Assamite
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The Assamites are a fictional clan of vampires, from White Wolf Game Studio's Vampire: The Masquerade books and role-playing games. The Assamites are a group of skilled, select assassins who often commit contract killings in exchange for the blood of other vampires. Even when compared to other vampires, the Assamite appear overly obsessed with blood, due to a clan weakness which causes an addiction to the blood of other vampires.
Much of the Assamite symbology is Arabic in origin. Even the clan stronghold, Alamut, is based in a mountain range in the Middle Eastern region. The Hashshashin cult that once occupied this fortress are what inspired the first version of the Assamites.
Aside from warriors/assassins, the Assamites also have among them scholars and sorcerers. Effectively the clan consists of three bloodlines, each with slightly different Disciplines and weaknesses.
Even though most Assamites claim independence from the sects, they still collaborate with both the Camarilla and the Sabbat whenever such an alliance suits their purposes. A few Assamite factions have permanently defected to the sects, however, notably the antitribu (who joined the Sabbat) and the smaller group of Schismatics that sought protection under the Camarilla.
The Assamite clan Discipline is Quietus.
Another trait which differentiates Assamites from other clans is the fact that Assamite blood is poisonous to other vampires, and vice versa. The poisonous nature of Assamite blood is due to the use of their Discipline, while the poisonous nature of other vampires blood to Assamites is due to a blood curse placed on them by the Tremere. Recently, however, the Assamites have managed to shrug free of the curse due to the awakening of their methuselah Ur-Shulgi, and have resumed feeding on other vampires, preferably on the Tremere who had cursed them.
Unlike the other lines of vampires, who become paler as they age, Assamites grow darker - their eldest members being the shade of obsidian.
References
- Vampire: The Masquerade (3rd Edition) by White Wolf Game Studio|White Wolf (1998)