CAMARILLA STATUS PACKET

2015 REVISION

Table of Contents An Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Status: An Introduction.................................................................................................................................................. 2 Gaining Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Starting Under the Accounting .................................................................................................................................. 3 Starting With Acknowledgement .............................................................................................................................. 3 Stripping Acknowledgement ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Second Accountings .................................................................................................................................................. 4

The Public Nature of Status ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Status Announcements ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Posting Status ............................................................................................................................................................ 5

Loaned Status ................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Status and Positions....................................................................................................................................................... 6

Positional Status for the Camarilla Stations .............................................................................................................. 6 Other Positions .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 A Harpy's Positional Status ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Assistants................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Ghouls ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Non-Camarilla Clans and Status ................................................................................................................................ 7

Granting and Stripping Status ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Granting Status.......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Stripping Status ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Visiting ....................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Politics (The Ability) ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 Blood Hunts (Lex Talionis) ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Praxis Disputes ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 Overturning a Blood Hunt ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Global Bloodhunts (formerly Character Regulation Bylaw 11) ............................................................................... 11

Status Modifiers........................................................................................................................................................... 11 Status Modifier Rules .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Merits & Flaws: ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 Prestigious/Infamous Lineage ................................................................................................................................. 13 Probationary Sect Member Flaw............................................................................................................................. 14 Long Term Prince Merit........................................................................................................................................... 14

Boons ........................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Earning Boons.......................................................................................................................................................... 15 Appeasement .......................................................................................................................................................... 15 Registering Boons .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Being in Debt ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 Trading Boons.......................................................................................................................................................... 15 Combining Boons .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Dividing Boons ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 Defaulting ................................................................................................................................................................ 16 Boons Outside of the Camarilla ............................................................................................................................... 16 Levels of Boons........................................................................................................................................................ 16 Adjustments ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 The Waiting Game ................................................................................................................................................... 17 House Rules, Traits & Challenges ............................................................................................................................ 17 Inter-Chronicle Disputes.......................................................................................................................................... 17

Primary Sources: .......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Credits:......................................................................................................................................................................... 18

An Introduction In the height of the Inquisition, as Elder Kindred were being murdered during the day by peasants who

were resistant to their powers, and at night by angry childer, resentful to being bred as slaves, a group

of Kindred realized that if the Kindred race was to survive they would need to band together what had

been previously a solitary and isolationist society.

They created the system of Prestation in those early nights of the Camarilla to try and curb the violence

and hostility that was the currency of the beast within. It is a system of traded favors based on the name

and reputation of the Kindred that requires all members of the Camarilla to buy into it; otherwise the

system fails and a new Inquisition is likely to appear with bombs and flamethrowers replacing pitchforks

and torches.

It’s easy to say that Prestation and Status is broken. Anyone with a keyboard and anonymity can ignore

it and do what they want as their PC. Unlike Aegis, or Deflection of Wooden Doom, the rules are vaguer,

and more open to interpretation. Where in the WW Genre, Kindred who flaunt their disregard of the

system find themselves isolated and banned from polite society, on a Friday night, it’s hard to tell a

player no one will play with him because he told the harpy that he’d kill her when she asked him to be

quiet while the Prince was speaking, and so the stick of status is ignored and the game suffers for it.

In the refresh of the status packet, we hope to remind OWbN that MET: Laws of the Night is a game of

social intrigue, and Status and Boons are the weapons and scorecard in the Elysium.

Status: An Introduction Status defines the level of respect or social renown within Camarilla society. It determines the weight

with which a Kindred's word should be regarded, their position in the social hierarchy, and measure of

their accomplishments and character in the eyes of the Sect. The ebb and flow of one’s reputation has a

serious effect on a character’s life even in modern nights. Within the game, Status takes the form of a

résumé of adjectives that define character, rank, and standing in the Camarilla.

Functionally, those with more Status are considered higher ranked. They can demand respect from, or

openly ignore, those with less. If there is a dispute between Kindred and there is no specific evidence,

Status is usually the deciding factor to determine who is right and who is wrong – or at least, who gets

the last word.

Common Camarilla Status Traits: Acknowledged, Admired, Adored, Cherished, Esteemed, Exalted,

Famous, Faultless, Feared, Honorable, Influential, Just, Praised, Respected, Revered, Trustworthy, Well-

Connected, and Well-Known. Other adjectives may be used but players should avoid being too silly:

“Spiffy” and “Mxyzptlkian” are not appropriate Status Traits. Curse-words and common slang are not

appropriate for Status Traits.

Gaining Acknowledgement Acknowledgement is always the first Status Trait given to a member of the Camarilla, and it is always the

last Status Trait stripped. A Kindred is usually only Acknowledged once, unless they suffer the extreme

humiliation of having that Status stripped away for a mistake. Acknowledgement is not to be confused

with the Tradition of Hospitality, which each Kindred must receive from the Prince of any Domain they

enter. Without Hospitality, Kindred cannot claim any of the Status they hold while in said Domain, and

few Princes will want to offer Hospitality to one who has lost her Acknowledgement somehow. A

Kindred who loses her Acknowledgement is at the mercy of the Scourge. Until a vampire gains

Acknowledgment in the Camarilla, she has no Status. A Prince may decide how to administer

Acknowledgement in her own Domain as she sees fit, within the general format of the Tradition of

Accounting.

The Tradition of Accounting - during the Accounting, any crimes committed by the Childe fall on the

Sire’s head, he must answer for his progeny’s misdeeds. The childe has no rights while under the

Accounting – the Sire may slay the childe at will, without suffering penalty unless a Prince has made

specific rules to the contrary. Until the childe is Acknowledged, she is not considered a real person

within the Camarilla. A childe is held under the Accounting until her Sire feels she is ready to be

presented, at which point a meeting with the local clan Primogen may be arranged so that the neonate

may be evaluated and tested. If satisfied that the childe is ready, the Primogen may then arrange a

meeting with the Prince for a final presentation. The Prince may choose to set his own tests, or he may

accept the Primogen’s word as sufficient. If there is no Clan Primogen, the Sire would first bring the

childe to the Seneschal, who would then arrange the meeting with the Prince. The specifics of

presentation may vary by Domain.

Once the vampire is Acknowledged, she has her first Status Trait, and is responsible for her own actions

and expected to uphold the Traditions of the Camarilla. Because it is central to a character’s

understanding of the Traditions, players should consider what sort of Accounting the character had and

what the character’s relationship is with his or her Sire.

Starting Under the Accounting

Some players may choose to begin under the Accounting, and in-game Embraces should always include

an Accounting as a matter of course. The Accounting for an in-game Embrace should be role-played out

between the Sire and Childe over substantial period of time – at least 6 months of real-time play.

Starting With Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement is free upon character creation. Additional Status may be purchased in accordance

with the house rules of the chronicle, to a maximum of three, including Acknowledgement. Status

Modifiers such as Reputation or Prestigious Sire do not affect this cap, but must be logged and/or

approved by the Camarilla Coordinator before entering play. (See: Status Modifiers)

Storytellers and players are strongly encouraged to have characters earn their Status during the course

of active play. The restrictions outlined above are intended to prevent abuses, not to recommend the

purchase of Status at character creation.

Stripping Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement can be stripped just like any other Personal Status Trait, though the repercussions

are severe. Usually only Princes strip Acknowledgement, and once the Status is lost, the unfortunate

Kindred is at the mercy of the Scourge until she can find another Prince to Acknowledge her again. Many

Princes will consider an outsider stripping someone in their domains of Acknowledgement to be a

breach of the Tradition of Domain and react accordingly. Acknowledgement must always be the last

Status Trait removed. If the offending Kindred holds a Position, the related Status Trait should be

temporarily stripped before moving on to permanently remove the Acknowledgement. Once

Acknowledgement is lost, no Camarilla Positions may be held until Acknowledgement is regained.

Second Accountings

The Camarilla isn’t known for being generous with second chances. Placing any Kindred who was once

Acknowledged back under the Accounting is a serious disgrace to both childe and Sire and frankly, they

should kill themselves as they have clearly ignored the Traditions, thereby insulting the Sect as a whole.

The Prince who originally released the Kindred from the accounting should feel great anger at the

offending Kindred. It should not be a usual practice and it could result in the Notoriety Flaw being

attached to Kindred who has lost their acknowledgement (assuming they get it back and are once again

re-welcomed to the Camarilla) and the shame of it should be well-nigh unbearable. The Accounting is

one of the Traditions, after all, and if you're under a "Second Accounting", you've probably broken one

(you're lucky to be alive!). If players are newer, before stuff like this can happen, Storytellers should

possibly step in to give a refresher (or even an initial) course on what the Vampire game is about and

what a Kindred should be expected to know and believe upon leaving the accounting.

The Public Nature of Status Players should keep track of their personal status on their character sheets. Information such as who

gave the Trait, why it was given and what the descriptive word is are commonly requested via the use of

the Politics Ability. Anyone playing a Harpy may wish to either keep some sort of record (via whatever

means their character would use) or buy up a lot of the Politics Ability so that they can produce

information about the members of their domain on request.

Status Announcements

Any announcements of the granting or loss of Status must be made publicly, either at an assembled

gathering (such as a live game) or in an email announcement to a public list (national or local game list).

This must always be logged with the Harpy of the home Domain of the individual who is gaining or losing

the Status.

If the motives for the granting/stripping of Status Traits come into question, the Harpy may initiate an

investigation. The Harpy has the power to strip the granted Status Trait as well as a Status Trait from the

one who has granted it, if the exchange is viewed as a Scandal. Such an action is likely to deeply offend

both Kindred, but if the Harpy thinks the Status award is unwarranted, she can disrupt the process and

punish everyone involved.

Posting Status

Posting Status within email or in a letter should follow one of the following two formats:

Jane Doe Sheriff of Ft. Wayne Status: Acknowledged, Admired, Feared

OR

Jane Doe Sheriff of Ft. Wayne Acknowledged by Prince Blah, Admired by Primogen Joe, Feared by

Position

(Putting just the number of status you have is tacky.)

You should also include a note about any Status Modifiers (see below).

Loaned Status There are two ways to loan Status to another Kindred.

1) A Kindred may loan a single Trait of her Status to another to show favor or to empower her for a

period of time. (“Jane Doe may use my Respected name until Sunrise on Friday, the 15th of

November”). Note: this period of time shall not exceed 1 month and 1 day, max.

2) A Kindred may loan a Trait to another for a specific task.(“Jane Doe may use my Respected name

in order to gain an audience with the Prince of Chicago”). See the Politics Ability Section for rules

on Loaned Status.

In all cases of loaned Status:

Loaned Status is returned immediately to its owner upon demand.

A loaned status Trait may only be used in one Challenge in any given evening (“I am Jane Doe,

speaking with the Respected name of Elder Joe.”)

Only one Status Trait may be loaned at a time from any single Kindred. (Joe Brujah cannot loan

both Cherished and Respected to Jane Gangrel, but Jane may borrow a Cherished from Joe and

a Respected from Valerie Ventrue.)

You cannot loan Status which has been loaned to you; you can only loan your own. You CAN call

in Boons or favors from your allies to convince them to loan Status to someone you support, but

that exchange should be role-played out.

Loaning Status is risky. If you loan a Status trait to another Kindred and that Kindred finds themselves in

Scandal, you will also probably be permanently stripped of the Status Trait you loaned as a punishment

for your bad judgment.

Kindred who have lost their Acknowledgement cannot be loaned status.

There is no limit to the amount of Status which can be loaned to you, but for the purposes of comparing

standing, no more than twice your own Status can be used. You may carry the banner of many, but

when a challenge or offense occurs, you must stand largely upon your own name. (Phantom status traits

do not increase this loan cap; Reputation does increase it, however.) Harpies, while doing their duties,

are exempt from this rule.

Status and Positions A Kindred holding an Office in a Camarilla Domain that carries Positional Status Traits adds those Status

Traits to her Personal status. These Traits may not be permanently stripped as long as she holds the

position, though they may be stripped temporarily. Though it is possible to hold multiple Camarilla

positions at once, it should be unusual. In that case, a Kindred may only claim the Status inherent to one

of the offices, usually whichever is greater.

Positional Status is valid in any Domain that the possessor visits, though their positional authority is

confined to the Domain where they hold that position. A Justicar’s power is absolute, globally.

Therefore, they may grant or strip Status as they see fit, no matter where the specified Kindred lives.

Positional Status for the Camarilla Stations

Justicar: Faultless, Just, Feared, Respected

Alastor: Sanctioned, Feared

Archon: Empowered, Feared

Seneschal: Cherished, Esteemed

Prince: Exalted, Famous, Well-Known

Harpy: Influential

Primogen: Revered

Keeper of Elysium: Honorable

Sheriff: Feared

Scourge: Feared

Herald to the Lasombra: Cherished

Other Positions

Princes or Justicars may choose to add titled positions such as Warlord or Lord Arcanum, but such

positions do not carry official Positional Status as do those listed above. Invented positions do not reflect

the norm of Camarilla society. While they may carry a customary granting of Status in a Domain or for a

project, these invented positions may not take a character over the OWBN Status maximum, and

whatever powers they have are part of the Tradition of the Domain and do not necessarily carry any

social weight, respect, or benefits outside of it. If the Prince or Justicar wishes the position to raise a

character in esteem, he or she may loan Status to the individual, using the rules outlined above.

Whips have the same powers as the Primogen in their Primogen’s absence, but they do not gain a

Positional Status Trait. A Primogen will often loan one of his Status to the Whip when he knows in

advance he will be out of the Domain.

A Harpy's Positional Status

Harpies are Influential by position. They are appointed by the Primogen Council, not by the Prince. Upon

being selected, a Harpy is customarily shown support with a Loaned Status Trait from each of the

Primogen. The Primogen, in turn, list this Trait as loaned out for as long as they support the Harpy.

Though these Traits are Loaned Status, they may not be used by the Harpy when comparing Status Traits

in a regular (personal) debate.

The Harpy can call upon the Traits when performing Harpy business (i.e. stripping Status, mediating a

Boon dispute, etc.). Should a Primogen feel that the Harpy is not properly doing her job, they can

temporarily, or in extreme cases, permanently remove their support from her. In this situation, the

Harpy would not be able to call upon that Primogen’s Status during the course of her business.

Therefore, the Harpy should be careful not to incur the wrath of the Primogen Council while in her

position: they can take away her position as easily as they gave it to her.

There is a fine line between a good Harpy and a power hungry Harpy. The Harpy provides a considerable

amount power to the Primogen, and vice versa. It takes a majority of Primogen to name a Harpy. There

is never more than one Harpy, though she may select Kindred to assist her as Lesser Harpies, much as a

Primogen appoints a Whip.

Assistants

Harpies, Sheriffs, Scourges, and Keepers of Elysia are allowed to create lesser versions of their positions.

These positions are the Lesser Harpy and the Deputy (Scourge, Sheriff, Keeper). In order to appoint a

Vampire to this position, the holder of the parent position must loan one of her own Personal Status

Traits to the recipient and declare the appointment to the rest of the Domain.

There is no such thing as a “Deputy” Seneschal, Prince, Archon, or Justicar. While such characters may

have assistants of various kinds, (particularly Archons, who may have multiple Servires working for them

at once), the title “Deputy” is not appropriate.

Ghouls

Ghouls are considered to be property. They are servants who perform functions that are usually below

the station of most Kindred. When a Prince recognizes a ghoul in her Domain, that ghoul becomes

Recognized (as per Liber des Goules), which is similar to a Status Trait but only for the purpose of

confirming presentation to the Prince. It may not be used in any other manner related to Status, and

does not make the ghoul an Acknowledged member of the Camarilla. Some traditional Princes refuse

even to allow ghouls to speak at gatherings unless first invited to do so by an Acknowledged Kindred.

Ghouls are almost never allowed to speak in public. It is at the Prince’s discretion on whether or not

killing a ghoul violates the Tradition of Destruction. However, because ghouls are valuable property, any

Kindred who destroys or poaches someone else’s ghoul may find himself owing sizeable Boons to the

original Regnant.

Non-Camarilla Clans and Status

Kindred who are not members of one of the seven (eight? okay, nine?) Camarilla clans have a difficult

time acquiring credibility and political weight within the Camarilla. These members should have an

extremely difficult time getting and holding onto Status Traits. Where the Harpies might overlook a

slight error or faux pas by a Ventrue, every step out of line that an Acknowledged Ravnos makes should

bring a quick and harsh punishment. Caitiff in particular should never have much Personal Status, and it

is rare for a Caitiff to be given a major Office such as Sheriff or Scourge.

Kindred who are not Acknowledged members of the Camarilla cannot hold other Camarilla Status.

Therefore, Camarilla Status cannot be granted to an Independent or to a member of the Sabbat.

Granting and Stripping Status Status should always be difficult to gain and easy to lose. All transactions involving Status should be role-

played out to the best ability of the players involved. Status and Prestation are deliberately gray areas

that invite in-character manipulation and subterfuge.

Granting Status

In order to grant someone a new Status, one of the following conditions must apply:

If they are of the same Clan, a Camarilla Kindred may grant a Personal status trait to another

Kindred if the Kindred awarding the status has more than double the Personal Status of the

individual receiving the status award, not including loaned and positional status of the awardee.

This costs the Kindred doing the granting one Temporary Status and the award must be made

publicly. This is the only manner in which a Kindred can grant Status to someone who is in

another Domain at the time of the award. Some Princes may consider this a Breach of Domain

and try to punish the offender in some fashion, usually by attempting to remove a Status Trait.

Thus, Kindred choosing to affect the reputations of those outside their Domains are warned to

tread carefully.

Justicars may grant Status to any member of the Camarilla, in any Domain, at any time. If they

give more than 5 Status Traits per evening, additional awards will cost the Justicar Personal

status, so it is rare that many Kindred are honored at once by the same Justicar. Justicars are

able to delegate the ability to grant Status to their Archons. (Archons may grant status,

assuming they have permission of their Justicar to do so.)

Princes and Seneschals may grant Personal Status at the cost of one temporary Status for each

award. Seneschals may only grant Status in the absence of the Prince. In such a case, which

name should be associated with the award (Prince or Seneschal) may be a topic for in-character

debate.

Primogen and Whips may award Personal Status to a member of their clan at the cost of one

Temporary Status Trait for each Status Trait awarded. As with Seneschals, Whips may only act in

this manner in the absence of their Primogen.

Stripping Status

In order to strip someone of Status, one of the following conditions must apply:

Justicars may strip Status from any member of the Camarilla, in any Domain, at any time.

Justicars are able to delegate the ability to remove status to their Archons. (For clarity’s sake:

Archons can strip status for interfering with an investigation.)

Alastors may remove Status from any Kindred that hinders their official missions.

Princes and Seneschals may strip Personal status at the cost of one temporary Status for each

removal. Seneschals may only strip Status in the absence of the Prince.

Primogen and Whips may Strip Personal status to a member of their clan at the cost of one

Temporary Status Trait for each Status Trait removed. As with Seneschals, Whips may only act in

this manner in the absence of their Primogen.

Harpies may remove one Personal status Trait from any Kindred who has backed out of a Boon

or been involved in a Scandal. This removal costs nothing, although there has to be some truth

to the Scandal. The Harpy must produce evidence at a gathering of Kindred when the Status

Trait is removed. Harpies may restore Status they themselves have stripped at the cost of one

Temporary Status Trait per Trait restored. Harpies do not have the power to grant Status.

The Primogen Council may remove one Status Trait from their Prince by collectively expending

Permanent Personal status Traits equal to the Prince’s total Personal status Traits. Note: This

may require one or more Primogen to expend more than one Personal status Trait. Who loses

what is a subject for role-play.

Keepers of Elysium may remove a Personal status Trait from any Kindred they catch breaking

the Masquerade within their own city. This removal costs nothing. It was also decided at the

2010 Conclave that Keepers of Elysium may remove standing from another Kindred for violating

Elysium. Only the Sheriff is immune from the Keeper’s Power.

Sheriffs may remove one Personal status Trait from anyone who refuses to accompany them for

questioning or judgment while they are within their own city. This removal costs nothing. Some

Princes use their Sheriffs for additional duties, under the Tradition of Domain.

Scourges may remove a Personal status Trait from any Kindred that is discovered to be

harboring or abetting vampires created without the Prince's permission or who have not gained

Hospitality in that Domain. This removal costs nothing. However, a Prince can return the

stripped Status should she be find insufficient evidence to back the Scourge's decision or be

convinced to counteract it.

Any Kindred of higher Status may remove Personal status from Kindred of lower Status at the

cost of one Permanent Personal Status Trait per Trait removed. Status may be temporarily

removed in the same fashion by expending Temporary Status Traits. This is the only manner in

which a Kindred can always remove Status from someone who is in another Domain at the time

of the removal. Some Princes may consider this a breach of Domain, so Kindred choosing to

exercise this option are warned to tread carefully. Kindred may not attempt to use Positional

Status to enact a Status removal of this type, they must sacrifice one of their own Permanent

Personal standing.

A Clan may remove one Status Trait from an elder of the same clan by collectively expending

Personal status Traits equal to the elder’s Personal status Traits. Note: This may require one or

more members of that clan to expend more than one Personal status Trait. Who loses what is a

subject for role-play.

Visiting

When a Kindred is visiting another Domain (not his home), he is subject to the will and laws of that

Prince and the other Officers of the Domain, for good for ill. If he misbehaves or earns the ire of his

hosts, he may be punished in any fashion the hosting Officers see fit, within their roles. By the same

token, an outstanding visitor may be honored with an award of Status before he leaves. While in general

a host’s power over his guests is limited to the duration of the visit, it is neither impossible nor unheard

for a Harpy to attempt to strip Status from a visitor after he or she departs for something he did during

his visit. For example, if a Harpy discovers that the visiting Kindred was involved in some great Scandal

or Crime while in her jurisdiction, she may seek to punish him for it after the fact. It is much more

difficult to strip Status after the offender is home again, as the Harpy of that Domain may have his own

opinions about the Scandal. In that case, negotiations should be role-played out.

Politics (The Ability) A Kindred is not required to post their Status publicly, indeed, doing so is the social equivalent of

stamping one’s foot – it draws attention to name and rank, demanding recognition. If the Kindred does

not include her Status, anyone who sees the letter and has the Politics Ability may expend a level, as per

LotNR, to determine her Status.

In terms of in-character mechanic, using the Politics Ability represents checking with your Harpy or

remembering something you heard of years before, it isn’t a magic encyclopedia in your brain. It

represents the knowledge that some characters have by working to stay ‘in the know’ in terms of

keeping up with the social whirl.

The Politics Ability in OWBN gains you the following types of information:

Number of Status Traits (“Joe Brujah has 4 Status”)

Names of Status Traits (“Joe Brujah is Acknowledged, Respected, Feared, Loyal)

Kindred who gave the Traits (“Joe Brujah was Acknowledged by John Ventrue, etc)

Reason the Trait was given (“Joe Brujah is Respected for not dropping my dry cleaning in a

puddle”)

Dead Characters have no status. Use Lore.

Blood Hunts (Lex Talionis) A Prince may call a Blood Hunt if an individual in his Domain has committed a great crime (or even just

sufficiently roused his ire). A Blood Hunt authorizes all Kindred within a domain to destroy the quarry

and forbids them to aid the criminal in any manner. Sometimes a Prince may even order all citizens to

actively participate in the hunt. As the name implies, customarily a Blood Hunt includes tacit permission

to Diablerize the hunted unless the Prince expressly forbids it. In the Camarilla, the practice of

Diablerizing a duly convicted criminal is known as Amaranth, and while it may be permitted under

certain circumstances, many Kindred are uncomfortable around those that are known to have destroyed

someone in that manner. (For additional information on the gravity and significance of Blood Hunts,

please refer to Laws of the Night: Camarilla Guide, pages 106-111).

Praxis Disputes

If your Praxis is under Contestation, you have no authority as Prince. Therefore, trying to Blood Hunt

someone while they are contesting your Praxis is not allowed.

Overturning a Blood Hunt

In OWBN, a Prince may recall any Blood Hunt she herself has called, but such wishy-washy behavior

represents a Scandal of epic proportions and costs the Prince two of her own Personal status Traits. Only

the Prince who called the original Hunt may revoke it in this manner. A Prince may not revoke hunts

called by her predecessors.

The Primogen Council can overturn any Blood Hunt called by their Prince, provided that they collectively

expend enough Permanent Personal status Traits to equal that of the Prince’s total Status (Personal plus

Positional). Furthermore, this action must be taken within one month of the Blood Hunt being called. By

employing it, the Primogen Council strips two Personal status Traits from their Prince and causes him a

massive loss of face in front of the entire Camarilla. Note: This may require one or more Primogen to

expend more than one Personal status Trait. Who loses what is a subject for role-play.

A Justicar can overturn any Blood Hunt at his or her discretion. It should be noted that killing the Prince

that declares the Blood Hunt does not end the Hunt. Instead, it forces the Hunt to stand until a Justicar

reviews and rules upon the case.

Global Bloodhunts (formerly Character Regulation Bylaw 11)

If a PC is considered dangerous enough, and the Princes of OWBN extend a blood hunt far enough, a PC

can be considered continentally, universally, and globally bloodhunted throughout OWBN. The

mechanics of such are listed below.

1) Continental bloodhunts would require a 75% majority of the Princes of that continent extending

a bloodhunt to their Domain.

2) Universal bloodhunts occur when a Prince from every continent existing in OWBN declares such.

Continents will be regarded, for this purpose, as Europe, South America, North America, and the

South Pacific region.

3) Global bloodhunts require a proper Conclave, a Justicar calling it, and 2 other Justicars agreeing

to it. Justicar Coordinators who feel that this will be necessary should bring the appropriate

proposal to Council at least 2 weeks in advance.

Status Modifiers Status Modifiers represent the way in which a character’s reputation is influenced by her actions to the

point where the perception of those around her is noticeably altered. A character’s own actions may

speak loudly enough to impact how others perceive her Status. In some cases the actions of another

member of the lineage, usually the Sire, may also come into play. The following section outlines how

these Modifiers work in OWBN.

The Basics of Status (formerly Character Bylaw 10.A-E: Status Regulation)

1) Characters are limited to possessing only six permanent Camarilla status traits from other

characters and NPCs, plus the highest status bonus from offices held.

2) Council must vote upon each and any award of personal Camarilla status traits beyond the six

personal Camarilla status traits limit. Positional status is not considered "personal Camarilla

status".

3) All Non Player Characters (NPCs) are limited to possessing only seven permanent Camarilla

status traits, plus the highest status bonus from offices held.

4) The Camarilla Coordinator must approve every personal Camarilla status trait above the seven

personal Camarilla status limit for Non-Player Characters (NPCs). Positional status is not

considered "personal Camarilla status."

5) Player Characters may only hold Domain related Camarilla positions which grant additional

status in areas that are controlled by Chronicles, not Coordinator controlled areas. The

exception to this is the position of Archon, being a non-Domain related position. Domain related

positions being: Prince, Seneschal, Sheriff, Keeper of Elysium, Scourge, Primogen and Harpy.

Status Modifier Rules

The Camarilla Coordinator must approve all Prestigious or Infamous Sire Merits and Flaws, as well as the

related Lineage Merits and Flaws, in order to maintain OWBN continuity. All Reputation and Notoriety

Merits must be logged with the Camarilla Coordinator, for the same reason. The Camarilla Coordinator

will in turn make the appropriate information available to the OWBN Archivist.

Note: The Merit: Reputation cannot be bought at character creation, but must rather be earned through

the role-play of the character.

You may not take multiple versions of the same Modifier Merit or Flaw to stack the effect. For example,

you may not take two Reputation Merits simultaneously, even if your character is known for two

different skills. The nature of the reputation (the description) may change slowly over time through the

course of story, at the discretion of the storyteller.

No individually created (house rule) Modifier may take an OWBN character over any of the OWBN-

enforced caps for Status, real or perceived. Storytellers are free to disallow any Merit or Flaw that

modifies a character’s Status (real or perceived) in the event that the character signs into their game and

is subject to their house rules.

Status-Modifying Merits and Flaws, (including Probationary Sect Member) should always be included in

email posts, players should put a little ooc tag beneath the character’s signature: (OOC: Notoriety Flaw:

Caused a big Scandal in Milan.)

Merits & Flaws:

Consider these Merits and Flaws to be notes about the character that should be taken in character. If

your PC considers a Sire to be prestigious, roleplay it. If your PC considers a sire to be infamous, roleplay

it.

When emailing on the lists, you should put an OOC note that you have one of the Merits or Flaws listed

below (Prestigious Sire/Infamous Sire/etc) and a short note as to why they are Prestigious/Infamous.

Example: Marie the Ventrue (Prestigious Sire: Andrew, New York City Defender).

Prestigious Sire

The Prestigious Sire Merit does not act as a “phantom” Status Trait. Characters with this Merit will gain a

bit more respect in some social situations, dependent on how the Sire is perceived. An example, Babs

the Brujah is considered to be a prestigious sire amongst Brujah but is hated by Prince Andrew,

therefore Prince Andrew does not see the childer of Babs in a better light.

The Sire is a well-known or important Camarilla figure, one whose good reputation helps boost that of

the childe. Note: just as it is possible to become Prestigious and well known, it is possible for childer to

eclipse their Prestigious Sire, or for the Sire to fall into disfavor, thus removing the Merit.

In the event that the Childe character becomes famous in his own right and earns the Reputation Merit

(see below), the character’s Storyteller or the Camarilla Coordinator may remove the Prestigious Sire

Merit, as it may no longer be appropriate for the character to lean on their Sire’s prestige. This is

especially true if the Sire in question is deceased or no longer holding a prestigious position.

Infamous Sire

By the same token the Flaw Infamous Sire works the same way, only it lowers the perceived reputation

of the Kindred rather than raising it. Infamous Sire does not act as a negative “phantom” status. These

Flaws may be handed out or bought off through role-play at the discretion of the Storyteller.

The Sire is a notorious or infamous figure in the Camarilla, a diablerist, perhaps, or someone who has

committed a crime against the Ivory Tower. The unfortunate childe is tarnished by the misdeeds of his

Sire and suffers the stigma of this bad reputation.

Prestigious/Infamous Lineage

This merit no longer conveys phantom status, as this should be a roleplay based advantage. Being in a

powerful and well-known family of Kindred is its own advantage. Occasionally a group of related

characters with a shared surname becomes so well known that the name itself begins to be more

recognizable than any single member. A majority of the members of the lineage must be able to meet

the requirements for Reputation or Prestigious Sire on their own merit as individuals before they can be

considered as a group. Generally, there will be at least four characters involved, either in a vertical line

(Sire, Childe, Grandchilde, Great-Grandchilde), horizontally (Sire, Childe, Broodmate, broodmate), or

some combination of both. Other role-play mechanics developed through story (such as adoptions) may

be considered.

Lineage-related Modifiers (Merits or Flaws) cost and operate exactly the same way as the Sire Modifiers

(Merits or Flaws) per this packet and the house rules of whatever game the character is based in.

Lineage-related Modifiers must be approved by the Camarilla Coordinator the same way as Sire-related

Modifiers. Storytellers are free to ignore the Lineage mechanic, in which case characters claiming the

Merit or Flaw under “Lineage” would be considered to have Prestigious or Infamous Sire as appropriate.

Note: Lineage does not stack on top of Prestigious or Infamous Sire – it replaces it. This modifier

represents an OWBN phenomenon created through the course of org-wide role-play over the last

decade and can be gained and lost in exactly the same manner as the Sire-related modifiers. Indeed, in

some cases Lineage is more fragile, for the line is so well known that major mistakes from any member

can affect all those who carry the name.

Reputation

A character with the Reputation Merit has done something to get himself or herself known in a positive

way through Camarilla circles. They may be known as a Sabbat hunter or great protector of humanity,

individual stories may vary. Wherever possible the Reputation Merit should be purchased in-game, in

consultation with local STs, the Camarilla Coordinator and the appropriate Clan Coordinator. Often,

someone very well known in a small area will not be known at all outside the region. If a player is

interested in purchasing Reputation through role-play, the Storytellers and appropriate Coordinators

should help the player set goals in the pursuit of the desired Merit.

Reputations should be role-played out consistently. A character should be constantly reinforcing their

Reputations through their actions within the context of the story, and Storytellers should feel free to

remove Reputations that are not being supported through role-play. Reputation will also no longer grant

“titles” such as “Knight of the Camarilla” or “Unseen Hand of Justice”.

Notoriety

As with Reputation, Notoriety can be gained through role-play, though it is always much easier to be

reviled than to be celebrated. Characters may gain or lose Notoriety through their actions within story.

Just as it is possible to buy off the Flaw through appropriate good behavior in-character, it is very

possible to gain it through Scandal or misdeeds. Storytellers should feel free to give out this Flaw where

appropriate and simply notify the Camarilla Coordinator of the change and circumstances.

Lasombra Antitribu

The Lasombra Clan Advantage IS A PHANTOM STATUS TRAIT.

Probationary Sect Member Flaw

This Flaw may be assigned by Storytellers to any character in their chronicle that they feel should carry

it, though it is most frequently applied to Kindred that come from a non-Camarilla Clan. It may be

bought off through the course of story at the discretion of the Storyteller in accordance with that

chronicle’s rules.

Per the 2015 Conclave in Baltimore, certain individuals either must take this flaw, or are exempt from

this flaw, as detailed below (formerly Character Bylaws 10.F and 10.F.i):

1) Kindred who do not go through the Accounting as a part of the Camarilla who seek to join it

shall be given the flaw Probationary Sect Member. This Flaw may only be removed by either

their resident Prince after they have held their Acknowledgement for at least a year and a day or

sooner by a Justicar with the sponsorship of their Prince.

a. Kindred who go through the Accounting as part of the Camarilla or who are already

members of the Camarilla are not required to serve a period of Probation.

Long Term Prince Merit

Characters who have held the position of Prince for at least three consecutive years are eligible for a 1

point merit “Long Term Prince”. This merit will grant the additional positional Status of “Venerated” and

the right to bear the title of “Sovereign Prince”. The additional Status of “Venerated” will function the

same as a positional status trait. If the position of Prince is lost, so is the merit and the Status bonus.

Gaining the Merit: The Long Term Prince Merit requires approval from the Camarilla Coordinator in

addition to the approval of the home chronicle’s STs. Once a PC has held Praxis continuously for at least

three years in an OWbN chronicle, the player may request approval for this merit. If approved, the

Camarilla Coordinator will then see that an appropriate IC announcement is made.

Three years is a long time to be Prince when looking at it OOC, however, it is a very short time from a

tradition Camarilla point of view. In order to help with the willing suspension of disbelief, the three year

time requirement will not be stated IC. The merit is for Princes who have “proved their ability to hold

Praxis through many trials, thus reaffirming the stability and order inherent within the Camarilla

structure.”

Boons Boons are something like currency among Kindred, and they are taken very seriously. Whenever

someone does a favor beyond that individual’s expected duty or station, she is expected to repay the

debt. In the event that a Kindred feels that another owes him a Boon for some reason, he may demand a

Boon from that Kindred and any negotiations must be settled between the two, usually in consultation

with the Harpy. As always, the relative Status of the parties involved plays a major part in who comes

out on top.

The mechanics of Prestation are deliberately vague so as to allow for maximum Role-Play among the

characters involved. Players are encouraged to role-play the machinations and intrigues of Prestation

whenever possible.

Earning Boons

Doing things that are expected of a Kindred will usually not lead to a Boon being bestowed, particularly

when that Kindred has some kind of Position like Sheriff or Scourge. The Harpy is charged with the

responsibility of adjudicating the worthiness of Boons.

Appeasement

Boons are often offered or demanded as an apology for a social misstep of some kind. Be aware that it is

dangerous to offer someone a Boon, especially to those of lower Status. You never know when or how it

might be called in – once the Boon is in the Harpy’s records, there is no way out of paying it off without

damaging one’s reputation. Moreover, once the Boon is given, the granter has no say in what will be

requested in return, within the limits of the Boon level.

Registering Boons

Kindred who agree upon a Boon must register it with the Harpy if they want it to be official and

enforceable. If they do not inform the Harpy of the existence of the Boon, it is unofficial and there is no

guarantee that the Harpy will enforce it, even if a complaint is brought up later.

Being in Debt

In terms of the Status system, if you owe someone a Boon, they have a hold over you, regardless of how

much Status you have personally. It is not wise to throw the weight of your reputation at someone you

owe, especially if you owe them something especially serious, such as your life.

Trading Boons

Once properly registered with the Harpy, Boons may be traded between Kindred, bought and sold or

given away at the pleasure of the one who holds the Boon. Such a transfer must be registered with a

Harpy in order to be acknowledged, though the reason for the transfer need not be registered. The

value of the Boon does not change, all parties have to agree on the value at the outset (p.220 LotN) but

one can, in effect, demand that someone pay a Boon to you by service to a third party. Obviously, there

is a great deal of room for role-play in such transactions.

Combining Boons

You cannot add multiple small Boons up and get a Major, Blood, or Life Boon without the agreement of

the Kindred doing the owing. The values are established at the time the debt is put on the books, so to

speak, and cannot be changed thereafter without everyone involved agreeing to it. Please note however

that how the characters convince each other to agree to changes is entirely up to role-play. Vampires

are extremely sneaky and crafty, and not generally too interested in being ‘fair’.

Dividing Boons

Boons are not actual money, and every transaction of Prestation is a complicated give-and-take as

characters try to get the most power for the least work. If someone owes you a Major Boon, you cannot

arbitrarily decide to break it into several Minor Boons and pass them out to your friends, not without

the debtor’s approval and agreement. As stated above, the values are established at the time the debt is

put on the books, so to speak, and cannot be changed thereafter without everyone involved agreeing to

it. That said, sometimes Boons may be paid back piecemeal or it may be arranged that someone will do

several small tasks in order to repay a larger one. Such negotiations are part of the role-play of

Prestation and should be settled in character.

Defaulting

If a Kindred defaults on a Boon, she may be stripped of a sizeable portion of her Status, depending on

the size of the Boon. A Trivial Boon might only cost her a Temporary reduction, or at worst a loss of one

Personal status Trait. Defaulting on a Life Boon, however, could knock someone from the pinnacle of the

Camarilla social scene right back down to bare Acknowledgement, depending on the temper of the

Harpy involved. Furthermore, Kindred who default on Boons will soon begin to get a very negative

reputation (Notoriety Flaw) and will find themselves with few who are willing to deal with them at all.

Boons Outside of the Camarilla

Non-Camarilla Kindred have no official onus on them to repay Boons that they may owe, and they have

no voice or standing in the Camarilla with which to secure that debt. The Harpy does not care about

Independents. Therefore, Camarilla Kindred deal in Boons with non-Camarilla Kindred at their own risk.

Levels of Boons

Trivial Boon: A small task. One-time favors, unsolicited information, watching over someone for an

evening, aiding someone with a common Discipline, supporting someone’s minor political move, helping

with a plan, etc., are all examples of Trivial Boons.

Minor Boon: The task performed can last more than one evening and generally requires some sort

inconvenience. Examples include: providing needed information of some value, instruction in an unusual

Ability, using Influences or Resources to aid another, some types of political support, acting as a

bodyguard for multiple nights, facilitating passage through a hostile territory, disposing of a minor

threat, helping carry out a plan, important advice, etc.

Major Boon: Great expenditure of time or resources, instruction in a Discipline, purchasing a location to

serve as someone’s Haven, exchange of controversial or very valuable information, major political

maneuvering, helping someone get out of trouble with the Prince, etc.

Blood Boon: Examples include: coming to someone’s aid and suffering injury. Being willing to shed

blood, saving the life of a Kindred’s immediate kin, instruction in a clan-specific discipline, etc.

Life Boon: Saving another from certain death when one’s own life is in peril.

Extremis Boon: No PC is valuable enough to owe a boon of this size, and as such, should not be used.

Adjustments

The listed values of Boons can be adjusted at the time a Boon is given based on the individual characters

involved. Regardless of the facts in the case, traditional Camarilla thinking would find a neonate saving

an elder’s life to be virtually impossible, as the elder was probably not in as much danger as the neonate

thought he was. On the other side of the coin, a powerful elder may pull a neonate from harm’s way

with little effort on her part, therein reducing the literal value of a Boon. These complicated

adjudications make the job of the Harpy difficult at best, as he is under constant scrutiny to make the

choice that pleases the ‘authorities.’ Sorting out the appropriate levels of Boons is a major part of the

role-play that surrounds Prestation.

The Waiting Game

It is technically possible for a character to owe a high level Boon, (Major, Blood, or Life) even if that

character has very low Status. They have less social standing to lose, but in many ways that simply

makes their position worse, for they may be asked to use Influence or Resources or some other means

to secure the debt. Being of low Status in no way gets one off the hook in terms of owing Boons -

Camarilla Kindred are patient creatures who are good at coming up with unpleasant consequences for

those who do not pay their debts. A canny Elder may hold onto a Boon for century just waiting for the

debtor to become useful before demanding repayment.

House Rules, Traits & Challenges

All interactions wherein Status Traits are factors in a Challenge of any kind fall under the house rules of

the chronicle where the interaction is taking place. Storytellers are strongly encouraged to consider and

include addressing the following issues in the house rules for their individual chronicles:

• Which Modifiers are permitted in the chronicle

• Status and Modifiers as they apply to character creation

• When Status can be added to other Traits in any Challenge

• Mechanics (and penalties, if any) for ignoring Status Traits in any Challenges

• What supervision is required for any Challenges (ST, Narrator, Player Consent, etc)

• What rules apply for any scene that plays out anywhere other than an official live game

with storytellers present, including email scenes and online chat-program interaction.

Please remember that while Status and Prestation do not have a direct physical impact on characters,

the effects of their use can be just as devastating and far-reaching if not more so.

Inter-Chronicle Disputes

Players and Storytellers are encouraged to remember that in the event of an irreconcilable Status

and/or Prestation related dispute, the Camarilla Coordinator is an available resource for resolution of

disagreements.

Primary Sources: Minds Eye Theatre Laws of the Night: Revised

Minds Eye Theatre Laws of the Night: Camarilla Guide

Counsel of Primogen

Guide to the Camarilla

Credits: Revisions 2015 by LA Reger and Jeff Cauley

Revisions 2010 by Rojir McCrady II, Alan Pursell and Monica Ann and Team Camarilla

Special Thanks to: Original contributors, Abigail Graham, Stefanie Pursell, and many devoted storytellers

and players from throughout OWBN.

Special Thanks to our copy editor for making us sound good: Kyle N.

Special Cryptic Note: Page XX with monkeys.

This document is an entirely unofficial use of the “Vampire: The Masquerade” and “A World of

Darkness” gaming materials published by White Wolf Game Studios and not intended as an official or

profit making venture in any way, shape or form. Although the use of these concepts, rules, etc., is

unauthorized, no infringement is intended. The creators of this document are not affiliated with White

Wolf Games Studios in any way.