The beautiful children of the rose are a clan of artists, critics and socialites. If any clan were to strive for perfection in word, note or deed then it would be the Toreador. They are a clan who revel in love and sensuality, in beauty and wonder, and they are the pillars of civility and grace in the courts.

Indeed, their survival relies upon the power that they hold in courts where they are the dominant divas; no doubt the other High Clans might find themselves outmatched were it not for the Toreador's tendency to fall to bickering among themselves. It is easy for rivalries to develop in a clan full of peacocks.

None can deny the artistry of the clan though, it is both their greatest strength and their weaknesses, cursed as they are to lose themselves in the presence of the most beautiful of works.

It is no surprise that the clan are most often found in populated areas. More than that, in the most cultural of civilisations where innovation and artistry flourish. Historically the clan has had a strong presence in Greece and remain so today, however the ebb and flow of continuous conflict has forced many of their number to live in regions typically dominated by other Clans.

It is true to say that this clan has little trouble finding a way to fit in though, like a cat they make themselves at home where-ever they may go. For instance, while many Toreador may not themselves be particularly religious, they will often ingratiate themselves with the Catholic Church who are one the few patrons of the arts in this era.

In more recent years the Toreador have found another home among the Kingdom of West Francia where the concept of chivalry has spawned knightly orders and begun a social movement within the Toreador that has birthed the Courts of Love. And already the influence of these Courts of Love has started to exert influence over the domains of the Kingdom.

Within the Duchies of Bavaria, the Toreador are likely to be found mostly along the Danube where the largest number of mortal settlements dot the river ways. This region lacks the same cultural stimulation as Constantinople, the Queen of Cities, the emerging Courts of Love in the Kingdom of Francia, or the thousands of years of rich culture in Greece.

However, Bavaria is a melting pot of Celts, Romans, Francians and the Germanic tribes, and in any place with such variety there is the opportunity to forge a new culture of their own; and in such a melting pot the Toreador thrive.

Across the vampiric courts of the region the Toreador hold less power and formal positions than their Ventrue cousins, but they more than make up for this with informal influence and power. The Toreador hold some sway over the church because of their patronage of the arts, but this is to a much lesser degree than the Lasombra. However the Toreador also have influence with a number of other mortal groups and institutions which grants them soft power that they are more than able to deploy when needed.

The clan founder, Arikel, was reputed to have been a mortal artist, a painter and sculptor. Following that foundation, the generations since have tended to favour childer with talent or a proper appreciation for artistry - though now and again some choose their progeny purely for their aesthetic beauty, seeking to preserve it against the erosion of time.

The ghouls of the Toreador are likely to fall into two camps. The first is very similar to the above choice of childer; those talented individuals who catch their Domitor's eye (ear, nose, mouth or touch) and whom the Toreador wishes to capture for their own or preserve in some timeless state. The second camp contains those ghouled to serve their Domitor's every whim, bringing some sense of order to the often impulsive lives of their masters.

As you can imagine, for the latter there will often follow a thankless life. but because they are blood bonded they will never tire of serving their most beloved Domitor who they may see as a wondrous individual who they are lucky enough to simply attend to and live in the presence of.

Contrastingly, for the former will likely follow a life of which any artist would dream, with their Domitor acting as either a patron or perhaps muse while they in return simply supply their art.