The Throne of Smokeless Fire
“Turn your eyes from me, child of sheep, lest I pull your entrails out your mouth.
The Throne of Smokeless Fire seeks to personify the most aggressive and competitive facets of the Beast. Jockeying endlessly for the top position of every environment, the self-styled “Djinn” believe that only by winning the race will their hunger be appeased. Agents of the Throne of Smokeless Fire lay their nets from the shadows and quickly devour the weak and unworthy who would walk into their snares. At every level of society, Djinn move through the night in violent competition for what they believe is the Adversary’s dark favor.
The history of the Throne of Smokeless Fire is etched in a seemingly endless litany of the individual histories of powerful Forsworn. Whether in the accounts of great warriors, generals, monarchs, murderers, assassins or statesmen, the history of the Throne of Smokeless Fire is one of individual achievement. Nonetheless, the beginnings of the Djinn are not such, as they are said to have taken root in the ancient Middle East. A sheikh who was well-known among the Sufis came to the Valley of Lalish, where he created an order of mystics who paid homage to God. Late one night in the desert, however, the Adversary appeared to the sheikh in the form of the angel Asa’el, a terrifying apparition wreathed in smokeless fire, and gave him commandments of the socalledPath of Flame — a brutal doctrine of predation and power. After receiving the transmission, the sheikh was transformed, dreading the light and desiring the blood of his disciples. Upon returning to his flock, the sheikh devoured those loyal to him and set out to find those worthy to hear the teachings of his new master. Since that time, the Throne of Smokeless Fire has forgotten much of the details of its past but has not faltered in upholding the path that was taught to the Djinn’s ancient founder on that fateful night in the cold, dark desert.
The history of the Throne of Smokeless Fire is etched in a seemingly endless litany of the individual histories of powerful Forsworn. Whether in the accounts of great warriors, generals, monarchs, murderers, assassins or statesmen, the history of the Throne of Smokeless Fire is one of individual achievement. Nonetheless, the beginnings of the Djinn are not such, as they are said to have taken root in the ancient Middle East. A sheikh who was well-known among the Sufis came to the Valley of Lalish, where he created an order of mystics who paid homage to God. Late one night in the desert, however, the Adversary appeared to the sheikh in the form of the angel Asa’el, a terrifying apparition wreathed in smokeless fire, and gave him commandments of the socalledPath of Flame — a brutal doctrine of predation and power. After receiving the transmission, the sheikh was transformed, dreading the light and desiring the blood of his disciples. Upon returning to his flock, the sheikh devoured those loyal to him and set out to find those worthy to hear the teachings of his new master. Since that time, the Throne of Smokeless Fire has forgotten much of the details of its past but has not faltered in upholding the path that was taught to the Djinn’s ancient founder on that fateful night in the cold, dark desert.
Structure
Organization: Somewhat unique among the Brood, the Djinn are organized along the lines of rigid hierarchies of dominance. However, these are offices of pure control and do not obligate the Djinn to any role of demagogue or guru, only master. Regardless of titles, the soldiers of the Throne of Smokeless fire are self-absorbed and unconcerned with enormous networks of operatives and slaves. If a Djinn of high rank needs something done, he may command a less achieved brother to resolve the matter for him but is just as likely to do it himself, adding another notch of achievement to his belt. Coveys of the Throne of Smokeless Fire also tend to be a bit larger than those of other factions, but still within a manageable pack structure, and thus tend to average six members. An area with more than six Djinn produces a second covey, which vies bitterly with the first.
Culture
Rites of Smokeless Fire
The ceremonies and traditions of the Throne of the Smokeless Fire are an intense mix of formality and brutality. Though malevolent and predatory in intention, the Djinn rites are often thick with powerful iconography and expensive preparations. Black marble baptismal fonts, antique ritual weapons and huge statues are not uncommon when the Throne of Smokeless Fire gathers to honor power. However, despite the Djinn’s love of draconian and fascist imagery, the rituals of the Throne of Smokeless Fire are not as ancient as one might think as the faction’s emphasis on action and conquest take complete precedence, leaving scholarship and the translation of ancient texts as a passing afterthought.
The initiations to become part of the Throne of Smokeless Fire are paragons of violence and brutality, consisting of a gauntlet of tests to forge the perfect monster. The ability to command, endure pain, induce fear, control one’s own fear and emotions, and outsmart an opponent are all elements of such rites. Among the masters of the Djinn, only the hottest flame can forge an adequate weapon if one is to leave one’s mark.
Competition and dominance are the sacrament and birthright of the Djinn. As nearly every interaction can be transformed into a contest, every act of aggression is blessed. However, only in the Djinn’s Trials of Fury is the extent of the faction’s viciousness on display. Unlike the controlled, cryptic rites of other factions, Djinn Fury rites are dreadfully simple. Ritual combat, duels against wild beasts and unevenly matched pit fights give the Throne of the Smokeless Fire a clear-cut method to measure the dominance and predatory skill of their most Devoted brethren. Also, Trials of Fear are held several times a year, as the abilities to resist intimidation and steel one’s resolve are deeply valued tools of the Throne of Smokeless Fire.
However, more elaborate and intellectual contests are the preferred test of the faction’s masters. Monitored by a council of respected Djinn, competitors duel through elaborately woven lattices of lackeys, patsies and dupes. Contests such as these can last for decades and have even been known to span multiple generations. The victor in such contests will generally receive a reward of great value to the covey or of gross value, such as a large sum of money or control of one of the loser’s Ghouls. However, the stakes may be all or nothing, with the winner seizing the loser’s assets, servants and unlife.
Appearance: The Djinn wear the skins of wolves in whatever setting they prowl — whether in a power suit, a biker jacket or a one-of-a-kind evening gown, the Throne of the Smokeless Fire aims to intimidate and control. At the street level, the Djinn will be dressed in gear that clearly represents his rank and power. In business, members of the Throne of Smokeless Fire exude menace and wealth through carefully selected garments. However, only among their own, in the privacy of their havens and ritual halls, are the Djinn free to adorn themselves in trophies of those they have crushed and destroyed, hoping to attract the favor of the Adversary that guides them. It is important to note that even though the Djinn are fanatical and brutal, their emphasis on action over theory means they almost never wear visible occult trappings.
The ceremonies and traditions of the Throne of the Smokeless Fire are an intense mix of formality and brutality. Though malevolent and predatory in intention, the Djinn rites are often thick with powerful iconography and expensive preparations. Black marble baptismal fonts, antique ritual weapons and huge statues are not uncommon when the Throne of Smokeless Fire gathers to honor power. However, despite the Djinn’s love of draconian and fascist imagery, the rituals of the Throne of Smokeless Fire are not as ancient as one might think as the faction’s emphasis on action and conquest take complete precedence, leaving scholarship and the translation of ancient texts as a passing afterthought.
The initiations to become part of the Throne of Smokeless Fire are paragons of violence and brutality, consisting of a gauntlet of tests to forge the perfect monster. The ability to command, endure pain, induce fear, control one’s own fear and emotions, and outsmart an opponent are all elements of such rites. Among the masters of the Djinn, only the hottest flame can forge an adequate weapon if one is to leave one’s mark.
Competition and dominance are the sacrament and birthright of the Djinn. As nearly every interaction can be transformed into a contest, every act of aggression is blessed. However, only in the Djinn’s Trials of Fury is the extent of the faction’s viciousness on display. Unlike the controlled, cryptic rites of other factions, Djinn Fury rites are dreadfully simple. Ritual combat, duels against wild beasts and unevenly matched pit fights give the Throne of the Smokeless Fire a clear-cut method to measure the dominance and predatory skill of their most Devoted brethren. Also, Trials of Fear are held several times a year, as the abilities to resist intimidation and steel one’s resolve are deeply valued tools of the Throne of Smokeless Fire.
However, more elaborate and intellectual contests are the preferred test of the faction’s masters. Monitored by a council of respected Djinn, competitors duel through elaborately woven lattices of lackeys, patsies and dupes. Contests such as these can last for decades and have even been known to span multiple generations. The victor in such contests will generally receive a reward of great value to the covey or of gross value, such as a large sum of money or control of one of the loser’s Ghouls. However, the stakes may be all or nothing, with the winner seizing the loser’s assets, servants and unlife.
Appearance: The Djinn wear the skins of wolves in whatever setting they prowl — whether in a power suit, a biker jacket or a one-of-a-kind evening gown, the Throne of the Smokeless Fire aims to intimidate and control. At the street level, the Djinn will be dressed in gear that clearly represents his rank and power. In business, members of the Throne of Smokeless Fire exude menace and wealth through carefully selected garments. However, only among their own, in the privacy of their havens and ritual halls, are the Djinn free to adorn themselves in trophies of those they have crushed and destroyed, hoping to attract the favor of the Adversary that guides them. It is important to note that even though the Djinn are fanatical and brutal, their emphasis on action over theory means they almost never wear visible occult trappings.
Assets
Djinn Domains
Whereas some factions of Belial’s Brood enjoy the sprawl of the impoverished masses, this simply will not do for the Throne of Smokeless Fire. Whereas others seek to move as wolves among sheep, for the Djinn only the position of strongest among the strong will do. As most who are loyal to the Throne of Smokeless Fire believe that vampires are clearly superior in their capacities to humans, the Djinn seek out centers of dense Kindred population so that the faction members can test themselves against those who may be worthy. These domains also serve the faction as sources of new membership, as one is rarely made a Djinn; such an honor must be earned by one’s own efforts.
The Djinn are at their most numerous in the continental United States and Western Europe. Among the powerful and influential, the agents of the Throne of Smokeless Fire establish temples where those who rule among the more tame breeds of Kindred can come and test their so-called sovereignty. While these sorts of gambits can result in all involved being blood-hunted to the greatest extent time and money will allow, the Djinn are hardly wanting for Resources and can easily recover from such attempts, quickly establishing new bases of operation from which they can issue their challenges to the next worthy comer.
Along the North African coast, between Morocco and Iraq, the Djinn are abundant. This is likely because the oldest of the Throne of Smokeless Fire’s temples were built in this region during the Crusades. Although the Djinn were as strange and frightening to Muslims as the Djinn are to the Christians of the age, these sites were likely selected to avoid the pilgrimage routes of fanatical Templars and the Knights of Malta as they made their way to the Holy Land, and the Djinn thus built their temples distantly south of the southern coast of Europe. The location of the Valley of Lalish in Iraq is but a couple of miles from the largest and oldest Djinn Temple still extant in the modern world, and Morocco houses several of the largest and most powerful coveys of the Throne anywhere in the world.
Haven: Needless to say, in the modern world one needs more than brawn to win most battles worth winning. Because of this, the Throne of Smokeless Fire is rarely without ample Resources with which to enable its members’ ascent to power. Massive estates, luxury penthouse apartments and technologically enabled militia compounds all serve as suitable havens for the Djinn.
Whereas some factions of Belial’s Brood enjoy the sprawl of the impoverished masses, this simply will not do for the Throne of Smokeless Fire. Whereas others seek to move as wolves among sheep, for the Djinn only the position of strongest among the strong will do. As most who are loyal to the Throne of Smokeless Fire believe that vampires are clearly superior in their capacities to humans, the Djinn seek out centers of dense Kindred population so that the faction members can test themselves against those who may be worthy. These domains also serve the faction as sources of new membership, as one is rarely made a Djinn; such an honor must be earned by one’s own efforts.
The Djinn are at their most numerous in the continental United States and Western Europe. Among the powerful and influential, the agents of the Throne of Smokeless Fire establish temples where those who rule among the more tame breeds of Kindred can come and test their so-called sovereignty. While these sorts of gambits can result in all involved being blood-hunted to the greatest extent time and money will allow, the Djinn are hardly wanting for Resources and can easily recover from such attempts, quickly establishing new bases of operation from which they can issue their challenges to the next worthy comer.
Along the North African coast, between Morocco and Iraq, the Djinn are abundant. This is likely because the oldest of the Throne of Smokeless Fire’s temples were built in this region during the Crusades. Although the Djinn were as strange and frightening to Muslims as the Djinn are to the Christians of the age, these sites were likely selected to avoid the pilgrimage routes of fanatical Templars and the Knights of Malta as they made their way to the Holy Land, and the Djinn thus built their temples distantly south of the southern coast of Europe. The location of the Valley of Lalish in Iraq is but a couple of miles from the largest and oldest Djinn Temple still extant in the modern world, and Morocco houses several of the largest and most powerful coveys of the Throne anywhere in the world.
Haven: Needless to say, in the modern world one needs more than brawn to win most battles worth winning. Because of this, the Throne of Smokeless Fire is rarely without ample Resources with which to enable its members’ ascent to power. Massive estates, luxury penthouse apartments and technologically enabled militia compounds all serve as suitable havens for the Djinn.
History
Background: As mentioned earlier, the Throne of Smokeless Fire accepts the most aggressive, ruthless and superior of Kindred into the faction’s august ranks, rarely if ever going out of the way to select untested humans unless they are of an incredibly actualized nature. Where these types are found varies depending on what level these gifts have manifested. Gangrel are often prized for their savage wisdom and raw survivability, whereas Daeva are valued for their force of personality and explosive strength and speed. The Ventrue, however, provide excellent stock because they possess both a capacity to rule and the unstable psychology that gives them an edge when interpreting the dictums and traditions of the Djinn. Needless to say, the Nosferatu are also strong among the Djinn, for no other clan commands fear in mortals with the same virtuosity of the Haunts. Of the Unlearned covenants, members of the Invictus are the most likely to convert to the cause of the Djinn.
Type
Secret, Religious sect
Alternative Names
Djinn
Ruling Organization
Parent Organization
Concepts: Crime boss, deranged mercenary, ex-marine, foreman, gang leader, hit man, pit fighter, Third World warlord, union rep/union buster.
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