Tzimisce Clanbook (Revised) Listed Derangements

The unlifestyle of the Tzimisce puts them at high risk of developing various derangements. Botched experiments, repeated indulgence of their perversions and the intensity of their Embraces conspire to twist their personalities.

AGORAPHOBIA

Agoraphobia literally means "fear of open spaces," but the translation is misleading. Called "Mad Scientist's Disease" by younger Tzimisce, agoraphobia manifests as an extreme aversion to places the sufferer fears he will panic. Sometimes the derangement is attached to a few locations, but generalized agoraphobics avoid situations in which escape is difficult (an airplane at 30,000 feet) or embarrassing (making a speech).

Agoraphobics don't volunteer for situations that they fear might cause anxiety . Unless supernaturally compelled, agoraphobic vampires must succeed on a Willpower roll ( difficulty 8) to leave their havens each evening and must spend a point o f Willpower to enter a situation from which escape will be difficult or embarrassing. I f the character fails any Willpower roll during a scene that takes place in such a situation, the character must spend a point o fWillpower or flee. Vampires can ignore these constraints while in frenzy.

The territorial nature of many Tzimisce makes this derangement relatively common within the clan. No doubt the world is scattered with at least a handful o f agoraphobic Cainites driven into torpor from lack of blood.

ACUTE SANGUINARY AVERSION

This derangement, unique to the undead, involves a persistent fear that any source of vitae is dangerous. Explanations vary - some vampires fear drugged or contaminated blood, the wrath of God or the presence of a blood-borne Antediluvian. Regardless, unless the vampire is frenzied, the player must succeed on a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) each time he feeds. Willpower cannot be spent on this roll, and a botch indicates that the vampire is so revolted by the prospect of feeding that he vomits up half of his blood pool.

Acute sanguinary aversion usually leads to a starve-and frenzy pattern, with the vampire avoiding feeding until he loses conttol. Instead, the vampire might develop highly ritualized feeding methods that involve obsession with repeated, largely arbitrary behaviors that must be observed before the Kiss is performed on a particular source of vitae. He might read a passage from the Book o f Nod before feeding or drink blood only from a particular individual.

In any case, if the feeding results in a Conscience or Conviction roll, increase the difficulty by one.