Basic info: Clan Ventrue has long been one of the proudest lines of vampires. Old-fashioned and tradition-bound, they are sophisticated and genteel. They believe in good taste above all else and work hard at making their lives comfortable, and to maintain a reputation for honor, chivalrous behavior, and leadership. A sense of noblesse oblige has long pervaded the clan, accompanied by the genuine belief that the Ventrue know what's best for everyone. They not only consider themselves the oldest clan, but see themselves as the enforcers of tradition and the rightful leaders of vampire society. Unsurprisingly, they have long been chosen from the ranks of nobility and privilege, whether kings or merchant princes, but they have also been known as knights and warlords who sought to live by the laws of chivalry and duty. If anything, the Ventrue have adopted to fill the roles of leadership over the ages, and in the modern nights are more politician than noble warrior, more CEO than baron lord. They are most frequently the leaders in the Camarilla, and thus remain the largest supporters of the sect and the Masquerade, believing both instituitions to be the surest means of protecting vampires from the growing mortals masses, and of guarding their own power. Though some avoid what they consider to be the crude and decadent office of prince. The Ventrue cherish history more so than any other clan, believing it to be a worthy guide to live by and to justify their positions of authority today. This is not to say that they have any particular obsession with the truth - a myth can be much more powerful than the real thing, afterall. But they take history very seriously, a fact that is no doubt aided by their tale being one of conquests and grand achievements the likes of which few other clans can boast. To hear them say it, their claim to fame begins in the early of vampire history with Caine himself commanding his eldest childe Ynosch to Embrace the Ventrue Founder, who they believe to be the first member of the Third Generation and who is often called Veddhartha. He was to be Caine's advisor in the nights of the First City, and when the Dark Father prepared to leave he chose to hand the burden of responsibility for stewarding his people to Veddhartha. Through this story the Ventrue justify their position of superiority and leadership over the other clans, just as they believe their progenitor led the other Antediluvians for a time. However, the Ventrue fancy themselves a clan of the modern world and deny that they live in the past. This may be true of the most powerful members of the clan, but many are not able to give up the habits and manner of dress of the time when they were Embraced. The attitudes and beliefs they held as mortals are never forgetten by a Ventrue. Ventrue are most often found among the upper crust of the mortal world, most mingling and fitting in quite well. Their sophistication stands them in good stead among the elite of mortal society, and it allows them to control many of the more powerful members of the city. Because of the relative ease in which most Ventrue travel among such company, they often have a monopoly on the political control of the city. If something goes wrong, it is often to them that the other Kindred turn for control. There is a strong Ventrue tradition that any member of the line may find safe haven with any other member, and cannot be refused. Thus, many Ventrue aid their fellow clan members before the need arises for this tradition to be called upon. However, harboring a fugitive in your haven can have detrimental effects to one's welfare. Ventrue are very proud of their leadership of vampiric society and will always insist that they were the founders of the Camarilla. They will do nearly anything to retain their grip on the politics of the cities and the Camarilla, and are exceedingly protective of their reputations. Ventrue culture places a heavy emphasis on dignitas, the Latin word for "dignity." In modern days, it's often described as "Face". Ventrue are completely aware of the unsavory aspects of power, and while a Ventrue leader is just as likely to lead organized crime as he is a fortune 500 company (the Ventrue really don't object to theft, so much as petty theft), he must always comport himself with dignity, with grace and with honor. At least publically. Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence. General appearance: Ventrue cultivate classical, traditional appearances. Set in their ways, Ventrue vampires often affect the styles of their breathing days, and one may frequently guess a Ventrue's age by determining from which period of history her clothing dates. Young members of the clan tend towards fashions ranging from "preppy" styles to omnipresent suit-and-tie wardrobes. Vantrue are elegant and stylish, but rarely the cutting edge of couture or haberdashery trends. After all, one must stand out, not stick out. Usual Havens: Only the best will do. Ventrue commonly make their havens in mansions or valuable estates. Ventrue vampires often come from wealthy families, and their havens may even be ancestral homes. Progeny: Ventrue traditionally hail from professional or high-society stock, though in modern nights the clan may claim any noteworthy person. Age, wisdom and experience play great part in Ventrue Embraces, as well as strong will and natural leadership abilities, and they never Embrace capriciously. Not to say that more milliteristic Ventrue do not exist as the clan understands the necessity of those with a heavier emphasis on the warrior in warrior lord. Some Ventrue, however, create neonates exclusively along family lines, in a twisted progression of gentrification. Other Kindred joke that the Ventrue are inbred, while the Ventrue themselves maintain that only the creame of the crops is suitable for membership of their clan. Views on the other clans: Brujah: Old wounds scar the Rabble. These hotheads cultivate buried hatreds better than the harpies do. Still, we must be tolerant - centuries of failure must surely be difficult to bear. Gangrel: They are as trustworthy and useful as well-bred dogs. We send them forth when it is time for hunting, then call them back to the kennel when more subtle tasks beckon. In this way does everyone fulfill their appointed role. Malkavian: The price they pay for their supposed enlightenment far exceeds it's benefice. Still, learn from them what you may. Nosferatu: These pitiful creatures still pay the debt earned by their sires so many nights ago, though through no fault of their own. Toreador: Truly, their great passion must be a curse, for Kindred lack the ability to create what they may only impotently observe. Tremere: It is good that they favor stability, otherwise their depredations might outweigh their utility.

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