Rötgrafen
“Sorry, lad, but if you’ve actually seen the ships then it’s already far too late.”
From the frozen shores of Northern Europe to the warm beaches of the Caribbean, tales exist of terrifying invaders from the sea. Attacking without warning and without mercy, the Sea Kings claimed domain over the entire ocean. No coastal community was ever safe. The Sea Kings appeared at night. Ghost ships, emerging from the mists, without any apparent crew. If the townsfolk were lucky, the Sea Kings would be gone before sunrise, leaving a handful dead and a few missing. If the townsfolk were unlucky, the assault could last for weeks.
The Rötgrafen bloodline was founded nearly 1,000 years ago by Sigrún Ericsdottir, a woman who claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of Eric the Red. Through a series of lies, manipulations and outright killings, she was responsible for the deaths of more than two dozen people during an expedition to what is now L’Anse aux Meadows on the Canadian Atlantic coast. Two groups of explorers left Greenland together, determined to settle a rumored paradise discovered by wayward sailors. One group, led by Sigrún and her husband, returned a year later. The second group was never seen again.
Sigrún’s manipulations started innocently enough; she lied just enough to ensure that her crew ended up with the prime location for a settlement. She was, after all, just looking out for those who sailed with her. Her desire for power slowly grew, and as it did, her thoughts darkened. She began to view the second group of settlers not as comrades united in purpose but as rivals, leeching away that which should be hers. Hatred boiled in her chest, much of it focused on the brothers, Sindri and Tryggvi, who were leading the other explorers. And so it was that she set forth one night, alone and unseen, to deliver an ultimatum to the brothers: leave now or die. Sindri and Tryggvi did not react the way Sigrún had envisioned: they scoffed at her and suggested that she cut down on her drinking. Enraged, she stormed back to her own settlement, setting in motion the events that would lead to her eventual damnation. She told her husband that she had gone to visit Sindri and Tryggvi to arrange a feast, but she had overheard them plotting to kill her and all those who followed her. Sigrún demanded vengeance, and she led her sailors as they stormed the other settlement, killing all the men while they were still in bed. However, the sailors’ code of honor prevented them from attacking unarmed Viking women. Completely caught up in a blood fury, Sigrún grabbed an axe and killed the women herself while they huddled together, screaming for mercy.
Sigrún and her followers were eventually forced to flee North America, after her plot to poison indigenous people failed to kill as many of them as she anticipated. During the return voyage, she threatened to kill anyone who mentioned what had happened to Sindri and Tryggvi’s crew. However, some of the men felt ashamed of what they had done, and upon returning to Greenland, confessed their deeds. Sigrún was banished from the island, but it would seem that her reign of carnage was only just beginning.
Sigrún wound up in Norway, where the tales of her crimes preceded her. Her ruthlessness caught the attention of a local Ventrue, and she was Embraced within days of arriving. Unfortunately, her sire did not wait to obtain the local Sanctified Prince’s permission beforehand, and Sigrún found herself banished again, this time lashed to a ship with her sire and cast adrift to meet the morning sun.
A few years later, reports of midnight raids against Sanctified domains started surfacing all over the coast of the Baltic and North Seas./ Eyewitness accounts all mentioned the arrival of a seemingly empty longship, shrouded in mist, floating off the shoreline shortly before the attacks commenced. The raids were well organized, well planned and extremely violent. Kindred were left destroyed, their havens ransacked and their kine hauled away.
These ‘ghost ship’ sightings increased, soon becoming two ships. Then three. Merchant vessels in the area began going missing. And then Sigrún, Ghost Queen of the Baltic, revealed herself. She had amassed what amounted to a small army of followers according to vampire standards, an army that had managed to essentially carve a domainof their own on the open sea. And if the Sanctified didn’t have reason enough to want to hunt her down before, after her tale was told they most certainly did.
Sigrún claimed that as the dawn of her execution approached, she was visited by the god Loki.
He told her that her actions in life amused him, and he was interested in seeing what she could do in unlife.
He said that he would help her survive to see another night if she would offer her service, and the service of all she created, to fight in his army of the unholy dead at Ragnarok, the great battle at the end of the world. He offered her the blood of his own children to seal the pact. Sigrún agreed. The blood of Fenrisulfr, he explained, would enhance her natural ferocity and gift her with the power to shift her form. The blood of Jˆrmungandr would help rejuvenate her corpse and grant her the power to withstand any assault. The blood of his daughter Hel would grant her rightful rule over a great army of the undead. Sigrún drank his offerings willingly and with great relish, and he fed her sire to his children to repay them for their contribution.
Of course, many scholars of modern nights debunk this tale as mere fantasy, suggesting that Sigrún most likely diablerized her sire. They don’t bother trying to explain how she survived in an exposed boat on the open sea, claiming that the winds must have blown her back to shore or somehow managed to get her somewhere protected. Regardless, what is known is that her bloodline, under her direct command, ruled the northern seas for nearly 300 years.
As her fleet grew in size Sigrún realized that she needed direct control over ports to keep the ships seaworthy. Using the gifts of her Ventrue blood, she warped the minds of human leaders and worked to set up her childer as jarls in various Scandinavian coastal communities, posing as direct representatives of the king. The domains of Iceland were visited again and again by her line during the 13th century, and were used as a safe Haven whenever the kine organized serious resistance. By the year 1300, the Rötgrafen were terrorizing seafarers all over the coastline of Northern Europe. Sigrún had sired nearly a dozen childer personally, and it appeared that she was on the verge of establishing an impenetrable, lasting power base, ruled exclusively by her bloodline. Then everything fell apart.
Sigrún fell into Torpor shortly after the dawning of the 14th century. Her Ventrue blood warred with that of the dark gods of old, and her childer and grandchilder fought amongst themselves to fill the void in the bloodline’s power structure created by her absence. Many ships were lost as the Sanctified took advantage of the infighting to claim revenge. Control of the seas slipped away as her childer pulled back to their individual coastal domains to protect what power they had. The dream of a great conquering army of Kindred vanished completely as individual Rötgrafen, no longer capable of surviving alone, looked to The Invictus and The Circle of the Crone for protection.
Sigrún emerged from Torpor more than 200 years later, but the troubled sleep of centuries had changed her. Feeling her blood thinned considerably and confronting a political landscape completely alien to her, she decided it was in her best interests to abandon Europe completely. She told no one where she was headed, butas rumors of ghost ships and vicious, impossibly strong pirates surfaced in the Caribbean, it was obvious where she had gone. The Ghost Queen of the Baltic was in the Americas.
Her activities in the Caribbean followed a pattern similar to her European conquests. She started with ocean-based raiding before expanding to the conquest of port domains. Her style of governance had changed, however, as her impatience for Ragnarok grew. Enamored by the passionate rhetoricof rebellious Kindred around her, she adopted a more democratic system of control, and while she maintained the final word, a significant amount of real power lay in the hands of those who followed her.
She fell back into Torpor some time in the 19th century, and much of the framework she established still remains. Rötgrafen elements in the Caribbean were amongst the first open supporters of The Carthian Movement, and many remain in modern nights.
Rumor has it that the Ghost Queen of the Baltic is out of Torpor once more, and that once more she has moved to a different part of the world. Some reports claim she is operating in Indonesia, but more reliable sources point to evidence of activity in the American Pacific Northwest. Of course, these reports could just be the result of an increase in activity of the bloodline itself and not necessarily actions directed by Sigrún herself.
The Rötgrafen bloodline was founded nearly 1,000 years ago by Sigrún Ericsdottir, a woman who claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of Eric the Red. Through a series of lies, manipulations and outright killings, she was responsible for the deaths of more than two dozen people during an expedition to what is now L’Anse aux Meadows on the Canadian Atlantic coast. Two groups of explorers left Greenland together, determined to settle a rumored paradise discovered by wayward sailors. One group, led by Sigrún and her husband, returned a year later. The second group was never seen again.
Sigrún’s manipulations started innocently enough; she lied just enough to ensure that her crew ended up with the prime location for a settlement. She was, after all, just looking out for those who sailed with her. Her desire for power slowly grew, and as it did, her thoughts darkened. She began to view the second group of settlers not as comrades united in purpose but as rivals, leeching away that which should be hers. Hatred boiled in her chest, much of it focused on the brothers, Sindri and Tryggvi, who were leading the other explorers. And so it was that she set forth one night, alone and unseen, to deliver an ultimatum to the brothers: leave now or die. Sindri and Tryggvi did not react the way Sigrún had envisioned: they scoffed at her and suggested that she cut down on her drinking. Enraged, she stormed back to her own settlement, setting in motion the events that would lead to her eventual damnation. She told her husband that she had gone to visit Sindri and Tryggvi to arrange a feast, but she had overheard them plotting to kill her and all those who followed her. Sigrún demanded vengeance, and she led her sailors as they stormed the other settlement, killing all the men while they were still in bed. However, the sailors’ code of honor prevented them from attacking unarmed Viking women. Completely caught up in a blood fury, Sigrún grabbed an axe and killed the women herself while they huddled together, screaming for mercy.
Sigrún and her followers were eventually forced to flee North America, after her plot to poison indigenous people failed to kill as many of them as she anticipated. During the return voyage, she threatened to kill anyone who mentioned what had happened to Sindri and Tryggvi’s crew. However, some of the men felt ashamed of what they had done, and upon returning to Greenland, confessed their deeds. Sigrún was banished from the island, but it would seem that her reign of carnage was only just beginning.
Sigrún wound up in Norway, where the tales of her crimes preceded her. Her ruthlessness caught the attention of a local Ventrue, and she was Embraced within days of arriving. Unfortunately, her sire did not wait to obtain the local Sanctified Prince’s permission beforehand, and Sigrún found herself banished again, this time lashed to a ship with her sire and cast adrift to meet the morning sun.
A few years later, reports of midnight raids against Sanctified domains started surfacing all over the coast of the Baltic and North Seas./ Eyewitness accounts all mentioned the arrival of a seemingly empty longship, shrouded in mist, floating off the shoreline shortly before the attacks commenced. The raids were well organized, well planned and extremely violent. Kindred were left destroyed, their havens ransacked and their kine hauled away.
These ‘ghost ship’ sightings increased, soon becoming two ships. Then three. Merchant vessels in the area began going missing. And then Sigrún, Ghost Queen of the Baltic, revealed herself. She had amassed what amounted to a small army of followers according to vampire standards, an army that had managed to essentially carve a domainof their own on the open sea. And if the Sanctified didn’t have reason enough to want to hunt her down before, after her tale was told they most certainly did.
Sigrún claimed that as the dawn of her execution approached, she was visited by the god Loki.
He told her that her actions in life amused him, and he was interested in seeing what she could do in unlife.
He said that he would help her survive to see another night if she would offer her service, and the service of all she created, to fight in his army of the unholy dead at Ragnarok, the great battle at the end of the world. He offered her the blood of his own children to seal the pact. Sigrún agreed. The blood of Fenrisulfr, he explained, would enhance her natural ferocity and gift her with the power to shift her form. The blood of Jˆrmungandr would help rejuvenate her corpse and grant her the power to withstand any assault. The blood of his daughter Hel would grant her rightful rule over a great army of the undead. Sigrún drank his offerings willingly and with great relish, and he fed her sire to his children to repay them for their contribution.
Of course, many scholars of modern nights debunk this tale as mere fantasy, suggesting that Sigrún most likely diablerized her sire. They don’t bother trying to explain how she survived in an exposed boat on the open sea, claiming that the winds must have blown her back to shore or somehow managed to get her somewhere protected. Regardless, what is known is that her bloodline, under her direct command, ruled the northern seas for nearly 300 years.
As her fleet grew in size Sigrún realized that she needed direct control over ports to keep the ships seaworthy. Using the gifts of her Ventrue blood, she warped the minds of human leaders and worked to set up her childer as jarls in various Scandinavian coastal communities, posing as direct representatives of the king. The domains of Iceland were visited again and again by her line during the 13th century, and were used as a safe Haven whenever the kine organized serious resistance. By the year 1300, the Rötgrafen were terrorizing seafarers all over the coastline of Northern Europe. Sigrún had sired nearly a dozen childer personally, and it appeared that she was on the verge of establishing an impenetrable, lasting power base, ruled exclusively by her bloodline. Then everything fell apart.
Sigrún fell into Torpor shortly after the dawning of the 14th century. Her Ventrue blood warred with that of the dark gods of old, and her childer and grandchilder fought amongst themselves to fill the void in the bloodline’s power structure created by her absence. Many ships were lost as the Sanctified took advantage of the infighting to claim revenge. Control of the seas slipped away as her childer pulled back to their individual coastal domains to protect what power they had. The dream of a great conquering army of Kindred vanished completely as individual Rötgrafen, no longer capable of surviving alone, looked to The Invictus and The Circle of the Crone for protection.
Sigrún emerged from Torpor more than 200 years later, but the troubled sleep of centuries had changed her. Feeling her blood thinned considerably and confronting a political landscape completely alien to her, she decided it was in her best interests to abandon Europe completely. She told no one where she was headed, butas rumors of ghost ships and vicious, impossibly strong pirates surfaced in the Caribbean, it was obvious where she had gone. The Ghost Queen of the Baltic was in the Americas.
Her activities in the Caribbean followed a pattern similar to her European conquests. She started with ocean-based raiding before expanding to the conquest of port domains. Her style of governance had changed, however, as her impatience for Ragnarok grew. Enamored by the passionate rhetoricof rebellious Kindred around her, she adopted a more democratic system of control, and while she maintained the final word, a significant amount of real power lay in the hands of those who followed her.
She fell back into Torpor some time in the 19th century, and much of the framework she established still remains. Rötgrafen elements in the Caribbean were amongst the first open supporters of The Carthian Movement, and many remain in modern nights.
Rumor has it that the Ghost Queen of the Baltic is out of Torpor once more, and that once more she has moved to a different part of the world. Some reports claim she is operating in Indonesia, but more reliable sources point to evidence of activity in the American Pacific Northwest. Of course, these reports could just be the result of an increase in activity of the bloodline itself and not necessarily actions directed by Sigrún herself.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Background: While the bloodline’s beginnings were rooted in Viking raiding, the bloodline has diversified considerably over the last 1,000 years. There is a very heavy, nearly exclusive preference for individuals with some connection to the sea, be it physical location, vocational aptitude or an intangible emotional resonance.
Many Sea Kings believe that three distinct ages mark the progress and eventual fate of their line, and that they are on the cusp of the third now, the one that will lead them to the unending winter of legend — the final war of Ragnarok and the realization of their founder’s pact.
For centuries, the Rötgrafen sailed the northern seas and engaged in their glorious battles, clashing with any force that crossed their path. They escaped the notice of most Kindred, though, sailing well away from the largest cities and managing to stay well fed without pushing too far inland. Shipping routes around Northern Europe provided them with all the bounty they needed, and the complete destruction of the occasional ship, with all hands, did not raise undue Suspicion — especially if it happened to coincide with a storm.
Under Sigrún’s leadership, the bloodline was a merciless force, a raging, blood-fueled fleet bent on honing and proving their strength in preparation for the imminent Ragnarok. One attack, launched under her direction late in the 13th century, demonstrated their vicious capacity and ended their anonymity forever.
Targeting a small coastal settlement named Honfleur because of its Sanctified presence, Sigrún initiated an unprovoked assault one winter night. Whipping her Kindred into a frenzied bloodlust, she declared that the whole of the town was an affront to her and the gods, and that it should be razed to the ground, end to end. So it was — and hundreds of mortals, together with the four Sanctified monks who moved among them, went with it. One Mekhet Priest, an Evangelist vampire of German origin, survived the assault and managed to make his way to the domain of Caen, where he described the atrocity and the mad Kindred who committed it. Recognizing the line as Ventrue and commenting on their bloodstained coats, he named them the “red dukes” or “Rötgrafen.”
Responding to the massacre of Honfleur, nomadic Sanctified crusaders were tasked with the mission to find and punish those responsible. Three decades of pursuit and conflict followed, culminating in one terrible battle on turbulent summer seas. All of the crusaders were destroyed, taking many of the Rötgrafen with them and forcing Sigrún herself into Torpor under the waves.
Those who did not seek the Circle turned to the Votaries for guidance. With Sigrún’s fall, many Rötgrafen found themselves doubting their purpose. Her promises of Ragnarok and glory had failed to manifest, and she was now gone, possibly never to return. The Votaries of Hel declared that Sigrún’s defeat represented the end of the First Age of the Rötgrafen — one of three. They were now moving into the Second Age, one of confusion and dispersion, and must fight to survive, to see the dusk of the Third Age some centuries hence, when they would finally arise to take their part in the great and final war.
Taking the words of the Votaries to heart, most of the line settled in for the long haul. Finding places for themselves in the domains of the Circle and The Invictus, the Rötgrafen sought to stay strong and faithful, waiting out the age.
Overtaking and demolishing the fleet, Sigrún established a new force and repopulated her loyal line. Operating much as they had before, they stalked the Caribbean seas, visiting their violence on the burgeoning domains there and warring upon Kindred, both European and native. Eventually, Sigrún realized that she was bound to invoke the rage of all and repeat the events of Honfleur — something she was not eager to do. Encouraging the members of her line to forge alliances with some of the local Kindred, she brokered tense treaties between the Rötgrafen nomads and a number of vampires, eventually leading to long-standing agreements with the early proponents of The Carthian Movement. Hundreds of victorious battles followed for the Sea Kings, and the provision of safe Haven in the Carthian domains of the 17th and 18th centuries ensured their long-term security.
Vieux Fort, at the Southern edge of St. Lucia, is one domain that pays particular honor to the Rötgrafen for its members’ efforts throughout the 18th century. In 1768, a small proto-Carthian government established the first modern Kindred Court in the domain, and was almost immediately assaulted by a contingent of Invictus Knights. A marauding Rötgrafen crew destroyed the Knights, and created a schedule of patrol, defending the domain from incursion in exchange for permission to port and repair their vessel. Many of the modern Carthians of St. Lucia credit the bloodline with creating the atmosphere of security that allowed them to develop their government in relative peace, and elevate the Kindred of the line to an honored position in their Elysium parliament.
Sigrún’s next slide into Torpor was more peaceful than the first. The fatigue of age claimed her in the middle of the 19th century and she chose to sleep, entrusting herself to her two most loyal lieutenants.
Rumor has it that Sigrún, the great and terrible Ghost Queen of the Baltic, has arisen again, and now leads a new fleet with her two lieutenants elsewhere in the world. Some believe that a spate of vicious pirate activity in the South Asian seas may well mark her passage, while others note that a number of uncredited assaults on Sanctified Kindred up and down the West Coast of the Americas match her habit.
Stranger still, a number of Rötgrafen Acolytes throughout Europe seem to be rousing from their rest, returning to the seas and taking command of vessels once again. Perhaps they believe that the Third Age is truly arrived, and are taking up arms. Some may be responding to the call of their awakened founder, showing their faith and returning to the old ways. Whatever the reason, the Rötgrafen are returning to the waters all around the world, and reviving their warring habits.
Evidence gathered by some members of the line suggests that none of this activity is attributable — at least not directly — to the founder, and that there is nothing to suggest that the increased activity of the line isn’t simply the result of speculation and over-eager response. Any experienced member of the Rötgrafen could lead the sort of fleet assaults that are attracting notice in modern nights, and would know that the Rötgrafen’s sudden appearance in the news would electrify the remaining members of the line.
The first and most significant conviction of the Rötgrafen involves the three mythic ages, as conceived by the Acolytes of the line. It is generally believed that the First Age of the line began with Sigrún’s pact and ended with her defeat at the hands of Sanctified crusaders, drawing an arc of empowerment and legendary fierceness through to her prideful collapse.
The Second Age is said to mark the expansion of the line into Caribbean territories, dispersing the influence of the Sea Kings. Some argue that the Second Age is one of trial, and that those who moved west and continued to engage in battle are the only ones proving their loyalty to the founder and the pact, while others believe that the test of the age is one of survival, and that the activities of the line throughout the world just make it more likely that some Rötgrafen will endure, lasting until the nights of the final war.
The Third Age is said to embody the time that will see the Rötgrafen called to battle, fulfilling Sigrún’s pledge and taking part in the great and final war of the gods. Interpretation and translation of the signs of the Third Age are a constant occupation for some of the Sea Kings, and certain Acolyte Circles are constructed entirely around the symbolism of Ragnarok and Loki’s pact.
Many of the Rötgrafen have taken to identifying themselves as “First Age” or “Second Age” Kindred, indicating their age, a reflection of their ideal or simply their geographic origin. A culture of terminology so complex and varied has sprung up about this expression alone that few Rötgrafen can actually agree on its meaning, even between themselves. Further complicating the matter, a number of neonate Rötgrafen are now identifying themselves as “Third Age” Sea Kings, making allusions to the final myth of the line as a means of declaring their hardiness and warmongering intent.
Most of the Sea Kings, even those sired recently, buy into the idea that the sole purpose of their Requiem is the preparation for Ragnarok. They emphasize martial prowess, and if their home domain is one of relative peace among the Kindred, many Sea Kings will take to the seas and hunt, keeping their skills sharp. Arguments on both sides of any debate are often peppered with references to Ragnarok and the continuing strength of the line; peaceful coexistence with outside Kindred is necessary for survival, but constant warfare is required to hone the necessary skills. Widespread Embrace will expand the bloodline and ensure that it serves as a strong standing force when the call to battle is issued, but overpopulation will draw the attention of outside Kindred and risk early war. The rationalization of myth into the reason of the line is constant and complete. There is no questioning the myth, and there is no appreciation for logic in the face of faith.
All of the Rötgrafen, young and old, engage in frequent ventures out on the sea. Many are nomads at least once during their Requiems, and a good number never really settle down in a domain, playing out the whole of their existence in constant voyage. Most have a wide territorial range marked out, and revisit the same locales over and over throughout the decades, memorizing their shores and navigating them with unparalleled expertise. Many keep connection to the rest of the line by crossing paths with their Kindred at roughly scheduled intervals, trading information and tales across the hulls of their ships on the open sea.
Almost every member of the Rötgrafen makes an effort to own and maintain some kind of seafaring vessel, even if that ship has become largely ornamental. Most of the Kindred of the line treat their ships as their single most important material possession: a weapon, a Haven and an expression of themselves. Many literally meld with some part of the ship itself, using Protean •• to sink into the wooden structure during the day. A great number spend almost all of their free time tending to the ship, crafting and repairing its many systems, endlessly improving and streamlining it even as it plies the seas. Every member of the line will treat an invitation to board another’s ship as a great honor, and will regard the vessel itself with respect (often observing its characteristics as carefully as they would a vampire’s own).
Despite rumors to the contrary, most Rötgrafen do not abide by a pirate’s code or any democratic system of order on their ships. The Sea Kings rule without question, dictating orders to their crews in a militaristic fashion. Some may allow the mortals to believe they are running things via open vote, but careful application of Dominate and more mundane techniques of control always swing votes according to the vampire’s whim. Mortal crews are always rewarded generously for their service, though, and all who are steadfastly loyal enjoy the supernatural protection of the vampire captain and his Ghouls. Female Rötgrafen run their ships as fiercely as the males, and the line as a whole honors no ban on women in the fleets. There are no rules whatsoever governing conduct during war. Some Rötgrafen behave honorably, while others choose to engage in stealth and ambush tactics. Victory justifies any strategy, and the least humane of the bloodline are willing to carry this justification to its horrifying limits. These vampires consider themselves an unholy army in training for apocalypse, not a genteel force of noble captains, and they are quick to demonstrate this fact to anyone facing them on the open waters of the night.
As Kindred with a long nomadic tradition, the Rötgrafen understand the way of travel and the dangers of the road quite well — in fact, they often embody those dangers. None are willing to dismiss any journey as safe, and all engage in a ritual cleansing and purification before embarking on a voyage, essentially preparing to die on the way — and praying that they see their destination safely. Outsiders who witness these dirge-like preparations are often shaken by them, and the image of the Rötgrafen as suicidal marauders is enforced by the misinterpretation of the solemn proceedings. Knowing full well that their reputation inspires fear, most Sea Kings make no effort to correct the rumors.
Those Rötgrafen who settle in a domain are often regarded with Suspicion by their nomadic counterparts. At best, settled Rötgrafen are considered lazy and warned not to forget their purpose, and not to become complacent as the nights of Ragnarok approach. At worst, they are named traitors to the line and must endure the frequent attacks of fanatic Sea Kings designed to provoke settled Sea Kings into a return to their old ways or destroy them outright. While some are able to fend off their brethren and others manage to escape their attentions completely, most are eventually driven back to wandering the seas. Few manage to participate in Kindred government for long, and their appearances at Elysium are relatively rare.
Still, there are exceptions to the rule. One domain on the west coast of Finland was settled by three Rötgrafen in the last years of the 19th century, and endured undisturbed for quite some time. The three imposed the rule of The Circle of the Crone in the domain, Embracing a number of childer (some of whom never completely joined the bloodline) and persisting in peace. That domain remains tonight, exclusively populated by Ventrue and Rötgrafen, and almost completely isolated from the rest of the world.
History
The history of the Rötgrafen is chaotic and, because of the itinerant nature of the majority of its members, relatively incoherent. Sigrún’s leadership kept the membership together in its early years, lending her own purpose to the whole of the line, but her defeat and decline led to a general dispersion that has never really been reversed.Many Sea Kings believe that three distinct ages mark the progress and eventual fate of their line, and that they are on the cusp of the third now, the one that will lead them to the unending winter of legend — the final war of Ragnarok and the realization of their founder’s pact.
The Rule of Sigrun
The early history of the bloodline revolved around its slow expansion. As the watery territories plied by Rötgrafen ships widened, so their numbers grew, and assaults on both seafaring and settled mortals became more frequent. Early incursions into coastal territories brought the line into conflict with the Kindred of The Lancea Sanctum, whom Sigrún specifically targeted and took pleasure in destroying.For centuries, the Rötgrafen sailed the northern seas and engaged in their glorious battles, clashing with any force that crossed their path. They escaped the notice of most Kindred, though, sailing well away from the largest cities and managing to stay well fed without pushing too far inland. Shipping routes around Northern Europe provided them with all the bounty they needed, and the complete destruction of the occasional ship, with all hands, did not raise undue Suspicion — especially if it happened to coincide with a storm.
Under Sigrún’s leadership, the bloodline was a merciless force, a raging, blood-fueled fleet bent on honing and proving their strength in preparation for the imminent Ragnarok. One attack, launched under her direction late in the 13th century, demonstrated their vicious capacity and ended their anonymity forever.
Targeting a small coastal settlement named Honfleur because of its Sanctified presence, Sigrún initiated an unprovoked assault one winter night. Whipping her Kindred into a frenzied bloodlust, she declared that the whole of the town was an affront to her and the gods, and that it should be razed to the ground, end to end. So it was — and hundreds of mortals, together with the four Sanctified monks who moved among them, went with it. One Mekhet Priest, an Evangelist vampire of German origin, survived the assault and managed to make his way to the domain of Caen, where he described the atrocity and the mad Kindred who committed it. Recognizing the line as Ventrue and commenting on their bloodstained coats, he named them the “red dukes” or “Rötgrafen.”
Responding to the massacre of Honfleur, nomadic Sanctified crusaders were tasked with the mission to find and punish those responsible. Three decades of pursuit and conflict followed, culminating in one terrible battle on turbulent summer seas. All of the crusaders were destroyed, taking many of the Rötgrafen with them and forcing Sigrún herself into Torpor under the waves.
The Emergence of the Votaries of Hel
The bloodline splintered following Sigrún’s descent into Torpor, and many of the surviving members strayed from her vision, abandoning the battles of the north and finding refuge in the coastal territories that did not yet know them. Many threw their lot in with The Circle of the Crone, finding common ground with those who paid worship to the gods of Norse folk. A number of Rötgrafen Acolytes pledged themselves to veneration of Hel, the goddess destined to command the legions of undead at Ragnarok. Empowered by the blood of one god and sworn to another, these Rötgrafen prayed with fervency and devotion unmatched.Those who did not seek the Circle turned to the Votaries for guidance. With Sigrún’s fall, many Rötgrafen found themselves doubting their purpose. Her promises of Ragnarok and glory had failed to manifest, and she was now gone, possibly never to return. The Votaries of Hel declared that Sigrún’s defeat represented the end of the First Age of the Rötgrafen — one of three. They were now moving into the Second Age, one of confusion and dispersion, and must fight to survive, to see the dusk of the Third Age some centuries hence, when they would finally arise to take their part in the great and final war.
Taking the words of the Votaries to heart, most of the line settled in for the long haul. Finding places for themselves in the domains of the Circle and The Invictus, the Rötgrafen sought to stay strong and faithful, waiting out the age.
The Return of the Queen
Sigrún emerged from Torpor in the 16th century, rising to find her line scattered and maddeningly stationary. Gathering those few who still fought and wandered on the open seas, she left Europe behind, making for the Caribbean islands in pursuit of a mortal shipping fleet.Overtaking and demolishing the fleet, Sigrún established a new force and repopulated her loyal line. Operating much as they had before, they stalked the Caribbean seas, visiting their violence on the burgeoning domains there and warring upon Kindred, both European and native. Eventually, Sigrún realized that she was bound to invoke the rage of all and repeat the events of Honfleur — something she was not eager to do. Encouraging the members of her line to forge alliances with some of the local Kindred, she brokered tense treaties between the Rötgrafen nomads and a number of vampires, eventually leading to long-standing agreements with the early proponents of The Carthian Movement. Hundreds of victorious battles followed for the Sea Kings, and the provision of safe Haven in the Carthian domains of the 17th and 18th centuries ensured their long-term security.
Vieux Fort, at the Southern edge of St. Lucia, is one domain that pays particular honor to the Rötgrafen for its members’ efforts throughout the 18th century. In 1768, a small proto-Carthian government established the first modern Kindred Court in the domain, and was almost immediately assaulted by a contingent of Invictus Knights. A marauding Rötgrafen crew destroyed the Knights, and created a schedule of patrol, defending the domain from incursion in exchange for permission to port and repair their vessel. Many of the modern Carthians of St. Lucia credit the bloodline with creating the atmosphere of security that allowed them to develop their government in relative peace, and elevate the Kindred of the line to an honored position in their Elysium parliament.
Sigrún’s next slide into Torpor was more peaceful than the first. The fatigue of age claimed her in the middle of the 19th century and she chose to sleep, entrusting herself to her two most loyal lieutenants.
The Coming of the Third Age
On December 2, 1974, those two Kindred disappeared somewhere in the vicinity of CuraÁao. Nobody knows what happened to them, but both left the bulk of their possessions behind, and their Ghouls died soon after, taking the secret of their masters’ last nights to the grave.Rumor has it that Sigrún, the great and terrible Ghost Queen of the Baltic, has arisen again, and now leads a new fleet with her two lieutenants elsewhere in the world. Some believe that a spate of vicious pirate activity in the South Asian seas may well mark her passage, while others note that a number of uncredited assaults on Sanctified Kindred up and down the West Coast of the Americas match her habit.
Stranger still, a number of Rötgrafen Acolytes throughout Europe seem to be rousing from their rest, returning to the seas and taking command of vessels once again. Perhaps they believe that the Third Age is truly arrived, and are taking up arms. Some may be responding to the call of their awakened founder, showing their faith and returning to the old ways. Whatever the reason, the Rötgrafen are returning to the waters all around the world, and reviving their warring habits.
Evidence gathered by some members of the line suggests that none of this activity is attributable — at least not directly — to the founder, and that there is nothing to suggest that the increased activity of the line isn’t simply the result of speculation and over-eager response. Any experienced member of the Rötgrafen could lead the sort of fleet assaults that are attracting notice in modern nights, and would know that the Rötgrafen’s sudden appearance in the news would electrify the remaining members of the line.
Society and Culture
While the Rötgrafen are a splintered, nomadic line without an official organized society per se, certain cultural developments have arisen over the course of the bloodline’s existence. The evolution of the line, from nomadic raiders to settled Kindred and itinerant pirates to Carthian warriors has imbued the line with a number of common beliefs and practices that remain to this night.The first and most significant conviction of the Rötgrafen involves the three mythic ages, as conceived by the Acolytes of the line. It is generally believed that the First Age of the line began with Sigrún’s pact and ended with her defeat at the hands of Sanctified crusaders, drawing an arc of empowerment and legendary fierceness through to her prideful collapse.
The Second Age is said to mark the expansion of the line into Caribbean territories, dispersing the influence of the Sea Kings. Some argue that the Second Age is one of trial, and that those who moved west and continued to engage in battle are the only ones proving their loyalty to the founder and the pact, while others believe that the test of the age is one of survival, and that the activities of the line throughout the world just make it more likely that some Rötgrafen will endure, lasting until the nights of the final war.
The Third Age is said to embody the time that will see the Rötgrafen called to battle, fulfilling Sigrún’s pledge and taking part in the great and final war of the gods. Interpretation and translation of the signs of the Third Age are a constant occupation for some of the Sea Kings, and certain Acolyte Circles are constructed entirely around the symbolism of Ragnarok and Loki’s pact.
Many of the Rötgrafen have taken to identifying themselves as “First Age” or “Second Age” Kindred, indicating their age, a reflection of their ideal or simply their geographic origin. A culture of terminology so complex and varied has sprung up about this expression alone that few Rötgrafen can actually agree on its meaning, even between themselves. Further complicating the matter, a number of neonate Rötgrafen are now identifying themselves as “Third Age” Sea Kings, making allusions to the final myth of the line as a means of declaring their hardiness and warmongering intent.
Most of the Sea Kings, even those sired recently, buy into the idea that the sole purpose of their Requiem is the preparation for Ragnarok. They emphasize martial prowess, and if their home domain is one of relative peace among the Kindred, many Sea Kings will take to the seas and hunt, keeping their skills sharp. Arguments on both sides of any debate are often peppered with references to Ragnarok and the continuing strength of the line; peaceful coexistence with outside Kindred is necessary for survival, but constant warfare is required to hone the necessary skills. Widespread Embrace will expand the bloodline and ensure that it serves as a strong standing force when the call to battle is issued, but overpopulation will draw the attention of outside Kindred and risk early war. The rationalization of myth into the reason of the line is constant and complete. There is no questioning the myth, and there is no appreciation for logic in the face of faith.
All of the Rötgrafen, young and old, engage in frequent ventures out on the sea. Many are nomads at least once during their Requiems, and a good number never really settle down in a domain, playing out the whole of their existence in constant voyage. Most have a wide territorial range marked out, and revisit the same locales over and over throughout the decades, memorizing their shores and navigating them with unparalleled expertise. Many keep connection to the rest of the line by crossing paths with their Kindred at roughly scheduled intervals, trading information and tales across the hulls of their ships on the open sea.
Almost every member of the Rötgrafen makes an effort to own and maintain some kind of seafaring vessel, even if that ship has become largely ornamental. Most of the Kindred of the line treat their ships as their single most important material possession: a weapon, a Haven and an expression of themselves. Many literally meld with some part of the ship itself, using Protean •• to sink into the wooden structure during the day. A great number spend almost all of their free time tending to the ship, crafting and repairing its many systems, endlessly improving and streamlining it even as it plies the seas. Every member of the line will treat an invitation to board another’s ship as a great honor, and will regard the vessel itself with respect (often observing its characteristics as carefully as they would a vampire’s own).
Despite rumors to the contrary, most Rötgrafen do not abide by a pirate’s code or any democratic system of order on their ships. The Sea Kings rule without question, dictating orders to their crews in a militaristic fashion. Some may allow the mortals to believe they are running things via open vote, but careful application of Dominate and more mundane techniques of control always swing votes according to the vampire’s whim. Mortal crews are always rewarded generously for their service, though, and all who are steadfastly loyal enjoy the supernatural protection of the vampire captain and his Ghouls. Female Rötgrafen run their ships as fiercely as the males, and the line as a whole honors no ban on women in the fleets. There are no rules whatsoever governing conduct during war. Some Rötgrafen behave honorably, while others choose to engage in stealth and ambush tactics. Victory justifies any strategy, and the least humane of the bloodline are willing to carry this justification to its horrifying limits. These vampires consider themselves an unholy army in training for apocalypse, not a genteel force of noble captains, and they are quick to demonstrate this fact to anyone facing them on the open waters of the night.
As Kindred with a long nomadic tradition, the Rötgrafen understand the way of travel and the dangers of the road quite well — in fact, they often embody those dangers. None are willing to dismiss any journey as safe, and all engage in a ritual cleansing and purification before embarking on a voyage, essentially preparing to die on the way — and praying that they see their destination safely. Outsiders who witness these dirge-like preparations are often shaken by them, and the image of the Rötgrafen as suicidal marauders is enforced by the misinterpretation of the solemn proceedings. Knowing full well that their reputation inspires fear, most Sea Kings make no effort to correct the rumors.
Those Rötgrafen who settle in a domain are often regarded with Suspicion by their nomadic counterparts. At best, settled Rötgrafen are considered lazy and warned not to forget their purpose, and not to become complacent as the nights of Ragnarok approach. At worst, they are named traitors to the line and must endure the frequent attacks of fanatic Sea Kings designed to provoke settled Sea Kings into a return to their old ways or destroy them outright. While some are able to fend off their brethren and others manage to escape their attentions completely, most are eventually driven back to wandering the seas. Few manage to participate in Kindred government for long, and their appearances at Elysium are relatively rare.
Still, there are exceptions to the rule. One domain on the west coast of Finland was settled by three Rötgrafen in the last years of the 19th century, and endured undisturbed for quite some time. The three imposed the rule of The Circle of the Crone in the domain, Embracing a number of childer (some of whom never completely joined the bloodline) and persisting in peace. That domain remains tonight, exclusively populated by Ventrue and Rötgrafen, and almost completely isolated from the rest of the world.
Common Dress code
Appearance: With the exception of Rötgrafen Acolytes, who tend to look as if they have stepped out of a Viking documentary, most Sea Kings favor the elegant appearance of the Ventrue, tempered by their covenant affiliation. Their clothing almost always has a nautical flavor, however, so an Invictus may look as if he just came back from the yacht club while a Carthian could look like more like a longshoreman or a surfer.
A very significant number of Sea Kings also have tattoos, regardless of the fit with the rest of their appearance. The tradition of tattooing has been passed down along the line, originating with its founders. The Vikings and Rus’ who made up much of the early Sea King membership were often tattooed. Acolytes who are strict Votaries of Hel often have extensive black ink tattoos on the right side of their body. The left side is always kept clear. The Sea Kings may be one of the few bloodlines that boasts 200-year-old elders more likely to bear tattoos than the neonates Embraced in the last few years.
Due to the history of the bloodline, most Rötgrafen are of Northern European descent, primarily hailing from the Nordic countries but with ample representation from the Baltic states and Germany. Rötgrafen in the Caribbean tend to be of Dutch or British descent, but there was no particular ethnic preference for siring, and the 17th century saw a wide broadening in the cultural and racial base of the line.
A very significant number of Sea Kings also have tattoos, regardless of the fit with the rest of their appearance. The tradition of tattooing has been passed down along the line, originating with its founders. The Vikings and Rus’ who made up much of the early Sea King membership were often tattooed. Acolytes who are strict Votaries of Hel often have extensive black ink tattoos on the right side of their body. The left side is always kept clear. The Sea Kings may be one of the few bloodlines that boasts 200-year-old elders more likely to bear tattoos than the neonates Embraced in the last few years.
Due to the history of the bloodline, most Rötgrafen are of Northern European descent, primarily hailing from the Nordic countries but with ample representation from the Baltic states and Germany. Rötgrafen in the Caribbean tend to be of Dutch or British descent, but there was no particular ethnic preference for siring, and the 17th century saw a wide broadening in the cultural and racial base of the line.
Art & Architecture
Haven: Sea King havens tend to be large, lavishly decorated and very secure. They also tend to be located on the sea, such as an ocean-front mansion, a private yacht club or a refurnished warehouse down by the docks. The majority of Rötgrafen actually have their havens right on the water with large yachts the prime choice in modern nights. Houseboats, sailboats and even cargo ships have also seen use.
There are those among the line who maintain, either due to tradition or romantic nostalgia, that a wooden ship is still the most comfortable Haven, and contrive means to inhabit one. Some still ply the seas in carefully maintained vessels that are centuries old in design — a strange sight, indeed, but no less dangerous under the command of a ruthless vampire than their modern steel counterparts.
There are those among the line who maintain, either due to tradition or romantic nostalgia, that a wooden ship is still the most comfortable Haven, and contrive means to inhabit one. Some still ply the seas in carefully maintained vessels that are centuries old in design — a strange sight, indeed, but no less dangerous under the command of a ruthless vampire than their modern steel counterparts.
Major organizations
Covenant: Sea Kings generally fall into one of two camps, depending on their location. The vast majority of Rötgrafen in the “New World” are staunch supporters of The Carthian Movement, and have been since the covenant’s inception. Those who are not Carthians are often unaligned, with many operating as oceangoing nomads, sailing between islands and coastal communities.
In Europe, things are somewhat different. When the bloodline began to fragment shortly after Sigrún’s first descent into Torpor, the Rötgrafen were left without their spiritual leader, who provided most of their internal organization. As the Sea Kings pulled back to individual cities, the unity of the bloodline was replaced by the protection of the covenants. A few Sea Kings were absorbed into The Invictus, but most fully believed (and still believe) Sigrún’s account of her encounter with Loki and found The Circle of the Crone to be a more comfortable fit. With dreams of a united empire under Sigrún’s control still fresh in their minds, early Rötgrafen Acolytes adopted a more militant ideology than is usually seen within the Circle. Most European Sea Kings believe it is their duty to be prepared for the end of the world, when they will be called on to fight during Ragnarok, and much of their night-to-night existence is focused on ensuring that they are ready.
In modern nights, Rötgrafen nomads occasionally make the harrowing journey across the Atlantic, and the ideological beliefs of the two Sea King factions are slowly leaking into one another. Areas that have been visited by a nomad fleet will often have individual Sea Kings who are spiritually Acolyte and politically Carthian.
No Sea King has ever joined The Lancea Sanctum, thanks to centuries of mutual hatred and conflict stretching back to the early Middle Ages, when many of the Sanctified bishops decried the Rötgrafen as a heretic cult.
Organization: The bloodline hasn’t had any dominant internal organization in Europe since Sigrún first went into Torpor in the early 1300s. In the seven centuries that followed, most Rötgrafen have simply been absorbed into the overarching institutions of their respective covenants.
The Sea Kings operating in the Caribbean allied themselves with buccaneer democracies for the most part, although Sigrún and her Kindred usually worked to maintain a ‘first amongst equals’ position. These manipulations proved to be more robust than the feudal model she adhered to in the Baltic, and many Caribbean-based Rötgrafen who are not officially Carthian tend to espouse ideas of loose Kindred equality whilemaneuvering themselves into positions of control. Few are true believers in democratic right, preferring to judge one another (and outsider Kindred) on a system of merit earned largely in travel and battle.
Sigrún’s piracy required ship crews and raiding parties, so she was never a close adherent of the Tradition outlawing Embrace. If you find one Sea King in a domain, you most likely will find a handful. European Rötgrafen are usually able to recite their lineage back to Sigrún herself, and try to keep abreast of developments in their extended ‘family tree.’ Ventrue who have joined the bloodline through an Avus trace their lineage as if their Avus were their sire. The application of this lineage recital varies between covenants, but is generally little more than a matter of pride, with no tangible power or Status attached. Status within the bloodline itself is often moot; two Sea Kings who meet will almost always treat one another as brothers in arms. Those who engage in battle together tend to defer to the one with the most experience, but this deference is considered a necessity of competent warfare, not one born of etiquette.
In Europe, things are somewhat different. When the bloodline began to fragment shortly after Sigrún’s first descent into Torpor, the Rötgrafen were left without their spiritual leader, who provided most of their internal organization. As the Sea Kings pulled back to individual cities, the unity of the bloodline was replaced by the protection of the covenants. A few Sea Kings were absorbed into The Invictus, but most fully believed (and still believe) Sigrún’s account of her encounter with Loki and found The Circle of the Crone to be a more comfortable fit. With dreams of a united empire under Sigrún’s control still fresh in their minds, early Rötgrafen Acolytes adopted a more militant ideology than is usually seen within the Circle. Most European Sea Kings believe it is their duty to be prepared for the end of the world, when they will be called on to fight during Ragnarok, and much of their night-to-night existence is focused on ensuring that they are ready.
In modern nights, Rötgrafen nomads occasionally make the harrowing journey across the Atlantic, and the ideological beliefs of the two Sea King factions are slowly leaking into one another. Areas that have been visited by a nomad fleet will often have individual Sea Kings who are spiritually Acolyte and politically Carthian.
No Sea King has ever joined The Lancea Sanctum, thanks to centuries of mutual hatred and conflict stretching back to the early Middle Ages, when many of the Sanctified bishops decried the Rötgrafen as a heretic cult.
Organization: The bloodline hasn’t had any dominant internal organization in Europe since Sigrún first went into Torpor in the early 1300s. In the seven centuries that followed, most Rötgrafen have simply been absorbed into the overarching institutions of their respective covenants.
The Sea Kings operating in the Caribbean allied themselves with buccaneer democracies for the most part, although Sigrún and her Kindred usually worked to maintain a ‘first amongst equals’ position. These manipulations proved to be more robust than the feudal model she adhered to in the Baltic, and many Caribbean-based Rötgrafen who are not officially Carthian tend to espouse ideas of loose Kindred equality whilemaneuvering themselves into positions of control. Few are true believers in democratic right, preferring to judge one another (and outsider Kindred) on a system of merit earned largely in travel and battle.
Sigrún’s piracy required ship crews and raiding parties, so she was never a close adherent of the Tradition outlawing Embrace. If you find one Sea King in a domain, you most likely will find a handful. European Rötgrafen are usually able to recite their lineage back to Sigrún herself, and try to keep abreast of developments in their extended ‘family tree.’ Ventrue who have joined the bloodline through an Avus trace their lineage as if their Avus were their sire. The application of this lineage recital varies between covenants, but is generally little more than a matter of pride, with no tangible power or Status attached. Status within the bloodline itself is often moot; two Sea Kings who meet will almost always treat one another as brothers in arms. Those who engage in battle together tend to defer to the one with the most experience, but this deference is considered a necessity of competent warfare, not one born of etiquette.
Nickname: Sea Kings
Character Creation: Due to centuries of raiding and midnight combat, the Rötgrafen have long had a preference for Physical Attributes and Skills. Weaponry and Stealth are particularly common. This has traditionally been followed by the Social Attributes and the attendant Skills to maintain political control over the ports they needed. As the massive changes in society have made roving bands of warriors much less viable in the last century, younger Sea Kings often place a much lower emphasis on Physical Attributes, particularly amongst the Acolytes of the bloodline. Nearly all Rötgrafen who operate a ship of any decent size put points into Herd and/or Retainer to represent additional crew members.
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Protean, Resilience
Weakness: All Rötgrafen suffer the weakness of their parent clan, the Ventrue.
In addition, every member of the line is more vulnerable to fire, the weapon of Loki, than any other member of the clan. Bound to the god’s service, they are especially weak in the face of his greatest power. Whenever a Sea King suffers damage from fire, she takes one additional point of aggravated damage from the source per turn. In addition, the 10 again rule does not apply to rolls to resist Rötschreck caused by fire, and any 1s that come up on such a roll are subtracted from successes. These penalties apply only to fire, not to damage from, or fear of, the sun, as the sun was the domain of Freyr.
Concepts: Undead pirate, violent longshoreman, Hel-worshipping death cultist, manipulative cruise ship magnate, axe-wielding aristocrat, empowered Navy SEAL, shipbuilding tycoon, seafaring nomad, reclusive lighthouse keeper, midnight beachcomber.
Parent ethnicities
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Protean, Resilience
Weakness: All Rötgrafen suffer the weakness of their parent clan, the Ventrue.
In addition, every member of the line is more vulnerable to fire, the weapon of Loki, than any other member of the clan. Bound to the god’s service, they are especially weak in the face of his greatest power. Whenever a Sea King suffers damage from fire, she takes one additional point of aggravated damage from the source per turn. In addition, the 10 again rule does not apply to rolls to resist Rötschreck caused by fire, and any 1s that come up on such a roll are subtracted from successes. These penalties apply only to fire, not to damage from, or fear of, the sun, as the sun was the domain of Freyr.
Concepts: Undead pirate, violent longshoreman, Hel-worshipping death cultist, manipulative cruise ship magnate, axe-wielding aristocrat, empowered Navy SEAL, shipbuilding tycoon, seafaring nomad, reclusive lighthouse keeper, midnight beachcomber.