Camarilla

The Camarilla

The Camarilla is the preeminent vampire society throughout much of Europe and North America. It seeks to govern all vampires, whom they call Kindred, through a series of rules known as Traditions. The most important tradition is the Masquerade, which defines the organization. The Masquerade is the method by which the Kindred hide the existence of both themselves and other supernatural beings from the existence of normal people. The Camarilla was founded in 1435 on the heels of the Inquisition, and the elders who lead the body remember well the consequences of a mortal body too aware and too abused.

The 'Ivory Tower' as it is also known is lead by the Inner Council of Seven, each seat given to an elder of one of the clans of the Camarilla; Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, and Ventrue, though the Brujah and Gangrel have officially seceded from the Camarilla within the last two decades to be very recently replaced by the Banu Haqim and the Lasombra. Each clan is assigned a Justicar who acts as the visible face and agent of their respective Councilmember, and each Justicar handpicks several Archons to act as their agents.

Cities within the Camarilla are lead by Princes, who treat their city as their person domain and city-state. With respect to the Camarilla and the Traditions, the Prince may do with their city and those within as they wish; their word is law. The Prince is served by their Seneschal, if they chose one, who will act as their successor, advisor, and right-hand man. A Prince will additionally appoint a Sheriff to act as the martial force of the city and their personal enforcer, while the Sheriff may appoint their own agents, known as Hounds, to aid them.

While the Prince's word is law, they are not without checks. The Seven Clans typically each have in office a Primogen, whom is the eldest of their clan or appointed to represent the interests of their clan within a city. While the primogen's power differs vastly based upon the individual strength of the assigned primogen and the strength of their clan within the city, they act as checks on the Prince's power. While no individual primogen may have great power than the prince, primogen united may depose a prince who they find lacking. A Prince's term may be for life, but there are no qualms within the Camarilla for deposing a lacking prince. Praxis is afforded to those with the strength and ability to both seize and keep it.

The Traditions

The First Tradition:
The Masquerade
Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the Blood.
Doing such shall renounce thy claims of Blood.

The Second Tradition:
The Domain
Thy domain is thine own concern.
All others owe thee respect while in it.
None may challenge thy word while in thy domain.

The Third Tradition:
The Progeny
Thou shall only Sire another with the permission of thine Elder.
If thou createst another without thine Elder’s leave, both thou and thy Progeny shall be slain.

The Fourth Tradition:
The Accounting
Those thou create are thine own children.
Until thy Progeny shall be Released, thou shall command them in all things.
Their sins are thine to endure.

The Fifth Tradition:
Hospitality
Honor one another’s domain.
When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shall present thyself to the one who ruleth there.
Without the word of acceptance, thou art nothing.

The Sixth Tradition:
Destruction
Thou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind.
The right of destruction belongeth only to thine Elder.
Only the Eldest among thee shall call the Blood Hunt.