The Camarilla
The Camarilla is the largest of vampiric sects, a loose organization which ostensibly represents and protects all vampires by enforcing and promulgating the Masquerade. It is currently composed of seven clans, though officially it considers all Kindred under its purview and welcomes any that obey its laws.
In addition to preventing the growing mortals masses from discovering the existence of vampires, the Camarilla aims to maintain the status quo of Kindred society; as such, much of its structure and traditions mirror that of Cainite society in feudal Europe in the Dark Ages, and places it at odds with the agenda of the Sabbat and Anarchs, both of whom seek to overthrow Kindred society.
In Ravenhurst, the local Camarilla Kindred are ruled by Prince Alec Lothaire of Clan Toreador. Aiding him in his rule are a Seneschal, a Sheriff, a Keeper of Elysium, and a Primogen Council. Originally, Ravenhurst was ruled by a different Prince with different supporters but all that changed during The Time of Bloody Constraint. In recent years, Ravenhurst has developed a slight Kindred crowding problem. This situation has garnered Prince Lothaire some criticism which he counters by replying that due to Connecticut's proximity to Sabbat-controlled New York and the Camarilla-Sabbat contested Massachusetts, a few more hands are needed on deck in the even of a Sabbat Crusade. This only serves to upset younger Kindred, particularly the Anarchs. The Neonates and Ancillae dislike the idea of being regarded as disposable soldiers who risk their lives while the Prince and the Elders cower in their Havens. This adds another layer of tension to the situation.
Structure
The Camarilla is a global organization that maintains and oversees a collection of feudal domains, particularly in North America and Europe. It is a loose alliance lacking a strong central authority or standing military. Individual Camarilla cities are almost always ruled by a Prince with the assistance of the Primogen, who either act as a council of advisers or hold their own measure of power. Other offices of a city include the Harpy, Keeper of Elysium, Seneschal, Sheriff, and Scourge.
Most Camarilla cities are fairly autonomous, and the broader Camarilla authority usually only becomes involved when there are concerns of a large Sabbat incursion, significant breaches of the Masquerade, or conflicts between a city's Elders that could cause greater instability. In such cases one or more Archons are dispatched to look into the matter and either resolve the matter or report back to their respective Justicar. Whereas there are any number of archons that have been enlisted to serve the sect's leaders, there is only one justicar for each official clan in the Camarilla. These influential vampires represent the highest visible authority of the Camarilla and hold tremendous power to enforce the sect's precepts and call on its resources. They answer only to the Inner Circle, a secretive body of the Camarilla's eldest members that determines the sect's direction and policies.
History
The Camarilla's birth was grounded in the growing threats of the Inquisition and the Anarch Revolt, both of which were threatening Cainite domains throughout Europe. Though there had been attempts to form alliances in the past, a meeting of elders to seriously consider the idea of forming a league of vampires was not held until 1394. Little came of it, however, until a bold attack was made on the castle of the elder Ventrue Hardestadt led by the famous Anarch Tyler. The Founders-to-be recognized the need for a unified front and so banded together several of their most trusted childer and servants into a joint task force to use against the Anarchs. Though meant to illustrate what could be accomplished if elders pooled their resources together, politics and rivalries would continue to divide them even as the Founders slowly made preparations for their new alliance.
The formation of the "Camarilla" (a word that denoted both that it was a convocation of peers or comrades and that it met in session secret from mortal knowledge) was announced in 1435 as the Founders began openly rallying support for a coalition to protect vampires from the dangers of roving Anarchs, the invading Assamites, and the increasingly dangerous mortal mobs. After all, the very Spanish word Camarilla also means to mutually scratch one another’s back, a meaning that would be given expression in the convoluted workings of Prestation throughout the sect.
War continued to rage over the next several decades and the Founders, now called Justicars, fought to hold the nascent sect together. In 1486 the first national conclave was convened, during which the Justicars were given broader authority to punish vampires who violated the Traditions. A new body of agents was also formed to report to the Justicars and free them to further develop the sect, creating what would eventually become the position of Archon.
In 1493, the Convention of Thorns marked the end of the First Anarch Revolt and the birth of the Camarilla as it is known today. The Traditions were accepted as law. Representatives for the Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, and Ventrue clans officially joined the sect, while those speaking for the Lasombra and Tzimisce, who were majoritarily anarchs, rebelled against what they considered an offensive ultimatum and went on to form the Sabbat in opposition to everything the Founders intended. While the Convention of Thorns was a significant victory for the Camarilla, it set the stage for the next five centuries of conflict between the two sects.
"A Beast I am lest a Beast I become."
Founding Date
1435
Type
Secret, Occult
Leader
Subsidiary Organizations
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