                                   MEKARA



   By Mithrandir (2 Mar 93)

   OK, so I've been thinking and tossing up ideas back and forth about
   machines and Vampire, and so I've come up with this New Bloodline and
   their own special discipline to be called Mechanus (NOT Meccano!)

   All this is (c) Tadhg Kelly (aka me!) 1993, with people on the Vampire
   Mailing List given permission to copy for their own personal use only.


   Enjoy!!

  THE MEKARA



   Nickname: Fixers

   Origins: The Mekara are a very small and recent (by Vampire standards)
   Bloodline of Western European origin. They were founded in the 17th
   Century by a Vampire called Mekar, and, as is always the way with many
   Clans, they took his name in his honour. Mekar was a Methuselah of the
   5th Generation known for his interests in technology, which, during
   this period, was beginning to flourish due to the Rennaisance. Many of
   Mekar's Childer also had great interests in machinery, from the very
   simple upwards. Mekar eventuually developed his interests into a new
   Discipline, which he taught to all of his Progeny while he studied it.
   At that time, the Sabbat were at war with the Camarilla, and Mekar did
   not wish to side with either.

   However, his own Clan, the Toreador, insisted that he fight the Sabbat
   "scourge", but Mekar refused. He broke ties with his former Clan and
   took his Progeny with him to hopefully remain independant of thee
   trouble. This new line, the Mekara, remained secretive, but not
   terribly so, as they went about their business, ignoring the outside
   world.

   But as the line grew quickly, many of the younger ones longed to get
   involved in the conflict on the side of the Sabbat, and they did on
   occasion.

   Prompted by the now hateful Toreador that Mekar was a full traitor to
   the Camarilla, the Camarilla moved to crush the Mekara before they
   became a real threat to the Power Base of the Camarilla. Only a
   handful of the Mekara survived, and fled immediately to the Sabbat
   territory. Mekar himself disappeared, and is believved by the
   remaining Clan to be in Torpor to this day.

   Upon joining the Sabbat, the Mekara proved themselves immediately
   valuable with their new Discipline, and thus were accepted as one of
   the many Clans of the Sabbat.

   Today, the role of the Mekara is as great as ever, as technology
   flourishes even more than before. They are expert repairmen and
   saboteurs to boot. They take a most actiive intterest, along with the
   Toreador antitribu, in hunting out Camarilla Toreador and putting them
   to stake and flame.

   The Clan has retained much Toreador wild ways, and their parties are
   some of the most confusing affairs to outsiders. Frequently, there
   will be several computers and Console games all over the place, which
   are popular among the Mekara as Games to Play.

   Appearance: As often as not, Mekara will wear overalls while working
   or flamboyant clothes when "out and about", which bely their Toreador
   origins. The Mekara will always drive the best custom-made cars, have
   state of the art equiment on hand, and so on.

   Haven: Mekara usually keep two havens, one is their workshop, and the
   other is their condo/nice place. The workshop will have lots of tools
   and other gadgets lying around, while the apartment will be full of
   tech, like CD players, 28" TV's and so on.

   Background: The Clan usually choose those who are mechanically adept
   or who have artistic flair, although in times of Jyhad, they may pick
   just about anyone, depending on their taste in cars or whatever. All
   are taught ho set and fix things after being created, unless there's a
   Jyhad in the way, in which they don't bother until after the event.

   Character Creation: For the Mekara, mechanics and artists are the most
   common types chosen for tthe Creation Rites. Most are Visionaries or
   Conformists by Nature, with the most common Demeanours being Gallant
   Jester and Curmudgeon. Mental and Social are Primary, as are Skills.
   Typical Backgrounds are Resources, Contacts (to get illegal stuff) and
   quite a few have Pack Status, because of the good jobs they do. An
   increasing number of the Mekara are computer Freaks/Wizzes these days.


   Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Mechanus.

   Weaknesses: The Mekara hold the same sort of fascination for things of
   technological beauty that Toreador do for objects of beauty. They must
   suceed in a Willpower roll or be transfixed for quite a while by the
   object in question. Also, the Mekara hold an unbounded hatred of
   Toreador Elders, and when in Frenzy situations, they must make another
   Instincts roll to control themselves against Toreadoor in the area.
   They will do anything to harm Toreador, especially burning their
   favourite artworks, or stealing away their prospective new members and
   killing them.

   Preferred Paths: Many of this Clan follow the Path of Cathari, though
   quite a few follow the Path of Honorable Accord, and the Path of
   Harmony.

   Organisation: The Mekara do not have the distinction of Artistes and
   Poseurs quite as badly as the Toreador, but nevertheless, they is
   always a little friction between both sides. Mekara prefer the company
   of themselves, mechanics and engineers to others, Their loyalties lie
   most often to the Sabbat first, the Clan second and the Pack third.
   They see themselves as individual from others, often. The Poseurs tend
   to see themselvees as more of a group than the Artistes.

   Gaining Clan Prestige: The usual way to gain Prestige is to design
   some item of machinery which is a big hit and innovative. Another way
   is to spite the Toreador better than everyone else. Also, throwing
   good parties is almost always a Prestige winner, if it's the sort that
   interests the Mekara (ie, lots of techie things to play with.).

   Quote: "Now, the Ford ThunderBird, there's a real car. I remember one
   time I stripped one of those babies down and played with the engine.
   Only, it was for one of those stinkin' Toreador, and well, next night,
   there was a lovely boom when he got into the thing. Shame about the
   car, though."

   Stereotypes:

   Toreador: "They are dead meat if we ever get our hands on 'em"

   Lasombra: "Let 'em scheme. It don't matter much to me, just so long as
   I keep this job I've got. They make good leaders"

   Tzimisce: "They can scare you. A bit cruel to the humans, but hey, who
   isn't these days. Nifty tricks, too"

   Assamite antitribu: " They always need my services, so that keeps me
   happy and workin' too. No sense of party, though."

   Brujah antitribu: "They're nothing special. Always seem to think the
   Cammies are worth saving, I dunno about that, just so long as they
   leave the Toreador for us to mince."

   Gangrel antitribu: "Mystery men. The Gangrel in Town are always acting
   the Mister Cool and Nasty, and the Country ones like forests. They are
   sound enough, but they don't seem to like it when they have to use
   stuff I made. Ah well, sod them. They're loyal at any rate."

   Malkavian antitribu: "Don't go NEAR these freaks unless you have to.
   They love to wreck your work. Plus they're plain barmy"

   Nosferatu antitribu: "Sound guys. They say little and look like the
   bad end of a crash, but they are useful and sometimes good fun."

   Panders: "Hey, I suppose everybody likes to get together. The Pander
   aint so bad"

   Ravnos antitribu: "They can be fun, but watch your wristwatch"

   Serpents of the Light: "These dudes I don't trust. They're too much
   like the damn Setites as far as I'm concerned"

   Toreador antitribu: "Well, they have their craft, we have ours. At
   least they hate Toreador as much as we do"

   Tremere antitribu "Can they be trusted? That's the big question
   really. They seem to do alright so far, but, I dunno. I never did
   trust magic "

   Ventrue antitribu: "They are a whole lot more fun than their Cammie
   cousins, that's for sure."

   Black Hand: "They shouldn't be used too often, like a parachute, cause
   they might tear and land us all in shit."

   Camarilla: "Blow 'em away, that's my vote. But us and the Toreador
   Antitribu get first choice on the Toreador, ya hear?"

   View Mechanus discipline.
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