https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Nat 2026-06-20T23:29:54Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.45.3 https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=New_Player_Lore_Guide&diff=1005 2026-06-07T22:57:29Z

<p>Nat: /* Werewolf: The Apocalypse */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Template:WIP}}<br /> == Welcome to The Final Nights! ==<br /> Welcome! The World of Darkness is a sprawling collection of *books, lore novels, video games, and all kinds of other storytelling methods. It can feel overwhelming at times to try to consume the series. To try to assist those new to the setting, we're developing a series of pages of condensed lore. This page is a short summary of '''our''' setting that will help players understand our unique canon, and help them understand the general place of their chosen splats. After reading this page, [[Splat Roleplay Expectations]] and the [[Making a Character in WoD]], you'll have the foundation of knowledge to enjoy The Final Nights!<br /> <br /> == Vampire: The Masquerade ==<br /> Undead vampires are locked in a hierarchical battle between their &quot;sires&quot; (older vampires who bring new vampires into the world) and the &quot;kine&quot; (the normal mortal people that surround them that they must feed on to survive). <br /> All the while, a vampire must desperately cling to their fading [[Humanity]] (or one of the [[Morality|Paths of Enlightenment]]), using the memory of their mortal morals, or their newfound undead morals to restrain the ravenous, predatory [[Beast]] within. To lose this fight is to fall into permanent frenzy, becoming little more than a mindless monster to be put down by one's peers. <br /> <br /> Kindred society is deeply fractured, and can be broadly broken up into four main pillars:<br /> <br /> === [[Factions|Sect]]: ===<br /> The ideological and political factions that dictate a vampire's laws, territory, and allegiances. <br /> The [[Camarilla]] views itself as the high society of the undead, but it is effectively a brutal, neo-feudal cartel of [[Age Status|Elders]]. It was founded in the 15th century to enforce the Six [[Traditions]], the most critical of which is the Masquerade (the law requiring vampires to hide their existence from humanity). The Camarilla operates on the absolute authority of the ruling [[Canon Prince|Prince]].<br /> The [[Anarchs]] believe that the Camarilla is a pyramid scheme designed to keep the young perpetually beneath the boots of the old. Born out of the First Anarch Revolt and supercharged by modern rebellions, the Movement fights for the personal liberty of the individual Kindred. Contrary to the Camarilla, they are not one big organisation, but rather a loose group of so called [[Baronies]], united by nothing but their unwillingness to fall into the Camarilla scheme of things. Not one Barony works the same as the next, and despite the name, not all conform to the stereotype of gruff, punkrock, bikergang anarchists. Anarchs still respect the concept of hiding from mortals, but they reject the Camarilla’s strict laws, punishments and social stratification.<br /> The [[Sabbat]] rejects both the Camarilla’s hiding and the Anarchs’ political idealism. They view themselves as holy soldiers of [[Caine]]. They believe that the mythical founders of the clans, the [[Antediluvians]] are sleeping gods who will eventually wake up and consume all their descendants. The Sabbat embraces the Beast rather than fighting it, usually following codes of ethics known as [[Paths of Enlightenment]]. They live in tight-knit Packs bound together by the [[Vaulderie]], a blood ritual that can creates a Bond (called [[Vinculum]]) between all participating members and breaks any former Bonds.<br /> There are also several [[Independent Clans]] and smaller sects, who all follow their own (sometimes unachievable) goals.<br /> <br /> === [[Clan]] ===<br /> The distinct lineage of blood, a Kindred’s Clan, determines their supernatural [[Disciplines]], their specific inherent [[curse]] of their blood, and, in a lot of cases, also their alignment. The thirteen clans are generally divided by their political alignments, though individual linecrossing is common. <br /> The Camarilla Core consists of the Clans [[Ventrue]] (The Clan of Kings), [[Toreador]] (The Clan of the Rose), [[Tremere]] (The Warlocks), [[Nosferatu]] (Clan of the Hiden / The Sewer Rats) and [[Malkavian]] (Clan of the Moon / The Lunatics). Though the latter two also commonly found in the Anarchs. <br /> [[Brujah]] (Clan of Zealots, also called 'The Rabble) and more and more [[Gangrel]] (The Outlanders) build the core of the Anarchs, though neonates of almost any Clan can be found within this sects ranks. <br /> The [[Lasombra]] and [[Tzimisce]] (The Fiends) on the other hand are the founders of the Sabbat. <br /> Some Clans choose to stay wholly independent, only mingling with the sects when it fits their needs. These contain the [[Giovanni]], [[Followers of Set]] and the [[Ravnos]]. Formerly, the [[Banu Haqim]] were an independent Clan as well, though their brand new alliance with the Camarilla encourages more and more of their number to join the Sect. <br /> The last 'Clan' on the list is not really a Clan, but more a collection of outcasts and Clanless Kindred whose discipline spread matches none of the Clans (something happening more and more in the modern nights) : the [[Caitiff]]. A part of the Caitiff population, the [[Thinbloods]], are so far removed from Caine in Generation, that they become a midway-thing between kindred and humans (see section on Generation). <br /> <br /> Additional to the Clans, there are countless [[Bloodlines]]: Small offshoots of clans (or former Clans whose numbers have dwindled into near nonexistence), that diverge from their main Clan through appearance, new disciplines, or differing curses. <br /> <br /> === [[Generation]] ===<br /> A vampire's distance from Caine, the first vampire. The lower the generation, the thicker and more potent their blood. Kindred cannot change their generation through time or training; the only way to lower it is through the highly illegal crime of [[Diablerie]].<br /> <br /> The Final Nights allows players to play from Generation 10 to 16, and Generation 8 &amp; 9 only with the [[Whitelist]]. <br /> <br /> === [[Age Status]] === <br /> The social hierarchy of kindred is defined by their age, and the experience and resources they were able to amass in that time. Usually, it is also tied to Generation, with an Elder's Generation usually being lower than that of a Neonate, though of course there is always exceptions. <br /> <br /> [[Fledglings]] are newly embraced kindred still under the direct supervision and legal responsibility ([[The Accounting]]) of their [[Sires]]. They do not have rights in a domain; if a Fledgling breaks a law, the Sire is executed alongside them.<br /> <br /> [[Neonates]] are young kindred who have been released by their sires and recognized as independent citizens of the domain. While they have basic rights under the [[Traditions]], they are treated as completely disposable pawns. They are the street-level muscle, sent into dangerous situations because the Elders refuse to risk their own ancient skins.<br /> <br /> [[Ancillae]] are Kindred who have survived between one and two centuries. They understand how the game is played and are no longer easily fooled by the romantic notions of mortality, nor are they powerful enough to sit on thrones of their own, effectively making them the 'middle management'.<br /> Ancillae are dangerous because they are incredibly hungry for power. They are the ones executing the actual tactical plays of the [[Jyhad]], looking for any mistake from an Elder that would allow them to steal a title or feeding territory.<br /> <br /> [[Elders]] (200 to 1000 years old) are the actual rulers of domains. They occupy the offices of [[Prince]] and [[Primogen]]. They view the younger generations not as children, but as resource pools and meat shields. They have survived centuries of murderous politics, inquisitions and wars by being more ruthless than anyone else.<br /> <br /> [[Methuselahs]] (1,000+ years old) are terrifying, semi mythical horrors. Most spend decades or centuries in [[Torpor]], but their minds remain active. They pull the strings of whole political movements, religious cults and empires from the shadows. <br /> Methuselahs are not allowed to be played on The Final Nights.<br /> <br /> == Werewolf: The Apocalypse ==<br /> Fera, also called shapeshifters or Changing Breeds, are several races of supernatural beings created by the powerful spirit of [[Gaia]], mother of the world and all things living in it. The most well-known and numerous of these are the [[Garou]], commonly referred to as werewolves. They are individuals who have experienced a [[First Change]] in which they awakened a supernatural connection to Gaia, gaining the power to shift between human and wolf forms. Their awareness of their creator's suffering as both humanity and nature are corrupted by &quot;[[The Wyrm]]&quot;, along with the supernatural force of [[Rage]] within them, drive them to resist the Apocalypse as warriors of Gaia.<br /> <br /> Central to Garou mythology are the three forces of the Wyld, Weaver, and Wyrm. [[The Wyld]] creates from shapeless material, [[the Weaver]] brings order and longevity to chaotic creation, and [[the Wyrm]] ensures everything eventually falls apart to be made anew by the Wyld - or at least, that's how it should be. Longer ago than even the oldest Garou tales go, the Wyrm went mad in the confines of the Weaver, and lost all restraint or goodness in its work. Ever since then, it has been a corruptive, destructive force that would drown out creation and order with decay. <br /> <br /> Garou as a whole are divided by a couple of key elements that play an immense role in their lives:<br /> <br /> === [[Breed]] ===<br /> <br /> One of the most influential aspects for a Garou’s life, breed also lays entirely outside of a given werewolf’s control. Instead, it is determined at birth, depending on the mother which gave birth to them: if the mother was a human or a human-born Garou, then the werewolf will be born as a [[Homid]], looking, by all accounts, like a regular human. If, instead, the mother was a wolf or a [[Lupus]] Garou, then the werewolf will be born as a Lupus themselves, wandering around with their wolf pack. In some rare cases, where not one, but instead two of the parents are Garou (which is forbidden by the [[Litany]], but often ignored nowadays), their offspring will be a [[Crinosborn]], which are often riddled by deformities as a result of their troubled birth, and must adapt to life in their bestial form right from the get-go.<br /> <br /> Regardless of their breed, all Garou eventually experience their First Change, unlocking their innate shapeshifting abilities. From there, they can access the other forms that a Garou can manifest in - not just Homid, Lupus or Crinos form, but also those that reside “in between” these extremes, like [[Glabro]] (which, while still vaguely resembling human looks, is much more bestial in nature, drawing on a Garou’s primal force) or [[Hispo]] (effectively a mish-mash of Lupus and Crinos form, a massive wolf-like being acting as a hunter-killer).<br /> <br /> === [[Auspice]] ===<br /> <br /> Another key factor in shaping a Garou’s destiny, auspice marks a werewolf’s role in society, as well as how one’s temperament manifests. Given the strong spiritual connection werewolves have with Gaia’s sister spirit, [[Luna]], the phase the moon is in on the night a Garou is born determines the auspice they carry with them. The vast majority of werewolves follow the auspice they get at their birth - to try and change it for whatever reason, though possible, is a grave and serious affair, one treated with utmost scrutiny in the Garou Nation.<br /> <br /> The five auspices each correspond with a given phase of the moon. Those born on the New Moon bear the [[Ragabash]] auspice, often referred to as Tricksters, their witty and humorous remarks often carrying hidden wisdom. Those born on the Crescent Moon are of the [[Theurge]] auspice, also known as Seers, who, as their name suggests, commune with spirits that reside beyond the material plane and in the Umbra. On a Half Moon, [[Philodoxes]] are born - known as Mediators, working to resolve disputes and passing judgement where needed. On the Gibbous Moon, [[Galliards]] come into existence, also named Moon Dancers, acting much like bards would to rouse their packmates into action. Finally, on a Full Moon, [[Ahroun]] are born, having rightfully earned the moniker of Warriors for their fierce demeanours and proclivity to rage.<br /> <br /> === [[Sept]] ===<br /> <br /> Effectively a union of werewolves gathered around a caern, septs are key to the organization of the Garou in a given area. They can range in number from a singular pack to a dozen or more, but what is consistent about septs is their role: defense of the caern they reside in and its surrounding territory, both from the encroaching forces of the Wyrm as well as from any humans unlucky or reckless enough to wander close by. To this end, septs maintain a plethora of official positions, usually staffed by Garou who already have an affinity for a particular field (for example, an Ahroun being assigned as Guardian).<br /> <br /> The battle lines are drawn starkly in the Bay Area. Most of the Garou of the region operate out of a single, embattled front: The [[Sept of the Western Eye]]. This unified sept must balance internal tribal politics while fighting a desperate, multi-front war against the Wyrm's corporate tendrils. Meanwhile, the [[Black Spiral Dancers]], Garou who swear themselves to the Wyrm and embrace the Apocalypse, wage war in the dark and barter for souls in labs and skyscrapers as valued workers and partners of [[Magadon]], a pharmaceutical mega subsidiary of the global conglomerate [[Pentex]].<br /> <br /> === [[Tribe]] ===<br /> <br /> Representing the largest social units of the Garou, tribes are usually held together by shared lineage, totems, lifestyle or beliefs. Tribes may vary wildly in their culture and their outlook on the world: while someone belonging to the Children of Gaia might focus on making amends between clashing Garou or engage in human politics to counter the Wyrm’s advances, a Red Talon would usually find such ideas preposterous, instead opting for more martial solutions.<br /> <br /> Thirteen tribes compose the Garou Nation: the [[Black Furies]], the [[Bone Gnawers]], the [[Children of Gaia]], the [[Get of Fenris]], the [[Ghost Council]], the [[Glass Walkers]], the [[Hart Wardens]], the [[Red Talons]], the [[Shadow Lords]], the [[Silent Striders]], the [[Silver Fangs]] and the [[Stargazers]]. Beyond these thirteen, there is also a “lost tribe” - formerly the White Howlers, today they are infamously known as the [[Black Spiral Dancers]], being some of the most active agents of the Wyrm.<br /> <br /> === [[Renown]] ===<br /> <br /> Last but certainly not least, a Garou’s Renown is of much importance, both to them and to those around them. If septs and tribes determine who a werewolf ends up being family with, Renown determines where they sit on the family ladder. Not only is having high Renown a status symbol in and of itself, but it also facilitates moving up in the ranks of the Garou Nation, a feat many aspire to but can prove remarkably difficult in practice.<br /> <br /> Renown is split into three categories: Glory, Honor, and Wisdom. Glory represents bravery and fearlessness in battle, though it should not be mistaken for recklessness, as a werewolf must actually live to tell their tale for their triumph to be registered. Honor represents one’s integrity and respect; living by the Litany, being just, and shedding pride are all necessities if one hopes to be recognized as honorable. Finally, Wisdom represents the ability to think clearly and concisely, coming up with valuable plans and ideas for the well-being of all. Though perhaps contrasting with the natural inclination towards rage of werewolves, the fact one can manage to keep it together in spite of their rage is all the more impressive a feat.<br /> <br /> == The World of Darkness, 2016 ==<br /> (For more in detail information on the recently implemented changes, and the current state of the different clans and tribes, please visit [[Rebase Lore Rework]])<br /> <br /> The Supernatural World is spilling into the light in 2016, to their ruin.<br /> <br /> No longer do the mere martial brotherhoods and mercenary societies of the past stand a hopeless guard against the dark. Entire governments threaten not only Kindred society, but the Garou Nation and Middle Kingdom as well. Sectarian fracturing and hostility are a common through line of each society from the Anarch Free State to the Gaian Septs and Courts of the Kuei-Jin. This splintering has revealed new footholds for Humanity to take and fight back. Multiple cities in Europe and even smaller populations in the United States have been purged clean of Supernatural threat.<br /> <br /> Supernatural violence is covered up as gang war, which is then cleaned up by a flurry of federal badges. At a moment's notice a Police Chief can find their big bust has this informant, or that person of interest, and find themselves overruled. Even stranger, there are rumors of inconsistencies. 'SAICs' that the field office doesn't know, investigation numbers that lead nowhere, enough to drive a Police Chief to insanity or stone cold stoicism. <br /> <br /> === The Camarilla ===<br /> The Ivory Tower is reeling from an era of impressive victories in recent yearsWhile a brutal military expansion spearheaded by the Ventrue leadership managed to annex territories across the Southeastern United States, it came at the cost of catastrophic casualties, with young neonates systematically meat-grounded into the frontlines to secure material territorial gains.<br /> <br /> This precarious situation shattered violently at the Conclave of Prague with the shocking defection of the legendary Archon Theo Bell, whose sudden rebellion resulted in the violent Final Deaths of Jan Pieterzoon and the Inner Circle powerhouse, Hardestadt. Though desperate rumors of Hardestadt's survival circulate among the paranoid, the immediate vacuum triggered a massive crisis of faith among the younger generations.<br /> <br /> In San Francisco, the Camarilla reacts to this instability by tightening its iron grip. Moving forward under the absolute rule of a strict, staff-controlled NPC [[Canon Prince]] (a Ventrue Elder of the name of [[Mr. Solomon]] acting as the final, binding arbitrator of Ivory Tower law), the local sect project authority through gritted teeth. Surrounded by hostile [[Free States]], the remenants of the local [[Sabbat]] and dealing with internal subversion, the San Francisco Camarilla permits members of other sects to exist on their turf only if they flawlessly adhere to the [[First Tradition]]: The [[Masquerade]].<br /> <br /> <br /> === The Anarchs === <br /> Despite global setbacks, the Anarch Movement occupies a significantly stronger position on the West Coast than it did a decade ago. Los Angeles stands as a proud bastion of the Free States, anchoring the sect's ideology across all of California.<br /> <br /> Because the timeline rests firmly in 2016 prior to the events of V5, The [[Convention of Thorns}} remains legally in place, even if it is completely tattered and somewhat ignored on the streets of San Francisco. Both the Camarilla and the Anarchs pay lip service to the treaty when it is diplomatically advantageous. While shadow skirmishes and block-by-block violence occur nightly, both sides actively negotiate behind closed doors to prevent local conflicts from boiling over into an all-out war that would expose them to the Sabbat or other foes, lurking in the coastal margins.<br /> <br /> === The Sabbat ===<br /> The [[Sword of Caine]] is standing on the absolute brink of its [[Fourth Sabbat Civil War]]. Tensions have reached a boiling point between fanatical, traditionalist [[Gehenna]] Cultists and a massive wave of younger members who no longer believe in some, most or even everything written in the [[Book of Nod]]. This ideological conflict has caused a historic spike in individual defections to opposing sects.<br /> <br /> In San Francisco, this schism manifests as a functional, highly volatile split between two local Sabbat elements:<br /> <br /> ==== The Manor ==== <br /> The former Tzimisce stronghold has been completely repurposed into a centralized diplomatic hotspot for Sabbat politics, local [[Ritae]], and administrative ranks. Moving away from unhinged, mindless violence, the Manor allows for &quot;Sabbat citizen&quot; roleplay, navigating internal factional politics while maintaining a highly unstable, silent truce with the city's ruling Camarilla.<br /> <br /> ==== The [[Warpack]] ==== <br /> The loose, violent antagonist wing of the Sabbat. The bloodthirsty fighters of the Warpack use the Camarilla’s current weakness to launch deniable guerrilla strikes, shadow terrorism, and tactical ambushes from the dark. The Manor works tirelessly to try and keep their unhinged cousins on a tight leash, knowing one sloppy massembrace will likely shatter their sanctuary entirely.<br /> <br /> ==== [[Tal'Mahe'Ra]] ====<br /> The ancient, secretive [[True Black Hand]] still exists within V20 canon, but they are scattered, broken, and hunted. The Sabbat's elite martial wing has discovered their shadow infrastructure, moving aggressively toward a global purge of their hidden agents. <br /> <br /> === The Clans ===<br /> The changing of the canon to be strictly V20 has caused massive, systematic upheavals within individual Clans and lineages, allowing players a Soft Reset / Character Retcon window to realign their histories with the V20 timeline:<br /> <br /> ==== The Banu Haqim Schism ====<br /> Following the awakening of the Methuselah [[Ur-Shulgi]] and his bloody purge of the clan's internal heretics, a massive wave of schismatic [[Viziers]] and [[Banu Haqim Sorcerers]] have defected to the Western world. Supported heavily by the Ventrue and to the absolute dismay of Clan Tremere, the Banu Haqim have officially joined the Camarilla. They stand as the newest, most heavily distrusted outsiders of the Tower, and their local seat on the Primogen council rests on incredibly shaky ground.<br /> <br /> ==== The Lasombra ====<br /> Clan Lasombra remains a fundamental pillar of the Sabbat's ruling elite, but their younger ranks are rapidly losing faith. While the clan has not joined the Camarilla wholesale, a significant presence of [[Lasombra Antitribu]] has grown rapidly in San Francisco. Due to this delicate political transition, there is currently no Lasombra Primogen seat in the Camarilla court, though there is talk of negotiations concerning the question whether to create one.<br /> <br /> ==== The Tremere Pyramid ====<br /> The pre-rebase idea of an independent, shattered Tremere clan has been completely undone. The [[Inner Council of Seven]] has are hiding away in Vienna and communication is nearly impossible, though they have not been destroyed. [[The Pyramid]] stands fully restored. Chantry-aligned Warlocks are bound by default to the collective will of their elders, and their mystical clan weakness has reverted to the V20 one: skipping the first tier of a blood bond to jump straight to the second. Those trying to escape from these bindings are forced to flee to the Independent factions, the Sabbat, or risk everything by aligning with the fairly new Anarch [[House Carna]].<br /> <br /> ==== The Independent Clans ====<br /> The Giovanni panic quietly as the looming deadline of 2028 threatens to expire their ancient [[Promise]] of non-interference with the Camarilla, driving desperate Capos to seek early backroom alliances. Concurrently, the Followers of Set have seized absolute control of the city's supernatural black market within the Casino, establishing an independent faction that works closely together with the other [[Clans of Death]], like the newly implemented [[Samedi]] or even the [[Harbingers of Skulls]].<br /> <br /> === The Garou === <br /> The Garou Nation of San Francisco is no less plagued by the apocalyptic forces ripping through the world. The historic division between the urban packs of the Painted City and the wilderness guardians of the Amberglade has been forcibly dissolved out of pure survival. Now unified as a single, embattled front called [[The Sept of the Western Eye]] the local werewolves are fighting a desperate, losing war against the complete supernaturally caused decay of the Bay Area.<br /> <br /> The [[Triat]] is completely out of balance. [[Magadon Corporation]] (the pharmaceutical tendrils of the global Wyrm revering conglomerate [[Pentex]]) hold official, iron-clad contracts with the city of San Francisco. From their downtown laboratories, corporate executives pump spiritual and chemical filth into the urban ecosystem, feeding a massive Wyrm Hive known as the [[Poisoned Shore]] nesting deep within the industrial coastlines.<br /> <br /> ==== Updated Terminology ====<br /> The Lore Team has opted to use the modern V5 naming conventions for specific tribes and werewolf lineages. The original 90s terminology frequently appropriated realworld Indigenous identities or carried outdated, culturally insensitive connotations.<br /> To keep the server respectful and modern, please use the following updated terms in your lore and roleplay:<br /> <br /> * Tribal Renaming: Tribes previously using appropriated Indigenous or outdated names are updated to their modern equivalents (e.g., [[Ghost Council]] instead of Wendigo).<br /> <br /> * [[Crinosborn]] (formerly Metis): The term Metis has been completely retired for Garou born in Crinos, as it is insensitive.<br /> <br /> Please ensure any character backstories or OOC examine panels are adjusted to reflect these cleaner naming standards!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> These are indeed The Final Nights.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> == The Chronicles of San Francisco: == <br /> <br /> {{Template: 2025 Metaplot timeline}}</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Anarchs&diff=968 2026-05-31T23:16:08Z

<p>Nat: </p> <hr /> <div>The Anarchs (more formally known as the Anarch Movement) are a [[Sect]] of vampires who reject the status quo of Kindred society. They are predominantly composed of fledglings, neonates, and other vampires that have reason to be discontent with the Elder-dominated politics of the [[Camarilla]]. <br /> <br /> While often driven by strong revolutionary fervour, the Anarch Movement has, for most of its existence, struggled to secure a foothold amid more entrenched vampires. In the Modern Nights, though, their luck has changed, and now more than ever, the Anarchs are experiencing a surge in membership and activity. With this, though, has come a risk of constant infighting, that threatens to tear the Sect apart from the inside.<br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> <br /> ===Early Days===<br /> <br /> While the Anarch philosophy has its roots throughout Kindred history, most notably with groups such as the various Carthage attempts, the movement was officially founded in the Fifteenth Century. Due to the neglect, misuse, and general poor treatment of the elders at the time, young Kindred all throughout Europe erupted into an event now called the Anarch Revolt. Methelusalhs were destroyed, Antediluvians were (seemingly) diablerized, and for the first time in Kindred history, the monolithic rule of the Elders was seemingly disrupted. Such success, however, was not meant to last. <br /> <br /> Those beaten back by the revolt eventually came together and formed the Camarilla. The Camarilla, along with the unknowing support of the Inquisition who was unwittingly pointed at various Anarchs strongholds, eventually squashed the Revolt enough that peace talks were held. In the small town of Thorns, the Convention of Thorns was signed. Those present pledged that the Anarchs would submit themselves to the Camarilla, with various conditions regarding their independence in face of such. Not all Anarchs gave in, however, and those that refused to submit would become the group known as the Sabbat.<br /> <br /> After the Convention of Thorns, Anarch history stabilized for a long while. No meaningful gain nor losses were recorded, and the peace with the Camarilla was a tense, if stable one. Both jockeyed for influence in the New World, with the Anarchs notably supporting American Independence in a bid for more freedom, as well as directing the French Revolution to their own benefit. <br /> <br /> ===Turning the Tide===<br /> <br /> This began to change in the twentieth century. Revolution flared throughout all of Europe, both mortal and immortal. The Russian Revolution, for instance, planted the seeds for a non-Camarilla group of Brujah to take complete control of the fledgeling USSR. While they didn’t deign to call themselves Anarchs, the writing on the wall was clear for everyone else. This attempt at vampiric independence was short lived, however. All contact was lost with the Brujah Council running the nation in the 1990s, and it is unknown what exactly happened to them.<br /> <br /> And then, in Los Angeles, the political makeup of Kindred society in North America changed forever. The cruel and idiotic Prince of L.A, Don Sebastian, made the mistake of pissing off a particularly influential Brujah Ancilla, Jeremy MacNeil. Working with the other Brujah and miscreants of the city, MacNeil began to quietly analyze the Camarilla for flaws and weaknesses. For months he catalogued havens, herds, ghouls, and more. Then, one night, the Anarchs struck.<br /> <br /> Los Angeles collapsed near instantly. Forces of the Camarilla were slewn en masse by the nascent rebellion, and it is even reported that the Prince himself died in battle. The Anarchs claimed Praxis, and the sheer success story soon spread throughout all of California. If one city could fall, why couldn’t the rest? The rest of California soon followed, with almost every city except the lone bastion of San Francisco falling to the Anarch tide. <br /> <br /> The initial momentum, however, did not last forever. The unified Revolutionary Council that coordinated the revolts soon dissolved into various squabbling factions, and each city owned by the Anarchs began to drift further and further apart. While the Free States still stood, it was nowhere as near tall as they were in their inception.<br /> <br /> ==Modern Nights==<br /> <br /> Tonight, the Anarch Movement is almost as strong as it has ever been. The Free States of California still exist, albeit with less enthusiasm than they once had. Anarch enclaves exist in almost every major Camarilla city, and the Camarilla cannot afford to take action against many of them. <br /> <br /> Uniquely, the Anarch Movement has made the most usage of technology than any other sect. They were early adopters of the internet, and used various thaumaturgic or otherwise magical seals in order to create special, vampire only internet tools. Notably, a manifesto known as “Anarchs Unbound” was published across various vampire sites, which took hold in the youth and caused widespread dissent. In it, contained the “Red Question”, simply asking “Why do you obey?”<br /> <br /> Notably, the Anarchs are reputed to have caused the 2008 financial crisis, also known as the Great Recession. The group calling themselves the “Red Question” seemingly used their technological prowess to engineer such an event, and designed it in a way that would harm the Camarilla above all else. How exactly they did this is unknown.<br /> <br /> Despite all of this seeming success, the future of the movement is also uncertain. The “Red Question” group also seems to have disdain for the Anarch Free States, saying that they have betrayed their own principles. This is a sentiment shared by many neonates and fledgelings, seeing the Free States as often simply the Camarilla in a shiny, red coat of paint. The Free States face both external and internal threats, and only time will tell if they can persist. <br /> <br /> ===Anarchs in San Francisco===<br /> <br /> In San Francisco, the presence of the Anarchs is an uneasy one. The last bastion of the Camarilla in the sea of the Free States is obviously rather paranoid, yet a tense peace does exist. Still bound to the Convention of Thorns, Anarchs are remiss to take direct action against the Camarilla in fear of direct retribution. At least, direct action that can be demonstrably blamed on them, that is.<br /> <br /> The system of governance in the San Francisco Anarch Movement is notably odd as well. No singular Baron exists, nor does any singular Reeve nor Emissary. Instead, a seemingly rotating group of members fill in as roles. The exact method of who will take power that night is often inconsistent, as it could be who is most liked, who can seize it, or perhaps even who was able to weasel their way in.<br /> <br /> The territory of the movement is also similarly unclear. In the eyes of the Camarilla, the Anarchs solely hold the Anarchy Rose bar on the west side of town. In the eyes of some Anarchs, however, they hold the entire west side. In the eyes of the most ambitious, they ought to hold the entire city. Indeed, the true domain of the Anarchs is whatever they can hold and defend.<br /> <br /> No unifying political thought exists amongst the Anarchs of San Francisco, either. While they present themselves as a hole-in-the-water Biker Bar, it is nothing but an aesthetic. Communists, anarchists, moderates, libertarians, and vampires who couldn’t give a damn about mortal labels all reside there, and none claim dominance. <br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> ===How to play an Anarch===<br /> <br /> The Anarchs are the second most powerful sect on the server, at least on paper, and yet they are the least organized. When playing an Anarch, don’t expect to be a well-oiled machine of efficiency and productivity. Instead, expect internal squabbles, debates, and jockeying for position. Just like every other sect, an Anarch is still a Kindred, no matter how hard they try to act mortal.<br /> <br /> Anarch's characters are generally on the younger side. Fledgelings and Neonates make up the most of their numbers, with Ancillae often taking up leadership positions in the sect. Elders are substantially rare, and the ones that do exist are often not trusted very much at all. Keep this in mind if you choose to make an Elder character, as you should generally have an adequate explanation for why they’re in the movement, and why they’re allowed to stay.<br /> <br /> In the context of the server, Anarchs should also avoid getting into open violence with the Camarilla as often as possible. Skirmishes, guerilla warfare, and general “Cold War” gambits are suggested, while outright wars on the street should be avoided. If the Anarchs get *too* Rowdy, it’s not unlikely that the Camarilla would crush them wholesale in an attempt to avoid what happened to the rest of California.<br /> <br /> Anarchs can consist of almost any clan, though there’s many stipulations attached to this. For instance, predominantly Sabbat clans such as the Lasombra or Tzimisce are often inherently distrusted in the Movement, and have trouble rising the ranks. Hunted clans such as the Salubri and Baali also find very little refuge in the Anarchs, as the widespread propaganda against the former and the truth about the latter are most often still believed by members of the Anarchs.<br /> <br /> Anarchs are very rarely on Paths of Enlightenments. As a whole, Anarchs typically try to stick to their humanity, and are thus mostly on Humanity. Anarchs on Paths are typically distrusted and shunned, as their inhuman nature makes them oftentimes repulsive to the more moral-minded members of the Movement.<br /> <br /> ===Anarch vocabulary===<br /> <br /> * Baron - The person in charge of an Anarch domain. In the context of San Francisco, it’s a rotating group of people who seize power periodically.<br /> * Free State - A term that could refer to the Anarch Free States as a whole, an individual Anarch domain, or an Anarch domain lacking a Baron.<br /> * Legate - An agent of the larger Free States sent to smaller Anarch domains in order to serve as ambassadors. Often looked down upon.<br /> * Molotov - A roving Anarch who acts as an instigator. They frequently target the Camarilla and the Sabbat in order to cause chaos, and acts as a deniable force for the wider Movement.<br /> * Reeve - The Anarch equivalent to a Sheriff on paper. In reality, their power is far more diminished than the Sheriff, and they are more akin to a lone hound. They frequently need warrants or approvals in order to take any action.<br /> * Rule of Law - The concept that even the Baron or other leaders are also subject to the laws of the Movement.<br /> * Sweeper - A scout for an Anarch Domain. They frequently are sent out in order to spy on rival domains or seek out fledgelings for recruitment.<br /> * Warlord - An informal rank for the top military figure of a Domain<br /> * Old Volunteer - A name for the “old guard” of the Anarchs, particularly those who have proved themselves in Combat<br /> * Emissary - A diplomat used by an Anarch Domain. They are often sent out to negotiate with the Camarilla and Sabbat, and the inherent danger in this position makes it a hardly sought after job.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Factions&diff=967 2026-05-31T22:58:15Z

<p>Nat: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Template:WIP}}<br /> <br /> The factions of San Francisco are tapestry of personalities and ideology, as diverse and varied as its citizens.<br /> <br /> == The Mortal Living ==<br /> * [[United States Government]]<br /> * [[State of California]]<br /> * [[City of San Francisco]]<br /> * [[Society of Leopold]]<br /> <br /> == The Kindred Undead ==<br /> * [[Camarilla]]<br /> * [[Anarchs]]<br /> * [[Sabbat]]<br /> * [[Giovanni Family]]<br /> * [[Tzimisce Manor]]<br /> * [[Autarkis]]<br /> <br /> == The Tribe ==<br /> * [[Sept of the Western Eye]]<br /> * [[Hive of the Poisoned Shore]]<br /> * [[Ronin]]<br /> <br /> == The Hungry Dead ==<br /> * [[New Promise Mandarinate]]<br /> <br /> == Unaligned ==<br /> * [[The Dealer's Organization]]</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Anarchs&diff=966 2026-05-31T22:57:53Z

<p>Nat: Created page with &quot;==History== ===Early Days=== While the Anarch philosophy has its roots throughout Kindred history, most notably with groups such as the various Carthage attempts, the movement was officially founded in the Fifteenth Century. Due to the neglect, misuse, and general poor treatment of the elders at the time, young Kindred all throughout Europe erupted into an event now called the Anarch Revolt. Methelusalhs were destroyed, Antediluvians were (seemingly) diablerized, and f...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>==History==<br /> <br /> ===Early Days===<br /> <br /> While the Anarch philosophy has its roots throughout Kindred history, most notably with groups such as the various Carthage attempts, the movement was officially founded in the Fifteenth Century. Due to the neglect, misuse, and general poor treatment of the elders at the time, young Kindred all throughout Europe erupted into an event now called the Anarch Revolt. Methelusalhs were destroyed, Antediluvians were (seemingly) diablerized, and for the first time in Kindred history, the monolithic rule of the Elders was seemingly disrupted. Such success, however, was not meant to last. <br /> <br /> Those beaten back by the revolt eventually came together and formed the Camarilla. The Camarilla, along with the unknowing support of the Inquisition who was unwittingly pointed at various Anarchs strongholds, eventually squashed the Revolt enough that peace talks were held. In the small town of Thorns, the Convention of Thorns was signed. Those present pledged that the Anarchs would submit themselves to the Camarilla, with various conditions regarding their independence in face of such. Not all Anarchs gave in, however, and those that refused to submit would become the group known as the Sabbat.<br /> <br /> After the Convention of Thorns, Anarch history stabilized for a long while. No meaningful gain nor losses were recorded, and the peace with the Camarilla was a tense, if stable one. Both jockeyed for influence in the New World, with the Anarchs notably supporting American Independence in a bid for more freedom, as well as directing the French Revolution to their own benefit. <br /> <br /> ===Turning the Tide===<br /> <br /> This began to change in the twentieth century. Revolution flared throughout all of Europe, both mortal and immortal. The Russian Revolution, for instance, planted the seeds for a non-Camarilla group of Brujah to take complete control of the fledgeling USSR. While they didn’t deign to call themselves Anarchs, the writing on the wall was clear for everyone else. This attempt at vampiric independence was short lived, however. All contact was lost with the Brujah Council running the nation in the 1990s, and it is unknown what exactly happened to them.<br /> <br /> And then, in Los Angeles, the political makeup of Kindred society in North America changed forever. The cruel and idiotic Prince of L.A, Don Sebastian, made the mistake of pissing off a particularly influential Brujah Ancilla, Jeremy MacNeil. Working with the other Brujah and miscreants of the city, MacNeil began to quietly analyze the Camarilla for flaws and weaknesses. For months he catalogued havens, herds, ghouls, and more. Then, one night, the Anarchs struck.<br /> <br /> Los Angeles collapsed near instantly. Forces of the Camarilla were slewn en masse by the nascent rebellion, and it is even reported that the Prince himself died in battle. The Anarchs claimed Praxis, and the sheer success story soon spread throughout all of California. If one city could fall, why couldn’t the rest? The rest of California soon followed, with almost every city except the lone bastion of San Francisco falling to the Anarch tide. <br /> <br /> The initial momentum, however, did not last forever. The unified Revolutionary Council that coordinated the revolts soon dissolved into various squabbling factions, and each city owned by the Anarchs began to drift further and further apart. While the Free States still stood, it was nowhere as near tall as they were in their inception.<br /> <br /> ==Modern Nights==<br /> <br /> Tonight, the Anarch Movement is almost as strong as it has ever been. The Free States of California still exist, albeit with less enthusiasm than they once had. Anarch enclaves exist in almost every major Camarilla city, and the Camarilla cannot afford to take action against many of them. <br /> <br /> Uniquely, the Anarch Movement has made the most usage of technology than any other sect. They were early adopters of the internet, and used various thaumaturgic or otherwise magical seals in order to create special, vampire only internet tools. Notably, a manifesto known as “Anarchs Unbound” was published across various vampire sites, which took hold in the youth and caused widespread dissent. In it, contained the “Red Question”, simply asking “Why do you obey?”<br /> <br /> Notably, the Anarchs are reputed to have caused the 2008 financial crisis, also known as the Great Recession. The group calling themselves the “Red Question” seemingly used their technological prowess to engineer such an event, and designed it in a way that would harm the Camarilla above all else. How exactly they did this is unknown.<br /> <br /> Despite all of this seeming success, the future of the movement is also uncertain. The “Red Question” group also seems to have disdain for the Anarch Free States, saying that they have betrayed their own principles. This is a sentiment shared by many neonates and fledgelings, seeing the Free States as often simply the Camarilla in a shiny, red coat of paint. The Free States face both external and internal threats, and only time will tell if they can persist. <br /> <br /> ===Anarchs in San Francisco===<br /> <br /> In San Francisco, the presence of the Anarchs is an uneasy one. The last bastion of the Camarilla in the sea of the Free States is obviously rather paranoid, yet a tense peace does exist. Still bound to the Convention of Thorns, Anarchs are remiss to take direct action against the Camarilla in fear of direct retribution. At least, direct action that can be demonstrably blamed on them, that is.<br /> <br /> The system of governance in the San Francisco Anarch Movement is notably odd as well. No singular Baron exists, nor does any singular Reeve nor Emissary. Instead, a seemingly rotating group of members fill in as roles. The exact method of who will take power that night is often inconsistent, as it could be who is most liked, who can seize it, or perhaps even who was able to weasel their way in.<br /> <br /> The territory of the movement is also similarly unclear. In the eyes of the Camarilla, the Anarchs solely hold the Anarchy Rose bar on the west side of town. In the eyes of some Anarchs, however, they hold the entire west side. In the eyes of the most ambitious, they ought to hold the entire city. Indeed, the true domain of the Anarchs is whatever they can hold and defend.<br /> <br /> No unifying political thought exists amongst the Anarchs of San Francisco, either. While they present themselves as a hole-in-the-water Biker Bar, it is nothing but an aesthetic. Communists, anarchists, moderates, libertarians, and vampires who couldn’t give a damn about mortal labels all reside there, and none claim dominance. <br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> ===How to play an Anarch===<br /> <br /> The Anarchs are the second most powerful sect on the server, at least on paper, and yet they are the least organized. When playing an Anarch, don’t expect to be a well-oiled machine of efficiency and productivity. Instead, expect internal squabbles, debates, and jockeying for position. Just like every other sect, an Anarch is still a Kindred, no matter how hard they try to act mortal.<br /> <br /> Anarch's characters are generally on the younger side. Fledgelings and Neonates make up the most of their numbers, with Ancillae often taking up leadership positions in the sect. Elders are substantially rare, and the ones that do exist are often not trusted very much at all. Keep this in mind if you choose to make an Elder character, as you should generally have an adequate explanation for why they’re in the movement, and why they’re allowed to stay.<br /> <br /> In the context of the server, Anarchs should also avoid getting into open violence with the Camarilla as often as possible. Skirmishes, guerilla warfare, and general “Cold War” gambits are suggested, while outright wars on the street should be avoided. If the Anarchs get *too* Rowdy, it’s not unlikely that the Camarilla would crush them wholesale in an attempt to avoid what happened to the rest of California.<br /> <br /> Anarchs can consist of almost any clan, though there’s many stipulations attached to this. For instance, predominantly Sabbat clans such as the Lasombra or Tzimisce are often inherently distrusted in the Movement, and have trouble rising the ranks. Hunted clans such as the Salubri and Baali also find very little refuge in the Anarchs, as the widespread propaganda against the former and the truth about the latter are most often still believed by members of the Anarchs.<br /> <br /> Anarchs are very rarely on Paths of Enlightenments. As a whole, Anarchs typically try to stick to their humanity, and are thus mostly on Humanity. Anarchs on Paths are typically distrusted and shunned, as their inhuman nature makes them oftentimes repulsive to the more moral-minded members of the Movement.<br /> <br /> ===Anarch vocabulary===<br /> <br /> * Baron - The person in charge of an Anarch domain. In the context of San Francisco, it’s a rotating group of people who seize power periodically.<br /> * Free State - A term that could refer to the Anarch Free States as a whole, an individual Anarch domain, or an Anarch domain lacking a Baron.<br /> * Legate - An agent of the larger Free States sent to smaller Anarch domains in order to serve as ambassadors. Often looked down upon.<br /> * Molotov - A roving Anarch who acts as an instigator. They frequently target the Camarilla and the Sabbat in order to cause chaos, and acts as a deniable force for the wider Movement.<br /> * Reeve - The Anarch equivalent to a Sheriff on paper. In reality, their power is far more diminished than the Sheriff, and they are more akin to a lone hound. They frequently need warrants or approvals in order to take any action.<br /> * Rule of Law - The concept that even the Baron or other leaders are also subject to the laws of the Movement.<br /> * Sweeper - A scout for an Anarch Domain. They frequently are sent out in order to spy on rival domains or seek out fledgelings for recruitment.<br /> * Warlord - An informal rank for the top military figure of a Domain<br /> * Old Volunteer - A name for the “old guard” of the Anarchs, particularly those who have proved themselves in Combat<br /> * Emissary - A diplomat used by an Anarch Domain. They are often sent out to negotiate with the Camarilla and Sabbat, and the inherent danger in this position makes it a hardly sought after job.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=United_States_Government&diff=867 2026-05-12T18:18:37Z

<p>Nat: /* Central Intelligence Agency */</p> <hr /> <div>The United States Government (also known as the U.S. Government, or simply the government) is the ruling authority of the United States. In the World of Darkness, the different branches and institutions of government are infiltrated to varying degrees by supernaturals, with the security agencies meant to shield against such often tangled in their own webs of conspiracy, intrigue and subterfuge. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 127 to 135, as well as parts of the “Project Twilight” (1995) book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about playing a government agent.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> ===Early Days &amp; Expansion===<br /> <br /> For most of its existence, the U.S. Government was not so much a player as it was a puppet in the games that unfolded in the shadows between competing supernatural factions. It was only in the 1930s, during the crime wave that accompanied the Great Depression, when fresh-faced FBI agent Charles Horner, on the trail of notorious gangster boss Al Capone, was attacked by a vampire. Unlike most other agents who had the misfortune of encountering vampires, Horner survived, and would go on to pursue supernatural cases with a vengeance.<br /> <br /> In 1952, his hard work paid off. After many years of frustration and bureaucratic dead-ends, Horner was able to find a close aide of the FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, who listened to him, and after speaking with the director himself, he got his wish: the Special Affairs Department was born. While nominally under FBI control, in practice, the SAD retained great autonomy over its activities and operations, much to the chagrin of other Bureau agents, who could only speculate as to the department’s true purpose.<br /> <br /> From the 50s to the 90s, the SAD would know several ups and downs. It enjoyed great success and abundant funding during its first years of existence, notably managing to decapitate a Brujah union boss. In the 60s and 70s, however, the department would embark on a number of ill-fated missions to infiltrate and strike against liberation and indigenous rights movements (which were often backed by Garou), resulting in the losses of several veteran agents who had invaluable years of experience behind them. <br /> <br /> After Horner’s death in 1973 the department would change directors a number of times, but few inroads were made in regards to supernaturals until a lucky break in 1993 when a US senator, suspecting supernatural involvement in the disappearance of his daughter, managed to contact the SAD. In exchange for aiding in her search, the department would benefit from greatly enhanced funding. For a time, Special Affairs was on a roll, setting up teams and offices from the East to West Coast and everywhere in-between.<br /> <br /> Everything changed after 2001.<br /> <br /> ===A New Millennium===<br /> <br /> Following the turbulent start of the 21st century and the subsequent adoption of the Homeland Security Act, the entire US intelligence community was shaken from the ground-up. The SAD was hit heavily during the changes that followed. Their autonomy was revoked, being fully reintegrated in the FBI, and the department’s chain of command was also thoroughly gutted. Most of its staff were either assigned to other divisions or forcibly retired.<br /> <br /> Another organization that had to suffer post-2001 was the National Security Agency. During the Cold War, it had quietly grown to be the core of American intelligence efforts, collecting swaths of signals and electronic data from all across the world. Now, though, faced with increasing oversight, much of its leadership was audited and deposed. Its head, General Arthur Clifford, took the brunt of the fall; unfortunately for the NSA, most of their knowledge on supernaturals left along with him.<br /> <br /> The remaining trifecta of knowing officers in the NSA were put on a false track by the poorly-understood “chaoscope” technology at their disposal. What the SAD correctly labelled as vampires, the NSA misidentified as “negative bodies” belonging to an “extradimensional realm”. The few agents brought into the fold by these officers are currently busy training armored moon suits with mirrored visors and aural inhibitors - supposedly to protect against &quot;otherworldly influence”.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, the Central Intelligence Agency, another Cold War giant, was thoroughly compromised by supernaturals from the get-go, with the only agent properly in the know being a paranoid crank who is on his way out. As for the Department of Homeland Security, the most recent addition to the US intelligence community, its relative youth has made it an easy target for infiltration; many officials have been paid off by Kindred to look the other way, with the few DHS operatives determined to pursue paranormal activity being forced to communicate off of an e-mail chain known as the “Watch List”.<br /> <br /> All in all, the scarce and spread-out nature of the various different investigations into the paranormal, not to mention the heavy hand of {{Tooltip|the Carmilla|Vampiric society, coined for the First Vampire, Carmilla.}} in politics, has blocked many an agent in his tracks to uncover the truth that hides in the night. Those who persist must inevitably face ridicule from their colleagues and watch their back while on the way back from work. Paranoia is abundant, but so is determination - and these men and women in the service of the government will stop at nothing to get the job done.<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> As explained above, the U.S. Government’s various different security agencies vary greatly between each other in their approach against the supernatural. <br /> <br /> ===Special Affairs Department===<br /> <br /> A shadow of its former self, the modern SAD is down from dozens of full-time offices operating countrywide to just three overstretched teams that have to handle the vast majority of supernatural cases received by the FBI from local authorities. Previously feared within the Bureau for its secretive and independent nature, the department is now the butt of many jokes in regards to its ridiculous operational remit. Who would ever believe in monsters and vampires, after all?<br /> <br /> SAD agents, besides having to contend with little support from their parent agency, must also deal with the difficult task of sanitizing their reports when sent to HQ. “I encountered a vampire” is a surefire way to get given administrative leave, but “shot and killed a drug-crazed serial killer” is something that can get the nod from higher-ups. The irony of the fact that the department has to clean up the tracks of those they hunt is not lost on them, but given the alternative, they have little choice.<br /> <br /> In terms of operations, most are headed up by the SAD’s full-time agents, who possess a wealth of hunting knowledge and experience. But with how few of them they are, the department has to rely on a number of staff from other divisions in the Bureau to pad out its ranks. Most of these agents moonlighted with the SAD, having encountered the supernatural at least once in their past. While they’re not as in the know as their more veteran colleagues, they are aware of what’s at stake.<br /> <br /> ===National Security Agency===<br /> <br /> Post-2001, with the NSA’s leadership thoroughly shuffled and General Clifford forcefully retired to a nursing home, the three officers left in the know - General Shivers, Colonel Riley and Colonel Johnstone - operate under a misguided view derived from what incomplete notes they could scrounge from their predecessor’s office. They believe the US is facing an extradimensional invasion, and have taken to training a small cadre of agents, about two dozen men, at a secret facility in New Mexico.<br /> <br /> These agents are thoroughly disconnected from the rest of the NSA, and have not seen any real action so far, instead spending their time keeping known extradimensionals under watch. A number of other operatives in the Agency have begun to found out bits and pieces about supernaturals themselves and have looked into joining forces, but have failed to do so due to the program’s secrecy.<br /> <br /> What the higher-ups behind this cadre don’t know is that their operation has already been compromised. Two vampires already within the NSA have been intercepting messages from the officer troika, so any actual action taken would likely lead to the plan’s demise in its entirety. The SAD, which has received information from NSA contacts in the past, has hesitated on full-blown cooperation for this exact reason. A couple of burned CIA spies now work with the Agency, but their numbers are few.<br /> <br /> ===Central Intelligence Agency===<br /> <br /> “The Company” as it is more commonly known, the CIA, due to the external direction of its missions, has had few encounters with the paranormal and as such its leadership always dismissed claims of such as bogus. This is all too convenient for well-connected supernaturals, who will often call upon Company spies to do their bidding abroad and acquire information they couldn’t reach otherwise.<br /> <br /> There is one exception to this: Bob Schnoblin. Considered a paranoid crank by most other agents, he nonetheless clings onto his desk job at Langley, largely busy stamping the reports of those actually on the field. When he’s not doing that, however, he’s drawing up his “Pyramid of Satanic Power” - which, given what information he has to work with, is surprisingly accurate, identifying figures such as “King Ventrue (666)”, “The Werewolf Order”, “Vampire Nuns” and, of course, “Black Dog Games”.<br /> <br /> ===Department of Homeland Security===<br /> <br /> The youngest member of the US intelligence community, the DHS was, from its inception, turned into a trojan horse for vampires to sweep their activities under the rug. This hasn’t stopped some members of the DHS’s various different subdepartments - FEMA, ICE, CBP, TSA, so on and so forth - from catching a whiff of the supernatural and deciding to investigate, even against management orders.<br /> <br /> DHS hunters coordinate via an electronic mailing list only known as the Watch List. Who runs it isn’t known; by this point it may very well be a fully decentralized effort. Monthly reminders are sent on the e-mail chain reminding hunters posting about “paranormal domestic terrorists” that the service they are using is probably compromised; both by their higher-ups and by the very creatures they seek to hunt.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> Currently, of the agencies above, only the SAD is playable in-game. As an FBI Special Agent, either a full-time SAD member or an employee from another division who is called upon to occasionally investigate the supernatural, you’re expected to document paranormal entities, largely by observing and, if necessary, terminating such targets.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===<br /> <br /> * DO take your faction and your role seriously. You are a federal agent who has likely spent years in training just to get a field assignment. You may have also seen things you can't unsee by this point. Screwing up here means, at best, a visit to IA; and, at worst, being &quot;sanctioned&quot; (read: killed).<br /> * DON'T play as a &quot;super-cop&quot;. While the FBI can (and sometimes, should) aid local law enforcement, your main job is handling cases at the national level. You should leave misdemeanours and light felonies to the SFPD, only intervening in emergencies or when relevant to your investigations.<br /> * DO get involved in plots, or even start some of your own. As an agent, you ought to be keeping vampires and other supernaturals on their toes. Plant a wiretap, run a sting operation, tail people you deem suspicious - whatever it takes to keep paranormal activity in check. Just make sure to watch your back, as you can easily find yourself a target if you dig too far.<br /> * DON'T spread word of the supernatural. This may seem contradictory for an agent at first, but when faced with a secret society that has its hands in every pie around, staying inconspicuous is your best shot at survival. If someone asks you whether you saw something odd or not, you didn't. This is also a good way to avoid looking like a credulous idiot, which could run the risk of getting you fired.<br /> * DO offer other players roleplay, including your enemies. Much of the SAD's current knowledge comes from analyzing and fighting their enemies up close, and capturing a Kindred is a fantastic opportunity for such, while also letting the other player remain in the game. Executions/RRs should only be done after adequate RP for all sides.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=United_States_Government&diff=843 2026-05-11T16:10:10Z

<p>Nat: /* DOs and DON’Ts */</p> <hr /> <div>The United States Government (also known as the U.S. Government, or simply the government) is the ruling authority of the United States. In the World of Darkness, the different branches and institutions of government are infiltrated to varying degrees by supernaturals, with the security agencies meant to shield against such often tangled in their own webs of conspiracy, intrigue and subterfuge. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 127 to 135, as well as parts of the “Project Twilight” (1995) book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about playing a government agent.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> ===Early Days &amp; Expansion===<br /> <br /> For most of its existence, the U.S. Government was not so much a player as it was a puppet in the games that unfolded in the shadows between competing supernatural factions. It was only in the 1930s, during the crime wave that accompanied the Great Depression, when fresh-faced FBI agent Charles Horner, on the trail of notorious gangster boss Al Capone, was attacked by a vampire. Unlike most other agents who had the misfortune of encountering vampires, Horner survived, and would go on to pursue supernatural cases with a vengeance.<br /> <br /> In 1952, his hard work paid off. After many years of frustration and bureaucratic dead-ends, Horner was able to find a close aide of the FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, who listened to him, and after speaking with the director himself, he got his wish: the Special Affairs Department was born. While nominally under FBI control, in practice, the SAD retained great autonomy over its activities and operations, much to the chagrin of other Bureau agents, who could only speculate as to the department’s true purpose.<br /> <br /> From the 50s to the 90s, the SAD would know several ups and downs. It enjoyed great success and abundant funding during its first years of existence, notably managing to decapitate a Brujah union boss. In the 60s and 70s, however, the department would embark on a number of ill-fated missions to infiltrate and strike against liberation and indigenous rights movements (which were often backed by Garou), resulting in the losses of several veteran agents who had invaluable years of experience behind them. <br /> <br /> After Horner’s death in 1973 the department would change directors a number of times, but few inroads were made in regards to supernaturals until a lucky break in 1993 when a US senator, suspecting supernatural involvement in the disappearance of his daughter, managed to contact the SAD. In exchange for aiding in her search, the department would benefit from greatly enhanced funding. For a time, Special Affairs was on a roll, setting up teams and offices from the East to West Coast and everywhere in-between.<br /> <br /> Everything changed after 2001.<br /> <br /> ===A New Millennium===<br /> <br /> Following the turbulent start of the 21st century and the subsequent adoption of the Homeland Security Act, the entire US intelligence community was shaken from the ground-up. The SAD was hit heavily during the changes that followed. Their autonomy was revoked, being fully reintegrated in the FBI, and the department’s chain of command was also thoroughly gutted. Most of its staff were either assigned to other divisions or forcibly retired.<br /> <br /> Another organization that had to suffer post-2001 was the National Security Agency. During the Cold War, it had quietly grown to be the core of American intelligence efforts, collecting swaths of signals and electronic data from all across the world. Now, though, faced with increasing oversight, much of its leadership was audited and deposed. Its head, General Arthur Clifford, took the brunt of the fall; unfortunately for the NSA, most of their knowledge on supernaturals left along with him.<br /> <br /> The remaining trifecta of knowing officers in the NSA were put on a false track by the poorly-understood “chaoscope” technology at their disposal. What the SAD correctly labelled as vampires, the NSA misidentified as “negative bodies” belonging to an “extradimensional realm”. The few agents brought into the fold by these officers are currently busy training armored moon suits with mirrored visors and aural inhibitors - supposedly to protect against &quot;otherworldly influence”.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, the Central Intelligence Agency, another Cold War giant, was thoroughly compromised by supernaturals from the get-go, with the only agent properly in the know being a paranoid crank who is on his way out. As for the Department of Homeland Security, the most recent addition to the US intelligence community, its relative youth has made it an easy target for infiltration; many officials have been paid off by Kindred to look the other way, with the few DHS operatives determined to pursue paranormal activity being forced to communicate off of an e-mail chain known as the “Watch List”.<br /> <br /> All in all, the scarce and spread-out nature of the various different investigations into the paranormal, not to mention the heavy hand of {{Tooltip|the Carmilla|Vampiric society, coined for the First Vampire, Carmilla.}} in politics, has blocked many an agent in his tracks to uncover the truth that hides in the night. Those who persist must inevitably face ridicule from their colleagues and watch their back while on the way back from work. Paranoia is abundant, but so is determination - and these men and women in the service of the government will stop at nothing to get the job done.<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> As explained above, the U.S. Government’s various different security agencies vary greatly between each other in their approach against the supernatural. <br /> <br /> ===Special Affairs Department===<br /> <br /> A shadow of its former self, the modern SAD is down from dozens of full-time offices operating countrywide to just three overstretched teams that have to handle the vast majority of supernatural cases received by the FBI from local authorities. Previously feared within the Bureau for its secretive and independent nature, the department is now the butt of many jokes in regards to its ridiculous operational remit. Who would ever believe in monsters and vampires, after all?<br /> <br /> SAD agents, besides having to contend with little support from their parent agency, must also deal with the difficult task of sanitizing their reports when sent to HQ. “I encountered a vampire” is a surefire way to get given administrative leave, but “shot and killed a drug-crazed serial killer” is something that can get the nod from higher-ups. The irony of the fact that the department has to clean up the tracks of those they hunt is not lost on them, but given the alternative, they have little choice.<br /> <br /> In terms of operations, most are headed up by the SAD’s full-time agents, who possess a wealth of hunting knowledge and experience. But with how few of them they are, the department has to rely on a number of staff from other divisions in the Bureau to pad out its ranks. Most of these agents moonlighted with the SAD, having encountered the supernatural at least once in their past. While they’re not as in the know as their more veteran colleagues, they are aware of what’s at stake.<br /> <br /> ===National Security Agency===<br /> <br /> Post-2001, with the NSA’s leadership thoroughly shuffled and General Clifford forcefully retired to a nursing home, the three officers left in the know - General Shivers, Colonel Riley and Colonel Johnstone - operate under a misguided view derived from what incomplete notes they could scrounge from their predecessor’s office. They believe the US is facing an extradimensional invasion, and have taken to training a small cadre of agents, about two dozen men, at a secret facility in New Mexico.<br /> <br /> These agents are thoroughly disconnected from the rest of the NSA, and have not seen any real action so far, instead spending their time keeping known extradimensionals under watch. A number of other operatives in the Agency have begun to found out bits and pieces about supernaturals themselves and have looked into joining forces, but have failed to do so due to the program’s secrecy.<br /> <br /> What the higher-ups behind this cadre don’t know is that their operation has already been compromised. Two vampires already within the NSA have been intercepting messages from the officer troika, so any actual action taken would likely lead to the plan’s demise in its entirety. The SAD, which has received information from NSA contacts in the past, has hesitated on full-blown cooperation for this exact reason. A couple of burned CIA spies now work with the Agency, but their numbers are few.<br /> <br /> ===Central Intelligence Agency===<br /> <br /> “The Company” as it is more commonly known, the CIA, due to the external direction of its missions, has had few encounters with the paranormal and as such its leadership always dismissed claims of such as bogus. This is all too convenient for well-connected supernaturals, who will often call upon Company spies to do their bidding abroad and acquire information they couldn’t reach otherwise.<br /> <br /> There is one exception to this: Bob Schonblin. Considered a paranoid crank by most other agents, he nonetheless clings onto his desk job at Langley, largely busy stamping the reports of those actually on the field. When he’s not doing that, however, he’s drawing up his “Pyramid of Satanic Power” - which, given what information he has to work with, is surprisingly accurate, identifying figures such as “King Ventrue (666)”, “The Werewolf Order”, “Vampire Nuns” and, of course, “Black Dog Games”.<br /> <br /> ===Department of Homeland Security===<br /> <br /> The youngest member of the US intelligence community, the DHS was, from its inception, turned into a trojan horse for vampires to sweep their activities under the rug. This hasn’t stopped some members of the DHS’s various different subdepartments - FEMA, ICE, CBP, TSA, so on and so forth - from catching a whiff of the supernatural and deciding to investigate, even against management orders.<br /> <br /> DHS hunters coordinate via an electronic mailing list only known as the Watch List. Who runs it isn’t known; by this point it may very well be a fully decentralized effort. Monthly reminders are sent on the e-mail chain reminding hunters posting about “paranormal domestic terrorists” that the service they are using is probably compromised; both by their higher-ups and by the very creatures they seek to hunt.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> Currently, of the agencies above, only the SAD is playable in-game. As an FBI Special Agent, either a full-time SAD member or an employee from another division who is called upon to occasionally investigate the supernatural, you’re expected to document paranormal entities, largely by observing and, if necessary, terminating such targets.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===<br /> <br /> * DO take your faction and your role seriously. You are a federal agent who has likely spent years in training just to get a field assignment. You may have also seen things you can't unsee by this point. Screwing up here means, at best, a visit to IA; and, at worst, being &quot;sanctioned&quot; (read: killed).<br /> * DON'T play as a &quot;super-cop&quot;. While the FBI can (and sometimes, should) aid local law enforcement, your main job is handling cases at the national level. You should leave misdemeanours and light felonies to the SFPD, only intervening in emergencies or when relevant to your investigations.<br /> * DO get involved in plots, or even start some of your own. As an agent, you ought to be keeping vampires and other supernaturals on their toes. Plant a wiretap, run a sting operation, tail people you deem suspicious - whatever it takes to keep paranormal activity in check. Just make sure to watch your back, as you can easily find yourself a target if you dig too far.<br /> * DON'T spread word of the supernatural. This may seem contradictory for an agent at first, but when faced with a secret society that has its hands in every pie around, staying inconspicuous is your best shot at survival. If someone asks you whether you saw something odd or not, you didn't. This is also a good way to avoid looking like a credulous idiot, which could run the risk of getting you fired.<br /> * DO offer other players roleplay, including your enemies. Much of the SAD's current knowledge comes from analyzing and fighting their enemies up close, and capturing a Kindred is a fantastic opportunity for such, while also letting the other player remain in the game. Executions/RRs should only be done after adequate RP for all sides.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Factions&diff=842 2026-05-11T15:37:55Z

<p>Nat: /* The Mortal Living */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Template:WIP}}<br /> <br /> The factions of San Francisco are tapestry of personalities and ideology, as diverse and varied as its citizens.<br /> <br /> == The Mortal Living ==<br /> * [[United States Government]]<br /> * [[State of California]]<br /> * [[City of San Francisco]]<br /> * [[Society of Leopold]]<br /> <br /> == The Kindred Undead ==<br /> * [[Camarilla]]<br /> * [[Anarch Free State]]<br /> * [[Sabbat]]<br /> * [[Giovanni Family]]<br /> * [[Tzimisce Manor]]<br /> * [[Autarkis]]<br /> <br /> == The Tribe ==<br /> * [[Sept of the Amberglade]]<br /> * [[Sept of the Painted City]]<br /> * [[Hive of the Poisoned Shore]]<br /> * [[Ronin]]<br /> <br /> == The Hungry Dead ==<br /> * [[New Promise Mandarinate]]<br /> <br /> == Unaligned ==<br /> * [[The Dealer's Organization]]</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=United_States_Government&diff=841 2026-05-11T10:38:31Z

<p>Nat: Created page with &quot;The United States Government (also known as the U.S. Government, or simply the government) is the ruling authority of the United States. In the World of Darkness, the different branches and institutions of government are infiltrated to varying degrees by supernaturals, with the security agencies meant to shield against such often tangled in their own webs of conspiracy, intrigue and subterfuge. This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>The United States Government (also known as the U.S. Government, or simply the government) is the ruling authority of the United States. In the World of Darkness, the different branches and institutions of government are infiltrated to varying degrees by supernaturals, with the security agencies meant to shield against such often tangled in their own webs of conspiracy, intrigue and subterfuge. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 127 to 135, as well as parts of the “Project Twilight” (1995) book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about playing a government agent.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> ===Early Days &amp; Expansion===<br /> <br /> For most of its existence, the U.S. Government was not so much a player as it was a puppet in the games that unfolded in the shadows between competing supernatural factions. It was only in the 1930s, during the crime wave that accompanied the Great Depression, when fresh-faced FBI agent Charles Horner, on the trail of notorious gangster boss Al Capone, was attacked by a vampire. Unlike most other agents who had the misfortune of encountering vampires, Horner survived, and would go on to pursue supernatural cases with a vengeance.<br /> <br /> In 1952, his hard work paid off. After many years of frustration and bureaucratic dead-ends, Horner was able to find a close aide of the FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, who listened to him, and after speaking with the director himself, he got his wish: the Special Affairs Department was born. While nominally under FBI control, in practice, the SAD retained great autonomy over its activities and operations, much to the chagrin of other Bureau agents, who could only speculate as to the department’s true purpose.<br /> <br /> From the 50s to the 90s, the SAD would know several ups and downs. It enjoyed great success and abundant funding during its first years of existence, notably managing to decapitate a Brujah union boss. In the 60s and 70s, however, the department would embark on a number of ill-fated missions to infiltrate and strike against liberation and indigenous rights movements (which were often backed by Garou), resulting in the losses of several veteran agents who had invaluable years of experience behind them. <br /> <br /> After Horner’s death in 1973 the department would change directors a number of times, but few inroads were made in regards to supernaturals until a lucky break in 1993 when a US senator, suspecting supernatural involvement in the disappearance of his daughter, managed to contact the SAD. In exchange for aiding in her search, the department would benefit from greatly enhanced funding. For a time, Special Affairs was on a roll, setting up teams and offices from the East to West Coast and everywhere in-between.<br /> <br /> Everything changed after 2001.<br /> <br /> ===A New Millennium===<br /> <br /> Following the turbulent start of the 21st century and the subsequent adoption of the Homeland Security Act, the entire US intelligence community was shaken from the ground-up. The SAD was hit heavily during the changes that followed. Their autonomy was revoked, being fully reintegrated in the FBI, and the department’s chain of command was also thoroughly gutted. Most of its staff were either assigned to other divisions or forcibly retired.<br /> <br /> Another organization that had to suffer post-2001 was the National Security Agency. During the Cold War, it had quietly grown to be the core of American intelligence efforts, collecting swaths of signals and electronic data from all across the world. Now, though, faced with increasing oversight, much of its leadership was audited and deposed. Its head, General Arthur Clifford, took the brunt of the fall; unfortunately for the NSA, most of their knowledge on supernaturals left along with him.<br /> <br /> The remaining trifecta of knowing officers in the NSA were put on a false track by the poorly-understood “chaoscope” technology at their disposal. What the SAD correctly labelled as vampires, the NSA misidentified as “negative bodies” belonging to an “extradimensional realm”. The few agents brought into the fold by these officers are currently busy training armored moon suits with mirrored visors and aural inhibitors - supposedly to protect against &quot;otherworldly influence”.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, the Central Intelligence Agency, another Cold War giant, was thoroughly compromised by supernaturals from the get-go, with the only agent properly in the know being a paranoid crank who is on his way out. As for the Department of Homeland Security, the most recent addition to the US intelligence community, its relative youth has made it an easy target for infiltration; many officials have been paid off by Kindred to look the other way, with the few DHS operatives determined to pursue paranormal activity being forced to communicate off of an e-mail chain known as the “Watch List”.<br /> <br /> All in all, the scarce and spread-out nature of the various different investigations into the paranormal, not to mention the heavy hand of {{Tooltip|the Carmilla|Vampiric society, coined for the First Vampire, Carmilla.}} in politics, has blocked many an agent in his tracks to uncover the truth that hides in the night. Those who persist must inevitably face ridicule from their colleagues and watch their back while on the way back from work. Paranoia is abundant, but so is determination - and these men and women in the service of the government will stop at nothing to get the job done.<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> As explained above, the U.S. Government’s various different security agencies vary greatly between each other in their approach against the supernatural. <br /> <br /> ===Special Affairs Department===<br /> <br /> A shadow of its former self, the modern SAD is down from dozens of full-time offices operating countrywide to just three overstretched teams that have to handle the vast majority of supernatural cases received by the FBI from local authorities. Previously feared within the Bureau for its secretive and independent nature, the department is now the butt of many jokes in regards to its ridiculous operational remit. Who would ever believe in monsters and vampires, after all?<br /> <br /> SAD agents, besides having to contend with little support from their parent agency, must also deal with the difficult task of sanitizing their reports when sent to HQ. “I encountered a vampire” is a surefire way to get given administrative leave, but “shot and killed a drug-crazed serial killer” is something that can get the nod from higher-ups. The irony of the fact that the department has to clean up the tracks of those they hunt is not lost on them, but given the alternative, they have little choice.<br /> <br /> In terms of operations, most are headed up by the SAD’s full-time agents, who possess a wealth of hunting knowledge and experience. But with how few of them they are, the department has to rely on a number of staff from other divisions in the Bureau to pad out its ranks. Most of these agents moonlighted with the SAD, having encountered the supernatural at least once in their past. While they’re not as in the know as their more veteran colleagues, they are aware of what’s at stake.<br /> <br /> ===National Security Agency===<br /> <br /> Post-2001, with the NSA’s leadership thoroughly shuffled and General Clifford forcefully retired to a nursing home, the three officers left in the know - General Shivers, Colonel Riley and Colonel Johnstone - operate under a misguided view derived from what incomplete notes they could scrounge from their predecessor’s office. They believe the US is facing an extradimensional invasion, and have taken to training a small cadre of agents, about two dozen men, at a secret facility in New Mexico.<br /> <br /> These agents are thoroughly disconnected from the rest of the NSA, and have not seen any real action so far, instead spending their time keeping known extradimensionals under watch. A number of other operatives in the Agency have begun to found out bits and pieces about supernaturals themselves and have looked into joining forces, but have failed to do so due to the program’s secrecy.<br /> <br /> What the higher-ups behind this cadre don’t know is that their operation has already been compromised. Two vampires already within the NSA have been intercepting messages from the officer troika, so any actual action taken would likely lead to the plan’s demise in its entirety. The SAD, which has received information from NSA contacts in the past, has hesitated on full-blown cooperation for this exact reason. A couple of burned CIA spies now work with the Agency, but their numbers are few.<br /> <br /> ===Central Intelligence Agency===<br /> <br /> “The Company” as it is more commonly known, the CIA, due to the external direction of its missions, has had few encounters with the paranormal and as such its leadership always dismissed claims of such as bogus. This is all too convenient for well-connected supernaturals, who will often call upon Company spies to do their bidding abroad and acquire information they couldn’t reach otherwise.<br /> <br /> There is one exception to this: Bob Schonblin. Considered a paranoid crank by most other agents, he nonetheless clings onto his desk job at Langley, largely busy stamping the reports of those actually on the field. When he’s not doing that, however, he’s drawing up his “Pyramid of Satanic Power” - which, given what information he has to work with, is surprisingly accurate, identifying figures such as “King Ventrue (666)”, “The Werewolf Order”, “Vampire Nuns” and, of course, “Black Dog Games”.<br /> <br /> ===Department of Homeland Security===<br /> <br /> The youngest member of the US intelligence community, the DHS was, from its inception, turned into a trojan horse for vampires to sweep their activities under the rug. This hasn’t stopped some members of the DHS’s various different subdepartments - FEMA, ICE, CBP, TSA, so on and so forth - from catching a whiff of the supernatural and deciding to investigate, even against management orders.<br /> <br /> DHS hunters coordinate via an electronic mailing list only known as the Watch List. Who runs it isn’t known; by this point it may very well be a fully decentralized effort. Monthly reminders are sent on the e-mail chain reminding hunters posting about “paranormal domestic terrorists” that the service they are using is probably compromised; both by their higher-ups and by the very creatures they seek to hunt.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> Currently, of the agencies above, only the SAD is playable in-game. As an FBI Special Agent, either a full-time SAD member or an employee from another division who is called upon to occasionally investigate the supernatural, you’re expected to document paranormal entities, largely by observing and, if necessary, terminating such targets.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Society_of_Leopold&diff=839 2026-05-08T20:41:54Z

<p>Nat: </p> <hr /> <div>The Society of Leopold (also known as the Society, or SoL for short) is one of the principal Hunter organizations in the World of Darkness, with deep historical roots dating back to medieval times of inquisition and witch-trials. Its theme is decidedly religious in nature, existing as a secret arm of the Catholic Church, waging a hidden war against the beasts of the night. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 117 to 125, as well as small bits of the older “V:tM: Inquisition” book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about the Society and how to RP it.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> The SoL was founded by Leopold of Murnau in 1231 by dispensation of Pope Gregory IX. Over the following centuries, the Society waxed and waned, from its peak in the midst of the original Inquisition (though the Inquisitors of today would argue they are fighting the same war as those of past eras) to falls during the 1600s to 1800s, when enlightenment and reformism clashed with the strong religious ideals of the Leopoldites. <br /> <br /> In modern times, the Society has seen much change, allowing more laypeople to join its ranks and women to climb to higher positions. Indeed, the office of Inquisitor-General, following the death of the legendary Monsignor Amelio Vittore, is now occupied by Ingrid Bauer, or, as she is commonly called by her detractors, the Iron Maiden.<br /> <br /> As her nickname suggests, Inquisitor-General Bauer does not shy away from brutal or sadistic tactics, reintroducing a number of antiquated torture methods and expanding on the use of incendiary weapons. Internally, she has consolidated her control by reinforcing the authority of the Office of the Censor, which she previously held.<br /> <br /> Many Inquisitors cannot help but wonder if these changes, effective as they are in combatting their enemies and rooting out infiltrators, do not strike at something of even greater importance - preserving the faithfulness that stands at the very core of their fight. As more and more holy souls find themselves tainted by unspeakable atrocities committed with their very hands, many cannot help but ask themselves: “Is this right?”<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> The Society is divided into several different layers. A good number of Inquisitors are members of an order of the Catholic Church - the four most prominent being the Benedictines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans, and the Jesuits. These are expanded upon more in Hunters Hunted 2, but don’t make much of a practical difference.<br /> <br /> ===Subdivisions===<br /> <br /> What does matter more is the formal subdivisions of the SoL - these are the Condotierri, the Gladius Dei, and the Office of the Censor. Not all Inquisitors are necessarily part of one of these subdivisions, since they serve more as “specialist” branches.<br /> <br /> '''The Condotierri''' - founded in the 15th century, they are quasi-military in nature and serve as the security force of the Society. Where others strike outwards, they watch inwards, preventing infiltration attempts. They are led by a Condotierre-General and follow a parallel structure that mimics that of the wider Society but is strict in nature; when deployed on the ground, they report to the highest-ranking Inquisitor present.<br /> <br /> '''The Gladius Dei''' - the SoL’s elite corps, composed of the best Inquisitors on offer and supplied accordingly. In their vast array of missions and deployments, the Gladius Dei has yet to fail once, displaying incredible skill and unmatched zeal. (As they are so rare and powerful, Gladius Dei are NOT playable on the server. You’re not that guy.)<br /> <br /> '''Office of the Censor''' - effectively the Society’s internal affairs division, the Office of the Censor is responsible for making sure Inquisitors respect the regulations of the SoL. If before they acted strictly when necessary, nowadays, Censors investigate much more frequently and often happen to admonish those disagreeing with the Inquisitor-General. (As the Censors represent a higher echelon of command, they are also NOT playable, but may appear as admin-spawned characters to enforce punishments if needed.)<br /> <br /> '''Order of Saint Joan''' - not a proper subdivision of the SoL per se, the Order of Saint Joan exists in parallel to the Society of Leopold, but cooperates strongly with it in the field. However, they also maintain their own safehouses and rank structure, and their leader, the Abbess of Chartres, has come to blows with Inquisitor-General Bauer. Rumours exist around their use of Theurgy, but nothing has been proven. Yet.<br /> <br /> ===Sects===<br /> <br /> Additionally, many Inquisitors are also members of a sect - groups that hold and promote different beliefs in regards to the activities of the Society of Leopold. These are:<br /> <br /> '''The Brethren of Albertus''' - following the teachings of Albertus Magnus, the Brethren recognize the dangers and evils of magic, but seek to master it in order to combat the Supernatural with it. Looked upon with suspicion, but never formally outlawed.<br /> <br /> '''The Children of Lazarus''' - representing the majority of the Society’s membership, the Children of Lazarus see Kindred as inherently guilty by their nature, with their overcoming of death being an unholy perversion and a crime against their faith. They are singularly focused on combating vampirism and are unconcerned with other creatures.<br /> <br /> '''Fathers of the Good Death''' - an alternative to the above beliefs, the Fathers of the Good Death see Kindred as unclean spirits dating back to the original Flood, haunting the mortal realm. It is their duty to dispatch of them so they may finally rest. They only admit ordained priests. <br /> <br /> '''The Sanbenito''' - inspired by the thoughts of Rafaelle Renzi, the scorned “Florentine Heretic”, some Inquisitors end up wondering if supernaturals need necessarily be destroyed. Some end up, in their foolish hopes, aiding them. They are detested by the wider Society and are priority targets for Censors. No one survives being a Sanbenito.<br /> <br /> '''Sisterhood of Saint Claire''' - largely composed of doctors and other healers, the Sisterhood of Saint Claire rejects worldly possessions and comforts, instead adopting vows of poverty and asceticism. Mostly well-liked.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> As the local Cenacle (group of inquisitors), it is up to you to shepherd the people of San Francisco through the dark night and into the day, warding off the various different supernaturals that would harm them and see all that is holy snuffed out.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===<br /> <br /> * DO take your faction and your role seriously. Remember: you are a warrior of God, act like one. Take the faith seriously. Don’t make a mockery of the Society’s core beliefs, lest the Censors come take you. Or worse.<br /> <br /> * DON’T play TOO much into the religious aspect. Subtlety is an important aspect of the Society’s operations. Walking around with a sword, holy cape and knight armor yelling “DEUS VULT!” is bound to draw attention. Save the monologue about salvation and faith for when the target of your hunt is cornered.<br /> <br /> * DO interact with the rest of the server. While as a Hunter you ought to be wary of those you meet at night, you shouldn’t be a recluse. Go out into the world, speak to its citizens. Pretend to be someone else to gain information. Investigate. Fighting is only half your job - you first have to DISCOVER something to fight.<br /> <br /> * DON’T turn buddy-buddy with the enemy. At least, not immediately. You made it into the Society in good part because of your devotion. It will take a good amount of convincing to lead you off of the path of witch-hunting. This is something that should be roleplayed out across many rounds and checked in with staff.<br /> <br /> * DO offer other players roleplay, including your enemies. The Society often likes to capture Kindred, for reasons obvious: they are great information sources, and the fear of losing their unlives is a great reason for them to confess. Executions/RRs should only be done after adequate RP for all sides.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Factions&diff=838 2026-05-06T16:48:19Z

<p>Nat: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Template:WIP}}<br /> <br /> The factions of San Francisco are tapestry of personalities and ideology, as diverse and varied as its citizens.<br /> <br /> == The Mortal Living ==<br /> * [[United States Federal Government]]<br /> * [[State of California]]<br /> * [[City of San Francisco]]<br /> * [[Society of Leopold]]<br /> <br /> == The Kindred Undead ==<br /> * [[Camarilla]]<br /> * [[Anarch Free State]]<br /> * [[Sabbat]]<br /> * [[Giovanni Family]]<br /> * [[Tzimisce Manor]]<br /> * [[Autarkis]]<br /> <br /> == The Tribe ==<br /> * [[Sept of the Amberglade]]<br /> * [[Sept of the Painted City]]<br /> * [[Hive of the Poisoned Shore]]<br /> * [[Ronin]]<br /> <br /> == The Hungry Dead ==<br /> * [[New Promise Mandarinate]]<br /> <br /> == Unaligned ==<br /> * [[The Dealer's Organization]]</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Society_of_Leopold&diff=837 2026-05-06T16:46:01Z

<p>Nat: </p> <hr /> <div>The Society of Leopold (also known as the Society, or SoL for short) is one of the principal Hunter organizations in the World of Darkness, with deep historical roots dating back to medieval times of inquisition and witch-trials. Its theme is decidedly religious in nature, existing as a secret arm of the Catholic Church, waging a hidden war against the beasts of the night. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 117 to 125, as well as small bits of the older V:tM: Inquisition book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about the Society and how to RP it.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> The SoL was founded by Leopold of Murnau in 1231 by dispensation of Pope Gregory IX. Over the following centuries, the Society waxed and waned, from its peak in the midst of the original Inquisition (though the Inquisitors of today would argue they are fighting the same war as those of past eras) to falls during the 1600s to 1800s, when enlightenment and reformism clashed with the strong religious ideals of the Leopoldites. <br /> <br /> In modern times, the Society has seen much change, allowing more laypeople to join its ranks and women to climb to higher positions. Indeed, the office of Inquisitor-General, following the death of the legendary Monsignor Amelio Vittore, is now occupied by Ingrid Bauer, or, as she is commonly called by her detractors, the Iron Maiden.<br /> <br /> As her nickname suggests, Inquisitor-General Bauer does not shy away from brutal or sadistic tactics, reintroducing a number of antiquated torture methods and expanding on the use of incendiary weapons. Internally, she has consolidated her control by reinforcing the authority of the Office of the Censor, which she previously held.<br /> <br /> Many Inquisitors cannot help but wonder if these changes, effective as they are in combatting their enemies and rooting out infiltrators, do not strike at something of even greater importance - preserving the faithfulness that stands at the very core of their fight. As more and more holy souls find themselves tainted by unspeakable atrocities committed with their very hands, many cannot help but ask themselves: “Is this right?”<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> The Society is divided into several different layers. A good number of Inquisitors are members of an order of the Catholic Church - the four most prominent being the Benedictines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans, and the Jesuits. These are expanded upon more in Hunters Hunted 2, but don’t make much of a practical difference.<br /> <br /> ===Subdivisions===<br /> <br /> What does matter more is the formal subdivisions of the SoL - these are the Condotierri, the Gladius Dei, and the Office of the Censor. Not all Inquisitors are necessarily part of one of these subdivisions, since they serve more as “specialist” branches.<br /> <br /> '''The Condotierri''' - founded in the 15th century, they are quasi-military in nature and serve as the security force of the Society. Where others strike outwards, they watch inwards, preventing infiltration attempts. They are led by a Condotierre-General and follow a parallel structure that mimics that of the wider Society but is strict in nature; when deployed on the ground, they report to the highest-ranking Inquisitor present.<br /> <br /> '''The Gladius Dei''' - the SoL’s elite corps, composed of the best Inquisitors on offer and supplied accordingly. In their vast array of missions and deployments, the Gladius Dei has yet to fail once, displaying incredible skill and unmatched zeal. (As they are so rare and powerful, Gladius Dei are NOT playable on the server. You’re not that guy.)<br /> <br /> '''Office of the Censor''' - effectively the Society’s internal affairs division, the Office of the Censor is responsible for making sure Inquisitors respect the regulations of the SoL. If before they acted strictly when necessary, nowadays, Censors investigate much more frequently and often happen to admonish those disagreeing with the Inquisitor-General. (As the Censors represent a higher echelon of command, they are also NOT playable, but may appear as admin-spawned characters to enforce punishments if needed.)<br /> <br /> '''Order of Saint Joan''' - not a proper subdivision of the SoL per se, the Order of Saint Joan exists in parallel to the Society of Leopold, but cooperates strongly with it in the field. However, they also maintain their own safehouses and rank structure, and their leader, the Abbess of Chartres, has come to blows with Inquisitor-General Bauer. Rumours exist around their use of Theurgy, but nothing has been proven. Yet.<br /> <br /> ===Sects===<br /> <br /> Additionally, many Inquisitors are also members of a sect - groups that hold and promote different beliefs in regards to the activities of the Society of Leopold. These are:<br /> <br /> '''The Brethren of Albertus''' - following the teachings of Albertus Magnus, the Brethren recognize the dangers and evils of magic, but seek to master it in order to combat the Supernatural with it. Looked upon with suspicion, but never formally outlawed.<br /> <br /> '''The Children of Lazarus''' - representing the majority of the Society’s membership, the Children of Lazarus see Kindred as inherently guilty by their nature, with their overcoming of death being an unholy perversion and a crime against their faith. They are singularly focused on combating vampirism and are unconcerned with other creatures.<br /> <br /> '''Fathers of the Good Death''' - an alternative to the above beliefs, the Fathers of the Good Death see Kindred as unclean spirits dating back to the original Flood, haunting the mortal realm. It is their duty to dispatch of them so they may finally rest. They only admit ordained priests. <br /> <br /> '''The Sanbenito''' - inspired by the thoughts of Rafaelle Renzi, the scorned “Florentine Heretic”, some Inquisitors end up wondering if supernaturals need necessarily be destroyed. Some end up, in their foolish hopes, aiding them. They are detested by the wider Society and are priority targets for Censors. No one survives being a Sanbenito.<br /> <br /> '''Sisterhood of Saint Claire''' - largely composed of doctors and other healers, the Sisterhood of Saint Claire rejects worldly possessions and comforts, instead adopting vows of poverty and asceticism. Mostly well-liked.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> As the local Cenacle (group of inquisitors), it is up to you to shepherd the people of San Francisco through the dark night and into the day, warding off the various different supernaturals that would harm them and see all that is holy snuffed out.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===<br /> <br /> * DO take your faction and your role seriously. Remember: you are a warrior of God, act like one. Take the faith seriously. Don’t make a mockery of the Society’s core beliefs, lest the Censors come take you. Or worse.<br /> <br /> * DON’T play TOO much into the religious aspect. Subtlety is an important aspect of the Society’s operations. Walking around with a sword, holy cape and knight armor yelling “DEUS VULT!” is bound to draw attention. Save the monologue about salvation and faith for when the target of your hunt is cornered.<br /> <br /> * DO interact with the rest of the server. While as a Hunter you ought to be wary of those you meet at night, you shouldn’t be a recluse. Go out into the world, speak to its citizens. Pretend to be someone else to gain information. Investigate. Fighting is only half your job - you first have to DISCOVER something to fight.<br /> <br /> * DON’T turn buddy-buddy with the enemy. At least, not immediately. You made it into the Society in good part because of your devotion. It will take a good amount of convincing to lead you off of the path of witch-hunting. This is something that should be roleplayed out across many rounds and checked in with staff.<br /> <br /> * DO offer other players roleplay, including your enemies. The Society often likes to capture Kindred, for reasons obvious: they are great information sources, and the fear of losing their unlives is a great reason for them to confess. Executions/RRs should only be done after adequate RP for all sides.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Society_of_Leopold&diff=836 2026-05-06T16:40:22Z

<p>Nat: </p> <hr /> <div>The Society of Leopold (also known as the Society, or SoL for short) is one of the principal Hunter organizations in the World of Darkness, with deep historical roots dating back to medieval times of inquisition and witch-trials. Its theme is decidedly religious in nature, existing as a secret arm of the Catholic Church, waging a hidden war against the beasts of the night. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 117 to 125, as well as small bits of the older V:tM: Inquisition book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about the Society and how to RP it.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> The SoL was founded by Leopold of Murnau in 1231 by dispensation of Pope Gregory IX. Over the following centuries, the Society waxed and waned, from its peak in the midst of the original Inquisition (though the Inquisitors of today would argue they are fighting the same war as those of past eras) to falls during the 1600s to 1800s, when enlightenment and reformism clashed with the strong religious ideals of the Leopoldites. <br /> <br /> In modern times, the Society has seen much change, allowing more laypeople to join its ranks and women to climb to higher positions. Indeed, the office of Inquisitor-General, following the death of the legendary Monsignor Amelio Vittore, is now occupied by Ingrid Bauer, or, as she is commonly called by her detractors, the Iron Maiden.<br /> <br /> As her nickname suggests, Inquisitor-General Bauer does not shy away from brutal or sadistic tactics, reintroducing a number of antiquated torture methods and expanding on the use of incendiary weapons. Internally, she has consolidated her control by reinforcing the authority of the Office of the Censor, which she previously held.<br /> <br /> Many Inquisitors cannot help but wonder if these changes, effective as they are in combatting their enemies and rooting out infiltrators, do not strike at something of even greater importance - preserving the faithfulness that stands at the very core of their fight. As more and more holy souls find themselves tainted by unspeakable atrocities committed with their very hands, many cannot help but ask themselves: “is this right?”<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> The Society is divided based on several different layers. A good number of Inquisitors are members of an order of the Catholic Church - the four most prominent being the Benedectines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans and the Jesuits. These are expanded upon more in Hunters Hunted 2, but don’t make much of a practical difference.<br /> <br /> ===Subdivisions===<br /> <br /> What does matter more is the formal subdivisions of the SoL - these are the Condotierri, the Gladius Dei and the Office of the Censor. Not all Inquisitors are necessarily part of one of these subdivisions, since they serve more as “specialist” branches.<br /> <br /> '''The Condotierri''' - founded in the 15th century, they are quasi-military in nature and serve as the security force of the Society. Where others strike outwards, they watch inwards, preventing infiltration attempts. They are led by a Condotierre-General and follow a parallel structure that mimics that of the wider Society but is strict in nature; when deployed on the ground, they report to the highest-ranking Inquisitor present.<br /> <br /> '''The Gladius Dei''' - the SoL’s elite corps, composed of the best Inquisitors on offer and supplied accordingly. In their vast array of missions and deployments, the Gladius Dei has yet to fail once, displaying incredible skill and unmatched zealousness. (As they are so rare and powerful, Gladius Dei are NOT playable on the server. You’re not that guy.)<br /> <br /> '''Office of the Censor''' - effectively the Society’s internal affairs division, the Office of the Censor is responsible for making sure Inquisitors respect the regulations of the SoL. If before they acted strictly when necessary, nowadays, Censors investigate much more frequently and often happen to admonish those disagreeing with the Inquisitor-General. (As the Censors represent a higher echelon of command, they are also NOT playable, but may appear as admin-spawned characters to enforce punishments if needed.)<br /> <br /> '''Order of Saint Joan''' - not a proper subdivision of the SoL per-se, the Order of Saint Joan exists in parallel to the Society of Leopold, but cooperates strongly with it on the field. However, they also maintain their own safehouses and rank structure, and their leader, the Abbess of Chartres, has come to blows with Inquisitor-General Bauer. Rumours exist around their use of Theurgy, but nothing has been proven. Yet.<br /> <br /> ===Sects===<br /> <br /> Additionally, many Inquisitors are also members of a sect - groups that hold and promote different beliefs in regards to the activities of the Society of Leopold. These are:<br /> <br /> '''The Brethren of Albertus''' - following the teachings of Albertus Magnus, the Brethren recognize the dangers and evils of magic, but seek to master it in order to combat the Supernatural with it. Looked upon with suspicion, but never formally outlawed.<br /> <br /> '''The Children of Lazarus''' - representing the majority of the Society’s membership, the Children of Lazarus see Kindred as inherently guilty by their nature, with their overcoming of death being an unholy perversion and a crime against their faith. They are singularly focused on combatting vampirism and unconcerned with other creatures.<br /> <br /> '''Fathers of the Good Death''' - an alternative to the above beliefs, the Fathers of the Good Death see Kindred as unclean spirits dating back to the original Flood, haunting the mortal realm. It is their duty to dispatch of them so they may finally rest. They only admit ordained priests. <br /> <br /> '''The Sanbenito''' - inspired by the thoughts of Rafaelle Renzi, the scorned “Florentine Heretic”, some Inquisitors end up wondering if supernaturals need necessarily be destroyed. Some end up, in their foolish hopes, aiding them. They are detested by the wider Society and are priority targets for Censors. No one survives being a Sanbenito.<br /> <br /> '''Sisterhood of Saint Claire''' - largely composed of doctors and other healers, the Sisterhood of Saint Claire rejects worldly possessions and comforts. Mostly well-liked.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> As the local Cenacle (group of inquisitors), it is up to you to shepherd the people of San Francisco through the dark night and into the day, warding off the various different supernaturals that would harm them and see all that is holy snuffed out.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===<br /> <br /> * DO take your faction and your role seriously. Remember: you are a warrior of God, act like one. Take the faith seriously. Don’t make a mockery of the Society’s core beliefs, lest the Censors come take you. Or worse.<br /> <br /> * DON’T play TOO much into the religious aspect. Subtlety is an important aspect of the Society’s operations. Walking around with a sword, holy cape and knight armor yelling “DEUS VULT!” is bound to draw attention. Save the monologue about salvation and faith for when the target of your hunt is cornered.<br /> <br /> * DO interact with the rest of the server. While as a Hunter you ought to be wary of those you meet at night, you shouldn’t be a recluse. Go out into the world, speak to its citizens. Pretend to be someone else to gain information. Investigate. Fighting is only half your job - you first have to DISCOVER something to fight.<br /> <br /> * DON’T turn buddy-buddy with the enemy. At least, not immediately. You made it into the Society in good part because of your devotion. It will take a good amount of convincing to lead you off of the path of witch-hunting. This is something that should be roleplayed out across many rounds and checked in with staff.<br /> <br /> * DO offer other players roleplay, including your enemies. The Society often likes to capture Kindred, for reasons obvious: they are great information sources, and the fear of losing their unlives is great reason for them to confess. Executions/RRs should only be done after adequate RP for all sides.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Factions&diff=835 2026-05-06T07:36:13Z

<p>Nat: /* The Mortal Living */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Template:WIP}}<br /> <br /> ==== The factions of San Francisco are tapestry of personalities and ideology, as diverse and varied as its citizens. ====<br /> <br /> == The Mortal Living ==<br /> * [[United States Federal Government]]<br /> * [[State of California]]<br /> * [[City of San Francisco]]<br /> * [[Society of Leopold]]<br /> <br /> == The Kindred Undead ==<br /> * [[Camarilla]]<br /> * [[Anarch Free State]]<br /> * [[Sabbat]]<br /> * [[Giovanni Family]]<br /> * [[Tzimisce Manor]]<br /> * [[Autarkis]]<br /> <br /> == The Tribe ==<br /> * [[Sept of the Amberglade]]<br /> * [[Sept of the Painted City]]<br /> * [[Hive of the Poisoned Shore]]<br /> * [[Ronin]]<br /> <br /> == The Hungry Dead ==<br /> * [[New Promise Mandarinate]]<br /> <br /> == Unaligned ==<br /> * [[The Dealer's Organization]]</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Society_of_Leopold&diff=834 2026-05-06T07:33:21Z

<p>Nat: </p> <hr /> <div>The Society of Leopold (also known as the Society, or SoL for short) is one of the principal Hunter organizations in the World of Darkness, with deep historical roots dating back to medieval times of inquisition and witch-trials. Its theme is decidedly religious in nature, existing as a secret arm of the Catholic Church, waging a hidden war against the beasts of the night. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 117 to 125, as well as small bits of the older V:tM: Inquisition book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about the Society and how to RP it.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> The SoL was founded by Leopold of Murnau in 1231 by dispensation of Pope Gregory IX. Over the following centuries, the Society waxed and waned, from its peak in the midst of the original Inquisition (though the Inquisitors of today would argue they are fighting the same war as those of past eras) to falls during the 1600s to 1800s, when enlightenment and reformism clashed with the strong religious ideals of the Leopoldites. <br /> <br /> In modern times, the Society has seen much change, allowing more laypeople to join its ranks and women to climb to higher positions. Indeed, the office of Inquisitor-General, following the death of the legendary Monsignor Amelio Vittore, is now occupied by Ingrid Bauer, or, as she is commonly called by her detractors, the Iron Maiden.<br /> <br /> As her nickname suggests, Inquisitor-General Bauer does not shy away from brutal or sadistic tactics, reintroducing a number of antiquated torture methods and expanding on the use of incendiary weapons. Internally, she has consolidated her control by reinforcing the authority of the Office of the Censor, which she previously held.<br /> <br /> Many Inquisitors cannot help but wonder if these changeschange, effective as they are in combatting their enemies and rooting out infiltrators, do not strike at something of even greater importance - preserving the faithfulness that stands at the very core of their fight. As more and more holy souls find themselves tainted by unspeakable atrocities committed with their very hands, many cannot help but ask themselves: “is this right?”<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> The Society is divided based on several different layers. A good number of Inquisitors are members of an order of the Catholic Church - the four most prominent being the Benedectines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans and the Jesuits. These are expanded upon more in Hunters Hunted 2, but don’t make much of a practical difference.<br /> <br /> ===Subdivisions===<br /> <br /> What does matter more is the formal subdivisions of the SoL - these are the Condotierri, the Gladius Dei and the Office of the Censor. Not all Inquisitors are necessarily part of one of these subdivisions, since they serve more as “specialist” branches.<br /> <br /> '''The Condotierri''' - founded in the 15th century, they are quasi-military in nature and serve as the security force of the Society. Where others strike outwards, they watch inwards, preventing infiltration attempts. They are led by a Condotierre-General and follow a parallel structure that mimics that of the wider Society but is strict in nature; when deployed on the ground, they report to the highest-ranking Inquisitor present.<br /> <br /> '''The Gladius Dei''' - the SoL’s elite corps, composed of the best Inquisitors on offer and supplied accordingly. In their vast array of missions and deployments, the Gladius Dei has yet to fail once, displaying incredible skill and unmatched zealousness. (As they are so rare and powerful, Gladius Dei are NOT playable on the server. You’re not that guy.)<br /> <br /> '''Office of the Censor''' - effectively the Society’s internal affairs division, the Office of the Censor is responsible for making sure Inquisitors respect the regulations of the SoL. If before they acted strictly when necessary, nowadays, Censors investigate much more frequently and often happen to admonish those disagreeing with the Inquisitor-General. (As the Censors represent a higher echelon of command, they are also NOT playable, but may appear as admin-spawned characters to enforce punishments if needed.)<br /> <br /> '''Order of Saint Joan''' - not a proper subdivision of the SoL per-se, the Order of Saint Joan exists in parallel to the Society of Leopold, but cooperates strongly with it on the field. However, they also maintain their own safehouses and rank structure, and their leader, the Abbess of Chartres, has come to blows with Inquisitor-General Bauer. Rumours exist around their use of Theurgy, but nothing has been proven. Yet.<br /> <br /> ===Sects===<br /> <br /> Additionally, many Inquisitors are also members of a sect - groups that hold and promote different beliefs in regards to the activities of the Society of Leopold. These are:<br /> <br /> '''The Brethren of Albertus''' - following the teachings of Albertus Magnus, the Brethren recognize the dangers and evils of magic, but seek to master it in order to combat the Supernatural with it. Looked upon with suspicion, but never formally outlawed.<br /> <br /> '''The Children of Lazarus''' - representing the majority of the Society’s membership, the Children of Lazarus see Kindred as inherently guilty by their nature, with their overcoming of death being an unholy perversion and a crime against their faith. They are singularly focused on combatting vampirism and unconcerned with other creatures.<br /> <br /> '''Fathers of the Good Death''' - an alternative to the above beliefs, the Fathers of the Good Death see Kindred as unclean spirits dating back to the original Flood, haunting the mortal realm. It is their duty to dispatch of them so they may finally rest. They only admit ordained priests. <br /> <br /> '''The Sanbenito''' - inspired by the thoughts of Rafaelle Renzi, the scorned “Florentine Heretic”, some Inquisitors end up wondering if supernaturals need necessarily be destroyed. Some end up, in their foolish hopes, aiding them. They are detested by the wider Society and are priority targets for Censors. No one survives being a Sanbenito.<br /> <br /> '''Sisterhood of Saint Claire''' - largely composed of doctors and other healers, the Sisterhood of Saint Claire rejects worldly possessions and comforts. Mostly well-liked.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> As the local Cenacle (group of inquisitors), it is up to you to shepherd the people of San Francisco through the dark night and into the day, warding off the various different supernaturals that would harm them and see all that is holy snuffed out.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===<br /> <br /> * DO take your faction and your role seriously. Remember: you are a warrior of God, act like one. Take the faith seriously. Don’t make a mockery of the Society’s core beliefs, lest the Censors come take you. Or worse.<br /> <br /> * DON’T play TOO much into the religious aspect. Subtlety is an important aspect of the Society’s operations. Walking around with a sword, holy cape and knight armor yelling “DEUS VULT!” is bound to draw attention. Save the monologue about salvation and faith for when the target of your hunt is cornered.<br /> <br /> * DO interact with the rest of the server. While as a Hunter you ought to be wary of those you meet at night, you shouldn’t be a recluse. Go out into the world, speak to its citizens. Pretend to be someone else to gain information. Investigate. Fighting is only half your job - you first have to DISCOVER something to fight.<br /> <br /> * DON’T turn buddy-buddy with the enemy. At least, not immediately. You made it into the Society in good part because of your devotion. It will take a good amount of convincing to lead you off of the path of witch-hunting. This is something that should be roleplayed out across many rounds and checked in with staff.<br /> <br /> * DO offer other players roleplay, including your enemies. The Society often likes to capture Kindred, for reasons obvious: they are great information sources, and the fear of losing their unlives is great reason for them to confess. Executions/RRs should only be done after adequate RP for all sides.</div>

Nat https://thefinalnights.com/wiki/index.php?title=Society_of_Leopold&diff=833 2026-05-06T07:32:51Z

<p>Nat: Created page with &quot;==Introduction== The Society of Leopold (also known as the Society, or SoL for short) is one of the principal Hunter organizations in the World of Darkness, with deep historical roots dating back to medieval times of inquisition and witch-trials. Its theme is decidedly religious in nature, existing as a secret arm of the Catholic Church, waging a hidden war against the beasts of the night. This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, sp...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>==Introduction==<br /> <br /> The Society of Leopold (also known as the Society, or SoL for short) is one of the principal Hunter organizations in the World of Darkness, with deep historical roots dating back to medieval times of inquisition and witch-trials. Its theme is decidedly religious in nature, existing as a secret arm of the Catholic Church, waging a hidden war against the beasts of the night. <br /> <br /> This article primarily references the V20 supplement “Hunters Hunted 2”, specifically pages 117 to 125, as well as small bits of the older V:tM: Inquisition book. Players are encouraged to check the source material themselves if they want to learn more about the Society and how to RP it.<br /> <br /> ==Lore==<br /> <br /> The SoL was founded by Leopold of Murnau in 1231 by dispensation of Pope Gregory IX. Over the following centuries, the Society waxed and waned, from its peak in the midst of the original Inquisition (though the Inquisitors of today would argue they are fighting the same war as those of past eras) to falls during the 1600s to 1800s, when enlightenment and reformism clashed with the strong religious ideals of the Leopoldites. <br /> <br /> In modern times, the Society has seen much change, allowing more laypeople to join its ranks and women to climb to higher positions. Indeed, the office of Inquisitor-General, following the death of the legendary Monsignor Amelio Vittore, is now occupied by Ingrid Bauer, or, as she is commonly called by her detractors, the Iron Maiden.<br /> <br /> As her nickname suggests, Inquisitor-General Bauer does not shy away from brutal or sadistic tactics, reintroducing a number of antiquated torture methods and expanding on the use of incendiary weapons. Internally, she has consolidated her control by reinforcing the authority of the Office of the Censor, which she previously held.<br /> <br /> Many Inquisitors cannot help but wonder if these changeschange, effective as they are in combatting their enemies and rooting out infiltrators, do not strike at something of even greater importance - preserving the faithfulness that stands at the very core of their fight. As more and more holy souls find themselves tainted by unspeakable atrocities committed with their very hands, many cannot help but ask themselves: “is this right?”<br /> <br /> ==Organization==<br /> <br /> The Society is divided based on several different layers. A good number of Inquisitors are members of an order of the Catholic Church - the four most prominent being the Benedectines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans and the Jesuits. These are expanded upon more in Hunters Hunted 2, but don’t make much of a practical difference.<br /> <br /> ===Subdivisions===<br /> <br /> What does matter more is the formal subdivisions of the SoL - these are the Condotierri, the Gladius Dei and the Office of the Censor. Not all Inquisitors are necessarily part of one of these subdivisions, since they serve more as “specialist” branches.<br /> <br /> '''The Condotierri''' - founded in the 15th century, they are quasi-military in nature and serve as the security force of the Society. Where others strike outwards, they watch inwards, preventing infiltration attempts. They are led by a Condotierre-General and follow a parallel structure that mimics that of the wider Society but is strict in nature; when deployed on the ground, they report to the highest-ranking Inquisitor present.<br /> <br /> '''The Gladius Dei''' - the SoL’s elite corps, composed of the best Inquisitors on offer and supplied accordingly. In their vast array of missions and deployments, the Gladius Dei has yet to fail once, displaying incredible skill and unmatched zealousness. (As they are so rare and powerful, Gladius Dei are NOT playable on the server. You’re not that guy.)<br /> <br /> '''Office of the Censor''' - effectively the Society’s internal affairs division, the Office of the Censor is responsible for making sure Inquisitors respect the regulations of the SoL. If before they acted strictly when necessary, nowadays, Censors investigate much more frequently and often happen to admonish those disagreeing with the Inquisitor-General. (As the Censors represent a higher echelon of command, they are also NOT playable, but may appear as admin-spawned characters to enforce punishments if needed.)<br /> <br /> '''Order of Saint Joan''' - not a proper subdivision of the SoL per-se, the Order of Saint Joan exists in parallel to the Society of Leopold, but cooperates strongly with it on the field. However, they also maintain their own safehouses and rank structure, and their leader, the Abbess of Chartres, has come to blows with Inquisitor-General Bauer. Rumours exist around their use of Theurgy, but nothing has been proven. Yet.<br /> <br /> ===Sects===<br /> <br /> Additionally, many Inquisitors are also members of a sect - groups that hold and promote different beliefs in regards to the activities of the Society of Leopold. These are:<br /> <br /> '''The Brethren of Albertus''' - following the teachings of Albertus Magnus, the Brethren recognize the dangers and evils of magic, but seek to master it in order to combat the Supernatural with it. Looked upon with suspicion, but never formally outlawed.<br /> <br /> '''The Children of Lazarus''' - representing the majority of the Society’s membership, the Children of Lazarus see Kindred as inherently guilty by their nature, with their overcoming of death being an unholy perversion and a crime against their faith. They are singularly focused on combatting vampirism and unconcerned with other creatures.<br /> <br /> '''Fathers of the Good Death''' - an alternative to the above beliefs, the Fathers of the Good Death see Kindred as unclean spirits dating back to the original Flood, haunting the mortal realm. It is their duty to dispatch of them so they may finally rest. They only admit ordained priests. <br /> <br /> '''The Sanbenito''' - inspired by the thoughts of Rafaelle Renzi, the scorned “Florentine Heretic”, some Inquisitors end up wondering if supernaturals need necessarily be destroyed. Some end up, in their foolish hopes, aiding them. They are detested by the wider Society and are priority targets for Censors. No one survives being a Sanbenito.<br /> <br /> '''Sisterhood of Saint Claire''' - largely composed of doctors and other healers, the Sisterhood of Saint Claire rejects worldly possessions and comforts. Mostly well-liked.<br /> <br /> ==In-Game==<br /> <br /> As the local Cenacle (group of inquisitors), it is up to you to shepherd the people of San Francisco through the dark night and into the day, warding off the various different supernaturals that would harm them and see all that is holy snuffed out.<br /> <br /> ===DOs and DON’Ts===<br /> <br /> * DO take your faction and your role seriously. Remember: you are a warrior of God, act like one. Take the faith seriously. Don’t make a mockery of the Society’s core beliefs, lest the Censors come take you. Or worse.<br /> <br /> * DON’T play TOO much into the religious aspect. Subtlety is an important aspect of the Society’s operations. Walking around with a sword, holy cape and knight armor yelling “DEUS VULT!” is bound to draw attention. Save the monologue about salvation and faith for when the target of your hunt is cornered.<br /> <br /> * DO interact with the rest of the server. While as a Hunter you ought to be wary of those you meet at night, you shouldn’t be a recluse. Go out into the world, speak to its citizens. Pretend to be someone else to gain information. Investigate. Fighting is only half your job - you first have to DISCOVER something to fight.<br /> <br /> * DON’T turn buddy-buddy with the enemy. At least, not immediately. You made it into the Society in good part because of your devotion. It will take a good amount of convincing to lead you off of the path of witch-hunting. This is something that should be roleplayed out across many rounds and checked in with staff.<br /> <br /> * DO offer other players roleplay, including your enemies. The Society often likes to capture Kindred, for reasons obvious: they are great information sources, and the fear of losing their unlives is great reason for them to confess. Executions/RRs should only be done after adequate RP for all sides.</div>

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