✦ Zara Khayal
“The troubling part isn't that I hear things. It's how often they're right.” - Zara Khayal
Character Details
Name Zara Khayal /zaːrə ˈkhaɪəl/
Clan Malkavian
Sire Unknown
Generation Unknown
Predator Type Sandman
Date of Birth October 17, 1951
Date of Death November 3, 1980
City Scranton
Archetype Medium/Oracle
Apparent Age 29
True Age 43
Sect Camarilla
Appearance
Zara is a striking woman who appears to be in her late twenties, with a slender frame and an understated, almost haunting beauty. Her long, dark black hair falls in soft, slightly tousled waves, contrasting sharply against her pale olive complexion and the faint scattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes are an unusually pale, icy blue, made more noticeable by the dark circles that often linger beneath them and give her a perpetually tired, distant look. Her features are delicate but serious, with high cheekbones, dark brows, and an expression that tends toward quiet observation rather than warmth. She dresses primarily in dark, muted colors and favors simple, practical clothing with subtle gothic touches, giving her an elegant but somewhat withdrawn presence that rarely demands attention despite being difficult to forget.
Concept
A guarded former child psychiatrist turned Malkavian oracle who clings to control and compassion while struggling to distinguish supernatural insight from delusion.
History
Born in 1951, Zara Khayal devoted her mortal life to medicine, eventually pursuing psychiatry with a particular interest in helping children suffering from severe mental illness and psychosis. At twenty-nine, her life ended abruptly when she was Embraced by an unknown Malkavian and abandoned without explanation, leaving her to navigate both vampirism and her newly fractured perception of reality largely on her own. She eventually crossed paths with another Malkavian woman whose chaotic and uninhibited nature stood in stark contrast to Zara's growing need for order and control; despite their differences, the woman helped Zara understand what she had become and introduced her to Kindred society. In the years since, Zara has aligned herself with the Camarilla and constructed a carefully controlled existence, using routine, restraint, and emotional distance to preserve both her sanity and Humanity while quietly searching for meaning in the visions that sometimes blur the boundary between delusion and prophecy.
Beliefs
Convictions
- Never harm a child
- Never dismiss someone's suffering
Touchstones
Trish was a high school best friend from Zara's human years. They were extremely close when they were younger. However, during college Trish's parents were killed in a car accident, and she lost everything. She wasn't able to finish college, nor hold herself up financially. She found herself homeless, and addicted to heroine. Through it all Zara tried her best to help Trish, sending her to rehab, giving her a place to stay. After Zara became Kindred, she still managed to keep her friendship with Trish, although now a bit more complicated.
Phillip was a patient she saw since he was 4-years-old, he was 7 when Zara turned Kindred. Although she can't see him now that she has turned Kindred, he is a reminder of her humanity.
Ambition
Uncover the truth of her Embrace and why her sire abandoned her. Zara wants to understand who Embraced her, why she was chosen, and why she was abandoned.
Desire
Understand the meaning behind a recurring vision.
Skills + Stats
Bane
Fractured Perspective all Malkavians are cursed with at least one type of supernatural, mental derangement. Depending on their history and the state of their mind at death, they may experience delusions, visions of terrible clarity, or something entirely different
Compulsion
Delusion their extrasensory gifts running wild, the vampire experiences what might be truths or portents, but what others call figments of imagination, dredged up by Hunger.
Attributes
| Name | Type | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Physical | 2 | You are physically average |
| Dexterity | Physical | 3 | Your agility is impressive, and your coordination is as good as any trained amateur. |
| Stamina | Physical | 2 | You can take a beating, but consider suing for peace. |
| Charisma | Social | 1 | You can speak clearly, though few people tend to listen. |
| Manipulation | Social | 2 | Your ability to deceive surpasses the will of the weak-willed and simple-minded. |
| Composure | Social | 3 | Others look to you for guidance when the blood spatter hits the fan. |
| Intelligence | Mental | 4 | You’re likely consulted by members of Clan Tremere for your wisdom. |
| Wits | Mental | 3 | You can analyze a situation and quickly work out the best escape route. |
| Resolve | Mental | 2 | You can settle in for the long haul, as long as it’s not too long. |
Skills
| Name | Type | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | Physical | 2 | Despite being dead, you are still as fit as a mortal doing regular exercise. |
| Brawl | Physical | 1 | You had a tough upbringing and had to fight to justify your place. You still have some moves. |
| Craft | Physicl | 1 | You are an amateur, but you know what you are doing. |
| Drive | Physical | 1 | You are a cautious driver, unlikely to make any mistakes. |
| Melee | Physical | 1 | You can swing a bat or blade and mostly hit the people you intend to. |
| Stealth | Social | 2 | You can sneak by casual observers and stalk unknowing victims without raising any hackles. |
| Survival | Social | 2 | You spend more time outdoors than inside, and you can track anyone who doesn’t possess woodcraft. |
| Animal Ken | Social | 1 | Animals shy away from you but will not bolt or snap. |
| Etiquette | Social | 2 | You know the rules of etiquette in each of the domain’s popular nightspots. |
| Insight | Social | 2 | You pick up on the hidden emotion between humans and even sometimes between Kindred. |
| Intimidation | Social | 1 | You can cut a scathing insult effectively. |
| Persuasion | Social | 2 | You can always swing a discount or get on the inside track of the latest gossip. |
| Streetwise | Social | 1 | You know where to score drugs and sex in your domain. |
| Subterfuge | Social | 2 | You can hustle naive people, old and young, into giving you their things. |
| Academics | Mental | 2 | Basic university education or tutelage from a mediocre mentor; a four-year degree |
| Awareness | Mental | 3 | You can see through most disguises and sense concealed dangers or hidden clues. |
| Finance | Mental | 1 | You can run a business and keep books. |
| Investigation | Mental | 1 | You love a good mystery novel and fancy yourself an amateur sleuth. |
| Science | Mental | 1 | You dabble in the sciences and understand the principles behind the building blocks of life. |
Disciplines
| Name | Type | Threat | Points | Resonance | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auspex | Mental | Low | 2 | Phlegmatic. Artists (especially photographers) and visionaries, certain schizophrenics, users of psychoactive substances, detectives. | Among the greatest gifts and worst curses afflicting vampires, the Discipline of Auspex allows Kindred to discern truth from lies, probe the minds of those around them, and perceive reality on a different level than other beings. What appears to be the ultimate power in foresight and vision grants its wielders perhaps too much knowledge. They may detect an assassin’s blade before it strikes or get into an enemy’s head to turn them around, but they can also sense every shift in emotion, good and bad, see things they wish they had not, and discern futures they may not wish to explore. Users of Auspex invite paranoia, but using it is addictive. Once you know the truth rests within your grasp, you seek it out at every opportunity. |
| Obfuscate | Mental | Low | 1 | Melancholic. The ignored and unseen, the homeless, forgotten, and depressed; spies, pickpockets, excellent servants, roadies and stagehands, and all the background people. | For any hunter, the ability to hide, move without being seen, and employ camouflage proves vital. For the Kindred practitioners of Obfuscate, the Discipline provides the perfect cover to get close to a victim, disguise themselves as harmless, and escape when the heat grows too much. |
Powers
| Name | Cost | Dice | Duration | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premonition | Free /Rouse Check | Resolve+ Auspex | Passive | Whenever the Storyteller deems it appropriate, this power gives the character a sudden hint that aids them in some way: letting them find a clue they’ve missed or saving them from danger. Whether it gives the character a sudden vision of themselves walking into a trap, an inviting red glow over the second right turn during a chase, or the brief flash of a skeleton beneath the floorboards in the Prince’s office, this power always gives the Storyteller license to subtly speed up play or move the story onto a desired track. The suggested limit is one premonition per scene, even if more than one character has Premonition.<br>The user can also actively provoke a premonition by focusing on a subject, making a Rouse Check and rolling Resolve + Auspex. The number of successes rolled determines the level of insight on the subject, if any. |
| Sense the Unseen | Free | Wits+Auspex/Resolve +Auspex | Passive | Whenever there’s something supernatural hiding in plain sight, the Storyteller makes a hidden roll of Wits + Auspex against a Difficulty they choose. Against an entity actively trying to stay hidden, the Storyteller can call for a blind roll (“Lisa, roll seven dice for me”) as a contest against the target’s relevant pool. (For example, detecting a vampire using Obfuscate would be a roll of Wits + Auspex vs Wits + Obfuscate) If the vampire actively searches for a hidden supernatural entity, they roll Resolve + Auspex similarly. |
| Cloak of Shadows | Free | N/A | 1 Scene | Follow the general rules for Obfuscate. The effect lasts until the user moves or they are detected by other means. |
| Heightened Senses | Free | Wits + Resolve | Until Deactivated | The user adds their Auspex rating to all perception rolls. If exposed to extreme sensations, such as loud bangs, flashes of intense light or overpowering smells while the power is active the user must succeed on a Wits + Resolve (Difficulty 3 or more) roll to dampen their senses in time, or the overload causes them to sustain a -3 dice penalty to all perception-based rolls for the rest of the scene. |
Advantages
| Name | Points | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond Resistance | 3 | Merit | Your Blood rebels against control. Add one die to your dice pools to resist a Blood Bond per level you take of this Merit (maximum three). |
| Riverwood Haven | 2 | Background | Your Haven has a dedicated library on the occult, Cainite legends, city history, vampire lore, or the like. Each dot of this Merit adds one to the dice pool for research rolls for one Academics, Investigation, or Occult specialty. |
| Trish (Ally) | 1 | Background | Weak mortal, likely useless in a violent or potentially violent situation. |
| Cottage (Resources) | 2 | Background | Nice apartment or small house, several cars, high-end equipment |
Disadvantages
| Name | Points | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folkloric Block | 1 | Merit | Garlic |
| Prey Exclusion | 1 | Merit | Children |
Specialties
Insight
Emotions
Academics
Philosophy
Craft
Design
Science
Biology
Stealth
Break-in
Relationship Tracker
| Character | Relationship | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malkavian Mentor | Mentor / Friend | ||
| Unknown Sire | Sire | Unknown |