The vampire denizens of a city owe their prince no oaths of loyalty or vassalage.Their obedience on their cowardice,and most princes make certain to have some means of enforcing cowardice.If a Prince's rule is questioned or thwarted,he may call in force to maintain control.However,if there si not enough force for the problem,or he fineds himself without allies,his reign ends.
Having followed the protocol demanded by the Traditions,most vampires ignore their prince,or give him half an ear at best to make sure they don't miss anything that might pertain to them.On the whole,Kindred have plenty of diversionsto occupy themselves with besides listening to their 'leader'.Some elders,Inconnu and those in a position not to care (such as justicars) find princely announcments alternately amusing and arrogant,the blustering of a younger still impressed with the gaudy trappings of power.
When all is sasid and done,however,the prince is nothing to brush off.A Prince weilds vast amounts of temporal power to acheive and maintain their position.Not only do they manage the Kindred affairs of a city,they usually have quite a bit of sway over mortal business.The police,the frie department,construction companies, hospitals,the mayor's office---all are extremely useful for putting down one's enemies or securing one's hold on a particular sphere or influence.If the Prince wishes to squash a gang of particularly troublesome anarchs,they can have a construction company bulldoze their haven in the middle of the day.A Church-sponsored hunter operating out of a local cathedral may find the mayor's office calling to inquire about the churches tax-exempt status.Such influences usually capture the attention of those who might otherwise be inclined to thumb their noses at the Prince.It is unwise to anger one who could have your haven condemned by the zoning board or your phone line 'accidently' cut while a gas main is being dug. |
