The Protocols of the Camarilla
"If you give your players fleshed out, working models of political systems and let them manipulate 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 political systems and Vampire is no exception." -Vampire: The Storytellers Handbook (First Edition). Page 62.
The Real Rules of Eyes That Burn
Now entering its sixth century, the Camarilla is an interesting experiment. As an ostensibly open and peaceful institution for a society of paranoid, territorial and cannibalistic monsters, its seemingly complex and paradoxical internal structure has been kept hidden from many of its own members. This has occurred for several reasons. Firstly, as a race of predators, vampires have a strong tendency not to trust each other. Virtually all Kindred who currently hold positions of authority and prestige got there through treachery, mutiny, or assassination. Secondly, in a culture of fear, image and reputation are everyone’s best defense. Compassion and sincerity are weaknesses. Even the mightiest of elders depend on the Camarilla to protect them from their counterparts, and the loss of the ability to bluff is often just as deadly as the midday sun. Finally, some Kindred spend several human lifetimes supplicating and toiling their way up the social pecking order. Why should they give the fledglings any help after suffering so much for what they have themselves? Such generosity rarely helps the teacher, or the neonate who is handed a dangerous weapon without the experience to use it effectively or avoid being cut down by anyone who sees the paper tiger.
With this essay, we are shedding some light on what is going on behind the scenes of Eyes That Burn. This is the game within the game. Much of it is taken from an early write-up of some proposed rules for the now-defunct Camarilla Mind’s Eye Theater live action gaming society. I am borrowing the original author’s explanation of certain things, without the rules mechanics, because they clarify a lot of the ideas that I had when first creating Eyes That Burn.
If you were to ask (Well, blackmail, Dominate or force) 100 Kindred of political stations to write a treatise on Camarilla politics, you would get 100 different documents. The Sabbat also has different (although some might say no less complex) ways and means of regulating its society. The same is true of the various independent clans, the ghouls, mortals, and other supernatural creatures (if indeed, there are any) that have any contact with or interest in the Kindred. Likewise, there are many rules, facts, and historical references that influence one’s knowledge of the way things work in a Camarilla domain, and therefore your own game notes could be even more useful and/or accurate than what is codified here. In Eyes That Burn, true knowledge is power, and nothing will increase your character’s arsenal of power than an extensive memory…meaning, of course, a comprehensive record of notes.
What follows is an out-of-character explanation of an in-character social order. These are the unspoken rules of Eyes That Burn’s Camarilla. Unlike the Traditions or other official Camarilla doctrine, these protocols are not meant to be quoted. None of these rules are hard and fast. Rather, they are representative of the ancient protocols of the society of the Undead formed over 500 years ago. In this they reflect that world and what it stands for to this night.
Imagine this 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. And above all...you 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. And 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 hard 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 Empires, and the overwhelming and rapid changes of the last 200 years, and it still remains. It is all persuasive and all-powerful. And it is also cruel, harsh and ruthless.
This is a society that has had hundreds of years to develop, as Kindred don't age, don't 'pass away'. They have had centuries to continue and perpetuate the standards of behavior that they held in their youth. Existing in the dustless Elysium (Kindred don't shed skin; as a side effect many secret Elysiums tend not to get dusty), they have a shield against the changing world; they have protection from a society that twists and turns at a speed even the young have difficulty comprehending. Your average neonate can understand how television spread around the globe 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 tomorrow's inflammatory racist comment; last night’s scandal is acceptable conversation on tomorrow's children's television show.
And so they maintain in place their own codes; their own standards; their own rules. A society that is a gross reflection of themselves; a hybrid mixture of feudal tradition; age of enlightenment 'reform'; 18th Century conservatism, with a few smatterings of 16th Century Italian and German court politics. Reform is stifled; change is fought against; and new Kindred soon find that a single rule applies: Follow the system or be ostracized…or killed.
And that system, complex, intricate and confusing as it is, full of pitfalls and silent traps, is literally there to bring down all Kindred. Not even the Elders can escape it; no one can; no one is free; all are trapped, like insects in amber.
Welcome to the Camarilla, Lick!
Play hard, play smart, and don't forget... so much as wipe yourself with the wrong hand, and these Cammies will have the Archons down on you faster than a Brujah on acid.
Introduction to the Levels of Intrigue
The politics of the Camarilla, the ancient society of the Kindred, are layered in ascending order. 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 political power.
At each level you must remember something new. If all you do is hang around with members of your coterie, your Clan and rarely attend Elysium and court, then Clan level is ALL you really need to know. As one visits court and gets involved in internal politics and such, Court level politics comes to mind (the most common level of politics and already quite dangerous); if you move up to interact with your Prince you may be reaching the Domain level of intrigue.
Understand that most Kindred interactions will take place at these levels. You may never need to move any higher than this. Good.
But higher levels do exist; the lethal games of politics Princes play between themselves (Symposium level politics), the war-like games of the Elders (faction level) and the simply deadly politics of Jyhad level. At each level, more things are added, the rules become more complex and things become more hazardous.
Read carefully, work out where you stand now, where you would like to be, and imagine how to get there.
The Levels of Intrigue:
Clan
This is the most common level of intrigue and interaction. Most Kindred will be happy - or at least capable of surviving - 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 Whip and Primogen. In some places you may find that only one or two members of a given Clan exist, in others there will be scores. In one city a given Clan might be tightly knit and close discussing and agreeing upon everything. In another, they may only just recognize each other by face. Whatever the case, this is the basic level of Kindred protocol.
In the past, 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, especially since the advent of the Camarilla and the proliferation of multi-clan coteries, 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.
Primogen
The Primogen is a creation of the late 16th Century. As the rapid urbanization of Europe 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 internal Clan power. Collectively, Primogen have the ability to topple Princes, a fact that is not lost to 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 Primogen have removed many a Prince. For many Elders, the post of Primogen acts as a legal and legitimate way to keep Princes in check.
As time has passed, the post has become widely accepted and now no one really bats an eye at the existence of a Primogen. The original role of the Primogen is now lost: some Primogen do indeed keep their Princes in check; others are only there because everyone else has them, and some are pawns to rubber stamp whatever the Prince decides.
Sometime around 1750, a new precedent was created in terms of social interaction and responsibilities for Primogen. Princes sought to keep the Primogen busy and accountable by creating a series of responsibilities for them. 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 Clan's 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 Prince - even 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 assumed that all Brujah 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 Primogen worried about how their Clan will react. In cases where a Primogen upsets a Prince (not necessarily breaking a law, just angering or defying him) it is standard for the Clan to be punished. If the Primogen broke the law or the Traditions as well as upsetting the Prince - again, 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 privileges, their havens burned to the ground, and facing charges of treason, all because their Primogen said the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Whip
Often 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 those members of their Clan whose support was unreliable. Thus the Camarilla saw the creation of the Whips.
Whips occupy a strange position within the Camarilla: They are recognized as a Camarilla post, yet they carry no special privileges. 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 Primogen. Whip is sometimes seen as the first step on the ladder up the slippery slope to power.
The Whip is usually the Primogen's designated successor, and a Whip only exists if the Primogen of a given Domain decrees that they will have one.
Primogen Removal: The Call of the Seasons
Princes 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 who is chosen. 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 their Primogen does to punish a Clan so much that they change their Primogen.
Primogen are chosen any way each Clan decides - the Brujah choose theirs differently from the Tremere. For example, it is a common practice 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 hidden. Each way is valid and accepted: the Camarilla does not care how a Primogen is chosen, only that if a Primogen post exists that the Clan chooses it. And each Prince must accept the 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 seven Primogen positions must be contested. While this process is being done, the Primogen cannot decide anything until the whole thing is sorted out. This is seen as a good delaying tactic for certain Princes and also perhaps the only way a Prince can have a political rival removed from office.
No Prince can pick on one Clan to re-choose their Primogen; they must choose all or none at all. 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 (if he dares to at all) once every three months. This process was once called the "Call of the Seasons," and 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, it is still referred to by this name.
The ultimate power of the Prince is to dissolve the Primogen Council- they then rule without Primogen and get on with it. Technically, this is completely legal; there is no mandated need for a Primogen Council. Princes can 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, a few Princes decide not to have any Primogen. This is a dangerous strategy, because a Prince without Primogen will often find himself isolated and faced with increased dissent to his reign. Indeed, Princes who dissolve their Primogen usually find that they do not remain in power very long unless they are powerful and old indeed.
On the other hand, in smaller or more isolated Domains that are less important to the powers-that-be, some Princes are able to have it both ways. So you might walk into a town with a Ventrue Prince and a Primogen council consisting of his four Ventrue childer, two Toreador, and a token Nosferatu. Not exactly fair, but very nice for the Prince.
Court
Court intrigue is the realm of most would-be Kindred Machiavellis. The interaction between Kindred of a given court, be it their home Domain or a Domain elsewhere, is the mainstay of most intrigue. 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.
Primogen
The rules that dictate the behavior and powers of Primogen are described above. The only thing to add here is that within the context of a Court, Primogen are given respect mostly because they have the power over a Prince and because they speak for their entire Clan in a given Domain.
Sheriff
Princes have called their Sheriff many things. 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 enforcer of the Prince's laws.
The differences in this role from Domain to Domain depend on the differences in the Prince’s laws. For example, many modern Princes have no more than the Traditions as their laws; the laws of the ancient city of York, however, run into three pages which regulate meeting times, feeding grounds, dress codes, etc. 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 mindsets. The first are the Idealist Sheriffs. These are men and women who uphold the law and seek justice for all. They are in the minority. The majority of Sheriffs have been chosen by a Prince to enforce their laws, come what may. In Domains where Anarchs are Blood Hunted, for example, Sheriffs usually lead the fight.
For many reasons, Sheriffs are usually perceived as the most loyal of the Prince’s followers - indeed, many are enthralled to their Prince. Others retain 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, "The Black Death". A Brujah of the 7th generation, he was "Sheriff of the Lands of London" for 600 years, seeing Princes come and go.
A Sheriff takes orders solely from the Prince, although the Prince's Seneschal may also give a Sheriff orders. Since they represent their Clans, a Sheriff will follow "suggestions" offered by the Primogen of a given Domain. If a Sheriff openly defies a Primogen, he may find the Primogen having a quiet word with the Harpies... and not even the Sheriff is immune to the Harpies' powers.
The Sheriff may demand that any Kindred within the city accompany him for questioning or judgement. Failure to do so may lead to the offender being arrested on suspicion. Suspicion of what is left for the Sheriff to make up.
As will be described in the section below (Justice), the Sheriff is also expected to punish those who break the Prince's laws. It is expected that all loyal Kindred will aid 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 Sheriff's aid. That they don't always do so is a given... as is the fact that if the Sheriff survives they may ask the uncooperative Kindred in for questioning at some later date.
Some Harpies feel that to help a Sheriff suggests they can't do their job... there is no set rule for this thing. The Sheriff is immune to the powers of the Keeper of Elysium - those conferred by the position, that is; he must still honor the Traditions.
The Sheriff may sponsor deputies by appointing others as he sees fit. These deputies have the same powers as the Sheriff, but the Sheriff may revoke their authority at any time.
Keeper of Elysium
A position that, while not as old as many of the others, 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... a big one.
Elysium is the only place where Kindred may meet together on civilized terms. Thus, violence is banned. With the threat of violence removed from Kindred society, Kindred can freely gather and commune. If Elysium falls, so does the very principal that upholds Kindred society.
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 not lying: It is a social convention, but that does not dismiss it. The entire Camarilla is a social convention. Elysium's power lies in its veneration. Many, including several Justicars, believe that Elysiums must be enforced as absolutes. That is, if a member of the Sabbat 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 - usually by killing or incapacitating the offender.
This, then, is the role of Keeper of Elysium. If a Prince does not believe that Elysiums are important enough, 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 may and tolerate no violence by any, not even himself. It is this fact that leads to many visiting Kindred to ask, upon arrival at a given Domain, to meet with the Keeper of Elysium. If there is none then it means that the Elysium is not safe; many will then leave as quickly as they arrived at this point.
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 Elysium 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. Many Elysiums ban any and all weapons - the very idea of bringing a weapon to them denotes a willingness to break the Elysium, which brings the offender under the Keeper's power. Others allow weapons but ban their use. Some Princes view offensive disciplines use as a break of the Elysium: A few Princes have decreed the use of Dominate to be an offensive act and punishable by the Keeper.
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 acceptable 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 edicts that all Elysiums are to be held at a certain standard. If there are grades of Elysium, it means more for the Keeper to learn (especially true for a new Keeper), 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 Camarilla authorities. This is not a duty in any formal sense, but if they cannot enforce Elysium because a Kindred is too powerful, then in the name of Keeping the Elysium they sometimes send letters to the Archons reporting the Kindred for his 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. As with the Sheriff, failure to assist the Keeper when the Keeper feels is appropriate can have consequences.
Scourge
The 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 50% of all Princes have appointed one. Not all cities have reinstated the office of Scourge, and even those that have do not consider it a noble aspiration but rather a necessary evil born of the modern nights.
The duties of a Scourge are fairly simple... The Scourge can harass, detain or destroy without 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 create the protocols of the Camarilla, and indeed it is the Harpies who are the ultimate judges of the Sect. Make no mistake, even a Justicar minds himself around a well-organized group of Harpies. Their power is that great.
Harpies, many of them quite weak and young, are the Kindred who are able to topple Princes, have people Blood Hunted, and bring down entire Domains. The Harpies are the true social power, equal in their own way to the Princes' political power and the Archons' legal power. None can defeat them; none can counteract them. They are devastating and terrifying. And yet they are limited.
Being a Harpy is a position of paradox. On the one hand, they judge all, but on another they are judged perhaps 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.
The leader of the Harpies in a given Domain (often called Chief Harpy, Master of Harpies, or other such title) is 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 attain- indeed; 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: one, that there become more rules to learn and protocols to follow (and heaven help us there are enough already) and two, change leads to a potential undermining of their authority. Remember these rules of protocol give power to the Harpies - perhaps the only power any will receive. Anything that can undermine this power is dangerous to the Harpies. It was once said in some Domains that everyone was a Harpy who was not Primogen. This is indeed a prudent observation.
The usual “method” to become a Harpy is to associate oneself with Kindred society for a certain period of time, and to stay on good terms with the other Harpies and powers-that-be. In one Domain the position might be formally granted to the new Harpy at a court ceremony amid pomp and circumstance; at another it may be as simple and informal as joining a social clique.
For a Harpy, image and reputation are everything. Wearing the wrong outfit, saying the wrong thing, being seen in the company of the wrong people or being in the wrong place at the wrong time can cost a Harpy much as they find themselves ejected from the aristocratic ranks.
One of the main purposes of the protocols is to give Harpies a framework in which to utilize this power, a frame of reference by which they can judge. Most Harpies know the protocols of their local Domain and their neighboring Domains by heart. How else would they be able to judge everyone they see?
Domain
One level up, and very close, is the realm of Domain intrigue. This is where you get to play power games with the Prince. Perhaps you provide behind the scenes aid for the Prince, sponsoring clandestine missions; or maybe you are secretly trying to bring him down. But when you play with a Prince, you must remember... they have the power to just kill you out of hand. And perhaps the Prince isn't the real danger. Who's to say that the little Toreador you've been insulting for months isn't the secret power behind the Domain? Getting to this level is dangerous to say the least.
Seneschal
An odd post- the next in line for Praxis: The Seneschal, Deputy Prince, second only to the ruler of a Domain within a Domain. Some Domains have this post, some do not. There are many reasons for both cases. For many Princes a Seneschal is often their Childer, or designated successor. They create the post in the event of them being killed. This way someone with the same 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 (usually popular with Elder Princes). If this is the case, the Seneschal becomes much like a first minister. Indeed, legitimate other titles for Seneschal include "First Minister", "Chamberlain," "Chancellor," and "Crown Prince." (This last one fell out of fashion some centuries ago.)
The Seneschal can act in the Prince's 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. Certainly no Prince has ever punished a Kindred for not aiding him against his Seneschal. It goes with the territory - if one has a Seneschal one must accept the risk.
Prince
The 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, and his word is law.
But... Princes have to make sure they NEVER break 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, a neonate is staked and tortured and then released... the other is slowly and savagely killed. Why? Because the second Kindred is a Prince and should know better! Two groups judge princes: their peers, and the Justicars.
Princes have the right to call Blood Hunts upon any, but these are dangerous things.
Symposium
At the Symposium level, the intrigue is now at a vicious new degree. Welcome to the Symposium of Princes... the game here moves up a gear. Want to play this game? Better know the rules! This is when things get seriously dangerous and usually deadly. Some of the Princes here have had centuries of experience and only the saintly, the sneaky, or the lucky make it.
The Symposium of Princes
The Symposium is the highest political body in the Camarilla in any national boundary. In the 19th Century, having Symposiums based around national boundaries became accepted practice as cultural differences meant that new generations of Princes would refuse to meet with counterparts in other nations. The Franco-Prussian War saw Symposiums become mostly based on national grounds; it is now assumed that a symposium extends only to the borders of each nation. The advent of the "supernation" (the United States) with its vast size and massive area has seen artificial borders being created, separating the US into the five regions of New England, the South, the Midwest, the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest.
Symposiums have jurisdiction over the regions they are called in. In the UK, a Symposium (which goes under the name The Council of Princes) covers the entire nation and in the past covered Ireland as well. In the United States, a Symposium in the Pacific Northwest would cover only the Northwest of the nation. Truly national Symposiums in the US are only ever convened at national events such as Conclaves. It has been noted in the past that occasionally a group of Princes will wait until Justicars call a Conclave and then call a national Symposium, which has the added effect of stealing the Justicars' thunder and sending out a clear message as to who rules the Camarilla.
An interesting side effect of this is that if a Prince from a different nation or region wishes to attend another nation's or region's Symposium they can. If they wish to take part then they consent to stand by the rulings of that Symposium come what may. For example, a Prince from Germany taking part in a Symposium in Ireland agrees to stand by the rules dictated there; for definition's sake, taking part is the process of voting on any issue. One may speak freely and not take part - the act of casting a vote is all that matters.
It is still possible to influence Symposiums elsewhere in the nation outside your region, but this is covered in the faction level material.
It is at the Symposium gatherings that differences are settled, old scores paid off, complaints heard, common policy agreed upon... in short, it is the way that Princes get to interact, back-stab and generally have fun at each other's expense.
Symposium Rules
The Symposium can only meet in an established Elysium with two months' warning. Any Prince may summon a Symposium.
The Agenda must be made clear ahead of time, to allow those Kindred who are not Princes to try and get their voices heard within the context of their own Domain.
Within the Symposium all Princes are equal. Each has one vote on issues. This is based on the old Imperial Diets of the 16th Century Holy Roman Empire.
The Council decides all political issues (i.e. Should we Blood Hunt all Setites?). The Council may decide upon legal matters (i.e. Should the use of Dominate inside an Elysium be seen as a violation of Elysium?) and the Justicars will usually back them up, provided the laws do not deviate from the Traditions. There must be a minimum of seven Princes/Representatives there for it to be authoritative.
If there are 13 or more Princes, the Council’s decisions are in effect for a year and a night. If less than 13 votes are cast, the decisions can be changed at another Council. If less than seven Princes meet the decisions made there must be ratified at another Council where there are seven. The only exception to this is when a Region or Nation has less than seven Princes, at which time, the results of the symposium are binding if and only if every Prince in the Region/Nation attends (just as if they had achieved a quorum of seven).
Representatives for the Princes
If Princes cannot attend, they may send a Representative. The Representative speaks for his Prince and for the kindred of his Prince’s Domain, and must be made welcome as if he was that Prince at the Symposium.
Representatives of Princes can be anyone from their home Domain, but they must uphold the following laws:
The Prince who is sending him must authorize the Representative. Proof is required in a prior sealed letter or a spoken message to the host of the event.
The Representative can speak and vote on issues but must remember that he is not a Prince and therefore MUST show due respect.
Those that don't show due respect can be ejected, and could even get their home Domain into trouble.
The Representatives can be asked to leave the Council if a matter of extreme sensitivity comes up, such as the existence of a Sabbat war band locally, which the Princes wish to keep secret.
If there are more Representatives than Princes, the decisions made at that Symposium must be ratified at the next Symposium before they become binding to the participating Princes.
A Prince may give his vote to another Prince. In this event, that Prince is under no obligation to vote the same way as the Prince who gave them their vote - although voting differently may well lead to a Tribunal. Princes holding more than one vote must make sure it is known and cleared under the same conditions as the Representatives.
The power of Symposiums is that they allow Princes to dictate to other Princes how they want things run. Princes cannot openly undermine another Prince - such would be a breach of the Second Tradition; rather, Princes can express their displeasure at the actions of another Prince by bringing about a Motion of Bad Standing.
Domains of Bad Standing
A Domain is judged by its fellow Domains, and Princes are judged by fellow Princes. The worst thing that can happen is to be called a "Domain of Bad Standing."
Motion of Bad Standing
Acts which automatically qualify for a Motion of Bad Standing to be put against a Prince (it still has to be voted upon by the fellow Princes):
Other than this, anything can be used to bring a Motion of Bad Standing against a fellow Prince; the accusation is made, and is debated by the Symposium. Remember that if you bring a Motion and it FAILS, you automatically suffer one against you. You have dared to dictate to another Prince, and the majority of Princes will not support you. You are obviously unsuitable for Domain.
Effects of Bad Standing
All Kindred from that Domain are distrusted. No other Domain is under any obligation to help the offending Domain – it is almost better that the Sabbat should destroy a city than the poison harbored there be spread!
All alliances, deals, bargains and Boons made with the offending Domain are now null and void until the Bad Standing is revoked.
The Primogen may remove their Prince, not if all seven decide unanimously, but rather if a simple majority votes him out. The Treaty of Barbs no longer applies to the Domain. Anarchs (and others) can try to achieve power any way they wish.
As you can see, being a Domain of Bad Standing means increased political instability and the Kindred from there being treated terribly. This is how it is meant to be. Remember, to gain Bad Standing means the PRINCE has not acted in a manner expected by his peers, so the entire Domain is treated as such.
Hopefully, this will create a situation of instability and upset so the Prince will be forced to make it up to the other Princes before some disgruntled resident decides to overthrow him, which is now MUCH easier to do.
Motions of Bad Standing and the Symposiums where they are discussed are the main way the Camarilla’s Princes are policed. It keeps the power to moderate the society in the hands of the Princes.
Be also aware that even democratically elected Princes may face Motions. Those who are elected send out a clear signal that the Prince can only rule with a mandate from his people. For Vampiric masters of eternity, this idea is dangerous. The other Kindred do not give Praxis - it is divine right. In certain nations democracy is illegal among the Kindred. In the UK, for example, Princes who claim their power democratically are Blood Hunted. In short, a good Prince is one who upholds the Status quo – he does not rock the boat, maintains a strong Praxis and works with fellow Princes to enforce stability and security. To do anything else is leaving oneself open to a Motion of Bad Standing.
The main problem with Motions of Bad Standing is that if you call one and it fails you automatically have one brought against you. This has led the ancient concept of Tribunals, the earliest form of Symposiums, to be revived in the last two hundred years. Tribunals sort out disagreements that do not come under a Motion of Bad Standing, such as when two Princes act correctly but are in conflict with each other.
Tribunals
A Tribunal may be called outside of a Symposium of Princes, but they are usually carried out at the same time and conducted with great pomp and circumstance. When it is called, three Princes sit in judgement while the two opposing sides present their cases. Over the years, Tribunals have become almost festivals amongst themselves. Any Kindred may attend.
The two Princes lead delegations of their own, and there follows an open ten minutes where the two sides present their cases (This limit of ten minutes was instated after the Tribunal between Milan and Pisa in 1863 which lasted 7 weeks!). During that ten minutes, each side tries to get as much information across as possible. There is frequent heckling whenever someone starts talking too long, and several Princes have been known to trade insults over who has the right to speak - much to the amusement of the spectators. After the ten minutes are over the three Princes judging the case confide in each other for a few minutes and then decide who has won.
The ten minute rule has sometimes meant that more clued-up Princes have made sure that all their evidence is presented before the Tribunal and just used the ten minutes to trade insults!
The Tribunal's decision, if it is based upon political issues or behavioral issues, is final. If it is based upon a legal issue, the losing Prince may appeal to the Justicar (This is not a good idea, honestly!).
Remember that a Tribunal is NOT a trial. It is not a legal system. Common offenders may not go to trial at a Tribunal. A Tribunal is no more than a way of having two Domains sort out a disagreement without the need to go to war. If the matter is serious enough, the judging Princes may decree that a Motion of Bad Standing be brought against the losing Prince. The motion is treated like any of the automatic cases presented above, except that if it fails no one receives reprisal for it.
Since any Prince can call a Symposium with two months' (2 lunar cycles') notice, and since several Princes may wish to call a Symposium at once, it generally transpires that things quickly develop into the next level of intrigue.
The Royal Harpy
This is the highest rank any Harpy may reach, and the most power any neonate could ever hope to wield. The ancient tradition of the Royal Harpy is one that has been lost with time, but it is currently having a revival. The Royal Harpy is a position that is only created at a Symposium of Princes. It is, in effect, a position that allows Symposiums to function correctly.
Its origins lie in the fact that, during a Symposium, the Princes would be hidden away in a separate room discussing the affairs of the Symposium, leaving everyone else in the meeting building effectively without a chaperone. The Royal Harpy is, on the night of a Symposium, effectively the Prince for the event.
At the beginning of the Symposium, any that wish to petition the Symposium to be Royal Harpy make their petitions known to the Princes. The Princes then vote on who should hold the title. For that night even Justicars must behave themselves around a Royal Harpy. They now have the power to act as a Chief Harpy of a Domain - they can welcome or eject anyone from the Symposium.
Perhaps most importantly, a Royal Harpy can remove Acknowledged from Kindred. This is what makes them so terrible. Under rules of precedent and under the Traditions themselves, ONLY those who are Prince may make a Kindred Un-Acknowledged. To go without this recognition is to say that: you are a non-citizen of the Camarilla; that you have stepped beyond the pale of society, you may be killed at any time, you have no legal recourse, and you have no recognition. You are, frankly, worm food. Other Harpies cannot do this. They cannot remove the most base of words from a Kindred. They cannot because to do so brings them close to usurping the Sixth Tradition, Destruction.
The Royal Harpy has the power to even remove a Justicar from the Symposium - so great is the status of a Royal Harpy. It must be said that doing this can lead the Justicar to simply arrest the Royal Harpy for "attacking the Justicar" at the end of the Symposium, and the Royal Harpy enters a world of pain!
Everything comes with a price; the Royal Harpy is no different. The position lasts ONLY for the night of the Symposium; after which the Harpy may find himself on the receiving end of those he annoyed. Finally, Royal Harpies can only pass judgements on those attending the Symposium. Royal Harpies are no more than maintainers of the Status quo - they do not use their power to move against an enemy or to destroy a foe. Rather, they use their power to judge all. Whenever a Royal Harpy is summoned, one is aware of the power of that Elysium and all Kindred are now aware of the importance of abiding by the rules.
There is no requirement of a Symposium to elect a Royal Harpy, and many do not. After a Royal Harpy is given the post they may, with the Prince's permission, retain said title without any of the benefits and Status until the next regional/national Symposium. The Royal Harpy of Albion, for example, is elected yearly at the National Assembly of the Kindred of Great Britain. If they do not retain the title, many include it in their titles- to have once been a Royal Harpy shows you as a Kindred with who respect should be given.
The only bans on the position of Royal Harpy are that no Prince may be Royal Harpy and no Clan Head may be Royal Harpy.
Faction
Get to the Faction level and you are doing really well. This level represents the large political factions of the Camarilla - Clan Heads, Elders, Political Factions 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 the most complicated level of intrigue around - the games played here can get someone killed very easily. This is where one can meet the Justicar at times. This is the scary level.
Factions
Given the size of nations and that within each region there will be at least one Symposium a year, it is painfully obvious that not every Prince can reach every Symposium. This presents a Prince with a problem if he is part of the region (or nation) and a Symposium that he cannot attend is debating something he feels passionately about. He could send a representative or have a local Prince cast his vote for him... but there is an easier way. He can form a political alliance with other Princes. Thus are born the factions.
There are no rules governing a faction - they come together or fall apart - it is no more than a grouping of Princes who vote the same way. If the faction is large enough it gives real power to the Prince: One Prince carries one vote, but if he is part of a block of 15 Princes this carries with it one heck of a political punch.
Factions can be organized on geographic terms. The best example of this was the Pax Londinium and the Pax Celtica of Scotland. Under these alliances, Princes in geographic areas (in the Pax Londinium’s case, seven Princes based near London; in the Pax Celtica’s case, the collective Princes of Scotland) would cast their vote en masse. Others are based on other reasons; the “Court of Lilith” is a loose alliance of female Princes who banded together in the face of the rampant sexism prevalent among male Princes who predate the 20th Century.
Political factions are also based upon Princes’ viewpoints towards the society of the Kindred. Many younger Princes like to band together to form a moderate camp, while many older Princes form more conservative ones. So be it. As stated before, creating, joining, and leaving factions is the heart blood of a Prince’s life outside of running his own Domain. On occasion, certain Factions take it upon themselves to formalize their relationship with treaties (thus preventing betrayal) or, on rare occasions, open integration. More on this shall be covered in the section “Imperial Princes”.
What must be stressed is that in the United States, with the vast size of the nation, regional factions (based around regional Symposiums) are the most commonly formed and also the weakest. The truly important factions shall be those that transcend regional barriers and allow an alliance of Princes and Elders to act together across the nation. The true measure of a faction is not whether they can influence a Symposium in their region, but if they are powerful enough to influence Symposiums in other regions! Obviously, factions that transcend international boundaries are exceptionally powerful and rightly feared.
Elder
It 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.
Thus it is with many a Symposium: the Elders are seen hovering about outside the meeting making sure their Princes make the correct decision. It is known that many factions seek Elder backing informally, giving them more weight. (Elders will be able to use their influence 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. The whole Symposium arrangement, ostensibly there to allow Princes to exercise their political power, is also designed to allow Elders to increase theirs with minimal effort. Why travel around the nation influencing Princes when you can have your Prince summon them all to you?
Clan Head
Now we come to the most unusual position of all, the Clan Heads. Like the Primogen, this is a post that is a throwback to the nights before the Camarilla. Like them, this is a Camarilla post. A Clan Head as recognized by the Camarilla is NOT the supreme authority over a Clan. For example, while the Councilor for North America is the supreme head of the Tremere in that continent, it would be foolish to assume they would stand as Clan Head. The Clan Head is a post that exists because the Primogen dictate it should exist.
The main purpose of a Clan Head is to watch Princes and make sure that they do not erode the rights of the Clans. If a Prince decides to make a Primogen of all Clans except the Malkavian, the designated Malkavian Clan Head can then begin to put pressure upon the Prince to allow them to have a say. Clan Heads are often called “The Primogen’s Primogen” for this reason.
All told, Clan Head is a position that many Kindred would avoid. Clan Heads play perhaps the most dangerous game of all. They have little in the way of direct authority but instead affect change through personal charisma and political dealings. As the Primogen speak for a Clan in a Domain, each Clan Head speaks for his or her ENTIRE Clan in the region. They have got to be careful about how they act and what they say and do! They could say something in one part of the region, only to find that members of their Clan are punished for it in another part of the region. The Clan Head answers to their Clan’s Primogen, so it is up to the Primogen and the Princes of the Clan to make sure they all know what the Clan Head is up to.
If the Clan Head is convicted of a crime the entire Clan suffers. For this reason, many Clan Heads are often no more than puppets for the real powers, chosen for their ability to speak well and not break Traditions.
There is no necessity to have a Clan Head, and as the Clan Head is a Camarilla post - they are more like clan speakers. Clan Heads are selected and removed by their own Clan, in whatever way the Clan sees fit. Most Clans in the US have, however, retained this post despite the more individualistic leanings of the continent that havens them, if only because other Clans have them.
Imperial Prince
This is perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of Faction level politics. In the process of forming a political faction, several Princes may agree (or may be forced) to 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 Prince is Imperator.
Imagine three Princes whose Domains are close to each other. (Chicago comes to mind, with its subsidiary Domains of Milwaukee and Gary.) For whatever reason, they decide to unite the Domains under a single Prince. That Prince gains no extra privileges, but can now call himself an Imperial Prince - this sends out a very big message. An Imperial Prince is one who has increased his Domain at the expense of others - it either means he is very charismatic or very powerful. Just the title Imperial Prince carries with it weight and gravity. In this regard, the most powerful Imperial Prince in the world must be Villon, Prince of All France - all Kindred within that nation come under His Praxis.
Duke
When Domains combine, several new positions are created. The first and most important is the position of Duke/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 but 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 to act as advisors. This is like a secondary Primogen council. They act as voices, leaders of a Clan in a given area. Often called a Senate, they are given their power by the Imperial Prince’s Primogen and tend to enforce the Primogens’ decisions.
In some larger Imperial Domains, the Primogen may appoint Senators for several locations. Only in the truly large Imperial Domains (such as France) do Senators appoint their own clan leaders (often called Wardens) for themselves.
The Duke may hold gatherings/Elysium meetings but it is clear they rule in the Prince’s 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.
Jyhad
Ok, now we are getting silly! This is the level of politics where things get really deadly. If you make it to this level you are either very old (Elder), very powerful (Clan Head, Imperial Prince), very important (Justicar and Archon) or very stupid. There are no real laws to govern this level of politics -- this is the highest there is. At this level you interact with the true Elders... and the 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 ANY stupidity and you shall be killed.
The players here play a subtle game, one that takes years to play. New players are looked on with a mix of amusement and contempt. If they don’t follow the unwritten rules -- which are never explained -- then they can expect to die very quickly.
Travelling: How Standards of Behavior Work across Domains, Regions, Nations
The golden rule is this: travel to another Domain and you are under that Domain’s customs, rules and laws. Taking things into your own hands is bad, bad, BAD! If you travel to another Domain and break the laws of that Domain, for whatever reason, you are to blame. Always. Even if you just discovered that someone is a diablerist who killed your mother, the moment you take the law into your own hands for anything other than immediate self-defense, you’re the criminal.
If you visit another Domain, make sure you know the laws. Ignorance is no defense.
Remember, all visitors reflect upon the Prince of their Domain. Sometimes visitors cause uproar at a Symposium, only to return and say, “We think we did nothing wrong, so what do we care?” That won’t hold water. If you upset the locals, the problem now falls to your Prince. Unless the Prince deals with it, it could become a very serious matter. If you go elsewhere and break the rules, you bring shame upon your Prince. Your Prince may love you or may hate you, but the moment you mess up you get the blame… and so do they!
The Prince of the Domain could just look to your Prince to punish you when you get home. On the other hand, a good Prince doesn’t want his fellow Princes to suffer under the shame of such a criminal, now does he? (Insert fake smile.) So… maybe he should just execute you then and there to spare his fellow Prince any further embarrassment.
The Protocols in Practice
Review the following example, utilizing the protocols described above:
The Residents of Domain A turn up at Domain B, cause trouble and upset the locals. The Prince of Domain B can’t kill them because they are too powerful and would cause further trouble if he tried, so the Prince of Domain B decides to complain formally to the Prince of Domain A. The Prince of Domain A had better punish the visitors who caused the trouble. If he doesn’t, a few months later Domain A gets into Bad Standing for the Prince’s failing to do his job.
But imagine if the Prince of Domain A either doesn’t want to punish them or maybe is too politically weak to punish them. What is there to do? A clever Prince simply orders the Primogen to deal with the members of the Clan. Having done that, he can turn to Prince B and say “Well, I’ve done my duty!” and it becomes the Primogen’s problem. If the Primogen then doesn’t act, Prince A can either complain to the Primogen’s Clan Head or punish the Primogen (“Yes, I know you love your Primogen, but he’s dying so you can live... it’s your fault I’m afraid!”). Or he can punish the Primogen’s clan as a whole, because the Primogen failed to carry out his responsibilities. All because some lick annoyed someone at a gathering off in another city.
This removes violence and the threat of violence from Kindred interaction. The Camarilla is not just built upon the military strength of it’s forces; if this was so the Sabbat would have won a long time ago; its power lies in its hegemony, the society it has. As one famous Anarch was heard to comment: “You kill a Prince, another takes her place; you burn a Primogen they simply get another... how can you defeat that?”
When travelling, a Kindred has to remember that he is going somewhere that may not work according to these rules. Now if he is lucky it is a civilized Domain where the rules of protocol are easily understood and known to all. Kindred who travel to these Domains will automatically band together to enforce these rules. They provide a constant; they give stability and security. A Kindred who goes to a civilized Domain knows that any Elysium shall be a safe Elysium, that Primogen will be careful what they say, that the young who speak out of turn will be punished by their Primogen lest the Primogen loses face, that the Prince will be respectful or else lose face with his new-found allies, that everyone will think carefully before they open their mouths and where the Harpies watch all. This is a society where titles, Boons, station and all things have due order and place - a safe Kindred society.
Anything that comes in to attack this society is a threat that must be destroyed. If one Domain falls to the bestial nature then all could. Thus they band together.
If they discover a Domain that does not operate under these protocols, they simply moan to their Princes of the danger this poses. If enough do, the Princes may act and a Motion of Bad Standing could be brought against that Domain. Thus, the natural conservatism of the protocols spreads.
Boons
“The 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.”
-Storyteller’s Handbook, First Edition. Page 66.
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 look at the Camarilla as a whole, we notice a situation where younger and weaker Kindred outnumber 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.
In many places, you will never hear the word “Boon” spoken. Boons are something that everyone is supposed to know about and understand…even though they are never explained. This is one more way the Harpies separate the “real Kindred” from the unworthy and the pretenders. If you pay no heed to the weights and measures by which society conducts itself, then you are either very young (and therefore naïve and untrustworthy), very stupid, or very disrespectful. If one Kindred owes another an important Boon, and you fail to take it into consideration in a public discussion, even if it was made years before you were embraced, you look like a fool. Clearly, you should know what you are talking about before opening your big mouth! Yes, this practice is hypocritical and unfair…have you noticed a theme yet?
Boons allow you do things. You can ask another Kindred for 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 are a hugely powerful Cainite who has a host of powers and a retinue of followers that is twice the size of a Justicar’s and could take on Caine in a straight fight. Good for you... perhaps the other Malkavians will sing your praises after you’re gone. But, for everyone else, the Camarilla is arranged so that everyone needs to do deals. Boons are the currency of the Cainites.
Unless you tell someone about your Boon it doesn’t exist. Boons have to be “registered”, and the natural people to keep track of Boons are the Harpies. Harpies keep track of everyone’s Boons. Several Harpies do so formally - it is said the Chief Harpy of Dublin carries a large book into which is added each Boon between every vampiric resident of that city. Sometimes there is no suitable Harpy to do such a thing- at times like these the Camarilla’s few accepted Followers of Set are more than happy to offer their services (for a trivial Boon, of course!).
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 announced; if it is publicly announced to and by the Harpy, the Boon is formalized. Only in the case of secret deals does writing it down really 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 underestimated. If there is no record of the Boon there is nothing to make other Kindred uphold it.
This leads into the nastiest part of all this... not keeping a promise. Failing to respond to a Boon is a really bad thing. If someone is discovered to have defaulted then they get it in the neck. They are undermining the currency of the Camarilla - all it takes is for many to do this and Boons become worthless.
Those who do face a harsh penalty - immediately they are considered to have lost all trustworthiness. They may be ostracized, and exiled from their home Domain is to be considered a terrible thing. Their assets and goods are free to be seized by any Kindred: their Ghouls, their Influences, their money - all of it becomes open to be taken. Some old-fashioned Princes may even use this as an excuse to have them Blood Hunted. It’s that nasty and that simple. If you owe, you had better pay... or else you could lose EVERYTHING.
Primogen who refuse their debts are automatically assumed to be representing their entire Clans locally. Princes will suffer the equivalent of a Motion of Bad Standing that does not require a Symposium to ratify. If a Prince defaults and is publicly announced to have defaulted, the Bad Standing is automatically assumed to have passed. 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 allegation – even another Prince, suffers the same fate! Clan Heads are judged the same way, with the added effect of the entire regional Clan receiving the same punishment.
There is a weakness here: Someone could say someone else has defaulted when they haven’t. That is called false witness. Bring false witness against someone and you are killed… simple as that... no appeal, no Blood Hunt. Elders have ways of making everyone know 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 Boon is announced or that both are there when the Harpies witness it.
Let’s get things into some kind of scale. 95% of Boons are minor. Blood Boons are rare. As for Life Boons... Life Boons are like diamonds. When you have a Life Boon, you owe someone everything. It’s 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 won’t happen, as you are now making them take all the risks.
If the Clan Head of the Ventrue ends up owing a Life Boon to someone, it puts the Ventrue into a very difficult position. That person can make the Clan Head do anything he wants - even betray his Clan - and the Ventrue HAVE to live with it. If the Clan Head ignores the Boon... that would be worse. The prudent response would be to get a new Clan Head. The old one has fallen out of favor.
The best thing about holding a Court position is that it automatically allows you collect Boons. If a Primogen has a Clan Member who wishes to petition a Prince, he may charge them a Boon. All that propaganda and nonsense about Clan Loyalty can only go so far - consider the argument that members of a Clan should not charge each other Boons is 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. Acknowledging a Kindred is the only duty they do for free; after that everything comes with a price. Someone wants to establish a new haven in another part of town? That’s a Boon. Someone wants to Sire? That’s a Blood Boon. Someone wants to be Sheriff but not be thralled? Open-ended Boon. A non-Camarilla Kindred wants to live in your Domain? Yes, you guessed it, a Life Boon. This way Princes collect many Boons - they either use them to prevent Praxis seizures or they allow someone else to take over and quietly run things from the shadows. If the Prince doesn’t charge Boons - guess what? He’s WEAK. A Prince without Boons, is a rich man without money. They look the part but have no power to back it up.
An important clarification: When a Prince asks you to do something, he can get out of it being a Boon by saying it has to do with the security of the Domain. A Domain is a Prince’s concern, so it can be said that asking for a Boon can be seen as undermining the Princes right to rule... which is not a good thing. One can only charge a Boon to the Prince if you are doing a personal favor. Also, the Justicar and the Archons never grant Boons. They are above Boons. They don’t do favors. They do their duty. They don’t accept favors. If you help them it is because if you don’t they get to hurt you. Lots. And then some. Justicars and Archons don’t need Boons. They have might and the entire Camarilla backing them up. If an Archon accepts a Boon to let a criminal off the hook, he’ll have to answer to his master… and what good would that Boon be to a pile of ashes? Archons do tend to have more leeway to bargain and deal on a personal level, but they also 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 or the sanctity of a Tradition.
What Am I Letting Myself In For?
The hardest thing about Boons for many neonates 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...
Trivial Boon
I shall do a one-time favor for the person to whom I owe this Boon. I shall aid him by protecting him when I have no reason to do that, even if it places me into conflict with people. I shall agree to use a discipline for him if he requires it. I shall support his political maneuver this night even if it means I have to fly 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 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.
Minor Boon
I shall endeavor to fulfil the dept 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 oppose his enemies, whomever they may be. I shall offer physical protection for many nights - this I accept because I asked roughly the same of the one I owe.
Major Boon
I shall accept that I have earned a great dept to the one 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.
Blood Boon
I 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 the debt now...my current existence was dependant 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, I care not. He has done the same for me, so I accept that I shall do it for him.
Life Boon
I owe someone a life boon; my life is his; my will is his; my body is his. The dept I owe 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.
Upon learning the price of what they ask, many neonates shake their heads and say “I am not ever gonna owe ANYONE another Boon”. Many Princes and Primogen either fear or laugh at such statements, 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 or Harpy or Primogen should never be given to you, for you have nothing to moderate your bestial side.
Additional Boons
This 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 better is 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.
Compensation
Ok, now there 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 one of the reasons why violence becomes so rare in areas 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 don’t really work if the person who owes you a Boon is killed; once they are gone the Boon you were owed is lost. Right?
Not so. 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 compensate you - usually to the same degree of the Boon they just cost you. If you kill someone who owed someone else a Boon, their “creditor” now has the right to ask you to now compensate them by owing them a Boon (usually the same amount but at times more). If you fail to compensate them, you will be treated as someone who will not uphold Boons. Remember 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 harshest penalties (the weakest case - that of a trivial Boon being ignored by a neonate can be dealt with as described above in the Harpies section).
So the upshot is- 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 actually seek out powerful, hated or influential Kindred and offer to be in their debt in order to use their name as protection. That annoying Anarch may be ripe for a good sun tan, but if he suddenly announces that he owes a minor Boon to his Primogen, a major Boon to Prince Romanov of Atlanta, and a life Boon to Prince Xavier of Luxembourg, realize that if you destroy him you will owe many Boons. 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 vortex 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.
This system has many names - the most common and most realistic is patronage. Which is what it is… pure, medieval patronage and feudalism. Thus is the power of the Camarilla maintained.
The only people who are immune to paying compensation are Princes, Archons, and Justicars. If someone breaks a Prince's laws, and the Prince kills them, then the investment is lost; the same applies to Archons and Justicars. The Scourge, Sheriff and Elysium Keeper can also be free of compensation while performing their duties in the name of the Prince.
Also, don’t forget that if your Domain comes into Bad Standing among other Domains, your Boons are invalidated until it is lifted. Making sure that your Prince remains in good standing is vitally important. Of course you could always swear loyalty to another Prince and leave your old Domain - and the other Prince will accept you... for a Boon...
Title
If you give a title to someone and they are found to be a criminal or get into trouble or something... it could come back to haunt you. You must be careful with appointing stations – name someone Harpy and they attack a Prince, you will be asked why you favored them. If you appointed that someone to Sheriff it becomes more serious - if that person commits a crime, you are placed on trial with him or her at the same time! (After all, you must support everything they say and do!). If someone loses their title in one Domain and you give them that title in another Domain, you may be asked to say why - if the first Kindred is convicted of serious crimes, you may yourself be dragged in. The age old “strip status and then watch someone give it right back" takes on a serious implication. If you do this, you are saying that the person stripping status is wrong. If that person is a Prince, then you are undermining the Second Tradition. Heaven help you if you turn up in their Domain, and if it happens more than once, you may find your Prince receives a strongly worded letter along the lines of “This Kindred is supportive of a disrespectful criminal. Either you punish him or I shall have to ask our fellow Princes to consider if you are worthy for Praxis.” Given the choice between punishing you or taking a Motion of Bad Standing, which will the Prince take?
Title also follows on to the above mention of the Law. Two Kindred are accused of a crime... both claim the other one did it... the person with the title wins. Any Prince who does not take into account the status of a person in cases such as these risks a Motion of Bad Standing. This is not to say that Kindred of high station 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 didn’t. 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.
Adoption into a Clan
A Clan Head can adopt members of another Clan into their own, as well as Caitiff. Adopting Caitiff is seen as an act of mercy - by Caitiff we mean those who were Sired Caitiff - but Caitiff who used to be members of another Clan and are accepted into their new Clan are presented with a problem. If the Clan Head adopts a Kindred of another Clan, then the Clans gets tagged... if the Brujah Clan Head adopts a Nosferatu, the Clan itself earns the nickname “Nosferatu” for a few weeks. Harpies can make pained comments about it openly, and Clan members MUST accept it. It’s a small price to pay for a new recruit!
Adoption can only be performed by the Clan Head, and if there is no Clan Head there is no adoption. The Adoption must be made public knowledge in the Kindred’s Domain, as this allows such things as Boons and issues of Clan relations to be sorted out. It also allows the “Brujah are now called Nosferatu” incident to be passed among the Harpies.
The Law: Praxis, Blood Hunts, Justicars and Archons
Kindred law is based upon one simple idea: Within each Domain, the Prince has final say. End of story. The end. That’s it.
Simple isn’t it?
You can’t win.
For the record, Kindred justice within the Camarilla is NOT based upon trial by jury, the use of Aura Perception, Truth of the Bone, whatever... none of these are accepted. Age and Title wins. The Camarilla usually does not like investigations to get to the bottom of things. Why investigate? Better to find a scapegoat... sorry, criminal 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/Autarkis... they have no status and as such are guilty of everything!
All right, 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 remember 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.
Example of Why Camarilla Law is So Unfair
(Based on actual events in a distant city)
Picture the scene: The Tremere Primogen has been found in a room with the recently killed corpse of the Ventrue Primogen. He claims he didn’t do it. The Prince summons him and the entire court (this is a bad move, but we’ll come back to that in a bit).
Prince: Right… My Lord Tremere, did you kill the Ventrue Primogen?
Tremere: My Prince, I cannot tell a lie... no. I had nothing to do with it.
Nearby Toreador: A-HA! Your majesty, my learned Tremere Primogen is a lying, two faced murdering git.
Tremere: You have evidence?
Toreador: I don’t 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? You’ve allowed a Toreador Anarch to present evidence...
Toreador: WHAT!?
Prince: (Who knows where this is going and what is going to happen) My God, I think you’re 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?
Tremere: You, Sir, you and your disregard for the Traditions and laws of the Camarilla. 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, you’re a sneaky git!
Tremere: That’s 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 Station, 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 Station is redundant. You wish to destroy it, eh?
Toreador: Er... no, that’s not...
Tremere: No doubt you wish to get rid of Boons and introduce democracy as well... you probably hang about with that autarkis Danton don’t you?
Toreador: No, now wait a minute...!
Tremere: Your majesty, I insist that this criminal be staked immediately.
Prince: Detain the Toreador. This traitor shall be executed at dawn!
And like that the bad guy gets away with it! Why? Because Kindred society is deadlier than any Kindred. It is not based upon fairness or justice. The Tremere Primogen did kill the Ventrue one... but the Toreador broke an even bigger rule... He disregarded station. The Tremere committed murder... the Toreador committed treason and sedition. And since his act of treason was to say he had read the Tremere’s aura... then the very accusation is treason, and thus the case is dropped and the Toreador gets it! (This could lead to people like the Harpies judging and ruling cases... and that’s almost right!)
Mind you, the Prince messed up. He should have gotten the Toreador to ask the 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 is 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? It’s about how you appear and what power you have. An Elder can make your life miserable for years. That’s 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. It’s not enough that you get evidence against the 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 accusation and 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 goes back to the days of the medieval courts. If the accusation 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 crime - the 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.
Praxis and Removal of a Prince
So how does one become Prince without the Prince’s allies (usually other Princes) killing you? Dead easy, really. A Prince stops being a Prince when he is killed, deposed (by another Camarilla Kindred - being overthrown by the Anarchs or the Sabbat is seen as a temporary set-back and the Kindred still retains the title Prince, with all the benefits that go with it) or resigns. A Prince may be deposed by a Justicar for breaking the law. The Primogen can depose them if the Primogen en masse (ALL of them and not one voice of dissent) order him to step down. If such is done in front of the Harpies, the Prince is out.
Then they simply choose a candidate whom they want. In the case where the Primogen have deposed the Prince but cannot decide on a single candidate, they merely vote for whom they support. In the event of a tie (such as when each Primogen wants to be the new Prince) the Chief Harpy decides who wins.
When a Seneschal attempts to take Praxis, it’s between a Prince and the voice of the Prince. Anything goes...
Blood Hunts
These are tricky things. When Princes call a Blood Hunt they are staking their claim to Praxis upon the Hunted. Blood Hunts should never be taken lightly. If a Prince calls a Hunt and then retracts it, any Prince can bring about a Motion of Bad Standing against them. This is a serious affair; calling a Blood Hunt and then retracting it is nearly impossible - the usual punishment is that the Justicar sends an Archon to punish the Prince and make sure the hunt is enforced. There are only a few ways a Blood Hunt may be lifted:
The Prince who called it is killed - this 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 Blood Hunt 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 automatically Blood Hunt you as well.
The trick for Princes is to make sure that this doesn’t become an option. If they call Blood Hunts alone, they become targets of the Hunted; it's better to have other Princes call the Hunt as well. This is one of the main advantages of the Factions - many include a clause that says, “If one of us hunts we all hunt.” The downside to this is that usually all the Princes have to agree beforehand to the Hunt.
It is illegal to Blood Hunt another Kindred with the title Prince; to do that will bring Domains into conflict which weakens the Camarilla. This was why Tribunals where created. So, if you Blood Hunt a Kindred and then they gain Praxis elsewhere, the Blood Hunt drops. This creates an interesting position; many Princes may wish to give shelter to one of their Domain who they feel is unjustly Hunted (usually 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.
It is illegal to Blood Hunt an entire Camarilla Clan. Saying you wish to Blood Hunt 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 Blood Hunt automatically lose their Titles. Several Kindred have managed to make a good account for themselves by hiding, turning up only 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 Blood Hunted person. This charge is enough to have them killed in the Domain the Blood Hunt was originally called; if it is a national Blood Hunt, it applies to the whole country. Even talking to a Blood Hunted person can be enough to get you killed. Be careful - always try and meet them in secret or in Domains where the Blood Hunt on them isn’t in standing.
Some Princes operate the policy of Bad Blood: If a Kindred is Blood Hunted, the Princes evoke the Fourth Tradition to punish all of that Kindred’s descendants.
Archons and Justicars
Princes 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 there to wet nurse anyone. Archons and Justicars really don’t care how things are run as long as the Traditions and the Edicts of the Justicars are obeyed. That’s 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 things… Sending 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... most aren’t. Most stand back and allow Kindred society to 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 and has not the allies within a faction or Elder manipulators 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 without doubt the most powerful Kindred you will ever meet. They are the wrath of the Camarilla. They are not there to see what an interesting city you have. They are there 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 subject - they may use their arrival to investigate everyone. 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 their ire at all costs. When you see them, the kid gloves have been taken off. Heads will roll. They do not care about the Kindred of your city. Your city is an annoyance to them. Until they leave, you may be killed at any time for any reason…you are in a cage with the world’s most deadly creature.
Justicars do not represent their Clan. The Nosferatu have no claim on their Justicar. It is the Nosferatu Justicar, not the Nosferatu’s Justicar; Justicars’ first and only allegiance is to the Camarilla’s Eternal Circle. For their term of office, this is all they care about.
The Others: Independent Clans, Caitiff, Anarchs, and Autarkis
The protocols, it must be stressed, apply to members of the Camarilla. But what of those non-members of the Sect? This then leads to some interesting situations.
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 them. The main disadvantage is that outside the Camarilla you are outside its protection and thus must face the consequences. Let us look at each Clan and their relationship with the protocols and the Camarilla.
The Followers of Set
The Followers have a great advantage and a great disadvantage - they, being outside the protocols, are a lot more free to act; there is no ban on their behavior, on what they do and what they say. Followers of Set make a good living out of existing on the periphery of the Camarilla - they 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 Followers to act, be owed a Boon by each Primogen, and increase their power. The disadvantage here is of course the natural dislike of many Princes to the snakes.
The standard response to Snakes by Princes is to charge them steep 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. For example, a Prince may want a certain Primogen removed but cannot do so - every time he invokes the “Call of the Seasons” the Clan chooses the same Primogen. The Prince can’t move openly against said Primogen because the Clan Head is an ally and the Clan Head may influence all Princely members of that Clan to vote a Motion of Bad Standing for the Prince if he singles out the given Clan. What is the Prince to do? Simple-- the Followers owe him a Boon and he calls it. They are asked to remove the Primogen, which they can do because the self-same Primogen owes the Followers a Boon.
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 cannot 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. Those rare Followers who hold the position of Harpy or Keeper of Elysium tend to be ideally suited to the job.
Giovanni
The 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 matters - in which case they are worm food.
Several Princes codify the relationship with the Giovanni very simply- as 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 important 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 Chancellor - which 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 which encourage those Kindred with business interests to come trade freely in an atmosphere of relaxed gentility. These environments usually increase revenue and act as a way of allowing Kindred to 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.
By acting as arbiters of influences and making sure that no one does anything with them to damage the Prince’s Domain and reduce 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 Prince’s cut larger - thus 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 Title.
Assamites
The Assamites are considered by many to be foes of the Camarilla. Their relationship is defined by the fact that they do a job - a nasty job but a job nonetheless. It is generally accepted that Assamites only do their job because someone else has hired them - an Assamite may be the weapon but they are not the killers.
Several Princes have some interesting arrangements with the Assassins. Many will not Blood Hunt an Assamite - they were only doing the orders given to them. Many also say that, while they will not Blood Hunt an Assamite, that they would never insult the Assamites by suggesting they would give the name of the person who hired them without many nights of extensive torture. Others hunt them on sight and hunt any that would use them.
The only moderating factor in all this used to be the Assamites Curse. Now that the curse has been annulled there have been an ever-increasing number of Assamites formally joining the Camarilla’s ranks, and some have proven to be excellent Sheriffs and Scourges. Despite having denounced their old Clan’s ways and putting up a show of complete loyalty, their presence is barely tolerated by many of their new Sect members. Most Tremere still refuse to associate with them except when necessary.
Ravnos
The Ravnos have a very interesting attitude to Camarilla society. They can totally ignore it. No one expects them to follow its norms or anything within it. This being said, ignoring the rules, or the expectation to ignore them, leaves the Ravnos in a weakened position. They have to work against the prejudice that goes with this expectation all the time. Since no one thinks a Ravnos is going to honor Boons or behave in a civilized manner, this is used to justify much anti-Ravnos behavior.
It is rumored that the Ravnos have their own system of Boons based on their Rom heritage. True or not, certainly Rom repay debts they clearly feel they owe. But since Boons, in the Camarilla sense, are recognized as the currency of the Camarilla, many formal Boons are worthless to the Ravnos. They can promise you a Life Boon...but there is no penalty for them to ignore it.
Lasombra Anti-tribu
Lasombra who have sworn fealty to the Camarilla are recognized and given full rights within the Camarilla. In most places there are too few of them to effect any position such as Clan Head, Primogen etc.
Caitiff
One thing must be remembered about Caitiff - and it is important: Caitiff are clanless. To many they are bastards. Many are accepted as members of the Camarilla, but more than a few are killed on sight. A Caitiff has no Primogen to back him up, no Clan Head, or any support at all. This has led to the oft-used term to describe Caitiff: Patsies. One can easily blame Caitiff for a crime…who is going to speak up for them? No one. And if someone does, many a Harpy will ask why they are supporting a bastard.
Added to this, in certain nations such as the UK and Ireland Caitiff are not Acknowledged by Princes. At best they are tolerated, at worst they are routinely hunted down and slain. Because of this, Caitiff usually find someone of power to attach to and stick there like glue. Many Caitiff find themselves working for their Prince with a ferocious loyalty: If they don’t, they face the Prince’s 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 publicly blames the Caitiff for the crime.
Caitiff who hold Praxis are in a very dangerous position: If caught they get an automatic Motion of Bad Standing AND are usually killed.
Anarchs
Anarchs claim to not be members of the Camarilla, and indeed as such hold no Title or station in the Camarilla; they claim they are outside its social forms. 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 will of the Prince or the Camarilla’s protocols of behavior in order to live. They show that there exists another way for Kindred, and they undermine the very society around them. This makes them dangerous. This makes many Kindred want them dead. So be it.
Anarchs do play another interesting role among those not bound in by the protocols of the Camarilla. For many Princes, Anarchs allow the more provocative young Kindred openly show their allegiance. It is a recognized fact that the greatest threat to any Domain, especially in light of the Treaty of Barbs, is that a seemingly loyal member of the Camarilla can rise in power, gain Praxis and then go Anarch. In keeping with the Treaty, this allows the Anarchs to take a Domain without Praxis being broken and the Camarilla has to accept it! This cannot be allowed to happen, so Anarchs must be encouraged to exist openly - “secret Anarchs” now become the most dangerous foes of the Camarilla. Thus many Princes tolerate or indulge Anarchs, provided they understand the rules.
The main trump card Anarchs can play is that they can help the Prince or the Primogen. They can do favors for them when a Primogen wants to destroy (figuratively or literally) a political rival and 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 Camarilla Kindred. Many a Prince has also discovered to their horror that attacking and Blood Hunting Anarchs lead to his name being added to a list for retaliation. It may take months or even years, but it will come. 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 fellow members of his Clan are 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 Kindred to shame. They uphold Domain and Elysium with 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 need to have them around. The insult “You act worse than those Anarchs” is one that all Camarilla Kindred should take as a metaphor for “Change the way you act or I shall Blood Hunt 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, especially the Lemmings (Anarch slang for the takers of the Great Oath); but the Anarchs also realize that these Camarilla Cold Warriors are also mainly admired for their physical powers as opposed to their mental ones. Chances are that if the Anarchs survive the attack they can and will use the Protocols to force the Prince to kill those who broke the Protocols to attack them. Thus it is in the Anarchs’ interest to act fully within the protocols 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 when in 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.
It is the mixture of behaving politely added to the tactical brilliance shown by the Anarchs in situations involving violence that makes them so dangerous. Thus the stakes are high. Princes watch, looking for the first sign that the local Anarchs have broken The Treaty of Barbs or that they have not upheld the Protocols, and those Anarchs can expect to find their lives ended very quickly.
Autarkis
The Autarkis have left all Sects...many have also left the realm of sanity. Having given in to the Beast, they stand alone - they reject all titles, all badges, all responsibilities. Good for them, but it isn’t a free lunch. The Autarkis have no respect, no station, and no role in society…they are a menace. Their voice counts for nothing; their opinions count for less. They have rejected the society of the Kindred and thus the society rejects them. They can be Blood Hunted at anytime for any reason, no Primogen will speak for them, no Clan Head will defend them (not openly anyway), even many Anarchs refuse to aid an Autarkis, seeing him as a dangerous psychotic. Autarkis have only one set of reluctant supporters: Caitiff. 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 are under this designation are the ones you see once a year if you are lucky; they withdraw from the society totally (it’s a lot safer that way). Those who don’t carefully hide their activities will eventually breach the Masquerade, are discovered and killed. The only really successful Autarkis are those who hide well 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 a few Princes tolerate and allow them to live. Those who cannot make themselves useful can expect no mercy or favors. It is a lonely and dangerous road that the Autarkis take, and a short one for most.
And Finally...
Remember that the whole point of this social system is to create rules for vampiric behavior. These are not out-of-character rules. Player characters can break them. Your character is expected to act how you think he or she would, given her background, concept, and personal feelings. 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 of Darkness. This doesn’t mean you can’t get away with running around and causing trouble, but you must know how to play the game before you can buck the rules successfully.
From the Elders’ perspective, the Protocols were created to secure and preserve their position amid their fellow vampires. By applying strict codes of behavior, they have brought about the following situation: It doesn’t matter how strong or weak you are, it doesn’t matter what your generation is; it doesn’t matter what your clan is. If you decide to ignore the Protocols and just mess around the Camarilla will bring you down.
There is no need for the game master to throw “lightning bolts from the heavens” down upon you.
Got a Prince who’s 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? You can get rid of him without looking like the bad guy. In all things, please remember the golden rule... it is about how one is presented in PUBLIC. The system we have is one where how you act decides what you can or cannot do; what you can or cannot say. Little people who hold no station have no political power, but they have a lot more free reign than a Prince, who may like it at the top but finds that he is limited in what he can do.
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