Positions in the Camarilla

The Prince

Description: The Prince is he or she who holds praxis over a region and declares it their domain. In that domain, they are the ultimate authority. Justicars aside, they have the final say in their realm.

The position of Prince is not hereditary. Any Kindred can technically declare praxis over a domain. However, in the event of their claim being contested, they can and will come to blows, and often fatal ones at that, with whatever other parties are vying for control. The end result is that the vast majority of Princes are the eldest and most powerful Kindred in the city.

Princes may appoint officers, create laws and even call a Blood Hunt, the decree that all Camarilla-loyal Kindred in the domain are to seek out the destruction of an individual.

Mechanics: Upon taking the position, the Prince gains the additional status traits Exalted, Well-Known and Famous. While he/she maintains the position, that status may not be removed permanently.

The Prince can remove or bestow permanent status from anyone in his/her domain for any reason. He/She is also the only Kindred who can bestow or remove the trait Acknowledged.

The Seneschal

Description: The Seneschal acts as second-in-command to the Prince and is next in line to be Prince of the domain should the current Prince fall.

They are always appointed by the Prince alone and are oftentimes either the childe or chosen successor of the Prince. In this way the Prince can assure that someone similar to them will rule in the event of their Final Death. As not all Princes wish to dwell on such a succession, not all appoint Seneschals.

Mechanics: Upon appointment, the Seneschal gains the additional status traits Cherished and Esteemed. While he/she maintains the position, that status may not be removed permanently.

The Seneschal possesses all the powers of Prince, and may act in the Prince's stead, should he/she leave the city. However, all actions taken by a Seneschal may be revoked by the Prince.

The Harpy

The Harpy is responsible for arbitrating status within the city and keeping track of boons and scandals. After a Harpy is either appointed, or more often simply rises to power, he/she traditionally receives one temporary status from each Primogen, as a show of support.

Mechanics: Upon appointment, the Harpy gains the additional status trait Influential, and while he/she maintains the position, that status may not be removed permanently.

The Harpy may remove a permanent status trait from any individual who has failed to uphold a boon or provoked a major scandal. Just what qualifies as a major scandal is often left up to the Harpy, although they must present evidence of its occurrence before a gathering of Kindred before removing status.

The Sheriff

Description: The Sheriff is responsible for the enforcement of the Prince's law, the punishment of those who break said laws, the execution of the Blood Hunt and, in contested cities, military leadership of the Camarilla's forces against the Sabbat.

The Prince's law differs from city to city. In some domains, the laws may be limited to only the six traditions. In others, the various specific edicts of the Prince could fill entire tomes and cover material ranging from court etiquette to the individual designation of feeding grounds. The Sheriff is expected to enforce the entirety of the domain's law, however far it might extend.

Sheriff is an office which is solely the appointed by the Prince and solely responsible to the Prince, and the Sheriff is often understandably perceived as the officer most loyal to the Prince. It is, in fact, commonplace in some regions for the Sheriff to be the Prince's thrall.

Mechanics: Upon appointment, the Sheriff gains the additional status trait Feared, and while he/she maintains the position, that status may not be removed permanently.

The Sheriff may insist that any Kindred within the city accompany him/her for questioning.

The Sheriff is also immune to the powers of the Keeper of Elysium.

The Keeper of Elysium

Description: The Keeper of Elysium is responsible for maintaining Elysium and enforcing it's rules. The absolute rule common to all Elysia is that violence is prohibited. If a fight breaks out, it is the responsibility of the Keeper to stop the altercation and punish the offender.

Other rules for various Elysia have arisen around this central axiom. In some cases all weaponry is banned, as possession of a weapon in Elysium seems to declare one's willingness to commit violence. Sometimes the use of disciplines which have a potential to be used for aggressive purposes, such as Potence or Dominate, are banned as well. In extreme cases, all weaponry and use of disciplines may be forbidden.

It is expected that other Kindred will aid the Keeper in defending Elysium and help to subdue the aggressor, should a fight break out.

Mechanics: Upon appointment, the Keeper of Elysium gains the additional status trait Honorable, and while he/she maintains the position, that status may not be removed permanently.

The Keeper may also remove one permanent status from any Kindred he/she finds guilty of breaching the Masquerade.

The Scourge

Description: The Scourge is responsible for the rather unpleasant task of destroying those Kindred who have been created with the permission of the Prince and those who have failed to announce their presence in the city. They may additionally be called upon to purge those who sire unauthorized childer.

Not all cities have a Scourge, and their position is generally not held to be a glamorous one but one born out of necessity in the final nights.

Mechanics: Upon appointment, the Scourge gains the additional status trait Dreaded, and while he/she maintains the position, that status may not be removed permanently.

The Scourge may remove one permanent status from any Kindred they find harboring or abetting vampires created without the Prince's permission or who have not formally presented themselves in the city.

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Global Organization

The Inner Circle

The true hub of the Camarilla, this group meets in Venice once every 13 years to plan out the business and direction of vampire society - as much as any group can presume to dictate the doings of a race of immortal predators. Every clan is permitted one representative, usually the eldest member of the clan, as only the eldest may cast the clan's vote. Others may be brought to the meeting and allowed to speak, but in the end only the elders may vote.

One of the Circle's main purposes is the appointment of justicars, one for each of the seven Camarilla clans. Appointment is a long, drawn-out process, as each clan seeks to get its best in the plum spots. Often, when the shouting is over, the losers end up with young or relatively weak justicars who are ignored for their 13-year stints. Those who are eventually appointed are most often compromise candidates, or even obscure vampires who the Circle believes can be manipulated. These latter types sometimes display a surprising amount of initiative, and may even bite the hand that feeds them.

The Justicars

These seven mighty vampires are the judges appointed by the Inner Circle to be the Camarilla's eyes, hands and, if necessary, fists. Justicars have the only true authority across the Camarilla and all vampires, with the exception of the Inner Circle. They alone have the ultimate power to adjudicate matters regarding the Traditions. No one is considered to be above them in this. It is Justicars who decide the punishment for those who have violated the Traditions on a widespread level; the one being judged may not expect mercy. Justicars are supposed to call for a conclave when they wish to pass judgment, but over the years this lapsed as they grew in power. Justicars have the authority to call a conclave at any time, either to confirm a ruling or to make certain decisions that one justicar alone does not wish to burden himself with.

A Justicar serves for 13 years, and her actions may be challenged only by another Justicar. If things grow heated, a conclave may be called by the combatants or by another justicar to resolve the dispute. When rival justicars decide to start battling it out, few vampires are safe from being used and abused in the ensuing struggle.

Many vampires, Elders and younglings alike, resent the power the Justicars wield, and certainly none care for the abuses that can come with it. However, very few would dream of openly taking them on, due to their immense age and resources.

The Archons

Each Justicar selects a number of minions, known as Archons, to act in his name as suits his purposes. If the Justicars are the hands of the Inner Circle, then the Archons are the fingers on those hands. No Justicar can be everywhere he might need, or wish, to be, and Archons can often make certain his presence is felt if not seen. Archons, although they are part of the Camarilla hierarchy of power, are not so far removed from typical vampire unlife that they cannot observe it or gain the trust of other vampires outside the hierarchy; this makes them ideal watchers. Some vampires attempt to gain favorable attention from an Archon, in the hope that she will mention them to her master. Such attempts often backfire, as continued efforts to curry favor are more likely to encourage suspicion.

Archons are typically chosen from the upper ranks of Ancillae and occasionally Eldersof lesser station. Such a prestigious appointment can make or break a vampire's career in the halls of power. Justicars occasionally choose archons to carry out specific missions, and sometimes prefer political savvy, insight and skill over recognizability.

An Archon's position typically lasts for as long as a Justicar wishes to retain her, or the length of the Justicar's tenure. It is not unheard of for a new Justicar to retain an Archon who served with his predecessor, provided the Archon understands to whom she now owes allegiance. Most times, though, a Justicar prefers to select an entirely new staff, particularly if the last one left under strange or bitter circumstances.