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Other vampires consider the Gangrel to be primitive creatures. They do not understand the difference between primitive and predator. Yes, Gangrel can be vicious, cruel beasts, subject to animalistic drives — but they are also cunning and civilized hunters. As a clan, the Gangrel are wary and aloof. They disdain organized society and prefer to operate outside of structures and hierarchies. This individualism has caused them to develop in different ways, spawning many different lineages, from the territorial-based Anda or Mariners to the disparate Noiad or Coyote bloodlines, whose powers differ from the parent clan. The clan considers them all Gangrel.
Most Gangrel appear scruffy-looking, rough, and ragged, as befits a clan of wanderers. Further, when they frenzy, they take on aspects of natural creatures, lending them an animalistic mien. They shelter where they please, in the soil of the earth, and do not care what others think of their appearance. Gangrel sire sporadically, often after hunting a prospective childe. They frequently abandon the fledgling vampire after her creation, forcing her to learn the basic lessons of survival on her own. Only after the childe has proven herself will the sire return to induct her into vampire society and introduce her to the clan.
Clan Weakness
All Gangrel have one animalistic physical feature. For example, you might have hawk’s eyes, scales all over your skin, or a lion’s mane. Every time a Gangrel frenzies, she temporarily gains an additional animalistic feature. Temporary animal features recede when the vampire sleeps for a day, but a Gangrel’s permanent animal hallmark never fades. It can be hidden by clothing, or by powers such as Obfuscate, or temporarily removed by powers such as Vicissitude, but it will always return when the vampire sleeps.
Nickname: Outlanders
Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean
Foolish Kindred dismiss the Gangrel, taking them at face value either as loyal lapdogs of the Camarilla or as raging barbarians too wild to be constrained by any society of the undead. The truth, of course, lies somewhere in the middle. The Gangrel are wise enough to realise that the Camarilla has its place but are not so devoted as to allow its scheming Kindred to take advantage of them (usually...).
Whatever their allegiance, all Kindred know that a city's outlying barrens and the environs just beyond belong to the Gangrel. Let the Ventrue scheme in their petty "courts" and the Toreador hide their the mannered fops of the age - the Gangrel understand that to be a Kindred is to be Damned forever, and the trappings of one age or another are just so many sands passing through the hourglass. Whether possessed of a bestial air of majesty or the mien of a skulking monster, the Gangrel rarely bother to delude themselves with the rigid behavioural baggage so prevalent in this distinguished age.
In some sense, the Gangrel are the defenders of the Camarilla, as their domains on the outlying boundaries of a city are the first would-be invaders breach. Additionally, the Animals possess tremendous fighting edges, should contact with an outsider turn violent. For this reason, wise princes treat the Gangrel well, knowing that their own domains might well face more threats were the Gangrel not there to put them down.
The sobriquet "adventurer" carries a great deal of derision with it during the Victorian era - adventurers are rarely seen as the dashing heroes of fiction or larger-than-life escapades. Rather, they are often understood to be con men, hustlers, predators upon the unwary and drifters. Such an archetype fits many Gangrel well, as they are prone to wanderlust and certainly aren't above taking a bit of vitae here and there to sustain them, leaving misery on the trail behind them. Still, accusing the Gangrel of such things as malice assumes more of them than is often actually there. Gangrel don't often seek to cause pain or thrill at the suffering of others. They simply do what they must, as vampires, to survive. While a few cruel Gangrel may thrill at the tragedy they create, most don't care because it never crosses their minds.
As they ever have been, the Gangrel are largely a feral clan, typically having more in common with animals (or other, less natural denizens of the wilds) than they do with mortals. Something about the Gangrel embrace brings members of the clan close to the Beast that lurks in all Kindred. Victorian Gangrel sometimes take roles among the titled echelons of their sects in order to offset this - many become "scourges" of their cities' outlying regions in Camarilla domains or join the ranks of the Sabbat's various apocalyptic knightly orders. A few also become autarkis, choosing to make their own ways in the night, any princes' wishes be damned.
As it stands, the predominance of Gangrel belong to the Camarilla, though clan interest, which has never tended towards the political, has been on the wane for the past few decades. The Gangrel initially joined the sect, if the oral history of the Kindred can be lent credence, with the same purposes as any of the other clans in its membership: safety in numbers. Over the years, though, the Gangrel have seen the sect turn from a protective organisation into a cliquish entity that rewards only those who have the luck to inherit its good graces. The only thing truly keeping most Gangrel in the Camarilla at all is apathy at this point, though they still think its original purpose is a valuable one and eagerly aid the sect when it needs them.
In the Victorian era, Gangrel are divided not only by geography, but also by the paths they choose to take with their unlives. Especially in Eastern Europe, many Gangrel forsake the trappings of mortal society altogether, becoming nigh unto beasts themselves and claiming terrible domains in lands far from mortal dwellings. This course is a dangerous one, as those Eastern European hinterlands often teem with agents of other vampires still clutching to outdated notions of aristocracy, to say nothing of the Lupines that consider the wilds their own demesnes. other Gangrel have sided with the forces urbanising the Empire, reasoning that the true predator must follow the prey, and if the mortal world chooses to ensconce itself in communities of brick and glass, who are they to argue? These latter Gangrel frequently come to resemble animals found in the streets and alleys of cities, from rats to mongrel dogs to jackdaws, felines and more esoteric urban creatures in certain far-flung settlements.
In the unlives of many Gangrel, the urge to settle comes and goes, with certain members of the clan creating havens and staying there for a while before ultimately moving on to wander the reaches of the world. Rare is the Gangrel who remains in the same domain for the eternity of her unlife - though it does happen, and woe to any who would underestimate her, as she has certainly learned many secrets and cunning lessons over her many years. Among those most likely to remain in one place are those who acquire elder status or some other position of esteem among local Kindred. Although the Gangrel are loath to admit it, many do appreciate positions they have earned. This is as much out of practicality as anything else, though. After all, if the undead already recognise an Animal as the pre-eminent vampire of his ilk in a given domain, what's to gain by going somewhere else and starting over?
Domain
The most common form of Gangrel domain is the hostile stretch of territory on the outskirts of town.
As Gangrel rarely care much for the political games of the other Kindred, they often find themselves relegated to the least desirable domains, though this arrangement suits them just fine. Let the other undead have their pomp and regalia in town. All a Gangrel needs is a swath of land populated by enough vessels to keep him vital.
In the Victorian era, what with its many Kindred being drawn to the cities and abandoning the less formal domains that sustained them in earlier nights, territory has became scarce. Gangrel domains occasionally overlap, and when they do, some primal relationship is sure to emerge. This sometimes takes the form of one Gangrel earning the recognition as an "alpha," pre-eminent among the city's other Animals (and occasionally earning a place as the clan's primogen, if they or the prince bother with the title). At other times, vicious rivalries ensue, with Gangrel literally at each other's throats in areas where domain is scarce or the vessels within provide for only a subsistence unlife. Certain callous Kindred have even taken advantage of circumstances such as these, conspiring to keep the Gangrel feuding with each other rather than existing as potential threat to their own plans.
Of all the Kindred, the Gangrel number among the most solitary, and pursuit of their own causes and upkeep of their own domains give many Gangrel purpose. In these Gothic nights, it is not uncommon to find a Gangrel has claimed an enormous domain and that he polices it with vigour. Especially in the barbarous lands outside the Empire, this may be responsible for dread stories of bloodthirsty monsters prowling the wood. Entire communities have been terrified by a single potent Cainite and shut their doors against the threat the moment the sun falls behind the horizen. Other Gangrel oppose the growth of cities during the Victorian era and lurk just outside their environs, harrying a prince's ability to protect his domain and causing other local kindred significant grief. In the minds of these Gangrel, natural law never ceased to exist, and the issue of domain is truly one of hunting rights that belong to the most able predator.
The Gangrel Embrace also dictates certain domain behaviour at times. While most Animals Embrace progeny and abandon them to survive on their own soon after, certain Gangrel have a more pronounced pack instinct.
While not as inclined to build broods as the Brujah, some Gangrel do Embrace a childe and then haunt a domain with that childe. This behaviour is especially common in the barbarous lands of Eastern Europe, where domains are still broad enough and vessels still properly terrified that such a thing can occur, but certain very urbanised Animals in the Empire have also taken to the practice. When Gangrel do undertake this sort of unlife, they often become very territorial, visiting upon any unwelcome guests a hostility usually reserved for the bitterest of enemies - which such Gangrel consider trespassers to be.
Individual havens in these domains take many forms, from pale echoes of the residences the Gangrel maintained during their mortal lives to little more than muddy holes, where exceptionally feral Animals can bed down for the day and avoid the sun. Caves and caverns remain popular in the underdeveloped domains; urban domains range from abandoned houses and secluded factories to sewers shared with Nosferatu and even artificially constructed dens built beneath docks or on the underside of bridges.
The presence of the Gangrel varies widely by region. As bestial forces of nature and monsters of legend, they prowl the "Land Beyond the Forest," Transylvania, and other territories of Eastern Europe. Many maintain domains in isolated regions of Italy, in Irish and Scottish mires and even among the Basque foothills of Spain in Catalonia and Aquitaine. Without a doubt, Gangrel thrive in Scandinavia, where their own history ties inextricably to the lore of the region. The Gangrel may even be numerically superior to any other clan in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and Finland, if counted, but given the Gangrel penchant for wanderlust and their common refusal to participate in organised Kindred activities, such a census would be impossible to take.
Interests
As a whole, the Gangrel are far too disparate to have common objectives. Where one Gangrel might prefer rolling plains and thick wood, another is equally as comfortable amid narrow alleys and tall town homes.
More than anything else, most Gangrel prefer autonomy and to go whatever lengths they must to establish the sovereignty of their hunting grounds. While they rarely do this to the exclusion of whatever sect has their allegiance, it has occurred in the past, and it is suspected that the anarchs and autarkis both have a greater number of Gangrel than vampires of any other clan.
Despite this inclination for autonomy, many Gangrel actually enjoy tying their fates to the success of the Camarilla. Although true respect comes their way only grudgingly, many Gangrel make names for themselves serving princes as hounds, scourges, sheriffs and other enforcers of the Ivory Tower's will. This is rarely out of any desire to see the sect's interests advanced - as mentioned before, Gangrel tend towards the apolitical and apathetic - but more out of a desire to earn some comfort for themselves without attracting the wrath of the established powers that be. For some Gangrel, this is pragmatism, as they know their own disorganisation couldn't hope to stand up in the face of the Camarilla as an institution. For other Gangrel, support of the Camarilla is simply the path of least resistance and offers the most to gain.
Gangrel Clan Merits
Protean Blood (1 point merit)
Once per hour, you can activate a Protean power without paying the costs (Blood and action) normally required to activate that power.
Protean Blood’s effects happen on your initiative and cannot be combined with effects that allow you to take actions before or after your initiative in the round. This merit cannot be used with elder powers or Protean-based techniques, but may be used with the merit Shape of Beast’s Wrath.
Shape of Beast’s Wrath (3 point merit)
When assuming the fight form granted by Protean, you can choose instead to turn into an enormous half-wolf, half-man monster.
When you utilize Shape of Beast’s Wrath, your Brawl test pool increases by +5, and you do aggravated damage with your unarmed brawling attacks. While in this form, all of your defensive pools (Physical, Mental, and Social) suffer a -2 penalty. Shape of the Beast’s Wrath is considered a transformative power and cannot be combined with other transformative powers. Attribute bonuses or focus benefits that would normally be gained from Shape of the Beast do not apply to a character who has assumed the form granted by Shape of the Beast’s Wrath.
Bloodline: Coyote (4 point merit) Sabbat
You are a member of the Coyote bloodline. Sometimes known as “City Gangrel,” Coyotes were once seen only among the Sabbat, but in recent nights have been found as Autarks, Anarchs, and even the occasional member of the Camarilla.
Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Protean
Unlike most Gangrel, Coyote are comfortable in city-based environments and consider themselves the ultimate urban predator. They are predominately modern, young vampires, choosing to hunt their prey within the cities and test the boundaries of their vampiric powers. Their bloodline began centuries ago, but truly rose to prominence during the Industrial Revolution, when urban sprawl and modern technology changed the world. Throughout this age Coyotes were seen only among the Sabbat; it isn't until modern nights have there been found City Gangrel among Autarks, Anarchs, and even the occasional member of the Camarilla.
Unlike Country Gangrel, who can afford to let their animalistic ways take over and their appearances grow truly bestial, the City Gangrel must either adopt a more Nosferatu-like approach to unlife or blend in with their prey. To outward appearance, then, these latter Kindred seem human, dress as appropriate to their area and the social class that they mimic. Any disguise they adopt is strictly that, camouflage to allow them to get close enough to bite.
Bloodline: Noiad (2 point merit)
You are a member of the Noiad bloodline, which hails from Finland, Sweden, and other parts of Scandinavia. They are depicted as an alien bloodline that may represent the first Cainite presence on the continent of Europe.
Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Protean
Of the Gangrel bloodlines, the enigmatic Noiad are perhaps the rarest. The lineage developed in Finland during the Dark Ages, and as civilization encroached upon them, their tribes of mortals moved further and further north to escape modernization. These Gangrel are seers and mystics, claiming to see visions of the future within the Northern Lights. Because they make their homes so far north, the Noiad spend months awake while the sun is beneath the horizon. They use this time to study the sky and seek prophecy. Other Gangrel occasionally seek them out to ask for specific portents, but the Noiad rarely trust visitors to their land. These primitive seers and oracles disdain technology and modern culture, and prefer to remain in the undeveloped areas, holding tightly to the ancient traditions of their kind.
Bloodline: Ahrimanes (6 point merit)
Sabbat offshoot/Autarkis/Very Rare
You are a member of a rare, all-female bloodline known as the Ahrimanes, an offshoot of the Gangrel antitribu.
Disciplines: Animalism, Presence, Thaumaturgy: Path of Elemental Mastery
These Gangrel are extremely shamanistic, and they have an unusual bond with spirits of all kinds. They are secretive and violent. Male characters cannot possess this merit. Although the group originated within the Sabbat, Ahrimanes are rare enough that no sect truly claims them. Ahrimanes most often choose to be Autarkis.