Qedeshah



''' “You are my child now. My blood is your blood. We will share this world together, both its horrors and its blessings” '''

Parent Clan: Mekhet

Nickname: Hierodules

Bloodline Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Embrocation, Obfuscate

Covenant: The Qedeshah belong to all - and none - of the covenants. As a bllodline, they do not hold literal allegiance to any of the factions, for none of those groups espouse precisely what members of this bloodline are taught to believe. The Hierodules mask themselves as members of all covenants, however, because they needed to remain hidden (their flagrant denial of the Traditions would get them destroyed). Most tend to gravitate toward the populist Invictus or the religious Lancea Sanctum. The women would like to have more members hidden among the Ordo Dracul and Carthians, but so far such attempts have yielded little fruit. The Lancea Sanctum is a curious conundrum for the Qedeshah. In a sense, it's east to hide among the group's ranks, in part because belief systems are at least similar enough on the surface. Both pay homage to God and agree that He is directly behind the existence of vampires. Of course, the Qedeshah have a number of "alternate" theological beliefs, too, including the existence of the lesser divinity the Queen of Heaven. Such conviction makes the Qedeshah directly heretical to the Spear. Elder Sanctified may even recall standing orders to drag these "vampire mothers" before Archbishops for persecution. Thus Qedeshah who mask themselves as Sanctum members walk a thin line. It's easy enough to take part in some of the Sanctum rites, but should a Qedeshah be revealed, her Requiem may be cut painfully and prematurely short. Of all covenants, the Hierodules have most in common with the Circle of the Crone. At least, that seems to be the case. Both groups recognize that undeath is an unnatural but powerful state, forcing a once-living thing into lifeless existence. Both also revere a semi-mythical feminine being. The similarities end there, though. The Qedeshah do not count themselves as sorceresses or witches, and maintain that their origins are Judeo-Christian, believing in a patron goddess from Hebrew tradition. And yet, Acolytes do believe in a kind of "Kindred empowerment," which allows the Qedeshah to exist somewhat easier (though still hidden) among such vampires.

Background: The Hierodules covertly reject the Second Tradition, Embracing more often than most Kindred. God has granted them the right of creation, they believe, and the women do not reject His will lightly. The single requirement for a Qedeshah’s Embrace is that the Requiem must unquestionably be better than a life of continued suffering. It is in this way that the curse becomes an endowment. The Hierodules choose women who are beaten and diminished by life, whether they have suffered at the hands of abusive husbands or fathers, or have been driven to addiction, homelessness or mental illness. It isn’t necessary for a newly sired Qedeshah to have the characteristics of a “good mother.” The limitless time of the Requiem can be devoted to instilling such qualities.

Weakness:

Character Generation: Prostitute, homeless woman, battered wife, teenage runaway, addict, Cancer patient, nun, nurse

Reference

 * Bloodlines: The Hidden, page 106