New Player Lore Guide

WIP Article Warning! This page is undergoing spontaneous manifestation! Praise the Wyld creation of chaos!

Welcome to The Final Nights!

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!

Vampire: The Masquerade

Undead vampires are locked in a hierarchical battle between their "sires" (older vampires who bring new vampires into the world) and the "kine" (the normal mortal people that surround them that they must feed on to survive). All the while, a vampire must desperately cling to their fading Humanity (or one of the 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.

Kindred society is deeply fractured, and can be broadly broken up into four main pillars:

Sect:

The ideological and political factions that dictate a vampire's laws, territory, and allegiances. The Camarilla views itself as the high society of the undead, but it is effectively a brutal, neo-feudal cartel of 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 Prince. 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. 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. There are also several Independent Clans and smaller sects, who all follow their own (sometimes unachievable) goals.

Clan

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. 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. 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. The Lasombra and Tzimisce (The Fiends) on the other hand are the founders of the Sabbat. 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. 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).

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.

Generation

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.

The Final Nights allows players to play from Generation 10 to 16, and Generation 8 & 9 only with the Whitelist.

Age Status

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.

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.

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.

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'. 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.

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.

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. Methuselahs are not allowed to be played on The Final Nights.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse

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 "The Wyrm", along with the supernatural force of Rage within them, drive them to resist the Apocalypse as warriors of Gaia.

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.

Garou as a whole are divided by a couple of key elements that play an immense role in their lives:

Breed

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.

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).

Auspice

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.

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.

Sept

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).

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.

Tribe

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.

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.

Renown

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.

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.

The World of Darkness, 2016

(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)

The Supernatural World is spilling into the light in 2016, to their ruin.

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.

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.

The Camarilla

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.

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.

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.

The Anarchs

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.

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.

The Sabbat

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.

In San Francisco, this schism manifests as a functional, highly volatile split between two local Sabbat elements:

The Manor

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 "Sabbat citizen" roleplay, navigating internal factional politics while maintaining a highly unstable, silent truce with the city's ruling Camarilla.

The Warpack

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.

Tal'Mahe'Ra

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.

The Clans

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:

The Banu Haqim Schism

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.

The Lasombra

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.

The Tremere Pyramid

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.

The Independent Clans

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.

The Garou

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.

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.

Updated Terminology

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. To keep the server respectful and modern, please use the following updated terms in your lore and roleplay:

• Tribal Renaming: Tribes previously using appropriated Indigenous or outdated names are updated to their modern equivalents (e.g., Ghost Council instead of Wendigo).

• Crinosborn (formerly Metis): The term Metis has been completely retired for Garou born in Crinos, as it is insensitive.

Please ensure any character backstories or OOC examine panels are adjusted to reflect these cleaner naming standards!

These are indeed The Final Nights.

The Chronicles of San Francisco:

2025 Metaplot Timeline
Global Events		N/A
Major Events		Who Killed the Messenger?
Minor Events		N/A