Gangrel

Introduction

They call us animals, and sometimes they are right. What they don’t understand is we are more. Unlike the other Clans we do not struggle against our Beast, we learn to live along side of it. It is the personification of our primal instincts, that which helps us hunt and survive. We are all predators, only few of us truly understand the meaning of the word. We are Gangrel, none know the meaning of the word better than us.

Inconstant and indomitable like the moon, the Gangrel reject the chains order, choosing instead to roam the night free. The forest and glade are their hunting grounds, not the hamlet or port. Self-reliant, their shape-changing Discipline of Protean is a prime example of their ability to adapt to survive. Their weakness is reflected in a primal, bestial instinct that clouds their minds and relegates them to the status of Low Clan. To the proud Gangrel, a vampire is no more evil then other natural predator. The only question is whether they choose to be proud wolves or cowering dogs.

History of the Clan

There was a god who had many children and his children fought as children are want to do. Ennoia and Churka, the youngest and a pair of twins, chose to leave their quarrelsome siblings and travel east to the lands of their mother.

Unable to escape their quarrelsome nature and without father to control them, the twins came to blows. Evenly and perfectly matched, they could not face each other directly with a definite victor. And so the twins began to recruit armies. Ennoia recruited an army of brave warriors, and Churka the most cunning.

The two armies fought for centuries. At a point where it was believed Ennoia’s army would finally have victory they were betrayed by Ennoia’s two best warriors, Laibon and Lhiannan. Without her two best warriors, the battle tilted in the favor of Churka’s army, the Ravnos, and Ennoia was driven out into the wild where she vanished. From that night on, Ennoia’s army called themselves the Gangrel and we are their childer.

Having a great victory, the Ravnos eventually pushed the Gangrel out of their lands to the east. It is here that we Gangrel had come to meet the Cainites. They believe us to be kin, however at best, they are distant cousins.

It is believed a time will come that we will see victory against the Ravnos, and our betrayers, the Laibon and Lhiannan. And when we do, Ennoia will return to us and lead us to the home of her mother.

The Taifa and those of Christian beliefs tend to lean more towards stories descending them from Caine, and some attempt to intermingle the two stories. Other stories include that of the Einherjar and Valkyrie, who believe they are truly Odin’s chosen champions. There is also a tale Ravnos tell to shame and provoke us, showing us as their lessers.

Geography

Gangrel can be found most everywhere in Europe. Groups of note include the Einherjar and Valkyrie from the northern lands in Scandinavia. The Wah'Sheen and Taifa in the Muslim lands of Iberia and the Holy Land. The Germanic Gangrel of the Black Forest. And the Greek Gangrel who have taken to civilization.

Important Figures of the Clan

Ennoia/Mother Gangrel, Childer of Irad, 3rd Generation: Progenitor of Clan Gangrel. Ennoia is said to be a mortal child of Lilith and mother to the first Lupines. The Rom are Ennoia's mortal descendants.

Enkidu/Sabrina - 4th generation: Sumerian progeny of Gangrel. He lived with the Gangrel in Ur until its destruction by the Followers of Set, and now he hunts them. He usually takes another form (female) called Sabrina.

Matasuntha the Hun - 4th Generation: Tiger beast traits. Summoned a Grand Gather in 400 CE and defeated all the challengers.

Odin/The All-High - 4th Generation: Often considered the progenitor of all Norse/Viking Gangrel. His children are called Valkyrie and Einherjar. Vanished in 1110 AD.

Typical Roads for Members of the Clan

Via Bestiae - Road of the Beast

• Via Praedator - Path of the Hunter (Road of the Beast)
• Via Erronis (or Tariq El-Bedouin) - Path of the Nomad (Road of the Beast)
• Via Feritas - Path of the Savage (Road of the Beast)
• Via Venator Umbra - Path of the Grey Hunter (Road of the Beast)

Via Einherjar - Road of the Slain (Wolfs of the Sea)

Priorities of the Clans

Before the birth of the Tremere as a Clan, the Gangrel and the Tzimisce fought over territory in the Black Forest. However in recent centuries House Tremere has given us a common enemy, the mages stealing those of our kind as they could for their experiments or just killing us outright. Then at some point early in the eleventh century some of them managed become vampires, likely seeking immortality. A century later they created Gargoyles as a slave race who also carry vampiric tendencies.

All of these plays for power have brought the local Cainites against them as a unified force, as they have taken from all of us in one way or another.

Lupine Relations

The Lupines, or Moon-Beasts if you prefer, share many territories with the Gangrel. And our crossing of paths have had mixed results from fighting to the death to passing peaceably as travelers on the road. If you can, avoid them so that you may live another day. They are older than us and their tempers are far shorter.

Some High Clan think to use us as messengers to the Lupines because of perceived similarities. And though some of us have had some success at surviving their encounters, and even speaking with one another as men, it does not make us diplomats.

Opinions

Other Vampires

HIGH CLANS

Brujah: They are strong and boastful, but dismiss our intelligence. That is their loss.

Cappadocian: Their study of the dead leads to foul magics.

Lamia: Foot soldiers to the Cappadocians.

Lasombra: They support the Church. We do not.

Toreador: They also appreciate art, however we usually have very different ideas of what art is.

Tzimisce: They understand territory and the rule of the strong, though they have some strange obsessions.

Ventrue: They claim the success of powerful mortals whenever they can. Maybe if they actually earned the right to rule the Cainites they would be worthy of our time and respect.

LOW CLANS

Assimites: Watch your back around them. Though they claim honor, their hunger is no less than that of any other Cainite.

Followers of Set: Kill them when you can and flee if you must. They will only seek to enslave you to their will.

Malkavians: Listen when they speak, preferably from a safe distance.

Nosferatu: Some of them believe their twisted forms make them monsters. They are mistaken.

Ravnos: Kill our sworn enemies whenever you can.

Tremere: Kill them for our brothers and sisters they have stolen from us.

Salubri: Treat them with care.

Gargoyles: Were they to break free from their shackles they could be powerful allies.

Baali: They are foul but not our problem. We have enough of our own.

Laibon: Those who have met them speak only of their kindness.

Lhiannan: They are hunted for their part in The Betrayal.

Other Resources

Wolves of the Sea (Norse Gangrel)

Veil of Night (Muslim Gangrel)

Road of the Beast

Players guide to Low Clans

Libellus Sanguinis 3: Wolves at the Door