The Attori

The Attori, a bloodline descended from the wandering troupes of the Commedia dell'Arte of the 16th century, are perhaps the example of Daeva showiness and stubborness taken to the absolute extreme. Although there are several schools of Showmen throughout the world, they all share a single unquenchable desire: the creation of the absolute perfect show. Unfortunately for those who might be interested in the arts that these Showmen consider themselves masters of, they are also stubbornly arrogant, stuck up and, without a doubt, completely unreasonable in their attention to detail. Like an undead version of a Hollywood superstar, everyone must succumb to their will because they are obviously superior.

But, beyond that, many Kindred are willing to work with the stuckup Showmen, even outside the Invictus, primarily for the marvelous displays of showmanship they display the bloodline's innate gift of bending and controlling light in spectacular illusions. While put on primarily for their Kindred brethern, the Showmen often open these shows to mortals in the modern day and age where their illusions can be written off as elaborate special effects. And, perhaps, to a careful selected few Kindred, the Attori might be willing to share their secrets…

Parent Clan: Daeva

Nickname: Showmen

In addition to the standard modes of identification, all Showmen introduce themselves by school as well their status within that school.

To the Attori, allegiance to a covenant is secondary to allegiance to the Troupe, the Show and, ultimately, the School. That being said, most Attori find themselves welcomed among the Invictus where their insistance that every single little detail be perfect is welcome. To them, this seems like a perfect arrangement and they fit rather well into the covenant, especially as Players and quite often, surprisingly enough, as Senators and Speakers. They are especially welcomed in the Ordo Dracul as well, their blood gift a curiousity to the scholars there. The Showmen like to make use of the gifts that the Dragons can offer to them to perfect their own condition and further their ability to put on the perfect show. Likewise they are attracted to the Crone for the showiness of their blood rituals; unfortunately, most of the Circle does not take kindly to theatrical and public displays that the Showmen commonly use. Only a few forms of the Carthian experiment appeal to their particular style of life, due to the more open form nature of Carthian management. The Sanctum isn't as much of a draw to the Attori but are still sometimes counted amongst their numbers, merely out of a belief that some higher power guides their purpose; the Sanctified are themselves split, some thinking the Showmen's gifts blasphemous and some believing them perfect tools to scare the flocks back to the path of righteousness.

Some say it would be impossible to pick a Showman out of a crowd of Succubi. Others say that it would be impossible to not notice the Showman specifically. Both statements would and could be true. The average Showmen are rather good looking and charismatic and were, almost universally, actors of some sort. That said, many are also rather plain or even ugly looking, for there exists too parts which require such people in every story. Their clothing also ranges from clothes from a thrift shop to top of the line designer threads. And that's before they start to employ their blood gifts…

Celerity, Majesty, Obfuscate, Praestigium

Developed during the early days of the Attori by Vico, the blood gifts of Praestigium are a rather unusual sort; some believe some of his inspiration was drawn from the Baddacelli's eerie ability to mimic sound and his belief that he could do the same with light to create realistic illusions for the purpose of making his the greatest shows. The truth behind the source of the discipline is, however, disputed by those who know the history of the bloodline, and some of the most well versed Kindred scholars believe that this gift was derived from a deal with a being beyond the understanding of most Kindred.