The Toreador are called many things - "degenerates," "artistes," "poseurs" and "hedonists" being but a few. But any such lumpen categorization does the clan a disservice. Depending on the individual and her mood, Toreador are alternately elegant and flamboyant, brilliant and ludicrous, visionary and dissipated. Perhaps the only truism that can be applied to the clan is its members' aesthetic zeal. Whatever a Toreador does, she does with passion. Whatever a Toreador is, she is with passion.
To the Toreador, eternal life is to be savored. Many Toreador were artists, musicians or poets in life; many more have spent frustrating centuries producing laughable attempts at art, music or poetry. Toreador tout themselves as cultivators of all that is best about humanity. Occasionally, a particularly gifted or inspired creator is Embraced into the clan, to preserve her talent for eternity. In this manner, Clan Toreador has inducted some of humanity's greatest artists, poets and musicians into its ranks; of course, if one thing can be said about the Toreador, it is that no two of them agree on precisely what "gifted" or "inspired" means.
Of all clans, Toreador are the vampires most connected to the mortal world. While other vampires view the kine as pawns or simple sustenance, Toreador glide gracefully and effortlessly through the society of the Canaille, sampling the delights of each age as a gourmand savors rare delicacies. Toreador are the Kindred most likely to fall in love with mortals, and they surround themselves with the best, most elegant and most luxurious things - and people - that the world has to offer. It is, thus, acutely tragic when a Toreador succumbs to ennui and discards aesthetic pursuits in favor of pointless hedonism. Such Kindred become decadent sybarites, concerned only with indulging personal whims and vices.
Toreador are commited to the Camarilla and share the Venrue's love of high society, though not for them the tedium of actually running things - that's what functionaries are for, after all. Toreador know that their place is to captivate and inspire - through their witty speech, graceful deeds and simple, scintillating existence.
Nickname: Degenerates
Sect: Most Toreador are in the Camarilla, as only that august organization promotes "culture" and allows the Toreador to live among mortals they so favor. Those in the Sabbat pursue bizarre "artistic" pastimes, such as torture and blood-painting, or are the rulers of the most decadent underground movements.
Quote: Oh, yes, isn't she exquisite? Yes, she's my newwest find - I'm her muse, the sweet little creature. Imagine! And what of - Oh, Thomas? Why, I could hardly say - after all, he had his "15 minutes," as they say, but it just wasn't going to last, and it all became so very tedious, so I had to say adieu. Suicide? Really? Silly boy - he should thank me, then, that I didn't give him the Embrace. It would have made things so difficult, after all....
