The Camarilla and it's Present State
The Overview
The Camarilla is one of the two major vampire sects that dominates kindred culture in the world of darkness. The Camarilla dominates kindred society through the enforcement of the traditions of the titular Masquerade that gives the tabletop rpg its name. Founded at the Convention of Thorn in 1394 the Camarilla was mostly formalized during the early years of the 1st Anarch Movement that sought to supplant the traditional hierarchy of vampire society that put all the power into the eldest of each blood line, and left the younger kindred to forever be trapped in servile roles under the elder lords (until those older kindred died). The Convention of Thorns put in place The Masquerade as a means to give many young kindred in the Anarch Movement assurances that their issues would be mitigated and reform could come to kindred society. While this did not meet the demands of many elements of the 1st Anarch Movement (and thus lead to the formation of The Sabbat out of the more radical elements, the the continuation of the 1st Movement into a greater unified front). The clans that organized themselves under the Camarilla originally include the following:- Brujah
- Gangrel
- Malkavian
- Nosferatu
- Toreador
- Tremere (thanks to sponsorship by the Ventrue)
- Ventrue
Traditional Structure of the Camarilla
Official Titles (in order of importance)- The "Ivory Tower"
the high council of the Camarilla that takes reports from sanctioned courts across the world and give out edicts of how to handle changes in the world. Often they arbitrate which technologies are not too "risky" to integrate into kindred society. Aside from that they act as the final arbiters of justice that kindred can appeal to handle issues. - The Justiciars
The personal right hands of the members of the Ivory Tower. There is one justiciar per clan that is officially part of The Camarilla and often they oversee Tower ordered investigations into breaches of The Masquerade or oversee the deployment of the Camarilla's military's forces when necessary to either maintain the Masquerade, deal with inter sect conflict (such as The Sabbat), or to facilitate the success of a human faction that the Ivory Tower agrees will be useful for kindred society. - The Archons
The personal right hands of the Justiciars. Often organized in coterie to complete tasks the Justiciar may not be well suited to complete personally. - The Princes
A vampire of significant enough standing that The Ivory Tower allows them to rule a substantial domain such as a city or group of cities. There are very few princes allowed to rule over an entire human country (this only happens in the case of island nations, or very small countries, such as the UK or The Vatican City).
- The Primogen
A council of councilors a Prince appoints to advice them, often made up of representatives of each clan and sect in their city/domain. Often a Prince will also have a member of their own clan sit on the council to represent the direct needs of the Prince's clan, rather then the Prince's bias about what the clan needs in context to the city's needs. - The Herald
The Prince's personal messenger. Often delivers messages to the domain as a whole when edicts come down from the Prince and their Primogen. Acts as a personal secretary. - The Harpy(s)
A kindred, or a group of kindred, that the Prince nominates to be trend setters or people that lesser kindred should look to for advice on interactions with human affairs. Often a younger kindred who best represents "modern" trends in human society. - The Keeper(s) of Elysium
a kindred trusted with maintaining a local Elysium in the Prince's domain. Elysium is a neutral ground in a given domain where kindred are not allowed to bring in conflict. If it is often a gathering place where kindred can arbitrate disputes outside the context of the Prince's court if they do not wish to bring dominion level politics into personal conflicts. Elysium is often a gathering place where kindred can doff the masks they were in mortal society and "cut loose". The job of a Keeper of Elysium is to ensure that the existence of their area's Elysium does not lead to a breach of The Masquerade. - The Seneschal(s)
A "right hand man" for a Prince. Often a Seneschal takes direct action on behalf of a Prince except when the Prince's direct attention would be required. In the event of a Prince's final death, or removal from office by edict of The Ivory Tower a Seneschal takes over as Prince temporarily until such time as an official transition of power can take place. - The Sheriff(s)
Much like their human counterparts the Sheriff(s) of a given domain acts as a law enforcement officer, acting on behalf of The Masquerade itself. A Sheriff oversees investigation into possible breeches, and can often proactively take measures to mitigate possible breeches in the future. A Sheriff only answers to the Prince personally. - The Scourge(s)
Sometimes refereed to as "the Shadow" a Scourge is a kindred tasked with work that the Prince cannot legally issue out at risk of breaching the traditions of The Masquerade. While The Ivory Tower does not sanction this honorary title given out by Prince's often they cannot officially take action against such a vampire given they often leave no evidence of the "dirty work" they do. A Prince does not often keep a shadow appointed at all times, it is seen as an emergency office.
In 1863
The Camarilla still functions very much the same way in 1863 as it did in the early years of 1394. Prince of Washington D.C. and it's tributary hinterlands: Virginia Dare (Malkavian)Primogen of Prince Dare
- Gabriel the Glasswalker
a Brujah Anarch of Native American descent. Gabriel was embraced during the Trail of Tears and while not of considerable age his reputation as an enemy of tyranny allows him to toe the line between the Anarch elements in America and those that deem the Camarilla a necessary evil. He represents the Anarch elements allowed to live to the North and South of the city, as Prince Dare does not allow Anarchs to live inside the city. - Samuel Greenwood
The ranking Gangrel in Washington D.C. born back in Africa and embraced by an Assamite caught up in the slave trade Samuel freed his slave ship but could not return to Africa for fear of reprisals from the Camarilla back in Europe due to his unsanctioned embrace. With that in mind he made his way to New England where he was able to escape into the wilderness and live amongst the natives. Eventually he came to live in Washington at the pressure of the Justiciar of the Gangrel (Xaviar) a embraced Moor who knows he can influence the kindred discourse about the path of human slavery. - Gaston Piaget
A French Brujah who fled to America as the French Revolution descended into the Reign of Terror. While he supported the Brujah movement to spur on the flames of revolution in France he did not support the resurgence of the Anarch Movement that came out of it. He has a distaste for Gabriel as he believes Anarchs have no place in civilized society. He is considered the ranking Brujah in DC due to his influence but does have many competitors that ensure he does not warp the power of the Primogen around his anti Anarch bias. - Crispus Attucks
An African Nosferatu. Crispus was a freedman who was lethally wounded at the Boston Massacre, he was embraced by a Caitiff immigrant who believed that he showed promise as someone who could help shape this new land into something better for everyone. Crispus manifested as a Nosferatu shortly after his embrace and his sire helped him to begin to create a web of intelligence gathering vampires to support the growing sentiment of colonial revolution in the Americas. He leads to the Nosferatu clan in the Americas as one of their most accomplished members, and also represents the kindred of Washington D.C. by overseeing the "reading in" of the President of the United States, and advising the President on how they can best use kindred assets. This relationship is not known to kindred outside the inner circle of Prince Dare as it constitutes a major breach of the Masquerade, and if discovered could lead to the Justiciars being mobilized against D.C. - Dr. Luther Riggs
A Malkavian doctor who works out of the American University School of Medicine. He oversees research into kindred anatomy and is known to be researching ways to bypass the banes associated with each clan. He's been researching this for over three hundred years so it's unlikely to bear fruit, but it's his obsession. - Rebecca Weiss
A Toreador of great wealth. Rebecca Weiss is known in both the kindred and human society of Washington as host of great balls and galas. She is often consulted on for the inauguration of president's and often makes friends with the 1st Lady to ensure easy access of the White House without needing to deploy Attucks intelligence network. Sometimes you just need to host a good party to clean up a mess. - Jacques de Molay
A Tremere embraced in the final days of the Knights Templar. Ordered to be executed for heresy alongside the bulk of his order while imprisoned Jacques was approached by an emissary of the House Tremere, the youngest and most magically inclined of the vampire clans. The clan had identified the Knights Templar as an occult subsect of Christianity that would be of great use to them. In exchange for saving them from execution the Tremere would embrace many of the Knights Templar under Jacques and the send them west to the New World to create what they called "a new order of Solomon" to cultivate great occult knowledge that they would not be allowed to research in Europe. Jacques now leads many of his former knights and new recruits in Washington as the premiere occult research organization in America, dabling in everything from demonic consultation and profane rituals. - Alexander Hamilton
the 1st Secretary of the Treasury under President George Washington, Alexander is one of the few "founding fathers" who was able to be embraced by American kindred. The other known early American statesmen to be embraced were Thomas Jefferson(Caitiff), and James Madison(Brujah). Alexander while not being the eldest Ventrue in America he does have the ear of Prince Dare and acts as the emissary of his clan, doing what he can to influence her and other political elements in Washington towards the defense of "The Great American Experiment". He along with Jefferson and Madison are part of a vampiric sect that calls itself "The Constitution Club" where they lead like minded politically engaged kindred into a unified special interest group to lobby the American government to ensure that it aligns with their idea of America, and what kindred need.
The Lesser Members of the Court of Dare
- Herald: Thomas Jefferson (Caitiff)
Founding father and major pillar of the American kindred community. He often drafts Prince Dare's public statements and is a known influencer on her policies. - Harpy: Abigail Tyler (Toreador)
A mover and shaker up and down the east coast. She is known to keep tabs on all major social developments in mortal society and is often a trend setter on how kindred should act and dress when communicating with the mortals. - Keeper of Elysium: Richard Carver (Brujah)
The caretaker of D.C.'s Elysium, an intricate complex of underground tunnels beneath the Capitol. As a member of the original architecture committee that build Washington he ensured that chambers were developed beneath every major building for Kindred to organize in, and meet in as they deemed necessary. These chambers are played off as "storage space, or ancillary office space" when asked about by humans. - Seneschal: Andrew Dare (Malkavian)
The Prince's brother. He is feared as a unhinged assassin who will do whatever his sister commands. It is rumored that in life they may have been...too close, but the Prince does not comment on such foul rumors. - Sheriff: Edward Abbas (Banu Haqim)
One of the few of the Banu Haqim that have joined The Camarilla Edward is used by Prince Dare as an enforcer of The Masquerade and an ambassador to the Banu Haqim when their services are needed. Though many of his blood are of the Anarch Movement, Edward sees The Camarilla as the best organization that serve for the long term survival of vampire kind. - Scourge/Shadow: it is not known if Dare has named such a kindred at this time
- Baylor: Ventrue Justiciar
- Dimitra Illyanova: Brujah Justiciar
- Karl Shreckt: Tremere Justiciar
- Monteclame: Toreador Justiciar
- Xaviar: Gangrel Justiciar
- Petrodon: Nosferatu Justiciar
- Lethe: Malkavian Justiciar
Public Agenda
The defense of vampire kind from human genocide.
Founding Date
1394
Type
Political, International
Alternative Names
The Ivory Tower, Upper Management
Related Ethnicities
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