44 ogee SMe Ral e oe Smee esas peerage and vampire: 1he Masquerade:ans Authors: Fetan Campbell Jackie Caseada nnd Nicky Ret Developer: Justin Achill Editors James “Dr, Octagon” Stewart Art Director: Richued Thorns Layaue &: Typacettings Beian Glave Interioe Art: Mike Danza, Jefl Holt and Vince Locke Front Cover Arts Larry MacDougall tan Glass Front & Back Cover Design: tly ge Pa 735 Pak WORTH BUD. SUITE 28 Cuanaston, GA 30021 USA % Gane Stuplo © 2000 White Wolf Publishing, Ine. All rights reserved. Keprexiction without the written permission ofthe publuher is expresly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for Blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for penonal we only. White Woll, Vampire the Masquerale, Vampire the Dark Ages, Mage the Ascension, World of Darkness and ‘Aberrant are reguteredtradeinatks of White Wolf Pubs lishing. Inc. All rights reserved. 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Trrsnviin Goons N 2a She Degen Aone Tasie OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHapter One: Bevonn THe Forest Cuapter Two: THe DANUBE BY MOONLIGHT Cuapter THREE: THE ACCOUNTING Cnapten Foun: Reverations Cuapter Five: DRAMATIS DERSONAE CHAPTER Six: STORYTELLING THE CHRONICLE OF THE AGES Appenpri: Time’s INEHORABLE CRAWLAV \ \The sun fad already disappeared, a monstrous Gack shadow came running from the east, it was as UPicruoncs cog os Umi ena economy sae ae vet cua Ot Ba ata — Leonid Andreyev, “Lazarus” PNG ute aes aon Tees Gem facets to ROT eee me ko TR Can the Kindred foreetall Gefjenna iteelf?blase up without From your seat, wheresoever you are Broxing in ths pense of ram days from hatte, ai even’ Bus the maalence of your foes goes abroad n the Breery lent, while oll men mock with tna most grievous; and my sorrow pastes rot away Sophocles, Ajex The planing sum Blinded Anatole ashe cowed Beneath the sow of one of Vienna massve caches. AS the aged fascination, wel edad men ar wemen, fheamngthereslees m an anstocrake manner, proceeded yp the the church ard daurpesned behind the tnwermg doers This cannot be, Conuities ago [turned my back on the son and now Avatle felt Nowy yea, stained with am avi fear, pour Jone: is forehead, soaking hs face + ind, Youstand here se wil s0, Regard ths place and mark ¢ well your our weer her wil fl upon enbcarn cmumg all the some when heat. S pose cho seek the screts aringn his ex, asf the pron eath wiry with the wice of Kup, deanin from the land beyond the forest What hes within? Ans shy. eres flesh with arrows of flame. cannot beth agony a moment fon hin fn disor har winced as the sm re higher in Anathersodceanuseredhim A Koo andthome whos | fron these meat worthy of using its knowledge Anatole racmisd the presence of Oxtanto onic the Voice Kupola wud the hanbinger of Geberina, none an inert fra of Amanle'scum dened so 1 Why have youthinae this curse ups An spar weal tame the ate ral A hush, deranged Laughter Hudgeomed hi mine to fd myself of all this prophecy, Oxtaes within hr, Pi the bunden on ti one more worthy. creature who did not see the fall of w> many empty cexpetience the futility of being destiny’ anointed, shonlde thisunwholesome weight. {will resin weet oblivicn, Apa Octane’ tcacldes filled Anatul's a levtend, Lint test lo, Anatale, bam with you alway The Malbanian fel the ground Keneath his ft opened op canal wach dark, fthy hands reach him dine the darkness. As he fell. Anatole hed ms wa whisper. Bebold the furute, anal deypa “Anatole?” Luciza’s ove joined the demons, b concern seemed to comme fom withnt. Arata open hi te find himself n his fara re the cellar tdbandoned tannery on the cutska a. Plow su ie ake with dreaming asa,” she sad Aruuoe rave from hs mits ballet arid clutched Lact rndders. In her centuries of ass cts had seen ti fel the Lasombys his omer vision 1 phommmeted ines the dines timeless place, Taw the pn of he coming broncosflame as fre fl from ret skyterne beast of see, | sow armies Hecken the face of the a smoke from the chal fies leone ‘thes xara for signs hat theo ones had aun frm che slumber, yet saw nome but maz tthe helm ofthis desmacton.” “The sun has set, ld friend,” Luci said. "You must replensh that akich ou have shed so profusely in your seep. ‘nate laughed, heaving the echoes ofan cake laughter ‘hs wie “Would cha I could shed more than blood,” he sai. “1 woud slough off these wuions ant succumb to whatever tes beyond death's vel.” “There are wes to accomplish that pa,” he whispered, She hal dane any times ithe past. ‘Anatole shook his head. “They well not alow. am the swice of Geen aa I must be about my wank, Tee hands of tens roman before the last ofthe sins comes to as, and what Aestructiom must precede their camming” ‘The prophet donned hs filthy coat and wate for Lucita ‘prepare for their nightly charade. Wich Lucia on his arm, ‘Anatol tr is place ameng the throngs of Vienna I ats the 1896 Anno Dunnin. The furure awaited, Tr ste ENp or THE WoRLD (As We Know It) The final centuy ofthe millennium hers new age for the mortal world. Philosophy and seience usher in bold. cancepte thar change the perceptions of humans shout hele place in the world. Prosperity and discovery are the catch- ‘words of the glittering decade before the 20th century. Bur two world wars, « global economic depression and Ioalogicalatnlamater potunend to dhiarwece hope: Dealer the accelerated progress of the 20th century, the end of the millennium beings uncertinty and dread For the Kindred, the century before the millennium hic sunnplacemy wm ce londvo the night, Teche nology places greater powerin the handsof the kine. Electricity ‘conquers the terrors of the dark, New methods of transporta- tion allow mortals to travel safely and rapidly from plice to: ind i din wan rereatng to Elysium and withdrawing from contact with humanity. Younger Kindred revel in the changes, using their techno logical edge to secure among theit elders. The relative fpowerof the Cama ‘othe nocturnal struggle for ascendancy as the world under sees cataclysmic political and social change. ‘As millennial fever brings the sense that something sonimensons will oom mark the ticking OFF Of the yea, ‘handfl of Kindred prepare. Only» whisper inthe hall ofthe ‘Comweilla, the word “Gchenna” resounds throughout the Sobtut, Scholars of Kindred history on both sides of the stivide recognize the signs ofthe Final Nights but few dare to voice their observations. {nnBastern Europe, the land once known ss Transylvania sroansunder the weight of a century of conflict and oppres- son, but even more transpires beneath the surface, A great igeomantic web, spun by Zelios centuries ago, draws power from the earth itself, Within that web, the demon Kupala stir senving that its time of awakening approaches. The final igns portending Gehenna make thermselves known to those who watch...and wait... and despair ‘Theve are the en ime Those are the Final Nights Moon The procession of the centuries picks up its pace as mortal civiizationsrive and fill For the centuries-old inden, the world has changed far beyond their capacity to compre ‘hend it. Some things, however, remain changeless, among them the certainty that Cainite history crawls inexorably, toward a aniaee culmination. Cahenn approvches with « ‘sense of inevitability. Eight signs mark its arrival. Six of the ‘signs have come to pass. Although most of the Kindred ‘remain ignorant of these omens, a few watchful individuals recognise the gtheringstorm for whatit ic Torosignsremuin before the great upheaval that, once set into motion, will wash over the world in a tide of fire and blood. Acchorus of moods harmonizes in this, the final installment ofthe Traneyanin Chrontslen. The nin of wn evunes wahtacros the ages, forming amotifiagainst which the story takes place. The end of the 1h exer surges with opti, alive with the possibilities beaught about by 4 cemingly endless Fara of iene advances Behind the mere dhe Kibo play our thei interminable schesmes in the Jynad, orchestrating their moves wth the eaxcade of new sensations that flavor the night. All things seem posible asthe 20h cent besins. By the endo the 20a cerry, the mud fs darkened, Lrleby litle, the Kindred find ther influence shppingaway, co-opted by the sophisticated tools of destruction controlled ‘by morta institutions. The children of Caine nolanger enjoy sunnquetioned unaicry of de ight. ‘The motif of destiny, with the characters preordained to play role in the unfolding ofthe Final Nighss, injects another element into the mix. While Kindred society scrambles to smaisuai the delicate balance between the Camara and the Sabtat, while Methuselahs pull the strings in the endles Jyh, few Cainites poses the tue knowledge of Gebers’ signs. The countdown to doomichy has begun, and i seems unstoppable. Hopelssnes threatens fo overwhelm even the most determined of will. Yet the abence of hope does not necessarily mean the presence of despair. A feeling of grim determination, of defiance inthe face of the inevitable, offers s+ modicum of hope. Fethags the characters can stern the destraction that rites actos the face ofthe Ean. Tueme The confict between fate and re will orm the central theme of The Dragon Ascendant. The characters possess knowledge that allows them to alter the course of Cainite destiny, Can they change the future, despite the prophecies snd the fulflinent of the signs of Gebenna? If they cannot Trova Grows