The Puttanesca (formerly Putanesca) are a bloodline of the Hecata, formerly being one of the minor families of the vampiric clan Giovanni.
Overview[]
The Puttanesca's very name translates as "of the whore"; they are a Sicilian family of low-rent criminals, pimps, and thugs with ties to the Mafia that the Giovanni acquired in the 1660s to do the family's "dirty work". Largely ignorant of necromancy, the average Puttanesca has a temper that would even put a Brujah to shame. Not the type to forgive and forget, they are consumed with the concept of vendetta and are usually employed by the clan as leverage against enemies.
In an effort by the Giovanni to compartmentalize and divest their direct connections to organized crime into a separate component, the Puttanesca were recognized as their own bloodline within the Hecata at the Family Reunion.
Bloodline (V5)[]
For a few decades, the Giovanni had a reputation as being nothing more than vampire mobsters. Savvy Hecata ancillae confronted by such ethnic stereotypes in Camarilla Elysia laugh and suggest the rumor started from too many late-night showings of The Godfather. And once the Hecata gets a chance to slip away, they call their cousins and ask what the fucking Puttanesca have done this time.
The fucking Puttanesca family, as they’re often called by other Hecata, were acquired from Sicily in the 1660s as talented street hustlers — perfect for dirty, low-level jobs that the more moneyed Giovanni couldn’t be bothered to handle. Over the years, these Puttanescas leaned into the mafioso stereotypes, because you might as well be a legbreaker if you break legs for a living. After the Family Reunion, any remaining connections to organized crime have been quickly shuffled over to the Puttanescas. The anziani say it’s a reward for loyal service. But the Puttanesca know it’s a way to put all the Hecata’s embarrassing assets in one place.
So if they’re going to be “the fucking Puttanesca,” that’s fine. This family knows all about beating on the little guy before you get beat on by a bigger guy. But soon they’ll be the big guy, and it’ll be everyone else that gets fucked.
Friends in Low Places: The Puttanesca has street connections, manifesting in the form of 2 dots available to be spread in Allies and Resources and able to be reallocated at the start of each story, although they are subject to police scrutiny.- Show Your Belly: The Puttanesca is a shrewd operator at appearing less threatening than they really are, receiving three bonus dice in rolls to convince others not to act against them.
- Show Your Fists: The Puttanesca is a physical and mental force to be reckoned with, receiving two bonus dice to Intimidation rolls and Melee attacks against mortals.
- Get the Squad Together: Once per story, the Puttanesca can get their gang together for a brawl. This can include any Puttanesca Kindred, as well as 5-dot mortal Allies, and an automatic success in rolls to convince other characters that the encounter is necessary.
- The Don: The Puttanesca is highly respected among their peers in the bloodline and in the Hecata, gaining three additional dots in criminal Influence, Status, and Resources, though they are of course not completely inconspicuous in the eyes of the law.
References[]
- VTM: Clanbook: Giovanni, p. 34
- VTM: Clanbook: Giovanni Revised, p. 32
- VTM: Cults of the Blood Gods, p. 226