Banu Haqim

Culture
Assamites are divided into three castes, which often have a semi-antagonistic relationship with each other. They also have different Disciplines and weaknesses. All Assamites grow dark with age, have access to Quietus as a clan Discipline, and have a weakness related to some form of lust so powerful that it stains their aura.

Warrior Assamites are the primary fighters of the clan. They are the Assamites most likely to take assasination contracts and most likely to adhere to the Path of Blood. When other vampires think of Assamites, they are most likely to picture a warrior.

Younger Warriors typically came from Islamic countries, and may mix the tenants of the path of Blood with Islamic ideas about holy war. They are often fanatical and ready to die for the cause. Elder Warriors may come from other religions entirely, and see themselves more as judges (and executioners) than as holy warriors or assassins.

Their weakness is an addiction to vampire vitae and an aura stained by diablerie. Even if they have never actually engaged in diablerie, their aura shows their blood lust clearly.

Sorcerors are the the smallest caste, but the second most recognizable. They claim to have practiced sorcery since the time of the Second City and to have been created to counter the dark magic of the Baali.

Their magic is partially based around Babylonian and Sumerian magics, with some more modern components thrown in. Sorcerors usually need to send themselves into some sort of altered state of consciousness in order to focus their magics. This may involve consuming drugs, whirling themselves into a trance, ritually wounding themselves, or even more exotic methods.

Their weakness comes from their lust for magical power. A sorceror's aura is so stained with magic that there is little way to mistake him for anything else. They also have trouble using powers to hide themselves due to their blazing auras.

Viziers are the least well know caste, but allegedly the oldest caste (according to them). They are the scholars and artisans of the clan. In many ways, they are similar to the Toreador, but where the Toreador become lost in contemplation, the viziers explode in frenzied creative activity.

Viziers lust after knowledge or artistic perfection. They suffer from an obsessive-compulsive derangement that causes them to pursue their art with the tenacity of a pit bull. A vizier in the throes of his Derangement will persue it to the exclusion of all other activites. His aura will blaze with madness. Vampires with Auspex may be able to discern exactly what it is he so doggedly persues.

The Schism
The Assamite castes split apart during the Schism. Ur-Shulgi demanded that other Assamites give up the worship of other gods and only revere Haqim. This resulted in many Assamites being killed, and many more opting to leave Alamut.

Some went and joined the Camarilla. Most of those that joined the Camarilla were viziers and sorcerors. Warriors that joined the Camarilla are generally seen as loose cannons who must be supervised by their more restrained (and not vitae addicted) clanmates. Sorcerors in the Camarilla find their skills in high demand as an alternative to dealing with the Tremere.

A smaller number, mostly Warriors, joined the Sabbat. While the Assamite-antitribu who had been with the Sabbat were entirely from Warrior stock, the Warriors opting to join the Sabbat were not entirely welcomed with open arms. Many of the Assamite-antitribu elders, particularly in the Black Hand, had defected and left the Sabbat to return to the main clan. This meants the Sabbat was not entirely welcoming because of teh recent betrayal. Few sorcerors or viziers joined the Sabbat.

Some Assamites chose to go completely independent and avoid all the sects. They also drew away from the main clan, primarily for religious reasons. Few Warriors chose this option. Most Dispossessed Assamites are Viziers or Sorcerors.

Many Assamites stayed with the main clan. Most of these were warriors and sorcerors. Virtually all Assamites on the Path of Blood chose to stay with the main clan.

Version Differences
The Assamites have gone through MANY revisions. In 1st edition, they were generally presented as an all male fanatical sect of Muslim assassins. In 2nd edition, sorcerors started to make an appearance, but they were poorly defined and a tiny section of the clan.

Vampire: The Dark Ages initially presented them in much the same light as 2nd edition Vampire: The Masquerade. Libellus Sanguinus originally introduced the concept of the three Assamite castes.

Revised edition vampire presented the Assamites of consisting of the warriors and the "viziers". In that context, the "viziers" were actually the sorcerors. The three caste system was introduced as "optional" in the Revised edition Assamite clanbook.

Dark Ages: Vampire presented the Assamites as three seperate castes without the disclaimer than the castes are "optional".

With the version changes, there were also several changes in weakness. 1st and 2nd edition Assamites all suffered from an allergy to vitae due to the Tremere curse and had to tithe vitae to the clan. Revised and Vampire: The Dark Ages Assamites suffered from the Warrior weakness, addiction to vitae. Revised edition "viziers" (sorcerors) had to pay an additional blood point to use Thaumaturgy. Assamites in Libellus Sanguinus, Dark Ages Vampire, and the Revised Assamite clan book have the thre caste flaws.

In Libellus Sanguinus and Dark Ages Vampire sorcerors get Assamite Sorcery, Auspex, and Quietus as their primary Disciplines. In The Revised edition Assamite clan book (modern era) they get Assamite Sorcery, Obfuscate, and Quietus. The Viziers and Warriors have the same Disciplines in the Dark Ages and modern era.

In all versions, Assamites grow darker with age.