Updated: 24 September 1998

THE CAMARILLA OF PARIS

                    Paris is a stronghold of the Camarilla. With a Kindred population around the hundred, with its strict adherence to the Masquerade and the other Traditions, with so much Elder it tempt and frighten even the Sabbat Diabolist, with its Toreador population full of pride and prejudice, Paris is, for the non-parisian Kindred, full of wonders and subtle but deadly danger. Paris is not Los Angeles, or Chicago, or Berlin. There the power of the Toreador is unquestionable, and their influence appears everywhere, even among the Anarchs.

THE CAMARILLA:

                    No doubt permitted. François Villon's influence and capacity for intrigue is such that, with the Toreador Clan united behind him, no Clan, no Clan can't rival their power here. And the power of the Toreador even extends to most french Cities.

THE TOREADOR HEGEMONY:

                    Born from the idea that the other Clan would only be in the way, Villon and Beatrix imagined the Toreador Hegemony: France would become the new birthplace of Art, and would only remain so if untouched by the other Clans: The Ventrue and the Lasombra were too much concerned about ruling to promote the Arts. The Brujah were still to much bitter about their Carthage, and would only destroy the Toreador dream. The other Clans were of no interest, and no one wanted the usurpers (The Tremere and the Giovanni) to put their dirty diabolist hands on the pure Toreador project.

The Toreador Hegemony principles were simple: The Prince of Paris must be Toreador (thus the center would be controlled); the Princes of France would be submitted to the Prince of Paris (thus buffer domains would protect Paris); the Toreador Clan was to prosper and increase in numbers while the other Bloodlines were to stagnate (thus the Toreador increased naturally their power over France).

The use of the armies of Louis the 14th, as well as the guerilla-oriented cotterie of Villon (dating from the Anarch years) helped subjugate the french Kindred, as well as protect France from other country's intervention, intrigued by the outraged Clans.

The 1789 Revolution was a hard hit against the Toreador Hegemony, but again, without Beatrix, Villon was able, with the help of his Toreador clanmates (Ivan, Lazlo and Alexis) to take back the control of France.

Since then, no one succeeded in undermining the power of Villon. He was the absolute master of France, extending his power of Prince in all the country, and controlling it with the help of his ''Kindred Police'', the Masques.

Of course, there were incidents that attracted the attention of the Camarilla Inner Circle. Justicars from all the Clans studied France for the error that would be the end of Villon's mad dream. But his influence, the power of a whole Clan united behind him, the support of the Toreador Justicar as well as the protection of the Masquerade by the Masques was too much. The fact that the Kindred population of Paris were beyond the accepted limits, and still, that the Masquerade was protected even better than in most U.S. cities was all the argument Villon needed.

He is, now, unchallenged. Some whispers the European Community will end this. Perhaps. Perhaps not. No one can say... But remember the U.N.E.S.C.O., whose H.Q. are in Paris... Remember the temples of Abou Simbel... The Toreador Hegemony in France works too well to be officially challenged, and the Clan Toreador of France is too powerful to be challenged...

EFFECTS OF THE HEGEMONY:

 

Status, France	Paris	Other French City
0	Unknown	Unknown
*	Neonate	Neonate
**	Ancilla	Ancilla
***	Elder	Elder, Prévôt
****	Elder	Primogen, Senechal, Légat
*****	Duc,Duchesse	Marquis, Marquise
***** *	Prince of Paris

                    The Kindred society of Paris, is divided in five classes. The Kindred of France are within the Parisian system, but are less considered.

The first is limited in access to the Clan of the Rose, the Toreador. They are the 'royal' bloodline of France. The only one able, by Blood, to become real Princes in France (Remember: All french Princes are Marquis). The Toreador are the only one able to reach a Status of 6.

The second class is the Noble: The any Clan, Bloodline or sect recognizing the hegemony of the Toreador and of the Camarilla can become noble if they are considered worthy enough (i.e. if they have enough power to threaten the Prince, or win enough Toreador Prestige, like the Daughters of Cacophony). They have the right to be represented by their leader which will be called Duc or Duchesse. Their Status is limited to 5.
In the same way, the Marquis and Marquises are limited to five. In their city, the Status works as explained in the Vampire Sourcebook. Note that anyone reaching the Status of 5 is offered a seat in the Grand Cour. Someone reaching a status of four is considered as powerful as any Primogen of France, and can take a seat in any Primogen in the city where she decides to move (if her powerbase works in that city, too...).

The third are the non-Noble, also called the Peuple (The People), who are any Clan, Bloodline or Sect as explained above, but without power or prestige enough to become Noble. Their status is limited to 3. Only those being Primogen in any Camarilla City will be considered as with a Status of 4.

The fourth are the Gueux, also called the Bâtards. They have no Clan, nor Lineage, and are, thus, not really recognized by the Kindred society (which sees a lot of importance in the whole Generation/Bloodline story!). Most of them are true Caitiffs, some others are Autarkis. In the contrary to other more conservative European cities, Caitiffs are accepted, but have no power, and are, most of the time, not even aknowledged. The truth is that the Gueux are the lowest 'citizens' of the Kindred society, and that the rest of the Kindred society likes it to have people considered as inferior. Note that some Clans are represented in this category: Assamites, as well as Ravnos are considered as Gueux because of their enmity with the Toreador, even if their Blood makes them somewhat superior (but more dangerous, and thus, less liked, if they are still more respected) to the Caitiff. Their status is limited to 2. Note that most (if not all) Anarchs, but their leader, fall in this category, as they are considered immature in a Kindred viewpoint! Note, too, that Caitiff can have Status, but has a permanent malus of 1 because of the Clan prejudice. Thus, a Caitiff whose presence is accepted in Paris have a legal Status of 1. But for any interaction, the Caitiff has a malus of 1 and thus is considered as having a Status of 0.

The Fifth are the Kindred under a Blood Hunt, or from enemy Clans or Sects: The Sabbat Antitribu, the Lasombra and the Tzimisce, The Baali (for those who know of their existence), etc. The only status they have is their Generation (that can attract Legal Diabolist wannabes!).

Note that the limitation also applies to the other Background traits! If a Non-Noble Kindred happens to fall in the wrong side of the Toreador, and is discovered to have a Resources ***** Background, the Toreador will work to decrease it to acceptable limits (so, 3 for most non-Noble Clan Kindred -- it's equal to the Status limitation). This part isn't official, and is not automatic. But someone attracting the attention of the Clan (in the wrong way) will probably be victim of Background changes...

This non-official limitation, part of the Toreador Hegemony, is the principal subject of intrigues and discussion within the Camarilla of Paris, and with the Anarchs, who believe nothing so stupid as Bloodline should limit one's power. But no one have the power to remove this non-written law, but still, they try...

THE ANARCHS:

                    As surprising as it can appear, the french Anarchs are considered Camarilla, as per the Convention of Thorn:

Villon made profit of this part to enter the Camarilla after the Convention of Thorn, even if some Ventrue suspected him to have destroyed Alexandre and Saviarre. But his ''ends'' changed from Anarch Ideals to the Toreador Dream.

This part was overlooked by the Anarchs, and after they were Blood Hunted in 1871, they rediscovered it. The Anarchs are guaranteed the freedom to act as they please sentence was commented. While some believed it was always true, the new Anarch Idealists (See the Authentiques) decided it was only appliable if the Anarchs are further warred upon. This is a very powerful part because it gives them the right to retaliate even by killing their adversaries, without fearing the Sixth Tradition.

This sentence (and the last) convinced the parisian Anarchs that they could create their own Anarchy (some would prefer Democracy) without fearing the Camarilla as a whole. They gathered in a large domain where they pooled their influence to keep the control from the Elders. There they remained, far from the Cour and far, they think from the Clan's intrigues: Parisian Anarchs believe (officially) in no Clan ties, and, unless exception, a Kindred cannot win Anarch Prestige and Clan Prestige.

This isolationist position, coupled with the fact that some Anarchs attended Clan gatherings, or even Soirées or Salon, using Esprit and intrigues to increase unease among the Elders, is seen as dangerous by the Elders of the Camarilla.

They would like nothing more than destroy the ''Anarchy'' they believe Villon is building within them. At the very least, they would like a general consensus making the Anarchs personna non grata, and so, not even aknowledging one.

It is more difficult than most thought, because even if an Elder feel contempt for an Anarch, she will use any sensible Anarch-given information that could weaken her Elder enemy. At this game, Anarchs rarely wins Status, even if for some, Esprit becomes an addictive pleasure, but they succeed at least in enhancing the natural turmoil of the intrigue-loving Elders.

THE HIERARCHY:

                    Above all, the Prince of France, who rules over all the eight Fiefs of France.

Under his rule are different factions. The Marquis are the Princes of the Fiefs. the Marquis are considered as Princes, but the Prince of Paris has the right to negate any decision they take, limiting greatly their power. (They failed to destroy the Toreador Hegemony, and now, the Praxists are Marquis whose aim is restoring themselves as true Princes. They try to influence the Camarilla to help them but failed, due to the efficiency of Villon's hold over the Masquerade). Note that Marquis are chosen by the Prince of Paris.

The Légat is the official representant of the Prince of Paris in one Fief

The Marquis can choose (with the approving of the Prince of Paris) one Sénéchal who can replace the Marquis when she is away from the Fief. Most of the time, the Sénéchal is one of the Childer of the Marquis, and anyway, always from the same Clan.

The next title is the title of Prévôt. They have the power of Police, chosen as is the Sénéchal. Note that each is accorded an honorary Masque Status from 1 to 4 (by Villon, Ivan, as well as because of personnal power, efficiency and loyalty), only to be compared to a Masque's when the two are fighting for leadership over each other.

The last is Keeper of the Elysium, chosen by the Marquis, but always from the Clan Toreador (Villon always stops any nomination of non-Toreador Guardians). Without real power, but they sometimes must work to protect the Masquerade, stepping over the toes of the Sénéchal.

Appart from this hiearachy, the Masques are the police of Villon, with the right to investigate everywhere in France, including in the other Fiefs. When in decision conflicts, compare the Status of the Kindred with the Masque Status of the Masque to decide who takes precedence. The Veilleurs are considered Masques when it comes to non-Kindred supernatural activity (most of them Mages, or just after, Wraiths).

THE ORDALIE:

                    Sometimes, the need for Order and to protect the Masquerade means two Kindred must settle their problem once for all. Only Villon can give the autorization for an official duel, an Ordalie. There is no written rules, but honor takes a great place there. If someone is considered offensed, he has the choice of the weapons (Villon can give the opponent the right to wear his own). Most Ordalies are not fought until death. This ritual is done in public, and most of the time, the loser loses Status (perhaps even Prestige) unless he behaved himself with proper manners. The decisions are, then, made official, and the two are not anymore authorized to fight each other for the same reason. That means that if two Kindred battale for the control of a Nightclub, once the fight is finished, the loser can't challenge anymore the winner over the ownership of the said Nightclub. For the sake of order, Ivan and the Masques will investigate possible (direct of indirect) violation of this rule. Should a party not heed its own part of the contract, the punishement can go from loss of Status/Prestige to exile to death.

A limited form of Blood Hunt is even used there: The possessions of the Kindred is considered fair game, and killing, maiming ghouls or (non-Kindred) lovers, taking the control of the resources or removing the influence is authorized. Kindred who succeeded in removing these ''Backgrounds'' can win Prestige or Status, and are authorized to keep them as if they had won their own duel against the loser. The loser can protect her own possession but isn't authorized to counterattack. A Kindred whose possession had been removed must now start from scratch, with Status or Prestige, and most Elders find it too embarrassing to risk suffering it.

Each Ordalie has its own rules accepted (even grudgingly) by each party. The most common are ''third blood with rapier without any supernatural help'' or ''death, no matter the way''. Sometimes, Villon (or even the two parties) can decid the loser will suffer added punishement. Hand amputation for a week (month or even years), limited or unlimited exile are common.

This Tradition isn't official, and the Anarchs scorns it, saying this is another ''Might makes Right'' rule. Ventrue, Toreador support the Ordalie

While two Kindred can fight their own duels alone, if one of them dies in the process, this is considered a violation of the Sixth Tradition.

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