Infernalists

lnfernalists are those rare people who possess a dedicated mind and a propensity for evil great enough to seek power and companionship from inhuman forces. Each is jealous of his status with the forces of Hell and scornful of other practitioners of the black arts. Damnation is an individual journey that brooks no fellow travelers. An infernalist typically surrounds herself with a cult of followers (servants and sacrifices) but keeps the greater part of her knowledge secret. She corrupts others as offerings to her demonic master, not to spread the secrets for which she has bartered her soul. In very rare cases a Luciferian might take on an apprentice, but the relationship will be antagonistic - each fearing that her companion will, in time, attempt to betray the other.(VDA 166)

Forfeiture

Should a character attempt to evade his part in a pact, his soul is declared forfeit by Hell, and the demons involved begin their pursuit. Some mortals may be able to escape demonic persecution by fleeing to holy ground, but for a vampire such a route is practically impossible. The character may beg for his unlife and soul, making his final moments on Earth petty; alternatively, he may turn on his pursuers and fall in glorious battle. Certain legends say that a character who evades the forces of Hell three times becomes free from any pacts, loses all investments (including improvements bought with demonic aid) and may start his own Road.

A character who escapes Hell’s clutches will be bitterly hated by all demons and resented by all infernalists, her life or unlife is likely to be very complicated from that point on. (VDA COMP 175)

Clan Infernalists

Even the proudest Cainite may be humbled by the forces of the Devil, The following section looks at individual clans' views on infernalism among their own, and suggests what path such a damned vampire might follow.

Assamite

Rare is the Assamite who falls prey to demons - the tenets of the Via Sanguinius hold that dealing with demons is a trap for the weak, and Clan Assamite is never weak. Infernalists of this clan are viciously hunted down by their brethren, and great honor accrues to the vampire who performs the purifying killing. So hated are the infernal powers that Assamites will not even drink the vitae of an infernalist, preferring to let the blood be wasted rather than contaminate their numbers. An Assamite infernalist is secretive and deadly, trading with demons for the powers that he cannot learn on his own. Such an infernalist pursues a twisted version of the Road of Blood, dedicating the souls he destroys to his dark masters.

Brujah

Brujah's weakness when dealing with the Devil is the desire they hold for knowledge; beneath their warriors' hearts lie scholars' minds. Many Brujah have been seduced by Hell through promises of ancient knowledge and dark secrets; others have believed that the powers granted by demons can be turned to good use. All have fallen in the end. The clan's tradition of fellowship hinders the purging of infernalists, as most Brujah feel that a fallen comrade is redeemable. Such idealistic folly has allowed demons to reap entire coteries at once.

A Brujah infernalist finds his rage channeled into Hells work. Scholarly pursuits are neglected and forgotten as the slow spiral into darkness begins, stripping away all human pretensions until only the inner Beast remains.

Cappadocian

Given their familiarity with the Reaper and the afterlife, the Clan of Death seldom falls prey to infernal trickery. Cappadocians' heightened senses and extensive lore allow them to spot and protect themselves from most minor demons. However, like the Brujah, they can be tempted by promised revelations of the world of spirits. The relationship between and demon and a Graverobber is like an intricate dance in which a misstep for either party is fatal. At the clan center at the mountain Erciyes lie many bottled demons who failed in their tasked of corruption--but rumors over the existence of many failed Cappadocian infernalists, who have been hound in torpor by the clan.

A Cappadocian who turns fully to the infernal powers is certain to barter for Necromancy as well as darker powers. Once she has accepted her infernal servitude, she turns to her new work with a surprising will, building fortresses of corruption and raising evil spirits tirelessly. After all, her eventual fate will be but one revelation among the many secrets of death.

Followers of Set

Set is a jealous god, and he does not allow his childer to follow another. There are few sights more terrifying in the than a Setite hunt for a fallen Serpent. The torments inflicted on such a renegade are said to rival the fires of Hell themselves - and to last almost as long. However, the promise of even darker power tempts a few of the Followers, and small dens of infernal Setites lie scattered across the fringes of Europe.

Gangrel

Although Gangrel's typical rejection of Christianity should make them easy prey for Satan, this is not the case. Their physical and mental isolation from the works of humankind has thus far protected them from the Devils minions. Fallen Gangrel who rampage against the Church are often supported by their comrades, who remember the destruction of paganism at the hands of Rome and bear a grudge - but woe betide the Animal who seeks power over his own kind through infernal means.

A Gangrel infernalist cheaply barters his soul, often caring more for the pagan traditions of a brave and honorable death than for the consequences in the hereafter. The agony of such an infernalist eventually discovering how tightly she has been bound in chains, how domesticated she has become in the service of Hell, is sweet to demons.

Lasombra

The Lasombra have long-established rules for dealing with demons. They refuse to deal with lesser demons at all, seeing such as beneath their dignity, and attempt to manipulate any demon they encounter just as they manipulate everyone else. The clan believes that its powers of darkness are at least equal to Hell's, and its members are willing to test this assumption should they feel slighted by any infernal power. Because the Magisters hate weakness, any clan member who is exposed as a demonic vassal is destroyed because it sullies the clan's honor. A Lasombra infernalist accepts petitions from demons who come politely before him. They ask the demon to sign pacts of agreement - rules for their relationship - before committing themselves to any further dealings. These masters of the legal loophole and the subtlety of power can sometimes - but not often - come out ahead in a deal.

Malkavian

Each Malkavian holds her own view of the infernal powers - the only truth that applies to all dealings between Madmen and demons is that the demons do not always know what they are getting themselves into when they seek the soul of a Malkavian. According to legend, one demon who sought such a prize found himself confronted by all the Malkavians of the region, who suddenly gathered together. Driven mad by the experience, the demon was bound into human form and to this day wanders the world, living on charity and gibbering insanely. A Malkavian who does wholeheartedly turn to the infer-nal proves a fiendish foe indeed.

Nosferatu

This clan puts no faith in appearance and scant trust in words, so demons have a hard time seducing a Nosferatu. Because many Nosferatu have turned to Christian salvation as an escape from their condition, few are willing to deal with demons. Most Nosferatu seek out renegade clan members and sorrowfully destroy them.

A Nosferatu who turns to darkness becomes a bitter monster. The compassion inculcated in the clan by its curse festers into rage against those more fortunate than he. With care and great cunning, he weaves plots to destroy beauty, tarnish hope and drag everything down to the same sorry state. Certain rumors state that many of Nosferatu's first childer - and perhaps the clan founder himself- turned to infernal powers following the great war in the First City. Clan Nosferatu says little of this legend, but those who count the Lepers among their friends occasionally hear whispers of a hidden war fought by the clan against these dark monsters.

Ravnos

Ravnos do not deal with demons - it is nigh impossible to force one of the Charlatans to sign a binding contract or make along-term agreement. Demons have been frustrated in their dealings with this clan many times, and weave traps to destroy them whenever possible.

The rare Ravnos infernalist will be a mercurial foe, delighting in cruelty and deadly tricks where once a sense of fun prevailed.

Toreador

Though the Clan of the Rose has turned to the sanctuary of the Church, many among its number remember the Dionysian heyday of the Toreador, With the fall of the pagan powers, some Toreador have turned to darker magics to satisfy their appetites; sometimes it seems as if Hell needs no incubi or succubi while the Toreador exist in the world. An infernalist of this clan often devotes herself to sensual pleasure, but also seeks a release for her appetites through bloodletting and artistically inspired cruelties. Such a twisted being rivals even the Tzimisce in ingenuity when her inspiration is applied to pain. The art such infernalist Toreador create is said to impart seeds of corruption in whoever views it.

Tremere

This clan's need for strength and the taint of its previous Hermetic intrigues have woven a strand of damnation into the pyramid of power. Because of the clan's strict hierarchy, a single Tremere infemalist can reach out to corrupt many underlings and win higher position in the clan. The clan's stress on the need for power has led many Tremere toward a dangerous detente with the infernal host, as Usurpers attempt to barter for knowledge and magic without losing their souls. Such ploys generally fail, as the clan's desperate need gives the demons great bargaining advantage. It is said that one of the Seven Elders, who with Tremere founded the clan, is an infernalist. If this is true, then much of the clan is corrupt.

A Tremere infernalist is invariably a master of magic, greedily learning all the paths of Dark Thaumaturgy and seeking out places and artifacts of potency.

Tzimisce Despite the allegations of this clan's foes, the Tzimisce have scant regard for the infernal powers. These monsters feel that they have little need for otherworldly Hells when they have the ability to create their own on Earth. A dedicated Fiend would torture angels and demons alike, fearing little in her blasphemy. Some Tzimisce have even learned spirit magics enabling them to pursue a disrespectful demon beyond the world's boundaries. The clan boasts that it has overcome demons and even gods in its nights, though no one knows of any who have returned from such vendettas. Perhaps, the Fiends smile, their compatriots are establishing new domains in Hell. A Tzimisce who decides to deal with demons is among the most dangerous foes in the Dark Medieval world. Combining Hell-spawned sorcery with her natural predilections, she be- come; the penultimate master of darkness

Ventrue

Of all Cainites, Clan Ventrue suffers from the greatest measure of pride, and it is this that leads its members into demonic clutches. Ventrue often refuse to bend with the wind and so are broken by the storm - infernal powers play on this inflexibility when they seek the souls of these undead lords. Coming as they do from noble backgrounds, most Ventrue are trained to seize power with both hands and so are incautious with regard to what power they take. Demons often come to them in the guises of sycophantic servants, offering advice that sounds good while leading their dupe into infernal clutches. They encourage the vampire to make war on the Church, to neglect her responsibilities and then laugh as the Ventrue's carefully constructed world falls apart. Only then does a demonic advisor reveal its true form and offer a deal to give the Ventrue back all she has lost. The clan as a whole sometimes makes the mistake of supporting an infernally inspired comrade, in hopes that the clan can keep the gains its erstwhile member made while under infernal tutelage. Little do the Ventrue realize that corruption has a way of spreading. A Ventrue infernalist is the cruelest lord imaginable, draining his lands to supply a stream of decadent luxuries and fuel endless conflicts with neighbors. The Ventrue's lands become a Hell indeed for all who live there, and will be reduced to a barren wasteland before his reign is done. (VDA Comp 166-169)

Via Diabolis

The Devil's Road is a strange contradiction: On the one hand it commands its followers to wallow in sin and depravity; on the other it functions as do other Roads in maintaining the character's personality against the Beast. Following the Devil's Road does not necessarily place a character within Hell's power; there are many independent vampires who follow it but would scorn the company of demons. The key to understanding this contradiction is that the principles of the Via Diabolis were established in the nights before Christianity. It represents a willingness to cast off the limits of society and act purely in one's own interests. Those on the Devil's Road can be portrayed as antiheroes - champions of dark passions - rather than as simple monsters. VDA Comp 169

Many Cainites believe that the Embrace irredeemably damns them. Some of these reason further that they have been turned into servants of the Devil (or whatever power of ultimate evil they believe in). It would logically follow, they add, that they have become vampires so that they should work evil on the Earth. If they refrain from acting like devils, they will no doubt be ultimately punished for shirking their duties. These debased Cainites follow the Via Diabolis - the Devils Road. The very nature of a vampire’s form can actually be taken as proof that the Cainites were created to do evil. After all, there’s nothing intrinsically virtuous about preying on innocents. Therefore, evil must be innate to the undead, who are denied the fruits of Heaven. lnterestingly enough,the followers of theDevil’s Road often have no real contempt for the good and holy. They simply believe that they, as vampires, must oppose the forces of virtue to the best of their ability. Of course, those of the Road of the Devil have difficulty dealing with vampires on other Roads. Any vampire who professes a philosophy other than theirs is clearly deluded or lying. Either way, the Devil’s childer cannot trust the other Cainites. And, of course, no sane vampire on another Road would return the trust. The Via Diabolis is a lonely road. Fortunately (or perhaps not), others walk it with you.... Those on the Via Diabolis try to make their unlives as pleasurable as possible, at the expense of those who oppose them. They refrain from traits such as mercy and gentleness, finding them opposed to their role, They kill when necessary or appropriate, and create new vampires whenever they like. (After all, they need to increase the evil in the world. Duty is duty.) They trust only those other vampires who openly agree with their philosophy. Above all, they avoid associating with priests and the like, their eternal foes. Warning: The resulting roleplaying can be very intense; just keep your friends’ sensibilities in mind. Cainites on the Devil’s Road idealize callousness and excess. They practice the Virtues of Conviction and Instinct. (VDA 114>

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