![]()
|
|||||||||||||||
| Welcome To The Night You find yourself in London on a dreary, foggy night like any other. But what lurks in the shadows is the stuff of fantasies and nightmares, far from mortal reality. This game uses the cursed and immortal vampiric condition as a backdrop to explore themes of morality, depravity, the human condition, salvation, and personal horror. We are a writing and roleplaying community dedicated to telling complex and engaging stories. Your fate is your own. Mingle among the ivory-tower elite in the Camarilla, join the fight of the discontented and chaotic Anarch rabble, or set out independently and attempt to survive in London's nighttime underworld. Anything is possible in our World of Darkness. Create Your Account! If you're already a member, please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| The Sects; What faction will you side with? | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Sunday, 9. January 2011, 12:36 (3,181 Views) | |
| Mael | Sunday, 9. January 2011, 12:36 Post #1 |
![]()
|
![]() The Camarilla is the largest of vampiric sects, a loose organization which ostensibly represents and protects all vampires by enforcing and promulgating the Masquerade. The Camarilla's birth was grounded in the growing threats of the Inquisition and the Anarch Revolt, both of which were threatening Cainite domains throughout Europe. Though there had been attempts to form alliances in the past, a meeting of elders to seriously consider the idea of forming a league of vampires was not held until 1394. Little came of it, however, until a bold attack was made on the castle of the elder Ventrue Hardestadt. The Founders-to-be recognized the need for a unified front and so banded together several of their most trusted childer and servants into a joint task force to use against the Anarchs. Though meant to illustrate what could be accomplished if elders pooled their resources together, politics and rivalries would continue to divide them even as the Founders slowly made preparations for their new alliance. The formation of the Camarilla was announced in 1435 as the Founders began openly rallying support for a coalition to protect vampires from the dangers of roving anarchs, the invading Assamites, and the increasingly dangerous mortal mobs. War continued to rage over the next several decades and the Founders, now called justicars, fought to hold the nascent sect together. In 1486 the first national conclave was convened, during which the justicars were given broader authority to punish vampires who violated the Traditions. A new body of agents was also formed to report to the justicars and free them to further develop the sect, creating what would eventually become the position of archon. In 1493, the Convention of Thorns marked the end of the First Anarch Revolt and the birth of the Camarilla as it is known today. The Traditions were accepted as law. Representatives for the Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, and Ventrue clans officially joined the sect, while those speaking for the Lasombra and Tzimisce, who were majoritarily anarchs, rebelled against what they considered an offensive ultimatum and went on to form the Sabbat in opposition to everything the Founders intended. While the Convention of Thorns was a significant victory for the Camarilla, it set the stage for the next five centuries of conflict between the two sects. The Convention also set the Camarilla's views about the rest of the Vampires. According to these views, every Kindred -Anarch, Independent, Sabbat, or anything else-, is technically a member of the Camarilla. Anarchs are tolerated, as per stated in the Convention of Thorns. Considering every Kindred a member of the Camarilla gives Princes and Sheriffs all over the world the arguments they need to enforce the Camarilla Traditions on non Camarilla Kindred. However, it is important to point out that this is just the Camarilla's perspective, not an objective reality. The Camarilla's position in regard to mortals is simply pragmatic. In the dark ages the Inquisition and other mortal forces were responsible for the destruction of countless vampires. Now that the mortal population is counted in billions instead of millions and have created weapons stronger than the most powerful Disciplines, they could easily destroy most of Kindred society should their existence be revealed. Thus, the Camarilla ensures that mortal populations are not unduly harmed by vampire activities in order to protect the Masquerade, not out of any good will towards humanity. Still, Kindred are encouraged to blend in with mortals as best as possible and to retain the civility and composure that comes from holding onto one's human characteristics. ![]() [SABBAT CLOSED -NO NEW APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED !] The Sabbat, also known as “The Sword of Caine”, is a sect of Cainites who reject the traditions which govern the masquerade and the Camarilla. They also firmly believe in the existence of Caine and the Antediluvians, something the Camarilla does not (at least publically) acknowledge. The Sabbat wage a war against the Camarilla also, believing it to be puppeteer by the Antediluvians that will one day devour all their childer. The Sabbat was founded in 1493, largely in reaction to the Convention of Thorns which founded the Camarilla. They are the remnants of the Anarch Revolt of the time. The Sabbat sees itself as the army of Caine, and consequently is tightly organized, far more than the relatively anarchic Camarilla. They are led by members of Clans Tzimisce and Lasombra, and consist of numerous antitribu from Clans normally independent or associated with the Camarilla. The cornerstone of Sabbat organization is the pack; Sabbat packs are organizations of 3-10 vampires mutually bound through the standard blood-sharing rites of the cult. Packs have a ductus, who is the pack's warleader, and a pack priest who reminds the pack of its responsibilities to Caine. In addition, pack members are mutually bound in a vinculum — a sort of communal blood bond — created by the blood-sharing ceremonies. Packs generally occupy communal havens; given the Sabbat's rejection of human mores and its use of artificial loyalties enforced by the vinculum, there is less need for privacy. Above the pack is a set of hierarchical titles specifically mocking the titles of the Catholic Church. Bishops oversee multiple packs and may also have a specific portfolio; overseeing Bishops are Archbishops, generally holding a position analogous to Prince for a city. Above the Archbishops are the Cardinals, who oversee large geographic regions (such as Canada, or the Eastern Seaboard) and who comprise the Constitory, the governing body that selects the Regent. Advising the Regent, Constitory and Archbishops or other leaders are the Prisci, a group of elders and other respected Sabbat who take an advisory and judicial role. The higher ranks of the Sabbat enforce their will through agents commonly called Templars or Paladins, depending on rank. These titles are formally recognized, but also generally involve a certain degree of self-selection. The Sabbat has a formal rite for recognizing Bishop and higher ranks, but any Sabbat may claim a title and try to defend it. However, the higher the rank claimed, the more likely the claimant will meet a gruesome end. [SABBAT CLOSED -NO NEW APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED !] ![]() Anarchs are vampires who reject the status quo of vampire society. They especially resent the privileged status held by Elders within the Camarilla and other vampire organisations; when the eldest hold the most power in a society of immortals, the lot of Neonates is not a happy one. Anarchs are often targeted for recruitment by the Sabbat, but most respect the Masquerade and some of the other. Traditions, even if they do not respect the vampires who enforce them. Even though the Convention of Thorns pulled the old Anarchs back in the Camarilla's ranks, modern Anarchs are not the same Kindred. After the French Revolution, the World Wars, and all the counter culture movements in the second half of the XX Century, this faction has been revitalized and reformulated. Some Anarchs come from a Camarilla background, and they are supposed to be extra careful with the Traditions. However, there are plenty of Anarchs who come from an Independent or Sabbat background. There are even Anarchs who have been affiliated to the faction since their Embrace. Anarchs' perspective on the rest of the sects and factions varies from one Anarch to the next. Some accept that the faction is a satellite of the Camarilla, and would never negotiate with Sabbat, while others reject any proximity with the larger sect, and would have no issues with making deals with the Sword. At the end of the day, Anarch ideology and perspective is built on the active members of the faction. Anarch is what the Anarchs are. "Anarch" was originally a name imposed upon them by Camarilla Elders, since they sought to overthrow the leadership structures of Cainite society, but while many new Anarchs are indeed anarchists, the more traditional desire has been to bring democracy, meritocracy, or any alternate way of "fairer" government to Kindred society. It is important to point out that Anarchs are not, by default, Anarchists. The term Anarch was coined in the XV Century, and what we understand nowadays as Anarchism started being formulated during the times of the French Revolution. Although the Camarilla Princes have stated in several occasions that the Domain is part of the Camarilla territory -as per their sect's doctrine demands-, the Anarchs of the North strongly refute the notion. London's current Anarch population is remarkably secretive and reclusive. Very few non Anarch Kindred are even aware that there is a Baron organising them. They seldom meet personally, and often rely on digital communication systems to establish their strategies. These modern Anarchs understand technology, and have a strong grip on security and surveillance systems. Their political perspective is hugely varied; all they have in common is that they refuse to be part of the Camarilla or the Sabbat, that they are fiercely protective of their territory, and that they are set on stopping members of the Camarilla and the Sabbat from feeding or conducting business on their Domain. Their views on subjects like Kine, ghouls, Elders, Humanity, and Blood Bonds are as varied as they can be. They very rarely interact with members of other Sects; they rather keep their very existence a secret, feeding misinformation to their rivals. At the end of the day, nobody out of the group knows how many Anarchs are there in London, as the vast majority of them never mix with members of other sects. The most notable exception to that rule is the Anarch Leslie, who is in charge of handling diplomatic relations with the Camarilla. Anarchs who, on their own, establish links with members of the Camarilla or the Sabbat, are generally poorly regarded by the rest, as their actions are seen as dangerous for the whole group. |
![]() | |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · The Sects · Next Topic » |











9:58 AM Jul 11