Tzimisce(pronounced Chee-MEE-See) 
Characteristics: The Tzimisce consider themselves apart from and superior to other Kindred, by dint of their unique Disciplines, unnatural ethical views and the inner-structure of their Clan. Many Tzmisce are warriors or religious leaders within the Sabbat, though many lead existences devoid of other Vampiric contact, instead surrounding themselves with servants and slaves. They are obsessed with their birthplaces and graves, usually possessing some of the soil from the location of their Embrace, over which they are fiercely territorial.
The Tzimisce are known for their body altering technique, called Vicissitude or, less formally, "fleshcrafting". Tzimisce can supernaturally alter the bodies of living and undead organisms, even to the point of melting them. For this clan, body alteration is an art and a philosophy. In the modern ages, most Tzimisce are simultaneously radical transhumanists, posthumanists, and prescriptive social Darwinists. Sooner or later, many Tzimisce become totally lost in this detached and inhuman way of thinking, often losing all contact with the concepts of mercy, compassion, or moral or ethical value as understood by the human mind.
The Tzimisce seek physical and spiritual purification and perfection, though their interpretations of these concepts are often alien or incomprehensible to humans and sometimes even to other vampires. They often "fleshcraft" themselves into forms they believe to be beautiful and/or terrifying. The most common "path of enlightenment" for a Tzimisce is called the "Path of Metamorphosis", and is a replacement for their lost humanity. Tzimisce with this path only have one goal with their whole existence: to become so powerful that the whole world becomes part of themselves — Azhi Dahaka, when the world becomes a part of yourself, a sort of inverted Nirvana.
History The Tzimisce were one of the High Clans. In medieval times, it was common for the Tzimisce to hold vast domains in Eastern Europe, and command armies of men, ghouls and monsters of their own making; in some places they were revered or worshipped almost as gods. The most infamous Tzimisce was Vlad Ţepeş, commonly known as Dracula.
The Tzimisce were among the preferred victims of the Tremere clan, who often employed Tzimisce as raw material to craft Gargoyles. The Tzimisce of old held the Tremere in utmost contempt.
During the Dark Ages, the younger members of the clan were subject to blood bonds with their elders, until they found a way to break them and slaughtered most of their masters. This ritual is called Vaulderie and consists of a blood bond with the pack members rather than a single elder, thus bonding to a community (or pack) of fellow Tzimisce and breaking their sire\'s control upon them. The Vaulderie is now one of the Auctoritas Ritae and practiced by all of the Sabbat, in theory at least.
Old Clan Tzimisce The Old Clan Tzimisce are a subgroup of Tzimisce denying Vicissitude, instead wielding the mental power of Dominate. They consider themselves the aristocracy of the Clan and dress themselves very anachronistically, often entirely in black and white. They are the last known true masters of Koldunic Sorcery, the Tzimisce\'s elemental sorcery drawn from union with the great entity Kupala, who is theorized to cause the decay of their homeland. Rumours have it they somehow inoculated their Childer to be immune to the effects of the Vaulderie and sent them into the Sabbat as spies. While this is mostly ignored, certain powerful Sabbat become nervous whilst thinking of it.
Revenant families Revenants are families of ghouls created by the Tzimisce by inbreeding countless generations of ghouls of the same family. This practice was started as early as the 9th century A.D., and resulted in families of ghouls with hereditary powers. They were and are used by the Tzimisce as infiltrators, warriors, servants, seneschals, and in some cases as their contact with the mortal world or as breeding stock for new vampires. Besides some minor families that have been destroyed, several such families still survive into the modern nights, namely the Zantosa, Bratovitch, Grimaldi, and Obertus families.
The Cathedral of Flesh The Cathedral of Flesh is a gigantic living being formed into a cathedral. Tzimisce legend and aesthetics hold it the most beautiful creation ever. It is said that the high priest was part of the cathedral and that he spoke with its walls instead of showing himself in person. The cathedral has moved several times since it was created and is now located under New York City.
The Cathedral of Flesh is actually Tzimisce itself, the clan\'s Antediluvian founder. It has transcended humanity and vampirism to become a gigantic blob of constantly mutating flesh.
Disciplines[LIST=1]
- Vicissitude - Body Altering, Flesh Craft
- Animalism - Summon Creature
- Auspex - Can see auras
