Our intent is to lead the world back into the old ways of blood and magic...

Wild and fey, living mostly in rural areas, and still following pre-Christendom traditions. No one knows exactly where the Lhiannan line started. Even the bloodline itself only knows that at some time in the distant past, a woodland spirit was somehow bound into the body of a vampire by a shadowy female figure that called herself the Crone, and with that the act began for the Lhiannan. The Lhiannan survived in isolated villages throughout Europe and secret groups that stayed true to the old ways. As the forces of Christendom drove back the last of the pagan religions and stamped out (or assimilated) the superstitions of the common peasant, the Lhiannan were pushed further and further from the lights of civilization. This made the Druids a dying breed. Even more so, their own mystical nature marked them indelibly, giving them an aura that is almost noticeable by ordinary humans. This made them easy targets for witch hunts and ambitious Kindred that wanted to make a name for themselves and remain in the good graces of the Lancea et Sanctum after all, the very existence of the Lhiannan may be proof the Sanctified follow nothing but an empty dogma. The spirit that joined with the first Lhiannan was a highly territorial, bloodthirsty being that demanded sacrifice from those around it. When the first Lhiannan Embraced the second, that spirit broke off a piece of itself or perhaps cloned itself into a new spirit and passed it into the newly-made vampire. The process was repeated time and time again over the centuries to the point where spirit and vampire merged completely. The Lhiannan have inherited a great deal from their spirit half. Fiercely territorial creatures, they choose an area and then stay with it, keeping most others out unless it is in their best interest to do so, in which case they can be quite patient. They are strongly tied to the woodlands and when living in a city, they stick to parks, zoos and similar surroundings. Their signature Discipline of Blood Tenebrous gives them a certain amount of power over spirits. Other European vampires see the Lhiannan as little more than a legend these nights and even so, no mention of their spirit half is made. So thorough was the attempt by the Lancea et Sanctum to weed them out that in most historical archives what few vampires keep the Lhiannan do not register as vampires at all. Instead, the Sanctified mention a legion of demons meant to draw Kindred and kine alike away from God and the Church of Longinus. In modern nights, Lhiannan can be found in Northern Europe, mostly Britain, Ireland where the founder of the line is supposedly sleeping the centuries off in torpor and Scandinavia. Having forsaken their woodland roots in favor of urban areas with better prey, they are no longer an oddity of the countryside. Being half-spirit and half-vampire, affects the Lhiannan in many ways, the least of all being the fact they get along with the Uratha more than other vampires, something that in the past earned them the moniker Wolfbrothers. With both vampires and werewolves sharing their partly spiritual nature, common ground was easily found almost as easily as reasons to rip each other apart. This familiarity between the bloodline and the objects of many a Kindred's nightmare was but a factor that made the crusade of the Lancea et Sanctum easier to sell and more successful than it would be otherwise. Mankind fears what it does not understand, Kindred even more so... and even if the Lhiannan were not the demons the Sanctified made them to be, they could still call on werewolf allies and that kind of power should not be in the hands of any vampire unless of course the vampire in question is whoever said that. On the other hand, the Lhiannan have suffered great losses at the claws of the Pure Tribes, who consider the vampire-spirit hybrids anathema and to be killed-on-sight not that vampires in general get a better treatment. Many of the most powerful Lhiannan met Final Death when a pack of Pure werewolves decided to rid the world of them

Lhiannan Sidhe

 or perhaps who simply wanted the Lhiannan's locus for themselves. This past experience has led even more Lhiannan to befriend Forsaken werewolves and often tip them off on Pure activities. But the dual nature of the Druids goes beyond that. Though it has never been confirmed by others or by the Lhiannan themselves it is said that especially older members of the bloodline are able to gain nourishment from Essence as well as Vitae, a theory that is supported by the fact many Lhiannan had domains around Loci. On the other hand, a Locus is rare and given the territorial nature of the Druids it is entirely possible they just chose these locations because of that. Something that cannot be denied however and that is undoubtedly a side effect of their dual nature is that Lhiannan are sensitive to spiritual activity, be in it Twilight, or even across the Gauntlet. When the Lhiannan are near a spirit or another Lhiannan for that matter they know it even if they cannot see it, the same goes for Loci or Verges. In a strange alteration of feeding preferences, Spirit-Ridden and Spirit-Claimed make for excellent and more rewarding meals as the Druid can draw nourishment from the spirit's Essence as well as from the host's blood. Surprisingly enough even though the signature Discipline of the Lhiannan has to do with spirits, they are known for something else. According to some rumors, Lhiannan were behind the very first Crac rituals. Given the bloodline's history with the circle of the crone, this theory cannot be ignored and may hold some truth to it. Scholars that support this theory, insist that any and all Crac rituals that deal with the Shadow Realm and spirits in any way are creation of the Lhiannan that put their altered Beast to good use. For that reason, when Lhiannan make their presence known they are sought after for those rituals. If there are other such rituals to be discovered, the remaining Lhiannan keep their lips sealed. The bloodline has suffered enough because of ignorance and to give knowledge to those who have not earned it, is never a good idea. It is rumored however that even in modern nights elder Lhiannan and vampire scholars alike are trying to unlock long lost rituals that may reveal more about the nature of the Lhiannan and perhaps the vampire race as a whole it is safe to assume that Sanctified enforcers do not like that prospect and often bury such research. In the rare occasion that Lhiannan ghoul someone, that person or animal, as if often the case is treated as part of their domain even more so than the way other vampires treat their ghouls. Depending on the regnant, ghouldom under the Druids can be from nightmarish to simply restrictive and many ghouls often become paranoid, feeling their regnant's eyes everywhere they are often right. As

the Ghoul tastes the regnant's Vitae more, he begins displaying minor traits usually found on Spirit-Claimed and tied to the nature of their master. Parent Clan: Gangrel Nickname: Druids or Wolfbrothers Covenant: Druids tend to join the Circle of the Crone and given the legend of the bloodline's creation, that is not really a surprise. Just as expected is their deep hatred for the Lancea et Sanctum and the First Estate at least in domains where the First Estate supported the Sanctified. Some Lhiannan join the Ordo Dracul in hopes of finding more about themselves, while most of the rest are among the Unbound Appearance: Most Lhiannan are female, yet male members of the bloodline are known to exist. All have an exotic feral beauty and that is one of the reasons they try to blend in when in the company of others, at least to a point. It is entirely possible to see a Lhiannan in an evening gown or an Armani suit if it means she will live another night. In the privacy of their haven or sometimes even in public, the Lhiannan wear talismans that supposedly strengthen their spirit half, the same does not happen with their clothes of choice in private though that often are too outdated for public use. When performing one of their spirit rituals however, they shed most clothes and inscribe bloody glyphs and runes on their bodies. Haven: In the past, the Lhiannan favored forest glens and isolated rural villages where the old ways were still practiced. In modern nights however this is not the norm and most live in the cities, almost always near nature in some form. Many Lhiannan havens are not unlike those of any other Gangrel, or even Daeva in some cases. Background: The Lhiannan prefer to Embrace individuals that display some of their own traits. Those with respect for or a link to nature and animals, a feral streak and most importantly, who do not follow any monotheistic faith are good candidates for the Embrace. Even more so, those who are actively against Christianity but not in a way that would draw too much attention catch the attention of a Druid before others. Character Creation: Any Attribute set can be primary. Lhiannan often have high ratings in Animal Ken and Survival, and even a bit of Occult. Many Lhiannan also have Animal Ghouls and Herd as Merits but it takes a very unique domain, or a very creative and manipulative Lhiannan for her to have Allies, Contacts or even Status. Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Majesty, Protean, Resilience. Lhiannan also practice Blood Tenebrous (see pp. 124-127 of Book of Spirits), though at out-of-clan costs. Weakness: The Lhiannan are part nature spirit and the mark of their inhumanity runs strong with them. Those who attempt to detect their nature via Auspex or similar powers gain a +2 bonus and even normal humans may feel

vaguely uncomfortable around them if they are not used to nature which is the case with most people these days (-1 penalty to non-Intimidation social rolls). As their Blood Potency rises the Lhiannan resemble Spirit-Claimed more and more. Organization: The Lhiannan are extremely individualistic and territorial. They do experience loneliness on a personal level, not merely social as they often are surrounded by others but they usually slake it by allowing it to build to the breaking point over decades and then Embracing someone. It only takes a couple of years for them to grow tired of their childe's company and send her away

but even then, they remain in touch and offer aid when needed. Lastly, the distribution of the Lhiannan is not necessarily limited to their ancestral domains in Northern Europe. One branch of the family, the Ahrimanes (sometimes called the Alleycats, Fatcats, Hellcats, et cetera), are an allfemale group of animistic magicians native to the American South. Concepts: Wickerman cultist, fairytale witch, werewolf liaison, New Age shaman, Voodoo priestess, Wiccan feminist