chapter four
The Mara
In lightless depths were we spawned. In lightless depths do we drink the gift. Come into the deep and enter
the ages-old realm of the Mara.
In the lightless murk of the 
waters, a horrifying line of monstro
Gangrel dwell, silent and predatory Concealed beneath the icy waves
of northern shores or walking in the murkysiltoftheblood-warmbayou, theywaittodragtheirlivingvictims downunderthesurfacetofeedupon or present as sacrifi ce in their warped, wordless rituals. No material goods of thewalkingworldtemptthemandno fi re threatens them. They are the Ma
the drowned Kindred, the witch-kin
Goddess both tragic and merciless.
Those few who know the Mara come to understand that they worship a being known as the Sunken Mother, a Tethys-like fi gure who appears, in their litanies, to have birthed the waters of the world by a union with a titanic sun god. They say she loved and cared for all her countless children, laying them upon the earth andshowingthemhowtospawnamultitudeofcreatures so that they need never dwell empty and alone. Her attention was so devoted, so focused upon them, that her loverburnedwithviolentjealousy.Eventually,unableto accept that the waters could be more important to the Mother than he was, he took up her body, searing her fl esh, and fl ung her into the depths where she drowned. Shamed by the part they played in her death and hungry for justice, the waters took the lessons of the Sunken Mother and created the Mara as her Kindred grandchildren so that they might wreak bloody vengeance on the God of the Day and his worshippers.
The true origins of these dark, deeply faithful vampires arediffi culttodiscern.Itseemsthattheirlitanyisamishmash of ancient Greco-Roman, Celtic and Germanic myths, and it’s almost impossible to determine whether thoseelementsprecedethemoreaccessiblemortallegends or if they’re drawn from them. One wonders: did ancient SaxontribeswitnessaMara’sviciousattackatalakeshore and name her Nixe, or did early Mara style themselves aftertheselegends,buildingasinistermythtojustifytheir activity? Over the centuries, it has become increasingly diffi cult to unravel the reality from the fable. Very few
urate reports of ancient vampiric activ- 
remain in modern nights, and none of those mention the Mara or anything like them at all. Those Kindred who are old enough to know are victims of the fog of long torpor, suffered several times over in most cases, and can contribute little in the way of illumination. Even the eldest of the Mara themselves are unable to attest totheirownorigins,havingslumbered 
oo long or too frequently to speak with
authority on their fi rst nights.
theydon’tkeeptheirownhistory, thereisanearlyrecordofameetingbetweenthe Mara and a representative of the Lancea Sanctum. Some time during the 11th century, a Sanctifi ed scholar calling himself Brother Erik, who appears to have been charged with surveying the Kindred population of a portion of northern England, wrote a record of his discoveries. Among the entries, a short passage refers to the blood-
line. A rough translation follows:
“ . . . in proximity to the fortress of Mamucium, now long past,amarkettownisformedofnomorethan200souls.The town has lost some folk and many heads of cattle to the shores of a nearby river. They are often found days or weeks later, fl oating there. My investigation of the waters has uncovered a cabal of ungodly Kindred wretches calling themselves ‘Mara,’ damned creatures of extraordinary ugliness and violence. My attempts to bring the missive of Longinus to these horrors met with naught but a most undeserved hostility. With a gnashing of their yellowed fangs, they threatened bloody murder if I remained at the shores of their ‘holy mother,’ and I withdrew.”
Whether or not the Lancea Sanctum chose to act on BrotherErik’sdiscoveryisunknownatthistime.Theregion he refers to in the text would correspond roughly to the modern location of Manchester, and it’s likely the river he mentions is the Irwell (or the Mersey). There are no other references to the Mara in those areas in Kindred records, and whether or not they remain there now is unknown.
Some time during the 16th century, the Kindred of Copenhagen are said to have encountered a family of the Mara in their harbor waters and made peace with them
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there.TheseDanishMaraevenemergedtoattendElysium on several occasions, engaging in negotiation for territory and presenting gifts of honor to the Prince. Conflict arose between them and the land-based Acolytes of the Circle of the Crone, though, resulting in the Final Death of one ofthebloodline.Therestwithdrewtotheocean,andrelations with the domain were brought to an end. There are scattered reports throughout Northern Europe of further encounters, most ending just as badly. Late in the 19th century,Maraaresaidtohavemadeappearancesinseveral domains of the American South, prompting speculation that one or more may have arrived with sea-borne trade from across the Atlantic. Limited attempts were made to purge or otherwise discourage the Mara from settling on American shores, but the difficulty in verifying their presence (or lack thereof) led to a great deal of wasted effort.
Inmostterritoriesaroundtheworld,theMararefrainfrom making contact with other Kindred wherever
possible. The Mara prefer to be left alone, hunting and practicing
in peace, away from the outsiders. Suspicious of vampiresandtaughtto surface creatures are either the Sunken Mother or have their loyalties to her, the stray from the waters.
Mara in the modern imagines, very much as the dark centuries of long mayhavemoremodern reservoirs of more than known to have housed a number of wrecked and ships), but their and ascetic existence essentially unchanged. man as ever, and as
Parent Clan: Gangrel.
Nickname: Lampreys
Covenant:Theoverwhelming of the Mara are Acolytes
oftheCrone.Theirmalicious practices and severe auster ityarealienatinginfluences, forcing a powerful divide between their members and the more moderate, politicallyactiveKindred
of other covenants. A lack of understanding often prevents peaceful interactiononbothsides: the Lampreys rarely themselves with the
posture of Kindred culture and outsider vampires often can’t see past the mud-and-blood accoutrements of the bloodline.
There are a few Mara who have been “civilized” by outsider Kindred. Inducted into a covenant by some enthusiastic outsider, these Mara are often paraded around Elysiumasanexampleoftheedifyingqualitiesoftheirnew membership. Most chafe against the constant attention andenthusedexpectationsthataccompanythese“uplifting” conversions though, and eventually return to the chill embrace of dark waters, even if they no longer wish to participate in the rituals of the Circle of the Crone.
The rare Lampreys who find satisfaction outside the Circle are almost always numbered among the scholars oftheOrdoDracul.Actingagainsttype,theseMaraseek an intellectual road to enlightenment and discover their true path in the Coils of the Dragon. These Kindred are often more surprised with their choice than anyone else, and will take pains to conceal their true lineage.
little for the fashions of world.Moreoftenthan the ragged, waterlogged attire — those who that is. Most are caked their haven, and leave freely, untouched by Ritual scarring or tatCrúac rites is the only line that approaches
expression.
do choose to emerge of their murky havens Kindred company (or a attempt to mix with the may take pains to loand conceal their wild a quick, cursory scrub. attemptsentirelysuccessful,though,andeven thosefewwhomanage to look the part of a “normal” vampire often carry the scent of their home terri- tory—bog,seaorsewer
unawares.
Those few “civilized” who dwell among Kindred of outsider covenants are usually cared for by mortal servants who take great to eliminate eviof their origins. Be-
public appearance, these
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chapter four
poor creatures are scoured, perfumed, plucked, styled and wrapped in appropriately fashionable coverings. The process is almost always interminably torturous for all participants, and is generally avoided unless the appearance is absolutely necessary.
Haven:Becauseoftheirweakness,alloftheMaradwell in or near a body of water that is large enough to cover them completely. Beyond that basic need, the actual details and features of the haven are chosen in accordance with the individual tastes of the vampire, and can vary from the filth and horror of a toxic industrial well to the sublime beauty of a coral-sculpted ocean hollow. Many make use of the Haven of Soil (Protean ••) to merge withthewatersoftheirhomesduringslumberandchoose havens that they feel best reflect their souls’ truth.
Whateverthesuperficialdetailsofherhome,aLamprey will take pains to become intimately familiar with its features. She will feed on the fauna, just to learn the taste of its Vitae (even if she is too potent to sustain herself upon it);shewillwrapherselfinitsfloraanddigherbodydown intothesiltthatliesatitsbottom.Shewillrunherfingers overeverysurface,everypitandgrowth,identifyingitwith her own body and working to extend her perceptions to itsnaturalebbandflow.Thisisanimportantritualforthe Mara, and serves a double purpose: it helps the vampire accept her new home as a place of comfort and it gives her a sense of the normal state of the surroundings, the better to alert her if something is amiss.
ItiscommonfortheMaratobandtogetherandsharea large haven. Some of the lakes, shores and swamps of the world are claimed by Circles of the bloodline, rumored to number five or six members in some cases (and even as many as a dozen Acolytes in one particularly horrifying, oft-told tale among the Kindred of the Louisiana Bayou). Thesevampireswillcompletelydominateabodyofwater, rulingitasadomainoftheirown.Difficultiesinmaintaining the Masquerade can arise when a single haven is too populous, but no more so than in any surface territory.
Background: The cold, frightening Embrace of the Mara is rarely bestowed upon mortals, and never without careful consideration. Not many of the living are both physically and spiritually hardy enough to survive inductionintothedeepcultoftheLampreyswithoutgoingmad. Even the strongest of candidates often barely endure the terrifying, submerged Embrace, and more than a few end up drowned before they can take their sire’s Vitae. Those mortals drawn to water are often watched with interest, and of those, the ones who gravitate to traditional belief and practice (instead of modern religion) are considered idealcandidates.Independenceisavaluableasset:anumber of survivalists and reclusive artists on solitary retreat have ended up among the ranks of the Mara.
The Mara rarely Embrace wealthy mortals. The Mara find that the resulting neonates are often unable to abandontheirprevioushabits,andcannotproperlyacclimatize
themselves to the ascetic Requiem of the bloodline.
CharacterCreation:PhysicalAttributesareofprimary importance in satisfying the survival needs of the Mara, especially because of the rigorous demands of their feeding practices. Those who cannot rely upon their speed and strength alone to locate and retrieve sources of Vitae rarely last long enough to devote the necessary attention to the spiritual pursuits of the Circle. Attendant Physical Skills, most especially Athletics, Brawl and Survival, are logical priorities as well. While material Merits are much rarer than Physical or Social ones, nearly every Lamprey has a sizable, naturally secure Haven.
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Protean, Resilience
Weakness:TheMaraarevictimsofasingularlypeculiar curse. If they are not completely submerged head to toe in liquid water while feeding, they gain no sustenance from blood. In fact, the blood drained in a “dry feeding” is mystically transformed to water in the vampire’s gullet, and is vomited back up immediately. Since there is no way to preventthistransformation,membersofthebloodlinemust beverycarefultoavoidhungerfrenzywhentheyarenotin abodyofwater.Eveninfrenzy,theywillinstinctivelycarry theirvictimstothenearestvisiblepond,lakeorswimming pool — whatever qualifies — but they’ll do so with the Beast’sattendantlackofattentiontodiscretionorterritorial concern, and that can lead to catastrophe.
Onlythevampireneedbesubmergedtofeedsuccessfully. Part of the victim may be above the surface (though many less humane Lampreys prefer to drag their prey completely underwaterjusttopreventinterruptionwhiledrainingVitae or to facilitate disposal of the bloodless body afterwards).
IfoneoftheMarawishestoappeartohavefedsuccessfully above the surface without vomiting immediately, he may spend a point of Vitae to hold the water in his stomach for a scene, as with ordinary food and drink.
Organization:CirclesoftheMaraareusuallyrelatively small, and so their function is much more informal than most. The eldest of the group defaults to the position of Hierophant (and is often the sire or grandsire of the rest of the Acolytes) and leads the others in rituals, in group hunts and in any dealings with outsider Kindred. If the Circle dwells in a group haven, the location will be the Hierophant’s choice. If not, the others come to her home at least twice a week to conduct their rites and receive herwisdom.Keepingfrequent(orconstant)companynot onlyhelpstocementthetiesofloyaltyinthelinebutalso makes it easier to keep an eye on those members who are suffering from the temptations of the surface world.
Over the centuries, Mara Acolytes have developed a complex language of hums and clicks that they often use tocommunicateunderthesurface.Oneofthefirstthings each member of the line learns is how to understand and speak as his fellow Mara do, so as to enable participation in the holy rites of the line. All of the Crúac rituals of
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theMaraareperformedinthislanguage,andtheentirety of their litany (which is exclusively oral — there are no written records) is likewise encoded.
While the worship by the Lampreys is isolationist and xenophobicingrouppractice,individualMarawithoutthe support of close relations (whether by accident or design) areknowntoemergefromthedeeponoccasionandjoinup withasurfaceCircle.Theirdripping,sullenpresencemaybe asourceofdiscomfortformoreurban,modernAcolytes,but theMaraarenolessdevotedortalentedintheirveneration. Some Kindred are frankly fascinated by the mythology of theMaraandeagertoheartranslationsoftheirlitany,slow anddifficultastheymaybe,andmanyofthelinearemore tolerant of outside interpretations when separated from their inward-looking under-dwelling Circles.
Each Mara cult prepares a central ritual space for their prayersandrites.Thespaceisusuallydeepindarkwaters, the better to hide it from the prying gaze of the surface world, but really only needs to be submerged enough to allow the Lampreys freedom to move and feed within it. An altar of stone or metal generally marks the center of the space and may be surrounded with decorations as elaborate or sparse as the Acolytes prefer, but these additions are often camouflaged so as to seem random. Many of the Mara choose ritual spaces that are naturally formed, if possible, so as to avoid suspicion in the event of accidental discovery.
Each week, the Mara gather twice to venerate the Sunken Mother and her progeny. On the first evening in the week (as determined by local practice — in some places it’s Sunday night, in others it’s Monday), they come together and sing a dirge-like humming prayer, commemorating the birth of the waters, the murder of their Goddess and the spawning of their line from the aftermath. In midweek, normally three nights after the previous ritual, they return to the ritual site and perform an eerie, silent rite meant to reassure the waters and reiterate their intent to commemorate the Sunken Mother. A carefully prepared, live surface creature is cut open and allowed to bleed out below the waters. A slow, undulating dance in the cloud of dissipating blood follows, and the Mara take it in whenever it crosses their path. The rest is left for the waters to carry away. After the dance is complete, the Lampreys are free to discuss the needs of the Circle and perform any Crúac rituals appropriate for the week.
In addition to the weekly rites, there are two annual holidayscelebratedbytheMara.Thefirstcommemorates the occasion of the spring thaw, and accompanies the cracking of the ice in the temperate zones of the world
(or is symbolically marked in March in the Northern Hemisphere, October in the South). It is a jubilant, energetic affair, celebrating the release of the waters and the relative ease with which the Mara may feed. Kindred in torpor are often ceremonially awakened on the first night of the thaw.
The second is a more solemn rite, marking the winter freeze.Onceagain,intemperateclimes,thedateisvaried and depends on the actual physical formation of ice over the ritual space. In warmer zones, where the water never freezes, a ceremony is still held — in December in the North and May in the South. In all cases, this holiday is a somber, funereal affair as the Mara acknowledge the yearly binding of their holy mothers and the relatively difficultfeedingseasontheynowface.SomeMarachoose to enter torpor for the winter voluntarily, and will be placed to rest in the ritual space on this night.
Concepts: Chattering mud witch, creature in the well, deepwater spiritual visionary, dockworker’s bane, heartbroken mermaid, Invictus Liza Doolittle, reservoir monster,vengefullyEmbracedrealestateagent,whispering strangler, wild-eyed swamp cultist
Crúac: The practice of Crúac among the Mara is distinct and extremely focused on the bloody loss of their Sunken Mother, as well as the recurring themes of drowning, rising from the deep and war with the sun god. All rituals are performed in or under a quantity of water, and the peculiar humming dialect of the line is integral in invocations.
ThereislittleintheKindredworldasalientohumanexperienceasthepracticeoftheMara.Witnessestotheireerie,slow dancesandtheminglingoftheirtangledhairorbone-paleflesh withwaterbornebloodisenoughformosttoassumetheMara are,andcanonlybe,thoroughlymonstrousbeings.
Ritual Variation: The Mother’s Eye (Cheval, ••
Crúac Ritual)
When a Lamprey wishes to see or hear through the eyes and ears of a surface-dwelling creature, the Mara must make serious preparation. At the beginning of the ritual, she sinks to the bottom of her ritual space, humming a quiet prayer of appeasement for the close contact she intends to make with the dry world above. When her prayer is complete, she floats back upwards, allowing herself to surface.
When next she sees the subject of her ritual, she must cut across one of her eyes with a sharp stone taken from the floor of her sacred space. She tips her head back, allowing her Vitae to pool in the socket. When she submerges again, clearing the blood away and healing the eye, the ritual will be active.
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“Bescaredandbesacred.”