Icarians
My sire has held this city for centuries. When he falls to torpor, as we all must, I will take over his position. Think about that before you raise your voice to me again.
It’s common knowledge among the Sanctified of Europe that Icarians trace their origin back to one of the most revered leaders the covenant has ever seen: Icarius, Archbishop of Naples, pilgrim to the Black Abbey and Anointed by the hand of the Monachus. In 1388, Archbishop Icarius was attacked while he slept and diablerized by a vengeful Succubus (see p. 38). She then took control of the city. Three nights later, vampires of The Lancea Sanctum, rallied by the childer of Icarius, brought her down, and the progeny of the Archbishop declared themselves the heirs to his magnificent rule.
In the centuries that followed, the Icarians cultivated their combination of religious fervor, famed blood and validated vengeance into a belief that the scions of Icarius — who they call the Great Archbishop — are blessed by God with a divine right to rule the Damned. Icarian “divine heirs” strode throughout Mediterranean Europe from the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries, displacing dozens of Princes and Archbishops and replacing them with Icarian rulers. The scions of Icarius, seen by the larger body of The Lancea Sanctum as heretical usurpers with no regard for the covenant hierarchy, lost momentum as the image of the noble-blooded Dynast, wronged and grieving faded beneath self-righteous claims of heavenly inheritance. As more and more cities faced the so-called “Icarian Heresy” with outright force, the Dynasts relented. They kept whatever cities they had claimed by right, but sought no others for many decades.
Some elders who were close to the medieval Icarians claim the death of Icarius marked the birth of the bloodline, that the blood of his childer was changed by fevered vengeance, not by God. Icarians insist, however, that their line has held its own supernatural powers since Icarius Embraced his first childe. The surge of new Icarians practicing the heritage’s rare Discipline is merely the result of many dozens of childer rushing to fill the impossible void left by their departed father.
Icarians truly believe they are meant to rule the Damned as pious and noble lords, with the blood of the Great Archishop as their license. In past nights, they saw themselves as holy political crusaders, restoring the thrones of Kindred domains to the Icarian Archbishops that God intended to govern them. That some stubborn Princes, blind to the sanguineous grace of the Dynasts, had to be burned out of their seats was a regrettable shame, but how could the Dynasts — or any of the Sanctified — tolerate a pretender on the throne?
Since the end of the Icarian Heresy, generally marked by the bloodline’s failed attempt to win Avignon in 1724, Dynasts have reevaluated their philosophies and tactics. If the Sanctified regard the childer of Archbishop Icarius as self-aggrandizing heretics, how can there ever be a secure and beloved union between an Icarian Archbishop and her vassals?
The Icarian solution is calculated, well-reasoned and insidious. The Dynasts have come to understand that they must reclaim their good name through many years of pious service and demonstrations of skill. The Icarians plan to join the ranks of the Anointed, fill municipal roles in favor of the Sanctified and use their supernatural talents to benefit sitting Princes and Archbishops. They will prove that they are meant to rule. The modern mantra of the Icarians is this: “An Icarian serves to rule.” As the Dynasts see it, that sentence signifies the Icarian destiny of rulership, their commitment to scale the ladders of hierarchy and their acknowledgement that they must first support the current Princes of the Damned.
That said, every Icarian is looking for a short-cut to the control of her local domain. A new, peacefully ascended Dynast Prince or Archbishop could truly prove that only the Icarians are meant to speak for the Sanctified and govern the Damned. And if peaceful ascension is not possible, an Icarian is entitled to do what is necessary to climb those final few steps. When the Icarians win new power, all the other Kindred shall see the truth. When the Icarians can gain control of the city without losing the favor of the Kindred, then shall they be loved.
In the centuries that followed, the Icarians cultivated their combination of religious fervor, famed blood and validated vengeance into a belief that the scions of Icarius — who they call the Great Archbishop — are blessed by God with a divine right to rule the Damned. Icarian “divine heirs” strode throughout Mediterranean Europe from the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries, displacing dozens of Princes and Archbishops and replacing them with Icarian rulers. The scions of Icarius, seen by the larger body of The Lancea Sanctum as heretical usurpers with no regard for the covenant hierarchy, lost momentum as the image of the noble-blooded Dynast, wronged and grieving faded beneath self-righteous claims of heavenly inheritance. As more and more cities faced the so-called “Icarian Heresy” with outright force, the Dynasts relented. They kept whatever cities they had claimed by right, but sought no others for many decades.
Some elders who were close to the medieval Icarians claim the death of Icarius marked the birth of the bloodline, that the blood of his childer was changed by fevered vengeance, not by God. Icarians insist, however, that their line has held its own supernatural powers since Icarius Embraced his first childe. The surge of new Icarians practicing the heritage’s rare Discipline is merely the result of many dozens of childer rushing to fill the impossible void left by their departed father.
Icarians truly believe they are meant to rule the Damned as pious and noble lords, with the blood of the Great Archishop as their license. In past nights, they saw themselves as holy political crusaders, restoring the thrones of Kindred domains to the Icarian Archbishops that God intended to govern them. That some stubborn Princes, blind to the sanguineous grace of the Dynasts, had to be burned out of their seats was a regrettable shame, but how could the Dynasts — or any of the Sanctified — tolerate a pretender on the throne?
Since the end of the Icarian Heresy, generally marked by the bloodline’s failed attempt to win Avignon in 1724, Dynasts have reevaluated their philosophies and tactics. If the Sanctified regard the childer of Archbishop Icarius as self-aggrandizing heretics, how can there ever be a secure and beloved union between an Icarian Archbishop and her vassals?
The Icarian solution is calculated, well-reasoned and insidious. The Dynasts have come to understand that they must reclaim their good name through many years of pious service and demonstrations of skill. The Icarians plan to join the ranks of the Anointed, fill municipal roles in favor of the Sanctified and use their supernatural talents to benefit sitting Princes and Archbishops. They will prove that they are meant to rule. The modern mantra of the Icarians is this: “An Icarian serves to rule.” As the Dynasts see it, that sentence signifies the Icarian destiny of rulership, their commitment to scale the ladders of hierarchy and their acknowledgement that they must first support the current Princes of the Damned.
That said, every Icarian is looking for a short-cut to the control of her local domain. A new, peacefully ascended Dynast Prince or Archbishop could truly prove that only the Icarians are meant to speak for the Sanctified and govern the Damned. And if peaceful ascension is not possible, an Icarian is entitled to do what is necessary to climb those final few steps. When the Icarians win new power, all the other Kindred shall see the truth. When the Icarians can gain control of the city without losing the favor of the Kindred, then shall they be loved.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Background: Most Dynasts are of European or Middle-Eastern descent, as the bloodline only selected childer from Italy, Iberia, France, Germany and Turkey for many centuries. Gradually, as the Icarians seek to find new roles for themselves, a more diverse range of Kindred are being represented amid the Icarians, but whole decades go by without a new Icarian adopting the bloodline. The standards of any Dynast are high, to say the least. The Icarians are the descendants of a vampire one step removed from the Dark Messiah himself — the prize of such gloriously noble blood can never be awarded lightly.
Dynasts may monitor a potential childe for decades before presenting her to other Icarians as a potential new family member. Icarians follow all the old Sanctified traditions surrounding the Embrace, from the Choice to The Creation Rite, but they add their own customs in the earliest stages: Once a wouldbe Icarian has chosen Damnation over death, three other Icarians must be consulted to support her choice. If any one of the three decides the supplicant is not up to par — is too common, or lacking in willpower or dignity — then her choice is overruled and she must be destroyed as evidence of a Masquerade breach. Few Dynasts, therefore, present a prospective childe to their kin without first securing her approval by other means — many Icarian sires are thus indebted to their kin.
Dynasts may monitor a potential childe for decades before presenting her to other Icarians as a potential new family member. Icarians follow all the old Sanctified traditions surrounding the Embrace, from the Choice to The Creation Rite, but they add their own customs in the earliest stages: Once a wouldbe Icarian has chosen Damnation over death, three other Icarians must be consulted to support her choice. If any one of the three decides the supplicant is not up to par — is too common, or lacking in willpower or dignity — then her choice is overruled and she must be destroyed as evidence of a Masquerade breach. Few Dynasts, therefore, present a prospective childe to their kin without first securing her approval by other means — many Icarian sires are thus indebted to their kin.
Common Dress code
Appearance: Dynasts maintain dignity in all things, including their dress. They prefer Italian suits, cut to the modern fashion, when they dress to contemporary styles. For formal covenant functions, such as Creation Rites and the Gran Ballo, Icarians have traditionally worn more archaic garb with flourishes reminiscent of a Bishop’s vestments: red and white embroidery, iconic spears, signet rings, and so forth. As a rule of thumb, Icarians don’t dress down for the sake of lower-class associates or informal social settings.
Beyond their dress, Icarians are known for the sense of serene confidence they exude. Icarians are resolute in the extreme, renowned for maintaining calm poise in the face of dire threats and armed enemies. The humorous Icarian stereotype, in fact, (as invented following the line’s failed attempt to win control of Avignon in 1724) is the calm and collected vampire who negotiates terms while on fire. The fearsome Icarian reputation, however, whispered of tonight as it once was long ago, is that of the Spanish Icarian Fortuno who calmly ordered his enemies to douse his flaming body…and was obeyed.
Beyond their dress, Icarians are known for the sense of serene confidence they exude. Icarians are resolute in the extreme, renowned for maintaining calm poise in the face of dire threats and armed enemies. The humorous Icarian stereotype, in fact, (as invented following the line’s failed attempt to win control of Avignon in 1724) is the calm and collected vampire who negotiates terms while on fire. The fearsome Icarian reputation, however, whispered of tonight as it once was long ago, is that of the Spanish Icarian Fortuno who calmly ordered his enemies to douse his flaming body…and was obeyed.
Art & Architecture
Haven: Many, even most, Icarians have the wealth to maintain large, elaborate havens — often in well-appointed mansions or townhouses, typically staffed with loyal Ghouls or attendant neonates, always equipped with the latest security features. Icarians richly appoint their nests with antiques, archaic furniture and fine linens. Historically, Icarians favored religious art that depicts the earliest nights of the Sanctified, such as imagery of the Centurion, etchings of the Black Abbey as drawn from the imagination and ornamental spears. In modern nights, it has become something of a fad among Dynasts to collect mortal art depicting the era of the Old Testament.
Dynasts can’t abide the thought of their kin dwelling in unsafe conditions, so Icarians unable to secure their own lavish havens may be invited into another’s sanctuary. In some domains, it’s even customary for the eldest Icarian to supply a Haven for his younger brethren, whether they are his childer or another’s. Such gifted havens are rarely lavish, but always secure.
Some wealthy Dynasts go so far as to host non-Icarian visitors in their huge havens. Modern Icarians accept that with authority and power must come visibility, and few expect to keep an elaborate Haven a secret for long. What’s the point of a lavish display is no one else can see it? Icarian custom demands the host see to it that his guest is safe, fed and entertained, as a symbolic effort of his high station.
Of course, Icarians still recall the origin of their line, so no Dynast sleeps in the same space as a guest. Many Icarians keep isolated, secure vaults in which to sleep, protected by loyal electronics and well-tested guards. The first rule of every Icarian Haven is said to be the same: He who looks upon a sleeping scion of Icarius shall die.
Dynasts can’t abide the thought of their kin dwelling in unsafe conditions, so Icarians unable to secure their own lavish havens may be invited into another’s sanctuary. In some domains, it’s even customary for the eldest Icarian to supply a Haven for his younger brethren, whether they are his childer or another’s. Such gifted havens are rarely lavish, but always secure.
Some wealthy Dynasts go so far as to host non-Icarian visitors in their huge havens. Modern Icarians accept that with authority and power must come visibility, and few expect to keep an elaborate Haven a secret for long. What’s the point of a lavish display is no one else can see it? Icarian custom demands the host see to it that his guest is safe, fed and entertained, as a symbolic effort of his high station.
Of course, Icarians still recall the origin of their line, so no Dynast sleeps in the same space as a guest. Many Icarians keep isolated, secure vaults in which to sleep, protected by loyal electronics and well-tested guards. The first rule of every Icarian Haven is said to be the same: He who looks upon a sleeping scion of Icarius shall die.
Major organizations
Covenant: The roots of the Icarian bloodline reach deep into the history of The Lancea Sanctum and few Dynasts have much reason to leave their holy origins. Some, however, stifled by the demands of religious strictures on one side and the demands of a Prince on the other, feel not just rooted in the covenant, but trapped beneath it. Others feel The Lancea Sanctum’s long memory, and the unhappy memory of the Icarian Heresy, will forever limit Icarian power in the covenant and prevent future Dynasts from taking the reigns of other cities. Icarians find the notion of sliding slowly into impotence terrifying. That the Sanctified would let such a thing happen when the Dynasts are so plainly intended as rulers is a sad shame.
So it is that modern nights find the Icarians seeking out other avenues of power. Most Icarians don’t intend to betray the Sanctified, of course — merely secure themselves Status in the city or with other temporal powers so the bloodline can prove that it is no threat to The Lancea Sanctum. Indeed, the Icarians have always been a great boon to the covenant and as the pious heirs to the blood of the Great Archbishop, they intend to go on as pious servants of the Sanctified the only way they know how: by organizing and commanding other Kindred to the benefit of the covenant.
The Icarian bloodline as a long, amicable history of dealing with the Kindred of The Invictus, and a younger, more cautious relationship with vampires of The Carthian Movement. Both covenants have been by Icarians as well-meaning organizations with a sad lack of religious motive among some of its greatest leaders. An Icarian would be comfortable dealing with the agents of either covenant, and could conceivably even pursue membership in one or the other if he had a plan for winding his path back to a higher station among the Sanctified.
Icarians hardly regard The Circle of the Crone and The Ordo Dracul at all, traditionally. Pagan heresies are the business of Inquisitors and crusaders, and the Dynasts interact with them predominantly as distant adversaries. It is the great shame of the bloodline that the Icarians are sometimes ignorantly lumped together with such heathens as “strays from the Spear.”
Organization: The Icarians have long slipped themselves into the larger organizations of covenant and city hierarchies. Historically, they have sought to control such social structures, but not to reform them. Dynasts do not have a single, shared philosophy of rule, only the belief they feel in their blood: that they are entitled and intended to rule other Damned.
As a bloodline, the Icarians interact like an extended, aristocratic family. They gather for family functions that vary by domain — some meet every year, others reunite in a favorite, central city every 50 years or so — and consult with each other based primarily on age. In general, Dynasts divide themselves into three generations: the youngest, neonate and ancilla alike, who are regard each other as siblings, even sire and childe; the eldest, whether elder or ancient, who are respected as beloved grandparents; and Icarius himself, whose grace and magnificence is beyond comparison.
Icarians meet to socialize and exchange news, but also to trade advice and secrets. Icarian siblings that dwell in the same domain probably see a great deal of each other. Ventrue cousins and Sanctified compatriots may be seen as vital Allies, loyal advisors and confidants, but only other Icarians are family — even the case of the Icarian childe of a “plain” Ventrue sire. An invisible, inviolate circle of love and loyalty surrounds the Dynasts, and only the scions of the Great Archbishop are allowed inside.
So it is that modern nights find the Icarians seeking out other avenues of power. Most Icarians don’t intend to betray the Sanctified, of course — merely secure themselves Status in the city or with other temporal powers so the bloodline can prove that it is no threat to The Lancea Sanctum. Indeed, the Icarians have always been a great boon to the covenant and as the pious heirs to the blood of the Great Archbishop, they intend to go on as pious servants of the Sanctified the only way they know how: by organizing and commanding other Kindred to the benefit of the covenant.
The Icarian bloodline as a long, amicable history of dealing with the Kindred of The Invictus, and a younger, more cautious relationship with vampires of The Carthian Movement. Both covenants have been by Icarians as well-meaning organizations with a sad lack of religious motive among some of its greatest leaders. An Icarian would be comfortable dealing with the agents of either covenant, and could conceivably even pursue membership in one or the other if he had a plan for winding his path back to a higher station among the Sanctified.
Icarians hardly regard The Circle of the Crone and The Ordo Dracul at all, traditionally. Pagan heresies are the business of Inquisitors and crusaders, and the Dynasts interact with them predominantly as distant adversaries. It is the great shame of the bloodline that the Icarians are sometimes ignorantly lumped together with such heathens as “strays from the Spear.”
Organization: The Icarians have long slipped themselves into the larger organizations of covenant and city hierarchies. Historically, they have sought to control such social structures, but not to reform them. Dynasts do not have a single, shared philosophy of rule, only the belief they feel in their blood: that they are entitled and intended to rule other Damned.
As a bloodline, the Icarians interact like an extended, aristocratic family. They gather for family functions that vary by domain — some meet every year, others reunite in a favorite, central city every 50 years or so — and consult with each other based primarily on age. In general, Dynasts divide themselves into three generations: the youngest, neonate and ancilla alike, who are regard each other as siblings, even sire and childe; the eldest, whether elder or ancient, who are respected as beloved grandparents; and Icarius himself, whose grace and magnificence is beyond comparison.
Icarians meet to socialize and exchange news, but also to trade advice and secrets. Icarian siblings that dwell in the same domain probably see a great deal of each other. Ventrue cousins and Sanctified compatriots may be seen as vital Allies, loyal advisors and confidants, but only other Icarians are family — even the case of the Icarian childe of a “plain” Ventrue sire. An invisible, inviolate circle of love and loyalty surrounds the Dynasts, and only the scions of the Great Archbishop are allowed inside.
Nickname: Dynasts (sometimes Holy Dynasts)
Character Creation: Social Attributes rank high among the Dynasts, especially Composure. Resolve is a key Icarian Attribute, as the Dynasts prize an unwavering, resolute commitment to the bloodline and The Lancea Sanctum above all else. Willpower is essential. No Icarian should be without dots in Intimidation, Persuasion, Politics and Socialize. Academics is also valued, as leaders must be well educated. To represent an established, archetypal Dynast, Merits must be given extra attention. City and Covenant Status, Contacts, Haven, Resources and Retainer are definitive traits for the Icarians — those who cannot be well-rounded should strive to excel in one Merit of value to the parish or the local bloodline. A great many Dynasts seek out Sanctified or Invictus Daeva to teach them the magic of Majesty. Blood Potency, beyond being necessary to join the bloodline, is also a good way to represent the might of the blood of the Great Archbishop.
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Constance, Dominate, Resilience
Weakness: All Dynasts suffer from the Ventrue clan weakness. Common Icarian Derangements include Suspicion, Paranoia, Narcissism, Megalomania and delusion obsession. Many Dynasts eventually suspect that other Kindred seek to diablerize them as Icarius was diablerized, to steal their noble blood. Others, already taught the truth of their divine mandate, come to accept (usually on faith) some personal delusion as the undeniable truth: that the Dynast is destined by God to rule Milan, for example, or that the current Prince of Boston is an Acolyte spy. These Derangements may manifest even in response to unrelated stimuli — as if they are roused from the Icarian blood itself.
In addition to the shortcomings of the Ventrue, Icarians have their own weakness. The long-term goal of power over the Damned is of primary importance to all Dynasts. As a result, they derive less satisfaction from the smaller, intervening victories that come along the way. An Icarian regains only half as much Willpower when a scene plays out according to her Virtues. A full night’s rest recovers no Willpower for an Icarian — instead of feeling recharged, she feels as though she’s wasted time sleeping that could be spent fulfilling her great destiny. An Icarian does regain Willpower when scenes play out consistent with her Vice, and whenever the Storyteller chooses to reward the character with a Willpower point. All of an Icarian’s Willpower is recovered at the conclusion of each story, as usual.
Concepts: Boy king, dignified executive, expectant heir, handsome dignitary, host of Elysium, humble reformer, paranoid Prince, spoiled brat, well-groomed vizier, wise grandfather.
Parent ethnicities
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Constance, Dominate, Resilience
Weakness: All Dynasts suffer from the Ventrue clan weakness. Common Icarian Derangements include Suspicion, Paranoia, Narcissism, Megalomania and delusion obsession. Many Dynasts eventually suspect that other Kindred seek to diablerize them as Icarius was diablerized, to steal their noble blood. Others, already taught the truth of their divine mandate, come to accept (usually on faith) some personal delusion as the undeniable truth: that the Dynast is destined by God to rule Milan, for example, or that the current Prince of Boston is an Acolyte spy. These Derangements may manifest even in response to unrelated stimuli — as if they are roused from the Icarian blood itself.
In addition to the shortcomings of the Ventrue, Icarians have their own weakness. The long-term goal of power over the Damned is of primary importance to all Dynasts. As a result, they derive less satisfaction from the smaller, intervening victories that come along the way. An Icarian regains only half as much Willpower when a scene plays out according to her Virtues. A full night’s rest recovers no Willpower for an Icarian — instead of feeling recharged, she feels as though she’s wasted time sleeping that could be spent fulfilling her great destiny. An Icarian does regain Willpower when scenes play out consistent with her Vice, and whenever the Storyteller chooses to reward the character with a Willpower point. All of an Icarian’s Willpower is recovered at the conclusion of each story, as usual.
Concepts: Boy king, dignified executive, expectant heir, handsome dignitary, host of Elysium, humble reformer, paranoid Prince, spoiled brat, well-groomed vizier, wise grandfather.