Nickname: Trash
Clan Disciplines: Any common disciplines. (Default to Fortitude, Potence, Presence)
Seduced and abandoned by their sires, the Caitiff are everywhere on the fringes of Camarilla Society. Clanless and unwanted, the Caitiff are the results of one-night stands, infatuations, frenzied Embraces and outright mistakes. Most have hazy recollections, at best, of sire and Embrace; some have none whatsoever. Stumbling along in the haze of a new existence, each eventually discovered the keys to survival – usually in the form of other Caitiff looking out for the newcomer – or died trying.
A Caitiff's only identifying mark is a lack of identifying marks. Some Kindred theorists posit that some sort of "imprinting" between sire and childe takes place over time, allowing the younger vampire the physical characteristics of her sire as mandated by the blood. Caitiff, however, have no such distinguishing marks – Caitiff descended from Nosferatu, for example, may be ugly, but rarely do they show the full-blown monstrosity of their vampiric ancestors. Thus it goes for other Caitiff; ones Embraced by Malkavians may be a little quirky but not necessarily prey to full-blown derangements, ones Embraced by Ventrue may have feeding preferences but not full-blown prey exclusions, and so on. An informed observer can generally guess with reasonable accuracy what a Caitiff's lineage might be, but in the end, it's rarely worth even the attempt to do so.
Caitiff fill in the positions in Camarilla society that no one else really wants. While the Camarilla may take the clanless in on occasion out of a vague sense of paternalism, the clans take care of their own first and leave the scraps for the Caitiff. Some Caitiff scorn active participation in city politics as second-class citizens, while others gladly seize any opportunity as a toehold in the establishment. In the meantime, the majority of clanless skirt involvement out of self-preservation, preferring to have the putative benefits of membership in the Camarilla without being drawn into its politics.
Sect
Caitiff can be found in any sect, though in the Sabbat, they are known as Panders.
Appearance
Caitiff often appear as more poorly dressed versions of their accepted cousins, aping Toreador or Brujah style on a rather limited budget. Few display truly outstanding physical characteristics marking them as descended from one clan or another – disdainful Ventrue have referred to Caitiff as "generic" in appearance, and the Caitiff have seized upon the slight as an ironic badge of honor. A close look at any gang of mortal vampire-wannabes often reveals one or two Caitiff, dressed in their imitative best and enjoying the hell out of the whole scene.
Haven
Caitiff make havens wherever and whenever they can. Basement apartments and abandoned tenements are particular favorites, as no one else wants these places and the Caitiff aren't likely to be booted out of them after having set up shop.
Background
Caitiff are primarily a development of the last century, especially the years since World War II. Alarmist Kindred point to the explosion in the numbers of the clanless as a harbinger of Gehenna, but more level-headed vampires see the problem as symptomatic of a breakdown in traditional social orders.
Caitiff often flock together, forming coteries out of desperation for defense. Groups of the clanless tend to have short life expectancies; they shatter, fragment and reform on a regular basis. Caitiff come from all walks of life. Most receive the Embrace as an accident of fate, rather than by design, and as such that means there's no such thing as a "typical" candidate for Caitiffhood. All that the Caitiff share is a knack for having been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Character Creation
Caitiff have to survive on the streets with little or no help, and a few debilitating conditions that most neonates are in no shape to deal with on their own. While Caitiff are spread across the spectrum of mental, social and physical capabilities, those who survive longest often have Mental or Physical as their Primary. Streetwise, Subterfuge and Survival are common Abilities among Caitiff, but a Caitiff's experience and education can run the gamut.
Weakness
Caitiff can purchase any common Discipline at character creation, but thereafter have to pay six times current rating for any and all powers purchased with experience points.
On a more basic level, Caitiff suffer a social stigma from not being part of an accepted clan. As a result, more established Kindred feel free to snub or denigrate Caitiff freely. Until a Caitiff establishes herself in a city or social circle, she's at a +2 difficulty on all Social rolls with all non-Caitiff vampires.
Organization
Every so often, someone attempts to organize the Caitiff into a clanlike structure. The attempt inevitably fails, in part because of the innate fractiousness of Caitiff society and in part because the established clans have a vested interest in keeping the Caitiff disorganized. On a night-to-night bases, Caitiff organization works, at best, on a local level, and most often not at all.