The Complicen

The Complicen are the sad deluded members of a bloodline that so far has remained largely unique to the South-Eastern part of the Netherlands, and the lands immediately across the Belgian and German borders. Only a few have moved out of these territories to cities in the rest of the Netherlands. Madly in love with the dark and twisted images that weave themselves into their dreams, they seek out any and all means to turn them into reality. They perform occult rites in dark forest glades and abandoned mansions, seeking to call forth demonic entities and bring about the end of the world. Tirelessly, they seek out any and all rituals they can find, for any potential avenue to their goal is a valid one in their eyes; it may come from a medieval kabbalistic treatise, or a modern text taken from a Lavey fansite.

For more than two centuries they have been plagued by the mad vision of their progenitor, who desperately tried to emulate a mortal band of brigands who were said to have made a pact with the Devil. Stories abound of these Bokkenrijders in old and modern mortal folklore alike. Persecuted by those who know of their practices, and ridiculed by those who don't, the Complicen etch out a living in the modern nights. In a society which has deemed their great purpose the stuff of children's tales, they lash out in anger at those who would remind them of such; they are not without talent in the arts of Nightmare afterall, if others will not take them seriously on the merit of their purpose, then they must be taken seriously through the fear they inspire.

Parent Clan: Gangrel

Nickname: Complicen (by the members of the line) / Buckriders (by others)

Most Buckriders find themselves inexplicably drawn to the imagery evoked by the Circle of the Crone. The polluted vision of purpose that their progenitor had, seeping down through the blood, forms a compulsion on the part of his descendents to seek out a fulfilment of that vision which meshes with their own views. And the Circle of the Crone represents the most basic and visible representation thereof. The Circle for it's part sees some merit in their membership, so long as the prevailant belief of the local Circle is something which meshes with that of the Buckriders. If so, then the Circle can count in them some of the most devoted of followers, even if the source of that devotion is seen as misguided. Some Buckriders find themselves dissapointed by the particulars of a particular Coven's beliefs, and instead align themselves with the Ordo Dracul. The dark occultism as practiced by members of the Palatine Rite forming a particularly enticing prospect to members of the bloodline. The Dragons might not be quick to believe that these Kindred follow the ideals of the covenant however, Buckrider Dragons find themselves having to word their quest to bring about their compulsive visions as a matter of transcending the Kindred condition, to become a greater supernatural creature. Buckriders are nearly universally shun by both the Lancea Sanctum and the Invictus, and it's just as well; Neither covenant particularly fits with the compulsions that drive members of the bloodline, and the Spear has not forgotten the past. Particularly strong-willed Buckriders, seeking an escape from the mad delusions of their progenitor, might find themselves seeking out the Carthian Movement, a notion which doesn't seem to bother the Movement. They recognize the need for numbers afterall, since they count such few truly powerful Kindred amongst their ranks.

Buckriders are universally of caucasian descent. This is not a matter of racism, but simple geography. Members of the bloodline rarely travel outside the historic region in which the Bockerijders plagued mortal authorities, and that region is home to a fairly homogenous population. While the mortal Bockerijders were supposedly inconspicious in appearance, most Buckriders specifically choose Childer who already have a fearsome appearance in some manner. This could be as simple as a hulking man of great muscle mass and scars, to something more subtle and less well defined such as eyes which seem 'evil' to the Buckrider. Clothing is generally selected to represent the demonic ideal to wich they strive, and this can take extreme and unusual forms. Certainly their preferred choice of attire is something that no Prince would be happy to see a Buckrider wear in her streets. Fortunately, some Buckriders have enough insight to recognize that more ordinary clothing are to be worn around mortals, though such clothes are rarely well-kept.

Most Buckriders stay to the countryside of the southeast of the Netherlands and northeast of Belgium, which are fairly rural areas still rife with hills, forests, and farms. Buckriders prefer secluded farms or abandoned mansions as a Haven, though they are not above taking over an inhabitated one by force. Their Havens are rarely kept clean and organized, though there's usually at least one room or area that's well kept, so that the Buckrider might perform whatever ritual he happens to stumble upon which seems like it might call forth demons, open a portal to hell, or anything else which turns their visions into reality. Needlessly to say, such rituals are usually just pulp fiction from poorly written Satanic websites, popculture wiccan magick, and other nonsense which is unlikely to deliver as promised.

Buckriders can come from any layer of society; they are chosen for the Embrace primarily on looks and not their skills afterall. That said, a Buckrider wishing to sire a childe does tend to seek out more than one potential candidate, and then selects the one who'se not just frightening or intimidating in appearance, but also has the skills neccesary to support their goals. This usually means the prospective childe posesses some literary research abilities, so as to aide the sire in research into useful rituals. The embrace of a professional scholar however is rare, such people tend to be highly skeptical, and have access to knowledge and research that at least on the surface, seems to contradicts the Buckrider's beliefs. Rare is the Buckrider who enjoys being told that his visions are simply childish fantasies.

Social or Physical attributes tend to be primary. Imposing individuals are often selected for the embrace, so Presence is often high as is Composure. Intimidation is an absolute must for any Buckrider, as any mortal without the ability to intimidate others is not even considered for the Embrace. Animal Ken is also common, particularly for those Buckriders who grew up on the countryside, and those Buckriders with sires who are familiar with the Bloodline's signature devotion, often find themselves encouraged to develop Animal Ken to high levels. A working grasp of the Occult is highly prized by Buckriders, to further their goals, though few of them progress to any great degree in the skill. Finally, Survival is nearly universally developed enough that the Buckrider can feel relatively safe in rural areas. Direction Sense is a particularly common merit. Most physical merits are good in fact with the possible exception of Kungfu, an art which has not been popular long enough in the Netherlands to be particularly widespread amongst those of BP2 and higher. Those who gain their higher blood potency through Diablerie are ofcourse a notable exception.

Nightmare, Animalism, Protean, Vigor

Der Gezichten der Bock (Nightmare 1 + Animalism 4)

The signature devotion of the Buckriders, this power allows the Buckrider to physically imbue a creature with whom he is in direct contacts, with the supernatural terror that is the Nightmare discipline. The creature takes on seemingly infernal features, striking fear into the hearts of even the most stalwart of souls. The Buckrider must maintain in constant contact with the creature at all times however, or the effects of the devotion are lost.

Cost: 2 Vitae

Dice pool: Intimidation + Animal Ken + Nightmare

Action: Instant, though the transformation itself might take a few moments to fully complete.

Duration: For the rest of the scene, or until contact with the animal is lost.

Roll results:

Dramatic failure: The application of Nightmare fails utterly, and the Buckrider falls victim to the effects of Monstrous Countenance, immediately fleeing the targeted creature, and not daring to come within it's presence for the rest of the scene.

Failure: The power fails, and the Buckrider may try again at the same cost, the Vitae used to power the devotion however, is still lost.

Success: The creature takes on a terror inducing appearance, causing an instinctual fear to well up in any person, mortal or otherwise. Anyone who lays eyes on the creature must make a reflexive Resolve + Composure roll to avoid fleeing the creature's presence. Supernatural beings who fail this roll may expend 1 Willpower to avoid having to flee. In addition, all intimidate rolls on the part of the Buckrider come at a positive modifier equal to the number of successes achieved on the roll up to a maximum of 5.

Exceptional Success: Same as an ordinary success, however the power lasts until the next sunrise.

Suggested modifiers:

• +2: The creature is the subject of a widespread Phobia, such as Spiders or Snakes.
• +1: The creature is considered dangerous by most people, such as Rottweilers or Tigers.

• -1: The creature is a mundane pet, such as an ordinary housecat or common breed of dog.
• -2: The creature is considered particularly cute by most people, such as poodles or bunnies.

The number of successes achieved on the activation roll determine just how nightmarish the creature becomes. At a single success, the creature might seem more feral, it's eyes appearing to catch an infernal glow filled with malice. At 5 successes however, the creature might sprout entirely new limbs, grow new eyes and resemble something that came straight from hell or a Lovecraftian novel. The creature never gains any physical advantage due to these changes however. They are purely cosmetic. A dog that sprouts massive claws and horns upon it's head for example, does not actually do more damage with them if it chooses to attack.

Note that this power is obviously supernatural in nature, and is thus considered a Masquerade breach. Kindred authorities do not look kindly upon those Buckriders who display this power in front of mortals.

This power costs 18xp to learn

All Buckriders suffer from the weakness of the Gangrel Clan. In addition, they are plagued by the mad vision of their progenitor during their sleep. They dream of infernal creatures, they dream of becoming a king of a hellish plane of existence, they dream of ruling over others through sheer terror. They might find their dreams disturbing to say the least, but a part of the character revels in them, wishes them to become a reality. They are supernaturally compelled to bring about such a fate. They fixate themselves on anything they perceive as being related to their dreams.

Thus, all Buckriders suffer from the Delusional Obsession derangement; A willpower point must be spent whenever an opportunity arises for the character to act in accordance with his or her obsession; In this case, the demonic imagery which occupies their dreams. Whenever they encounter a person, object, or idea that they perceive to be related in some manner to their visions (and that includes a lot, including Satanism, Demonology, and many aspects of the Occult), they must spend a willpower point, or instead spend the rest of scene (and possibly the rest of the night) in pursuit of their obsession.

The death of the Bloodline's progenitor has ensured that no formal organization exists between his various descendents. The scorn and ridicule they are apt to receive in many domains has made more than one Buckrider resent his blood, and by extension others of the line. Others however, ignore the views of other Kindred, and take some measure of pride in their heritage; These Buckriders share information with each other as best they can, and offer hospitality to those Buckriders in need. Few of them would go further than that though; They can hardly take the time away from their obsession in order to help out another Kindred, even if that Kindred shares the same obsession.

Wanna-be Satanist, Rural Survivalist, Amateur Occultist, Mainstream Wiccan, Lavey Cultist, Horror Fanatic, Sadistic Vetenarian, Folklore Historian.

According to the history as told by the members of the Bloodline, Matthias Karels was a mortal who like most people of the time in the south-eastern Netherlands, became fascinated by a band of robbers known as the Bockerijders. Unlike the proper, church-going, populace of the region however, he wanted to join them. The reasons for this vary according to who you ask, but most people agree that the disturbing rumors about the band had something to do with it. They were rumored to have made a pact with the Devil himself; they would fly on demonic goats with fire-lit eyes through the nightsky. How else, argued the common folk of the time, could they have commit robberies so far apart on the same night? The name Bockerijders, meaning Buckriders, was born.

Why Karels had such a fascination with this aspect of the myth surrounding the Bockerijders, the modern members of the Bloodline can't say with any measure of certainty. There are theories ofcourse, the most common states that when his wife commited suicide, he cursed God, and the Church with it for claiming she was burning in hellfire for the life she took. Others argue that it was he who drove her to suicide in the first place, and in damning himself, came to believe that he was unworthy of being a follower of God, tricking himself into believing he had to pledge loyalty to the Devil. Yet others take a more extreme view; believing that the Devil himself was playing him from the start, a grand game between God and the Devil, with Karels in the middle.

Whichever story is true, there is no doubt that sometime between 1750 and 1770 he joined a local band of robbers, who themselves were indeed a part of the greater network of thieves known as the Bockerijders. But after several thieving raids, he grew greatly dissapointed; These thieves were not in league with the Devil. They did not fly through the nightsky on demonic goats. They were ordinary people who were trying to get by. Growing frustrated, he attempted to make contact with other cells, travelling about the region in search of other groups that were a part of the organization. In 1771 he finally found such a group; and according to bloodline tradition, they were more akin to the legend that had formed around the Bockerijders than the first group he joined. In his journal, Karel's wrote;

'The initiation rite of this new group has made me cast aside my initial doubts, though it likewise fills me with dread, for i know what service to god's adversary must entail. But what can i do? It has been decided. This curse must be delivered upon me, i know. He made me enter the old chapel backwards and kneel, the captain. Dressed in the clothing of a priest, which i thought most curious as i did the choice of location, though i understand it is a blasphemy to God, and thus chosen as such…two fingers and a thumb i was called to raise, and denounce God and swear allegiance to the adversary, while my feet were made to break under-heel stolen communion wafers. I watched then, after my pledge was complete, how the captain poured a green powder in a glass of brandywine, and as soon as i had emptied the glass, i could feel myself having become as a beast, a servant of darkness, light forever denied to me.'

These bandits did not call themselves Bockerijders as the general populace did, instead they called themselves 'Complicen', and in his journal, Karels wrote that he undertook severals robberies without the so often spoken about goats. It was true, he said, that the rites that the group held before and after such robberies were filled with imagery and dedications to the devil, but he saw no signs of infernal power bestowed upon these people by their new master. Was it to be another dissapointment? It would certainly appear so as he writes about the last robbery he would be a part of in the fall of 1773, citing his growing desperation in his quest as he found his fellow Complicen lacking. But this robbery would hold a special significance for Karels regardless; It would be the night of his death.

The small group had targeted an out of the way mansion that was said to be the reatreat of a wealthy but eccentric noble, the last of a dying breed, who didn't get out much on account of his advanced age. How true the rumors were. There's almost three months missing from his journal when he finally picks up again;

'I came back for my journal and notes tonight. The captain clearly did not expect me back, and accused me of slaying my partners and taking the spoils for myself. I had to drain him dry, just like Graets said. I suppose that had i not aligned myself with the Devil during my daylit time on this earth, i would have felt sorrow and guilt at the act, that's what he said i would feel afterall. But strangely, i felt no such thing. I knew only that it was the beginning of something new. This was what i had been cursed for, was it not? To serve the devil? I did not think it was meant to be in this way, but i cannot help but revel in some of what i can do now. And it did feel so good to drink from the captain until he had nothing left to give…'

Whoever Graets was, there are only a few mentions of him in Karels' journal, mostly relating to teaching him what there was to know about Kindred. For years he studied what he could on the Kindred, finding plenty to satiate his curiosity and interests. Of particular interests were bloodlines and diablerie, subjects he studied with worrying fervor. Plots were being hatched by the fledgeling. He had come into contact with a Sanctified missionary who had made him realize that there were Christians (by the perception of Karels) amongst the Damned aswell. It didn't take the obsessed Karel's long to determine them to be his enemies by virtue of their alignment with God. But his Sire would have none of it. Karels was young and impetuous, he was without power and could not hope to stand against the Sanctified. A problem that the fledgeling had the perfect solution for.

It's unknown exactly how many Kindred he diablerized and where he did it, local records are sketchy at best, and few members of the bloodline have had any great interest in uncovering the details of the affair. The only fact of the matter is that it took place sometime during the winter of 1797 Karels' journal only makes a brief mention of the event;

'Dry, all of them. No more. The blood is different now. Stronger yes. I have already gathered potential Childer. I must hurry and spread it to them. Then we can proceed. I will not be writing for a while, i think.'

The next mention of the bloodline in history is also the first taste that other Kindred, particularly the Lancea Sanctum, were unfortunate enough to get. Karels and a number of offspring made an attack on the Sanctified of nearby Maastricht right as they were starting Midnight Mass in 1850. It was a complete and total failure, as Karels and a number of his offspring met Final Death, the rest of the bloodline that survived scattering while they were hunted by the Lancea Sanctum. Ever since, members of the bloodline have been wary of the Sanctified, and the Sanctified of them. Tonight however, the Covenant no longer actively hunts them, content in the belief that it has wiped out all of those members who attacked them that one fateful night.