The Masquerade The Council

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Diabolique

They see me rooooollin.
Please read and familiarize yourself with the Hierarchy (or as I call it, The Council).

Per the Traditions, all new Kindred entering a Prince's territory must make themselves known to the Prince.

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Camarilla

The Council
Prince: Alexander DeManoir
Sheriff: Marcus Nero
Hound: Unappointed.
Hound: Unappointed.
Keeper of Elysium: Kathryn Frost
Grand Harpy: Marcey Monette
Harpy: Unappointed.
Harpy: Unappointed.

Primogen Council
Ventrue: Unappointed.
Tremere: Unappointed.
Toreador: Unappointed.
Brujah: Unappointed.
Gangrel: Unappointed.
Nosferatu: Unappointed.
Malkavian: Unappointed.
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Anarch

Baron: Unappointed.

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Sabbat

Archbishop: Unappointed.
Bishop: Unappointed.

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Now that I've thoroughly confused you... let's explain all that!

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The Camarilla

The Prince:
A Prince is a vampire who has claimed leadership over a Domain, usually a single city. They possess the authority of an Elder, as described in Kindred Traditions. The term "Prince" is used for rulers of either gender; despite the title's patrician origins. The true capability and powers of a prince vary from domain to domain. Powerful Princes may micromanage the entire city personally, while a less capable Prince may be a rubberstamp for his Primogen. The Camarilla has no set policy for succession and will usually recognize the most powerful vampire who wants to claim the title of Prince. However in certain cases, the Camarilla takes an active hand in the installation of a city's ruler.

The prince holds authority over unlife and Final Death.

These rights include:
Alotting hunting grounds.
Declaration or revocation of Elysium.
Granting authority to Sire new Kindred.
Punishment for violating the Traditions, mainly The Masquerade.
Calling a Blood Hunt.


The Sheriff:
The Sheriff is a vampire selected by the Prince and Primogen Council, who enforces the Traditions within the Prince's Domain, as well as the edicts of the Prince. The Sheriff is the Prince’s right-hand Kindred, responsible for the physical enforcement of Princely decree. Some Sheriffs are diligent masters-at-arms while others are thuggish, bloody fuckheads who abuse their authority to torment those beneath their station. A Sheriff may appoint Hounds to assist him (or the Prince may appoint them, in the interests of curtailing a Sheriff’s overt power).

The Sheriff acts as an enforcer and investigator inside his/her sovereign domain, and given the importance of these duties, the titleholder has the authority to request that any Kindred accompany him/her for questioning and judgment, and as a result, is immune to the powers of the Keeper of the Elysium. The position of Sheriff might be pretty physical, but in most domains it requires a more cunning approach, and a great deal of political sensibility.


The Hounds:
The Prince’s Dogs of War. Hounds, or Scourge, is a term used to describe a Camarilla title subordinated to a Prince. He is one of the muscles that a given Prince may call upon to do his bidding. The Hounds are responsible for the destruction of those vampires of 14th and higher generations and those illegally embraced. Unlike the Sheriff position, the Hounds don't have a pretense of investigation, as they are searching out vampires who are guilty by their very nature.

This is a position most often found in paranoid domains where Elders believe that fighting the symptoms of the Final Nights will stave off the coming of Gehenna. However, the Hound originated as a position within vampiric courts in the dark ages, where a Cainite would act as the Prince's personal executioner, hunting enemies of the city (primarily hunting Caitiff and Autarkis) and acting when the Sheriff could not (because of some political circumstances). It was reinstituted in Camarilla cities in the modern nights to eliminate illegal or weak vampires, namely thin-blooded Caitiff, and unauthorized or rogue embraces.

The Hounds tend to be very unpopular and asocial Kindred. There isn't much possible room for promotion for a Hound, but since they routinely destroy strange and secretive vampires, there is a chance that a Hound scores a lucky kill on an Anathema and gets promoted to Alastor for that act.


The Keeper of Elysium:
Elysium is neutral ground for the Camarilla vampires of a given city.

The Elysium location is typically chosen by the local Prince in areas of artistic or intellectual worth that promote calm reflection, such as theaters and museums, though nightclubs and even a kindred's haven may suffice.

Violence is strictly prohibited within Elysium, and individuals are expected to keep tempers in check. Any grievances between vampires are to be left outside, and the Keeper of Elysium or the Sheriff will forcibly remove those who cannot control themselves if need be. While this provides opportunity for both neonates and elders to relax, social conflict is often at its peak and what happens in Elysium can easily lead to repercussions off ground.

Though Elysium often serves as a gathering place for kindred, the Masquerade must be maintained at all times for any mortals that may be around. Similarly, while refreshments are sometimes served, it is bad taste to come to Elysium hungry as it often leads to shorter tempers. Some Princes go so far as to forbid hunting nearby, as a concentrated population of vampires could easily result in a suspicious number of deaths in the area.

Keeper of Elysium is a largely honorific title, though it has many practical responsibilities. The Keeper of Elysium assures that the customs of Elysium are observed, and is a caretaker of sites declared Elysium by a Prince. It is the Keeper who may schedule or cancel any events, a position that involves both great prestige and scrutiny.


The Harpies:
Harpies are the opinion leaders and the trend-setters to whom other Kindred look when it comes to matters of taste, style, philosophy, or politics.

A Harpy’s word influences the domain’s attitudes and can be a powerful supporter of the status quo or a force for insidious change. Harpies are rarely appointed directly (and Kindred rarely trust those who are). Instead, a Harpy paradoxically becomes so by acting as a Harpy. The Harpy’s role is often intertwined with domain politics, and it is a bold or foolish Prince who neglects those vampires who represent the cutting edge of popular opinion in her domain.

Vampires assuming the role of a Harpy are both feared and trusted. Trusted, as they are the official recorders of debts owed, status gained and can serve as diplomats or envoys to other domains, and feared as they are unusually aware of dirty little secrets, crimes committed in other cities, and, if they have a mind to, are able to raise a Kindred to the heights of legend or to destroy their reputation forever.

Harpies are generally from the Toreador clan but some have chosen the Brujah or other clans to hold the station. Harpies communicate with other through various secret channels. As such it is a very bad idea to cross a Harpy for all Domains will hear of it soon after.

Harpies consider themselves to be the "voice of society" and can be quite brutal with their comments. Newcomers to a domain are advised to ensure the Harpy is aware of their arrival so proper arrangements can be made for safely entering the domain. Some Harpies charge the arrivals a "boon" or favour for such assistance but not always.

When dealing with Harpies it is best to remember that they are generally extremely skilled in social skills, quite vain and will always make sure they come out ahead in any deal. Treat them with respect, keep your business short, leave them in peace and you may end your visit to an Elysium without too much trouble waiting for you on your return home.


Primogen Council:
Primogen is a term used to describe Camarilla officials that, at least in theory, serve as the representatives of their respective clans to the prince of a city ruled by the sect. The term is both singular and plural, and refers to both individual representatives and to the Primogen council as a whole.

As with many Camarilla offices, the Primogeniture predates the very existence of the sect, and was pretty common during the Dark Ages. Theoretically, a Primogen is the oldest vampire of his clan, and serves as a representative and voice for the clan in city affairs. In general, the ruling vampires of the city value the Primogens and their opinions, they are called in to consult on decisions, and their recommendations carry great weight.

In the modern era, the officeholder is usually decided within the clan proper by voting, violence or someone higher up giving the orders, rather than simply comparing ages. Primogen traditionally make up a council that is the second most powerful institution in the city after the Princedom.

The power of the Primogen varies with the power of the vampires that make it up: in some cities they are a rubber stamp for the Prince, while in other cities they manage all affairs.


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The Anarchs


Baron:
When all is said and done, a Baron is a Kindred with all the responsibilities of a Prince of the Camarilla, but without the tools. He can’t count on the respect that the prince’s title inspires, because he doesn’t have the strength of a prince. In addition to having less political clout than most princes, a baron isn’t necessarily one of the eldest or most powerful Kindred in a region.

The Anarchs believe in a system that awards merit, and that means the best administrator in a city – and thus, the best baron – could easily be 70 years old and a pushover as compared to the ruthless Prince in the next city who’s seen three centuries since her breathing days. The Anarchs know that any territory with even a modest Kindred population requires someone to moderate it. Most of the Baron's time is devoted to mediating conflicts and disputes between Kindred, orchestrating agreements with other local Kindred leaders (both within the movement and the other sects) and enforcing those traditions that even the Anarchs must obey.


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The Sabbat


Archbishop:
Archbishop is a title held by a Sabbat vampire who has claimed a given expanse of domain as his own, generally a city, and supports that claim against all others. The term can refer to a Vampire of either sex.

With many of the same powers as a Camarilla Prince, the Archbishop is the closest analog the Sabbat has to that position. An Archbishop is different, though, in that the Sabbat is less concerned with enforcing the Traditions and more concerned with waging its holy war against the Antediluvians and everyone else. Thus, the Archbishop is part spiritual leader and part warlord, advancing the Sword of Caine’s agenda and establishing Cainite primacy.

This last is a difficult task to undertake, as it’s not simply a question of turning a Sabbat city into a living hell and declaring that vampires rule; the fundamentals of the Masquerade and the sheer weight of the mortal population means that is a war to be waged in stages. Too many Sabbat fail to understand this, especially among the young, and lose faith in their leadership because they’re too impatient to play out the long-game Jyhad. This subversion of ignorance is perhaps the Archbishop’s greatest challenge to overcome.


Bishop:
Bishop is a title held by a Sabbat vampire, who serves or advises an Archbishop, or a vampire who maintains Sabbat influence in a city with aid of others of equal status. Bishops are those immediately below the Archbishop Archbishop but above Priests in Sabbat domains, with the same high level duties but much narrower scope.

A Bishop may be in charge of a single aspect of Cainite unlife in the domain, or she may be a more general spiritual leader, inquisitor against diabolism, military general, or any other specific aspect of Sabbat agenda.

Those who are in the know liken bishops to the Primogen of the Camarilla, and some Sabbat domains that have no Archbishop, are ruled by a council of Bishops instead.
 
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