Games - Blood bond

Home > Listing Index > Games > Blood bond

	Games - Blood bond

In White Wolf Game Studio's Vampire: The Masquerade
books and role-playing games, a blood bond is a supernatural link of fidelity and dependency of one vampire (the thrall) on another one (the regent), created and maintained by the repeated consumption of blood.

A vampire becomes involved in a blood bond by drinking the blood of another one on several occasions, not excessively spaced in time (for example, on three consecutive nights). After the first sip of blood, the thrall-to-be feels emotionally driven to the regent, but this is unconscious, and he is still perfectly free to act against the regent. However, he may try to run across the regent and to drink from his blood again, and he may be more susceptible to the regent's mental powers (such as Domination and Presence). If he drinks no more, this faint drive will vanish in time.

After the second sip, the vampire feels more strongly compelled towards the regent. He will deliberately start to look for him and will consciously act on his favour. He may also develop an obsession, or mixed feelings of love and hate. His craving for the regent's blood will increase, and he will find it very difficult to act against him or to resist his orders or mental powers.

After the third sip, the bond is complete. The thrall is now subject to the regent completely; regardless of his feelings, he will be loyal to him. It may still be possible for him to act against the regent, but only temporarily and after an extreme effort of the will.

The strength of the blood bond is not influenced by the generation of the vampire (i. e. the distance, in vampiric generations, from the original vampire Caine).

The bond will become weaker in time if the thrall does not drink from the regent's blood and does not see him for a long time. However, due to the very nature of the bond, abstaining may be extremely difficult for the thrall.

The blood bond is broken by the death of the regent. The effect on the serf is variable: some feel relieved or even joyful; others experience pain and desolation; others yet fear their independence and look for a new bond. Some may even kill themselves.

In some clans and circles, it is customary for a childe to drink blood from his sire. The Tremere force the new childer to drink one sip from each of the seven elders of the clan, in order to increase their obedience. The blood bond is a powerful weapon for vampire leaders who wish to be assured of their subjects' loyalty.

Vampire: The Requiem

The concept of a blood bond is used again in Vampire: The Requiem
, though it is called the vinculum (named after the mass bonding used by the Sabbat in Masquerade.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Blood bond ]

Searches on eBay

blood bond