It's always a bit of a faux pas, I've found, putting true ancients in a game of Vampire: The Masquerade. The purpose of methuselahs usually gets relegated to the role of boogeymen and cautionary tales, with none of the characters ever actually meeting one. The following character is one that I've played a lot as an NPC, in almost every Vampire game I've ever run. As much of my games follow a solid timeline (something I've been trying to do more and more), Learos is probably my most re-occurring NPC, largely because his life spans the majority of the timeline. Learos is an ancient, a true methuselah, who was embraced by Tzimisce itself, and exists to provide a timeless and truly alien perspective. He'll serve different roles in my game, occasionally corrupting the PC's, more often then not, if they're polite, helping them. Learos is an alien predator, like every other ancient, however, unlike the others, he has one very uncommon trait that sets him apart. Other methuselahs have eons-spanning plots and roles in the eternal Jyhad, but Learos has long been abandoned by his sire and siblings, and now seeks nothing more than to wait out eternity. In other words, he's bored, and when the PC's come by, he'll nearly always find something interesting in them.
Now, despite all the Tremere love I've been throwing out there, let it be known now and forever, that the Tzimisce are far and away my favorite clan. Ancient, anachronistic monsters, with body-horror powers, crawling from stinking tombs and crumbling castles in Carpathia, Tzimisce tickle every one of my vampire G-spots. Learos is created as an archetypical Tzimisce, polite to a fault, honorable in his own way, but evil beyond all earthly measure. He was also one of my very first re-occurring NPC's, so he holds a special place in my heart, even if he is a bit overpowered. Learos never overshadows the players, however, as he exists to give an answer to that eternal question of whether or not humanity is worth clinging to. Take a guess what his answer is.
History
Learos' long and terrible life began as a healer, for a tribe of humans in a land that would later on become called Carpathia. Beyond almost all his tribesmen, Learos was the most virtuous, giving up honor and glory and even women in order to dedicate his life to helping his fellow men. In those ancient days, he mastered what healing arts he could, and while he was never held in the esteem of the warriors, there was always a certain respect that existed between him and his peers.
Learos would never know the true reason that the Tzimisce Antediluvian attacked his tribe, though he would spend many centuries making educated guesses. Not the most communicative forefather in the best of circumstances, the Eldest Tzimisce seemed to go out of its way to avoid contact with Learos, effectively making him the very first Caitiff. It is said that Learos was the last of Tzimisce's childer, and unlike the rest, was nothing more than a passing whim, an experiment, to the ancient, who had heard of the mystery of vampiric enlightenment, or Golconda, and sought a truly pure soul to see if any of its blood could ever achieve such a blessed state. Regardless of its reasons, that fateful night, the antediluvian attacked the tribe, consuming men, women and children alike in a deluge of flesh, fangs and other appendages, digesting them down to their bones and marrow, leaving only the traumatized Learos, lying on the ground as the monster left it forever.
For centuries, Learos existed as a vampire, barely knowing anything about vampiric culture or lore. He met other Tzimisce, especially his 'siblings,' however, most of them like the Dracon, were such monsters that he cut contact with them. Learos traveled ancient Europe, using the power of Vicissitude to become something of an angel of mercy, passing through human civilizations, healing the wounded and the sick, and taking blood as a price. This lasted until he met the one person who would become his soulmate and most hated enemy, Alia.
Alia was a Ravnos, a childe of Zapathasura and a member of the fourth generation, like himself. Alia saw potential in the young Tzimisce, as she herself had cut ties with her main clan, and like many others, wandered the lands seeking Golconda. It is believed that the Tzimisce ancient engineered this meeting, if Learos was in fact the experiment he was claimed to be. Together, Alia and Learos blood bonded to each other, and supported the quest for enlightenment mutually. When the time came, they experienced the Suspire together, where Alia succeeded, but for reasons unknown, Learos failed.
Failure broke the Tzimisce, as the chance for Golconda can be experienced only once, Learos sank into depression, which soon turned into jealousy, then hatred for his lover Alia, who could now walk in the sunlight and subsist off the energy of the universe. He convinced himself that Alia had somehow sabotaged him, and while he could not bring himself to hurt her, as their blood bond was too strong, Learos resolved that since enlightenment and humanity had been denied to him, he would instead go the other direction, becoming the greatest monster the undead world would ever know.
Learos and Alia would always travel separately, however, would always meet every fifty years or so. In the times when they were apart, Learos made friendships with some of the ancient, primordial Baali that existed, who taught him the Road of the Devil, a path of sin that Learos took to heart as a true symbol of vampiric damnation. Learos aided the Baali in setting up nests in many parts of Europe, and re-established contact with some of his long forgotten siblings, having seen the error of his humane ways. At some point in history, he became the lord of the Greek city of Thebes, during which times he spent fleshcrafting beasts into bacchanalian abominations that mirrored Greek monsters, and outdid some of his most depraved and horrendous peers in both the Baali and the Tzimisce in atrocities committed as he tried to cut away the very last of his humanity.
At around the time of the fall of Greece to the expansionist empire of Rome, Learos had become bored with the world of mortals, convinced that he had committed every sin and evil that existed, and he became wary with his unlife. More to render him dormant and out of the way than anything else, Alia suggested he sleep, and he agreed, setting his retainers to earn money for him before crafting himself into a stone block and burying himself in the ruins of his old citadel in Greece. In the modern day, he has been unearthed.
Learos fits into any Camarilla or Sabbat city as a reclusive elder. He has been awake long enough to learn the intricacies of language and basic technology, but like a small child, the new world of the 21st Century has re-awoken the Tzimisce elder's sense of wonder. Learos refuses to take part in the Jyhad of the Camarilla or the Sabbat, literally becoming bored of committing evil, and now simply wants to enjoy the pleasures of this world, and perhaps pass down his teachings to the next generation.
Personality and Roleplaying Hints
Learos is the archetypical Tzimisce, having long accepted his clan and his heritage, and often takes the role of the likable old man. He is absolutely fascinated with almost every facet of the modern world, and has developed a strange love for computer games and the internet. The old Dragon is still very hospitable, and takes the laws of hospitality very seriously. He is kind and gentile, soft spoken and pleasant, and never raises his voice. To all outward appearances, he is the perfect host.
All of this hides a monster of truly inhuman proportions. Learos is the near perfect example of a Retired Monster, as TvTropes would put it. He may not be wreaking havoc, sending Szchlacta to feast on the townsfolk, or making people into furniture (often) now, but that's only because it's old-hat for him. The Tzimisce elder has committed every possible crime or sin that there is a name for, and plenty more that there aren't. To the elder, Sabbat Tzimisce who festoon their havens in the remains of their enemies and adorn their castles with grisly trophies aren't shocking or appalling, just boring. The other people in the city would love for the eccentric old Fiend to leave, but no one wants to be the one to make the trek to his mansion and tell him. Learos may be polite and honorable, but those who do not return their hosts hospitality end up in fates much, much worse than mere death.
Learos maintains a healthy practice of both Vicissitude and Koldunic magic, and is not afraid to use both to defend his sanctity, as any impolite guests find out, to their dismay. He creates scultpures of very alien beauty out of flesh, like living statues that weep vitae and other such oddities. He sees the Tremere as a vastly amusing phenomenon, and holds no great enmity toward them, seeing them as a bloodline of his own clan.
Beneath all the evil, however, Learos is depressed, truly, deeply and utterly unhappy. He knows well that, despite his enlightenment on the Road of the Devil and his vast personal power, he almost achieved his Golconda, but was found unworthy at the last second. This manifests as both cruel spite to those he sees who are high on the Path of Humanity, and he is eager to tempt them down the road to sin and depravity. On occasion, however, a small glimmer of decency will appear in his heart, and he will point someone in the right direction. It is a trait Learos himself would never admit, but it's there, the very last shred of decency in Learos' long, long dead heart.
Story Hooks
- Learos has just awoken in your city, and your Archbishop or Prince wants the allegiance of the methuselah. The elders of the city send the characters up to the Tzimisce's mansion to talk to him, to try to convince him to become a proper part of their faction, but the old Fiend is having none of it. Instead, he takes an interest in the characters, offering them sanctuary in his manor, and playing them against each other, hoping to make some, or better yet, all fall to corruption. Some of the player characters may impress him, however, and depending on their outlook, Learos may be more than happy to teach them some of the tricks he has learned during the years....firsthand.
- Learos tells the player characters that he will soon be receiving a guest, one he has not seen in a while. He asks them to pick her up from the airport, where her coffin is being shipped in, and implies that the reward for bringing her back will be power or wealth beyond the character's wildest dreams. When they get the coffin, however, it opens, and they meet Alia, Learos' old lover. The Ravnos in Golconda begs not to be taken to the Tzimisce, as he will try to diablerise her in a mad quest to 'steal' her blessing. The characters will have to decide who to side with in this conflict, and who is more dangerous to antagonize.
- Learos has decided that, as the Tremere are a Tzimisce bloodline, Thaumaturgy is the birthright of the clan, and one he is eager to reclaim. The regent of the Tremere in the city is understandably quite nervous about the methuselah, and decides to send an envoy of the player characters to attempt to negotiate. Both the regent and Learos want everything they can from each other, and if the players handle this badly, the results for the city, or the Masquerade in general, could be quite bad.
Stats (Using V20)
Learos is naturally very powerful, being an ancient vampire, and despite these stats, would probably benefit more from simply being an unstatted plot device. Still, if you must fight him, these are the last stats I used for him in one of my games.
Name: Learos
Sire: Tzimisce the Eldest
Clan: Tzimisce
Nature: Caregiver
Demeanor: Monster
Generation: 4th
Embrace: Primordial ancient times
Apparent Age: Varies, but usually 13-14
Physical: Strength 6, Dexterity 8, Stamina 7
Social: Charisma 8, Manipulation 8, Appearance 7
Mental: Perception 9, Intelligence 8, Wits 9
Talents: Alertness 7, Brawl 5, Dodge 7, Empathy 6, Intimidation 7, Leadership 8, Subterfuge 9
Skills: Animal Ken 4, Crafts 9, Etiquette 5, Melee 7
Knowledges: Medicine 8, Linguistics 8, Occult 8
Disciplines: Animalism 7, Auspex 8, Dominate 5, Fortitude 5, Koldunic Sorcery 6 (Path of Air), Potence 6, Presence 3, Vicissitude 9
Backgrounds: Allies 5 (Inconnu), Generation 9, Herd 5, Influence 2 (Old Money Families), Resources 5, Retainers 5 (War Ghouls)
Virtues: Conviction 4, Instinct 5, Courage 5
Morality: Road of the Devil 10
Willpower: 10
Derangements: Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Tidiness)
Notes: Failed Golconda, may never attempt it again. Also, Blood bound to Alia, hence immune to Blood Bonding.
- Kephn
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