OFFICIAL CAITIFF NEWSLETTER: September 2001 _________________________________________ CONTENTS: 1. Introduction 2. Mission Statement 3. Coming Soon 4. Fiction 5. Some Caitiff Statistics 6. Deck of the month: Basilia's Brigade 7. Creator's Notes 8. Finale 1. INTRODUCTION Welcome to the newest installment of the Caitiff Newsletter. Seeing as the Newsletter has been defunct for some time now, the gauntlet has been thrown in my direction and I have graciously accepted the mantle of newsletter editor. As for my credentials. I've been playing jyhad/vampire since it was first released, though not a serious player until the last few years. This year has been good to me, having dominated both days at Origins 2001 winning the Midwest Regional Championship. My playgroup happens to include a number of very skilled players who ensure that my skills stay sharp. Without the likes of Noal McDonald, Matt Latham, Aaron, Wes, etc.. I would have moved on to other things long ago.. That being said, let's continue onto the good stuff.. 2. MISSION STATEMENT Over the next few months, I will endeavor to produce articles and decks which focus primarily on our clanless childer. While respecting our Pander "counterparts", they will not be included in most of the articles featured here (Sabbat Scum!). Some of the goals I've set as the Caitiff Kahuna: The monthly decks posted will consist of at least 50% of the clan, or be specifically focused (like Noal's Uriah Winter deck). Said decks will actually have been playtested at least once before publication with commentary, from myself and maybe an unfortunate opponent or two.. Please send Feedback/Suggestions to me via Bernaise1@yahoo.com Also put the keyword "Caitiff" in the subject line. 3. COMING SOON Next month's Deck is completed and ready for playtesting. You will be SHOCKED and AMAZED by "THE CRACK DEALERS OF CATAAN"!!!! Anyone wishing to write some storyline for the newsletter, just let me know. Speak up, least I actually attempt "creative writing". Below is a bit of fiction I found on the web, which reflects my perspective on what it means to be Caitiff. We are NOT "weenies", we are simply "Clan Deficient". 4. FICTION Iasion Caesius's Perspective * Reprinted with permission by Steve Balfour * Found on http://www.caitiff.net/writings.html How much power do you have, Cainites? Can you not snap a lesser being in half with your bare hands if you apply yourself? Can you not alter the way the childer of Seth think with your power or presence? And, above these petty powers, can you not bring down our society with a foolish flashing of your fangs or your poorly regulated use of visible power? Your hungry eyes smolder with power and we have not even spoken of the Beast within you and what it can do. Now then, what checks this massive reservoir of power of the Blood? It is only a Sire's teaching in the first nights after the embraces that patterns the proper temperance of power and mindset to resist the Beast. Those who have not been trained are a danger to each of us and our society. Even most who have been trained after years of flaying about on their own are ruled more by their Beast than by their mind. Yes, there are exceptions to this amongst Gangrel and Nosferatu; but they swallow their Beast whole upon the Embrace and it either destroys them or they control it. So what is a caitiff, Cainites? Is not a caitiff one without a Sire who was their teacher? Are they not one without proper understanding of what they are and what governs their soul? A caitiff is Sired without purpose, we know this because the Sire would have taught one who was embraced for cause. You all do know why there are two Traditions dealing with Childer but only one dealing with the Masquerade and Destruction, yes? Too many of us is a dangerous thing, even one of us untrained is lethal to the rest. A caitiff has trecherous habits and surprising behaviors which endanger our society and our selves. Caitiff have destroyed much by operating out of ignorance or simply succumbing to their Beast. They have been created without a place in our society and they have not been trained in ways that ensure our safety. Even anarchs know that their struggle with the existing power structure is less important than two other battles they fight nightly. The first is the battle with our food, for it is a sleeping beast with weapons that burn like the sun. The second true battle is with our Beast inside, a fight for mind and emotion instead of continual blood frenzy. Caitiff have not been trained, even as anarchs have, to win the two most important battles. They are children in powerful, dangerous bodies; and just as children, they are bereft of purpose, understanding, and sophistication. They are your doom walking in front of you, eating your food and cracking the bones of your legacy. Many Princes destroy caitiff for the good of us all. It is more likely that the Sabbat will allow the caitiff to exist--and, at the minimum, abuse the caitiff's deficits, turning the caitiff on the Camarilla. Iasion Caesius Patriarch of the Michaelites 5. V:TES CAITIFF STATISTICS Simple Discipline Statistics of the existing Caitiff # of Caitiff Vampires in Print: 11 Caitiff that cost 1 pool: 9 Caitiff that cost 2 pool: 1 Caitiff that cost 3 pool: 1 Discipline Spread Ani: 1 Aus: 2 Cel: 2 Dem: 0 Dom: 0 For: 1 Obf: 1 Obt: 0 Pot: 2 Pre: 2 Pro: 1 Qui: 1 Ser: 1 THA: 1 Vic: 0 6. DECK OF THE MONTH Deck: Basilia's Brigade 4x Basilia (10) PRO ANI FOR obf pot 1x Hasina Kesi (1) pot 1x Mitchell (2) pot obt 1x Uriah Winter (1) pot for 1x Antoinette (1) cel pre 1x Nik (1) cel 1x Igo (1) pre pro 1x Dan Murdock (3) aus obf 1x Smudge (1) LIBRARY: 90 Cards MASTER: 14 4x Information Hwy 3x Tribute to the Master 2x Blood Doll 1x Giants Blood 4x Potence PROTEAN: 18 8x Flesh of Marble 10x Quick Meld FORTITUDE: 6 6x Freak Drive OBFUSCATE: 8 8x Mask of 1000 Faces POTENCE: 24 8x Immortal Grapple 6x Torn Signpost 10x Undead Strength ANIMALISM: 5 5x Guard Dogs BASIC: 15 5x Taste of Vitae 10x Computer Hacking 7. CREATOR NOTES & RESULTS: This is a formula that I like to occasionally use, where a number of the weak are shepherded by a primary figure. In this case, Basilia's calling the shots :-) Concept being that you would send in a weenie to bleed, if blocked Mask in the boss to lay the smack down. She should always be able to set range with Quick Meld, then beat the tar out of the blocker (yep, she starts with minor Potence) via grapple. Depending on whether I can get a skill card on her, she will most often whip out 2-5 aggravated Hand Damage each round of combat. Expect your prey to get a little gun shy at this point (ha!) In playtesting I didn't draw Basilia until the 7th card into my crypt (doh!), so a slight adjustment may be necessary. I didn't promise these would be all be tournament ready out of the box :-P In the playtest game, seated in chair #4 managed to get out four 1 caps. Without Basilia, it was a rough go. Fortunately, Igo came to the rescue! After lifting some weights (Potence: Skill Card) neither Predator nor Prey wanted any of his attention. So while not having out Basilia, I did manage to put some pressure on the table. Sadly, not enough :-( I am considering adding another Igo to the crypt after his beatings on Alexandria. Had my prey down to 5? pool at one point, but was bled out before I could apply further damage (sigh). Without Basilia in play, the deck doesn't flow. Some possible refinements: - Swap out 3 Info Hwy for Effective Managements - Maybe drop 1 Tribute for an Anarch Troublemaker - Swap out Nik for Navar, drop 2 Hacks and add 2 Army of Rats 8. FINALE That's it for this month, see ya in October! Ciao, Bernie Bresnahan (bernaise1@yahoo.com) Newly appointed editor of most things Caitiff Prince of Lansing, MI Terror of the Midwest