THE PRINCE
- The prince is, to put it simply, the vampire who has enough power to hold
domain over a city, codify the laws for that city and keep the peace. Such a
position is typically held by an elder, for who but an elder has the necessary
personal charisma and power to take and hold domain in a metropolis? In some
small towns, younger vampires may be able to claim domain in the same way, but
their claims are rarely respected by the coteries of the cities. On occasion,
strange circumstances have placed younger vampires in a position to rule cities,
but few such upstarts manage to hold their titles when the elders appear.
The Primogen -- The primogen are the assembled elders of each
clan in a city. Most often, each clan has a representative primogen, but in
some cities a prince refuses to allow a given clan to place a member on this
council of elders. In theory, primogen represent their clans among the political
body of elders, but in practice the primogen are more often an "old vampires'
club" and an incestuous nest of treachery and favor-carrying. Primogen
-- convene at the prince's discretion. In cities with powerful or despotic princes,
the primogen may be nothing more than a figurehead, while in other cities princes
govern solely at the whim of the elder council.
It is worth noting that the prince is often not the primogen of his clan. Although
some Kindred claim that having duplicate clans involved in the political structure
weighs matters in favor of that clan, no one is really in a position to change
it.
The Sheriff -- Most sheriffs are appointed by the prince and
approved by the primogen. While the job description may vary from city to city,
the sheriff's prime job is to be the prince's "enforcer," the vampire
who hauls offenders into court, keeps order on the streets, and generally stands
ready to assist with the "muscle" aspects of ruling. Sheriffs may
select deputies, who occasionally require the prince's approval.
The Harpies -- These Kindred pride themselves on being the
social managers of Elysium. They traffic in gossip and social maneuvering, and
status is their coin. With the right or wrong word to a prince, they can make
or break a vampire's place in the city. This position is rarely appointed outright;
over time, those with the skills to be harpies tend to rise to the top. Most
are unimpressed with the displays of bluster and demonstrate remarkable insight
into vampiric nature. Bucking a harpy will assure one a place at the bottommost
rung of the ladder of power for years to come.
The Whip -- Primogen occasionally keep whips as assistants.
Not much different from the whips in mortal government, the whip's job is to
goad and encourage discussion and decision-making during clan meetings, and
to keep the clan updated on their primogen members' doings. Whips are selected
by the primogen.
The Seneschal -- This is one position that many princes would
like to do without, but which occasionally is necessary. One prince described
the filling of this position to be akin to choosing which knife to put at her
throat. A seneschal is meant to be a chamberlain, a second-in-command and an
advisor to the prince. At any time, he may be asked to step into the prince's
place is she leaves town on business, abdicates or is slain. Naturally, a prince
wishes to have final authority on such an important position, and my have fought
endlessly with their primogen over the subject. This is a dangerous position
in more ways than one -- familiarity with the subject can give one ideas ...
The Keeper of the Elysium -- The keeper is in charge of what
goes on in Elysium. A Toreador wishing to display her latest work, a Tremere
wanting to give a lecture, or a Brujah scheduling an open debate on princely
policies -- all must clear things with the keeper, who can cancel or approve
an event on the grounds of preserving the Masquerade. The keeper is responsible
for ensuring that mortals do not enter the area during Elysium and that events
run smoothly. Most keepers are appointed by the prince, often with the stipulation
that their appointment is conditional until their qualifications are assured.
The Scourge -- As the nights grow more and more violent and the cities
fill with unknown Kindred, some Princes have resurrected this ancient position.
Essentially, the scourge patrols the borders of a princedom, seeking out and
often destroying newcomers who have failed to present themselves. Caitiff, as
well as the fledgelings of the 13th, 14th and 15th generations, have much to
fear from the scourge. In some cases, even vampires who have followed protocol
fall victim to the scourge, as princes reflexively react to fears of overpopulation
and espionage. A few scourges are Assamite assassins under contract to a prince.