abstract
| - The Qedeshah are an all-female bloodline of the Mekhet. They see themselves as the mothers of the Kindred, and Embrace far more often than is normal, even if this means defying the local Prince. Members of the bloodline cannot Embrace men, and any attempt will end in an agonizing death for the would-be childe. The bloodline traces their origins to an ancient Jewish cult who worshiped the "Queen of Heaven" as well as Yahweh. The priestesses and temple prostitutes were eventually cast out for violating the Law, but a handful were given the gift of eternal life by a mysterious woman they believed to be the Queen of Heaven incarnate. Whether this really was divine intervention or simply an opportunistic traveling Mekhet, most Qedeshah believe they have a divine mandate for their mission of motherhood. While openly defying the Traditions is a risky proposition, a Qedeshah may also "adopt" other's neonates, or make numerous ghouls in order to act out her motherly urges. Such acts are rarely an unalloyed good: individual Qedeshah may kidnap a neonate because they obviously know what's good for them, or use their "kids" to satisfy narcissistic urges, or simply become smothering and controlling to the point that their childer turn against them out of pure self-preservation. Still, the sanctuaries of the Qedeshah are a potential safe harbor for any vampire in danger. Their signature Discipline is called Embrocation.
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