Daughters of Cacophony Of course I do the clubs! What good is a spectacular talent like mine if it s’ appreciation of those fortunate enough enough to hear? ’ not displayed for the appreciation As far as Kindred are concerned, the Daughters of C acophony are a modern Bloodline, coming into being only within the last few centuries, around 1700 according to most reports. Many vampires believe this curious Bloodline to be somehow connected to the Toreador, but little in its obscure history connects the two Bloodlines except for the common ground of their affinity to art. Few Kindred in the New World have heard much about the Daughters of Cacophony and even fewer have had the opportunity to meet one. The Bloodline ’s presence seems to be in the Old World and of little overt influence. Whatever their origin, the Daughters of Cacophony are singers extraordinaire, possessed of supernaturally magnificent (or terrifying) voices. Their voices, however, are better known for something other than their mystical allure. Through singing, a Soprano may fracture the minds of those who hear her. Darker tales tell of Daughters who can shatter objects – and individuals – with their voices as a mortal singer shatters a glass, and feeling even less remorse about doing so. What troubles Vampire scholars scholars more than the Bloodline’s origin however is the origin of their signature Discipline, their very strength and pride. In most cases, unique Disciplines are forged one step at a time and usually by the founder of the Bloodline, yet in the case of the Daughters and Melpominee, Bloodline and Discipline appeared at the same time for no apparent reason. The first recorded member of the Bloodline was known only as Melusine among the Undying of Paris. Her voice was as impressive as was her beauty and she was known for her singing as much as for the coldness of her heart. She was the first to display the powers of Melpominee and at full range too. The rumors about her origin are as many as for the Bloodline itself but Melusine herself never gave a solid answer or support to any of the theories. Before too long Melusine Embraced two childer, the first was named Lorelei and her disobedience towards her Sire, earned her the title Daughter of Cacophony, that later got stuck with the rest of the Bloodline. The second childe was kept out of the spotlight and both Melusine and Lorelei never mentioned her – or his – existence more than absolutely necessary. Some records show Melusine either was disappointed or feared her second childe. Lorelei and Melusine rarely saw things eye to eye and within a decade of her Embrace, the original Daughter of Cacophony moved to the New World only to return to Europe years later with a childe childe of her own. In In the meantime, meantime, Melusine had a new
childe as well and from that point on, the numbers of the Bloodline started to grow. Even in modern nights however, the Daughters of Cacophony are a rather small Bloodline and quite localized. The Daughters of Cacophony are often considered inconsequential by those Kindred with whom they share domain. Whether Whether it is because the Bloodline largely avoids the nightly perils of Vampire politics or because of the fact they never rise within the Covenants, if they choose to join one that is, local authorities tend to ignore the Daughters. In their complacency, however, they have ignored much that has occurred in the modern nights of the Bloodline. Bloodline. Naturally, the Daughters are silent as to their greater agenda, if indeed any exists at all. They prefer to while away their nights in song, offering their musical interludes to each other and small, intimate collectives of those who follow their undying careers knowingly, or otherwise. They tend to associate with Daeva and Ventrue, most often of the Toreador and Malkovian Bloodlines, all of whom seem to be able to appreciate the unnatural beauty of their songs and som etimes become entangled in their machinations. Sopranos when they can be bothered of issues so peripheral to their interests, sometimes fall in whichever Covenant exerts the greatest influence in their immediate surroundings and show little interest for whatever belief the Covenant holds, paying lip service for the protection it offers instead. More than one account has circulated, of Sopranos spending nights with elders of any Covenant and leaving them maddened after a particularly rousing concert. Even with rumors of such performances prominent Kindred – especially Masters of Elysium and First Estate Elders – try to secure one of the Sopranos for a public or private concert, in hopes it will keep their names on the lips of every Vampire that matters and in a good way. Although in two cases the Sopranos were the only Kindred to walk out of such a concert, such an event is usually a great addition to an Elysium night. The music style each Daughter of Cacophony follows, colors her Requiem accordingly. Sopranos into the metal, rock or even pop scene tend to have more active – and sometimes shorter – Requiems as they live and shine among the fans of such music, while those into opera or more “classical” styles enjoy calmer and less eventful Requiems. Eventually even a choir member Soprano will succumb to the Daeva curse and let her passions take over, though rarely in a way that breaks her facade.
To the surprise of many and while the Bloodline as a whole is quite famous in certain circles, no single Soprano has ever been a household name, easily recognized by those who have never seen her perform. This baffles many Kindred that expect a Daeva – especially one that is into art like the Sopranos are – to be interested in fame and acceptance among her peers. When asked about it, Sopranos simply say that the Art is all that matters. Many are those that speculate the Sopranos are only special when in person, or if you have heard them perform at least once before listening to a recording. Even though no Soprano is famous worldwide – in either the world of Mortals, or that of Kindred – most of them began their Requiems just when they were beginning a very promising career in singing, a few of them might have even changed the world of music forever if allowed to reach the apex apex of their their skill. The Sopranos in question are often quite certain they got a better deal out of the Requiem and the power Melpominee offers them more than anything a mundane career in music would ever be able to. Often creating Ghouls out of their entourage, the Sopranos are never short on helping hands. Favoring young, attractive and charming individuals, Daughters make sure their servants are as much a lure as they themselves are. Vitae changes the Ghouls in such a way that they often fall into a trance when their mistress sings, using Melpominee, in their presence. How each Soprano treats her Ghouls is up to her, though most tend to be fairly civilized and reasonable. Parent Clan: Daeva Nickname: Sopranos, Sirens, Banshees, or “Sisters of Symphony.” Most of the male members of the bloodline are variously called Sons of Discord or Baritones (regardless of their vocal classification). classification). Covenant: Generally, the Sopranos care little for politics, and even though they join whatever Covenant is in power in the City they are in, they rarely rise in rank. A great deal of them are with Unaligned, simply because it means they have more time to sing that way. That said, the First Estate, Lancea et Sanctum and Carthians tend to attract more Daughters than any of the rest. Appearance: Female in almost their entirety – the Sopranos vary widely in appearance, from rail-thin waifs to rotund opera divas. Members of the Bloodline affect clothes and manners that befit their musical niche; the Daughters have their share of leather-clad punk-band frontwomen, satin-dressed piano ingénues and everything in between. Haven: The Daughters make havens wherever suits their tastes, which may be derelict warehouses, high-rise condominium developments or even the opera houses in which they perform. They typically hide them from others, relying on isolation to protect them. Background: The Bloodline Embraces mostly those females that possess alluring or noteworthy voices. These individuals need not be singers or musicians in life, though most were – and rather promising at that. Daughters of Cacophony come from strata of society, chosen for their singing ability and voice above any other concerns. Character Creation: Daughters of Cacophony often are entertainers or performers and as such, their Virtues and Vices
reflect that in most cases. Most favor Social Attributes and Skills, with Expression being the main focus. Daughters almost always have a Herd of admirers surrounding them. Bloodline Disciplines: Celerity, Majesty, Melpominee , Vigor Weakness: The Daughters of Cacophony, upon their Embrace, become almost trapped by the music that circulates through their souls. Even their Disciplines reflect this trend. Majesty and Nightmare powers must have a vocal focus or component; this means that the vampire must sing to her subject to affect her emotions or mind. Otherwise, using the power is penalized by −2, or −1 when merely speaking to a subject. This effect may extend to the effects of other Disciplines, such as Animalism and Dominate; the Storyteller is the final arbiter on this. In addition, as the Toreador who become entranced by beauty they observe, vampires of this bloodline are prone to becoming entranced, but only by sound (and not visual stimuli). The player must spend a Willpower point or succeed at a reflexive Resolve roll to break the spell, or the Child does nothing but focus on the sound of fascination for the rest of the scene, or until said sound is taken away. The character also regains control if he is attacked or otherwise physically broken from his reverie. Oddly, the Children aren ’t particularly susceptible to the Discipline-enhanced performances of other Kindred than they are to normal singing. Organization: The Daughters have no formal organization – their numbers are so few and far between that any given location is unlikely to be home for more than one or two of them (if any) When they do congregate for whatever reason the younger members of the Bloodline often defer to the older ones. Some Kindred have been witness to small assemblies of Sopranos who perform songs of haunting beauty or frightening timbre that leave their audiences... moved. It has been noted by observant Kindred more than once that even in the most impromptu or performances, all Daughters present seem to know exactly what will be sung in addition to all the verses. Concepts: Opera Singer, Diva, Vocalist, Choir Member, Pop Singer
Melpominee Named for Melpomene, the Greek Muse of tragedy, the unique Discpline of the Daughters of Cacophony is one of speech and song. The powers of this Discipline explore the various uses of the voice for both benefit and harm. As is the case with mortal art, it is not always clear which of those directions these powers take. Melpominee affects the subject’s soul as well as the ears; thus it works perfectly well on deaf subjects, and has caused at least one known breach of the Masquerade due to this effect. Additionally, the powers of Melpominee work only on those who are present when it is used – Daughters of Cacophony cannot “encode ” Melpominee effects onto compact discs or send them across radio signals.
The The Missing Missing Voice Voice
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A vampire with this power may “throw ” her voice anywhere within her her line of sight; sight; this does not not disallow the vampire vampire from using her natural voice, even carrying on two conversations
simultaneously (one with her Missing Voice and one with her actual, physical one). Treacherous Daughters of Cacophony impersonate other individuals’ voices in order to mislead listeners, and less devious members of the Bloodline can use their two voices simultaneously to p erform hauntingly beautiful “duets” or eerie one-actress plays. Using The Missing Voice while performing any action other than speech or singing incurs a penalty of two dice on that action due to the disruption of the character ’s concentration. Cost: 1 Willpower Dice Pool: This power involves no roll. Action: Reflexive
Phantom Phantom Speaker Speaker
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With this power, the vampire may project her voice to any one individual with whom she has more than passing familiarity, regardless of their location. The only distance limitation is that it must be night wherever the intended listener is. The vampire can talk, talk, sing or make make whatever other other noises she she wants. The sounds are inaudible to anyone but the intended subject, or anyone with currently active supernaturally-keen senses (treat as a Test of Wills). The Vampire cannot hear the sounds – or the subject’s responses – unless she is within earshot. The use of Phantom Speaker has been responsible for several cases of “paranoid schizophrenia.” Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Wits + Expression + Melpominee Action: Instant Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The Daughter believes the communication took place, while it did not. Failure: The power does not work, the Soprano is free to try again. Success: Each success allows one turn of speech. Exceptional Success: Speech is allowed for the entire scene. Suggested Modifiers Modifier Situation +2 The vampire knows the True Name of the target. +1 The vampire has fed from the target (or been fed on by them) within a lunar cycle. −1 The vampire has seen the target, and knows their use name, but has never spoken to them. The vampire has seen the target, but does not have −2 a name for them.
Madrigal Madrigal
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The vampire can force others to act according to either their Virtue or their Vice. Alternately the vampire can impose either her own Virtue or Vice on the target. The vampire learns one of the two options first, the other costs 3 experience points to pick up at a later date. The first does just what it says. The vampire can choose to sing to inspire e ither the higher nature of the target, or call out to the beast in others. For the rest of the night, any character given the opportunity to engage their Virtue will do so (for higher nature songs) or their Vice (for lower nature songs). The second imposes a second Virtue or Vice on the target supplanting his usual ratings. This would be either the Virtue or Vice of the vampire performing the song.
Cost: 1 Willpower Dice Pool: Presence + Expression + Melpominee versus subject’s Composure Action: Extended (each roll represents one minute singing), Contested (resistance is reflexive). Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The song irritates the audience, with the possibility of them attacking the v ampire. Failure: The song has no effect whatsoever, but the vampire can try again with her next song. Success: Each success instills the chosen emotion in a fifth of the Vampire’s audience. The Storyteller Storyteller decides precisely p recisely which members of the audience are affected. Exceptional Success : Additional successes are their own re ward. Suggested Modifiers Modifier Situation −1 The audience member is aware that there will likely be an attempt to supernaturally manipulate them.
’ Beckoning Siren Siren s’
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This power reaches deep into its victims ’ souls to twist their psyches. Siren’s Beckoning causes temporary insanity in its victims. Malkovians and vampires in Golconda, if such a state exists, are immune to Siren’s Beckoning, the former are too warped to be further affected, and the latter are to o centered. Siren’s Beckoning can affect only one victim at a time. Cost: 1 Willpower Dice Pool: Manipulation + Expression + Melpominee versus subject’s Composure Action: Extended (each roll represents one minute singing), Contested (resistance is reflexive). Roll Results Dramatic Failure : The vampire is affected instead of the subject, probably to disastrous effect. Failure: The song fails to affect the subject, but the vampire can try again with her next song. Success: The vampire gives the subject a new minor derangement of the Storyteller ’s choice, or exaggerates an existing one to severe. This lasts one night under ordinary circumstances. Exceptional Success : Every success past the fourth draws things out for another night. Suggested Modifiers Modifier Situation +1 The subject has a minor derangement. derangemen t. +1 The subject has had to make a Degeneration roll within the the same night. +1 The vampire is aware of any Virtue, Vice, or Minor Derangements the subject has. −1 The subject already has a Major Derangement. Derangeme nt. For every point of Morality the subject has over 7. −1
Virtuosa Virtuosa
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Although many low-level Melpominee Melpominee powers allow allow a vampire to affect only one target at a time, those who have mastered the Discipline may entertain a wider audience, as it were. The vampire may use Phantom Speaker or Siren ’s Beckoning on a number of targets equal to her Stamina + Expression.
Cost: As the power used, plus 1 Vitae per five subjects beyond the first. Dice Pool: As the power used. Action: As the power used.
Devotions Persistent Echo Echo (Melpominee •, Vigor •••) With this power, the Daughter Daughter can speak or sing to the air and leave her words for a later listener. This can be either being to stand where the character is when she uses this power or a specific individual t hat she is already acquainted with. Persistent Echo can also be used to suspend other Melpominee powers for a future listener or victim. The echo stays suspended for a maximum number of nights equal to twice the Soprano’s Stamina + Expression before fading. The Vampire may choose to make the echo audible to anyone who stands in her position for the duration of the power – in effect, an endlessly looped mystic recording. Conversely, she may choose for it to fade away once it is heard for the first time. She may also choose to leave it dormant until activated by the presence of a specific individual with whom she is familiar. If the echo is made a one-time only effect, all traces of the power disappear once the vampire ’s words echo to the intended recipient. If used as time-delay for another Melpominee power the 10-again rule is not used. Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Stamina + Expression + Melpominee Action: Instant Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Siren cannot use any Melpominee power for the rest of the night. Failure: The power does not work. Success: Each success yields one turn of speech that may be left to be heard later. Exceptional Success: As above, no added bonus. This power costs 15 experience points to learn.
Shattering Crescendo Crescendo (Celerity ••, Melpominee •••••) Mortal singers can shatter wineglasses with their voices by finding the precise pitch at which the glass resonates. A talented Daughter of Cacophony can go beyond the destruction of relatively fragile objects, pitching her voice to find the resonant frequency of virtually any object, including a human body. Only one victim at a time can be affected by Shattering Crescendo; anyone else within earshot will hear a piercing, though not harmful, shriek. The victim must be within hearing range. Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Manipulation + Expression + Melpominee minus subject’s Stamina + Resilience + Blood Potency Action: Instant Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The singer takes one level of aggravated damage. Failure: The power does not work. Success: Each success inflicts one level of aggravated damage to the target. Exceptional Success: As above, one extra level is inflicted. This power costs 24 experience points to learn.
