Backgrounds

Retainers/Spirit Retainers/Spirit Slaves

• You may take the retainer background multiple times. Each background reflects 1 NPC that you can have up to level 5 based on ST approval.
• Each retainer should have a sheet with a note that included the level of retainer, the ST who approved the sheet and the date approved.
  • As your background in retainer increases you can make adjustments to the sheet based on the Retainer Creation section of the rules rules but you must have those changes approved by an ST.
  • Upon request an ST can assist you with retainer creation and/or provide a template
  • Retainers may not be semi-supernatural and supernatural creatures other than humans or ghouls
• For each retainer that is a ghoul you have you are down 1 blood trait at the beginning of game. This represents you feeding them. If you want them to have more blood to fuel their abilities or disciplines you must declare giving them more.
  • If your retainer is not a ghoul (Revenant, Hellhound human, Spirit or Wraith) they do not need blood.
  • Only Tzimisce may take Hellhounds, Revenants, and Szlachta at creation. These specialty ghouls
• Regardless of the Type of Retainer they are built using the same rules with the following restrictions:
  • Human retainers gain no supernatural powers
  • Ghouls may take Potence, Celerity, Fortitude, and the inclan disciplines of their owner only.
  • Revenants may take disciplines from their in clan list of discplines
  • War Ghouls and Hell Hounds may only take Potence, Celerity, or Fortitude
  • Wraiths and Spirits may take any discipline fitting with the theme of the creature to better represent them. However these are specifically created and approved on a case by case basis by the Storytelling Staff.
• Retainers do not get Backgrounds themselves but they do increase your Influence Maximum by 1 to a total maximum plus of 5.
• The chart below details the creation rules used for making Retainer NPCs. The level is the power level of the creature in question and rating in the Background possessed by the character. Attributes are the total the creature bids in each attribute category. Abilities are the number of Abilities it has to assign to whichever abilities the Storyteller sees fit. Willpower is its number of Willpower traits. Power is the substitute for Blood Traits system if they are a Spirit/Wraith, all Ghouls and Revenants have a max of 10 blood traits (for revenants +1 for every century alive) and can spend 1 blood trait a round. Disciplines are the number that may be assigned to appropriate disciplines to represent the creature. Lastly the number of health levels these creatures have are equal to its Willpower before they are dispelled, banished, or destroyed (decided by the storyteller).

Spirit Chart

Level	Attributes	Abilities	Willpower	Power	Disciplines
1	10	5	2	10/1	2 Basics
2	15	10	4	12/1	4 Basics
3	20	20	6	14/2	6 Basics, 2 Intermediates
4	22	30	8	18/3	12 Basics, 4 Intermediates, 2 Advanced
5	25	50	10	20/5	15 Basics, 8 Intermediates, 4 Advanced

Resources: Each level of resources produces 10x the printed amount from Laws of the Night. Similarly, any ability or background that produces money similarly produces 10x the printed amount.

Rituals: You know the ritae and rituals of the Sabbat, and you can enact many of them. This Background is vital to being a Pack Priest — without this Background, ritae will not function. This Background is actually a supernatural investment, drawing on the magic of the eldest Tzimisce sorcerers. Sabbat vampires who are not their pack‘s priests should have an outstanding reason for acquiring this Background, as Pack Priests are loath to share their secrets with more secular members of the Sect. This background replaces the system as presented in the MET Guide to the Sabbat book.

Ritae

Level	Total Ritae Known
1	3 Auctoritas
2	9 Auctoritas, 3 Ignoblis
3	13 Auctoritas, 9 Ignoblis
4	13 Auctoritas, 20 Ignoblis
5	13 Auctoritas, 40 Ignoblis

Cult: The each level of the Cult Background can spent once a month for the following effects:

• Gain 1 Blood Trait
• Use a Single level of the Influence: Occult Background per level of the background spent.
• Use as per a single level of the Occult Library Background per level of the Background spent.

Domain: Each level of the Domain background as the following effects as per the chart presented below.

Domain

Level	Size	Effect
1	Your Heaven	+1 Blood you may claim at any time in the night, once per night. Characters using influence to affect your territory are considered to have 1 level less than they actually have for the action.
2	The Street of your Haven	+2 Blood you may claim at any time in the night, once per night. Characters using influence to affect your territory are considered to have 2 levels less than they actually have for the action.
3	Your Block	+3 Blood you may claim at any time in the night, once per night. Characters using influence to affect your territory are considered to have 3 levels less than they actually have for the action.
4	Your Neighborhood	+4 Blood you may claim at any time in the night, once per night. Characters using influence to affect your territory are considered to have 4 levels less than they actually have for the action.
5	Your Borough	+5 Blood you may claim at any time in the night, once per night. Characters using influence to affect your territory are considered to have 5 levels less than they actually have for the action.

Haven: Each level of the Haven background as the following effects as per the chart presented below.

Domain

Level	Size	Effect
1	Apartment	+1 Bonus trait on all challenges when in your haven, all intruders have a single forced retest to attempt to break in.
2	Small House	+2 Bonus traits on all challenges when in your haven, all intruders have a single forced retest to attempt to break in.
3	Large House	+3 Bonus trait on all challenges when in your haven, all intruders have a two forced retest to attempt to break in.
4	Mansion	+4 Bonus trait on all challenges when in your haven, all intruders have a two forced retest to attempt to break in.
5	Estate	+5 Bonus trait on all challenges when in your haven, all intruders have a two forced retest to attempt to break in, and you haven may have a supernatural quality to it decided by the Storyteller.