 | 
“Obscenity, which is ever blasphemy against the divine beauty in life... is a monster for which the corruption of society forever brings forth new food, which it devours in secret.”
- Percy Bysshe Shelley
 So you've been dead for a while now, right? You've laughed in the faces of Princes, flirted with death by shooting pool with Anarchs and kicked it up with Sabbat war parties. You may even have been a Prince, or an Archon, or a Sabbat defector who left his "evil" cohorts for the mighty and virtuous Camarilla. But what do you know about the Camarilla, really? Who founded it? Why? What were their goals, and who were their enemies? Who knows?
That's not what this is about. Those questions address the past, which is for elders and ghosts. We are here to talk about this great, monstrous machine that calls itself the Camarilla of today, and what it means to you.
Lets start with some basic views, and see how this august assembly is seen by various groups of Kindred, shall we?
From the 2nd edition Main Book: "Camarilla: A global sect of vampires in which all Kindred may hold membership. Its rule is far from absolute, and it serves as a debating chamber more than a government." (page 54)
 From the Player's Guide to the Sabbat: "The Camarilla is the pawn of the Antediluvians. This sect keeps the younger vampires weak and unprepared for Gehenna. The Camarilla leaders receive their orders from the warlords of the Jyhad and relay information back to them." (page 11)
From the Anarch Cookbook: "…we are told that all [clans] banded together for the common good of all. But this is a lie! … The new laws of the Camarilla were harsh, and they were not questioned at first…But later, when humanity forgot about us, these laws were still as harsh, and princes used them to destroy those they hated personally." (page 15)
From Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand: "The [Black Hand] played only a limited role in forming the Camarilla, which has led many within to wonder if the Inconnu or some other group was involved. … The Black hand discovered it could use the Camarilla to cause continual discord, creating chaos among the Kindred as never before." (page 13)
Confused yet? Is any of it true? Ask your storyteller, it's her world. Better yet, have your character ask someone! Few things offer more sheer entertainment than approaching an archon and asking him "So, are all the Justicars of the Camarilla pawns of some greater power, or just evil in and of themselves?"
 All right, then. Kindred Political Science 101 is now in session. The Camarilla resembles, in a lot of ways, the pyramid structure of the Tremere. Make of that what you will. Sufficed to say that like most old institutions, there are those at the top, those in the middle, and those at the bottom, namely, unless you happen to be part of a very select group, you.
At the very top is the Inner Circle. Loosely acknowledged as the Eldest of each clan, their primary power is to appoint Justicars. The Inner Circle always meets in Venice, as it has for five centuries. Usually these meetings consist of an accounting made by each of the main Camarilla clans, and a general airing of disputes that are worthy enough for the Council to rule upon.
A large part of the Council's function is to make certain that it's member Clans are keeping to the Traditions. The Six traditions of the Camarilla are the backbone of it's laws, much closer to Commandments than a Constitution, but the relevant effect is the same; they are strictly enforced from the Council down to the lowliest Acknowledged Kindred, with failure to tow the line often resulting in Final Death.
Click here to learn about the six Traditions of the Camarilla, or continue on.
 Right, now we back up a bit. The Inner Circle Councillors are only loosely regarded as the Eldest for a very good reason: they're actually not. Really, really old vampires aren't particularly keen on stepping out of their safe, secure havens every 13 years for a meeting in the same town, every 13 years on the dot. For one thing, people that old have enemies, and being that predictable may not be healthy. For another, people that old have neuroses, and plenty of them. Face it, a mind four or five millennia old just don't think the way the rest of mankind does.
They can't.
For one thing, they take almost no risks. There's a reason elders are seen by neonates as cowards. A human often takes terrible risks, bungee jumping, skydiving, or rock climbing just to name a few. And why not? What's the most they have to lose? An extra twenty or forty years? Elders have been around for thousands of years, and have the potential to live on indefinitely, and they know it. They have too much to lose, so they hide. They overcompensate. Heck, half of them get so paranoid it ceases to be funny even to me.
So. The presumed eldest of each clan gather… No. Only the elders of the seven recognized clans of the Camarilla. On an individual basis, there are Ravnos, Giovanni, Daughters of Cacophony, Samedi, even Setites as members of the Camarilla today. Even some Lasombra or Tzimisce antitribu. But, no matter how effective or loyal these Kindred may be, they have no representation in the Inner Circle, nor will they anytime soon.
 Oh, and here's a good point that I just love! The Inner Circle meets in Venice, of all places, and has for at least five hundred years! Class, who can tell me why that's significant? Anyone? No? I'll help you out then. The Giovanni bloodline is, and always has been, based in Venice, Italy. Rumors of the Mausoleum Loggia are by now expected and by and large ignored. Not because they aren't creepy and terrible rumors, just because by now we've all heard them. A lot. Venice is to the Giovanni what Vienna is to the Tremere.
So why do the seven single most influential kindred in (possibly the world) the Camarilla visit the Necromancer's fair city every thirteen years? Oh, and when were the Giovanni recognized as a clan? Anyone? Yes, in 1444 A.D. Why, that's just five hundred and some odd years ago, isn't it? Huh. Right about the time of the formation of the Camarilla. How about that?
Anyway, the Inner Circle's only real power (officially) is to select Justicars, the judges of the sect. These Justicars wield the true power, and may pass judgment over any Kindred not in the Circle.
 Only a Justicar may call a Conclave, a massive gathering of kindred to settle important issues. Anyone may attend, and all kindred present get one vote, with the Justicar acting as a sort of chairman. This assemblage can call blood hunts, settle disputes between kindred, or even remove a city from it's Prince.
Any issue dealing with the Traditions in under the Jurisdiction of the Conclave. Some Justicars schedule regular Conclaves, such as the regular event in New Orleans every third year. Others will call one on a moment's notice, and any kindred present have the power to rule the issue tabled. (Of course, the same Kindred who make the decision are sometimes…all right, usually charged with the responsibility of enforcing the Conclave's decisions.)
Conclaves notwithstanding, the Justicars are also the final word in decision-making and adjudication power over matters dealing with violations of the six Traditions. And keep in mind, Conclaves cannot be called without the knowledge and presence of a Justicar.
Sound contradictory? It is. Why? Again, I tell you, ask your storyteller. Also, the Justicars have at their bidding a group of Kindred known as Archons. Archons are the eyes and ears and fists of the Justicars. Think of them as old-fashioned U.S. Marshals. They come and go as they please, and enforce the Traditions however they or their patron Justicar sees fit. This means that any Prince challenging an Archon may be in very hot water, very soon. Archons are usually the progeny of the Justicar they serve, but not always. They are usually willingly blood bound to same, but again, not always. Princes and Primogen alike defer to Archons, because to do otherwise would be near-suicide.
 So, we have a top rung, who only elects the second rung, and they have all the power. The second rung can rule, but they can also call Conclaves, which rule. Archons are one step up from the very bottom rung, but because of their connections, most everyone has to look up to them. Princes rule over everyone in their city if their Primogen let them, and the Primogen become Primogen only if their respective clans elect them or if they can take it or if the Prince lets them. So. We boil all this down and see that the real power in the Camarilla rests in…well…that is…
Anyone who can control anyone else, that's who. So is the Camarilla controlled by the Black Hand, or the Inconnu, or the Giovanni, or the Antediluvians? Or someone else? Or, and this is a long shot, could it be completely independent? Could it be so convoluted and twisted and generally screwed up just because vampires are still, at the core, people? And we all know that people do some pretty stupid things. Dogs just chase their tails. We've got them beat and then some. Ask your you-know-who. Not that she'll tell you anything, but the asking will be fun, won't it?
Learn More about the Camarilla Court Positions or continue on.
The Seven Clans that currently comprise the Camarilla are Clan Ventrue, Clan Toreador, Clan Malkavian, Clan Tremere, Clan Nosferatu, Clan Brujah, and Clan Assamite (provisionally). With the exception of the Assamite clan, which is currently petitioning for membership in the Camarilla, and the Gangrel, of which most have chosen to leave the Camarilla, these are the founding Clans, and the Elders of these make up the Inner Circle of the Camarilla.
 The mysterious Assassins of the Kindred world, long held outside Camarilla society, A group from within their clan, calling themselves the Children of Haquim have recently been allowed admittance as a Probationary Clan - so long as they affirm their allegiance. Most Kindred, however, still hold them in distrust.
 Feared by all yet courted by many, refusing outside allegiances yet willing to hunt Kindred for a payment of blood, the Assamites are among the most reclusive clans.
Once hunted, these vampire assassins are now sought out by the Kindred to dispose of their enemies.
Fearful tales are told of their skill in hunting the most dangerous prey, their bravery in combat, and their fierce loyalty to their clan.
Yet the tellers of these tales do not guess at the truth: the millennia of warfare, the roots of the Jyhad, and the clan mysteries which no outsider has ever seen.
| Disciplines: |  Celerity |  Auspex |  Obfuscate |  Quietus |  Thaumaturgy |
 These are the rebels of Kindred society, whether with or without a cause. They are mostly thought of as the brawn within the Camarilla's Court, but their Elders remember a time when the clan was made of warrior kings and scholars. Will you be a bloodthirsty thug trying to bring down 'the man', the canny Elder leading armies like pawns on a board, or something in-between?
 "Come young-one take a seat, do you play chess? That’s a shame; your sire should have spent more time with you. Your letter said you wanted to learn about the old ways of our clan? I shall prepare you for the road of study and self-fulfillment. The inverted anarchist symbol has not always represented our clan, the conjoined rings representing achieving physical perfection and enlightenment of spirit represented our clan in my youth. In that day Brujah were Philosopher Kings, Poet Warriors, we were Kindred that walked with Kine, and yet ruled over them.
That was long ago. Now we are perceived as the rabble of the Camarilla, strong arms and mindless backs to do the dirty work of the other clans. I will tell you young-one, there is a worldwide movement to teach the forgotten ways of our once proud clan. We are the only ones that can save the Camarilla from its foes, but first we must save ourselves. Here, study this book, the writings of Aristotle, my library will not miss it for a few nights; we will discuss it next week when you return."
The Brujah's '7th Tradition': Don't get caught.
Learn more about the Warrior Poets in the player-created essay: A Little Advice From The Man.
| Disciplines: | Celerity |  Potence |  Presence |
 In many ways at the bottom of Kindred society, Caitiff are either unaware of their heritage, or possess some strange mixture of abilities which mark them as a member of no particular clan. Though especially effective and diplomatic Caitiff may rise in some Kindred societies, Elders usually view them along the lines of mongrel dogs. Never was being useful more important to one's survival.
 "I was thirteen when it happened. When the movie came out. Starring Ted Theodore Logan and... who was that? The guy from Amadeus? No, wait. Sid, from Sid and Nancy. You remember the headline from the poster. It sticks in your mind now, I'm pretty sure. I didn't get far enough along to know how to read minds, but it's not too hard to guess, all things considered. 'Drink from me and live forever.'
Nice premise. Promise. Nice promise. Too bad it's bullshit.
I know I sound crazy, and sure, we don't age. It doesn't matter. Look up at the sky. You can feel it, even if your eyes aren't good enough to pick it out yet. I can feel and see it. Thank the one who made me for that bit of insight. Maybe a bit of the edginess, too.
We're the young. Somehow, we're new. In a race of immortal monsters, bloodlines going back to the cradle of civilization, we really are the new kids on the block. Mixed in with creatures that are, marrow to skin, unchanging and inflexible, we are the change and flexibility they lost, and there's a lot of us now.
But that means the old ones did something wrong. Maybe it was a long time ago. Maybe just a few years back, when I started having those nightmares. I don't know. But it means they can't trust their own blood to do what it wants anymore. Because it made us us.
Or something else did it instead. Something more powerful. And just because we're not the purebloods doesn't mean we're any different in its book. When it comes for the pure and powerful, when it takes what it wants from them, we're next.
Live forever?
Be glad you're not dead yet."
Disciplines: No 'set' in-clan Disciplines. All Disciplines costs 6 times current rating. May choose 3 'cardinal' Disciplines, subject to Storyteller approval, that require no teacher.
 Simultaneously graceful and predatory, the Lasombra antitribu have turned their backs upon the monsters they once were, stopping short of giving themselves wholly over to the dark majesty of the Embrace. Eschewing murder, frenzy, and predation for the solace of the Camarilla and the Road of Humanitus.
 "You can call me anti-tribu--I can't stop you. But.
But I can tell you that the little laugh and smile it provokes is brought forth for a reason. Yes, the Sabbat hunt those of us who did not join under their banner. Yes, you call people like myself and my Sire anti-tribu, for our presence is considered to be one of blatant action against our tribe, our clan. Yes, our numbers are small.
Numbers don't matter. Our loyalty is unquestionable, and our talents undeniable. For as few of us as there are, our quality is extraordinary. None of us, Neonate or Elder, can survive if we are not worthy of this existence. Those of us who joined the Camarilla did so for good reason. Smile and point out our crown, call attention to our proclivity--our gift--for manipulation and charisma. I will be gracious at such a blunt exchange. I do not mind honest words, but there is a time and place for them. There is a time and place for questions.
Why am I here? In Seattle of all places?
 It's another city. Another stop in what will become my history. If I was immodest, I would show you the scars. Argentina. Africa. The middle east. I am something that makes you uneasy, and do not deny it. I may look slight and small, with a sweet young face and good manners. However... I know you are afraid of what I can be. What I can do.
You respect my most frightening quality. It is healthy, to respect a shadow, and to fear it.
What can I tell you, that perhaps you've never pondered long?
I can tell you I'm on your side.
Now. Does that make that uneasy feeling any better, or worse?
Don't worry about the squirming--I won't hold it against you. Just know I love the Camarilla, with all my heart. And if that makes you uneasy the next time you ever for a moment think a thought against it? Well. If I didn't make you a little jumpy about what the shadows can hold, I wouldn't be doing my job."
Learn more about the Cainite curse that haunts the Lords of the Night in the player-created essay: Curse: Lasombra
| Disciplines: |  Dominate |  Obtenebration | Potence |
 Cursed with madness, the Lunatics are often underestimated, and ignored. But they can often see what no one else can... unless they decide to share their insights, which may be more than most can handle.
 We are seers. We are liars. We will tell you the truth and you will not understand. We give you falseness and you seize upon it with a thirst unmatched by any other predator. We are your jesters, your analysts, your murderers in a dark alley. We are possessed by demons, God, and each other. We are locked away in places you have chosen to forget about. We cannot be protected from ourselves. We do not want to be, and we know what we need to beware better than you do.
We are the doctor in the hermetically sealed chamber studying the secrets of vitae, the runaway in the alley gorging herself on rats, and the ones you cannot see or remember hearing of. We do things you cannot see a reason to because you cannot see what we see. We do what we do because there is no reason. We know how little any of us know, and even less, can do to prevent the skies from caving in upon us all.
We are the truth, the lies, and the broken mirror.
We are Malkavians.
We are Malkav.
--Unknown
| Disciplines: | Auspex |  Dementation | Dominate | Obfuscate |
Learn More about the Moon Mad Malkavians in the player-created essay linked here.
 Where the Malkavian curse is mental, the Nosferatu are most affected physically. Hideous creatures, they are often hidden away where no one else will look - sewers and subterranean corridors where they control all. Likewise, in the corridors of information, they are often the ones to control that flow as well.
 The sewer grating screeches as it moves away. Rodents, insects and other vermin spill forth in a great flood as they scrabble over your expensive shoes.
Sorry. They enjoy visitors. Welcome to the Emerald City. I see you've decided to get the right information about this domain and it's peoples. You've come right to the heart for this one. Shows your not as stupid as your fashion sense is bad. Before I start we have to do the touchy subject of cost for this information. Dont get me wrong, I love giving out freebies. But building up a business relationship is important for new arrivals.
I can tell you about the projects of the Toreador. Then there is the companies owned by the Blue Bloods. I've seen the few back alleyway dealings they've been up to. Got a pretty penny on that information to the right buyer.
Not interested? Humm.. Well perhaps after I give you more details on Seattle and the kine, the court politics and the like then we can talk about the Tremere. I've learned a few things about their magic. Or the Assamites. I have a buyer for rare items if you're into that sorta thing.
But I am getting ahead of myself. This is the Emerald Domain. Land of the greatest conflicts that have shaken the Tower in over a century. You know we have a Cappadocian and a Demon under our belts? Of course that just brings the Sabbat to our doorstep wanting us to love them. But that could be a bit more costly then the cozyness of their fur if you know what I mean. Speaking about fur...
Check out Nos-Tube, a player created podcast with tips about how to play a Nos from Del!
Log On to SchreckNet NosCom (Password required, which must be gained in-character).
| Disciplines: |  Animalism | Poetnce | Obfuscate |
 Artists and poseurs, degenerates and patrons, above all, the Toreador are always a wonder to behold. But in a Kindred's endless nights, often a love of beauty is twisted into a desire to debase it.
 Welcome to the Domain of Emerald, sit down and enjoy the view from Benaroya Hall as I tell you all about your new City. The Arts in Seattle are as refined as you will find anywhere, I know because I help make it happen that way.
Yours is a heritage as noble as the Ventrue's and as powerful as the Brujah's. You are a childe of Toreador. The city lights at night delight the powerful sight we possess, the Art we produce is the envy of the world's children, Kine and Kindred alike.
Nothing matches our subtle palate for the good things on the earth, nor the weight of our opinion. Small men have been made great and famous by a single mention of their names upon our lips, the mighty have been pulled down from their thrones just because news of our scorn reached their Domains. We have the power of beauty and prestige, and should you tarnish it here while I am Primogen in this Domain, your unlife will be worth little more than a child's broken set of crayons. Your presence will be required at the next formal social event, don't be a stranger or recluse, the beautiful people await to faun over your talents and status.
Quote: "You said you knew whom?"
Learn more about the Clan of the Rose in the player-created essay linked here.
| Disciplines: | Auspex | Celerity | Presence |
 The shadowy origins of this clan are buried in their mastery of dark magic - secrets they guard jealously, to the extent of destruction of those who would steal those secrets.
 Unity.
Structure.
Power.
These are the concepts we are raised with, groomed for, taught, ever since our Embrace. And many start these lessons even before the Embrace. And it should be no wonder. We are powerful.
We have been given, no, we have taken an opportunity that very few have. Now that we have that opportunity, we have to work for it, and with it.
Those who don't work for or underestimate that power, or who seek to undermine our structure, will fail. Our unity ensures it.
Without these things, we would be nothing.
No, without them we are even less.
| Disciplines: | Auspex | Dominate | Thaumaturgy |
 Elegant, aristocratic and regal, the Ventrue are the lords of the Camarilla. It was Clan Ventrue that provided the cornerstone of the Camarilla in its darkest hours. Even in the modern age, the majority of princes descend from Clan Ventrue. The Ventrue would, of course, have things no other way. Truth be told, the Ventrue are perhaps the most devout members of the Camarilla and often provide for it, in its darkest hours, the leadership required.
 For time out of mind the Ventrue have been the nominal leaders of the Kindred. If the clans bolstered history is to be believed, their founder was the first and most favored of Caine’s grandchilder, though this, as all things pertaining to the first city, is open to much debate. However it is a subject that few challenge and one that the Ventrue do not let their peers forget.
As perhaps the highest of “high clans” the Ventrue tend to bring only the best into their clan and rarely embrace capriciously. Their Havens are often massive manors or entire estates and they ten to cultivate herds of mortals, retainers, and resources, political and forceful influence and are in constant search of power and prestige.
Ventrue are known by many sobriquets, or nicknames, the most common are The Clan of Kings, Patriarchs or Blue Bloods, all of which are fitting.
| Disciplines: | Dominate |  Fortitude | Presence |
Learn More about the Clan of Kings in the player-created essay linked here.
| |
