by: Calabim for Sanguinus Curae
Spawned by the millennia-old jyhad of Set and Osiris, the Disciples of Anubis are a rare and mysterious bloodline of death-magicians. Consummate Necromancers, the Disciples developed the art long before Augustus and his family, and are said to have taught them the ways of the dead.
While most evidence of the Disciples' origins are lost beneath the sands of their homeland, those few kindred who have heard of them whisper tales of an ancient priest who presided over the burial rites of the pharaohs. He was said to have direct contact with the god Anubis, whom taught the priest much on the nature of the afterlife.
Eventually, the priest caught the attention of an unknown vampire, perhaps an errant childe of Set or Osiris, who saw in the devout man a valuable weapon in the great struggle between the two ancient kindred. Deprived of his final reward, the priest slipped into a deep despair. However, he never lost faith in Anubis. The god rewarded his faith by escorting the priest through Amenti, the Egyptian land of the dead, and teaching him the powers that Anubis normally reserved for himself.
The priest and his newly embraced childer refused to take a side in the Osiris/Set jyhad, preferring to work with either side as the individual Disciple's needs dictated. However, many formed-and still maintain-ties to the Reborn, whose cycle of death and rebirth fascinated the Disciples. It is rumored that some of the most ancient Jackals acquired the knowledge of the Rite of Rebirth.
Most kindred who are (un)lucky enough to meet a Disciple of Anubis perceive them as cold and distant, more concerned with the affairs of the dead than with those of the living(or undead). However, many disciples lead hectic unlives performing tasks for various factions of the Set/Osiris jyhad or hunting down various occult secrets for themselves or their superiors.
While never a prolific line and virtually unknown outside of Africa, the Disciples of Anubis are more numerous than ever during the modern nights. The past century has seen many Disciples expand out of their ancestral homeland, and people from many different cultures have been embraced into the Bloodline.
Disciples or Jackals
"The spirits of the dead always come seeking atonement for wrongs done to them in life, and we Kindred have killed many, oh so many of them."
Jackals are almost universally independent. While they are not against working with any Cainite regardless of her political affiliation, they feel that sects place far too many restrictions upon them.
The majority of the Disciples are of Middle Eastern or Egyptian ancestry, but recent nights have seen an influx of a variety of nationalities into their ranks. Most favor dark clothing, and dress to mimic the styles and fashions of their surroundings. While performing Necromantic rituals, many dress in traditional Egyptian garb.
Jackals tend to make their havens around graveyards or places where death is frequent, so as to make their arts easier to practice. Most disciples also turn a section of their haven into a shrine dedicated to Anubis, which also traditionally serves as the Cainite's resting-place during the day.
The Disciples do not give the Embrace lightly. They reserve the curse for the most intelligent and imaginative people they can find. They also Embrace from their mortal families and most loyal and promising ghouls.
Given their propensity for learning, Disciples of Anubis typically have intellectual or investigative concepts. Their nature and demeanor also leans toward the scholarly and both tend to be similar. Mental Attributes and Knowledges are almost universally primary. Common backgrounds include Retainers, Mentor, and Resources.
Animalism, Celerity, Necromancy (A'aru path)
The Disciples of Anubis' connection to death is so strong that they must kill a living creature once a week. This cannot be a 'lesser' creature (i.e. insects, birds, fish, etc.). It must be a more intelligent animal such as dogs, cats, or humans. It is important to note that Kindred do not count, as it must be a truly living being. For every night over a week that a Jackal fails to kill results in her being at a -1 die to all her rolls. This effect is cumulative, so for example, if a Disciple has failed to kill three nights over her limit, she is at a -3 dice on all her rolls. Although it is not necessary, many Jackals drink the dead blood of the creatures it kills, which can lead to a taste for dead blood.
The basic social structure of the Disciples of Anubis is based upon the priest caste of ancient Egypt. Neonates generally defer to the eldest Jackal with the most skill at Necromancy. Generation matters little to them, but age and skill are essential to them. Elder Jackals usually treat neonates as children at best, and as a release to their frustrations at worst.
A monster that hides its true nature is still a monster.
A person could have the greatest work of art the world has ever seen in his head and it would mean nothing if he did not have the skill necessary to create it. A doctor might know how to perfectly perform an operation, but she is useless if her hands tremble. So it is with the Sabbat.
They would have so much potential if only they would cease their petty bickering and their useless business ventures.
While most are simply evil for evil's sake, some truly have faith in their dark god. These are the ones we must fear.