“Everybody - the naive, the courtly - everyone is searching for who they are in the play.”
 - Dean Gilmour

There are a variety of positions within Camarilla society and new ones are occasionally created. Each position has certain advantages, disadvantages and abilities. It is rare, but not unheard of, for a Kindred to hold more than one position.

The Prince: The Prince leads his city and protects it. He is responsible for maintaining the Traditions and upholding law and order among Kindred Society. The city is the Domain of the Prince and all who wish to reside within or visit must answer to the Prince. For the purposes of Status, the Prince is the font of all Camarilla Status. It is the Prince that doles out and removes status to and from his court, Primogen and other vampiric citizenry.

Only the Harpy may take away status in this manner, but you can read more about that in the Status section. In classic feudal style, the Kindred ruler of a city is referred to as its Prince, regardless of gender. Not King, because King would imply too much power. Keep in mind, Princes only rule so long as the Justicars feel they're doing a good job. The Prince is considered the highest authority in his city, and this extends to such matters as where hunting is allowed and who is or isn't allowed to create progeny. The Prince is also the only Kindred in the city that may grant the right of Destruction, or call a Blood Hunt. Usually.

Primogen: Each Prince is advised by a council of Elders known as the Primogen, a sort of vampiric House of Representatives. These Kindred make for a remarkably powerful group, and serve to check and balance the rule of the Prince. In some cities, this may mean that the Primogen really rules the city and the Prince is a mere figurehead. Is there any way to figure out how much authority the Primogen has? No. You see, the Primogen will take unto itself all the authority it can get away with. But what about them? By what authority do they claim Primogen status? That depends on the city. In some, it automatically goes to the eldest of each clan, but that doesn't always work out, for reasons we've already discussed. In others, the clans elect their representatives, in democratic manner. In still others, anyone who wants it, takes it. If they can keep it, it's theirs. Why, in some cities, the Primogen council is handled like the Supreme Court, with the Prince appointing Kindred at his whim. This could mean you could walk into a city with a Ventrue Prince, and a Primogen consisting of five Ventrue, a Toreador, and a token Nosferatu. Not fair, but nice if you're the Prince. Again, it all depends on how much power the Prince can keep for himself, and how well organized the clans are in the city.

Whips: Whips act as assistants to their clan's Primogen and intermediaries between the Primogen and their Clan and act as the Primogen in their absence.

Seneschal: The Seneschal acts as the Prince when the Prince is absent as well as serving as an advisor. Seneschal duties largely depend on how much power the Prince gives them. Some are glorified secretaries, while others are powers in their own right and make important decisions in the Princes stead. The Seneschal may in fact exercise the same powers, authority and responsibility as the Prince, subject to definition (or delegation) by the Prince. Often the Seneschal is the heir to the city assuming the Prince is killed. The Seneschal is often described as a Prince's right hand vampire and often handles many of the night-to-night operations of a city.

Sheriff: The Sheriff acts as enforcer of the Traditions and any edicts decreed by the Prince and Primogen of a city. The Sheriff may demand that any Kindred within the city accompany him for questioning or judgment. The Sheriff is the most commonly allowed Kindred to be immune to the powers of the Keeper of the Elysium.

The Sheriff also organizes security and enforcement within the city. Often the Sherrif will appoint Deputies as assistants. The Sheriff may keep as many deputies as he has Status, and allthough a loan of status is needed in order to make a Deputy, the Sheriff loses no status from the loan.

Scourge: Scourge is a title given to a Kindred charged by the Prince with cleansing the city of unwanted, unauthorized vampiric rabble. Some cities have Scourges, some do not. Usually a Scourge is appointed on a more permanent basis if a city is near Sabbat occupied territory, or if the city has frequent Kindred visitors that need to be 'encouraged' to present themselves to the Prince.

All Kindred in a city are responsible for presenting themselves to the Prince, as per the Tradition of Hospitality. Those that do not do so forfeit the protection of the other Traditions, and are at the mercy of the Scourge, who may merely force them to present themselves, or destroy them for their refusal to conform to the Traditions. Often these situations, particularly in regards to the Sabbat, the Prince may authorize the Scourge use of excessive force, sometimes up to, and including the right of Destruction.

Keeper of Elysium: The Keeper maintains order and security within the Elysium(s) to which they are appointed. Sometimes the Keeper works very closely with the Sheriff and other times they are at odds. The Keeper also works to maintain the Traditions and to punish transgressors who break the traditions or cause violence in Elysium.

Many Kindred consider the night-to-night administration of the Prince's Elysium to be a trying and thankless affair, but those who know the habits of their fellow predetors understand that with information at such a premium in Kindred society, the Keeper is often the irst ear to hear of any scandal or trade.

More information about the Keeper of Elysium and the Laws of Elysium can be found in the Elysia section of this website.

Harpy: A de-facto title given to the Kindred who sit in judgment on the rest of a city's social status. The Harpy's mandate is to manage the social pecking order of Kindred society through innuendo, rumors, favoritism and other such tools. Kindred society functions in large part by respecting the Status of those who are your Elders, or those who have earned the respect of the Elders. Harpies track these reputations, and the deeds and scandals which are behind them, awarding and stripping this status as they see fit. This is one of the most elusive and challenging positions that exist within Kindred society. A Harpy's job is to strip status where he or she sees scandal, which often earns him the ire of many powerful Kindred. Since the Harpy's position relies on support from the Primogen, a careful balance must be struck between propriety and scandal.
 
A Harpy may opt to create Assistants, called Lesser Harpies. A Harpy with Lesser Harpies is referred to by them as the Greater Harpy.

A great deal more information about the Harpy is available in the Status section of this website.

Chamberlain: Another rare position, not common in the Modern Nights. In earlier times, the Prince's Chamberlain was a valet of sorts who maintained his or her personal Domain. If at all used in the Modern Nights, the position of Chamberlain is also in charge of planning and organizing social events in the name of the Prince, most commonly an Accounting, a domain-wide meeting of all the domain's Kindred for the purposes of the Acknowledgement of all.It's a sort of census that Princes perform for various purposes. In many domains the Chamberlain's duties also involve managing and responding to the mundane correspondence that comes to the Prince from other Domains throughout the Camarilla. In the past, this position was almost exclusively held by a Toreador, and very often a Lesser Harpy.

Masquer: A post only recently created in the Modern Nights, the Masquer is in charge of heading up the resolution to breaches of the First Tradition. Usually the head of a formal (or informal, depending on the domain) coterie of Kindred with particular ability to manipulate mortals called a Masquerade Coterie. The Masquerade coterie consists of Kindred dedicated to the cause of keeping the Kine from ever learning of the presence of the Kindred in their midst. Though the keeping of the First Tradition is every Kindred's responsibility, The Masquer's somewhat more formal position allows them to call upon resources on behalf of the Prince to cover breaches while other court members are still able to be available to continue their own duties. It is quite common for the Keeper of Elysium to gather a Masquerade coterie if no formal Masquer has been assigned.

Warmaster: Another rare post among the Camarilla, a Warmaster's traditional role was as a general to the Prince's armies. In the modern nights, if the position, sometimes refferred to as the Dux Baron if held at all, the power granted to the Kindred is usually severely limited during time of peace. In wartime, however, the Warmaster may command even the most august Elders in battle against the Camarilla's many foes.

In the Emerald Domain, the Warmaster typically commands and trains the War Coterie for battle. The War coterie is made up of the best and brightest fighters of each clan, no more, no less. These Kindred are the first line of defanse against invasion from Sabbat, Cathayan or Lupine forces, as well as any other threats that might rear their heads in the Modern Nights.

The usually small size of the war coterie makes it manuverable and easily concealable to the mortal population, perfect for maintaining the Masquerade.

Spymaster: Rareley is this position known to be filled, but almost every Prince commands it. Half internal affairs for the domain and half double-agent, the spymaster is an often thankless role. If a Prince needs someone tortured, or a Kindred slain outside of 'normal' procedures, this Kindred may be the secret dark hand of the Prince's will. A spymaster is often santctioned by the Prince with the right of Destruction when dealing with external affairs.