VII
One "covenant" among the world of the undead has no name. Although this faction comprises vampires, those beings seem to hate all Kindred who are not part of their mysterious order, and literally attempt to destroy them on sight. The notion of this group as a covenant might even be mistaken, as it is unknown whether the group as covenant might even be mistaken, as it is unknown whether the group is a true coventant, its own insular clan or just a particularly zealous cult. "Seven," the name by which other Kindred recognize the sect, comes from occasional iconography that its vampires leave behind after particularly heinous or noteworthy attacks - the Roman numeral seven.
By all accounts, members of Seven are few, and not every city harbors their genocidal population. What they lack in numbers, however, they make up in fervor and burning hatred of the Kindred. A few of their organization have been captured by other vampires, and from their testimonials (most gleaned under pain of torture or through supernatural means), more than a few shuddersome details arise. Members of Seven reportedly do not suffer the same pangs of possible frenzy upon seeing other undead for the first time. They can, however, identify other vampires on sight, as they claim to be able to see "the mark of the Betrayer" upon the Kindred. Even the artificial understanding of the group's "name" is a murky translation at best. When asked under sukpernatural compulsion to speak the truth, these creatures cannot define what they are, and probes into their minds yield only mental images of the Roman numeral "VII" or a character from what seems to be an unknown alphabet that the vampire so questioned cannot properly explain.
Despite the mysteries of their origins and purposes, one thing is certain: Members of Seven are fanatical in their drive to destroy other vampires. Seven believes it is the lost legacy of a king who was wronged centuries or even millennia ago, and that its prupose is to destroy the Damned. Only by removing the taint of the Kindred from the world can they achieve their "Sabbath," which they understand as the ability to reclaim that lost kingdom. Details differ. Some members believe that the kingdom shall emerge from a mystic curse, while others believe that the kingdom is metaphorical, and they are the chosen workers of God's will to remove the scourge of the Kindred from the world. Without a doubt, Seven is made up of vampires. Its members consume blood just as do any other undead, and the true nature of their fanatical mission remains unknown.
Whatever the cause of tis caustic hate for the Kindred is, Seven isn't stupid. It knows that the world at large sees no difference between it and its hated foes, so it practices what amounts to a Masquerade as well. It doesn't blindly leap into conflict if it feels it would be doomed - it chooses its fights carefully so that it can gain as many advantages as possible. Given its relatively small numbers, overt conflict with groups of Kindred is rare, but not unheard of. Assassinations, murders and stealth tactics are more suited to the covenant's capabilities, but considering Seven to comprise nothing but fiendish skulkers sorely underestimates its abilities. Too many Kindred have met their end at the claws of a coterie of Seven after thinking the killers destroyed.
By all accounts, members of Seven are few, and not every city harbors their genocidal population. What they lack in numbers, however, they make up in fervor and burning hatred of the Kindred. A few of their organization have been captured by other vampires, and from their testimonials (most gleaned under pain of torture or through supernatural means), more than a few shuddersome details arise. Members of Seven reportedly do not suffer the same pangs of possible frenzy upon seeing other undead for the first time. They can, however, identify other vampires on sight, as they claim to be able to see "the mark of the Betrayer" upon the Kindred. Even the artificial understanding of the group's "name" is a murky translation at best. When asked under sukpernatural compulsion to speak the truth, these creatures cannot define what they are, and probes into their minds yield only mental images of the Roman numeral "VII" or a character from what seems to be an unknown alphabet that the vampire so questioned cannot properly explain.
Despite the mysteries of their origins and purposes, one thing is certain: Members of Seven are fanatical in their drive to destroy other vampires. Seven believes it is the lost legacy of a king who was wronged centuries or even millennia ago, and that its prupose is to destroy the Damned. Only by removing the taint of the Kindred from the world can they achieve their "Sabbath," which they understand as the ability to reclaim that lost kingdom. Details differ. Some members believe that the kingdom shall emerge from a mystic curse, while others believe that the kingdom is metaphorical, and they are the chosen workers of God's will to remove the scourge of the Kindred from the world. Without a doubt, Seven is made up of vampires. Its members consume blood just as do any other undead, and the true nature of their fanatical mission remains unknown.
Whatever the cause of tis caustic hate for the Kindred is, Seven isn't stupid. It knows that the world at large sees no difference between it and its hated foes, so it practices what amounts to a Masquerade as well. It doesn't blindly leap into conflict if it feels it would be doomed - it chooses its fights carefully so that it can gain as many advantages as possible. Given its relatively small numbers, overt conflict with groups of Kindred is rare, but not unheard of. Assassinations, murders and stealth tactics are more suited to the covenant's capabilities, but considering Seven to comprise nothing but fiendish skulkers sorely underestimates its abilities. Too many Kindred have met their end at the claws of a coterie of Seven after thinking the killers destroyed.
Type
Military Order
Hostile
The Ordo Dracul occasionally suffers accusations of being associated with VII, due to their secret methods and occult bent. The Ordo Dracul responds to such accusations harshly and often violently. As with Belial’s Brood, The Ordo Dracul is no closer to understanding the VII than any other Kindred. In the case of the mysterious Kindred-slayers, however, The Ordo Dracul doesn’t wish to understand them. The Ordo Dracul has a long list of torture and execution methods made infamous by their founder,Vlad the Impaler, and each member of VII has a special regimen of pain awaiting her upon her capture by the Dragons.
It comes as a surprise to Kindred who know anything about The Ordo Dracul’s methods that the Dragons aren’t attempting to capture, interrogate (and, some mutter, imitate) members of VII. After all, the Kindred of VII have remained secret for years, and somehow manage to keep their methods and motives hidden from every other order of vampires in existence. Surely this band of murderers knows something The Ordo Dracul would be interested in examining in great depth?
Vampires who suggest this to the Dragons sometimes receive a surprising, icy glare in turn. All some chapters of Dragons want from VII is long, slow, bloody revenge.
Why this vitriol? VII has been responsible for the destruction of Kogaions across Europe and in parts of the United States. While this in itself is a tragedy, VII often doesn’t burn the records that the Kogaion keeps — sometimes they take the Order’s records, sometimes they leave them for the Prince’s Hounds to find. This means that for every exalted Dragon these monsters have slain, they may have the names and records of every Wyrm’s Nest and every Dragon in that Kogaion’s city (provided that the Kogaion in question didn’t memorize this information rather than writing it down). Granted, such information is alwayswritten in code or otherwise obscured, but this only postpones the threat of VII’s future discoveries. The greatest outrage is the knowledge and skill, lost forever to these barbarians.
It comes as a surprise to Kindred who know anything about The Ordo Dracul’s methods that the Dragons aren’t attempting to capture, interrogate (and, some mutter, imitate) members of VII. After all, the Kindred of VII have remained secret for years, and somehow manage to keep their methods and motives hidden from every other order of vampires in existence. Surely this band of murderers knows something The Ordo Dracul would be interested in examining in great depth?
Vampires who suggest this to the Dragons sometimes receive a surprising, icy glare in turn. All some chapters of Dragons want from VII is long, slow, bloody revenge.
Why this vitriol? VII has been responsible for the destruction of Kogaions across Europe and in parts of the United States. While this in itself is a tragedy, VII often doesn’t burn the records that the Kogaion keeps — sometimes they take the Order’s records, sometimes they leave them for the Prince’s Hounds to find. This means that for every exalted Dragon these monsters have slain, they may have the names and records of every Wyrm’s Nest and every Dragon in that Kogaion’s city (provided that the Kogaion in question didn’t memorize this information rather than writing it down). Granted, such information is alwayswritten in code or otherwise obscured, but this only postpones the threat of VII’s future discoveries. The greatest outrage is the knowledge and skill, lost forever to these barbarians.
Hostile
Generally speaking, the Invictus hates the genocidal faction known as “Seven,” although not with the same deeply personal vendetta the First Estate reserves for Belial’s Brood. That’s not to say that members of the First Estate don’t deal with members of VII using the same interrogate-and-destroy tactics that Invictus members bring to bear on Belial’s Brood (they do), just that the Invictus hatred of VII is colder and more rational than the outright fanatical loathing reserved for Belial’s Brood. VII is a threat to Kindred, while Belial’s Brood is a threat to all of Kindred society.
Hostile
As vampires, Brood members have been targeted by VII’s assassins in the past. Because of the preponderance of nomads within Belial’s Brood, VII’s attacks have had limited success, and many Forsworn do not even realize that VII has an agenda against all vampires. Considering the antagonism that is almost universally directed against Belial’s Brood by the other covenants, VII is often seen as simply more committed to carrying out its threats. Although nomadic coveys have yet to find a domain controlled by VII to retaliate against, Forsworn who have clashed with VII take special pride in recounting the battles against these shadowy murderers. As far as their actions against other covenants are concerned, the Forsworn tend to steer clear. The nomadic lifestyle of many Forsworn is the covenant’s greatest defense against VII. While obviously dedicated and efficient killers, VII’s numbers seem small and their covenant scattered. A covey that keeps moving has nothing to fear from them.
As for VII’s goals and mindset, those are as much an enigma to the Forsworn as any other vampire. More than one communal Haven has been destroyed by this group’s operatives, and although VII seems to be even more nomadic than the Brood itself, few coveys have reported encountering VII on the road. Further re-enforcing their mystique, members of the Roaring Serpent claim to have destroyed an entire VII hit squad in Baltimore in the 1960s. According to the Archons, VII arrived from out of town specifically to carry out a strike, and intended to depart the same evening. For the Brood, VII is a cult of assassins without ideology and seemingly without a return address. VII is an enemy of the Forsworn, but only the most paranoid would consider VII an existential threat.
As for VII’s goals and mindset, those are as much an enigma to the Forsworn as any other vampire. More than one communal Haven has been destroyed by this group’s operatives, and although VII seems to be even more nomadic than the Brood itself, few coveys have reported encountering VII on the road. Further re-enforcing their mystique, members of the Roaring Serpent claim to have destroyed an entire VII hit squad in Baltimore in the 1960s. According to the Archons, VII arrived from out of town specifically to carry out a strike, and intended to depart the same evening. For the Brood, VII is a cult of assassins without ideology and seemingly without a return address. VII is an enemy of the Forsworn, but only the most paranoid would consider VII an existential threat.