Despite their solitary predilections, vampires use human society like building blocks to advance their schemes. Social Attributes delineate a character's appearance, charm and ability to interact with society. These Traits are paramount in determining a character's first impressions, personal dynamics and relations with other individuals.
Charisma
The prince pushed the curtain aside and walked out before the assembled council
of the city's primogen. Their petty side conversations and guarded whispers
stopped as the prince took his place at the head of the table, smiling at
them with the look of a predator. Despite their differences of opinion, personal
vendettas and centuries-oid hatreds, they still accepted the prince as their
superior. None could contest the ancient vampire's overwhelming force of personality.
"See how they love me, even in their hate?" commented the
prince to his childe, who stood behind the chair next to him. "Let
them know who's in charge, and you'll have them drinking out of your hand."
Charisma is a character's ability to entice and please others through her personality. Charisma comes into question when a character tries to win another character's sympathies or encourage others to trust her. Charisma does not indicate necessarily a silver tongue or a skill with bullying. Rather, it is the simple power of a character's charm and influence. Charisma delineates a character's ability at convincing others to see her point of view.
Specialties: Smooth Talker, Genteel, Urbane, Witty, Eloquent Speaker, Graceful, Air of Confidence, Captivating, Commanding Voice, Infectious Humour.
* Poor: Stop picking your nose.
** Average: You are generally likable and have several friends.
*** Good: People trust you implicitly.
**** Exceptional: You have significant personal magnetism.
***** Outstanding: Entire cultures could follow your lead.
Manipulation
Daphne looked at Lucasz as if he were the only
Kindred in the city who could heIp her. He already trusted her, the foot,
and now alt she had to do was convince him that he needed to go talk to that
bastard Barzeski. "Lucasz, you're the only one who can do it. I'm
on such bad terms with them that Barzeski won't even listen to me anymore.
Plus, if you start leaning on them now, they'll be too intimidated to come
after you later."
Lucasz' face softened a bit - she had him! Now, with any luck, he and Barzeski
would kill each other while they were at the table, and she'd be rid of two
thorns in her side.
Manipulation measures a character's ability for
self-expression in the interests of getting others to share her outlook or
follow her whims. In short, it's getting others to do what she wants. Manipulation
comes into play when a character tries to influence or subtly guide another's
behavior. Manipulation is used to trick, bluff, fast-talk and railroad other
characters. Whether or not the characters in question actually like the manipulator
is irrelevant (this is why Manipulation differs from
Charisma); a skilled motivator can even employ the talents of people who hate
her.
Manipulation is a dangerous affair, especially among the Kindred (though it is their coin of the realm). Failed attempts at manipulation often earn the ire of the would-be patsy. Botching a Manipulation roll may add a name to the character's list of enemies.
People are manipulated every day, and typically
ignore it. ("Would you run to the store for me?") If the fact is
brought to their attention, however, most people
get quite defensive. Manipulation
can be the most powerful tool in a Kindred's repertoire, but failure can be
disastrous. Characters with high Manipulation ratings are often distrusted
by those around them.
Specialties: Persuasive, "Damn I'm Smooth," Seductive, Well-Reasoned, Forked Tongue, Unswerving Logic, Doubletalk.
* Poor: A person of few (often
ineffectual) words.
** Average: You can fool some of the people some of the time,
just like anybody else.
*** Good: You never pay full price.
**** Exceptional: You could be a politician or cult leader.
***** Outstanding: "Of course I'll tell the prince it
was I who tried to stake him!"
Appearance
"Well, Harrick, let's see who the Toreador
have pulled from the bottom of their collective shoe to discuss this matter
with us, shall we?" Jervis Graves pulled a
fat Cuban cigar from
his desk drawer and struck a match, flinching instinctively from the tiny
flame. "Bring them in!" Graves bellowed at his attendant,
ashes tumbling from the cigar's tip.
The cigar hit the table at the same time Graves' jaw hit the floor. In walked
the ugliest woman Jervis had ever seen - and he'd even seen some of the Nosferatu.
"Caine's blood, creature, that face could send me into torpor."
"Yes, sir, " replied the Kindred calmly. "And now
shouldn't we discuss the matter of..."
"No, not at all, " Graves cut her off. "Tell the 'artistes'
that if they want to do business with Jervis Graves, they need to send someone
who still looks human."
The Appearance Attribute is a measure of a character's
attractiveness. More than simple looks, however, Appearance is the sum of
a character's visible grace, beauty and the indefinable je ne sais quoi that
makes people desirable.
Appearance is both more and less than words - it appeals to the lower levels
of the psyche, so it shapes first impressions and the nature of memories thereafter.
No matter how open-minded a person is, no matter how vehemently he claims,
"Her personality is more important than her looks," a person still
thinks of another in relation to the subject's appearance.
This Trait is used for more than getting potential vessels to heed your beckon
across a crowded dance floor. In situations in which first impressions are
paramount, or that involve people who view Appearance as very important, a
character may have no more dice in a Social dice pool than her Appearance
score. Thus, it is critically important to either look your best or get to
know people before you start trying to convince them to firebomb the justicar's
haven.
Specialties: Genial, Exotic, Alluring, Noble Bearing
* Poor: Ugly as a mud fence.
** Average: You don't stand out in a crowd, for better or
for worse.
*** Good: Strangers offer to buy you drinks at bars.
**** Exceptional: You are appealing enough to be a model,
and people often go out of their way to tell you so.
***** Outstanding: People react to you with either insane
jealousy or beatific awe.