[The Hierarchy]
[The Traditions][The Beginning]
What The Camarilla Stands For
Once, vampires walked openly among mortals.
They did not flaunt their nature, but they did not hide it either.
The Camarilla is the invention of a treaty founded after the Dark Ages
that was a result of the Inquisition and Burning Times
that destroyed many of the Kindred.
The Camarilla is a political and social body
to which Brujah, Malkavian, Nosferatu,
Toreador, Tremere and Ventru belong.The Gangrel did belong to the original seven clans, but have recently lost faith in the camarilla and have become an independant clan.
Formed 600 years ago in Europe,
it is based on a system of laws to hide vampiric existence
from the eyes of mortals; these laws are known as The Traditions,
the system of hiding their existence is called the Masquerade.
The Path of Humanity is the basis of the Camarilla,
one of the central points where they differ with the Sabbat
The Hierarchy of The Camarilla
[The Prince][Regent or Seneschal][Primogen]
[Harpy][Whip] [Sheriff]
[The Keeper of Elysium][Scourge][Herald][The Inner Circle][Justicars]
[Archon][The Chancellor]
The Prince:
Is the ruler of a city, traditionally (but not always) the eldest of its residents. All owe the Prince respect and deference, for he/she is the law and the face of the Camarilla.
The Prince enforces the Traditions, and is the final arbator of disputes between Kindred. The Prince claims the right of Domain over a city, and serves as its lawmaker and judge. Other residents of the city are under no obligation to follow the Prince's dictates, but to ignore them is not a formula for long term survival, and some Kindred obey only as much as their cowardice allows.
While it is true that the Prince is usually the strongest and most powerful resident, any who claim Domain over a city must have the support of the Primogen Council. And because of conflicting agendas, there is often a delicate balance of power between the Council and the Prince.
Because the title of Prince is not hereditary, a situation may sometimes arise where more than one Kindred claims Domain over a city. In this case the two contenders battle for the position. But sometimes the battles are in the political realm, and are long term, with faction contesting against faction. If the ruling Prince cannot maintain order, she may be forced to step down. But if the Prince has the support of the Primogen Council, it is nearly impossible to win against her.
Sometimes, if the station becomes vacant, a Prince will be elected by the Primogen Council, although not all Kindred want this honour. There have been occasions where a city is ruled by the Council alone. But there are undeniable benefits that come with the position. Princes have the right of Progeny, as well as increased Status, and support of most of the Elders in the city. She also has control over the Domain, and those who reside in it. She can set feeding areas, and has the power to call a blood hunt.
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Regent or Seneschal:
The Prince's second-in-command, and usually a powerful vampire in their own right. They advises the Prince, and will also make decisions and issue orders on the Prince's behalf if the Prince is unavailible. However, these decisions may ultimately be reversed or overruled by the Prince.They are in charged with ruling the city while the Prince is out of town. But all of these titles are optional, things left on the books until needed. When the Prince needs help maintaining order,
the Camarilla has provided recourses for help.
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Primogen Council:
Is a group of the eldest or most powerful vampires,
one from each Clan. I say ideally because there is a strange
power balance between the Prince and the Primogen council,
one that varies from city to city. In some, the Prince is in command,
with the Primogen Council as de facto servants enforcing him/her will.
In other places, the Council acts like a board of directors,
with the Prince as their enforcer. These Primogen are usually the Elders and leaders of their respective clans. But even though they are advisors, most have their own agendas separate from that of the Prince. They are also due a certain amount of respect for their position.
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Harpy:
A social rumour-monger and arbitrator of Status within the city. The lead Harpy is selected by a majority vote of the Primogen Council, and can then appoint sub-harpies. The Harpies arbritate disputes involving boons, as well as scandals withing the Camarilla. The station can be revoked by a vote of the Primogen Council at any time, but while a Kindred holds the position, the Primogen show their support by each loaning her a point of Status.
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Whip:
The title given the assistant of a Primogen. They organize Status within their Clan, and stand in at Primogen Council meetings if their Primogen is unable to attend. In addition, they sometimes serve as an intermediary between the Primogen and the rest of the Clan.
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Sheriff:
A Kindred selected by the Prince and Primogen Council who enforces the Traditions within the Prince's Domain, as well as the edicts of the Prince. Because of the importance of these duties, the Sheriff has the authority to request that any kindred accompany her for questioning and judgement, and as a result, is immune to the powers of the Keeper of the Elysium.
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The Keeper of Elysium:
Is charged with the enforcement of the Masquerade,
and also aiding the Prince in such matters.
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Scourge:
One who searches the Domain for Kindred who do not have the Prince's leave to reside there. When such Kindred are found, they are either killed or driven out. Appointed by the Prince for their ability to do the task assigned to them, they are usually of great power, and some have been known to be overzealous in their duties.
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Herald
An intermediary for the Prince. The Herald keeps track of the appointments the Prince has, and tries to ensure that the Prince's time is not wasted.
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The Inner Circle:
A council of seven vampires (one from each clan),rules the entire Camarilla.
They make decisions from their seat in Europe.
These are the only people that the Justicars need answer to.
They are the ones that make the grand policy decisions,
and rule from their old castles in seclusion.
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Justicars:
One for each clan. These ancient and powerful kindred
are not bound by the Traditions (except The Masquerade)
and charged with one thing: defending the Camarilla from all threats,
internal and external. The Justicars cannot do it alone,
so they have a number of Kindred helping them, Archorns.
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Archon:
While not as powerful as their Justicars,
still hold more status than most vampires, and can freely travel,
as well as being partially free from Kindred law (not as much as the Justicars.)
Archons act as enforcers (Kinda like the vampire police)
as well as point men, scouting out an area to see if further help is needed.
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Chancellor:
A representitive who speaks for and acts on behalf of the Inner Circle of the Camarilla. They are, in all likelyhood, the most powerful Kindred most will ever meet, or will ever want to meet. Their opinions are not to be taken lightly.
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The Traditions
The First Tradition:
The Masquerade
Thou shalt not reveal thy true nature to those of not the Blood. Doing so shall renounce thy claim of Blood
The Second Tradition:
The Domain
Thy Domain is thy concern. All other owe thee respect while in it. None may challenge thy word in thy domain.
The Third Tradition:
The Progeny
Thou shalt sire another only with the permission of thine elder. If thou createst another without thine elder's leave, both thou and thy progeny shalt be slain.
The Fourth Tradition:
The Accounting
Those thou create are thine own childer. Until thy progeny shall be released, thou shalt command them in all things. Their sins are thine to endure.
The Fifth Tradition:
Hospitality
Honor one another's domain. When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shalt present thyself to the one who ruleth there. Without the word of acceptance, thou art nothing.
The Sixth Tradition:
Destruction
Thou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind. The right of destruction belongeth only to thine elder. Only the eldest among thee shall call the blood hunt.
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The Beginning
As most know, we all come from Caine. He was cursed with immortality and bloodlust for killing his brother Able.
At first Caine refused to curse the world with other of his kind.
Eventually he got lonely and embrased three. These three embrased 13,
these monsters fed carelessly and used mortals as puppets.
Caine, outraged by there behavior, forbad the embrasing of more progeny.
Caine gathered his childer and grandchilder to him
and built a great city - the First City - Enoch. The city were held by Caine,
three kindred of the second generation, 13 of the 3rd,
several of the 4th generation and a rare 5th generation.
Some of the kindred traveled the world, but all called Enoch their home.
A war arose, the 2nd generation fell, and Caine passed into the wilderness.
Most of the 3rd generation gathered their progeny around themselves
in the Second City. Vampire population grew to the 5th generation
and a rare 6th gen. Again, war came between elder and youth,
and the city fell. It is likely half the 4th generation
and most of the 5th and 6th were slain in the battle.
Vampires grouped along familial lines,
and each city held of a single powerful vampire and her brood.
Most of the Antediluvians still walked the earth,
and engaged in titanic struggles amongst themselves.
Kindred population expanded during this period,
as vampires spread throughout the civilized world,
mostly in the Fertile crescent and Egypt.
Vampires ranged from the 3rd to the 7th generation,
with 5th and 6th being "average" and a handful of rare 8th and 9th gen "rabble".
Vampires lived more or less openly amongst the kine,
as gods demanding blood and worship. The kindred of this time were powerful.
They began to recognize the limitations of their city-states,
and cast their eyes further afield.
The Empires Kindred began to work together, manipulating civilizations.
Various empires rose and fell, Egypt, Persia,
and the empire of Alexander the Great.
The kindred fought for control of these empires.
The growth of empires peaked with Rome,
as most of the known world fell under the sway of a single nation,
and the last of the great vampiric city-states, Carthage, fell to Roman legions.
The vampires of the time ranged from the 4th to the 8th generation,
with 6th to 7th being typical, and the occasional 9th and 10th generation.
The clans became less like "families" and became more like
the lines of descent that they are today.
Younger vampires knew less and less of their history.
In the Roman Empire,
vampires of different clans began to inhabit
the same cities for the first time since the Second City.
Rome had members of nearly every clan,
and significant numbers of Ventrue, Lasombra,
Malkavians, Toreador and Nosferatu. Most of the large Roman cities were multi-clan,
with as many as a half dozen or a dozen vampires in each city.
Vampires of this time no longer lived openly.
Vampires were powerful patrons of worthy mortals,
and if one pried deeply enough one could learn of their true nature.
With the fall of the empire there was a bloodletting of unprecedented proportions.
Competition for the declining feeding grounds was fierce.
As much as half the worlds kindred died in the ensuing turmoil,
a disaster as great as the Inquisition that was to come.
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