should be rare though, practiced and taught by only a few elders. The story behind it could even be that it used to be much more wide spread in the era of the “philosopher kings,” but cultivating such a magic takes more patience than your average brutish Brujah has capacity for, thus, it has become a rarity. Just an idea.
“Brujah” doesn’t mean Witch on any language I know. “Bruja” does mean witch in Spanish.
While it’s reasonable that people could confuse vampires with witches, I don’t think we should mind the name more than we need the Ventrue to be fat, for example.
So to your mind an extra silent letter makes it a completely unrelated word?
Actually, I always felt Ventrue was just Venture with the R and the U switched, since Ventrue tend to be CEOs and Venture capitalists. And yeah, the silent H isn’t really a big deal…
The Anarchs get the longest chapter in the new blood magic book, and yet another path of blood magic in this one.
Meanwhile, the Antitribu, including the ones with centuries-old legacies of blood magic, itself derived from beliefs THOUSANDS of years old, remain half-developed. You know who could use a whole chapter of a book? The Ventrue Antitribu, or the Serpents of the Light. The Anarchs now have more vodoun stuff published in v20 than the clan known for its practice of vodoun.
But then, the Anarchs seem to be getting the lion’s share of your love, all of a sudden, since in a book which (reasonably enough, I suppose) is unpacking and updating stuff from Revised, they get yet another path of blood magic. On top of everything they got in Rites of the Blood.
To me, the Anarchs were always the Lost Boys, a wild brood of vampires reigning unchecked by elder or obligation except the ones they create to each other. They were the rebel, the defiant, led by NPCs like Smiling Jack and Nines Rodriguez.
Their territory was the Wild West of the Kindred world, wrested from the hands of Princes and Archbishops, ungoverned and lawless and destined to be retaken by the same, or possibly sold out by the Anarchs themselves. “Baron tonight, Prince tomorrow.”
I guess I’ll just wait for the Anarch stuff to work its way through OP’s system, and hope one day for a Guide to the Antitribu.
I am an old school brujah player, I have played the idealist or two that learned blood magic, but it never felt like a leather glove. I did love the combination disciplines, i think throwing more of them into the mix, as secrets possessed by separate broods is the way that the brujah would more likely evolve.
Murder-of-crows: It’s because Thaumaturgy is the win button and every clan needs thaumaturgy to be cool and unique. I imagine the Ventrue will get one based on making people crazy, the Nos will get one on banking and the Gangrel will get one based on information gathering.
It seems lazy, but that’s not the most constructive way to put it, I really think that combos based on Rage would be more in tune with the Brujah.
Blood Sorcery, Brujah …
Okay, when I first read this, I thought to myself; Well, the word Brujah does stem from the Spanish word for witch.
Then I read the write up, and thought, well … Never mind, you had addressed that.
Okay then, what other reference for the Brujah?
Oh, yes … 1rst Ed Vampire the masquerade (20th anniversary from 1991) . Brujah were the progenitors of Vampiric thaumaturgy. Clearly this is not going back to that.
However, it is interesting to cite the history of the Brujah in the way it was presented as all plausibilities, many having left open a large area for expansion, by those descendants stemming from other blood-lineages not afflicted by Troile’s rage.
To surmise: I like this idea, if for no better reason, than to see the potentiality for other stands of Brujah to start popping up and rearing their ugly heads.
It takes courage to go slightly against the grain. And I’m finding myself in even more anticipation for this release.
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The spanish word for witch is Bruja.
I love the idea of Situationism, but I see it more as part of the Toreador Antitribu (who have received very little love).
An antitribu book like this one would be awesome…I can haz stretch goal (assuming it kickstarts)?
I love that idea too.
Generally speaking, I like this clan perspective. In Revised Clanbook, the Brujah appeared too much Camarilla supporters. Here, the Brujah feel again like true rebels.
The critiques come to very specific points. First of all, I never imagined the Treaty of Thorns so present on modern times. The anarchs would be largely tolerated to not make the problem worse, but in general they would be seen as young delinquents. I think many princes would have different degrees of violence against anarchs, so beating one as in LA, shouldn’t be seen as an extraordinaery Treaty of Thorns violation.
The other thing is than in history vampires are behind everything. Plus, the Brujah win almost always. They were behind the American, French and Soviet Revolutions, and the North in American Civil War. They won everything. It would seem that Brujah is the more powerful clan in the world, which I don’t think it’s true.
After every revolution, dreams didn’t come true. No paradise, no ideal society. Every aftermath was flawed somehow, despite revolutionary visionaries.
Brujah are my favourite Clan – from 1st Ed through to V20 they are my Clan of choice and get lots of love from me despite them not, previously, having much kookyness like sorcery, overtly weird powers, freaky history tie-ins with cthonic entities and the like – And that’s part of why I like them.
The blood-sorcery proposed powers makes it seem like a check-list somewhere is being looked at – Does each Clan have some kind of Blood Sorcery or weird Clan-only schtick apart from their Disciplines? Check.
It’s not a bad set of powers – that’s not the issue. But it feels very much an un-Brujah thing. Their power should come from being so close to the mortals, being so in-touch with them and, for want of a better phrase “Keeping it real.”
The opening fiction really didn’t grab me. I think I got about half way through and skipped the rest. The history and the like seemed ok but again, nothing really made me think “Gotta keep reading!” – And this was the one Clan I was waiting on seeing the doc for. To be honest, whilst the writing standard is good, I’m not impressed with this take on the Brujah.
I’ll have to say again what everybody else has been saying…blood sorcery really doesn’t fit in with any Brujah except True Brujah. Ignoring the fact that their flavor about idealism and in-your-face actions being completely contrary to the covert and behind-your-back nature of Situationism, their clan weakness rejects the idea that this would take any kind of deep root.
They’re ragers. They’re impatient ravers and ranters. Having a hot head as an intrinsic part of your being doesn’t lend itself to doing magic or rituals. As every Tremere has ever known, the slightest gnaw of the beast can ruin your magic and get you killed. That’s just my take on it.
I’ve said in the document comments that a lot Brujah antitribu don’t fit in the midless thug stereotype. Here’s a list of what I could find:
Father Juan Carlos: Tasked with the investigation of the destruction of the Tremere Antitribu.
Father Juan Carlos’ sire: Follower of the Path of Redemption
Miguel Santo Domingo: Strict follower of the Path of Honorable Accord, his main dedication is to uncover the hidden agendas of the Sabbat leaders.
Wah Chun-Yuen: Dominion of the Black Hand.
Santiago de Soto: An Inquisitor. He joined the Sabbat after the Revolt to gain personal power.
Ecaterina the Wise: Leader of the Promethean Brujah in Prague (not precisely a dreg), she joined the Sabbat and became Bishop of New York.
Jayne Jonestown: a musician who is rather popular and has ties to the Society of Leopold. He is a nominal part of the Sabbat, but prefers to keep his own counsel.
Natalio: A Bishop of Mexico City involved in the education of the young Sabbat into a fervor that could allow them to defeat the Antediluvians.
Mariano Pomposo: Makes the census for the Black Hand. Nicknamed “Mr. Ice”.
Doctor Archibald Streck: an influential Sabbat philosopher and revolutionist. His writtings attracted many Anarchs to the Sabbat, and he is open minded enough to ally with the Independent clans.
Aaron Wilkshire: founder of the Path of Orion.
I would like to see the coexistence of idiotic bullies with true believers in the Sabbat cause.
I love me some blood sorcery! My favorite is the Gangrel blood sorcery! That or the Toreador Blood Sorcery. Its a toss up. Hoping to see more about the Caitiff/Pander Blood Sorcery though. I feel that there is room for improvement in the Venture and Malkavian Blood Sorcery too. All the other clans specific paths of blood sorcery seem good. Also, when will we get abomination specific blood sorcery because, with their former ties to Gaia it feels like they should get a specific form of blood sorcery. Also, where can I find the revenant specific blood sorcery at? I like the idea that you would have to start play as a revenant to get that kind of blood sorcery but have found very little rules. Please help with that because, if there is one thing that I feel is truly important to Vampire, it is that everyone and everything get it’s own, special snowflake Blood Sorcery path so that everyone gets a blood magic participation trophy and my little Elijah doesn’t feel like he is a loser just because his team lost. I think I lost my point but…sarcasm.
So a few things… yes it can be said that Brujah comes form bruja. However that word is Spanish/Portuguese and has no Indo-European etymology. So the magic connection from that is sort of a no sell. That said *Shrug* The creators can do as they wish of course it is their game. It does however seem silly that as has been pointed out, the idea of magic is just getting tossed about with no true rational.
Why not at this point give EVERYONE Thaumaturgy/Magic of some type? If its not going to be a Tremere/Koldun thing then why not just give it to everyone. They are all ancient clans, they all have/had an antediluvian so if its an age thing, they can all have it. Otherwise, there seems no reason for all this silly magic running around as it does. Its like the equivalent of every 8yr old being able to go into the local candy store and buy kryptonite in any color of the rainbow to go use on Superman.
In the meantime we are cutting out/or ignoring wonderful aspects of vampire that would be great to bring back to V20. Is it just because there is a feeling that there must be something “new”? I mean.. we have NWoD. Just my thoughts on what seems to be a bit of Dementation falling into folks’ heads about designing blood magic for people.
And I’d point on top of this, there is none in the Tremere Clan material. Seems strange.
i meant to ask this during the gangrel or the dark ages or during the anarch unbound supplement but will you discuss the einheryar the norse vampires from the dark ages supplement wolves of the sea and about the all high is back and go into detail about the einheryar comeing back and how they plan on taking back the north from the camerilla and getting their revenge on clans like the ventrue and lasombra and talk about their relationship with the camerilia is like that between the tlaque and the Sabbath in mexico is