Inconnu

Overview

The Inconnu is an extremely secretive sect of vampires. Virtually nothing is known for certain about them, but some of the most popular theories claim the group is a coalition of methuselahs that exists to manipulate both the Camarilla and Sabbat from behind the scenes, made up entirely of ancients who have forsaken the Jyhad in order to pursue Golconda, or a powerful cult tied to the Antediluvians. Even the sect's age is disputed, with some believing it dates as far back as Rome.
Whoever the Inconnu truly are, proof of their power is evident in the fact that they are able to remain so well hidden despite centuries of investigation and speculation. The only visible facet of the sect seems to be the Monitors, who watch vampiric events while avoiding direct interference.

History

Long ago, as the peoples of the Adriatic began to organize themselves into small city-states, a coalition of the vampiric clans (Ventrue , Lasombra and Malkavian ) infiltrated the sanctity of the world of mortal men. Throughout the Greek-speaking world, this coalition of the Undead secretly backed the ruling democracies which came to dominate the eastern Mediterranean, both militarily and culturally. Within a few brief decades, the league of undead had come to manipulate the Greek peoples, the Phoenicians, and the Etruscans.
It was with the success of the Greece world's prosperity fresh in their eternal memories, that the coalition turned its attentions to these Etruscans, the adventurous seafaring merchants of the Mediterranean. In this tribe, the Undead found their new seat of power, behind which they would secretly rule the whole of the civilized world.

Rome

Upon the founding of the Seven Cities on the Hills, the coalition fractured into a loose federation, each clan backing the oligarchies of particular cities. The men of these cities, in their mortal ignorance, made war with one another, but the undead puppeteers' coalition continued in the shadows. It was not until the founding of the city of Rome that the coalition once again reunited and in time, by the guidance of these immortal statesmen, the city of Rome grew to be a great seat of power, the capital of one of the world's greatest domains. The Eternal Senate of Cainites controlled the great Senate of Rome, and in that, controlled all of Rome itself.
It was during this era of great power in Rome that an enemy faction for both the Undead coalition and mortal men alike, arose from the cosseted northern coast of the African continent. Carthage, a city founded by a people long ago neglected and forgotten by the Roman coalition, was rising to a state of power which threatened the absolute dominance of Rome, backed by a vampire clan called Brujah . When the coalition had long ago moved their interests to the Etruscans, who in turn later became the Romans, they lost concern for other people, The Phoenicians of the East. The Brujah embraced this tribe and under their patronage, the city flourished.
The Brujah, in hopes of re-founding the First City of Enoch , welcomed into their city a handful of immortals from the clan ClaToreador , and under their new masters the Carthaginians' society was cultivated to a state of high civilization.
Rumors that the people of Carthage sacrificed their children to the Brujah, who drank their blood and deceived their people under the guise of the deity Baali al quickly spread to the coalition of Rome. In a series of wars, now known to history as the Punic Wars, the Roman coalition destroyed Carthage, and the Brujah and their few Toreador guests fled to barbarian lands. After the fall of Carthage, however, many of clan Toreador flocked to Rome which resulted in a period of true artistic enlightenment, while the Lasombra clan lost interest in the coalition and moved west into the Iberian lands. Clan Ventrue, having been the driving force of the Republic, settled into the position of benefactor.
The exact date has been lost in the void of time, but sometime after the reign of Caesar Augustus, the Toreador allied with the Malkavians and overthrew the Ventrue, wresting control of the Empire. It was during this period in history that the Toreador-Malkavian coalition led Rome to conquer to Tzimisce -controlled territories of Dacia and Ventrue , meanwhile, had traveled north, into the lands of the Germanic barbarians, and in time aided by the Tzimisce , pushed these barbarians under the leadership of Alaric to attack the Roman Empire, which had been steadily crumbling since the ousting.
The coalition was reformed after the fall of the Empire, consisting of Ventrue , Malkavian and Tzimisce , though the Toreador refused, holding a childish grudge against the Ventrue for toppling their toy empire.