The Assamites are a fictional clan of vampires, from White Wolf Game Studio's Vampire: The Masquerade books and role-playing games. The Assamites are a group of skilled, select assassins who often commit contract killings in exchange for the blood of other vampires. Even when compared to other vampires, the Assamite appear overly obsessed with blood, due to the fact that after the collection of 250 blood points, they may perform a ritual which lowers them by one generation, effectively making them much more powerful.

Much of the Assamite symbology is Arabic in origin. Even the clan stronghold, Alamut, is based in a mountain range in the Middle Eastern region.

The Assamites are associated with both the Camarilla and the Sabbat, which may superficially seem like a contradiction but is actually essential to Assamite nature.

Another trait which differentiates Assamites from other clans is the fact that Assamite blood is poisonous to other vampires, and vice versa. The poisonous nature of Assamite blood is due to the use of their Disipline, while the poisonous nature of other vampires blood to Assamites is due to a blood curse placed on them by the Tremere. Recently, however, the Assamites have managed to shrug free of the curse, and have resumed feeding on other vampires, preferably on the Tremere who had cursed them.

Unlike the other lines of vampires, who become paler as they age, Assamites grow darker - their high-generation members being the shade of obsidian.

References

• Vampire: The Masquerade (3rd Edition) by White Wolf (1998)