| From a nightmare of horror and legend step the Nagaraja. A bizarre bloodline of flesh-eating witches, these vampires have been hunted to near exinction in the modern nights by political enemies and the ghosts upon whom they once preyed. A few of these monsters still prowl the darkness, but their numbers are thankfully few. The Nagaraja have never been particularly forthcoming with their origins, but a few learned Kindred suspect that they grew out of a Middle Eastern death-cult. Whispers of an arcane connection with other sorcerors also surface when the Nagaraja are the topic of discussion. The rumors and facts concerning these Kindred are almost inseparable -- the Nagaraja are too few to ask directly, and none have been forthcoming anyway. Some wonder if they are Cainites at all or, rather, a failed experiment intended to recreate the results of the Tremere. Once members of the sect calling itself the Black Hand (but apparently distinct from the Sabbat), the Nagaraja have little impact on the modern nights. They are great compliers of evil secrets, however, and command death-magic with necromancers, the Nagaraja are usually attributed some vague tie with the Venetians, but nothing exists to substantiate this aside from their knowledge of the dead. It would be misleading to say that the Nagaraja have fallen from grace, because they never enjoyed a period of "grace", but nonetheless, the bloodline has lost much. Its remaining members eke out unpleasant, solitary unlives, and many are haunted by the ghosts they once commanded. The "dietary" habits of the Nagaraja also conspired to keep them away from other Kindred, who are put off by any sort of eating, much less the consumption of dead human flesh. Still, a few dozen Nagaraja persist, gathering the unholy secrets of death sorcery and creeping among the periphery of vampiric society. Quote: I have seen hell -- and made my haven in its pits. Take your leave before I send you there. Nickname: Flesh Eaters Appearance: Most Nagaraja dress subtly, as their unpleasant weakness already draws enough attention to them: They wear whatever most people around them wear. Physically, many Nagaraja appear to be of Northern African, Asian or Middle Eastern descent. Hailing from such dark-complected stock, as vampires, these individuals often have unhealthy, ashen skin. Unlike other vampires, the Nagaraja do not have conventional, retractable fangs; rather, they have mouths full of vaguely pointed teeth. Most Nagaraja also carry sacrificial daggers, scalpels or other cutting instruments, which they use to excise the flesh that gives them their sustenance. Some rumors attribute then with a "third eye" similar to that of the Salubri, but none of these claims have ever been substantiated. Haven: When they have the luxury of establishing a permanent haven, the Nagaraja typically prefer to create comfortable dwellings, which may house laboratories and various "storage facilities" for their vessels. These havens usually have an inclination toward the macabre and may be found in such places as mausoleums, abadoned buildings, disused hospital wings and even high-rise condominiums. Anywhere the Nagaraja can cultivate a modicum of privacy may become her haven. Background: The numbers of the Nagaraja are so small as to make any generalization about their backgrounds speculative at best. Some were priests or cultists in their mortal lives, and few were less than forty years of age at the time of their Embrace. Most seem well-to-do, the better to hide their eccentricities. Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Nihilistics (or Necromancy) Weaknesses: The Nagaraja require raw flesh in addition to blood to survive. Although these Kindred may subsist on blood alone, their bodies atrophy if they do not partake of human meat -- for every night a Nagaraja goes without an intake of flesh, he loses physical attributes (lessened dexterity, stamina, and strength). This will be restored after eating human flesh. The flesh the Nagaraja consume must be relatively fresh, though not necessarily "alive". Indeed, some Nagaraja keep stores of ritually preserved corpses hidden within their havens, and rumors of "kindred-eating" follow them as well. This weakness does not allow the Nagaraja to eat other foods or consume other liquids. Organization: Until the catastrophic war with the denizens of the Underworld destroyed the sect to which they belonged, the Nagaraja congregated in the land of the dead. Since being driven forcibly from that realm, however, the few remaining Nagaraja have made their own fates, leaving their minimal organization behind. A cabal of Nagaraja is reputed to have sought protection among the Cathayans of Korea, but this small group is suspected to be an anomaly. Ultimately, the Nagaraja are too few to have an extensive bloodline structure and exist instead as isolated, freakish loners when they can be found at all. They rarely even meet with others of their kind, as they hoarde their precious secrets from everyone, including others of their clan. |
