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Vampire Sects & Lore

by: Kismet Rose

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Vampires are often territorial, distrustful, and competitive - not exactly the best companions. On the other hand, they get lonely and usually find themselves drawn to others of their own kind. Their fractious nature never goes away, however, and over the centuries vampires have gathered themselves into many groups. Some are ushered into a sect by their sire upon their embrace; others choose a group when they move or are released. Even the most antisocial character will eventually find a reason to join a collective, if only to protect their own interests. One of the first steps to building a character or a city is to figure out which sects are present, powerful, and open to new members.

Sects are influended by era and location, as well as the popularity of their basic ideas. Many groups have come and go, and not all of them have made it down to modern nights. A few have become obsolete with the advent of modern technology, for instance. Those explored below have simply been more resilient and common. They are not monolithic and found in every corner of the World of Darkness, either. Sects have lost territory, been run out entirely, or never materialized in some areas. The largest might have a presence in many cities, but they are more likely to be connected by ideas and methods than direct lines of communication.

There are some important things to remember when reading about the various camps. The first is that the books often present biased viewpoints so you should be encouraged to think about what the factions are really like, underneath their façades. The books also tend to focus on the larger scale, whereas characters have to deal with the nightly life of the sects in their particular city. Think about how the factions operate on a regular basis, particularly when they have to respond to local concerns. Each group should have minor and major goals because they are not static entities. They wax and wane, shift and re-solidify, and have to continually work to maintain themselves. Nothing is resolved for long, and everything remains up for grabs.

It is also vital to realize that characters can accept and reject different aspects of their sect and still remain within it. Even though this can be dangerous in groups that are more devout, vampires are people first, with their own views and desires. No matter how good the propaganda is, there will always be doubters. Only the most fanatical will agree with everything they are taught. A few points of difference are more likely, and for most characters they will be bearable. It is only when a character begins to disagree with most of the foundational precepts of their faction that real problems will begin to pile up for them.

There are some important differences to understand between Vampire: the Masquerade and Vampire: the Requiem. Membership in a sect is usually permanent in Masquerade, with very little room to switch sides. In Requiem, it is easier to join another covenant and earn trust. It is understood that Kindred will have changes of heart over time. Sects are also more restrictive in Masquerade because they represent ideology and blood (thus, certain clans are almost always in the Sabbat and are hunted and distrutsted outside of it). In Requiem, covenants are political and religious in nature, and generally open to all clans. With a little work, sects from Masquerade can be used in Requiem and vice versa.

The covenants below are open to any edition and clan; they're not all exclusive to vampires, either. They were developed for our games and may serve well in yours.