Mind's Eye Theatre - Vampire The Requiem.pdf - RoseRed

Church-modeled domains tend to swing toward one of two extremes. Many of them — particularly
those dominated by the Lancea Sanctum, who make greater use of this system than
any other covenant — truly do enforce a rule by religious doctrine. They demand observances
and certain behaviors of those who dwell in their domains, or at least of those who would
hold offi ces therein, and truly believe the faith they espouse. At the other extreme are those
Kindred who seek to use the trappings of faith and the beliefs of others for their own ends. In
these domains — usually found in cities held by the Invictus, the Ordo Dracul, the Circle of the
Crone or the unaligned — the overt religious nature of the government is either deliberately
mocking, or meant to inspire a loyalty among faithful Kindred that leaders themselves do
not honestly share. In either domain, merely questioning the rule of leaders is often a greater
crime than in more overtly feudal domains, for the “criminal” does not merely challenge a
secular authority, but the rule of God (or Longinus or the Crone or whoever). These domains
usually hold offi cial functions with as much pomp as do monarchies, but such gatherings are
usually devoted to religious pursuits, including prayers and hymns or rituals and ceremonies,
rather than celebrations of the rulers themselves.
BY THE KINDRED, FOR THE KINDRED
Found almost exclusively within Carthian domains (though some of the unbound have
tried it, and some Invictus Kindred have tried to appear as though they try it) are those recent
attempts at imitating modern governmental systems. These Kindred want to take the lessons of
mortals to heart, to eliminate rule by the eldest or most powerful under which they’ve always
suffered, and to grant all Kindred an equal say in what happens to them, or at least an equal
opportunity to attain power. To date, few of these attempts have lasted, as those Kindred who
do obtain power eventually decide they don’t care to give it up when their brethren tell them
they should. Those few domains that do remain often resemble the worst aspects of mortal
government. They are mired in rules, regulations and red tape designed to prevent any single
vampire from wielding too much power, and they are paralyzed by squabbles among various
offi cials, all of whom are convinced that their own vision for the city and government is the
way to go. Their courts usually resemble either chaotic public forums or very orderly (and
diffi cult to obtain) private meetings with high offi cials.
COMMON LAW
While the Traditions (see p. 91) form the basis for all Kindred law, they do not represent
the extent of that law. Every Kindred domain has its own rules and regulations. Some have
more than others, some enforce them more severely than others, and some are downright
bizarre, the results of an eccentric or insane Prince. They all have them, though. Some of the
most common laws, those found in many domains, are listed here.
PRESENTATION
Many Princes demand that any Kindred newcomers to their cities present themselves
formally at court. This is partly to make sure that the Prince has a solid grasp on who’s in his
city at any given time, and partly to make sure that the new arrival understands who holds
power and what she’s supposed to do while she’s there. Of course, following this custom
can be diffi cult, since new arrivals rarely know how to fi nd the Prince in order to report,
but that, frankly, is their problem. In domains with this law, Kindred who go for more than
a few nights without presenting themselves are likely to be dragged before the Prince upon
being caught. If the Prince is understanding, he might simply issue a warning. Just as likely,
he banishes the offender from the domain without allowing any time to prepare, which is
tantamount to a death sentence.
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chapter one: society of the damned