Ministry

'We have a reputation, that much is true. We used to be known as Setites, Serpents or the Followers of Set. I won't lie to you, many of us under our new name still worship the Crimson God. But to believe that we as a whole still follow Set is willful ignorance. We are here. We are your friends. We will help you find what you need. You have a lock, we have the key. We are the Ministry'

- Ravenna, high priestess of Washington D.C.

Clan of Lies

Long an independent clan, the former Followers of Set have undergone major change in recent nights. The clan no longer call themselves followers of an ancient Egyptian Antediluvian, Set, now they are known as the Ministry. Their status as an independent clan is no more, with the clan at large siding with the Anarch movement. There are still a number of independent Setites that wander the night, even some that hold position within Camarilla domain. The clan's reputation as manipulators through ecstasy and excess is still held however.
The Ministry has differentiated itself from it's fore bearers by no longer openly following the Crimson God known as Set. Now they ascribe themselves as purveyors of all faith and blood alike. Many within the clan have yet to shed their old skin, with elders still spreading their faith in Set and his eventual return; by in large though, the clan has seen how their dogma has tainted their image in Kindred society. Ministry members often present themselves as the salvation Kindred desperately need - even if the problem was orchestrated in the shadows by members of the clan. Ministry members control and manipulate with a friendly smile. They are the solution to all your problems. The Ministry present themselves as friends and a listening ear, erstwhile tightening around you like a boa, slowly but surely. Underneath the shiny new coat of paint, the Ministry has not changed much from their actions of old. They still control Kine and Kindred alike through their various methods of manipulation. The worst part is you do not know the constrictor has tightened around you before it is too late. The Ministry is hungry and it will feed upon the weak who indulge whatever vice the Ministry gladly offers.

'We have been called a cult - I can see the similarities; but like most things, the truth is not so black and white. The church of Caine, the Mythratic Mysteries, the Baharri - they are cults. We worship more than just an old Vampire, we worship chaos and the pursuit of ecstasy. There are those within our order that still worship that old Egyptian - that is true, myself included, but we are united by one thing. We provide the purest pleasures - not the one you need, but the one you want. If that's a cult - well, I'm not sure being a cult is a bad thing.'

- Dawn Cavanaugh

History

The first nights of this clan is shrouded in mythic mystery. Tales have spawned stating that the clan founder, Set was shunned by his father Ra in favour of his brother Osiris. The tales say of the great war between brothers, ending with Set finally killing his brother and being shunned from his father and his acolytes. This was said to be Set's descent into vampirisim. A curse where Set could no longer walk under the sun. But like many early Kindred, many believe that Set adopted the guise of a God, perpetrating his myth. Whether this is truth or not is irrelevant. Set did exist and he did wield great influence over the empire of Egypt. The followers of Set would falter however after the disappearance of their founder in 33 CE, which many Setites are quick to remind is the Crucifixion of Christ. After the disappearance of their progenitor great earthquakes hit Egypt, burying temples dedicated to Set underground - taking many slumbering Methuselah with them. The clan recovered however with many sects attempting to fill the void their clan founder left behind. Setites began to spread around Africa and parts of Europe, spreading their faith and worship of Set where the clan set foot. Setites outside of Egypt were still incredibly rare during the Dark Ages however. During the Victorian age, a resurgence and interest in ancient wisdom fell over Kindred - the Followers of Set were more than glad to oblige. The increase of occult interest and narcotic distribution throughout the western world during this era was encouraged and perpetuated by Setites. They would use this to corrupt mortals and further the teachings of Set. Many Camarilla were blind to this corruption the Setites were sowing within their courts. As the nights continued, Setites became more common place around Camarilla domains. The followers of Set presented themselves as friends, ones who held all the answers and carnal desires a Kindred needed. Even during the occupation of Egypt, Set still had a foothold. Setites filled a void present in many European Vampires by assisting with the Opium trade from Asia, feeding Kine their narcotics. This allowed Kindred to experience highs they had never experienced before through these addicted Kine's opium rich vitae. In turn, this turned Kindred into addicts under the thrall of Set. The followers of Set remained an independent clan - not ascribing to any particular sect. Although both the Camarilla and the Anarchs were distrustful, they couldn't outright wage war on the Setites - after all the masquerade needed to be upheld and with the Sabbat still active, neither sect wished to make further enemies. The Setites were also deeply entrenched in the narcotics trade - which many Kindred found useful to uphold. As time marched onto modern nights, a shift took place within the house of Set. The clan banded together and re-named themselves as the Ministry, with many Set worshipers believing themselves not to be followers anymore -but now the embodiment of their deity. It also proved to shed any previous cult-like comparisons the clan was notorious for. The Sabbat's Gehenna Crusade in the Middle East saw the Ministry's homeland invaded. They could no longer afford to be independent. The clan leaders first met with the Ivory Tower for admission - but that ended with disaster in the Paris bombings. No one truly knows who was responsible but with clan leaders and a number of Camarilla casualties - all negotiations ceased to a halt. So, the Ministry hitched their flag with the Anarch movement. To those worshipers of Set, the Anarchs were a better fit for their particular brand of chaos anyway.

'The Camarilla elders care little for your problems, but I do. Allow me to speak with them, allow me to plead your case. I am here to help. Please, I care nothing more than to help fellow lost souls find their way - so let me, help you. I'm the friend you desperately need right now, I'm reaching out my hand, all you need to do is take it. It won't cost anything, I promise.'

- Marcel, adviser to the Court of Chicago

Liberators

Vampires of the Ministry typically Embrace from the ranks of the irreligious, the heretical, and the corrupt. Criminals are common targets, as are con artists, stage fraudsters and self-help gurus. Likewise, the clan approaches those who seek to destroy or subvert religion. Proselytizing atheists, iconoclasts, professors and students of philosophy, and historians who seek truth behind myth are all desired by the Ministry. The clan are drawn to those who know their way around human desires and falsehoods. The Ministry does not seek to corrupt them – this is a common misnomer – but they do seek out those who know how to handle debasement, fraud, and erosion of blind belief. As they’re inducted into the vampiric condition (or often before), clan recruits are brought into the cult of Set. To the Ministry, the clan and their secret belief are intimately entwined, though their faith takes many forms. Equal part religion and memetic instrument, it can insert itself into any creed, organised or personal, and bring it down from within. Usually taking the shape of a subtle alternative to, or outright heresy against, its parent belief system, its ultimate purpose is to erode whatever faith it clings to, liberating (as the Ministry tells it) the believer from their former chains. It is no coincidence that the rise of the Cainite Heresy follow the growing Ministry presence in vampire domains. Many of the clan keep vast libraries of philosophical and theological tracts for this very purpose, in some cases making it a nightly occupation to hunt for ancient writings and artifacts to bring home to the cult. Others take a more improvisational route, seeking out to liberate subjects, vampires and mortals alike, on a more personal level, not limited to the breaking of strictly religious convictions. Many months can be sunk into simply observing their mark, in order to deduce exactly what forbidden vices will yield the greatest temptation.