Of all vampires, the Gangrel are perhaps closest to their inner nature.These nomadic loners spurn the constraints of society, preferring the comfort of the wilderness. How they avoid the wrath of the werewolves is unknown; perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Gangrel are themselves shapeshifters. When a mortal speaks of a vampire changing into a wolf or a bat, she is probably speaking of a Gangrel.

Like the Brujah, Gangrel are fierce warriors; unlike the Brujah, Gangrel ferocity does not stem from anarchic rage, but from animalistic instinct. They are among the most predatory Kindred, and love to lose themselves in the thrill of the hunt. Gangrel have a keen understanding of the Beast in their souls, and prefer to spend their nights in communion with the animals whom they so emulate. Indeed, Gangrel are so attuned to their Beasts that, after losing themselves to frenzy, animalistic features often appear on their bodies.

The clan itself has little contact with, or regard for, the rest of the Kindred.
This might be due to a desire to avoid the snares of the Jyhad, but is more likely the product of simple disinterest. Certainly, Gangrel are popularly viewed as quiet, taciturn and reclusive. Although there is no more truth to this than there is to any other stereotype, the clan as a whole displays little of the ostentation found among lines such as the Toreador or Ventrue.

Nickname: Outlanders

Sect: Clan Gangrel is nominally in the Camarilla, though a fair number of Sabbat Gangrel exist as well. Most Gangrel care little for sect, and rumblings of outright secession from the Camarilla have made the rounds at recent Gangrel Gathers.

Appearance: Gangrel's harsh unlifestyle and lack of interest in fashion often make them seem rugged and wild. Couple this with the animal features common among the clan, and Gangrel sometimes appear downright frightening. Some mortals and Kindred find a certain predatory beauty in the Gangrel, though this can lead to a dangerous misjudgment of the Gangrel's intentions

Haven: Gangrel often make no permanent havens, sleeping wherever they can find shelter from the sun. Gangrel with sufficient maste[). of the Protean Discipline sleep in the very earth, la iring in parks and other spots of natural terrain. Although many Gangrel prefes to lair in the wild or travel from place to place, they are as vulnerable to attack by werewolves as other Kindred are, and so they are often forced to remain in the city's confines

Background: Gangrel Embrace for a variety of reasons, as do most Kindred, but do not pass on the Curse lightly or common.lf a generalization must be made, it could be said that Gangrel prefer to Embrace loners, those who have the physical and emotional resiliency to survive the shock of the Change. The sire', training, what little there is, tends to be gruff and harsh; most Gangrel must discover the vagaries of unlife largely on their Own.

Character Creation: Gangrel often have similar Natures and Demeanors, as they rarely rely, on subterfuge to get their way.Physical Attributes and Talents or Skills are common among Gangrel. They often have Allies (Gypsies) or Mentor as Back, ground, but rarely have high levels of Influence or Resources.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean

Weaknesses: Gangrel are very close to the Beast Within; as they succumb to it, it leaves its mark on their bodies. Every time a Gangrel frenzies, she gains an animalistic feature. This feature is determined by the player and Storyteller; it might be tufted ears, a pelt, a tail, catlike eyes, a snarling voice, tusks, even scales or feathers. Every five such features acquired pesmanently reduce one of the Gangrel's Social Attsibutes by one.

Organization: Gangrel have no true organization to speak of. Vampires of great age and great deeds are typicall)' shown respect, though the young are b) no means subservient. Outlanders occasionally meet in groups known as "Gathers"; at these festivals, vampires dance, feast and tell stories of their travels. Disputes between Gangrel are often settled through ritual combat to first blood or submission; while savage, these fights rarely result in the loser's Final Death. Gangrel commonly hunt alone, though occasionally two or more Gangrel unite in a coterie of Sorts (a "pride" or "pac")

Bloodlines: Two bloodlines exist among the Sabbat: the Country Gangrel ( similar in most ways to the main branch of the clan) and City Gangrel ( whose Disciplines are Celerity, Obfuscate and Protean). Both types are found only among the Sabbat,

Quote: You provided worthy sport, mortal. Now, though, the chase is ended.

Stereotypes:

Assamite: Jackals playing at being lions.

Brujah: So much fury for so little gain.

Followers of Set: They stink of disease worse than most of us do. Then again, we're all corpses.

Giovanni: Who cares? What do they have to do with us?

Lasombra: Honest bastards. Competent bastards. Bastards nonetheless.

Malkavian: Either they know the greatest secrets, or they've played us all for fools. Whichever, I keep my distance.

Nosferatu: Wise observers and useful allies. Still, I wouldn't choose to lair in a pest-hole.

Ravnos: That these honorless bitches dare to claim kinship with us is an insult.

Toreador: Pointless waste.

Tremere: They are not vampires, try though they might. The reckoning has merely been postponed.

Tzimisce: Pointless waste.

Ventrue: Their foolish power,games keep the others preoccupied, and so we tolerate them for now.

Caitiff: We bear the blame for many of these wretches. Ultimately, though, they must make of unlife what they can.

Camarilla: A blood-wind harbinges the coming hurricane; perhaps it's time to leave the shack before it crashes down around us.

Sabbat: We stay and go, spare and kill as we choose, O Black Hand.