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

primogen • priscus • whip • harpy • sheriff • hound
not synonymous; not all Prisci are Primogen, and not all Primogen are Prisci. Many cities
have no Prisci, and many more have Prisci for some clans and not others.
WHIP
Perhaps one of the strangest of Kindred positions, the Whip is as informal a position as
the Priscus. She is responsible for “inspiring” her clanmates to present a united face on major
issues and to make their voices heard on local issues, to make sure that the other clans take
them seriously. She is both a leader and a taskmaster, a fi gurehead and a bully. Many Kindred
make the mistake of thinking of the Whip as an assistant to the Priscus. In point of fact, the
two positions are independent, and oftentimes at odds with each other. A Whip succeeds
only as long as she has suffi cient power or leverage to force her clanmates to do as she wishes.
Whips exist only in those cities with fairly large populations of a given clan, and even then
only if a particular member of that clan feels the need to take the position.
Other Titles
Whips are often referred to, informally and angrily, as taskmasters, slavers, headmasters
and many other far less polite terms.
HARPY
Unusual in that it is both an offi cial and unoffi cial position, the Harpy is, at its simplest
level, a member of the “Kindred elite.” Harpies represent a who’s who of Kindred affairs, the
celebrities and fad-starters. Other Kindred look to Harpies to see who’s in and who’s out, and
what positions and opinions are popular this season. A well-known Harpy can sway public
opinion faster with a biting comment than some Princes can with a solid decree.
Harpies who attained their infl uence and position unoffi cially, through nothing more than
personal power and charisma, are often more respected than those who are appointed by
Prince or Primogen. An unoffi cial Harpy probably calls things as he truly sees them, whereas
an appointed Harpy is usually considered a shill or even propagandist for the Prince.
SHERIFF
A combination police investigator, enforcer and inquisitor, the Sheriff is responsible for enforcing
the Prince’s laws and dictates, for bringing outlaws before the Prince for judgment and
— at times — for carrying out sentences. Some Sheriffs truly believe in the rule of law and believe
that they serve their society and fellow Kindred by keeping the city as orderly as possible. Others
love the position for the power it offers, as they are permitted to bully and push around other
vampires, even those who would normally be too dangerous to touch. Some Sheriffs are clever,
subtle investigators, while others are little more than bruisers with rank.
Other Titles
While Sheriff is the most common title, the position is also sometimes called Reeve or
Constable.
HOUND
Quite simply, the Hound is the Prince’s (or Primogen’s) muscle. If the Sheriff is a policeman,
the Hound is an assassin or a leg-breaker. He doesn’t investigate, he doesn’t question. His job
is to punish anyone he’s told to punish. In some instances, the Hound and the Sheriff are at
odds due to their overlapping responsibilities. In other cities, the two are combined into a single
position. While the Hound might be asked to carry out the offi cial and public chastisement of
a lawbreaker, that duty more often falls to the Sheriff. The Hound is normally employed when
the Prince wishes to skip over normal (and possibly public) procedure.
Other Titles
In addition to Hound, such an enforcer is often called Assassin, Archon, Scourge or Templar.
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