Marks of the Servant

When a vampire opts to formally take a human or animal servant, a series of magical marks are applied to the intended servant. These marks are not visible in any fashion, being a metaphysical connection between the vampire and its servant. Each mark progressively deepens the connection between both parties and must be applied in order.

Impacts & Limitations of Marked Servants

• A vampire may only have one human servant and one animal servant at a time.
• Master of Beasts vampires who have the Noah's Call ability may take additional Animal Servants.
• Marks are best taken voluntarily, however a vampire is not prevented from giving a mark forcefully.
  • A mark cannot be removed once it has been given. In play, a mark cannot be removed off of a person directly, however it can be given to another person, thereby removing the mark off of the original recipient when it is transferred to the second recipient.
  • If a vampire who has a servant with more than one mark decides to mark another servant (of the same type), the newly receiving servant will begin at the first mark and the original servant will lose all marks they had.
• Marked servants gain attributes from the vampire and the vampire gains benefits from the bond, based on the number of marks shared.
• Servants having all 4 marks gain immortality, with the following conditions:
  • If the vampire dies, servants with 4 marks also die.
  • If a servant with 4 marks is killed, the vampire they are bound to may also die. There are many factors influencing this likelihood, including the personal nature of the relationship, length of time bonded together, the strength of the vampire's will, support and other relationships the vampire has, etc.

Characteristics of the Marks

Mark I

• Ritual: The vampire first shares its life essence with the servant, opening a vein in his wrist or arm and opening a similar wound in its servant. The two injuries are then pressed together, bonding the servants with shared blood and ties.
• Description: This mark begins to create the psychic link which binds master and servant together and reinforces the servant's body physically to endure the changes that come with the subsequent marks.
• In-Game Effects: The servant experiences an increase in their physical abilities and becomes resistant to the mental powers of other vampires. The servant becomes immune to the mental powers, rolling abilities of their own vampire in the process, however the mark does cement the servant's obedience.

  In human servants their strength, speed, reflexes, endurance, immune system all push the boundaries of human normal.

  In animal servants, the increase to the physical attributes are noticeable, but only a slight improvement.

Mark II

• Ritual: The vampire opens part of his aura to the servant, conjuring manifestations of this force as points of flame that then sink into the servant's body.
• Description: The psychic connection between Master and servant deepens, with the vampire becoming closer mentally to the servant.
• In-Game Effects: The vampire begins to find some perks in taking a servant, including "the echo of life" wherein he feels as if he were alive by experiencing what the servant does. Sensory input experienced by the servant is shared with the vampire if the vampire wishes it to be, enabling the vampire to taste flavors, feel touches, hear and see through the servant, etc. The vampire can enter the servant's dreams, speak to them there, and be a participant rather than observer. The biggest benefit is that the vampire can use the servant's lifeforce to help assuage his never-ending hunger, spreading out the need for blood feedings and to supplement his own power.

  The servant's physical abilities undergo another evolution, approaching the level of a lycanthrope in the case of human servants, and surpassing that of lycanthropes in the case of an animal servant.

Mark III

• Ritual: The vampire takes blood from his servant almost to the point of death and the feeds the servant its blood in return.
• Description: The servant is at the point of no return, and his psychic connection with the vampire becomes more solid, almost tangible.
• In-Game Effects: The human servant now possesses the full resilience and endurance of a vampire and his physical abilities evolve once more, peaking with increasing to superhuman levels easily equal to that of a lycanthrope.

  The animal servant becomes a nightmare to other lycanthropes. Stronger, physically and mentally, the servant undergoes a shift. This shift can change an omega into a beta, or a beta into an alpha. The animal servant's physical evolution peaks here, roughly twice as strong as the average lycanthrope of its type.

  The vampire and the servant may communicate with each other as long as they are within a hundred miles of each other, waking or sleeping, sharing information without the need to speak. Further, when the servant is close to the vampire, the vampire's powers become stronger without the vampire actively drawing on the servant's energy.

Mark IV

• Ritual: The servant takes the final step, drinking deeply of the vampire's blood and binding their lives together through eternity.
• Description: The bond between the vampire and the servant has now reached its bloom. The psychic connection between the two is a nearly physical thing.
• In-Game Effects: The servant, human or lycanthrope, melds souls and minds with the vampire and gains eternal life as a result. The servant, human or lycanthrope can now use the vampire's power to amplify or supplement their own.

  The vampire gains a lifemate, and a tool, an asset to be its daytime guardian, protector, and often food source and willing victim.