An old galleon in a heaving sea. It's sails torn and tattered. Ocean water overflows it at every swell, but yet it stays afloat. A crew of skeletal sailors man the ship, fighting desperately not to be swept over the sides and into the stormy abyss. And at the prow, standing with one foot on the base of the bowsprit is a well-dressed woman, whom neither water nor wind seem to touch.

--

A black coach, drawn by ghostly horses, a corpse-like coachman behind the dashboard, rushing madly towards you, with nowhere for you to go, it's going to run you over. But at the last moment, just before the horses hit, with a sound of rushing wind the coach turns into a bank of fog that flow right past you harmlessly. Standing where the coach was is a lone imposing figure dressed as a nobleman.

--

A bone-white Bentley limousine flows soundlessly along the streets with headlights off. One never gets a good look at the driver, but if one could, one would see that the driver's seat is indeed empty, and all the ghostly images one sees from afar simply must be reflections. If one is unlucky, the car might stop nearby, and the back doors silently opening without the touch of a mortal hand. The inside is dark, and one can only barely make out the sillhouette within; a sillhouette where nothing can be seen except for softly glowing red eyes, and the glint of streetlights on long, sharp fangs.

--
History: The bloodline claims viking ancestry, but the oldest confirmed vampires of the bloodline are from the late 14th century, and rose with the Hanseatic league. Vampiric pirates who bonded with their ships, and used these vessels to both terrorise mortals, and to keep free of vampire authorities - Especially the powerful princes of the Heiligen Nacht Reich. Still, rumours abound of a Ghost Queen of the Baltic, who sails in a tattered longship and claims her sire was Loki himself.

The bloodline quickly spread along famous pirate havens, first to the mediterrannean, and then to the indian ocean. When, in the early 16th century the rush to the Americas began, Rötgraf vampires were among the first vampires to make the journey to the new world.

The core of the bloodline were always bound to the sea, but vampires soon realized that the powers of the bloodline also extended to land vehicles, and across Europe a handful of vampires found the strange bond the Rötgrafen formed with their vehicles enticing.

Historically, the Rötgrafen have all been rich and noble; people who could afford their own ships. That has changed. Today, car ownership is common enough to be assumed across most of the western world, and a significant amount of people form strong bonds with their cars in the same way that the old vampires did with their ships. This has caused the image of the bloodline to shift from powerful captains of majestic ships, to speed-loving kids riding custom steetcars.
Covenants: The Rötgrafen as a group were born from the desire to leave land and people behind, to live by one's own rules, and this anarchic mindset has carried on through the centuries. The young car enthusiasts are also generally young enough that they find the joining of any covenant rather jarring. Either way, when the Rötgrafen do join covenants, the Carthian Movement and the Circle of the Crone are the ones who mostly
Nicknames: Sea Kings, Red Counts, Pirates (insulting), Gearheads (Modern)
Parent Clan: Ventrue
Bloodline Bane:
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Dominate, Protean, Resilience
Powers: The Rötgrafen's unique powers all revolve around the control of vehicles. The powers they buy are all tied to a single vehicle, and if they wish to spread their control to another vehicle they need to buy their powers anew. If the vehicle is destroyed beyond repair, the Experiences used to buy them are refunded, similar to the Sanctity of Merits rule.
The Master's Bond is learned for free when the vampire joins the bloodline, the others may be bought at the same cost as in-clan disciplines, provided the Sea King meets the prerequisites.

The Master's Bond
Two things are needed for a vampire to bond to a craft; first and foremost it has to be a Touchstone of the vampire. If the vampire isn't already deeply attached to the vehicle, it will not work.
The second part is that the vehicle must have a sun-proof compartment where the vampire can fit. This could be a coffin lashed to the deck of a longship, the back seat of a limousine with completely blackened windows, or shuttered cabin on an airplane.
Infusing the chosen craft with Vitae, the vampire transfers a portion of her life force to the craft. The larger the vehicle, the more blood is required; Rötgrafen have been known to butcher the entire crew of large ships to get enough blood to anoint it.
When using this power the vampire has to infuse the craft with Vitae at a cost of 1 Vitae for every five size the vehicle is. Once done, the vampire must then spend a day's sleep on board the vehicle, to attune their very essence to it.

When all this is done the vehicle is bonded to vampire. The Sea King may "awaken" the vehicle for a cost of 1 Vitae per 20 Structure the vehicle has when whole. Once awakened the craft remains awake until dawn, when the magic fades. The vampire may of course pay the cost once again to keep the craft going, if need be.
While the craft is awakened, and on board the vampire's senses are one with the craft; they may also  may control the vehicle with her mind alone, using Intelligence rather than Dexterity to steer. No crew is needed to man the ship, and the only fuel needed is that of the vampire. If the vehicle is dependent on outside sources, such as wind, the Master's Bond provides the necessary power to move the vehicle.
If the craft becomes damaged, the Rötgraf may heal it while it is awakened at a ratio of one Vitae per Structure restored. This can restore the craft from complete destruction.
Despite the fact that no other crew is needed for the vehicles, the life force of all who needed to give it life are echoed in illusions. From ghostly images of a driver glinting in the windscreen of a car, to shadowy horses pulling carriages - the more important the being, the stronger the illusion is.

Bosun's Call
Prerequisite: Dominate 1
The Sea King's command of his vessel is absolute. Just because he steps away, it doesn't mean that anyone else may supplant his command. The craft is his, and only his.
Any unauthorised pilot of the vehicle automatically suffers a penalty equal to the bonded Rötgraf's Blood Potency on all checks, as the vehicle fights back.
Additionally, by spending a point of Willpower the vampire may command their vehicle without being on board, as long as they can in any way perceive it.

Part of the Crew, Part of the Ship
Prerequisite: Protean 1
Vampire may meld into their vehicle with Protean 1, even if the specific part isn't large enough to hold her; the vampire's essence is spread all over the craft. No extra Vitae cost. May "exit" unmarked grave anywhere.
Additionally: May use active effects of physical disciplines as if the ship were their body (Celerity for +speed, Resilience for damage reduction, Vigor for ramming damage)

Dragula
Prerequisite: Resilience 1
While awakened, no matter the damage level, the craft behaves as if whole, until completely destroyed. Ignores missing wheels, sails, etc. They are recreated with shadowy stuff.

Captain on the Deck
Prerequisite: Dominate 3
The Rötgraf may use their commanding presence to attempt to apply the Mesmerized condition to all on board of the vehicle, eschewing other requirements.

Figurehead Queen
Prerequisite: Protean 3
May animate parts of the vehicle, animating objects beyond just driving. Instant action, command vehicle to do as you wish.

Corpse Cart
Prerequisite: Resilience 3
While on board their craft, and the craft is awakened, the Red Count may still command their vehicle, and use any other powers, even while their bodies are asleep for daysleep, for as long as they are on board.

Heart of the Ship
Prerequisite: Resilience 5
May deflect damage taken to craft instead, for as long as it is awakened. Cost: 1 Vitae/instance of damage transfered.

Flying Dutchman
Prerequisite: Dominate 5
May drive the vehicle hovering over any terrain. Can not go beyond arm's reach.

Ghost Ride
Prerequisite: Protean 5
May cause vehicle to vanish into nothingness, with visual effect like mist, burst of darkness, or cloud of bats. May re-awaken vehicle to bring it back.