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Elder Relations to other Groups
The best Party is but a kind of Conspiracy against the rest of the Nation.
— Lord Halifax, Political Thoughts and Reflections
Elders are always on strained relations with other groups inside the Camarilla and out. They work against their own as often as they work against non-Kindred. This is an explanation of those often complex relationships.
Neonates
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
— King James Bible, Proverbs 23:13-14
The elders have limited control over the great pool of neonates, since they must work through the sires to affect them, but they have a deep interest in all childer. As more and more new vampires become anarchs, or break their ties to the Camarilla and join the Sabbat, elders fear the unraveling of their centuries-old society. Without a fresh supply of obedient, humble young to act as foot soldiers in the endless Jyhad, the elders will have to face their foes directly. After centuries of indirect conflict, open warfare is not an attractive option.
Some elders want to change the laws, allowing the creation of many new childer. They see strength of numbers as their only salvation. Cooler heads point out that as long as childer go over to the anarchs and Sabbat in increasing numbers, creating more vampires will make the enemy stronger.
Most elders agree on the rearing of neonates. They believe the young should be disciplined harshly and instilled with fear of anarchic violence and revulsion for Sabbat practices. This approach cuts across clan lines, and finds as many adherents in Gangrel wastelands as Ventrue boardrooms. A prominent minority of elders reject this position, believing that strict control will only give progeny more cause to rebel. They advocate improved treatment of neonates.
Most Malkavians and Nosferatu do not directly support the majority position, though other elders point to the frightening torments these clans sometimes inflict on their young as evidence of agreement. The Tremere refuse to accept any "childe-rearing" decrees from the Camarilla. They believe that their rigid hierarchical structure prevents neonates from escaping. Other clans insist that reality frequently proves this conviction wrong.
Ancillae
lf a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place, and they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton. and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die.
— King James Bible, Deuteronomy 21:18-21
As the rank and file of the Camarilla, ancillae wield little power individually but more than they know when they act in concert. Clan rivalries, petty jealousies and personal tensions make any sort of ancilla organization difficult and unity very unlikely. Nevertheless, the elders intensely fear any steps in that direction with a passion, since most came to power over their own sires through secret pacts with other ancillae, and they obsessively watch for similar signs in their own progeny. Some elders have ordered their powerful progeny into battles against one another just to promote mutual hatred and head off any possible alliances.
Overall, the ancillae are loyal and reasonably straightforward. Their minimal participation in the spoils of the Kindred world and hopes of future increase keep them toeing a very narrow line. They know their conduct will determine their reward, and those who elect not to rebel are eager to please their fickle masters. However, controlling the ancillae through reward is a double-edged sword. The better the an ancilla becomes at pleasing his masters, the more rewards he gets. The more rewards he gets, the more powerful he grows. As an ancilla learns to play the Elysium game created by his sires, he becomes an ever-greater threat to individual elders.
The elders therefore make advancement within the ranks of the Camarilla torturously difficult and slow. But this builds friction, and many ancille smolder with resentment. To prevent the situation from flaring up, some elders argue in favor of increasing every ancilla's' share of Camarilla assets. They propose an end, or at least a decrease, in the rampant hoarding of vast resources. This is not a popular notion, but it gains support as the anarchs and the Sabbat attract more members.
Anarchs
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat well of the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured.
— King James Bible, Isaiah 1:18-20
To the anarchs, the elders' vise-like grip on power is a monstrous perversion of the natural order, and they conduct a running guerrilla. This has cost both camps dearly but has not shaken the elders' control. Still, fear of anarch incursions has caused them to tighten their grasp and resort to abuses that they once rejected. This could hand the anarchs the victory that has eluded their tacticians: in cracking down with excessive force, the elders risk losing the hearts and minds of all Kindred except the most tightly Blood Bound.
The tactic that works best against the anarchs is demonization and propaganda. When the elders make themselves out to be victims of anarch savagery, they gain an odd measure of sympathy within the Camarilla. Blaming Sabbat horrors and other unexplained World of Darkness atrocities on anarchs also weakens the appeal of the rebellious Kindred.
Surprisingly, the elders often reserve a greater personal hatred for anarchs than for the truly dangerous foes like the Sabbat. This is because the elders see the Sabbat as an enemy to be crushed, and proceed with straightforward, open warfare. They have no conflicting feelings about the servitors of the Black Hand. But the anarchs are still Camarilla, after a fashion.
To face constant attacks from their own young makes the elders feel bitter and betrayed. Some progressive thinkers want the anarchs back in the Camarilla camp and have toyed with amnesty plans and even limited power sharing, though these ideas are continually shouted down in conclave. With Sabbat advances, however, even some of the more ancient elders are beginning to consider the unthinkable: détente with the anarchs.
The Sabbat
Thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies.
— King James Bible, Deuteronomy 20: 13-14
Hatred for the Sabbat is rampant within the halls of Elysium. The gains made by the Black Hand and the losses felt by the Camarilla are eternally galling. The Sabbat's great success in breaking Blood Bonds has cost the elders supporters, territory, control and, worst of all, prestige.
Some elders take pride in nothing but lording it over other Kindred. All their military victories and political stratagems are only tools to gain the reverence of the Camarilla. When the Sabbat break blood Bonds, or take over whole cities, these elders feel excruciating humiliation: to them, the resulting loss of face is nothing less than a symbolic stake in the heart. They react by hurling their resources into wave after wave of combat with the Sabbat. This lack of planning has cost the Camarilla dearly. The Sabbat have capitalized on many of these mistakes: were they better organized, they could have made even greater incursions on Camarilla territory.
Many Justicars try to take this wild overreaction into account when planning strikes against the Sabbat. They must improve on the general strategy of the Conclaves but cannot deviate too far. They take great risks in countermanding direct orders, even when they create powerfully effective strategies.
The Camarilla wants each "stolen" city back and will not hear arguments in favor of compromise or truce with their implacable foe. However, some elders have secretly begun to give up hope that they can stop the rising tide of Sabbat strength and believe that the Camarilla will end in the coming century. Though this prediction may simply be the result of an elder's morbidly obsessive imagination, more signs of its truth appear all the time.
Lupines
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
— King James Bible, Acts: 20:29
Elders have gained significant control over younger vampires by insisting that the Lupines are a grave threat to all Kindred, and that only strong leadership can keep the werewolves from overrunning them. This is an easy case to make, since Lupine-Kindred warfare has raged for centuries.
In truth, the werewolves often adopt a live-and-let-live attitude towards vampires who successfully maintain their Humanity. But since many elders fear that age will inevitably erode their Humanity, they have reason to fear the werewolves. Though younger vampires are less at risk, they are more vulnerable to Lupine claws than the closeted elders. This is added incentive for elders to instill fear of the Lupines in their charges and claim special powers in fighting the shapechangers.
However, the elders have little defense against the greatest Lupine weapon: the spirit world. Vampires do not understand this potent resource, and many are completely unaware of it. But it frightens the elders who have been studying the ease with which Garou move into and out of physical reality. They like to keep a constant eye on Garou who enter their cities, and exploit divisions within werewolf society wherever possible. Knowledge is strength, and some elders specialize in Lupine lore.
Mages
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
— King James Bible, Exodus 22:18
Elders are very wary of the perplexingly modern mages and their often invisible presence in Camarilla cities. Elders comprehend Thaumaturgy and trafficking with spirits, but Ascension and Spheres of magick are as alien to them as a steam engine to a medieval king.
They fear what they do not understand and would very much like to see all mages destroyed. This is a very dangerous undertaking, since mages have obliterated even old and powerful Cainites, so elders usually opt to maintain a healthy distance. They keep close tabs on mage activities and make deals where they can. As long as the practitioners of magick steer clear of an elder's interests and pay proper deference, she is content to avoid open warfare. But when she finds a mage's throat beneath her heel, she is likely to swiftly crush it.
The lnconnu
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding, With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding… He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of the darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyed them.
— King James Bible, Job 12:12-23
The elders bitterly loathe yet deeply respect the Inconnu. At the heart of their paradoxical reaction is an abiding fear of the mysterious Methuselahs. Most elders would be content to never hear from the Inconnu, but they know that is unlikely.
When the Inconnu choose to involve themselves in the affairs of the Camarilla, those rare visits are always viewed with trepidation, but great interest, by all the elders. Some go in person and some send spies, but all powerful Kindred try to monitor the situation.
Often Inconnu involvement adds measurably to peace and stability, defusing potentially explosive situations. But other times the Inconnu stir up trouble where a tense neutrality once existed. They have completely shaken up entire city structures and toppled princes. Some elders maintain that the change was necessary, but many are not convinced.
Most elders know a way to contact the Inconnu, but few take the chance. Still, some are drawn to the hidden wisdom of the progeny of the Antediluvians. They seek out the secret counsel of the Inconnu against the will of their clan and even the Inner Circle. Those who have regular contact with the Inconnu are not trusted by the elder community, even though they are accorded great status within Elysium.
Within the elders' hollow unlives is the flickering need for answers to the riddles wrapped in their undying skin. Though elders seldom speak to one another of the quiet voice that calls out across that gulf of emptiness, many try to follow its dictates and learn. The Inconnu have that knowledge, or are closer than anyone to determining it, for they have found Golconda. Even the staunchest defender of the Masquerade, in her darkest moments, craves sweet release.
Many elders exhort against trafficking with the Inconnu and hold forth at great length during Conclaves about the grave dangers that follow such a visit. They claim that Golconda is a trap to ensnare idealistic Kindred who foolishly maintain hope of growth beyond vampirism and is really nothing more than a sophisticated form of the Blood Bond. The Tremere are especially vocal in this regard, but some elders maintain that the clan's leaders are actually inconstant contact with the Inconnu and selfishly want to keep others from gaining their secrets.
Some virulent attacks on the Inconnu hold that the Methuselahs are thoroughly corrupted by demons and creatures from beyond the veil of death. Vampirism may be a great burden, they opine, but the curse of the demon kin is far, far worse.
Vampire Hunters
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go into the streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
— King James Bible, Lamentations, 4:18-19
Elders bear a long-standing grudge against the inflicted hunters. They eternally pick at the scabs of wounds inflicted on their clans by hunters of old, and brood on new revenge. Some elders who yet remember the time when they ruled over a frightened humanity resent the Masquerade and the swelling human population that made it necessary.
Forbidden by the Masquerade to punish unsuspecting humanity for past insults, many Kindred seek revenge on the only human targets available to them: the hunters. When they have turned the tables and cornered their pursuers, elders take singular delight in inflicting as much suffering as their captives can endure (or as much as the elders' diminishing Humanity can stand).
Many elders believe that they have won the fight against the hunters, and the only humans who still seek them out are considered insane by the rest of the mortal world. Still, some prudently point to the growing ranks of the Arcanum as evidence of a coming assault.
Vengeance-seeking elders want to take the fight right to the Arcanum, and sever the head while the body slumbers. But other elders refuse to sanction such a plan, saying that it could inadvertently lead these hunters straight to the halls of Elysium. Time, they reason, is on the side of the immortals, not the moribund ranks of humans. The longer short-lived mortals take to carry out their plans, the less chance they have of success.
But the vengeance-seekers insist that time only gives the hunters time to learn new skills, like magick. Elysium is filled with shadowy rumors of new computers that can vaporize opponents at a distance and give access to the innermost chamber of an elder's haven through any technological device he owns. Most of these tales are laughed off, but more and more elders take them very seriously.
For now the battles consist of low-lying skirmishes: while some elders toy with hunters for pleasure and some hunters make lucky assaults on Kindred, other humans are building their power.