Ministry
Tracing their lineage from the Egyptian would-be god of deception and chaos, the clan formerly known as the Followers of Set has a reputation as motley as their history. As much cult as clan, most of the Ministry adheres to a uniquely disruptive system of beliefs, fighting a war of morality and ideas against the legacy of Ra and the One God. Known and abhorred as tricksters, enticers, and outright liars, the clan has had a history of playing all sides in conflicts of the great sects. Their entry to the Camarilla rejected, many have joined the Anarch Movement and are now arming their twin weapons of temptation and subversion to bring spiritual liberation to all descendants of Caine.
Vampires of the Ministry typically Embrace from the ranks of the irreligious, the heretical, and the corrupt. Criminals are common targets, as are con artists, stage fraudsters and self-help gurus. Likewise, the clan approaches those who seek to destroy or subvert religion. Proselytizing atheists, iconoclasts, professors and students of philosophy, and historians who seek truth behind myth are all desired by the Ministry. The clan are drawn to those who know their way around human desires and falsehoods. The Ministry does not seek to corrupt them – this is a common misnomer – but they do seek out those who know how to handle debasement, fraud, and erosion of blind belief.
As they’re inducted into the vampiric condition (or often before), clan recruits are brought into the cult of Set. To the Ministry, the clan and their secret belief are intimately entwined, though their faith takes many forms. Equal part religion and memetic instrument, it can insert itself into any creed, organized or personal, and bring it down from within. Usually taking the shape of a subtle alternative to, or outright heresy against, its parent belief system, its ultimate purpose is to erode whatever faith it clings to, liberating (as the Ministry tells it) the believer from their former chains. It is no coincidence that the rise of the Cainite Heresy follow the growing Ministry presence in vampire domains. Many of the clan keep vast libraries of philosophical and theological tracts for this very purpose, in some cases making it a nightly occupation to hunt for ancient writings and artifacts to bring home to the cult. Others take a more improvisational route, seeking out to liberate subjects, vampires and mortals alike, on a more personal level, not limited to the breaking of strictly religious convictions. Many months can be sunk into simply observing their mark, in order to deduce exactly what forbidden vices will yield the greatest temptation.
In vampire domains, the Ministry comfortably serves two purposes. On one hand they are suppliersunafraid to dirty their hands with drugs, vessels, and anything else on the desperate side of the tracks. On the other, they are the spiritual core of many coteries. This dichotomy does not pass the Ministry by. They dance with the devil and preach spiritual purity. Though some licks consider them hypocrites for this mixed message, the Ministers claim the role of martyrs: They fraternize with sin so others need not. In this way, they retain plausible deniability. Most vampire accept this explanation, as the Ministers’ usefulness outweigh lingering most suspicions.
Internally, the clan is often organized around a “temple,” with larger cities harboring multiple shrines. These are rarely overt places of worship, but rather areas of seclusion, discretion, and convenience. The spacious back rooms of a lingering pornographic retailer, the abandoned warehouse serving as shelter for the city’s homeless, or the top levels of a local esoteric order – all are suited for the congregations of Set. This does not mean that all members of the clan adhere to its teachings. Many Embraced into the clan abandon its ways, or are never taught them. These vampires are rarely sought for re-recruitment by their peers, and are in most cases allowed to do as they please. Unless caught revealing Ministry secrets, for which the punishment is usually merciless, long, and creative, the clan does not force its creed on its children. Still, in keeping with their Blood’s propensity for subterfuge and attraction, most Ministers gravitate to similar roles in vampire and mortal society, consciously or not.
Another reason for the persistence of the clan culture is the way many vampires of the bloodline claim to hear the very voice of Set, or Sutekh, in the Blood. Some spend a considerable time in meditation, hoping to receive some inkling to the will of their creator. Those who manage to convince others of their connection to him gain considerable respect within the clan and often act as high priests within the local temple. Proving such communication is another matter, and as is often the case among licks, it comes down to who has the strength to make these claims unchallenged. The ire of Set seems mostly directed toward the Abrahamic faiths, claiming them to be descendants of Ra and Aton of their native lands. It might be for this reason that the clan has become associated with the serpent of the Garden of Eden. Officially, the clan ostensibly considers its Egyptian holdouts as anachronisms tied to a past that has moved ahead of them, loudly decrying the “Setites” who dwell in temples and consort with mummies. All the while, a regular line of communication runs to and from the Egyptian clan bases, where the Ministry never truly lost control.
Disciplines:
1. Obfuscate: The ability to melt into shadows, craft an illusory appearance, or vanish from plain sight. The Ministry use this to discover the beliefs, creeds, and vices of vampires and mortals alike, to facilitate their exploitation and liberation. Powerful Ministers also often wear the faces of trustworthy figures and friends to better lure prey to into their shrines and temples, or just to the nearest secluded spot.
2. Presence: The ability to sway the emotions of others, both to attract and repel. In these nights, this is the Ministry’s favored ability. They use it subtly, but with great prowess, with majestic gestures and resounding speeches cutting to the hearts of a congregation assembled in worship or to the lone junkie in need of a new fix.
3. Protean: The ability to change the body’s form, whether to extend monstrous fangs or take the shape of animals. Sometimes known as Serpentis within the clan, the Ministers use this ability to awe observers but also have use of its many novel ways of escaping harm. They will often adopt the form of a snake over that of a wolf, but can meld with the earth to avoid the sun alongside any Gangrel.
Clan Bane:
The Blood of a Minister abhors the light. When exposed to direct illumination – whether natural or artificial – members of the clan recoil. Ministers receive a penalty equal to their Bane Severity to all dice pools when subjected to bright light directed straight at them. Also, add their Bane Severity to Aggravated damage taken from sunlight.
Related Organizations
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