Backgrounds

These Traits describe advantages of birth (or rebirth), circumstance and opportunity: material possessions, social networks and the like. Backgrounds are external, not internal, Traits, and you should always rationalize how you came to possess them, as well as what they represent. Who are your contacts? Why do your allies support you? Where did you meet your retainers? How exactly do you make enough money to justify your four dots in Resources? If you've put enough detail into your character concept, selecting appropriate Backgrounds should be easy.
Although it's uncommon to make rolls involving Background Traits, your Storyteller might have you do so to see if you can obtain information, goods or favors. For example, you might have to roll Wits + Resources to keep your stock options healthy, or Manipulation + Contacts to wheedle that extra favor from your smuggler "associate."


Allies
Allies are humans who support and help you - family, friends or even a mortal organization that owes you some loyalty. Though allies aid you willingly, without coaxing or coercion, they are not always available to offer assistance; they have their own concerns and can do only so much in the name of friendship. However, they might have some useful Background Traits of their own, and might provide you with indirect access to their contacts, influence or resources.
Allies are typically persons of influence and pwer in your home city. They can be of almost any sort, pending your Storyteller's permission; you may have friends in the precinct morgue, or perhaps even the mayor's ear, depending on how many dots you spend on this Trait. your allies are generally trustworthy (although they probably don't know that you're a vampire, or even that vampires exist). However, nothing comes for free; if you wind up drawing favors from your friend in the Cosa Nostra, he'll probably ask you to do him a favor in kind in the future. This often leads to the beginning of a story....

* One dot- One ally of moderate influence and power
* Two dots- Two allies, both of moderate power
* Three dots- Three allies, one of whom is quiet influential
* Four dots- Four allies, one of whom is very influential
* Five dots- Five allies, one of whom is extremely influential


Contacts
You know people all over the city. When you start making phone calls around your network, the amount of information you can dig up is almost terrifying. Contacts are largely people whom you can bribe, manipulate or coerce into offering information, but you also have a few major contacts - friends whom you can rely on to give you accurate information in their fields of expertise. You should describe each major contact in some detail before the game begins.
In addition to your major contacts, you also have a number of minor contacts spread throughout the city; your major contact might be in the district attorney's office, while your minor contacts might include beat cops, DMV clerks, club bouncers or even hot-dog venders. You need not detail these verious "passing acquaintances" before play; instead, to successfully get in touch with a minor contact, you should roll your Contacts rating. You can reach one minor contact for each success; of course, you still have to coerce them into telling you what you need to hear.

* One dot- One major contact
* Two dots- Two major contacts
* Three dots- Three major contacts
* Four dots- Four major contacts
* Five dots- Five major contacts


Fame
You enjoy widespread recognition in mortal society, perhaps even as an entertainer, writer or athlete. People may enjoy just being seen with you. This gives you all manner of privileges when moving in mortal society, but can also attract an unwanted amount of attention now that you're no longer alive. The greatest weapon fame has to offer is the ability to sway public opinion - as modern media constantly proves.
This Background is obviously a mixed blessing. You can certainly enjoy the peivileges of your prestige - getting the best seats, being invited to events you'd otherwise miss, getting appointmenst with the elite - but you're also often recognized when you'd rather not be. However, your enemies can't just make you disappear without causing an undue stir, and you find it much easier to hunt in populated areas as people flock to you.

* One dot- You're known to a select subculture of the city - local clubgoers or the Park Avenue set, for instance.
* Two dots- A majority of the populace recognizes your face; you're a local celebrity such as a news anchor.
* Three dots- You have statewide renown; perhaps you're a state senator or minor star of local interest.
* Four dots- Nationally famous; everybody knows something about you.
* Five dots- You're an internationally famous media icon.


Generation
Plain and simple, this Background represents your generation - the purity of your blood, and your proximity to the First Vampire. A high Generation rating may represent a powerful sire or a decidedly dangerous taste for diablerie. If you don't take any dots in this Trait, you begin play as a 13th-generation vampire.

* One dot- 12th generation: 11 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
* Two dots- 11th generation: 12 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
* Three dots- 10th generation: 13 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
* Four dots- 9th generation: 14 blood pool, can spend 2 blood points per turn
* Five dots- 8th generation: 15 blood points, can spend 3 blood points per turn

Herd
You have built a group of mortals from whom you can feed without fear. A herd may take many forms, from circles of kinky clubgoers to actual cults built around you as a god-figure. In addition to providing nourishment, your herd might come in handy for minor tasks, although they are typically not very controllable, closely connected to you or even highly skilled (for more effective pawns, purchase Allies or Retainers). Your Herd rating adds dice to your rolls for hunting.

* One dot- Three vessels
* Two dots- Seven vessels
* Three dots- Fifteen vessels
* Four dots- Thirty vessels
* Five dots- Sixty vessels


Influence
You have pull in the mortal community, whether through wealth, prestige, politicle office, blackmail or supernatural manipulation. Kindred with high Influence can sway, and in rare cases even control, the political and social processes of human society. Influence represents the sum of your political power in your community, particularly amoung the police and bureaucracy.
Some rolls may require you to use Influence in place of an Ability, particularly when attempting to sway minor bureaucracts. It is, of course, always easier to institute sweeping changes on a local level than a worldwide scale (e.g., having an "abandoned" building demolished is relatively easy, while starting a was is a bit more difficult).

* One dot- Moderately influential; a factor in city politics
* Two dots- Well-connected; a force in state politics
* Three dots- Position of influence; a factor in regional politics
* Four dots- Broad personal power; a force in national politics
* Five dots- Vastly influential; a factor in global politics

Mentor
This Trait represents an elder - or possibly even more than one - who looks out for you, offering guidance or aid once in a while. A mentor may be powerful, but his power need not be direct. Depending on the number of dots in this Background, your mentor might be nothing more than a vampire with a remarkable information network, or might be a centuries-old creature with tremendous influence and supernatural power. He may offer advise, speak to the prince (or archbishop) on your behalf, steer other elders clear of you or warn you when you're walking into situations you don't understand.
Most often your mentor is your sire, but it could well be any Cainite with a passing interest in your well-being. A high Mentor rating could even represent a group of like-minded vampires, such as the elders of the city's Tremere chantry.
Bear in mind that this Trait isn't a "Get out of Jail Free" card; your mentor won't arrive like the cavalry whenever you're endangered. What's more, she might occasionally expect something in return for her patronage (which can lead to a number of interesting stories). A mentor typically remains aloof, giving you useful information or advice out of camaraderie, but will abandon you without a thought if you prove an unworthy or troublesome "apprentice."

* One dot- Mentor is an ancilla of little influence.
* Two dots- Mentor is respected; an elder for instance.
* Three dots- Mentor is heavily influential, such as a member of the primogen.
* Four dots- Mentor has a great deal of power over the city; a prince or archbishop, for example.
* Five dots- Mentor is extraordinarily powerful, perhaps even a justicar or Inconnu.



Resources
This Trait describes your personal financial resources, or your access to such. A high Resources rating doesn't neccessarily reflect your liquid assest; this Background describes your standard of "living," your possessions and your buying power. No dots in Resources is just that: You have no permanent haven and no possessions save a few clothes and possibly a weapon or pocketful of coins.
You recieve a basic allowance each month based on your rating; be certain to detail exactly where this money comes from, be it a job, trust fund or dividends. After all, your fortune may well run out over the course of the chronicle, depending on how well you maintain it. You can also sell your less liquid resources if you need the cash, but this can take weeks or even months, depending on what exactly you're trying to sell. Art buyers don't just pop out of the woodwork, after all.

* One dot- Small savings: a small apartment and maybe a motorcycle. If liquidated, you would have about $1,000 in cash. Allowance of $500 a month.
* Two dots- Middle class: an apartment or condominium. If liquidated, you would have at least $8,000 in cash. Allowance of $1,200 a month.
* Three dots- Large savings: a homeowner or someone with some equity. If liquidated, you would have at least $50,000 in cash. Allowance of $9,000 a month.
* Four dots- Well-off: a member of the upper class. You own a very large house, or perhaps a dilapidated mansion. If liquidated, you would have at least $500,000 in cash. Allowance of $9,000 a month.
* Five dots- Ridiculously affluent: a multimillionaire. Your haven is limited by little save your imagination. If liquidated, you would have at least $5,000,000 in cash. Allowance of $30,000 a month.


Retainers
Not precisely allies or contacts, your retainers are servants, assistants or other people who are your loyal and steadfast companions. Many vampires' servants are ghouls - their supernatural powers and blood bond-enfourced loyalty make them the servants of choice. Retainers may also be people whom you've repeatedly Dominated until they have no free will left, or followers so enthralled with your Presence that their loyalty borders on blind fanaticism. Some vampires, particularyly those with the Animalism Discipline, use "hellhounds" (ghouled dogs) or other animal ghouls as retainers.
You must maintain some control over your retainers, whether through salary, the gift of your vitae or the use of Disciplines. Retainers are never "blindly loyal no matter what" - if you treat them too poorly without exercising strict control, they might well turn on you.
Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless. A physically powerful ghoul might be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin - it's a method to bring more fuly developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the Renfieldesque followers for which the Kindred are notorious. Don't abuse it.

* One dot- One retainer
* Two dots- Two retainers
* Three dots- Three retainers
* Four dots- Four retainers
* Five dots- Five retainers


Status
You have something of a reputation and standing (earned or unearned) within the local community of Kindred. Status among Camarilla society is often derived from your sire's status and the respect due your particular bloodline; among the Sabbat, status is more likely to stem from the reputation of your pack. Elders are known for having little respect for their juniors; this Background can mitigate that somewhat.
High status among the Camarilla does not transfer to Sabbat society (and will most likely make you a notorious target for your sect's rivals), and vice versa. Similarly, anarchs can be considered to have zero Status, unless they have somehow garnered so much power and attention that they must be taken seriously. You may have occasion to roll your Status in conjunction with a Social Trait; this reflects the positive effest of your prestige.
Note: Caitiff characters may not purchase Status during character creation. Caitiff are the lowest of the low, and any respect they achieve must be earned during the course of the chronicle.

* One dot- Known: a neonate
* Two dots- Respected: an ancilla
* Three dots- Influential: an elder
* Four dots- Powerful: a member of the primogen (or bishop)
* Five dots- Luminary: a prince (or archbishop)