Animalism

Nicknames: The Call, The Shepherd's Voice, Beast-Tongue

Essence: The power to touch, command, and master the primal Beast that dwells within all creatures, including oneself and other Kindred.

Description (In-World)

"Do not mistake this for the gentle cooing of a mortal taming a pet. Animalism is not a language of words; it is a language of instinct, a raw projection of your will into the mind of a lesser predator. When you use the Call, you are not asking—you are extending the authority of your own inner Beast to dominate another. You feel its fear, its hunger, its simple rage, and you make it your own. It is the power of the apex predator, the silent and undeniable command that makes the dogs of the city your hounds and the rats in the sewer your eyes."

Levels of Mastery

Initiate: At this level, your connection is raw. You can soothe a panicked guard dog into submission or call a swarm of rats from the sewers to create a distraction. You can forge a bond with a single animal, making it a loyal companion and servant.

Adept: Your mastery deepens. You can now project your will not just into animals, but into the raging Beast of another Kindred, calming their Frenzy with a force of will—a terrifying and respected feat. You can also send your own consciousness into an animal, wearing its senses like a second skin to spy on your enemies from the sky as a bird or from the gutters as a rat.

Master: A true master of Animalism becomes one with the primal world. You can fully possess an animal, commanding its body as if it were your own. Your authority is so absolute that you can command whole ecosystems of creatures to act on your behalf. At its peak, this power allows a vampire to project their own spirit into another Kindred's mind, to do battle with their Beast on its own turf.

Traditional Practitioners

This Discipline is a core aspect of the clans who live on the fringes of society and closest to their inner Beast. It is an in-clan Discipline for the @Gangrel, @Nosferatu, and @Tzimisce. The nomadic @Ravnos also share a deep connection to this power.