The Protocols of the Camarilla

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CHAPTERSEVEN:THEPROTOCOLSOF

THECAMARILLA

If you give your players fleshed out, working models of political systems and let them manipu-late those systems, they will worship you always. OK, maybe not worship, but they will greatly

appreciate the effort you put into the game. You can give them the experience of learning to

play the manipulators game: exulting when their plans work out and paying the price when

their plots fail... So the question is, how do you provide a consistent, workable framework for

your players? It must be clear enough so your players can find a way in, but not so transparent

that there are no surprises. It must be flexible enough to allow real manipulation, but not so

flimsy that the players gain complete control over it and always get their own way. The secret

is in agreements: small deals and large compacts. Deal making is the heart and soul of politi-

cal systems and Vampire is no exception.1

INTRODUCTIONWhat follows is an out of character explanation of in character rules. These Proto-

cols are the unspoken rules of the Camarilla; what follows is a guide to them. Unlike

game mechanics, these are not meant to be quoted at people; none of these rules is hard

and fast. Rather, they are representative of the ancient protocols of the society of the

undead formed the best part of 500 years ago. In this, they reflect that world and what

it stands for to this night.Imagine the society of the living dead, beings of immense power and age; drinking

blood, they have survived the centuries living in secret, hidden behind the veil that is

the Masquerade. They are strong, fast, beautiful, immortal and deadly. Above all, you

1 Vampire the Masquerade: Storytellers Handbook(First Edition), page 62


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are one of them. You are Kindred. You drift through the neon lit streets like a shark,

silent and terrifying. You are the top of the food chain. Nothing can get to you.

Except your fellow Kindred of course, for there is always someone older, meaner and

more deadly than you. Even if you stand as some ancient Elder, imperial in power and

authority, there is something else more deadly that surrounds you: the society of the

Undead, the very Camarilla itself.

Let us look at the Camarilla shall we? A society of Undead immortals, that has

existed for several hundreds of years; it has witnessed the Reformation, the Age of Em-

pires, and the overwhelming and rapid changes of the last 200 years, and it still remains.

It is all persuasive and all-powerful. It is also cruel, harsh and ruthless.

This would be a society that has hundreds of years to develop; as Kindred dont age,

dont pass away, they have years to continue and perpetuate the standards of behavior

that they held in their youth; existing in the dustless2Elysium, they have a shield against

the changing world; they have protection from a society that twists and turns at a speedeven the young have difficulty comprehending; your average neonate can understand

how television spread around the world and changed the world in over a decade; but

even they are shocked how the Internet has changed the world in half that time. Society

twists and turns; yesterdays common word becomes tomorrows inf lammatory racist

comment; last nights scandal is acceptable conversation on tomorrows childrens televi-

sion show.

So they maintain in place their own codes, their own standards and their own rules.

A society that is a gross reflection of themselves; a hybrid mixture of feudal tradition,

age of enlightenment reform and 18th Century conservatism with a few smatteringsof 16th Century court politics. Reform is stif led, change is fought against and new

Kindred soon find that a single rule appliesfollow the system or be killed.

That systemcomplex, intricate and confusing, full of pitfalls and silent trapsis

there to bring down all Kindred. Even the Elders cannot escape it; no one can. No one

is free. All are trapped, like insects in amber.

WELCOMETOTHECAMARILLA, LICK!Play hard, play smart and dont forget... so much as wipe yourself with the wrong

hand and these Cammies will have the Justicar down on you faster than a Brujah onacid.

2 Kindred dont shed skin. As a side effect many secret Elysia tend not to get dusty.

ANIMPORTANTCLARIFICATIONFor the sake of story and campaign, it is assumed that these rules have

always existed, for as long as the Camarilla has. If these systems are new to your

Chronicle, then it assumed that the political climate has changed to have them

reintroduced by the Elders and conservative elements of Kindred society.

This re-introduction of traditional values is being called the Restoration

of the Camarilla by some, Renewal by others and the Backlash by some of

the younger Kindred.


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LEVELSOFINTRIGUEThe politics of the Camarilla, the ancient society of the Kindred, is one layered in

growing circles. At the basic level is the interaction between individual Kindred within

the context of members of a Clan living locally. At the highest level is the Jyhad of the

ancients. Each level brings its own mysteries, danger and intrigue. These levels also

reflect a natural dividing line observed across the world in terms of roleplay.

Almost all in character interaction will take place in the first three levels. You may

never need to move any higher than this. Good. Nevertheless, higher levels do exist:

the deadly games of politics Princes play between themselves, the intricate games of the

Elders and the deadly politics of the Jyhad. At each level, more complexity is added and

things become more deadly.

Read carefully; work out where your character stands now, where you would like to

be, and try the system on for size.Levels of Intrigue: Clan, Court, Prince, Faction, and Jyhad

CLANLEVELINTRIGUEThis is the lowest level of intrigue and interaction. Most characters will be happy

here. At this level is the never-ending struggle between Primogen and Clan members; it

is the relationship between each single member of a Clan in a local area and his Primo-

gen and Whip. In some places, you may find that only one or two members of a given

Clan exist, in others there will be scores. In some places, a given Clan might be tightlyknit, discussing and agreeing upon everything. In another, they may only recognize

each other by face. Whatever the case, this is the basic level of Kindred Protocol.

Before the Camarilla, Kindred were defined by their Clan and paid it more service;

Clans were the only way to unite Kindred, to give them identity. As time has passed,

Clans have found their role subjugated in the face of the growth of the Sect. Certain

elements of the past do remain; however, and one of these is the role of the Primogen.

PRIMOGENThe Primogen is a creation of the late 16

th

Century. As the rapid urbanization ofEurope began to take effect, more and more Kindred found themselves living in close

proximity. Princes ruled the cities, but often they faced situations where more powerful

Elders sought residence. For Elders who arrived in these good feeding grounds, a Prince

ruling over them was not acceptable. Many began to force Princes to concede power in

return for support. Thus were born the first Primogen.

The Primogen is the local head of a Camarilla Clan. While many Primogen are no

more than pawns for local Elders, and some hold just token power within their Clan,

Primogen are formally seen as the final power. Primogen have the ability to topple

Princes, a fact that is not lost on the Princes themselves.

Primogen is a post that flies in the face of the Second Tradition, because Primogen

can and have successfully questioned the Praxis of many a Prince. Indeed, the Primo-

gen have toppledmany a Prince. For many Elders, the post of Primogen acts as a legal

and legitimate way to keep Princes in check.


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As time has passed, the post has become widely accepted and now no one really bats

an eye at the existence of a Primogen. Some Primogen do indeed keep their Princes in

check, while others are only there because everyone else has them. Some are pawns to

rubber stamp whatever the Prince decides.

Around the 1750s, a new precedent was created in terms of social interaction and

responsibilities for Primogen. Princes sought to keep the Primogen busy by maintain-

ing a series of rules for the Primogen Council. The most important rule is simple but

deadly. It is assumed that a Primogen of a Clan speaks and acts for the entire Clan in a

Domain.

Primogen are the living representatives of a Clans power and meaning in the eyes

of the Camarilla. Therefore, if the Nosferatu Primogen of a Domain is caught trying to

overthrow the Prince, then the entire Clan in that Domain is assumed to be trying to

overthrow the Princeeven if they knew nothing about it. If the Brujah Primogen of a

Domain calls the Malkavians a bunch of traitors to the Camarilla then it is assumedthat allBrujah in that Domain think the same thing.

This can lead to those under the jurisdiction of the Primogen getting it in the neck

for the actions of their Primogen. This is intentional. It keeps the Clans on their toes

watching their Primogen and keeps the Primogen worried about how their Clan will

react. In cases where a Primogen upsets a Princenot necessarily breaking a law, just

angering or defying himit is standard for the Clanto be punished. If the Primogen

broke the law or the Traditions as well as upsetting the Prince, the Clan can also be

punished. A Clan should know what their Primogen is thinking and doing at all times.

If not, they may find themselves reduced in Status, their havens burned to the ground,and facing charges of treason, all because their Primogen said the wrong thing at the

wrong time.

WHIPOften in the earliest days of the Primogen position, Princes tried to tie Elders down

by decreeing that Primogen had to maintain their Clan. At other times, Primogen vied

with others for positions of power within their Clan and had to enforce their will on

OTHERTYPESOFPRIMOGENCOUNCILSThe views presented here would seem to indicate that this is the only type of

Primogen Council. That is not correct. It is entirely possible that the Primogen

Council is entirely made up of powerful Elders and Ancilla, regardless of Clan.

Especially with those types of Councils, new members will only gain a seat if

they can earn the respect, or fear, of the existing Primogen.

It is also not unheard of for other Clans to have a seat on the Council. This

usually depends on how many of their members are in each Domain. Occasion-

ally, a seat on the Council is created to represent all other Camarilla members

in a Domain.

Counsel of Primogenincludes an in depth look at the Primogen Council and

the other types of Primogen that can exist.


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those members of their Clan whose support was unreliable. Thus, the Camarilla saw

the creation of the Whips.

Whips have the same powers as the Primogen to grant or remove a permanent Status

Trait at a cost of one temporary Status Trait each. A Whip does not suffer from the con-

straints placed upon the Primogen in terms of speaking. They do not gain an additional

Status Trait, and the Primogen of their clan may revoke their powers at any time.

Whips occupy a strange position within the Camarilla: They are recognized as a Ca-

marilla post, yet they carry no Status. In many ways, they are a Clan position, but their

power is limited to a Camarilla setting. Usually they are very loyal to the Primogen,

but it has been known for Whips to use their power to undermine and topple Primo-

gen. The Whip is sometimes seen as the first step on the ladder up the slippery slope

to power. The Whip is usually the Primogens designated successor, and a Whip only

exists if the Primogen of a given Domain decrees that they will have one.

PRIMOGENREMOVAL: THECALLOFTHESEASONSPrinces cannot appoint or remove individual Primogen. Primogen represent their

Clans, and only members of a Clan can decide who is or is not their Primogen. The

Prince has to live with whom they choose. It may be his nemesis whom he hates, but

he simply has to accept it. This was also a reason behind the Primogen speak for their

Clan ruling. It is not uncommon for Princes to use what a Primogen does to punish a

Clan so much that they will change their Primogen.

Primogen are chosen any way the Clan decides. For example, it is a common prac-

tice among Tremere for the Regent to decide that one of their apprentices is Primogen.Thus, the Primogen seems to be the main Tremere locally while the real power is hid-

den. The Brujah, on the other hand, have been known to fight it out with the victor

tacking the seat. Each way is valid and accepted. The Camarilla does not care how a

Primogen is chosen, only that the Clan chooses it. The Prince must accept the choice of

Primogen come what may.

This being said, the Prince can call for a new Primogen Council. This is a bit like

calling for a general election in the middle of a powerful political controversy. Once the

Prince calls for a new Council to be chosen, no Primogen business can be dealt with,

as all six (or more) Primogen positions must be contested. While this process is beingdone, the Primogen cannot decide anything until the whole thing is sorted. This is seen

as a good delaying tactic for certain Princes and sometimes the only way a Prince can

have a political rival removed from office.

The Prince cannot single out one Clan to choose a new Primogen; this is an all or

nothing proposition. This can lead to those Primogen who support the Prince to rebel

against him: In an attempt to undermine one rival, the Prince is now holding up all the

Primogen to re-election. It is a double-edged sword.

A Prince can only issue this call for a new Primogen once every three months. This

process was once called the Change of the Seasons. It originated in northern Italy

around the 1620s. Certain Princes, in an attempt to keep their Primogen unsettled,

would call for a new Primogen council on the first evening of each new season. While

that practice has stopped in the intervening years, it is still referred to by this name.


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The ultimate power of the Prince over the Council is to dissolve the Primogen Coun-

cil. They then rule without a Primogen Council. This is completely legal. There is no

need for a Primogen Council. Princes can, at least in theory, rule as they see fit.

Once a Prince accepts the existence of a Primogen Council, he is also giving up some

of his power. With this in mind, many Princes decide not to have any Primogen. This

is a dangerous strategy; however, because a Prince without Primogen will often find

themselves isolated and faced with increased dissent. Indeed, Princes who dissolve their

Primogen usually find that they do not remain in power very long unless they are very

powerful on their own.

COURTLEVELINTRIGUECourt intrigue is the realm of most games. The interaction between Kindred of a

given court, be it their home Domain or a Domain elsewhere, is the mainstay of mostChronicles. Primogen against Primogen, Clan against Clan, with the Harpies sitting

and watching it all. The line between the first two levels of intrigue is very thin and

crossed often without thought.

SHERIFFThe Sheriff has been called many things by many Princes. Common variations of

the title Sheriff include Bailiff, Constable, Judge, Justice, Justice of the Peace, Marshal

and Magistrate. Less well-known titles include Lord Protector, Enforcer, and Juryman.

Whatever the title, the job remains the same. The Sheriff is the enforcer of the Princeslaws.

The differences in this role from Domain to Domain depend on the differences in

the Princes laws. Many modern Princes have no more than the Traditions as their laws.

The laws of the ancient city of York, however, are several pages long and include regula-

tions on meeting times, feeding grounds and dress codes. Each Prince is free to make

his own Laws as he sees fit. The Sheriff simply enforces them, usually ruthlessly.

Sheriffs often fall into two camps with two differing mind sets. The first are the

Idealist Sheriffs. These men and women uphold the law and seek justice for all. They

are in the minority. The majority of Sheriffs have been chosen by a Prince to enforcetheir laws, come what may. In Domains where Anarchs are bloodhunted, for example,

Sheriffs usually lead the fight.

For many reasons, Sheriffs are usually perceived as the most loyal of the Princes

followersindeed, many are bound to their Prince. Others retain the position as several

Princes come and go. Arguably, the greatest of all Sheriffs, and indeed the first Kindred

to hold such a title, was Kett, a Brujah of the 7thgeneration. He was Sheriff of the

Lands of London for 600 years, seeing many Princes come and go.

A Sheriff takes orders solely from the Prince, although the Princes Seneschal may

also give him orders. A Sheriff will follow suggestions offered by the the Primogen

within a given Domain. If a Sheriff openly defies a Primogen, he may find the Pri-

mogen having a quiet word with the Harpies. Not even the Sheriff is immune to the

Harpies powers.

As will be described in Kindred Law on page 75, the Sheriff is also expected to

punish those who break the Princes laws. It is expected that all loyal Kindred will aid


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a Sheriff, so if the Sheriff tries to arrest a suspect and the suspect attacks the Sheriff, it

is expected that all Kindred shall rush to the Sheriffs aid. That they dont always do so

is a given. As is the fact that if the Sheriff survives, they may ask those Kindred in for

questioning later. Some Harpies feel that to help a Sheriff suggests they cant do their

job, though there is no set rule for this.

The Sheriff is immune to the powers of the Keeper of Elysiumthose conferred by

the position, that isas long as he is performing in an official capacity. However, the

Sheriff must still honor the Traditions.

The Sheriff may sponsor deputies by giving another Kindred a Status Trait of their

own. These deputies have the same powers as the Sheriff, but the Sheriff may revoke

their authority at any time.

KEEPEROFELYSIUMWhile not as old as many of the others, this position is indeed vitally important. Its

origins lie in the explosion of populations during the last few hundred years. Kindred

population has grown, and Elysium is no longer venerated as much as it once was. This

is a problem.

Elysium is the only place where Kindred are guaranteed to be able to meet together

on civilized terms. Violence is banned. With the threat of violence removed, Kindred

can freely gather and commune. If Elysium falls, so does the very principal that upholds

Kindred society.

In recent years, this concept is often overlooked. Several Princes and Elders have

insisted that Elysium is no more than a social convention. In saying this, they are notlying. It is a social convention, but that does not dismiss it. The entire Camarilla is a

social convention. Elysiums power lies in its veneration. Many, including several Justi-

cars, believe that Elysia must be enforced as absolutes. That is, if a member of the Sab-

bat walks into the room and someone attacks him, the attacker is the criminal. Once

someone breaks the Elysium, though, everyone else can then do whatever is required to

end the violence. This is usually accomplished by killing or incapacitating the offender.

This, then, is the role of Keeper of Elysium. If a Prince does not believe that Elysia

are all, then they do not have a Keeper of Elysium. It is a simple as that. The moment a

Prince creates this post, he is clearly saying that he will uphold Elysium come what mayand tolerate no violence by any, not even himself. It is this fact that leads to many visit-

ing Kindred to ask, upon arrival at a given Domain, to meet with the Keeper of Elysium.

If there is no Keeper, it means that the Elysium is not safe; many will then leave as

quickly as they arrived.

The Keeper also holds other duties. While some just maintain the Elysium, some

are more hosts than enforcers, working very closely with the Harpies and making Ely-

sium a more splendid place for Kindred to meet. This has led to certain Keepers being

called Harpies with swords.

The scale and scope of Elysium depends on the Prince and the Keeper. Certain

Elysia ban all weaponsthe very idea of bringing a weapon to them denotes a willing-

ness to break the Elysium, which brings the offender under the Keepers power. Others

allow weapons but ban their use. Some Princes view offensive discipline use as a break

of the Elysium. A few Princes have made the use of Dominate to be an offensive act and

punishable by the Keeper.


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How any given Elysium is enforced depends upon the Elder, Keeper or Prince in

charge. Indeed, in any single city there may be several grades of Elysium. If this is so,

it falls upon the Keeper to make sure Kindred know the rules. If a Kindred is killed

because she went to the wrong Elysium gathering and acted in a way that is not accept-

able there but is elsewhere, it is the Keeper who is held responsible, usually forfeiting

his own life. This failure to keep Kindred up to date is one of the most negative things

about this job, and indeed has led to many Keepers only taking the post provided the

Prince dictates that all Elysia are to be held to the same standard. If there are grades

of Elysium, it means more for the Keeper to learn and thus leaves more chances for

the Keeper to make a mistake. One grade of Elysium, one standard applied across the

Domain is something all Keepers fervently wish for.

There is also an older tradition that dates back to the earliest nights of the post of

Keeper of Elysium. The Keeper reports to the Justicars. This is not a duty in any formal

sense, but if they cannot enforce Elysium because a Kindred is too powerful, then inthe name of keeping the Elysium they sometimes send letters to the Archons reporting

Kindred for their crimes.

It is expected that Kindred will aid a Keeper of Elysium if he is enforcing Elysium.

The Sheriff is also expected to aid the Keeper in his duties if need be.

SCOURGEThe most distasteful of all Court posts, the Scourge is one that was out of vogue for

many years. Recently they have appeared more and more, and now it is estimated that

as many as half of all Princes have appointed one. Not all cities have reinstated the of-fice of Scourge, and even those that have do not consider it a noble aspiration but rather

a necessary evil born of the Final Nights.

The duties of a Scourge are simple. The Scourge can harass, detain or destroy with-

out penalty any Kindred that have been created without permission from the Prince, or

who have not been presented formally to the Prince. They are the population control of

the Prince, and they have license to kill. This punishment also applies to the Sire of any

Kindred so created.

HARPY

Harpies are the real power of the Camarilla. It is the Harpies who have helped cre-

ate the Protocols of the Camarilla, and it is the Harpies who are the ultimate judges of

the Sect. Make no mistake, even a Justicar listens to and watches the actions of a well-

organized group of Harpies. Their power is that great. Harpies, many of them quite

weak and young, are able to topple Princes, have people bloodhunted and bring down

entire domains. The Harpies are the true social power, equal in their own way to the

Princes political power and the Justicars legal power. None can defeat them; none can

counteract them. They are devastating and terrifying. Yet they are limited.

Being a Harpy is a position of paradox. On the one hand, they judge all, but on an-

other, they are judged more harshly. Taking the position of Harpy means being reactive,not proactive; Heaven help the Harpy who is discovered to be plotting to overthrow a

Prince or a Primogen. For fear of being tarred with the same brush, their fellow Harpies

will fall upon them with a savagery few ever see.


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The leader of the Harpies in a given Domainoften called the Chief Harpyis in the

same position as Primogen; he speaks for all Harpies. However, if a Chief Harpy says

something controversial, and if the other Harpies back him, it matters not what is said.

If the Harpies are united against a Kindred for the way she acts, then she is damned.

A Harpy is often the easiest post for young Kindred to attainindeed, it is the one

way young Kindred can judge their elders and betters. The Harpies are by nature

conservative, because any new change in Kindred society means two things. First, that

there become more rules to learn and protocols to follow. And second, change leads

to a potential undermining of their authority. Remember these rules of protocol give

power to the Harpiesperhaps the only power any will receive. Anything that can un-

dermine this power is dangerous to the Harpies. It was once said that in some Domains

that everyone was a Harpy who was not Primogen. This is indeed a prudent move.

One of the main purposes of these Protocols is to give Harpies a framework in which

to utilize this power. These rules give a frame of reference by which you can judgeeveryone. Usually it is Harpy players who learn these rules by heart and who then can

judge everyone they see.

PRINCELEVELINTRIGUEOne up, and very close, is the level of Princely intrigue. This is where you get to

play power games with the Prince; perhaps you are behind the scenes aid for the Prince,

doing secret missions; or maybe you are secretly trying to bring them down. But when

you play with a Prince, you must remember... they have the power to just kill you out ofhand. And perhaps the Prince isnt the real danger. Whos to say that the little Tore-

ador youve been insulting for months isnt the secret power behind the Prince? Getting

to this level is dangerous to say the least.

SENESCHALThe Seneschal, or Deputy Prince, is second only to the ruler of a Domain within

that Domain. Some Princes have this post, some do not. There are many reasons for

both cases. For many Princes, a Seneschal is often their Childer, or designated succes-

sor. They create the post in the event of them being killed. This way someone with thesame attitude can hold the Throne after they have died. This being said, Seneschals

have the great capacity to rebel against their Prince- many a Prince has learned to their

cost the mistake of trusting one so closely.

An interesting use of Seneschals has been when the Domain in question is too

large or the Prince does not want to be involved in the night-to-night running of said

Domain. This is usually popular with Elder Princes. If this is the case, the Seneschal

becomes much like a first ministerindeed, legitimate other titles for Seneschal include

First Minister, Chamberlain, Chancellor and Crown Prince. Though this last one fell

out of fashion some centuries ago.

The Seneschal can act in the Princes stead when the Prince is out of the city. He is

therefore entitled to all of the powers of the Prince, although the Prince may reverse or

revoke them at any time.

There is an unwritten agreement among all Kindred that if any Seneschal attempts

to seize Praxis, it is a natural succession. They will not aid their Prince in such an event.


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Certainly, no Prince has ever punished a Kindred for not aiding him against his Sen-

eschal. It goes with the territoryif one has a Seneschal, one must accept the risk.

PRINCEThe Prince is he who holds power, he who has Praxis. Under the Second Tradition,

he rules without question. None may question thee in thy own Domain. And this is

his Domain. He may rule as he sees fit.

However, Princes have to make sure they neverbreak any law or Protocol. Why?

They are the big fish, and as such, they get treated a lot more brutally than the little fish.

If two Kindred commit the same crime, one is staked and tortured and then released,

and the other is slowly and savagely killed. Why? Because the second Kindred is a

Prince and should know better. Princes are judged by two groups, the Justicars and

their peers.

FACTIONLEVELINTRIGUEGet to the Faction level and you are doing really well. This level represents the large

political factions of the CamarillaElders, political coteries, etc. These are the powers

behind the Camarilla, and if you want to play their games, then be ready for a big fall.

This is an extremely complicated level of intriguethe games played here can get some-

one killed very easily. This is where one can meet the Justicar at times. This is where

things start to get really scary.

ELDERIt is at this level that Elders really find they can sink their teeth into the politics of

the Camarilla. Many Elders have vast influence over Princes. Certain Elders will band

together to have their Princes form a certain faction; it is not unknown for factions

to be no more than creations of a small cabal of like-minded Elders, allowing them to

exercise control without being such an obvious target.

It is known that many factions seek Elder backing informally, giving them more

weight. Elders will be able to use their inf luence within a Clan to influence a Prince in

a different faction but of the same Clan. It is here that the Elders make their presence,

in terms of Camarilla politics, most felt. By concentrating on the Princes, Elders who

do not hold Praxis become more important. It allows them to influence the decision

making process of the Camarilla all the easierthis is intentional.

IMPERIALPRINCEThis is perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of Faction level Jyhad. In the

process of forming a political faction, several Princes may agreeor may be forcedto

unite their Domains under a single ruler. This super-domain is hereafter known as an

Imperial Domain, and its rulers are Imperial Princes. A popular alternative to Imperial

Princeis Imperator.Imagine three Princes whose Domains are close to each other. For whatever reason,

they decide to unite the Domains under a single Prince. That Prince gains no extra

Status, but can now call himself an Imperial Princethis sends out a very big message.

An Imperial Prince is one who has increased his Domain at the expense of othersit

either means he is very charismatic or very powerful. Just the title Imperial Prince car-


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ries with it weight and gravity. In this regard, the most powerful Imperial Prince in the

world must be Villon, Prince of All Franceall Kindred within that nation come under

his Praxis.

When Domains combine, several new positions are created. The first and most

important is the position of Duke or Duchess. This title is often given to the former

Prince of a part of the larger Domain or a trusted underling of the Imperial Prince.

The Dukes can have the same powers as a Seneschal and exercise those powers in the

name of the Prince; or they can be nothing more than a title. Either way, Dukes and the

Duchies they control are extensions of the Imperial Domain and thus come under some

specific rules:

The Duke can create a Sheriff post and a Keeper post for that Duchy. They

retain the same powers as any other.

The Duke may allow a group of Kindred act as advisors. They are Primogen for

the Duchy, but not for the entire Domain.

The Duke may hold gatherings or meetings in Elysium, but it is clear they rule

in the Princes name.

The biggest problem with Imperial Domains is that they become the focus of

much resentment. Not all Imperators can maintain a grip on power as well as

Villon.

In all other respects, a Duke has the same power and Status as a Seneschal.

JYHADLEVELINTRIGUEThis is the level of politics where things get really deadly. If you make it to this level

you are either very old, very powerful, very important or very stupid. There are no real

rules to given this level of politicsthis is the highest level. At this level, you interact

with the true Eldersthe factions and coteries of Elders, who in turn dictate all the way

down to the lowest levels how things are run. There are no set rules here, except one:

Show anystupidity and you shall be killed.

The players here play a subtle gameone that takes years to play. New players are

looked on in a mix of amusement and contempt. If they dont follow the unwrittenrulesthat are never explainedthen they can expect to die very quickly.

BOONSThe Boon system has created a race of beings who owe loyalty to leaders they do not respect

and would often gladly tear down. Unlike human political factions, which are often designed

to promote inspirational leadership based upon trust, Cainite political systems promote

treacherous leadership based on fear. Betrayals are common in the Camarilla, as are reprisals

for betrayal.3

Boons are the currency of the Kindred. If no one owes you a Boon, then you are

broke. Remember that. Boons are how the society works. If we take a look at the

Chronicle around us, we notice a situation where younger and weaker Kindred outnum-

3 Vampire the Masquerade: Storytellers Handbook(First Edition), page 66


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ber older more powerful ones three to one if not more. So how do the older Kindred

keep everyone under control? Boons.

Boons are all. They are the single most important way the Camarilla is run. They

are the only way younger Kindred can rise in power. There is no such thing as a favor

among the Kindred, there are only Boons.

Boons allow you to dothings. You can ask an Elder something; but they can refuse;

if they owe you a Boon, you can force them to do it. There are other options. You

could always do it yourself. No doubt this means you have a hugely powerful character

who has a sheet that is twice the size of a Justicars and could take on Caine in a straight

fight. Good for you. Now, please leave. The Camarilla is designed so that everyone

needs to make deals. Boons are the currency of the Kindred.

Unless you tell someone about your Boon, it doesnt exist. Boons have to be regis-

tered, and the natural people to keep track of Boons are the Harpies. Harpies need to

keep records of everyones Boons. It is said the Chief Harpy of Dublin carries a largebook into which is added each Boon between every resident of that city.

In certain cases, clever Kindred do not register their Boons with their own Harpy,

but rather with Harpies outside their Domain. This way, no one knows who has a

record of who owes whom. Another way to register Boons is to have it publicly an-

nounced; if it is publicly announced to and by the Harpy, the Boon is registered. Only

in the case of secret deals does writing it down become important. A few enterprising

Kindred merely write down the Boon and get the Boon giver to sign it along with a

witness. The importance of making sure a record of the Boon exists cannot be under-

estimated. If there is no record of the Boon, there is nothing to make other Kindreduphold it.

This leads into the nastiest part of all thisnot keeping a promise. Failing to

respond to a Boon is a really bad thing. If someone is discovered to have defaulted, they

get it in the neck. They are undermining the currency of the Camarilla. If this became

a common occurrence, Boons would become worthless.

Those who do so face a harsh penalty. Immediately they are considered to have lost

all their Status. They should be ostracized. Exile from their home Domain is to be con-

sidered a good thing. Their assets and goods are free to be seized by any Kindred. Their

Ghouls, their Influences, their moneyall of it is open to be taken. Some old-fashionedPrinces may even use this as an excuse to have them Bloodhunted. Its that nasty and

that simple. If you owe, you had better pay, or else you lose everything.

Primogen who refuse their debts are automatically assumed to be representing their

entire Clans locally. If a Prince defaults and is publicly announced to have defaulted,

it usually gets the attention of a Justicar and his Archons. On the other hand, if the

Prince has been lied about and it is proven that they where lied about, then the one who

brought the allegationanother Princesuffers the same fate.

There is a weakness here. Someone could say someone else has defaulted when they

havent. That is called false witness. Bring false witness against someone and you arekilled. No appeal. No bloodhunt. Everyone knows you brought false witness, and they

know you have to die. In order to prevent false witness from ever happening, it has led

to both parties making damn sure that either the Boons are announced or that both are

there when it is recorded.


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To offer some perspective, 95% of Boons should be trivial, minor and major Boons.

Blood Boons should be rare. Life Boons should be like diamonds. When you have a

Life Boon, you own someone. Its not nice. With a Life Boon, you can have a Kindred

do anything you want; they must do it unless they somehow save your life, which wont

happen as you are now making them take all the risks.

The best thing about holding a Court position is that it automatically allows you to

collect Boons. If a Primogen has a Clan Member who wishes to petition a Prince, he

may charge them a Boon. All this stuff and nonsense about Clan Loyalty can only go

so far. Consider the argument that members of a Clan should not charge each other

Boons a bit like saying no American should pay another American any wages because

they are working in the same country. Boons are currency, and a Kindred must make a

living!

Princes have the best position of all. Extending Hospitality to a Kindred is the

only duty they do for free; after that everything comes with a price. Someone wants toSire? Thats a Boon. Someone wants to establish a new haven in another part of town?

Thats a Boon. Someone wants to be Sheriff but not be bound to the Prince? Thats

a Boon. A non-Camarilla Kindred wants to live in your Domain? Yes, you guessed it,

thats a Boon.

This way Princes collect many Boons. They either use them to prevent Praxis sei-

zures or they allow someone else to take over and quietly run things from the shadows.

If the Prince doesnt charge Boons, guess what? Hes weak. A Prince without Boons is a

rich man without money. They look the part but have no power to back it up.

When a Prince asks you to do something, he can get out of it being a Boon by sayingit is to do with the security of the Domain. A Domain is a Princes concern, so it can

be said that asking for a Boon can be seen as undermining the Princes right to rule.

That is not a good thing. One can only charge a Boon to the Prince if you are doing a

personal favor.

The Justicars neveroffer or owe Boons. They are above Boons. They dont do favors.

They do their duty. They dont accept favors. If you help them, it is because if you

dont, they get to hurt you. Lots. Justicars and Archons dont need Boons. They have

might and the entire Camarilla backing them up.

Archons tend to have more leeway to bargain and deal on a personal level, but theyalso can always take the same approach that a Prince has, they can get out of it by saying

that it has to do with the security of the Sect of the sanctity of a Tradition.

WHATAMI LETTINGMYSELFINFOR?The hardest thing about Boons for many players is getting a sense of perspective

on them, what each Boon means to the person giving the Boon. Below are suggested

guidelines to understand what it means when you give a Boon.

By taking this Boon I understand that...

TRIVIALBOONI shall do a one-time favor for the person to whom I owe this Boon. I shall aidhim by protecting him when I have no reason to do that, even if it places me into

conflict with people. I shall agree use a discipline for him if he requires it. I shall

support his political maneuver this night, even if it means I have to f ly in the face of

my Clan or my Prince. It is a single favor that I owe. Once he has called it in, it is


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cancelled. I will not place myself in a position to break my word; however, nor will I

betray my Clan or My Prince or any Oaths of loyalty I have taken.

MINORBOONI shall endeavor to fulfill the debt I owe. I have inconvenienced the person who

I owe this boon by asking him to do the favor for me in the first place. I understand

that I may be inconvenienced by the favors he asks back in return. If need be, I will

secure his safe passage into a hostile city. I shall reveal unto him secrets I know that

could endanger members of my Clan or my Domain. I shall destroy his enemies,

whoever they may be. I shall offer physical protection for many nightsthis I accept

because I asked roughly the same of the one I owe.

MAJORBOONI shall accept that I have earned a great debt to the one to whom I owe this Boon.

He has given much time, effort and compromised perhaps many things he believes

in to give me this favor; thus I do return it. I understand that if required I would

even teach him the immortal powers that the Embrace conferred upon me. I shall

aid him in whatever political goal he so desires, even if this means openly standing

against my Prince or my Clan. I would, if he so wished, locate for him or give him

property I own or which he would wish, even if gaining this property is taken at the

expense of another.

BLOODBOONI do accept that the person to whom I owe this Boon to is one to whom I owe

many things, perhaps more than can ever be repaid. I am in his debt nowmy cur-

rent existence was dependent upon him. Thus, I owe him things that can never be

repaid. I will place myself in danger for him; if my Blood is shed, then I care not. If

this means I betray my Clan and Prince and bring him low, I care not. He has done

the same for me, so I accept that I shall do it for him.

LIFEBOON

I owe someone a life boon; my life is his; my will is his; my body is his. The debt Iowe can never be repaid, lest somehow I save his life. I am his to command; I am but

a tool for his will; he rules me and he gives me purpose. I shall do whatever is asked

of me, and if this means that I am to die then so be It- I live only because of him and

thus my life is his to command.

As you can see, once you get above minor Boons you start being in a position where

everything you hold dear can be destroyed. Many would respond by reading the above,

shaking their head and saying, I am not ever going to owe anyone a Boon. Many

Princes and Primogen fear such characters, and not owing a Boon can be seen as a

disadvantage. If you owe no one a Boon, you are a wildcard. A title such as Sheriff orHarpy or Primogen should never be given unto you, for you have nothing to moderate

your bestial side.


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ADDITIONALBOONSThis is a silly situation, but one that happens often. Kindred A wants a favor of

Kindred B. Kindred B charges a minor Boon. Later, Kindred A wants another favor

another minor one. Kindred B could charge another Boon, but what would be betteris if they agree that Kindred A now owes Kindred B a major Boon. Additional favors

may build it up to a Blood Boon. The final level is always either a Blood Boon or a Life

Boon. Once Kindred A has sworn to that level it is unimportant what is agreed to, as

Kindred A belongs to Kindred B.

However, there is no hard and fast system for converting between Boons like this.

Building up to a higher level of Boon requires the consent of both parties.

COMPENSATIONThere is something not being said in the above passage. Something is being missed

that is without doubt one of the most important factors of Camarilla society and oneof the reasons why violence becomes so rare in area where the protocols are strictly

adhered to. That is compensation.

A Boon is an investment. You never know what you may need a Boon for, so you

take a Boon out with as many people as possible. But Boons dont really work if the

person who owes you a Boon is killed; once they are gone the Boon you where owed is

lost. Right?

No. Think about it like this: That Boon was an investment that you had simply not

cashed in yet. Now someone has destroyed your investment, and they have to compen-

sate youusually to the same degree of the Boon they just cost you. If you kill someonewho owed someone else a Boon, they have the right to ask you to now compensate them

by owning them a Boonusually the same amount, but at times more. If you fail to

compensate them, you will be treated as someone who will not uphold Boons. Remem-

ber that the entire economy of the Kindred depends upon everyone placing Boons high

above all else. Failure to give them due reverence leads always to the hardest penalties.

The weakest casethat of a trivial Boon being ignored by a neonate for examplecan be

dealt with as described in Harpy on page 67. Be careful whom you strike against,

for you may find you have slain your worst foe, only now to owe someone else a major

Boon because you did so.The real secret to all this is that clever, ingenious or sneaky Kindred may actu-

ally seek out powerful, hated or inf luential Kindred and offer to be in their debt in

order to use their name as protection. That annoying Anarch in the corner may be

ripe for a good kickingbut if he suddenly announces that he owes a Minor Boon to

Samuel Ward, a major Boon to Prince Romanov of Atlanta, or a life Boon to Xavier

Luxembourg, you must realize that if you destroy him you will owe that person a Boon.

Indeed, powerful Kindred may well find many seeking to offer their service by way of a

Boon to them, in order to access this very protection. Thus some give Boons but rarely.

Some accept all petitions, and thus collect power and influence around them like a vor-tex of some kind. Because they are Elders, people perceive that they have power; so they

give them Boons, so their power grows, so that more give them Boons. Thus the power

of the Camarilla is maintained.


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The only people who are immune to paying compensation are Princes, Archons and

Justicars. If someone breaks a Princes laws and the Prince kills them, then the invest-

ment is lost; the same applies to Archons and Justicars.

KINDREDLAWKindred law is based upon one simple ideawithin each Domain, the Prince has

final say. End of story. The end. Thats it. Simple isnt it? You cant win.

For the record Kindred justice within the Camarilla is not based upon trial by jury,

the use of Aura Perception, Bone of Lies, or anything like them. None of these is ac-

cepted. Status and Station wins. The Camarilla usually does not like investigations to

get to the bottom of things. Why investigate? Better to find a scapegoat, like a Caitiff,

and kill him for the crime. If the crime happens again, then the Caitiff was obviously in

league with someone. Mind you, if in doubt, blame any Anarch/Autark. They have noStatus and as such are guilty of everything.

It depends on the Prince, but most of the time, investigations are not carried out and

for very good reason. Many criminal acts can be carried out and ignored if you remem-

ber one thing: while murder and Diablerie are terrible crimes and while Princes and

Justicars want the criminals punished. The society must be maintained. The biggest

crime in the Camarilla is to disregard Status and station.

ANEXAMPLEOFWHYCAMARILLALAWISSOUNFAIRPicture the scene: The Tremere Primogen has been found in a room with the recently

killed corpse of the Ventrue Primogen. He claims he didnt do it. The Prince summons

him and the entire court. This is a bad move, but well come back to that in a bit.

Prince:My Lord Tremere, did you kill the Ventrue Primogen?

Tremere:My Lord, I cannot tell a lie. Nope. I had nothing to do with it.

Near-By Toreador:A-ha! Your majesty, my learned Tremere Primogen is a lying,

two faced murdering git.

Tremere:You have evidence?

Toreador:I dont have to have any. I just read your aura and me and EVERYONE

could see that you were lying your bloody head off...

Tremere:YOUR MAJESTY! What on Earth is going on? Youve allowed a Tore-

ador Anarch to present evidence.

Toreador:WHAT!?

Prince:(Who knows where this is going and what is going to happen) My God, I

think your right!Toreador:What the hell?

Tremere:A viper in our midst. I wonder, are the entire Toreador so affected?

Toreador:What the Hell are you talking about?


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Tremere:You, Sir. You and your disregard for the Traditions and laws of the Ca-

marilla. You and your attempt to subvert the Camarilla from within.

Toreador:I beg your pardon?

Tremere:I had given my word as a Primogen. You say you glanced at my aura and

contradict me! You glance at my aura... you doubt my word!

Toreador:Well, of course I bloody well do, youre a sneaky git!

Tremere:Thats MR. Sneaky Git to you, Sunshine! Or, rather, Lord PRIMOGEN

Sneaky Git. You, Sir, have decided to disregard our sacred Traditions,

disregard the rules that have kept the Camarilla in place for the past

seven hundred years. You have taken the system of Status, which

unites us and binds us, and defines our place in our society, and you

have thrown it out the window. You doubt my word in public... by

doing so, you suggest that Status is redundant. You wish to destroy

it, eh?

Toreador:Er... no, thats not...

Tremere:No doubt you wish to get rid of Boons and introduce democracy as well.

Probably hang about with the Anarchs, dont you?

Toreador:No, now wait a minute!

Tremere:Your majesty, I insist that this criminal be staked immediately.

And like that, the bad guy gets away with it. Why? Because Kindred society is dead-

lier than any Kindred. It is not based upon fairness or justice. The Tremere Primogen

did kill the Ventrue, but the Toreador broke an even bigger rule. He disregarded sta-

tion. The Tremere committed murder. The Toreador committed treason and sedition.

And since his act of treason was to say he had read the Tremeres aura, then the very

accusation is treason. Thus the case is dropped and the Toreador gets it. This could

lead to people like the Harpies judging and ruling cases, and thats almost right!

Mind you, the Prince made a mistake. He should have gotten the Toreador to askthe Tremere in private and then used the Aura Reading as evidence when coming

up later. The evidence would have been in beforehand, and the statement that the

Primogen was lying more acceptable because the Prince can say it. Committing a crime

becomes something anyone can get away with if they are smart. Bringing someone to

justice is as easy as just saying the right thing at the right time to the right person. Who

cares if they did it? Who cares what their Aura says? Its about how you appear and

what power you have.

An Elder can make your life miserable for years. Thats the whole point of the game.

You must out nasty the nasty guy. Just think, if that Toreador in the above example

had been the Primogen, not only would have the Tremere Primogen got away with the

murder of the Ventrue Primogen, but the Prince would have been forced to punish the

entire Toreador Clan!

Also, remember; accusations of criminal activity against Kindred must be made

by those of high standing in a court. Its not enough that you get evidence against the


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Tremere Primogen. The evidence and the accusation must be made by the Prince, the

Seneschal, the Chief Harpy, the Sheriff, the Keeper of Elysium or the other Primogen.

Someone has to stand up and make the accusationand take the blame if the accusation

falls down.

Anonymous tip-offs and so forth are instantly discounted. The reason someone

important has to bring the accusation is that if it goes wrong, someone important has

to take the blame, at least until they pass the buck onto the little person who made the

accusation in the first place. If you make an accusation and it is thrown out, you are

guilty of bringing false witness. Even if what you told is the truth, you have brought

false witness. The very act of accusation is a dangerous thing. Heaven forbid you accuse

a Prince in good standing of a crimethe very act is sedition and should only be carried

out by another Prince!

Remember that the Prince of a Domain is the final judge of all things.

STATUSIf you give Status to someone and they are found to be a criminal or get into trouble

or something, it could come back and haunt you. You must be careful when giving out

Statuscall someone Loyal and they attack a Prince, you could be asked why you called

them Loyal. If you gave someone two Traits of Status it becomes more serious. If it

was three Traits of Status and that person commits a crime, you are placed on trial with

them at the same timeafter all, you mustsupport everything they say and do.

Status also follows on to the above mention of the Law. Two Kindred are accused

of a crime and both claim the other one did it. The person with the most Status wins.Any Prince who does not take into account the Status of a person in cases such as these

will attract the attention of the Justicars. This is not to say that Kindred of high Status

can get away with murder, but a Prince has to be sure about it and get proof in secret so

that they cannot wiggle out of it by publicly saying they didnt.

Be aware if you are a low Status Kindred and a high Status Kindred is accusing you

of something. The best bet is to find an even higher Status Kindred, offer them a Boon

and let them offer you an alibi.

PRAXIS

So how does one become Prince without the Princes allies killing you? Dead easy,

really. A Prince stops being a Prince when he is killed, deposed4or resigns. A Prince

may be deposed by a Justicar for breaking the law. The Primogen can depose them if

the Primogen en masse5permanently give up some of their Patronage Status Traits6. If

the final number exceeds the Princes Status Trait total, including his traits for being

Prince, the Prince is out.

Then they simply choose a candidate whom they want. In the case where the Primo-

gen have deposed the Prince but cannot decide on a single candidate, they merely say

whom they support. The Storyteller works out who wins based on the simple system of

4 By another Camarilla Kindred. Being overthrown by the Anarchs or the Sabbat is seen

as a temporary set-back and the character still retains the title de jure Prince, with all the

benefits that go with it.

5 All of them without one voice of dissent.

6 Status given to them by other Kindred, not based on position or social class.


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one vote per Status trait those with the most Status support win; an interesting way to

decide after the Primogen just blew a lot of Status to get into that position.

When a Seneschal attempts to take Praxis, its between a Prince and the voice of the

Prince; anything goes.

BLOODHUNTSBloodhunts are a tricky thing. When Princes call a Bloodhunt they are staking their

claim to Praxis upon the Hunted. Bloodhunts should never be taken lightly. If a Prince

calls a hunt and then retracts it, unwanted attention will be brought his Domain. This

is a serious affair; calling a Bloodhunt and then retracting it is nearly impossiblethe

usual punishment is that the Justicars send an Archon to punish the Prince and make

sure the hunt is enforced. There are only a few ways a Bloodhunt may be lifted:

THEPRINCEWHOCALLEDITISKILLEDThis means that the person who calls the Hunt is no longer around to enforce it.

To address all those who reply, That Prince just called a Bloodhunt on me, I think

I will kill him, this option is not really open unless you are smart. If you get away

with this, it undermines the other Princes. Most, if they discover this, will automati-

cally Bloodhunt you as well.

ITISILLEGALTOBLOODHUNTANOTHERKINDREDWITHTHETITLEOFPRINCETo do that will bring Domains into a conflict that weakens the Camarilla. This

was why Tribunals were created. If you Bloodhunt a Kindred and then they gain

Praxis elsewhere, the Bloodhunt drops. This creates an interesting position; manyPrinces may wish to give shelter to one of their Domain who they feel is unjustly

huntedusually for a Boon. The problem is that Kindred and the Prince both know

that if they seize Praxis they are free from the Hunt and the Boon.

ITISILLEGALTOBLOODHUNTANENTIRECAMARILLACLAN.Saying you wish to Bloodhunt all Tremere within a Domain is against the

alliance of the seven and will lead to Archons being sent. This is never a pretty

picture.

Kindred who are under a Bloodhunt automatically lose half their Status traits.

Several Kindred manage to make a good account for themselves by using Obfuscateto

hide themselves and turning up in Elysiums and having fun on the run. So be it, but

people found to be associating with these people, for whatever reason, shall be subject

to the charge of aiding and abetting the Bloodhunted person. This charge is enough to

have them killed in the Domain the Bloodhunt was originally called. Even talking to a

Bloodhunted person may be enough to get you killed. Be carefulalways try and meet

them in secret or in Domains where they are not Hunted.

Some Princes operate on the policy of Bad Blood: If a Kindred is bloodhunted, the

Prince invokes the Fourth Tradition to investigate all of that line.


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JUSTICARSANDARCHONSPrinces are expected to run a tight ship. They are expected to uphold the laws; they

are expected to uphold the Traditions. Archons and Justicars are not here to wet nurse

anyone. Archons and Justicars really dont care how things are run as long as the Tradi-tions and the Edicts of the Justicars are obeyed. Thats it. Archons and Justicars shall

ignore any accusation against someone of high standing unless it comes from someone

else of high standing. If they listened and allowed every accusation to be acted upon,

then they would undermine the very society they are there to protect. Justicars tend to

remember such thingssending an accusation to the Justicar about your Prince will lead

to the Justicar reporting you to your Prince for breach of the Second Tradition, but you

will die knowing that if the Prince ever does come under the Justicars attention they

will no doubt look into this... Maybe.

Some Justicars are very hands-on, but most are not. Most stand back and allow

Kindred society moderate itself. If the Justicars have to send an Archon somewhere it is

usually because the Prince has failed. This is important. If some criminal is terrorizing

a Domain and the Prince is too weak to deal with it, the Archons are sent for. In cases

like this, it is not uncommon for an Archon to pass sentence upon a Prince as well.

When a Justicar arrives, it is because an Archon has failed. Justicars are very likely

to be the most powerful Kindred your characters will ever meet. They are the wrath of

the Camarilla. They are not here to see what an interesting person your character is.

They are here to judge, to punish and to leave. When they turn up, there is no reason

to assume that they are going to stay on any given subjectthey may use their arrival to

investigate everyone they see. It is rumored that the Nosferatu Justicar Markov, once

said, There are two types of Princes in the world, those who are guilty of breaching the

Traditions and those who have yet to be caught.

The best advice about the Justicars is to avoid them at all costs. The kid gloves have

been taken off. In the past people used to complain about the treatment of their char-

acters at the hands of the Justicars. This is the wake-up call: these NPCs are designed to

judge and to kill. They are not designed to provide detailed roleplay encounters for your

characters. They are not designed to give a damn about your character. Your character is

an annoyance to them.

Justicars do not represent their Clan. The Nosferatu have no claim on their Justicar.It is the NosferatuJusticar, not the NosferatusJusticar; Justicars first and only allegiance

is the Camarilla. For their term of office, this is all they care about. Supplying them

with regular information, deferring to them as you would defer to any person who has

the power to have you killed with but a word, and generally not trying to annoy them is

a good way to get along with the Justicars.

If a Justicar enters your characters story, be aware that from that moment until it

leaves, you may be killed at anytime for any reason. You are now roleplaying with the

worlds most deadly creature.

THEOTHERSThe protocols, it must be stressed, apply to those members of the Camarilla. But

what of those not members of the Sect? This then leads to some interesting situations.


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The first advantage of not being a member of the Camarilla is that one does not have

to follow these rules at all. You are free to act outside of them. The main disadvan-

tage is that outside the Camarilla you are outside its protection and thus must face the

consequences.

INDEPENDENTCLANSTHEFOLLOWERSOFSETThe Followers have a great advantage and a great disadvantagethey, being outside

the protocols, are a lot freer to act; there is no ban on their behavior, on what they do

and how they act. Followers of Set make a good living out of existing on the periphery

of the Camarillathey can do things the other Clans cannot do, for which they charge

high prices and earn much by way of Boons. Indeed, if a Primogen wishes to move

against a fellow Primogen they often use the Followers to do so. This allows the Follow-

ers to act, be owed a Boon by each Primogen and increase their power. The disadvan-

tage here is of course the natural dislike of many Princes to the snakes.

The standard response to Snakes by Princes is to charge them Boons to exist within

their Domain. Princes know damn well that the Followers will quickly try and infiltrate

a given Domain and make as many Kindred end up owing them. As long as the Prince

keeps tabs on the Followers, they can utilize them to great effect.

The Followers love the protocols and tend to follow them closely. They also tend to

break them the most and get away with it, because they offer something the others can-

not do. If caught, they know that by offering a Boon to the Prince to continue to work

in the area, they can quickly gain more Boons.Those Followers of Set who are members of the Camarilla are expected to act slightly

more circumspectly, but they do fulfill many roles within the Sect. Followers who hold

the position of Harpy or Keeper of Elysium tend to be ideally suited to the job.

GIOVANNIThe Giovanni are forbidden from getting involved in internal Camarilla political

matters. They are immune to the powers of the protocols completely except where they

are discovered to be trying to influence political mattersin which case they are worm

food.

Several Princes codify the relationship with the Giovanni very simplyas holders of

Praxis they can charge or tax the Giovanni a certain amount of their income to remain

in any given Domain. This tax is to be paid directly to the Prince. Many Giovanni

understand this completely. As merchants they have long understood the importance

of paying the local despot a fee to be allowed to exist within his city. The more money

the Giovanni makes, the more money the Prince makes, so many times the Giovanni

arrange for positions such as Chancellorwhich holds no Status and is not a Camarilla

position, but allows the Giovanni to regulate all business deals. Giovanni use this as

an excuse to create Coffeehouses or Exchequers that encourage those Kindred with

business interests to come a trade freely in an atmosphere of relaxed gentility. These

environments usually increase revenue and act as a way of allowing Kindred utilize their

influences (not just finances) in a way that works out for them best. The Giovanni, as

neutrals, are the only Clan suited to making sure that all such transactions are done

fairly and well. For a small fee they will even be willing to underwrite certain actions.


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By acting as arbiters of Influences and making sure that no one does anything

with them to damage the Princes Domain by reducing it in terms of wealth and social

environment, the Giovanni are able to charge a small levy to those Kindred so involved.

This increases their wealth, which in turn makes the Princes cut largerthus Giovanni

are often the best at moderating Influences and Boons.

Giovanni in the Camarilla are accepted members of the Camarilla, but still may

hold no position.

ASSAMITESThe Assamites are considered by many to be foes of the Camarilla. Their relation-

ship is defined by the fact that they do a joba nasty job but a job nonetheless. It is

generally accepted that Assamites only do their job because someone else has hired

theman Assamite may be the weapon, but they are not the killers.

In recent nights, a small group of Assamitescalling themselves Banu Haqimhavepetitioned for membership in the Camarilla. The individuals in this group have been

granted membership in the Camarilla; however, negotiations to recognize them as a

separate Clan from the rest of the Assamites, as well as other benefits, are still ongoing.

LASOMBRAANTITRIBUThe Lasombra are recognized and given full rights within the Camarilla. There are

usually too few of them in any given Domain to effect any position such as Primogen.

CAITIFFOne thing must be remembered about Caitiff and it is important. Caitiff are clan-

less. To many, they are bastards. Many are accepted as members of the Camarilla, but

many more are killed on sight. A Caitiff has no Primogen to back him up, no Clan to

help, no support at all. This has led to the often used term to describe Caitiff: Patsies.

One can easily blame a Caitiff for a crime. Who is going to speak up for them? No one.

And if someone does, many a Harpy will ask them why they are supporting a bastard.

Because of this, Caitiffs usually find someone of power to attach to and stick there

like glue. Many Caitiffs find themselves working for their Prince with a ferocious loyal-

ty. If they dont, they face the Princes displeasure and the end of their lives. A common

practice for Princes when a Primogen breaks a law is that the Primogen gives the Prince

a large Boon and the Prince then to publicly blames the Caitiff for the crime.Caitiff who hold Praxis are in a verydangerous position. If caught, they are usually

killed.

ANARCHSAnarchs claim to be not members of the Camarilla; and indeed as such hold no

Status or station in the Camarilla; they claim they are outside its remit. Many Princes

would disagree. The question becomes then what is their relationship to the protocols,

and the answer is grim.

Anarchs, by their existence, suggest that one does not need the Protocols of behaviorin order to live. They show that there exists another way for Kindred to live, and they

undermine the very society around them. This makes them dangerous. This makes

many Kindred want them dead. So be it.

The main trump card Anarchs can play is that they can help the Prince or the Pri-

mogen. They can do favors for them when a Primogen wants to destroy a political rival,


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but cannot move for fear of their own Clan rejecting it. One can always ask an Anarch

to do it, as the Anarchs are more than happy usually to take down a Camarilla Kindred.

Many a Prince has also discovered, to their horror, that attacking and Bloodhunting An-

archs lead to his name being added to a list for retaliation. It may take months or even

years, but come it will. The Anarchs have shown that they operate far more successfully

on a global scale at times. A Prince in America may act and discover that a fellow mem-

ber of his Clan is executed in Europe and Australia because of what he did.

The relationship between the two groups is tense and deadly, but many Anarchs

often act very much within the protocols, behaving in a manner that would put many

of the local Camarilla Vampires to shame. They uphold Domain and Elysium with a

strictness that many Elders admire; this is especially true of Anarchs who own their own

territory. For those Anarchs who act in a manner in keeping with the protocols, many

a Prince and Harpy like to have them around. The insult, You act worse than those

Anarchs, is one which all Camarilla Kindred should take as a metaphor for, Changethe way you act or I shall Bloodhunt you.

Why do they act in a way that reinforces the protocols? The average Anarch knows

that many a Camarilla Kindred wishes to kill him, but the Anarchs also realize that

these Camarilla Cold Warriors are also mainly admired for their physical powers as op-

posed to their mental ones. Chances are that if the Anarchs survive the attack they can

and will use the protocols to force the local Prince to kill those who attacked and prob-

ably broke the Protocols. Thus it is in the Anarchs interest to act fully within the Pro-

tocols in public at all times. As long as they follow the rules, the Camarilla has to do so

as well or the Camarilla and the local Princes lose face. Therefore many Anarchs, whenin conflict with a local Prince, soon find themselves being courted by other Princes who

seek to bring down that Prince and know the Anarchs will be watching him closely.

Players and storytellers should find a copy of the first edition of the Storytellers

Guideby White Wolf and find within it a short piece of fiction on page 57. It is a great

example of how Anarchs can run rings around Princes and the Princes be forced to take

it. The way they do it is by playing within the rules.

AUTARKISThe Autarkis have left all Sects. They stand alone. They reject all title, all badgesand all responsibilities. Good for them, but it isnt a free lunch. If you are an Autark,

you have to understand your role in the society. You have no Status and no station.

Your voice counts for nothing; your opinions count for less. You have rejected the soci-

ety of the Kindred and thus the society rejects you. You can be Bloodhunted at anytime

for any reason. No Primogen will speak for you. Even some Anarchs refuse to aid you,

seeing you as a gutless fence sitter. Autarkis have only one set of alliesCaitiff. Why?

Because for a Caitiff, having an Autarkis in their domain means that there is someone

who has lower standing in the society than them.

It is very difficult to adopt this position and get away with it for long. This is why

the majority of Kindred who do are the ones you see once a year if you are lucky. They

withdraw from the society totally; its a lot safer that way.

The only really successful Autarkis are those who roleplay hard enough or who are

old and tough enough not to care. These Elder Autarkis are generally very mean, very

wise or very useful on a personal basis and thus many Princes tolerate and allow them


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to live. Those who cannot make themselves useful can expect no mercy and no favors.

The very act of going Autarkis is costly. To do so means you reject everything to do with

the Sectstation, Status and above all, legal rights. You are outside the society, and you

cannot expect to abuse its rules and remain. Autarkis cannot hold any Sect position at

all. Any who does is not Autarkis. Autarkis is not the I live by my own rules option

here. In Vampire, there is no I live by my own rules option. That option does not

exist nor has it ever existed. Autarkis is the I reject the society and the society rejects

me option. It is a lonely and dangerous path that the Autarkis take, and like all things,

it costs. Many soon find they cannot afford the price. This does not stop Autarkis exist-

ing quite openly; they just have to be careful.

ANDFINALLY...The whole point of this system is to create in character rules of behavior. These are

not out of character rules. Characters can and are expected to break them. Characters

are expected to act how the Hell they like and have fun. The rules you see here are the

way the game is played, the game being the intrigue, fear and sneakiness that generally

pervades Kindred behavior across the world. This doesnt mean you cant get away with

running around and causing trouble, but you must know how to play the game before

you can buck the rules.

These rules are here to make sure balance remains in all things. By applying strict

codes of behavior, we now have the following situation: It dont matter how strong or

weak your character sheet is; it dont matter what your generation is; it dont matter whatyour clan is: If you decide to mess about you will be brought down.

Got a Prince whos throwing his weight around and making your life hell? Make

sure he crosses the line and you can bring him down. Got a neonate whose disrupting

everything? Now you can get rid of him without looking like the bad guy. In all things,

remember the golden rulethe players who win the political game are those players who

think nastier than the others, roleplay harder than the others and generally dont take

part in lame ideas and get caught. Play it straight and watch what happens.

Remember that the whole thing is about how one is presented in public. The system

we have is one where who you are decides what you can or cannot do; what you canor cannot say. Little people hold no station have no political power, but they have a

lot more free reign than a Prince, who may like it on the top but soon finds that he is

limited in what he can do.

Documents

The Protocols of the Camarilla