Eyes of Malakai

Eyes of Malakai are a ancient cult of bizarre, destructive belief rarely seen in the modern nights, the cult are often stamped out as soon as they appear, usually by Malkavians driven to oppose the cult without knowing their reasons for fighting against it.

The Eyes first emerged millennia ago, supposedly as worshipers of Malkav’s twin sister — a vampire, god, or demon named Malakai. In legend, Lilith Embraced Malakai, and according to Cainite theory, she would be of similar potency and age to her brother, were the two active and stable enough to pursue singular courses. Nobody is alive to know the truth of the Malakai tales, however. If she exists, she’s so old or torpid as to be unreachable in any meaningful way.

The Eyes do exist, however, and to a single vampire, they’re terrible, vicious predators with what appear to be few coherent motivations.

Overview

Regardless of Malakai’s status or whereabouts, the vampires who become Eyes have appeared every few decades each century. These cultists were usually presentable, functioning members of Kindred society. Then, they undergo an awakening. Some Kindred theologians believe Malakai visits these vampires — often Malkavians — and provokes their existing conditions to a state of permanent mania. Others guess the Eyes’ Blood revolts in their bodies due to their Antediluvian’s sins. It’s all guesswork, however, as the Eyes of Malakai don’t know why they do what they do.

The awakening rapidly changes the Eyes. It would be incorrect to consider their change a devolution — some Eyes are wights, most are not — but they suddenly lose their sense of attachment to Touchstones and fellow Kindred, and become entirely predatory. Some start spying on and stalking former companions, others hunt solitary vampires and diablerize them as soon as they gain the opportunity. Some Eyes make copious notes on local Kindred society before burning the notes in a ritual fire, and then throwing themselves into the flames. These are all recorded behaviors of the Eyes, but none of their actions explain their objectives.

When vampires question the Eyes as to the meaning behind their new behaviors, they either lash out or passively respond they’re “the Eyes of Malakai,” apparently lacking the capacity to conceal their condition. Some vampires call them “incarnate madness” or “infected vitae.” The word “Eyes” makes other vampires assume these vampires are spies for someone, presumably Malakai, but the Eyes often enough just try to make other vampires’ existences miserable, or conspire to sabotage the Camarilla in a domain, making their ambitions something grander than just observing for a third party.

The Eyes of Malakai appear infrequently enough to become vampire folklore, but when rumor enters a domain of Eyes emerging to spread ruin, it’s enough to mobilize Kindred into forming a hunting party.

References

VTM: Cults of the Blood Gods, p. 117-118