New York City: The Rotten Apple

History
Almost parallel with the mortal history of New York, the Kindred history is marked by extreme
highs and lows, but it always shows itself to have the potential to be the greatest city of them
all. New York City has been the largest city in America since 1790 and supports easily the
largest vampire population in world. Supporting nearly 1,000 vampires in the greater
metropolitan area, it is a princes crowning jewel, a chance of unparalleled fame and power. A
Kindred with enough dedication and support could muster the manpower necessary to recreate
the Camarilla with all that New York offers.
But New York is not without extreme problems to go with its extreme possibilities.
The War of the Five Boroughs
For nearly 200 years, New York was simply a large city at the southern end of Manhattan
Island. Large areas of rural farmland separated the Five Boroughs until the middle of the 19th
Century. While those expanses existed, no single Prince could take hold of more than one
borough for any appreciable amount of time and all possessed their own Princes. The building
of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1867 changed the entire balance of power.
Almost overnight, Kindred across the Boroughs went to war. The encroaching city had since
eaten away all of the farmland dividing the cities occupying New Yorks islands. The Princes of
the two most powerful Boroughs, Manhattan and Brooklyn, had recently installed puppet
regents to manage the territories of the Bronx and Queens, respectively. With a means of quick
and convenient travel between the two cities, a single Kindred could now stand a chance of
controlling the entirety. As Princess Michaelah of Manhattan/Bronx and Prince Calebros of
Brooklyn/Queens squared off, the newly elected Carthian Mayor of Staten Island, Michael
McCullough, watched warily, knowing that the winner in that conflict would inevitably turn
their eyes towards his domain.
What followed would be two years of nearly constant warfare and political jockeying.
Michaelah, a young Daeva Invictus with a cunning, devious streak a mile wide, was quick to
make use of the Carthians within her domain. She recognized that, while the oppressed,
growing body of neonates lacked age and experience, they more than made up that in
connections with the mortal world that the insular Invictus could not hope to keep up with.
Michaelah made declarations according the fledgling covenant full status and promising
rewards to any Carthian that would raise arms or bring their human assets to bear against
Brooklyn.
The elder Calebros couldnt hope to keep up. A powerful Turkish-Greek Nosferatu Invictus with
a pedigree reaching back to the pre-Ottoman Byzantium, Calebros had long been set in his
ways. Michaelahs declaration of war brought out a traditional Invictus reaction from the elder:

knights were called and assembled, ghoul skirmishers began moving on Manhattan Island, and
Calebros began preparing for a traditional Clausewitz-style schwerpunkt, a decisive battle that
would bring down the Ancilla upstart in one fail swoop.
What he got was a guerilla war waged by neonates tempered in many cases by first hand
experiences in the Civil War. Michaelah, in a step taken far from the normal Invictus playbook,
actually listened to the advice of the Carthian leaders she had recruited. Brooklynite soldiers
found the warriors of Manhattan impossible to pin down. Their efforts to force a traditional
battle with Michaelahs forces only resulted in bleeding from a hundred minor wounds as the
Carthian irregulars struck and then melted away. Their attempts to use ghouls to assault the
havens during the day was countered by the Carthians effective use their allies within the New
York City police department. That many of those ghouls didnt live to see their day in court was
almost immediately noticed by Calebros.
Alliances and Concessions
After a year of Calebross men beating their heads against Manhattans wall with no noticeable
result, the old Haunt decided that new strategies were in need. Knowing that Michaelah
couldnt afford to keep her Carthians in the field without giving them further concessions of
power, Calebros decided to wait it out on his side of the bridge for the Invictus-Carthian
alliance to break. Simultaneously, he courted the Lancea Sanctum of Brooklyn and Manhattan
in an attempt to replace his losses in men and create a second front for Michaelah to fight
against.
But Michaelah was nothing if not politically savvy. Willing to expend prestige in exchange for
long term allies and gain, she sent emissaries to the Carthians and Dragons of Manhattan
promising them regencies in Brooklyn. The Dragons were especially interested. They had
existed on the periphery of New Yorks Kindred society since their appearance in the late 1700s
and looked forward to coming into their own. The true masterstroke in Michaelahs plan came
with her oath to Mayor Michael that he would retain regency of Staten Island should she gain
the throne of New York.
When three boroughs turn against two, the result is pretty much inevitable. It took four
months to form an adequate force to dig Calebros and his allies out of their holes. Once it
became obvious that overwhelming force was being brought against their new ally, the Lancea
Sanctum were quick to jump ship, although Michaelah had her eye on those Sanctified of
Manhattan that had been willing to turn against her. The Battle of Brighton Beach ended with
the torpor of Calebros and the capitulation of his remaining forces.
Declaring that she knew what to with an old fossil like him, Michaelah ordered Calebross
body interred in a tomb in the foundation of the Museum of Natural History. The remaining
Brooklynite Invictus made oaths of fealty to show their loyalty and were dispersed to new
territories around the Five Boroughs. As her new Carthian allies moved into their promised
territories, Michaelah began to fear that perhaps she had gone too far in claiming their

allegiance. It wouldnt do for her throne to be cast down in favor of a democracy of mewling
neonates.
Even as she began to formulate a plan to stab her nascent allies in the back, providence (a
constant friend of her rule) shined upon her.
Except for All Others that have been Tried
The Carthians, a potent force when united, began to fragment into a series of factions that later
became known as Lobbies. Socialist communes, democratic coteries, parliamentarians, protofascist troupes, and more varied groups (if thats even possible) appeared and the debate and
battles between the groups for leadership of the Carthians at large began to take the entire
focus of the covenant. The ideological divide was a godsend for the Invictus and ensured their
rule for years to come.
The Sanctified arguably suffered the worst. In the eyes of the Invictus of the era, the Lancea
are supposed to be the paramount of Kindred morality, regardless of how twisted it might be.
That they allowed themselves to take sides in an internal Invictus matter was an
unforgiveable sin to Michaelah and her compatriots. Only Sanctified that were willing to swear
undying loyalty before Longinus and God to the Invictus and its praxis in New York were spared
exile to New Jersey or Long Island. As expected, not many took up the First Estate on their
offer. The citys Sanctified population dwindled to nearly nothing by the beginning of the
1870s.
The Circle of the Crone was more than willing to fill the vacuum. The Lancea Sanctum would
not forget this fact in later days.
Formally crowned as Princess of New York City on the 1st of January 1871 after months of
negotiations with then-Regent Michael over the powers of his domain, Michaelah went on to
lead the burgeoning Invictus city into the most prestigious city in America. The growth of the
Big Apple into Americas industrial powerhouse brought with it wealth, a rapidly inflating
population, and a steadily increasing number of Kindred inhabitants eager to take advantage of
the citys high crime rate, new business, and easily missed immigrant populace.
The growing number of residents in the late 19th century spawned a number of enhancements
to the city in an attempt to bring the infrastructure up to the task of handling a multi-million
person traffic flow. Arguably, for Kindred and Kine alike the subway system and growth of New
Yorks underground network of service ways, coal tunnels, and subterranean storage areas was
one the most important.
The Apple Eaten Away by Metal Worms
The first underground train systems were first put in place in 1860 but didnt see wide spread
use until the end of the century. They began as simple pneumatic tubes connecting stations
little more than a hundred yards apart and taking almost as much time to reach their

destination as one would walking on the surface. It took the coordinated development of
effective electric power generation and locomotion with the first processes for tunneling that
wouldnt bring the whole endeavor down on the miners heads.
The expansion of the subway network in the early 20th century brought an effective mass
transit system to the cramped, traffic-taxed city. The widespread use of coal for heating
simultaneously led to the creation of hundreds of sub-street passageways with hand drawn
carts carrying tons of coal everyday to building coal shoots and elevators. The underworld of
the Big Apple continued to be excavated over the next few decades, eventually cutting down as
far as one hundred stories beneath the surface with spaces occupied by everything from stored
construction equipment to power substations to the New York Times massive printing presses,
which are so large and powerful they must be bolted directly to bedrock so to prevent them
from shaking themselves apart.
Kindred took notice of the new developments almost immediately. The vast warrens were a
veritable city unto themselves. They were sunless, making them obvious places for havens. By
the beginnings of the 20th there were so many tunnels that the New York Transit Authority and
utility companies couldnt hope to keep track of them all. If a new tunnel appeared in a place
with relatively light traffic or if construction occurred in odd areas, who was to notice? And
even if someone did, the workers, in typical New Yorker fashion, would simply think why is it
my problem? And thus, the New York Necropolis was born.
The Necropolis Kindred population ballooned almost overnight. Like a gold strike, ambitious
vampires sought to stake out their claims on quality havens near sources of food as rapidly as
possible. Of course, not every Kindred believed their neighbor should have a better living
space than the one they were stuck with. Over the decade of the turn of the century, subway
service ways, abandoned coal tunnels, and walled-over pneumatic train stations became
unofficial battlefields. As the violence was Kindred-to-Kindred and did not seem to cross
Covenant lines or incite larger warfare, Princess Michaelah turned a blind eye to the entire
affair. As according to her, anything that didnt directly affect her power or the peace on the
surface was none of her concern. It was to be one in an incredibly long chain of bad decisions.
Haunts Versus Shadows
While covenants had little to do with conflict below Manhattans streets, clan dominated
subterranean politics, and indeed has ever since. While the image of the underground-dwelling
Nosferatu may first come to mind, it is true that the Necropolis holds vampires of every clan
(and Covenant, but that matters less down there). While they all may have a claim, two clans
have traditionally commanded authority in those dark spaces: the Mekhet and the
aforementioned Nosferatu.
The Shadows with their fear of the sun and affinity for secrecy and the Haunts, unable to fit in
with normal society and drawn towards the dark, fearful places of the world, seemed natural
for the Necropolis environment. A Nosferatu House, the Telamones, grew to great influence by

manipulating their traditional monopoly on building havens into an industrial empire for both
Necropolis and surface-dwelling Kindred. The Mekhet rallied around the so-called Subway
Prophet, Malachi. While the Telamones had manpower and a bare handful of elder allies,
Malachi and his followers carried the weight of supernatural power. Almost all of them were
members of the cult of Nin-Ki, an Acolyte sect worshipping the Babylonian earth goddess, and
they bore the advantage of great knowledge in Crone sorcery.
For all their mystical prowess and sneaky canniness, the Acolytes and their Mekhet allies could
not hope to match the sheer overwhelming force of the Nosferatu. They were able to hold their
own for several years, but they could only delay the inevitable for so long. The primary
strengths on the Mekhet relied on a constant and stable supply of blood to power their magicks
and speed; it was one of the first targets on the Telamones. They took over key tunnel
junctions leading to populated subway stations or easy access to the surface. Those they
couldnt seize, they simply walled over. Brute force won over subtlety without much effort.
By the end of the decade, the Mekhet had been reduced to relying on their stealth to launch
guerilla raids and break through the Nosferatu blockade. Their sight had protected them from
the Haunts own ambushes but the Telamones wised up to Malachis strategy pretty quickly.
More and more often, Acolyte warriors and raiders encountered waves of paralyzing fear as they
attempted to launch their attacks. Not even the most powerful Kindred mind can maintain a
veil of mental invisibility when encountering mind-destroying terror and the Mekhet lost
increasingly large numbers of their allies. The shift in the power fully into the Nosferatu camp
bought them the allegiance of the other clans in the Necropolis but still the forces of Malachi
did not quit. They fought harder and harder, seeking to take as many Nosferatu down with
them. With their backs to the wall, forced into the worst possible areas of the Necropolis, the
Mekhet and Acolytes were fighting like caged animals.
Prince Above, Prince Below
Just when everyone in the Necropolis though that the final titanic battle to eliminate the
defeated Mekhet would occur, the blow never fell. The Overseer of the Telamones, an elder
Invictus called Cassius, ordered his forces to stop and simply hold the Mekhet within an
isolated area of tunnels. The Overseers had realized a key fact in the war: they were powerful
enough to eliminate another faction of the Necropolis, but not to hold it on their own against
the Kindred of New York. If they brought down Malachi, they would simply become vassals of
Princess Michaelah and her superior numbers and resources. Unsurprisingly, the Overseers
declared a ceasefire with Malachi and allowed mortals brought to his forces to sustain them,
though they remained bottled up.
The obvious animosity between the two forces prevented any sort of accord from being reached.
They both refused to give in when negotiating and the meeting began to turn increasingly
hostile. Everyone assumed the war would restart. They desperately needed a neutral
arbitrator to make any sort of deal work.

Enter a young surface dwelling Invictus named Norton. The Nosferatu Ancilla had no
relationship with the Telamones and only a very minor presence in the City aboves feudal
structure. He was also almost universally unliked. He was regarded by almost everyone that
met him as an egotistical, self-absorbed narcissist. But without question, he had no
connection to any faction or power structure. In short, he was perfect.
After his arrival on the scene at the recommendation of his sire, negotiations picked back and
quickly gained ground. After a few days to tense dealing, a final agreement was struck. The
Acolytes agreed to surrender and accept at least decent territories and in exchange they would
accept fealty to House Telamones. With full control over the Necropolis and an ever expanding
domain of free-flowing food, Cassius was presented with an opportunity he could not pass up.
He declared his Praxis formally in March of 1911. Michaelah at first reacted with outrage, but
when initial reconnaissance returned from the tunnels of Cassius forces, she decided against
any hostile act. Once she calmed, she considered the situation and made her decision. If the
Nosferatu, Mekhet, and outcasts from other clans wanted to cavort and wallow in the dank
sewers and dingy subway stations, they were welcome to it. She washed her hands of the
entire affair and left them to their own devices. The Necropolis Kindred were more than happy
for it and everyone knew that Michaelah could care less about that which did not affect her.
Her inaction and indifference would be mistakes that she wouldnt get to live down.
As for Norton, his arbitration would prove be the catalyst to launch him into Kindred society.
He became a Kindred who could get things done. He would find himself advanced to Lordship
and granted territories and vassals in both New York and the Necropolis. Not that anyone liked
him any better, though.
Rising Towards Heaven
With Nortons rise from obscurity to relative celebrity occurring so rapidly, one would think
that his ascension would stall like most Kindred. However, serendipity does not fall for clich
and the mortal world doesnt cave to Kindred norms. The events of the early 20th century
would continue his stars rise to a prominent position in Invictus society and set the stage of
events for decades to come.
While the first skyscrapers had appeared before the turn of the century, it took nearly 30 years
for Kindred to really notice them. Most Kindred that is. The Ordo Dracul had noticed nearly
immediately. An Architect of the Monolith named Donovan had long been the pre-eminent
expert on ley lines in the city and, since 1895, he had noticed an increasing amount of
distortion in their flow, a fact he knew the Lupines and sorcerers had picked up on as well. It
wasnt until the construction of the 391-feet-tall Park Row Building in 1899 that he realized
that the skyscrapers were indelibly affecting New Yorks mystical energies.

For the first time in history, the Dragons knew that they could change the ley lines in a city on
a massive scale. However, for all their esoteric knowledge and awareness of the opportunity,
their naval gazing did not lend itself well to connections within the mortal populace. They tried
for over a decade to affect the construction of the new buildings, to guide and direct their
placement and design, but their skills were sorely lacking. Near endless failures at procuring
what they wanted in secret within the Order caused them to break with tradition and seek out
help in the Kindred populace of New York.
Unexpectedly, the first to respond was newly-minted Lord Norton. An architect and lawyer in
his mortal life, Norton had maintained interest in the two fields as a hobby during his requiem.
Hed kept up links with the Citys contractors and its planning commission as a way to
preserve his edge on the subjects. If there was any Kindred in the Big Apple that could truly
influence the building of skyscrapers on a scale demanded by the Dragons project it was him.
He did have two demands, however: the first, that the project be entirely funded by the Order to
include a building of Nortons choice to be used as a haven. The second, the credit for the
entire endeavor would go to him.
Dueling Dragons
Undoubtedly, there were some protests. Donovans fanaticism about the potential of
skyscrapers led him and those Dragons with him to embrace Nortons proposals. But a large
and august group of the Order, led by the staunch traditionalist, famed scholar Lambach
Ruthven, denounced that Donovans radicals had gone outside of the Covenant to gain aid, let
alone that he was willing to surrender the prestige of such a find to go to a posturing,
egotistical peacock like Norton. In the end, the final decision came down to advancement and
prestige. The Ordo Dracul had long been far from the Five Boroughs spotlight. They were
welcome at court and possessed enough territories that they did not starve, but they were by
no means great and powerful. The plan of Donovan and Norton sought to change that.
It ended with a rather grand debate behind the doors of the greatest lodge in New York, the
famed and prestigious Temple Square in Brooklyn. The deliberation raged for several nights
and a few times became violent. By the third night, Ruthven and his Iconoclasts simply
walked out. If Donovan wanted to pollute the minds of his students and lessers, they would
have no part of it. They moved off the island and mainland itself, rebasing entirely in Staten
Island. It had long served as a refuge for exiled Sanctified from Michaelahs reign, and Regent
McCullough was very unwilling to simply surrender vampires to the City at large for political
reasons.
With their project underway, the Radicals realized that they had overlooked a serious issue
with the plan. They had the power to shift the course of ley lines city-wide and permanently
alter New Yorks magical properties (so long as they could outmaneuver the competing
werewolves and mages, of course) but they had no notion of where to direct those mystical
energies to. Donovan brought the dilemma to Lord Norton but his only response was to

knowingly, arrogantly smile and say a simple phrase, Ask Princess Michaelah. So, the
Dragons brought their proposal before the Princess at the next court. Her reaction was
instant, and the course of 20th century changed forever. Princess Michaelah would go on to
lead the most powerful city in the world, Lord Norton would be the Regent of the prominent
domain of Central Park West, and Donovans lodges and chapter houses would fill with new
Dragons from across the continent, giving him fame overnight. All due to one little decision:
The focal point would be Wall Street.
Wealth, Decadence, Dissent
In many ways, the 1910s and 1920s were the greatest and worst years of New York Citys
Kindred. Untold riches spilled into the coffers of its Invictus nobility as they leached the stock
market for all it was worth. With the Telamones in control of the Necropolis and Lord Nortons
Dragon funded construction abilities, greater and more ostentatious havens were built. The
efforts of the landed gentry were first and foremost dedicated to vast attempts to upstage one
another on a scale, said the Staten Island Sanctified, unrivaled since the fall of the Camarilla.
Obscenely expensive and complex Salons were the rule of day and blood flowed freely in the
high tower palaces of the rich and mighty.
On the streets though, the City riled with turmoil. While the nobles remained too far detached
to see the ground-truth, the tenants and serfs of New York knew that things were growing
worse, at least since the turn of the century. Their feudal superiors had grown much stricter
with the rents, often arbitrarily raising them or changing the form to suit their newest
obsession or next party. Though they were greatly taxed and angered because of it, the
Kindred of New York were by no means beggars or starving. They lived within the richest, most
populous city in the world and, even eating scraps from the nobles table, were able to greatly
benefit from that. But there are always those that fall through the cracks.
The disenfranchised, the rebellious, the oppressed had nowhere to turn to under Michaelah.
Her rule was typical for a post-Carthian Invictus city. Without a voice in her counsel, let alone
prestigious territories or even freedom of speech, they couldnt address their grievances to the
powers-that-be and raising threat of violence would only result in harsh crackdowns. They
were desperate for anyone who could give them a way-out.
That way-out was offered to many by the self-proclaimed Bishop of New York, Anatole. Once a
simple Sanctified preacher in Brooklyn before the War of the Five Boroughs, Anatole refused to
acknowledge Michaelahs authority over his people, accepting instead exile to Staten Island. He
had grown in prominence over the years to lead the Citys remaining Lancea. With the
situation growing grim for many Kindred in the other Boroughs, a large number turned to faith
for an answer. The Sanctified promised a purpose beyond nightly feeding and jockeying for
territory as many took up the cause. With their distractions in front of them, Michaelahs
nobles never even noticed the expanding church within the domain until an entertaining
charlatan named Gregor began to make his way around their functions.

He claimed to be an experienced Sanctified theologian, though many believed he wasnt

embraced until after the Great War. His connection to those deaths however did give him a link
to ghosts and spirits that quickly became a hit at the upper crust Salons. He was almost
immediately denounced by Anatole as a heretic and blasphemer but his theatrics were in
constant demand by the aristocracy, and even the most vehement mobs of believers were
ignored. By the middle of the 20s, rumors had reached the common Kindred of truly horrific
rituals conducted in those high manors to commune with the ghosts of long dead sires and
mortal family. But by then, the average Kindred had far worse things to worry about.
Given His Due
While many Kindred had turned to the self-sacrificing faith of the Lance, many more couldnt
relegate themselves to flagellation and prayer. They wanted the wealth and power of
Michaelahs followers not the appreciation of a distant god. They were willing to bring down
the entire city and drown it in blood if it would give them what they wanted. Those Kindred
found their salvation in sin, their strength in evil.
New York has long been a den a vice. It was the original home of the mafia, hundreds died in
its sweatshops in the name of greed; thievery, murder, and rape have been constant
commonplace occurrences almost since the first paving stones were laid. Evil is right at home
in the cramped confines of filthy tenements and trash-strewn alleyways. As the Citys
corruption and decadence reached a fevered pitch, the Brood of Belial found a perfect place to
call home.
Their entry into the Five Boroughs led them to those dissatisfied by current rule and without
any other alternatives to turn to. They offered a chance to create a new order, one where
vampires were revered for their nature, not forced to self-hate like the Sanctified or pigeon-hole
themselves into a false natural hierarchy like the Acolytes. Rather, their damnation would
become their greatest salvation and might and all they had to do was burn the current order to
the ground. More than a few Kindred were more than happy to see their betters go up in
smoke.
The Broods attacks were limited at first. They rarely struck on the surface, instead focusing
on the Necropolis. Even a strategic simpleton could recognize the benefit behind controlling
the undergrounds network of sunless havens, nigh-impenetrable bunkers, and rapid transit.
Their attacks were brutal and abrupt. Within weeks of the campaigns start in May of 1927,
Prince Cassius had begun to realize that these werent uncoordinated assaults by a handful of
cultists or deranged neonates. He sent an urgent message to Michaelah demanding aid. Her
response would go down in history as truly legendary: a scroll containing an Oath of Fealty and
demand that Cassius renounce his praxis and recognize her authority.
Insulted, Cassius withdrew his request and attempted to fight on with his own forces. It wasnt
long before the situation he had succeeded in only decades before reversed itself before him.
His people were forced out onto the surface, confined to dank tunnels far from any use, or

killed outright. Even a fair number disserted his rule and joined with the diabolists.
Retreating to his stronghold in a disused subway tunnel, Cassius sought to regroup his forces
and fight to the surface, but never got the chance. Necropolis traitors revealed the fortress
location to the Brood and the descended upon it in mass. On a night of blood and violence in
January of 1928, Cassius and his most loyal followers met their final deaths beneath the fangs
of their opponents.
While they didnt by any means control the entirety or even most of the underground, the
Brood had wrested control of many key junctions in the Necropolis and eliminated the only
large, organized force that could stop their free movement to nearly anywhere in the City.
Rumors of the fall of Cassius had reached the surface, but with ennui firmly in the mind of
most nobles, no one took the threat seriously. Even as attacks began on the surface no real
action was taken by Michaelah to stop it. So what if sewer-dwelling, ingrate upstarts and
worthless neonates in the Boroughs were disappearing?, the Court thought. The territories
they controlled and their vassals were protected, the Brood would not be a threat so long as
money kept rolling in and adequate guards could be hired.
For another year, New Yorks lower Kindred weathered a growing Brood. The suffered under
near constant fear as havens burned, ghouls were drained dry, and occasionally, their coteriemates disappeared entirely. Beyond a few nobles who understood the value of their tenants like
Lord Norton, Bishop Anatole, and Donovan, the complaints of the neonates fell only on deaf
ears. In October of 1929, with desperation at all new heights and huge areas of the City given
up by Michaelahs sheriffs to the Brood, the common Kindred of New York called out for anyone
to help, for any sign that any god would answer their prayers and save them.
Gods Monsters Battle Satans Spawn
The stock market crashed on 24 October 1929. It is highly doubtful that it truly had anything
to do with the desperation of the Big Apples Kindred. The Great Depression that followed
would affect the entire world in ways that are still being felt today and resulted in the deaths of
untold numbers of kine from disease, malnutrition, and poverty-influenced violence. It would
take a truly fanatical individual to believe that vampires are so important to the world that God
would orchestrate such a huge event simply for their benefit.
The Five Boroughs found that fanatic in Bishop Francisco Domingo de Polonia. Already
expelled on pain of death from three other domains on the East Coast, Polonia led an extremefundamentalist and incredibly violent sect of Sanctified called the Black Hand. They preached
and practiced a variant of traditional Lancea theology that exalted acts above ritual and, some
would argue, faith. Polonia had been involved in the turn of the century cleansing of
Philadelphias suspected infestation of both the Livian and Icarian heresies. He had closely
watched the situation in New York unfold with somewhat pitying resignation. He felt that the
City would only end up serving as a message to all Kindred in North America what decadence
and lax faith brings.

The Crash changed all that. In the stock markets tumble, the ancient warrior-priest saw Gods
plan. New York, for all its sin and vice, for all its noxious press of overcrowded humans, was
meant to be the holy city of the Lance. It was the perfect place for vampires to pursue their
God given task of testing and scourging mankind. That the Diabolists also considered New
York holy only confirmed that the Adversary wanted desperately to deny proper Kindred their
rightful place. Polonia called together his followers from across the region and set out for
Manhattan.
They arrived to a city whose undead were in utter chaos. The nobles under Michaelah had lost
vast fortunes and were forced to abandon the protection of all but their direct holdings. The
Brood walked openly in the night and acted with impunity across most of the City. Polonia
went immediately to the Princess and offered his services without any conditions. While she
didnt like the idea of giving a permanent place to the Black Hand, Michaelah recognized the
need to effective fighters. Her Sheriff had been killed shortly after the Crash and she gave
Polonia the title and fiat authority to do whatever he needed to eliminate the Brood.
Polonia took appraisal of Citys situation. Manpower was not something he lacked by any
means. He had come with relatively few followers, but his ranks had swelled with volunteers
anxious to take their city and requiems back from the devil worshippers. He set his childe,
Antonio Vallejo, to the task of creating a solid force of crusaders, christening him the Grand
Master of the Gladii Dei, the Swords of God. Vallejo took only the best warriors from the
population and honed them into an elite army. Though they lacked the strength or the position
to defeat the Brood quickly, they were able to make an almost immediate dent in the Diabolists
plans and carve out several small safe zones within the city.
New Management
Once the Brood realized that they were no longer facing the effete Kindred of New York, but
instead hardened fanatical fighters, they changed their tactics. The no longer went for
numbers or shock value; rather they focused on causing pin-point damage that would break
down the Sanctified defenses as much as possible. They found that although the Crusaders
were new to the Big Apple, they didnt lack for experience. Polonias men knew they were on
foreign ground and so the compensated by consolidating their strength in limited strong points
and giving ground when they found they could no longer hold them. It seemed as if
Michaelahs strategies were working again.
But the Brood had a few aces up their sleeves that Calebros did not: namely satanic magicks
and a willingness to sacrifice all for gain. They began deploying what became known as
Berserkers: vampires enhanced through Brood sorcery, loaded up on Kindred vitae, with their
armor and weapons bolted directly to their skeleton. They were unwilling to surrender and
would pursue incessantly. The Sanctified lost of number of warriors and several of their strong
points while inflicting serious casualties on the Brood. But the Diabolists learned that the

super soldiers were effective and though they may lose a whole attack force in the end, they
could still penetrate any defenses the Kindred of the City could throw up.
On Christmas Eve 1930, the Brood launched its largest attack on date at the Princess Court.
They had nearly three dozen vampires and half again in Berserkers. They easily broke through
the perimeter guard and physical barriers in their path and entered the main hall itself. Many
Kindred attempted to flee immediately, creating logjams and blocking exists that led to many
being cut down. While the neonates and noncombatants fled, the Kindred of New York rallied.
The Crusaders formed a line in middle of hall below the Princess throne and were joined by
Polonia, Bishop Anatole, Lord Norton, Polonias adopted childe Borges, several other Elders,
and even the Princess herself.
Nevertheless, even as their momentum faltered and their losses began to mount, the Brood
focused on what could only be their main targets: Polonia and Michaelah. The sent a massive
mountain of a vampire, a huge Berserker through the Sanctified lines and succeeded in
separating the Bishop and the Princess from the others. The colossal beast drove them back
into other rooms while the main hall descended into chaos and the Crusaders tried to remake
their line. No one believed that either of the two would survive, though they were nearly
powerless to do anything about it.
It was not to be. Polonia later told the City that Michaelah, for all her faults, was a true credit
to her rule. After minutes of harrowing chase, she nearly killed the beast with her bare hands,
crippling it even as it gave her Final Death. Polonia struck the killing blow to the Berserker
and watched as they both crumbled to ash before returning to the hall and leading the charge
that broke the Broods back. In the aftermath it was found that Brood fatalities were nearly
100%, they had lost most of their offensive power, but had struck a huge blow to the Big Apple.
Many neonates and Ancilla were killed, several Elders badly wounded (including the horrifically
disfigured Lord Norton), and they had lost their Princess.
The City at large though had gained a great respect for Bishop Polonia. He didnt see a city in
shambles, no matter how wounded it was. He saw a city with the potential to continue to gain
strength; something the Brood had lost. With determination and faith, they could bring the
fight to demon worshippers in their tunnels and nests and sweep them entirely from the City.
Speaking at length and inspiring those Kindred in the shattered hall, Polonia ascended the
dais to Michaelahs throne and planted his cruciform sword in the ground before it. He
declared himself the Archbishop of New York and claimed its praxis, promising to rid it of its
Brood threat forever. When asked what his first command would be, replied in a line now
famous for its historicity and bluntness: Havoc. No quarter. No Diabolist or heretic would be
allowed to live.
The Crone and Carthians let out a collective shudder; they knew fanatics dont do things
halfway.
The Cleansing of New York

What followed was a two decade long conflict known locally and across the continent as the
Cleansing. The Gladii Dei were loosed and given carte blanche to take down the Brood by any
means necessary. The Archbishop made it clear that any Acolytes caught up the bloodshed
would not be missed; the newly-minted Curate Anatole couldnt agree more. When possible,
heretics were captured and brought before the Inquisitors of Borges. There they were given a
chance to repent and suffer penance or face a swift execution. The results were rather mixed.
Polonia regularly railed against the debauched, immoral rule that had led to the rise of the
Brood. No longer would secular affairs override the proper course of the City. The rampant
greed and materialism that the previous two decades represented was unacceptable. Donovan
and Lord Norton were ordered to construct buildings that would break up the previous focal
points of the ley line network, returning the Citys energies to their natural places. The nobles
for the most part remained Invictus and held huge amounts of power, but they found
themselves displaced by new aspects of religious rule. The Court still held Primogen made up
of the nobility, but Archbishops ear was held by the Synod, his inner circle of advisors.
The Brood broke entirely in the mid-1950s and fled the Boroughs like rats from a sinking ship.
Polonia celebrated the event by immolating several in iron cages at Court. He declared that the
faith of the Kindred had led to victory and that the Brood would not enter the islands anytime
soon. The Cleansing didnt still didnt end. The Sanctified knew that God had given them the
City and that only those of the true faith would be allowed to live there. By the end of the
decade, the handful of Acolytes that remained were forced to hide in the deepest reaches of the
Necropolis, now a part of the City rather than a separate Praxis.
The Power of the People
With the Brood threat ended, the traditionally freedom-loving segment of the Invictus and
Carthians saw no reason why the Cleansing should continue. Most of them had already
adopted the religion of the Lance, but could not reconcile that with the destruction of an entire
covenant. Voices began to be raised in defense of the Circle and their right to worship in peace.
Almost as quickly, those voices began to be silenced. Polonia would brook no one interfering
with what he felt was the God-given mission of New York. The Kindred would realize that
purpose if only they would open their eyes, he said. But still the dissent would not give in.
The Gladii Dei began to be dispatched to arrest the dissenters and turn them over to the
Inquisition. They reasoned that perhaps through proper ministrations the Kindred may learn
their place in the new order. This turned out to be the worst possible thing Polonia could do.
The Carthians of New York had long been seen as little more than an annoyance. They lacked
large numbers of nobility and the Lobbies divided them internally to an incredibly great deal.
On any given night, several Lobbies would be at war with each other over one philosophical
dispute or another. But it didnt change the fact that they easily tied the Invictus as the largest
Covenant in the City. While the First Estate werent willing to put their necks on the line, the
Carthians were quickly becoming a sleeping giant.

When Polonias suppression of opposition came to light, one Carthian decided hed had enough.
Nathaniel Galt was the leader of a small Lobby known as the Galt Society. Objectivists, they
believed that no Kindred should have to the power to force anything on other Kindred that was
not obligated by oath or contract. Far from anarchists, they supported the feudal system as
the ultimate expression of contractual rule and Objective freedom: no one could tell a Kindred
what to do in his own domain unless it was part of the very oath he made to gain the domain.
Galt saw Polonias oppression of free speech and religion as completely unacceptable and totally
in opposition to the feudal contracts of the City.
He immediately went underground to protect himself from Polonias forces and began a shadow
campaign to bring freedom to the Five Boroughs. At first no one believed that he could ever
unite the Carthiansthat was until the sign Who is Nathaniel Galt? began popping up on
nearly every street corner and at every Kindred gathering. The Movement hailed him as the
Prefect, showing to Polonia that they were willing to make his message the overall message of
the Carthians. Even some Invictus, Dragons, and Sanctified showed that they in support of
his message (in private, of course).
Nathaniel Galt staged a massive protest at the Archbishops Curia on a cold fall night in 1964.
The majority of the Carthian Movement marched alongside him as he entered the Andino
Royale Theater and slapped a piece of paper down on the stage in front of Polonia. The
Crusaders stood ready for any order that would bring their full forces down on the rebels
should Galt do anything as stupid as try and seize the Praxis. But Galt was far more sensible.
His demands were simple: the suppressions would end, all Kindred in New York would be
granted full freedom of speech and peaceful religious worship, and rights of Kindred within
their own domain when they had committed no crimes would be reinforced.
Seeing such a huge body arrayed against him, willing to do violence in their name of their
cause, Polonia relented. He granted the demands of the populace especially when he noticed
several key nobles (including Lord Norton, the Princess Childe Amanda, and Donovan)
standing with them. He did however reserve the right to defend the City and declared that,
while the Crone would be allowed to worship, no force would be allowed to corrupt the mortals
of New York or ruin its divine purpose. A series of new laws were ironed out that, although
granting the requisite freedoms, still kept power firmly in the Archbishops hands.
The Carthians almost immediately went back to their normal infighting.
New York Today
The City has changed little over the last few decades in the Kindreds eyes. It carries on as
usual. It carried on when the towers fell, and itll carry on no matter what happens, and no
matter who is standing there. Equilibrium has been reached in terms of the Archbishops
power and the Citys people. While the occasion dissenter still goes missing, all Covenants
have seen a growth that has brought the Covenants on par with most cities in America.

A few new laws have popped up in the intervening time. The Archbishops fundamentalists
views led to him outlawing Islam among New Yorks Kindred, but the non-existence of Muslim
vampires resulted in a collective shrug, even from Galt. Polonia has instituted several rules
that strengthen his Praxis and imposed harsher penalties, but even those hinge on someone
violating a law in the first place.
Over the decades, rumors had cropped up of secret battles between the Gladii Dei and small
covens of Brood infiltrators, pretty much since the Diabolists were defeated in 50s. But lately,
surrounding domains have been reporting the presence of roving coteries of Brood gathering
strength to return to the City. Why they would do so, no one can say. The Crusaders are at
their strongest, the City is organized and strong, and Polonia directs a solid group of leaders
from across Covenants that loyally support the future prosperity of the Five Boroughs.
The question many people are asking is What could they want? What is in New York City that
they would be willing to die for?

Government Structure
The unique history of New York City has completely shaped the unique Praxis that administers
it. The combination of Sanctified rule and a large secular population has led to the creation of
a semi-formal, two-stage government.
As has already been addressed, the current Praxis-holder of the Big Apple is Francisco
Domingo de Polonia under the title Archbishop. This title is the traditional Lancea Sanctum
title for a Bishop who also possesses the authority of a Prince, making it both religious and
secular in nature. The Archbishops leadership is by no means liberal or modern. He rules by
fiat decree though he has granted some authority to positions beneath him.
Surprisingly, one of those officers with very little authority is Polonias own Seneschal, Walter
Benson. A middling-ranked Invictus Ventrue, Bensons nomination to the position shortly after
the Archbishops ascendance made little sense to anyone in the City. Benson has no noble
title, very little political acumen, and more than a few eccentricities. However, he also has no
aspirations, a strong sense of logic, and an impeccable memory. While he has no authority to
make decisions on his own he does have Polonias ear at all times. The Seneschal commonly
acts as the governments record keeper and secretary, keeping track of the minutes of meetings
of both the Curia and Synod and acting as the gateway for any Kindred who wish to meet with
the Citys leadership outside of court.
The position of Sheriff is held by High Marshall and Grand Inquisitor Borges. The old Ventrue
had long been a coterie-mate of Polonia and is rumored to be his adopted Childe. Under his
duel hat of Marshall and Inquisitor, Borges is tasked with both the enforcement of the law and
the Archbishops will as well as the formal testing of suspected heretics and demonworshippers. He has deputized several lower inquisitors and has been granted great authority
in prosecuting his job. The Inquisitions home on Roosevelt Island is seen by many Five

Boroughs Kindred as a place of terror and horrifying pain. Borges also has the authority to
order the Gladii Dei to aid in his investigations, though fellow Polonia-childe Grand Master
Vallejo bristles at the idea of being ordered around by his equal.
The title of Nuncio fulfills the traditional position of Herald. This role is held by Anatole, who
also acts as the Curate of Manhattan, a post effectively between Regent and Bishop. Curate
Anatole has been the de facto Nuncio since he first vouched for Polonia after his arrival in the
City. The Nuncio primarily operates as Polonias mouthpiece, making sure his laws and
pronouncements, as well as those of the Curia, are heard. Although it hasnt been tested in
recent history, in the past Anatole has acted as the Voice of the Throne when the Archbishop
was not present and his words we later enforced by Polonia. This shows an obvious level of
trust between these two Sanctified.
Given the massive Kindred population in the Five Boroughs it is understandable that the
council of Primogen would be equally huge. Nearly forty Kindred at any given time represent
and lead a body of nearly one thousand lower vampires. Most Primogen are drawn from the
nobility and thus the Invictus has an almost overwhelming majority, though Polonia has made
sure enough Sanctified were recognized as Primogen to ensure that the Lancea possesses an
important swing vote on any issue. The Dragons and Carthians also possess sizable
membership, though not nearly enough to force any decision without major support from both
the First and Second Estates. No unaligned or Acolytes have seats, though several Crone in
the City have the authority to proclaim themselves Primogen. Polonia would almost certainly
see such an act as an outrage. Since he became Archbishop, Polonia has renamed the
traditional council and its monthly court with the religious name Curia (Latin, literally Court)
and some Sanctified Primogen have taken queue and began calling themselves Consulters. It
remains to be seen if this name will catch on with the Primogen at large.
The Curia is held on the last Saturday of every month. The entire official party regularly
attends as do all Kindred of good standing in the City. It is considered a great opportunity for
pomp and circumstance, to show off, or gain political favor. Any Kindred may bring a grievance
before the Primogen to decide on; although the Archbishop may decide to proclaim a decision
should he deem the matter important enough. Most matters brought forward deal with feeding
territories and feudal obligations and the conflicts both of those entail, though no restriction is
placed on issues that may be presented. Very infrequently criminals are dragged in front of the
Curia for trial, even if this only occurs when the accuseds crimes are sufficiently secular. The
Curia is traditionally held at the Andino Royale Theater, a location that it has maintained for
over a century with each Covenant competing for a chance to decorate and prepare the theater
for the next court.
Anyone who has lived in New York City for any appreciable amount of time however knows that
the Curia is just the public power, a face that presents an aura of semi-democratic feudalism
for the teeming masses. The Archbishop meets with them once a month with all the other
Kindred in the City. Beyond that time, any Primogen must go through the same hoops to meet

with Polonia as any other Kindred; they get no special rights beyond those afforded by noble
title. It is an open secret that there is another council that has the Archbishops ear every
Sunday. The Synod is the true power behind the throne in New York City. They meet in secret
and are made up of those individuals that Polonia respects and trusts the most. The true
makeup of the shadowy assembly in unknown, though some certainties are commonly
acknowledged. Rumor has it that there are a dozen members including Polonia and that it
almost definitely includes his two Childer and the five Bishops of the Boroughs, but the
identities other members are complete speculation. Lord Norton, Amanda (childe of
Michaelah), Lambach Ruthven, and others are all reputed to be on the Synod, although the
secret and entirely unofficial nature of the body would prohibit any member for advertising his
seat.
Titles at a Glance
*Note local variant titles are in italics*

Prince: Archbishop Francisco Domingo de Polonia

Seneschal: Walter Bishop
Sheriff: High Marshall/Grand Inquisitor Borges
Herald: Nuncio Curate Anatole
Hound: Grand Master Antonio Vallejo
Master/Mistress of Elysium: Julia Roth
It should be noted that the Priscii are mixed in with the Primogen on the Curia. Any clan
member with the authority to do so may proclaim themselves a Priscus, though their
membership is much lower than that of Primogen.
Also, the title of Harpy has no official authority in the Big Apple, though unofficially those that
call themselves Harpy often have much sway at court. There are around two dozen Harpies
and assorted wannabes in the City with neonate prodigy Missy Michaels currently holding the
pulse of popularity in the greater New York area.

Covenants
The Lancea Sanctum: Moral Monsters
Beyond their control of the Citys government, the Sanctified primarily act in the same ways
they do in other cities. Hidden churches exist across the Five Boroughs and Mass occurs
regularly. Sanctified ceremonies are almost full to the brim at every occasion, not least
because of the social and political stigma incurred by those that do not attend semi-regularly.
With the emphasis of the Archbishops Black Hand, the Sanctified sermons of New York stress

actions over faith. They heavily assert that Kindred must be proactive in testing humanity and
leading them to salvation. The herd must be culled of the sick and impure is a common
saying in Midnight Masses and the Sanctified take it to heart.
Non-priestly Lancea and devoted lay members are often found trolling the Rack and other large
concentrations of people (redundant in this City) for those with the right sinful nature that
would require further attention. The clergy spend their weeknights doing much the same with
equal devotion going towards preparation of sermons for the next ceremony. Sanctified Masses
and rituals often require large amounts of blood, vessels, and other somewhat dangerous
ingredients that acquiring these becomes a focus of the Citys Bishops and their assistant
Priests.
At first glance, the Lancea may appear to be monolithic but in truth the Covenant is divided by
several Creeds that differ greatly in their interpretation of the Testament of Longinus. Most of
the traditional Creeds are represented in New York, with heavy representation in the Monachal
and Westminster Creeds. The Dammitic Creed also has a decent representation in the Five
Boroughs traditional Jewish neighborhoods. Local Creeds are described below:
The Black Hand: The Official Creed of New York City is headed by Archbishop Polonia. An
ultraviolent hardliner faction, the Black Hand believes that there can be no tolerance for
anything but Gods Will. The Dark Prophet made it clear what the holy mission of Kindred is
that the Hand feel that no vampire should have the right to turn their back on that task. While
they may have great prominence due to their position near the seats of power, the Black Hand
is one of the smallest creeds in the City and thus dont have the power to enforce their views on
the Kindred at large.
The Order of the Gladii Dei: A crusader order, the Gladii Dei was founded in 1930 shortly after
Polonias arrival in the City. The assassination of Princess Michaelah by a Belial's Brood
berserker and multiple Belial's Brood covens operating in areas where Michaelah's "debauched,
immoral rule" (Polonia's words) had neglected to police convinced the Archbishop to form a
group to root out the Diabolists and their heretic allies hiding within the Kindred population.
The Gladii Dei remained an Arm of Faith throughout the entire Cleansing of New York until the
Brood was finally broken in the late 50's. Since then, they've gone from being an Arm of Faith
to being a Tool of Policy. They do conduct raids and attacks on lupines and mortal sorcerers in
order to ensure that they do not gain too much strength, but more and more their efforts are
being used by Polonia to enforce his rule. They still hunt Heretics, but the definitions have
changed.
Carthian pressure during the 1960's forced Polonia to adopt religious freedom for NYC. No one
may be tried or executed simply for their religious beliefs, but Polonia does make it clear that if
you aren't a follower of Longinus, you won't get very far in his City. Even the Crone are
tolerated, but they are given the worst territories in city to feed in, along with the Carthian
factions that are deemed too radical to fit with "normal" Kindred society. When Kindred
activists and cultists get too far out of line (or when any Kindred disrupts what Polonia feels is

the "proper mission of all Sanctified kindred", that being the testing of mankind towards
salvation) the Gladii Dei is tasked with bringing them to Marshal Borges, Polonia's coterie mate
and Inquisitor.
The Gladii Dei (it currently has 30 members and around double that in Ghouls) are being
pulled into two camps. The first camp surrounds Crusader General Antonio Vallejo, Polonia's
childe. They follow Polonia's rule closely and stand by the side of the status quo, whether due
to true faith in the cause or because they enjoy the power they wield as Sanctified in NYC. The
others are becoming increasingly dissatisfied. They resent being turned into little better than
secret police and hired thugs. Once, they knew that those they killed and brought in for the
Inquisitors were truly evil, but now, they can only see political dissidents executed to ensure
that an Elder retains his place on the throne. None are ready to directly countermand
Polonia's authority yet, but it will only be a matter of time before the hypocrisy and tyranny
they are forced to uphold becomes too much
New York Sanctified Terms:
Brother: Crusader
Consultor: Primogen
Curate: Sub-Regent Of Manhattan, used instead of Bishop as Bishop of Manhattan is claimed
by Polonia
Exarch: Regent
Laureate: Honorary title bestowed on prominent Crusaders
The Invictus: The Throne Behind the Power
New York City remains in many ways an Invictus city. By far, the majority of noble titles are
held by the First Estate as are most of the Regencies and no one can deny their authority
within the Curia. With their huge numbers and great power it is undoubted that they could
seize control of the Citythat is, if they werent brutally divided by ideology and loyalty. The
Invictus would never let any of the other Covenants know how deeply their divisions run but
the others have begun to suspect that they are not the united front that they like to present.
The Sanctified know that they rule because the Invictus lets them, but few would suspect that
a good part of the Invictus wants them to rule.
The arrival of the Black Hand and their part in the victory over the Brood was a wakeup call for
many in the First Estate. While they retained their secular titles and positions, many Kindred
in the Invictus experienced resurgence in their faith. Quite a few of them agreed with the
Lancea Sanctum stories that Polonia had been sent by God to save New York and put it on the
right course. Even before it became a political necessity, they were filling the pews at Midnight
Mass and expressing their belief in the Sanctums righteous cause.
Needless to say, this was taken as nothing more than pandering by many Invictus within the
City. Behind closed doors, arguments raged with those more traditionalist in the First Estate
accusing the pro-Sanctified of surrendering their power and positions without a fight to foreign
fanatics. The most vehemently conservative in the Covenant broke off all relations with those
they saw as too corrupted by their faith.

The second major schism in the Covenant came during the 60s following the rise of Nathaniel
Galt. Many in the First Estate were as dissatisfied with the Archbishops tyranny as the
Carthians. His interference into private affairs was just as abhorrent to many Invictus as it
was to Galts objectivists, but no member of the Covenant could move unless the Covenant
chose to as a whole. It stayed that way for many months and quite a few Kindred found the
arrangement unacceptable. A few radicals decided that sitting by and disagreeing in private
was not enough. They began to make overtures to the Carthians, Acolytes, and Dragons,
offering resources and support, private at first, and then very publically as the movement
gained strength. Those Invictus that were willing to stand by Galt gained much respect from
the Carthians and a few decided to keep their associations even after Polonia instituted
reforms. Again, the public face of Invictus remained the same, but behind closed doors, the
Old Guard once more denounced those Kindred as too radical causing yet another internal
schism.
Beyond the three great political divides, the Invictus of New York City also find many Covenantwide factions and groups. The Citys notably large population of Toreador has long attracted
the Cherubim, giving it a huge membership in the greater New York area. The knightly Order
of the Thorned Wreath has a small following that is mainly concerned with defending the
Invictus from attacks by other Covenants. The Die Nachteulen spy ring is thought to have
several agents in the Five Boroughsbut that is neither confirmed nor denied. The Octopus
has long tried to create a membership base, but they have been repeatedly blocked in that
effort for over a century.
The political factions of the New York Invictus are:
The Magnum Opus: Staunch supporters of Sanctified rule and dedicates to the faith. While
these Kindred still follow the traditions of the Covenant, they recognize the unique nature of
the City and the Sanctums place in saving it from destruction. Their vassals cant often tell a
difference between their rule and anothers, beyond an Opus members active attendance of
Sanctified rituals.
The Bohemian Renaissance: These Kindred espouse a revolutionary version of standard
Invictus doctrine. They say that while change for change sake (like the Carthians and Dragons)
is wrong, but acknowledge that First Estate traditions must be updated in order to survive in
the modern era. They often gathering a following of Carthians and others and a few truly
radical individuals openly share coteries with other Covenant members. The other Invictus
find them mostly untrustworthy and dangerous, but as yet the Bohemians have remained
completely peaceful in attempting to implement their social engineering.
The Pillars: And the pedestal these words appeared My name is Ozymandius, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!; it is from this poem by Pierce Bysshe Shelley that
the most respected and traditional members of the First Estate take their name. So much is
their esteem and honor that they sacrifice all titles; instead they are simply called Pillar in
reverence for their accomplishments. They are by far the most exclusive faction in New York
City. In order to join, one must be recommended by at least three Pillars and acknowledged as
an equal by all of them.

The Liberty Militia: While the Pillars might be the most exclusive group in the City, the Militia is
by far the most secret. Formed shortly after the end of the crisis in the 1960s on Liberty
Island, the Militia is the Invictus ace in the hole. The Inner Council acknowledged that
regardless of their current relationship with Polonia, they could not accept it if he turned the
Gladii Dei loose against the City at large. They began recruiting a clandestine army of warriors
on constant stand-by to protect Invictus interests. The secrecy of the group is maintained by
binding and powerful blood oaths required of every member, including those few that have been
recruited from other Covenants. If Polonia ever found out about the Militia one could
practically guarantee that there would be civil war barring anything short of divine
intervention.
New York Invictus Terms:
Casual Ghoul: New Yorks Invictus recognize two categories of Ghouls. The first are those that
are used but do not know of ones Kindred nature; they are called Casual Ghouls.
Hereditary Ghoul: The second category is Ghouls that are aware of ones nature and often
have intimate details of the vampire world. These Hereditary Ghouls are considered Covenant
property in the event that the regnant slips into torpor or is destroyed. In order to protect the
knowledge they hold and to ensure that a useful asset isnt lost, they are transferred to the
control of another member of the First Estate.

The Carthian Movement: Very Well Organized Chaos

The other Covenants are delusional, say the Carthians. They think they control the City, that
they have power. The Carthians know it. They saw what happened in the 60s. They saw how
one Kindred could organize the entire city and they saw that they could force a dictator like
Polonia to give in to their demands. The Carthian Movement knows that if they needed to
make sure that something happened in the City, it would happen. They are supremely
confident in their ability to make New York City the political paradise they have always dreamed
of.
They are delusional. The Carthians of today focus on the victory of Nathaniel Galt and assume
that at any time another leader like him could crop up and unite the Covenant. That is the
key: unite the Covenant. Without a galvanizing force, the truth acknowledged by Princess
Michaelah is the law of the land: the Carthians of New York naturally war between themselves.
So many types of humanity and so many ideologies clash in the Five Boroughs and naturally
the same applies to the Kindred in it. The Movement is so riven with rival political groups that
absolutely hate each others guts that they will never get anything done on their own.
That said the Carthians have by far the most untapped potential in the Big Apple. Their
extreme diversity ensures that individuals within the Covenant often have incredibly useful
skills and specialties. The Invictus and Ordo Dracul most often take advantage of agents from
the Movement, frequently paying them very exorbitantly and competing over those that show
real talent.
The Carthians of New York have long organized themselves into political factions called Lobbies.
These Lobbies still acknowledge the overall authority of the Prefect and Myrmidon but have

their own internal leadership structures. Members of one Lobby will almost certainly refuse to
acknowledge the power of a member of another Lobby and street violence between different
groups often seem like West Side Story at times. The Lobbies of New York City are:
The Atheist Committee: These Kindred deny the supernatural natures of all Kindred and refuse
to take part in any faith (vampire or otherwise). They seek to find natural explanations for the
vampiric nature and draw heavily from former scientists and scholars. Obviously, their outlook
has not endeared them to the Archbishop. They have nearly no political clout outside of the
Covenant and, while they arent banned, the Sanctified watch them very closely for a chance to
try members for heresy.
The Cult of the Body: The only Lobby with absolutely no political aspirations or uniting ideology,
these Carthians seek to test the limits Kindred physical and mental prowess. They create
elaborate sport and simulated combat challenges to push the brink of vampire endurance,
ostensibly for scientific purposes. In truth, they are to a man adrenaline and excitement
junkies. Their efforts are sometimes assisted by the Ordo Dracul, though the full disclosure
demanded by the Cult limits Dragon involvement.
The Galt Society: Although he would take offense at the term, these Kindred are followers of
Nathaniel Galt. Ardent objectivists these Kindred reject the right of any Kindred to force his
will on any other Kindred beyond the limits of an agreed upon contract. They dont outwardly
flaunt or denounce the Praxis, though, considering it currently only interferes in their unlife
when they violate the law. They ironically (and to the rest of the Covenant, somewhat
embarrassingly) fully support feudalism as they see it as the ultimate expression of rule by
contract and oath.
The Isolationist Army: Neo-fascists, these Kindred say that vampires have no business
interfering with the ways of mortals, but every right interfering with the ways of other Kindred.
They believe that totalitarian control is necessary to limit Kindred violence and protect the
Masquerade. They ban their members from having any interaction with mortals beyond
feeding. Surprisingly, this Lobby has the near-full support of the Sanctified even if it is not a
religious group. The Isolationists have a dirty secret though: they tend to attract Deucalions.
The Meritocracy: Kindred of this Lobby say that only those that have the greatest skill should be
the ones the lead. Say is the objective word. In practice, the group is just as biased as any
other Lobby and they have their share of nepotism, especially at the top. The more cynical
would call the Meritocracy a foreign cult of personality that follows the ideology of a charlatan
dictator somewhere down in Texas.
New Tammany Hall: The word bureaucratic doesnt even begin to describe these Carthians.
Truly attempting to replicate modern mortal democratic processes, they have generated a
nightmarish maze of forms, regulations, and political tiers. Even then, they still some of the
most dedicated reformers the Covenant has to offer and frequently work to bring to light
oppressive landlords and lieges to the Curia. They also are notable for having a significant
amount of Carthian Lawyers. The sad thing is they have created an almost perfect replica of
the modern American government.

One Voice: Kindred communists, members of this Lobby reject individuality and believe that the
vampiric nature offers a true opportunity for Marxs ideals to shine. They mostly live in
communal havens and share all responsibilities of finding vessels and fulfilling the
requirements of their rent. Most other Lobbies see them as hopeless idealists, the City at large
couldnt agree more.
Sabotage Artists: This is what happens with nihilists and existentialists become extremists.
Bordering on terrorism, this banned group conducts demonstrations against the Praxis of
New York and common Kindred society that resemble something out of Project Mayhem more
than a protest. They are perhaps rightfully called threats to the Masquerade and dangerous
anarchists, but still many Carthians look up to them and secretly support them. They are after
all a true expression of freedom and political will.
The Zelani Movement: A true cult of personality, this modern creation follows the phenomenon
surrounding the infamous Lorna Zelani. They act somewhat as a cross between a secret
society and the Jonestown colony. No one outside of the Lobby really knows what they are
about, but they do seem to have an almost unnatural good fortune.
New York Carthian Terms:
Clerk: Lobby record keeper for their meetings
Consul: Leader of a Lobby
Technologist: Expert in modern technology/society
Tribune: Lobby whip, their job is to ensure the Lobby is united when they need to be
The Ordo Dracul: Ennui Never Looked This Good
If there is any group that could not give a single shit about the politics of the City its the Ordo
Dracul. The breach that was created over a century ago by Lambach Ruthven and Donovan
was only made worse by the failure (as its officially called) of Donovans experiment. The grand
campaign of ley line manipulation nearly led to the downfall of the City at the very same time
that it made it great. When the dust cleared and the Radicals were forced to clean up their
mess they had no choice but to crawl to the Iconoclasts and beg to be readmitted to the
Covenant.
Since then, the policy of the Ordo Dracul has been dont make waves. As the Iconoclasts see
it, the Dragons had their chance for glory, they had their chance to be something more than
scholars, and they screwed it up. The Ordo should stick to what it is good at. This policy
allowed the Ordo Dracul to avoid the purges that struck the Carthians and Acolytes. As long
as they kept to themselves and didnt try and teach their blaspheming heresy to mortals, the
Archbishop could care what they did to their own souls.
The Dragons as a result the most uniform Covenant in the Five Boroughs. While most still
identify themselves as either Radical or Iconoclast, it no longer means what it used to or very
much at all for that matter. It is now used to signify whether an individual Dragon more
closely follows the teachings of either of the Citys Kogaions, Lambach or Donovan. While their
specific doctrines are much closer than they were at the turn of the century, they are still

considered diametric opposites of liberal and conservative. Donovan still leads the Temple
Square Lodge in Brooklyn while Lambach, to spite the Radicals, has taken over a Lodge in
Manhattan called The Spiral, a building that was originally built as a channel for the
modification of ley lines.
The Dragons of New York dont really have any homegrown factions anymore. The Sworn all
have a presence in the City but none really have enough of a majority to shape the Covenant as
a whole. The Iconoclasts seem to have an inordinately large amount of Impaled, but with their
traditionalist teachings, it may just be a coincidence. While not a faction of the Ordo, the
bloodline known as the Architects of the Monolith has a huge presence in the Five Boroughs.
Most were attracted by the Radicals actions in the early 20th Century, but have stayed do to the
opportunity for other mystical pursuits.
New York Dragon Terms:
House Law: The individual rules and specialization of a Chapter House or Lodge (alchemy,
kaballah, parapsychology, etc.)
Proctor: Leader of a Lodge or Chapter House
The Circle of the Crone: Universally Convenient Scapegoats
The Circle of the Crone is the one group of Kindred in New York City that anyone would feel
sorry for. They have consistently gotten the short end of the stick from every other Covenant
and especially from Archbishop Polonias Sanctified. They were blamed for providing
camouflage for Belials Brood and condemned alongside the Diabolists in the Cleansing. In
addition to many, many Acolytes dying in the Crusade to rid the Five Boroughs of the Brood,
dozens more were killed by the Inquisition in the decades that followed and the entire Circle
was declared outlaw.
It took the actions of ideologue Carthians to get the Acolytes something even resembling peace.
While the Sanctified were unable to simply hunt and kill them at a whim, the Circle were still
relegated to second class citizens. The Archbishop had no time for any of their needs and did
everything in his power to push them to the periphery of Kindred society. The laws of the City
were written in such a way that no Acolyte would ever be able to achieve political power, hold
domain over anyone from a higher Covenant, or live legally in a desirable area of the City.
What Polonia didnt expect was for the Circle to absolutely thrive under these conditions. The
City doesnt know, of course. They think that there are only a handful of pathetic little pagans
running around doing their best to stay out of underfoot. They would absolutely shit
themselves to find out that dozens upon dozens of Acolytes have taken up residence in Five
Boroughs. The Sanctified would likely spontaneous combust if they found out just how many
mortal cults they run as well.
The Circle keeps their secrecy by virtue of the same laws that restrict them. They are banned
from living in areas of the City that Kindred actually want to live in and thus have been pushed
into areas that almost no one cares about and even less people ever visit. They make their
havens in werewolf and mage territory, in the blights formed by the Created, in rundown,

condemned tenements in the Bronx and Harlem, in trash dumps, in burned out factories, and
in the deepest recesses of the Necropolis.
Their collective oppression has brought the Circle very close. No real political factions exist to
divide them, though they do still band together into their separate cults. Of all the Covenants
in New York City, the Acolytes are the one most likely to actually stand united together both in
private and public. They dont really have any interest in political power though; the power the
Circle seeks, they already have. Some of the greatest blood sorcerers in the City reside within
their ranks and they have created huge power bases from mortal followers. It is only a matter
of time before they are discovered, however. When that occurs, what happens next is anyones
guess.
The cults of the Crone in the Five Boroughs are wide and varied, with members often
participating the rites of several different deities. Nearly every Acolyte has their own particular
interpretation of the Crone and to recount them all would be an exercise in futility. But the
City does have several large and powerful sects:
The Lilitu Bahari: The Bahari are by far the largest cult in the Circle. They are worshippers of
Lilith in her form as the goddess of magic, the wind, and death. The current Hierophant of the
Five Boroughs is member of Lilitu. Their rituals often emphasize bloodletting and sacrifice,
usually for use in Cruac sorcery. There is one thing that worries the more learned members of
the Bahari: One of Liliths forms is a ghostly screech owl. Modern Kindred dont know a lot
about the fall of the Camarilla, but enough is known about the Strix to make this form of Lilith
more than a little unsettling.
Children of the Earth Mother: These Kindred follow the ancient Sumerian cult of the goddess
Nin-Ki. The only sect to survive from before the ascendance of Polonia, they are still led by the
Subway Prophet Malachi. They command quite a bit of respect for this reason from the rest
of the Circle, though they dont have nearly as much membership as other cults. They
primarily live in specially hidden territories in the Necropolis, choosing to emulate the
subterranean domain of their chthonic mistress.
The Slain Choosers: Despite their name, these Acolytes do not worship the Norse valkyries.
Instead they follow the Norse death goddess and Crone Hel. They are a fairly small sect mostly
due to the punishing rituals that any aspiring member must go through. They believe that
only by coming close to true death can they understand their goddess and each new aspirant
must agree to be violently and painfully torpored before they can be accepted. When the new
Chooser in awoken seven days later, they will often claim to have seen visions of their goddess,
quite frequently condemning them to the task of acting as an agent of death on Earth.
Lamia Morrigia: Worshipped by the more martial in the Circle, the cult of the Celtic war
goddess carries are large following in the Five Boroughs. She counts quite a few Gangrel
among her worshippers as they attempt to emulate her wolf and crow forms. The Lamia almost
exclusively build their ritual places in locations associated with death like slaughterhouses and
crematories. The vast majority of the New York Crones Heroes belong to this sect.
The Womb of Cybele: Ironically, the cult of the Great Mother is almost entirely populated by
males. Or at least they used to be males. The most extremist and devoted cult in New York has

resurrected the ancient Roman tradition in the worship of the Magna Mater: castration. In
their effort to reach unity with the divine feminine, they eliminate their male features. The rest
of the Circle looks upon this cult with a mix of respect and dread. They lead almost as many
modern pagan cults as the Bahari, but nearly everyone in the Covenant expects them to be the
ones to let the cat out of the bag for the rest of the City.
New York Acolyte Terms:
Tender: A Crone Keeper of Elysium that watches over secret ritual areas.
The Unaligned: Barbarians at the Gate
In every city you have your dispossessed and your peasants. New York is no exception. The
feudal ladder must have a bottom rung and the Unaligned are it. They are the serfs and the
scots, those that work the fields and toil to pay their punishing rent just to live and feed in
territories that they dont own and have no right to outside their havens. Socially, they are the
lowest and have the least privileges even though they may possess the same feudal rank as a
lower Carthian or Sanctified.
There are exceptions, of course. Just because one does not choose to be part of a Covenant
does not mean that these Kindred cant gain power and prestige. There are a handful of
Unaligned that have reached comfortable positions of authority and control territories of their
own. The infamous Lord of Chinatown, Jason Lok, is the most prominent, though the name
Missy Michaels is becoming well known also as stories of her status as preeminent Harpy
spread.
While not in the Five Boroughs themselves, it should be noted the degree of power that the
Unaligned exhibit in the surrounding territories. The great cities of Newark, Atlantic City, and
Philadelphia maybe controlled by the Covenants, but Northern Jersey, Long Island, Eastern
Pennsylvania, and the area immediately north of New York City are the domain of the Nomad
Coalition. Led by notorious vampire Averros, the Nomad Coalition comprises many small,
Prince-less domains and a dozen coteries of nomads. What they lack in conventional
civilization and overarching traditions, they more than make up for in fanatical devotion to
independence and sheer numbers. The Coalition is more than willing to send fighters across
the breadth of their territory in order to defend it from foreign invaders. That devotion has
been enough to keep the Nomad Coalition free and have Averros recognized diplomatically as a
Prince by the surrounding domains (regardless of how reluctant that is).
New York Unaligned Terms:
Boss: Elected leader of a Nomad Coalition territory.
Captain: Leader of a Nomad Coalition armed group, usually bikers.

Laws of New York City

The Golden Laws: The first laws created by Archbishop Polonia immediately after his ascension,
the Golden Laws are considered active at all times and may only be ruled upon or modified by
Polonia himself. They officially inscribed in Latin and may only be recited in such before the
Curia. Each Golden Law begins with Thou Art Banned
I. Thou Art Banned from Revealing thy Damned Nature to the Flock.
II. Thou Art Banned from Damning the Soul of a Mortal.
III. Thou Art Banned from Imbibing the Hearts-Blood of Another Damned.
IV. Thou Art Banned from Bearing False Witness before the Archbishop.
V. Thou Art Banned from Bringing Violence before the Curia.
VI. Thou Art Banned from the Worship of Demons and Heresies.
VII. Thou Art Banned from Interfering in an Inquisition.
VIII. Thou Art Banned from Hindering the Execution of a Crusade.
IX. Thou Art Banned from Violating the Peace of Elysium.
X. Thou Art Banned from Unrighteous Entering of a Mortal Church.
The Silver Laws: These are laws created by either the Archbishop or by vote of the Curia. They
are considered malleable and may be altered or abolished by either party. They often are used
to regulate the overall affairs of the Citys Kindred in relation to a given situation. There are
many Silver Laws and as they are constantly in flux, a comprehensive list would be selfdefeating. Some of the more important and long lasting Silver Laws are:
-The use of firearms by Kindred in the Five Boroughs, for any purpose, shall be at the discretion of the
Archbishop.
-The Circle of the Crone is hereby recognized as a legal Covenant with all the rights therein.
-No Kindred may be punished for commission of legal speech or religion.
-The Religions of the Damned are banned from contact with righteous mortals.
-The area now known as Ground Zero, formally known as the World Trade Center, is off-limits to all
Kindred.
-Poaching and squatting in the legal Domain of another Kindred is prohibited.
-The Blasphemous Sorcery of the Crone is hereby banned from use within the borders of New York City.
-No Kindred may alter the flow of the Natural Energies of the City.
The Brass Laws: No true laws per say, Brass Law is the name for any commandment or rule
handed down by ones immediate superior. The rent to live in ones domain, local restrictions
on feeding, and commands of which mortals one may associate with are all considered Brass
Laws. A Brass Law though doesnt apply to anyone but the specific individuals that the

lawmaker has authority over, that doesnt mean though that laws of domain and sovereignty
dont apply.

Rumors and Common Knowledge

This section includes the kind of things that one might hear on any given night being passed
among New Yorks Damned. Also included are things that are considered common knowledge
with the Five Boroughs Kindred, though there is quite a bit of overlap between the two.
-If you want the Curia to give you even a second glance, you better go to Mass. Polonia just
wont let them give you the time of night if you dont. Just go, even if you dont believe. Its a
gesture, but its one that shows that you are willing to sacrifice your time for some of his.
-Polonia doesnt have a reflection. No Im serious. And I dont mean that his is all fucked up
like ours. He doesnt have one at all. I know that Sanctified all like the say that our reflections
are a way of showing our damned souls, but what does that say about him then?
-The Archbishop killed the Princess. Do you really think that the two of them together
couldnt kill a Brood? They were two of the most powerful Kindred in the Citys history! I think
they took it down, and then he took her downjust dont tell anyone I said that. Okay?
-Grand Marshall Borges doesnt have eyes. Ive heard that someone once looked beneath that
cowl he has and saw nothing but empty pits. Ive never seen him act like hes blind though.
-Polonia can speak English perfectly, but he certainly doesnt seem to like it. You want to get
his attention, speak to him in Spanish. You want to impress him? Use Latin.
-Apparently the Archbishop and his kids are part of some weird, rare-ass bloodline called the
Las Sombras. Ive heard from people that have seen firsthand that they can manipulate
shadows. Just like that funky Mekhet line, right? But everyone knows that those guys are
Ventrue. I wonder whats up with that.
-There is something wrong with Lord Norton. He scars. He can heal from any injury just like
us, but he forms these huge, discolored scars whenever he does. Its unfortunate, because I
hear he used to be pretty good looking.
-Ive saw Polonia one time right after he woke up. The emergency of week had been forcing us
to meet with him immediately after dawn for several days. Dont tell him I told you this.but
hes orange! His skin is orange! I think he must have been embraced with a pretty severe
sunburn the way it looks with his pale skin. I wouldnt bring it up though. He seems pretty
self-conscious about it. I mean, he heals it every night.
-Polonia used to be a Crusader. Hes that old. Ive even heard a rumor that hes a surviving
Knight Templar.
-Michaelahs childe, the one named Amanda, is literally a child. Shes like nine or ten or
something like that. From what I hear, Michaelah embraced her because she looks exactly like
Michaelah did when she was little and she wanted to preserve that forever. Pretty sick and

twisted, huh? Most places shed be an abomination to be killed, but shes the Princesss kid,
an elder, and Ive heard her referred to with the title Pillar. The Invictus respect and love her
almost as much as Michaelah.
-Averros, that Unaligned warlord out in Jersey, is a childe of the Unholy. No shit. I heard he
has wings and everything.
-Everyone loves Galt, but I dont. I see what hes doing. He knows that at any time he could
go all Pied Piper and lead the Kindred of the City anywhere he wants. Can you give me a better
plan for VII to carry out?
-You want Lacrima? Blood wine? Doped blood? Talk to the Invictus ghoul, Snider. He can get
anything you want. *looks around* Ive heard he even has Solacebut you didnt hear that
from me.
-Ive heard the increase in ghost activity around the City is because Gregor is back. He
disappeared when Polonia took over and now hes back. Does that mean the Brood is back
too?
-Anyone think its a coincidence that Norton lives at 55 Park West and the movie was
associated with demon summoning in that Ghostbuster movie? He came out pretty well after
the whole Brood war. I mean, besides the whole horrifically scarred thing.
-Theres a Blister in the Five Buroughs. Ive got a coterie-mate with a ghouled doc. Doc says
that there has been an increase in cases of some kind super-bug staph infection around the
City. The patients have also been checked in with extreme blood loss. You know what that
means.
-I dont have very much contact with them, but the lupines and wizards are getting anxious
about something. I didnt really understand all the technical crap they were spewing but I did
get this much: the energies of the City have been getting corrupted and screwed up for the
better part of three decades, and they dont know why. Maybe Donovan does. Hes supposed to
an expert on that kind of thing, right?
-Seneschal Benson is a Malkavian. Well, how would you explain the way he acts?
-I heard that if you manage to find where Benson stores all those notes hes always taking, you
would have the City by the balls. I doubt Polonia would let something like that go unprotected
though.
-Polonia isnt all fire and brimstone and damn the sinners. He has a life outside of the
Sanctified. Hes an amateur geneticist, like Mendel style. Hes trying to breed back carrier
pigeons from what Ive heard.
-People say that Missy Michaels has gotten all that prestige because shes so hot that even the
elders get all spun up about her. Ive heard different. I heard shes a Duchagne. She can
make you see what she wants you to. Thats how shes become the biggest Harpy in the
Boroughs.

-A few years ago when the kine renovated the Natural History Museum, Polonia had them
open Calebros tomb. It was empty.
-You want to get a hold of the Cult of the Body? Go down to Pier 11 and look for a big ass
yacht called Charibdys. Its theirs.
-If youre not from the Necropolis, dont go down there without someone to lead you around.
Its dangerous as shit. You wont believe the kind of stuff that has been abandoned down there.
I saw an albino tiger prowling a tunnel once. I bet theres alligators down there too.
-Dude, viichan. Thats all I have to say.
-Jan Pieterzoon, the Invictus Primogen, used to be called the Marquis of New Amsterdam.
Hes been here that long.
-I know vampire bands are clich but Desecration Smile is good, like really good. They usually
play down at 81 Bells in Brooklyn.
-Julia Roth, the Mistress of Elysium, has been close to getting kicked out of her position more
than a few times. Shes a great artist, but if youve ever seen her art, blasphemy is pretty
much the first word that comes to mind.