Daughters of the Goddess
The Goddess has become more important among the kine recently, a development which the Kindred of this faction view with approval. They believe that the Goddess is for everyone, Kindred and kine alike, even if Kindred and kine should express their worship in different ways. Some are quite militant in this belief.
Thus, if that is not the case, it is evidence that the Goddess is not being properly worshiped, and so the Daughters take action to rectify the situation.
The leaders of the faction concede that men may, and indeed should, try their own hands at creation, as that is an important part of the worship of the Goddess. However, men face a greater need of purification through tribulation than women do, as a result of the centuries of history of patriarchy.
In addition, only women are taught the mysteries of Crúac. Mortal women are the ones who bleed; accordingly, among the Kindred, women should wield the secrets of blood magic. Men who know rituals may join the Daughters, but they must undergo severe blood purification, which culminates in imposed Torpor. During Torpor, their improper knowledge of Crúac falls from them, or so say the Daughters, rendering the men fit for their place in the scheme of things.
All leaders of the Daughters are female, although some have male assistants. There are male members of the faction, all of whom are firm believers in the importance of playing their role in the Goddess’s plan. Those men who come to doubt that belief generally try to leave the faction. Many high priestesses believe that such weakness is a sign of the need for blood purification, possibly the ultimate purification of the Oak King.
All Daughters, at least publicly, concede that the Masquerade is necessary, and cite this as clear evidence that the world is not in the ideal state yet. Princes who know the beliefs of the Daughters keep a careful eye on them, watching for Masquerade breaches.
There are some. The Daughters believe that they should be able to integrate into communities of Goddess-worshipers, being accepted as a normal part of the Triple Goddess’s plan, and particularly as channels for The Crone. It is not that uncommon for a Daughter to join a Wiccan coven or similar pagan group, keeping her nature hidden while she gains acceptance, planning to reveal her true place in the scheme of things later. Sometimes this revelation never happens, as the time never seems right, but more often it goes terribly wrong as the pagans recoil from the monster in their midst.
One thing that the Daughters never do is claim to be goddesses themselves. They do think that they are favored and important servants of the Goddess, but at least in principle they acknowledge that a mortal priestess might be wiser and more suited to leadership than they are. However rare that might be, the relationship between Kindred and mortals is basically one of equality.
This attitude could lead to good relationships with mortals, and the Daughters believe that the world will not be made right again until Kindred and mortals live together in harmony, so Daughters are far more likely to have mortal Contacts, or even friends, than other members of the Circle. These relationships are, ultimately, highly fragile, a circumstance that most blame on the fundamental nature of vampires as predators and mortals as prey, but that the Daughters say is merely one more sign that the world is out of joint.
The Daughters say that those who have truly become the Woman never enter frenzy, but that they can draw on the power of the Beast at will, becoming stronger and indomitable. If a Kindred does enter frenzy, then, this is a sign that she has yet to reach the natural state of all Kindred.
A few high priestesses claim to have reached this state, but most Daughters still believe that they have some way to go, and put themselves through blood purification after they frenzy. Many women among the Daughters believe that it is impossible for men to fully transform the Man into the Woman, at least in the current state of society, and that their progress is slow. This is often cited as another reason for not allowing men in leadership positions: the passions of their Beasts would distract them and prevent them from deciding wisely.
As a concession to political necessity, most Daughters seek permission from the Prince before beginning the process of the Embrace. However, they believe that the decision is actually made by the Goddess, and they follow her guidance in selecting their childer. If the Daughters believe that the Goddess has actually commanded them to Embrace someone, rather than simply granting them permission, they often carry out their plan even if refused permission. This almost invariably makes it necessary to flee the city.
Daughters only Embrace those who are ready to serve the Goddess in a new capacity. The Requiem is neither a curse nor a blessing; it is merely another essential role in the Goddess s plan. Thus, the criteria have nothing to do with virtue or vice, and everything to do with being ready to play a particular role. As a result, the overwhelming majority of Kindred Embraced into the faction are priestesses in Goddess religions, and a substantial majority are past menopause, making them more attuned to The Crone even before Embrace.
This means that the Daughters must keep a low profile in most domains, where The Lancea Sanctum holds significant power. Even there, they often mount guerrilla campaigns against the Sanctified, and against mortal churches. Where the Circle holds power, the Daughters agitate to have The Lancea Sanctum outlawed completely, and use any excuse or none to hunt down and burn, at the stake, its members.
A small majority of Daughters gather naked (“skyclad”) for esbats, but this and the brief liturgies to The Maiden and Mother are the only differences from the stereotypical Acolyte gathering. Daughters sounding out new recruits from within the Circle normally invite them to an esbat first.
The Daughters’ version of the Winnowing is their holiest Sabbat. If there are only one or two Daughters in a domain, they hold it on the same day as the Winnowing, but if there are enough of them to hold a ceremony by themselves it is always held on The Winter Solstice. The purpose of the ceremony matches that of the Winnowing: Daughters contemplate their acts of creation and destruction over the year. Virtually all Daughters agree that nudity is the only garb holy enough for this night, and the ritual must take place outside, in a place surrounded by trees.
A mortal man is brought, stripped and bound, and the Daughters gather round him. Instead of spilling their Vitae on the ground, they force him to drink it. When all have done so, they contemplate in silence. Some listen for messages from the Goddess in the screams, pleas or moans of the bound man.
At a moment chosen by the high priestess, the man is released from his bonds and told to run. He is given a few moments’ lead before the Kindred pounce on him and tear him limb from limb. The celebrants are forbidden to drink his blood; instead, it must be allowed to soak into the ground.
The police normally find the dismembered body, but there is nothing to tie the crime to vampires, and so the risk to the Masquerade is judged to be slight.
In principle, the Daughters also celebrate Sabbats on the other quarter days. However, their doctrine requires that these Sabbats be led by living priestesses. There are rumors of covens that have recruited Ghouls to serve as their priestesses for these rites, but if true, this is quite rare, as the priestess should really be a true mortal. Most Daughters believe that these Sabbats can only be celebrated properly once Kindred and mortals are once more united in front of the Goddess.
Any male Kindred may volunteer for the position, but it is normally restricted to neonates; the king is a young man, relying on The Crone for wisdom and power. The high priestess has absolute discretion to accept or reject a volunteer. Members of other covenants may take the position, but this means joining the Circle. This draws disapproval, but few covenant elders bother to take action.
This is because the King of the Oak reigns for a limited time. At some ceremony, which may be the day after he takes the position or may come decades later, the high priestess declares that his reign has ended. Traditionally, she makes the declaration in his presence, and the presence of other Acolytes, at a time when the King is fully free to move. Once the declaration is made, the other Acolytes must hunt down and destroy the King. It is said that this Final Death should be by Diablerie, but the Daughters deny this every time it is brought up.
While the mortal victim of the Winnowing never escapes, the King of the Oak very occasionally does. Kings who manage to conceal their true power from the Acolytes have a chance to get away, and move to a different city. Normally, however, the king is vastly outnumbered by more powerful Kindred, and so faces Final Death. Most Kings of the Oak are devout male followers of the Goddess; such Kindred may not even try to run. A few are occult scholars seeking access to Crúac; they always run, but escape is vanishingly rare.
The Daughters point to the central role of the King of the Oak as evidence that men are not inferior to women in their beliefs. Many male Kindred are unconvinced.
Theory and Practice
The Daughters believe that all the ills of the world and the Kindred stem from the abandonment of the Goddess. If everyone would just worship the Goddess properly, then a peaceful, creative, egalitarian matriarchy would naturally arise, mortals would live in peace with each other and the natural world, and Kindred would no longer need to fight the Beast or maintain the Masquerade as they return to their appointed place in the order of things.Thus, if that is not the case, it is evidence that the Goddess is not being properly worshiped, and so the Daughters take action to rectify the situation.
Men and Women
The Daughters believe that male and female matter just as much after the Embrace as before. They insist that men and women are equal in the eyes of the Goddess, but that the two sexes have different roles. Women are responsible for creation, nurture, guidance, leadership, wisdom, magic, punishment and destruction. Men are responsible for everything else: repairing havens, carrying out the wishes of the matriarchs, cleaning up, gathering Materials and so on.The leaders of the faction concede that men may, and indeed should, try their own hands at creation, as that is an important part of the worship of the Goddess. However, men face a greater need of purification through tribulation than women do, as a result of the centuries of history of patriarchy.
In addition, only women are taught the mysteries of Crúac. Mortal women are the ones who bleed; accordingly, among the Kindred, women should wield the secrets of blood magic. Men who know rituals may join the Daughters, but they must undergo severe blood purification, which culminates in imposed Torpor. During Torpor, their improper knowledge of Crúac falls from them, or so say the Daughters, rendering the men fit for their place in the scheme of things.
All leaders of the Daughters are female, although some have male assistants. There are male members of the faction, all of whom are firm believers in the importance of playing their role in the Goddess’s plan. Those men who come to doubt that belief generally try to leave the faction. Many high priestesses believe that such weakness is a sign of the need for blood purification, possibly the ultimate purification of the Oak King.
The Masquerade
The Daughters believe that the Masquerade should not be necessary, and that in the ideal state of society it is not. When everything is as it should be, mortals accept Kindred and their role inthe order of things. Mortals volunteer their Vitae, and even their lives, to theKindred who keep the mysteries of the dark and of endings.All Daughters, at least publicly, concede that the Masquerade is necessary, and cite this as clear evidence that the world is not in the ideal state yet. Princes who know the beliefs of the Daughters keep a careful eye on them, watching for Masquerade breaches.
There are some. The Daughters believe that they should be able to integrate into communities of Goddess-worshipers, being accepted as a normal part of the Triple Goddess’s plan, and particularly as channels for The Crone. It is not that uncommon for a Daughter to join a Wiccan coven or similar pagan group, keeping her nature hidden while she gains acceptance, planning to reveal her true place in the scheme of things later. Sometimes this revelation never happens, as the time never seems right, but more often it goes terribly wrong as the pagans recoil from the monster in their midst.
One thing that the Daughters never do is claim to be goddesses themselves. They do think that they are favored and important servants of the Goddess, but at least in principle they acknowledge that a mortal priestess might be wiser and more suited to leadership than they are. However rare that might be, the relationship between Kindred and mortals is basically one of equality.
This attitude could lead to good relationships with mortals, and the Daughters believe that the world will not be made right again until Kindred and mortals live together in harmony, so Daughters are far more likely to have mortal Contacts, or even friends, than other members of the Circle. These relationships are, ultimately, highly fragile, a circumstance that most blame on the fundamental nature of vampires as predators and mortals as prey, but that the Daughters say is merely one more sign that the world is out of joint.
The Beast
The Beast is not a product of patriarchy; it is a natural part of the Kindred condition. The Beast’s rage against the Man, however, is. The Daughters believe that the secret is plain for those who can see. As long as the Beast is opposed by the Man, it rages and seeks its freedom. Once it is faced with the Woman, it becomes calm, docile and a boon rather than a burden.The Daughters say that those who have truly become the Woman never enter frenzy, but that they can draw on the power of the Beast at will, becoming stronger and indomitable. If a Kindred does enter frenzy, then, this is a sign that she has yet to reach the natural state of all Kindred.
A few high priestesses claim to have reached this state, but most Daughters still believe that they have some way to go, and put themselves through blood purification after they frenzy. Many women among the Daughters believe that it is impossible for men to fully transform the Man into the Woman, at least in the current state of society, and that their progress is slow. This is often cited as another reason for not allowing men in leadership positions: the passions of their Beasts would distract them and prevent them from deciding wisely.
The Embrace
The creation of childer is an important part of the Goddess s plan for Kindred, and therefore not something that should be done lightly. Just as only women can give birth, so only women should sire new Kindred. Many Daughters believe that the Embrace should parallel pregnancy, with the future Kindred first made a ghoul, and kept that way for nine months, meditating in darkness on her role in future service of the Goddess. Where this faction has some power, its members build special birthing temples, symbolic wombs where the chosen can be prepared for the Embrace.As a concession to political necessity, most Daughters seek permission from the Prince before beginning the process of the Embrace. However, they believe that the decision is actually made by the Goddess, and they follow her guidance in selecting their childer. If the Daughters believe that the Goddess has actually commanded them to Embrace someone, rather than simply granting them permission, they often carry out their plan even if refused permission. This almost invariably makes it necessary to flee the city.
Daughters only Embrace those who are ready to serve the Goddess in a new capacity. The Requiem is neither a curse nor a blessing; it is merely another essential role in the Goddess s plan. Thus, the criteria have nothing to do with virtue or vice, and everything to do with being ready to play a particular role. As a result, the overwhelming majority of Kindred Embraced into the faction are priestesses in Goddess religions, and a substantial majority are past menopause, making them more attuned to The Crone even before Embrace.
Christianity and the Sanctified
While the Daughters oppose patriarchy in all its forms, they reserve particular venom for Christianity and its Kindred shadow, The Lancea Sanctum. The Christian persecution of Goddess-worshipers and the Sanctified’s persecution of the Acolytes are held up as examples of the worst crimes that patriarchy is capable of.This means that the Daughters must keep a low profile in most domains, where The Lancea Sanctum holds significant power. Even there, they often mount guerrilla campaigns against the Sanctified, and against mortal churches. Where the Circle holds power, the Daughters agitate to have The Lancea Sanctum outlawed completely, and use any excuse or none to hunt down and burn, at the stake, its members.
Rituals
The basic form of the rituals of the Daughters is fixed, described in the Book of Night, a text said to have been passed down hidden Kindred lineages for millennia. High priestesses are encouraged to improvise within that, however, so the details of the performance vary a great deal from one domain to another.Esbats
Esbats are monthly, held on the night of the new moon, when the sky is darkest. The Daughters gather, and recite portions of the Liturgy of The Crone. The Daughters also have liturgies calling on The Maiden and The Mother, and recite portions of these as well, but The Crone dominates the proceedings.A small majority of Daughters gather naked (“skyclad”) for esbats, but this and the brief liturgies to The Maiden and Mother are the only differences from the stereotypical Acolyte gathering. Daughters sounding out new recruits from within the Circle normally invite them to an esbat first.
Sabbats
Sabbats are holier than esbats, and are normally held twice a year, at Samhain and The Winter Solstice. The Samhain Sabbat is all but identical to the celebration found across the covenant, and Daughters are particularly enthusiastic in their celebration at this time. A large majority feel that nudity is appropriate for this holy event, although a few still demur.The Daughters’ version of the Winnowing is their holiest Sabbat. If there are only one or two Daughters in a domain, they hold it on the same day as the Winnowing, but if there are enough of them to hold a ceremony by themselves it is always held on The Winter Solstice. The purpose of the ceremony matches that of the Winnowing: Daughters contemplate their acts of creation and destruction over the year. Virtually all Daughters agree that nudity is the only garb holy enough for this night, and the ritual must take place outside, in a place surrounded by trees.
A mortal man is brought, stripped and bound, and the Daughters gather round him. Instead of spilling their Vitae on the ground, they force him to drink it. When all have done so, they contemplate in silence. Some listen for messages from the Goddess in the screams, pleas or moans of the bound man.
At a moment chosen by the high priestess, the man is released from his bonds and told to run. He is given a few moments’ lead before the Kindred pounce on him and tear him limb from limb. The celebrants are forbidden to drink his blood; instead, it must be allowed to soak into the ground.
The police normally find the dismembered body, but there is nothing to tie the crime to vampires, and so the risk to the Masquerade is judged to be slight.
In principle, the Daughters also celebrate Sabbats on the other quarter days. However, their doctrine requires that these Sabbats be led by living priestesses. There are rumors of covens that have recruited Ghouls to serve as their priestesses for these rites, but if true, this is quite rare, as the priestess should really be a true mortal. Most Daughters believe that these Sabbats can only be celebrated properly once Kindred and mortals are once more united in front of the Goddess.
The King of the Oak
The King of the Oak is a male Kindred who plays an essential role in the celebration of the festivals, albeit one secondary to the high priestess. He is the only man allowed to learn Crúac, but he is entitled to be taught any rituals that a Daughter knows.Any male Kindred may volunteer for the position, but it is normally restricted to neonates; the king is a young man, relying on The Crone for wisdom and power. The high priestess has absolute discretion to accept or reject a volunteer. Members of other covenants may take the position, but this means joining the Circle. This draws disapproval, but few covenant elders bother to take action.
This is because the King of the Oak reigns for a limited time. At some ceremony, which may be the day after he takes the position or may come decades later, the high priestess declares that his reign has ended. Traditionally, she makes the declaration in his presence, and the presence of other Acolytes, at a time when the King is fully free to move. Once the declaration is made, the other Acolytes must hunt down and destroy the King. It is said that this Final Death should be by Diablerie, but the Daughters deny this every time it is brought up.
While the mortal victim of the Winnowing never escapes, the King of the Oak very occasionally does. Kings who manage to conceal their true power from the Acolytes have a chance to get away, and move to a different city. Normally, however, the king is vastly outnumbered by more powerful Kindred, and so faces Final Death. Most Kings of the Oak are devout male followers of the Goddess; such Kindred may not even try to run. A few are occult scholars seeking access to Crúac; they always run, but escape is vanishingly rare.
The Daughters point to the central role of the King of the Oak as evidence that men are not inferior to women in their beliefs. Many male Kindred are unconvinced.
History
The beginnings of the Daughters of the Goddess are lost in the mists of time. Stone Age people worshiped the Earth Goddess in her three aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone, and Kindred of that era naturally worshiped her as well. These societies were matriarchal, egalitarian and lived in harmony with nature. Kindred had an accepted place as the harbingers of winter and death, and the Masquerade was unnecessary. Mortals of a certain age would offer themselves as sacrifices to the Kindred, and the Kindred provided protection to the community from the unnatural threats that faced them.
In that time, Kindred did not suffer from the hollowness of soul that they face now. The Goddess provided them with their purpose, and they served The Crone well, bringing death and fear when it was needed, as well as supplying wisdom and acting as midwives to creation. They were creatures of the night, of darkness and mystery, just as The Crone herself is.
Time passed, and the mortal worship of the Goddess was crushed under the conquering heel of warrior Aryans, who slaughtered the priestesses. The Aryans worshiped a sun god, and interpreted the Kindred’s aversion for the sun as a sign of evil. The Aryans, turning their weapons against the Kindred, drove them away, creating the first break in the unified whole that was the life of the Goddess.
Deprived of the presence and guidance of the Kindred, driven even to hunting them, the mortals fell further and further into factions and violence. Patriarchy took over from matriarchy, inevitably bringing inequality, rape and war. Women became little better than slaves, begging for scraps from the tables of the men.
The Kindred were, at first, better off. They still dealt with mortals, and thus Kindred society could still function as a whole. However, it was now necessary to hide from mortals, and the Masquerade was instituted. The wisest Crones established the Camarilla to protect all Kindred and preserve their connection to the Goddess. The Camarilla was led by the women of the Circle, and, unlike the structure of later nights, had no Princes, no Primogen. All Kindred were valued for their gifts, and those who threatened others were gently guided back to the true path through counsel. The Kindred looked on the suffering of mortal society, and grieved for it, but their souls, at least, were still whole.
And then the poison of patriarchy found its way even into the Kindred. The Invictus and The Lancea Sanctum, drawing inspiration from the worst aspects of mortal tyranny, rose up and, uniting, overthrew the Camarilla. The peaceful elders of the old order were reluctant to use their full power against the usurpers, because you cannot save something by destroying it. As a result, they lost, and patriarchy was imposed.
There followed the descent of the Kindred into violence, horror and monstrosity. Cut off from the Goddess, they became slaves to the Beast, with no way to defend themselves from it but clinging to the fading shreds of their mortal life. Even those Kindred who remembered the old wisdom found that, without the community, it was not enough to fully sustain them.
But those few, wise Kindred faced an even larger problem. The patriarchs of The Invictus and Lancea Sanctum would not countenance the threat that the truth posed to their petty power. Thus, they persecuted the followers of the Goddess, murdering uncounted thousands in a frenzy that reached its peak during the nights of the Middle Ages.
The Goddess had not forgotten her servants, and a few hidden groups of Kindred kept the faith alive, passing the secret from sire to childe or preserving it in Torpor. At last, as patriarchy began to falter under its own weight, the Goddess inspired her servants to come forth once more, and restore the peaceful matriarchy to its rightful place in the night.
In that time, Kindred did not suffer from the hollowness of soul that they face now. The Goddess provided them with their purpose, and they served The Crone well, bringing death and fear when it was needed, as well as supplying wisdom and acting as midwives to creation. They were creatures of the night, of darkness and mystery, just as The Crone herself is.
Time passed, and the mortal worship of the Goddess was crushed under the conquering heel of warrior Aryans, who slaughtered the priestesses. The Aryans worshiped a sun god, and interpreted the Kindred’s aversion for the sun as a sign of evil. The Aryans, turning their weapons against the Kindred, drove them away, creating the first break in the unified whole that was the life of the Goddess.
Deprived of the presence and guidance of the Kindred, driven even to hunting them, the mortals fell further and further into factions and violence. Patriarchy took over from matriarchy, inevitably bringing inequality, rape and war. Women became little better than slaves, begging for scraps from the tables of the men.
The Kindred were, at first, better off. They still dealt with mortals, and thus Kindred society could still function as a whole. However, it was now necessary to hide from mortals, and the Masquerade was instituted. The wisest Crones established the Camarilla to protect all Kindred and preserve their connection to the Goddess. The Camarilla was led by the women of the Circle, and, unlike the structure of later nights, had no Princes, no Primogen. All Kindred were valued for their gifts, and those who threatened others were gently guided back to the true path through counsel. The Kindred looked on the suffering of mortal society, and grieved for it, but their souls, at least, were still whole.
And then the poison of patriarchy found its way even into the Kindred. The Invictus and The Lancea Sanctum, drawing inspiration from the worst aspects of mortal tyranny, rose up and, uniting, overthrew the Camarilla. The peaceful elders of the old order were reluctant to use their full power against the usurpers, because you cannot save something by destroying it. As a result, they lost, and patriarchy was imposed.
There followed the descent of the Kindred into violence, horror and monstrosity. Cut off from the Goddess, they became slaves to the Beast, with no way to defend themselves from it but clinging to the fading shreds of their mortal life. Even those Kindred who remembered the old wisdom found that, without the community, it was not enough to fully sustain them.
But those few, wise Kindred faced an even larger problem. The patriarchs of The Invictus and Lancea Sanctum would not countenance the threat that the truth posed to their petty power. Thus, they persecuted the followers of the Goddess, murdering uncounted thousands in a frenzy that reached its peak during the nights of the Middle Ages.
The Goddess had not forgotten her servants, and a few hidden groups of Kindred kept the faith alive, passing the secret from sire to childe or preserving it in Torpor. At last, as patriarchy began to falter under its own weight, the Goddess inspired her servants to come forth once more, and restore the peaceful matriarchy to its rightful place in the night.
Type
Religious, Sect
Ruling Organization
Parent Organization
History and Myth
There is ample evidence that the history of the Daughters of the Goddess is made up; the idea of the Camarilla as a benevolent, egalitarian matriarchy, in particular, makes many elders laugh. Most Kindred outside the Daughters are sure that their history was made up by analogy with the constructed history of the New Age movement, and dates back a few decades at most.The Daughters get very, even violently, offended if Kindred question their account of the earliest nights and the events since. More scholarly ones point out that the elders who laugh are members of The Invictus and Lancea Sanctum, with a clear interest in the prevailing lie, and remind people ofthe effects of the Fog of Eternity. The most careful neutral scholars concede that it is just possible that the Daughters know a truth hidden from most Kindred. No scholars believe that to actually be the case, however.
Dissent
There is very little dissent within the Daughters of the Goddess. The high priestesses are vigilant for signs that their followers are falling away from the true path back to a tolerant, peaceful, egalitarian society, and use any means necessary to set them back upon it.There is a certain amount of variation among domains, as is to be expected, but this variation is more cosmetic than for most factions.
In part, of course, this is a matter of definition; Kindred who do not hold these beliefs do not count as part of the faction. There are, however, a substantial number who do hold these beliefs, and the leaders of the faction put a strong emphasis on what, for want of a better word, can be called “orthodoxy.”
Crúac Rituals
Daughters believe that the Vitae spent to power Crúac is symbolically the same as menstrual blood, and thus should be drawn from the same part of the body. The favored ritual tool for these purposes is a narrow dagger.Oak Kings are expected to castrate themselves, inflicting a single point of lethal damage, to draw the blood.