Noctuku
“You should not have come here, little vampire. Here, you are prey.”
In every culture and region in the world there are stories of cannibalism. Horror stories of survival on the edge of starvation and monsters that hunt and eat the flesh of men. The Kindred have cannibal tales of their own: whispered rumors of the dread Noctuku, Nosferatu who take pleasure in hunting their Kindred cousins and eating the dead flesh that hangs from their bones.
These stories are passed along with the same excitement and fear as an urban legend or a ghost story — tales told of Noctuku dwelling on the edges of a city, waiting for Kindred to stray too far from the shelter of the Prince’s law. Kindred in larger domains scoff at mentions of the Noctuku, taking them to be rumors fueled by fearful neonates or worse, a competitor’s attempts to hide her crimes behind an old ghost story. Those who reside closer to the hidden Haven of a Noctuku live in fear of the dark, for the Noctuku are very real.
Myth and rumor surround the Noctuku. It is believed that they may have existed long before the advent of the covenants, and that they may not be a bloodline at all; tales are told of Nosferatu who have spontaneously exhibited the hunger of the Noctuku following the Diablerie of another. What is known is that many Nosferatu fear that they, too, will feel the pull of the Noctuku within their veins. Whether there is truth in these words, or merely more fairy tales told to scare young Nosferatu away from violating the Third Tradition is unknown. However, there have never been any reliable records of the founder of this bloodline, and the stories of the Noctuku are remembered by elders who have existed for centuries. Indeed, Kindred on many continents share tales of the cannibalistic Noctuku bogeymen who stalk the night; however, no single domain claims that they hold the origins of this strange and barbaric bloodline.
Any vampire who identifies herself as Noctuku is sure to face severe difficulties in Kindred society. The act of consuming the flesh of vampires is seen as tantamount to that of Diablerie — the temptation to consume the soul along with the body too great a risk. Cannibalism is just as much a taboo among vampires as in mortal society, and predators do not like the feeling of being hunted any more than mortals do. Most Kindred react violently when presented with the reality of the Noctuku.
The Noctuku themselves are perfectly comfortable with violent response. In their eyes, they are the apex predator — the elite among a killing race, capable of hunting and destroying hapless mortals and experienced vampires alike. In fact, the more powerful their Kindred opponent, the more likely that Noctuku will engage in the hunt with enthusiasm, savoring the challenge of the kill. Some encroach upon established vampire domains, knowing full well that doing so will draw conflict from their own kind. They chew a hole through reputable Kindred Courts, clashing with the agents of Princes with gleeful abandon.
Younger Noctuku — those who have yet to lose themselves to the cannibalistic hunger of the line — argue that all Kindred hunt their own when they consume the blood of mortals. The Noctuku believe that the Noctuku represent the pinnacle of all predators, feeding from Kindred just as ordinary Kindred hunt mortals — for survival, for power and for sport.
These stories are passed along with the same excitement and fear as an urban legend or a ghost story — tales told of Noctuku dwelling on the edges of a city, waiting for Kindred to stray too far from the shelter of the Prince’s law. Kindred in larger domains scoff at mentions of the Noctuku, taking them to be rumors fueled by fearful neonates or worse, a competitor’s attempts to hide her crimes behind an old ghost story. Those who reside closer to the hidden Haven of a Noctuku live in fear of the dark, for the Noctuku are very real.
Myth and rumor surround the Noctuku. It is believed that they may have existed long before the advent of the covenants, and that they may not be a bloodline at all; tales are told of Nosferatu who have spontaneously exhibited the hunger of the Noctuku following the Diablerie of another. What is known is that many Nosferatu fear that they, too, will feel the pull of the Noctuku within their veins. Whether there is truth in these words, or merely more fairy tales told to scare young Nosferatu away from violating the Third Tradition is unknown. However, there have never been any reliable records of the founder of this bloodline, and the stories of the Noctuku are remembered by elders who have existed for centuries. Indeed, Kindred on many continents share tales of the cannibalistic Noctuku bogeymen who stalk the night; however, no single domain claims that they hold the origins of this strange and barbaric bloodline.
Any vampire who identifies herself as Noctuku is sure to face severe difficulties in Kindred society. The act of consuming the flesh of vampires is seen as tantamount to that of Diablerie — the temptation to consume the soul along with the body too great a risk. Cannibalism is just as much a taboo among vampires as in mortal society, and predators do not like the feeling of being hunted any more than mortals do. Most Kindred react violently when presented with the reality of the Noctuku.
The Noctuku themselves are perfectly comfortable with violent response. In their eyes, they are the apex predator — the elite among a killing race, capable of hunting and destroying hapless mortals and experienced vampires alike. In fact, the more powerful their Kindred opponent, the more likely that Noctuku will engage in the hunt with enthusiasm, savoring the challenge of the kill. Some encroach upon established vampire domains, knowing full well that doing so will draw conflict from their own kind. They chew a hole through reputable Kindred Courts, clashing with the agents of Princes with gleeful abandon.
Younger Noctuku — those who have yet to lose themselves to the cannibalistic hunger of the line — argue that all Kindred hunt their own when they consume the blood of mortals. The Noctuku believe that the Noctuku represent the pinnacle of all predators, feeding from Kindred just as ordinary Kindred hunt mortals — for survival, for power and for sport.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Background: Most Noctuku are made of converts from their parent clan, those Nosferatu who are either drawn by the promise of secrets best left unrevealed or by necessity when they are driven from the luxury of the city. Due to the hunger that consumes them, many Noctuku who do Embrace from mortal stock choose those who can stomach the mental and spiritual stresses that the Kindred of the line must endure nightly. Living on the edge of Kindred and mortal society, Noctuku choose only those who are used to surviving under the roughest of conditions. In some of the more remote regions of the world, where there is also a mortal history of the Noctuku’s practices, they tend to Embrace from the strongest and fittest, creating warriors who then safeguard their mortal cousins from outsiders.
A Nosferatu rarely petitions a Noctuku to join the line; rather, a Noctuku Avus will select a Nosferatu whom the Noctuku feel has the mental and spiritual fortitude to survive the hunger and then go about slowly destroying any ties and connections that the Nosferatu enjoys. Newly adoptive Noctuku choose solitary Requiems out of a sense of necessity, usually because they have yet to truly accept their darker natures and embrace the true Beast within them. When Noctuku choose to live solitary lifestyles, they tend to either take to the road as nomads or push themselves to the very edge of civilization. Any place that harbors mortal souls could harbor Noctuku who lie in wait for the next unsuspecting victim to fall to their noire appetite.
Myths of the Noctuku — or something similar to them — abound, and seem to date back throughout both Kindred and mortal history. Many scholars debate the attribution of these legends, though, pointing out that every tale of Kindred cannibalism seems to be linked to the Noctuku, whether there is evidence of their involvement or not. Others, however, point to a more frightening legend: that Nosferatu who engage in the eating of Kindred flesh are said to spontaneously become Noctuku; habitual cannibalism may, in fact, be all that it takes for a Haunt to become one.
Historical evidence seems to suggest that the Noctuku gleefully dogged a number of fleeing groups of Kindred, following them to the edges of Europe and devouring those who lagged behind or were otherwise vulnerable. The infamous clutches of Scandinavia were founded in those nights, ultimately destroying the Roman Kindred who hoped to find a new home there and claiming the territories for themselves in bloody triumph.
Legends of the Noctuku grew during the nights of the Dark Ages, even as their activity seems to have diminished. Many established domains began to force out members of the line as they were discovered, suffering terrible losses in the process. Their fierceness and malicious power inspired panicked edicts against the consumption of flesh — some of which remain in European domains to this night. In some places, though, their strength and murderous will earned the respect of warlike Kindred who chose to employ them, engaging in subtle machinations that would place them along key roads into and out of a domain so that they could protect the cities and satisfy their hunger by feeding upon nomad invaders. The first records of Noctuku in service to The Invictus arise from this practice in several domains in and around modern-day Romania and the Ukraine.
Thriving in the wars of colonization and enriching themselves on the blood and souls of relatively weak Kindred fleeing old domains, many Noctuku became uncommonly powerful, establishing themselves as a horrible force in their outposts.
Indeed, anecdotal evidence suggests that Noctuku clutches may have been responsible for delaying or destroying Kindred settlement in some domains. Sanctified pilgrims traveling through the Dutch South African colony at the Cape of Good Hope in the early 17th century noted the general absence of Kindred at the port station, but did find a small hollow filled with bones and ash near the settlement. One Mekhet Priest identified the detritus as Kindred remains, and later came to believe that he had unwittingly stumbled into the lair of a slumbering Noctuku.
Ordo Dracul records indicate that the first Kindred to establish a domain in Providence, Rhode Island, were dogged by a Noctuku hunter. Stalked throughout the first half of the 18th century, the creature was captured and ultimately destroyed by the civilized vampires of Providence in one well-documented confrontation that sent the first Prince of the domain to his Final Death.
However, with the expansive victories of the line came an unforeseen crisis. Cut loose from the restrictions of old Kindred society, many of the line drove themselves into a mad frenzy of Diablerie, falling forever to the temptations of the Beast. Many Noctuku Draugr arose during the nights of the 18th and 19th centuries, and many were destroyed by their own kin in self-defense. The numbers of the bloodline dwindled as constant battles were fought between members. Many who were not felled by their own kin went on to face outsider Kindred who redoubled their efforts to establish themselves in the new mortal domains, and few survived.
It is known that the Prince of one Russian city employs a clutch of Noctuku as a brutally effective border patrol, allowing them to feed upon the nomad coteries that stray too close to his domain (as well as the occasional exiled criminal). The disgust and indignation that the Noctuku’s activities provoke are balanced by a wary fear, and they operate undisturbed.
A number of Ordo Dracul Academies have noticed increased Noctuku activity throughout eastern North America in recent years. Some researchers believe that the increased sprawl of cities and the tendency among some Princes to relegate suburban feeding grounds to younger and less established Kindred are combining to create ideal circumstances for the fringe-dwelling Noctuku.
While lone Noctuku cannot be said to participate in any traditions or practices of the bloodline per se, they do often follow a pattern of behavior that has been well marked by those who observe them. Once they establish a Haven that is well defended, they begin to hunt and feed in a growing outward spiral, festooning their home with trophies and the remains of their victims. When they encounter other members of the line, they often veer away, leaving one another to their own territory. Some will attack their brethren, but only if they are starved for a challenge, or, as is occasionally the case with young Noctuku, overcome with a sense of revulsion. Conflict with other Kindred is inevitable, though — sooner or later, the Noctuku is bound to violate the feeding grounds of a vampire, and the response is likely to be immediate. Knowing full well that the hunt will be joined soon enough, most members of the line see no need to engage their own kind.
Sometimes the only salve to the madness of this existence is to gather with other Noctuku in clutches, working together to hunt and feed and prepare for the unavoidable clash with other Kindred. Small clutches often maintain Status within one of the covenants as a defense against prosecution, working as enforcers or guardians within a domain.
A few rare clutches have grown into organized forces of their own, actually playing significant roles in domain politics. The Noctuku of certain Scandinavian domains have developed a whole set of evolving rules and strictures of their own, established through centuries of existence. These clutches are rigidly controlled by the eldest and most powerful Noctuku among them, called a Majikan. The Majikan is the supreme leader of his Kindred — acting as a parental figure, religious advisor or judge, jury and executioner in service to The Invictus, overseeing the whole of his clutch and inheriting the practice of delegating titles and tasks to his inferiors from the covenant as a whole. The Majikan defines the rules of etiquette for his clutch, such as forbidding the Noctuku from feeding on each other but actively promoting the consumption of mortals or Kindred. The Majikan is not always the most skilled in the understanding of Phagia, leaving that role to the Corazo, or heart of the clutch. The Domus, or home guard, is placed in charge of Haven security and maintaining the secrecy of the clutch. In a sense, these members of the clutch are its own secret police, as well as a sort of butler or caretaker of the communal Haven. The Servus is a role often given to several Noctuku, charging them with finding sources of food. They excel in tracking potential prey, mortal and Kindred, and gathering them without alerting the locals to the presence of the Noctuku. Whether or not this complicated set of duties and titles seems natural for the Noctuku, the long-term survival of the Scandinavian clutches is undeniably evident, and may one night set the standard for the bloodline. For now, it remains rare to see a clutch so organized.
When a Nosferatu is chosen to become a member of the Noctuku — for only the most debased petition a Noctuku elder to join the bloodline — her Avus slowly drives her toward darker and more perverse feeding practices by corrupting her connections to the mortal and Kindred worlds. Sometimes, the Avus drives other Kindred to attack the Nosferatu, forcing a physical confrontation that all too often leads to frenzy, Vitae Addiction or, worse, Diablerie. The Avus is careful to not show herself too early and to not reveal any information connecting her to the Noctuku as too many proto-Noctuku turn upon their new brethren in a frustrated release of hunger. The Noctuku Avus waits until he believes the Nosferatu is ready to survive the rigors of the hunger and then confronts her with the reality of her potential, if only they allow her to truly feel the hunger of the Beast that claws within her. If the Nosferatu refuses, then the Noctuku merely cuts his losses and attempts to consume the failed inductee.
The nightly routine of the Noctuku is as varied as the organization of the bloodline itself. Those who throw in with The Circle of the Crone are very active within the covenant, participating in rituals with unparalleled enthusiasm. Noctuku Acolytes usually serve as a sort of secret weapon for The Crone, literally consuming any competition in service to the covenant. Entire clutches of Noctuku ritualize the hunt, turning the consumption of Kindred and mortal flesh into a twisted means of worship.
Young Noctuku never want to become what they really know they are — monsters that stalk their own kind. However, they are almost always lured by other Noctuku into experiencing the ecstatic pleasures derived from the consumption of human and Kindred flesh and are lost to chasing the high, just as so many other addicts, ignoring their own growing monstrosity and reveling in the thrill of power. Is the cost ever enough to compare to the gain? A Noctuku would be hard-pressed to tell.
With this denial heaped onto the raw hunger for mortal and Kindred flesh, elders of the line can be surprisingly strict when it comes to The Traditions and frown on a flagrant disregard of their wisdom, usually because it usually encourages other vampires to rise up and destroy the bloodline. Most discover that it is better to remain just shy of breaking the laws of Kindred, using the veneer of lawful obedience to protect them from wholesale persecution . . . so long as they can manage it. These Noctuku observe a kind of double Masquerade with their Kindred cousins for the very same reasons the Kindred do with mortals: it is better to hunt an unsuspecting prey than one who knows the truth.
A Nosferatu rarely petitions a Noctuku to join the line; rather, a Noctuku Avus will select a Nosferatu whom the Noctuku feel has the mental and spiritual fortitude to survive the hunger and then go about slowly destroying any ties and connections that the Nosferatu enjoys. Newly adoptive Noctuku choose solitary Requiems out of a sense of necessity, usually because they have yet to truly accept their darker natures and embrace the true Beast within them. When Noctuku choose to live solitary lifestyles, they tend to either take to the road as nomads or push themselves to the very edge of civilization. Any place that harbors mortal souls could harbor Noctuku who lie in wait for the next unsuspecting victim to fall to their noire appetite.
History
Ancient Origins
The Noctuku’s true origins are lost to the sands of time. Mortal archeologists have confirmed signs of cannibalistic attacks on the dead in Neolithic caves in Europe, and some Kindred believe these attacks bear the mark of the Noctuku.Myths of the Noctuku — or something similar to them — abound, and seem to date back throughout both Kindred and mortal history. Many scholars debate the attribution of these legends, though, pointing out that every tale of Kindred cannibalism seems to be linked to the Noctuku, whether there is evidence of their involvement or not. Others, however, point to a more frightening legend: that Nosferatu who engage in the eating of Kindred flesh are said to spontaneously become Noctuku; habitual cannibalism may, in fact, be all that it takes for a Haunt to become one.
Rome and the Dark Ages
The stories that have survived from the Roman times, left ragged by the passage of time, have long been folded into the myths of the Noctuku. It is whispered that the line may have truly originated in Rome, but the stories are confused, and may be conflated with those of the flesheating Macellarius. It is believed that several clutches of Noctuku existed on the fringe of Roman society, vicious predators hunting at the edge of the Kindred territories and picking off vampires exiled by the Princes of Rome. The bloodline is said to have thrived in the nights following the collapse of the Camarilla, running rampant among the confused Kindred, sowing chaos and feeding with wild abandon.Historical evidence seems to suggest that the Noctuku gleefully dogged a number of fleeing groups of Kindred, following them to the edges of Europe and devouring those who lagged behind or were otherwise vulnerable. The infamous clutches of Scandinavia were founded in those nights, ultimately destroying the Roman Kindred who hoped to find a new home there and claiming the territories for themselves in bloody triumph.
Legends of the Noctuku grew during the nights of the Dark Ages, even as their activity seems to have diminished. Many established domains began to force out members of the line as they were discovered, suffering terrible losses in the process. Their fierceness and malicious power inspired panicked edicts against the consumption of flesh — some of which remain in European domains to this night. In some places, though, their strength and murderous will earned the respect of warlike Kindred who chose to employ them, engaging in subtle machinations that would place them along key roads into and out of a domain so that they could protect the cities and satisfy their hunger by feeding upon nomad invaders. The first records of Noctuku in service to The Invictus arise from this practice in several domains in and around modern-day Romania and the Ukraine.
The Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment began as a period of great success for the Noctuku. As the mortals and Kindred of Europe were driven to exploration and discovery, the predatory vampires of the line followed suit, freely feeding upon expeditionary forces and then settling into new domains, waiting for the investigations that would surely follow. They spread throughout the known world in this way, establishing clutches in the New World, Africa and East Asia.Thriving in the wars of colonization and enriching themselves on the blood and souls of relatively weak Kindred fleeing old domains, many Noctuku became uncommonly powerful, establishing themselves as a horrible force in their outposts.
Indeed, anecdotal evidence suggests that Noctuku clutches may have been responsible for delaying or destroying Kindred settlement in some domains. Sanctified pilgrims traveling through the Dutch South African colony at the Cape of Good Hope in the early 17th century noted the general absence of Kindred at the port station, but did find a small hollow filled with bones and ash near the settlement. One Mekhet Priest identified the detritus as Kindred remains, and later came to believe that he had unwittingly stumbled into the lair of a slumbering Noctuku.
Ordo Dracul records indicate that the first Kindred to establish a domain in Providence, Rhode Island, were dogged by a Noctuku hunter. Stalked throughout the first half of the 18th century, the creature was captured and ultimately destroyed by the civilized vampires of Providence in one well-documented confrontation that sent the first Prince of the domain to his Final Death.
However, with the expansive victories of the line came an unforeseen crisis. Cut loose from the restrictions of old Kindred society, many of the line drove themselves into a mad frenzy of Diablerie, falling forever to the temptations of the Beast. Many Noctuku Draugr arose during the nights of the 18th and 19th centuries, and many were destroyed by their own kin in self-defense. The numbers of the bloodline dwindled as constant battles were fought between members. Many who were not felled by their own kin went on to face outsider Kindred who redoubled their efforts to establish themselves in the new mortal domains, and few survived.
Modern Nights
Modern nights find the Noctuku relegated to urban legend in most domains, which is exactly what the surviving members of the line prefer. Now, as the majority of Kindred relate stories of the bloodline in abstract terms, believing they are simple myths meant to discourage Diablerie, the vampires of the Noctuku hunt and feed, vicious and skillful as ever.It is known that the Prince of one Russian city employs a clutch of Noctuku as a brutally effective border patrol, allowing them to feed upon the nomad coteries that stray too close to his domain (as well as the occasional exiled criminal). The disgust and indignation that the Noctuku’s activities provoke are balanced by a wary fear, and they operate undisturbed.
A number of Ordo Dracul Academies have noticed increased Noctuku activity throughout eastern North America in recent years. Some researchers believe that the increased sprawl of cities and the tendency among some Princes to relegate suburban feeding grounds to younger and less established Kindred are combining to create ideal circumstances for the fringe-dwelling Noctuku.
Society and Culture
Solitary Noctuku who still cling to the shreds of Humanity left to them hide their true blood lineage within clutches of Nosferatu or other Kindred who face dangerous hardships. Some exist as nomads, covering their dark hunger and pretending to a semblance of civility while enjoying the company of others; these Noctuku attempt to push back the ever-present hunger for the flesh of their compatriots, tamping down the temptations with the thrill and challenge of the open road. But sooner or later, every Noctuku is forced to come face-to-face with his perverse urges and risks turning upon his friends and Allies. Thus, the nightly existence of the solitary Noctuku is one of lies and deceit or rabid hunting and fighting to fulfill the hunger that gnaws at him.While lone Noctuku cannot be said to participate in any traditions or practices of the bloodline per se, they do often follow a pattern of behavior that has been well marked by those who observe them. Once they establish a Haven that is well defended, they begin to hunt and feed in a growing outward spiral, festooning their home with trophies and the remains of their victims. When they encounter other members of the line, they often veer away, leaving one another to their own territory. Some will attack their brethren, but only if they are starved for a challenge, or, as is occasionally the case with young Noctuku, overcome with a sense of revulsion. Conflict with other Kindred is inevitable, though — sooner or later, the Noctuku is bound to violate the feeding grounds of a vampire, and the response is likely to be immediate. Knowing full well that the hunt will be joined soon enough, most members of the line see no need to engage their own kind.
Sometimes the only salve to the madness of this existence is to gather with other Noctuku in clutches, working together to hunt and feed and prepare for the unavoidable clash with other Kindred. Small clutches often maintain Status within one of the covenants as a defense against prosecution, working as enforcers or guardians within a domain.
A few rare clutches have grown into organized forces of their own, actually playing significant roles in domain politics. The Noctuku of certain Scandinavian domains have developed a whole set of evolving rules and strictures of their own, established through centuries of existence. These clutches are rigidly controlled by the eldest and most powerful Noctuku among them, called a Majikan. The Majikan is the supreme leader of his Kindred — acting as a parental figure, religious advisor or judge, jury and executioner in service to The Invictus, overseeing the whole of his clutch and inheriting the practice of delegating titles and tasks to his inferiors from the covenant as a whole. The Majikan defines the rules of etiquette for his clutch, such as forbidding the Noctuku from feeding on each other but actively promoting the consumption of mortals or Kindred. The Majikan is not always the most skilled in the understanding of Phagia, leaving that role to the Corazo, or heart of the clutch. The Domus, or home guard, is placed in charge of Haven security and maintaining the secrecy of the clutch. In a sense, these members of the clutch are its own secret police, as well as a sort of butler or caretaker of the communal Haven. The Servus is a role often given to several Noctuku, charging them with finding sources of food. They excel in tracking potential prey, mortal and Kindred, and gathering them without alerting the locals to the presence of the Noctuku. Whether or not this complicated set of duties and titles seems natural for the Noctuku, the long-term survival of the Scandinavian clutches is undeniably evident, and may one night set the standard for the bloodline. For now, it remains rare to see a clutch so organized.
When a Nosferatu is chosen to become a member of the Noctuku — for only the most debased petition a Noctuku elder to join the bloodline — her Avus slowly drives her toward darker and more perverse feeding practices by corrupting her connections to the mortal and Kindred worlds. Sometimes, the Avus drives other Kindred to attack the Nosferatu, forcing a physical confrontation that all too often leads to frenzy, Vitae Addiction or, worse, Diablerie. The Avus is careful to not show herself too early and to not reveal any information connecting her to the Noctuku as too many proto-Noctuku turn upon their new brethren in a frustrated release of hunger. The Noctuku Avus waits until he believes the Nosferatu is ready to survive the rigors of the hunger and then confronts her with the reality of her potential, if only they allow her to truly feel the hunger of the Beast that claws within her. If the Nosferatu refuses, then the Noctuku merely cuts his losses and attempts to consume the failed inductee.
The nightly routine of the Noctuku is as varied as the organization of the bloodline itself. Those who throw in with The Circle of the Crone are very active within the covenant, participating in rituals with unparalleled enthusiasm. Noctuku Acolytes usually serve as a sort of secret weapon for The Crone, literally consuming any competition in service to the covenant. Entire clutches of Noctuku ritualize the hunt, turning the consumption of Kindred and mortal flesh into a twisted means of worship.
Young Noctuku never want to become what they really know they are — monsters that stalk their own kind. However, they are almost always lured by other Noctuku into experiencing the ecstatic pleasures derived from the consumption of human and Kindred flesh and are lost to chasing the high, just as so many other addicts, ignoring their own growing monstrosity and reveling in the thrill of power. Is the cost ever enough to compare to the gain? A Noctuku would be hard-pressed to tell.
With this denial heaped onto the raw hunger for mortal and Kindred flesh, elders of the line can be surprisingly strict when it comes to The Traditions and frown on a flagrant disregard of their wisdom, usually because it usually encourages other vampires to rise up and destroy the bloodline. Most discover that it is better to remain just shy of breaking the laws of Kindred, using the veneer of lawful obedience to protect them from wholesale persecution . . . so long as they can manage it. These Noctuku observe a kind of double Masquerade with their Kindred cousins for the very same reasons the Kindred do with mortals: it is better to hunt an unsuspecting prey than one who knows the truth.
Common Dress code
Appearance: Noctuku dress in comfortable clothing, usually only a few months or years off the standard fashion for the mortals in their domains. Many Noctuku differ little physically from their Nosferatu cousins, which allows for an easier hunt. Only with time does the difference begin to display itself: Noctuku often appear slightly more gaunt and pale than other Nosferatu, and as the Noctuku age, they make little effort to appear lifelike, taking on the pallor of a walking corpse.
Art & Architecture
Haven: Residing in domains worldwide, from the edges of great cities to the rural wastes beset by competing horrors, the Noctuku are a hardy line, finding purchase in any nook that can protect them from the sun and allow them to stalk their prey. Lone Noctuku take up functional havens in out-of-the-way locations that will not raise suspicion, yet still allow them to be close enough to the mortal and Kindred populations to hunt with ease. Places such as animal slaughterhouses and butcher shops tend to mask the special diet that the Noctuku indulge in. Many of the havens of the Noctuku are eventually piled with the flesh and bones of their victims. Some are ghoulishly decorated with these remains, arranged with perverse tableaux of torn limbs and skeletal fragments.
Those Noctuku who remain part of Kindred society tend to live in small havens with only the basic amenities. Not the types to crave lavish surroundings, most Noctuku seek out the most basic aspects of what they need to survive their Requiems, focusing on safety and mobility over comfort.
When Noctuku form family coteries called “clutches,” they build functional havens similar to their more solitary brothers and sisters, with separate sleeping areas for their acolytes that commonly feature reinforced doors and locks on the outside so that the eldest among them can then secure them to prevent any accidental attacks against other Noctuku.
Those Noctuku who remain part of Kindred society tend to live in small havens with only the basic amenities. Not the types to crave lavish surroundings, most Noctuku seek out the most basic aspects of what they need to survive their Requiems, focusing on safety and mobility over comfort.
When Noctuku form family coteries called “clutches,” they build functional havens similar to their more solitary brothers and sisters, with separate sleeping areas for their acolytes that commonly feature reinforced doors and locks on the outside so that the eldest among them can then secure them to prevent any accidental attacks against other Noctuku.
Major organizations
Covenant: The Noctuku find roles within the covenants that allow them to practice their taboo discipline and feed without the threat of a death sentence. The Circle of the Crone seems to appeal to the Noctuku the most; with its arcane practices, rituals and belief that it is are above mortal taboos, the covenant is in many ways the only one that will accept the bloodline for everything that it is. In isolated domains, The Circle of the Crone has come to venerate the Noctuku for their unique ability to survive in even the harshest terrain, an example of their true communion with nature and their role as the top predators.
Those few Noctuku who join or remain in The Invictus following their bloody admission into this bloodline find their perverse hunger a liability that they must hide from their more delicate cousins. Concealing their cannibalistic tendencies behind a veneer of civility eventually grates on them, especially when surrounded by so many sources of Vitae-infused flesh on a nightly basis. Only the strict rigid structure of etiquette gives any of The Invictus Noctuku hope of maintaining Humanity, giving them a crutch to lean on when the hunger calls.
While the promise of transcending the vampire condition appeals to a few Noctuku, the scholarly approach of The Ordo Dracul is foreign to the majority of Bogeymen. Most members of the covenant will not tolerate these violent and predatory Kindred, and few Noctuku manage to retain membership for long. Furthermore, the records of The Ordo Dracul in several cities warn against fraternizing with members of this line, alluding to incidences of uncontrollable violence and Diablerie within the walls of academies foolish enough or hopeful enough to admit these monsters.
The Lancea Sanctum faces a unique dichotomy when the truth of a Noctuku is revealed — while the Sanctified praise the role of the ultimate predator, they decry the evils of Diablerie and believe that the practices of the Noctuku will lead to greater sin. Thus, few members of the line openly join The Lancea Sanctum for fear of becoming a lightning rod for the pulpits of all manner of Kindred gospel.
Noctuku are also rare among the Carthians, as the Noctuku’s perverse diet tends to alienate the very bonds that the Carthians seek to foster with other Kindred. The Carthians may simply express their pity for the Noctuku’s plight and move on into the night or, worse, attempt to destroy any they encounter to satisfy their sense of justice.
Organization: Most Noctuku eventually become solitary monsters, keeping to themselves out of necessity. When they do gather in any numbers larger than sire and childe or Avus and Acolyte, they tend to bow to the eldest and most powerful among them, generally adopting subservient mannerisms to prevent unwanted attacks. In the small clutches of Noctuku that share the hunt, the organization is similar: graduating respect paid to those with more power and experience. The clutches tend to keep a tightly knit community, and many Noctuku who feel the need for social ties without having to hide their depravity flock to them.
In most domains, the gatherings of Noctuku are subject to the simple philosophies of competitive survival and domination through strength. When a new Nosferatu is brought into a clutch, she endures weeks or months of physical trial, either proving herself worthy of the Blood or falling to the gnashing teeth of her compatriots.
Those few Noctuku who join or remain in The Invictus following their bloody admission into this bloodline find their perverse hunger a liability that they must hide from their more delicate cousins. Concealing their cannibalistic tendencies behind a veneer of civility eventually grates on them, especially when surrounded by so many sources of Vitae-infused flesh on a nightly basis. Only the strict rigid structure of etiquette gives any of The Invictus Noctuku hope of maintaining Humanity, giving them a crutch to lean on when the hunger calls.
While the promise of transcending the vampire condition appeals to a few Noctuku, the scholarly approach of The Ordo Dracul is foreign to the majority of Bogeymen. Most members of the covenant will not tolerate these violent and predatory Kindred, and few Noctuku manage to retain membership for long. Furthermore, the records of The Ordo Dracul in several cities warn against fraternizing with members of this line, alluding to incidences of uncontrollable violence and Diablerie within the walls of academies foolish enough or hopeful enough to admit these monsters.
The Lancea Sanctum faces a unique dichotomy when the truth of a Noctuku is revealed — while the Sanctified praise the role of the ultimate predator, they decry the evils of Diablerie and believe that the practices of the Noctuku will lead to greater sin. Thus, few members of the line openly join The Lancea Sanctum for fear of becoming a lightning rod for the pulpits of all manner of Kindred gospel.
Noctuku are also rare among the Carthians, as the Noctuku’s perverse diet tends to alienate the very bonds that the Carthians seek to foster with other Kindred. The Carthians may simply express their pity for the Noctuku’s plight and move on into the night or, worse, attempt to destroy any they encounter to satisfy their sense of justice.
Organization: Most Noctuku eventually become solitary monsters, keeping to themselves out of necessity. When they do gather in any numbers larger than sire and childe or Avus and Acolyte, they tend to bow to the eldest and most powerful among them, generally adopting subservient mannerisms to prevent unwanted attacks. In the small clutches of Noctuku that share the hunt, the organization is similar: graduating respect paid to those with more power and experience. The clutches tend to keep a tightly knit community, and many Noctuku who feel the need for social ties without having to hide their depravity flock to them.
In most domains, the gatherings of Noctuku are subject to the simple philosophies of competitive survival and domination through strength. When a new Nosferatu is brought into a clutch, she endures weeks or months of physical trial, either proving herself worthy of the Blood or falling to the gnashing teeth of her compatriots.
Nickname: Bogeymen
Character Creation: With their need to survive in some of the most inhospitable terrain for Kindred around the world, the Noctuku tend to favor Physical Attributes over all else. Noctuku find little need for Social Attributes beyond simple Intimidation, and the most successful practitioners of Phagia have respectable levels of Strength and Stamina along with a strong background in Survival, Larceny and Medicine.
Individual Noctuku vary in their skill and knowledge base, with some even reveling in their roles as Bogeymen and specializing in Nightmare as well as Phagia. Noctuku will sometimes keep a Retainer, usually a member of society so debased or corrupted that he willingly feeds the Noctuku’s perverse hunger. The Noctuku rarely have Allies or Contacts, and almost never keep up communication with mortals at all.
A clutch of Noctuku tends to pool its Resources to benefit all, which usually means that the eldest benefits from the younger members’ hard work. Shared havens are common and even recommended with clutches, so that the bloodline elders can watch over their adoptive childer like wardens.
Bloodline Discipline: Nightmare, Obfuscate, Phagia, Vigor
Weakness: In addition to the normal Nosferatu weakness, the Noctuku develop a dark hunger for the flesh of their prey.
Nosferatu who join the Noctuku bloodline soon find that the taste of blood alone does not sate their hunger, that until they consume the raw flesh of their prey, the Beast inside them does not subside. If they do not indulge the hunger for the raw, unspoiled flesh of their victims at least once a week, they are –1 on all Mental and Social dice rolls and require an additional success on hunger frenzies. For each week that passes thereafter without satisfying this hunger, these penalties increase by 1. If they fall to hunger frenzy while suffering this effect, they will attack and consume the flesh of the nearest victim, preferring Kindred to mortal flesh and human flesh to that of animals.
Note that Noctuku are no more capable of digesting meat than any other vampire. When they eat flesh, they will regurgitate it almost immediately. It is the simple act of consumption that satisfies their ghastly urge.
Concepts: Hungry drifter, corrupt mortician, Embraced bushman, rural parish Priest, freak show monster, serial killer, creepy cab driver, underground doctor, pathetic loner, blood-crusted trucker, and depraved cult leader.
Parent ethnicities
Individual Noctuku vary in their skill and knowledge base, with some even reveling in their roles as Bogeymen and specializing in Nightmare as well as Phagia. Noctuku will sometimes keep a Retainer, usually a member of society so debased or corrupted that he willingly feeds the Noctuku’s perverse hunger. The Noctuku rarely have Allies or Contacts, and almost never keep up communication with mortals at all.
A clutch of Noctuku tends to pool its Resources to benefit all, which usually means that the eldest benefits from the younger members’ hard work. Shared havens are common and even recommended with clutches, so that the bloodline elders can watch over their adoptive childer like wardens.
Bloodline Discipline: Nightmare, Obfuscate, Phagia, Vigor
Weakness: In addition to the normal Nosferatu weakness, the Noctuku develop a dark hunger for the flesh of their prey.
Nosferatu who join the Noctuku bloodline soon find that the taste of blood alone does not sate their hunger, that until they consume the raw flesh of their prey, the Beast inside them does not subside. If they do not indulge the hunger for the raw, unspoiled flesh of their victims at least once a week, they are –1 on all Mental and Social dice rolls and require an additional success on hunger frenzies. For each week that passes thereafter without satisfying this hunger, these penalties increase by 1. If they fall to hunger frenzy while suffering this effect, they will attack and consume the flesh of the nearest victim, preferring Kindred to mortal flesh and human flesh to that of animals.
Note that Noctuku are no more capable of digesting meat than any other vampire. When they eat flesh, they will regurgitate it almost immediately. It is the simple act of consumption that satisfies their ghastly urge.
Concepts: Hungry drifter, corrupt mortician, Embraced bushman, rural parish Priest, freak show monster, serial killer, creepy cab driver, underground doctor, pathetic loner, blood-crusted trucker, and depraved cult leader.