Read me! + A guide to Vampiric language

Read Me!

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Dictionary

General Vampiric Terminology:

the Masquerade - The name for the set of rules, social customs, and day-to-day actions which keep vampiric society hidden away from the rest of the world. The Camarilla is the standard bearer of the Masquerade, and has been able to maintain it to a fairly successful degree despite both the actions of rival sects as well as themselves.

sire - One who has created a vampire. Their descendant is their childe.

childe - One who has been sired. Their creator is their sire, and the plural form is childer. It is also often used as an insult or reprimand for a vampire perceived to be engaging in conduct of an unbecoming or juvenile nature.

Kiss - The bite of a vampire and accompanying wave of euphoria (with the exception of some members of Clan Hecata). The nature of the sensation changes based on the emotional state of the person experiencing the Kiss; sometimes a wave of intense relaxation, in others a sort of intoxication, still others a form of sexual gratification.

Embrace - The process by which a mortal is turned into a vampire. Most often involves some form of exsanguination, followed by feeding the mortal the vitae of the to-be sire.

vitae - Vampire blood. Possesses innate magical properties and allows for the performance of Disciplines. It is also highly addictive when consumed, and can be used to forge blood bonds and create ghouls. Another name for vitae is the Blood, and it is most often used within the Camarilla in polite and official conversation.

Discipline - Vampiric magic, fueled by vitae. Disciplines are extremely diverse in their effects, ranging from mental manipulation to physical enhancements, heightened senses to thaumaturgy - and these are just a handful of them. Each unique vampiric lineage possesses three in-clan Disciplines, which they are able to develop and perform with less overall effort. Learning out-of-clan Disciplines is possible, but doing so requires active tutelage as well as the consumption of a small quantity of vitae from a vampire who possesses the Discipline in-clan. Learning new out-of-clan Disciplines is easier for higher-generation vampires, while those of lower generations are capable of more powerful feats with their in-clan Disciplines.

blood bond - A magical infatuation with a vampire caused by the consumption of their vitae; the more frequently one drinks from the same vampire, the more potent the infatuation becomes. The vampire providing the vitae is known as a regnant, while the person drinking is the regnant's thrall. More specifically, the bond comes in three tiers: the first, any emotions held towards the vampire are heightened - be they positive or negative - but otherwise the bond is ignorable. At the second tier, the vampire begins to take up much of the person's thoughts; the thrall percieves them as a very important figure in their life, considers their best interests consciously, and must make an active effort to resist a request made of them by the vampire. At the final tier the bond becomes totalizing, subsuming the thrall's wants and desires with those of the vampire; people who have reached this tier are considered to no longer possess agency of their own, as they are incapable of disobeying commands from their regnant. The higher the tier of blood bond, the more often a thrall must be fed vitae to maintain the current tier: once every 6 months for the first tier, once every 3 months for the second tier, and once a month for the third tier. Vampires, humans, and animals are all susceptible to the blood bond, and while immunity to it does exist it is exceedingly rare. Overly abusive treatment of a thrall by a regnant will cause the bond to fade faster, and participation in the Vaulderie (defined in the Sabbat section of this guide) will break all blood bonds a person is current afflicted by.

ghoul - A mortal (either human or animal) who has consumed vitae. In addition to the blood bond, consuming vitae grants a fraction of the regnant's power to the mortal thrall: the ghoul ceases to age and is capable of learning one of their regnant's in-clan Disciplines. Additionally, while one can be considered a ghoul after a single drink of vitae almost all ghouls are fully blood bound to their respective regnant; in practice, they constitute an enslaved underclass within vampiric society, performing labour which their regnant is incapable of or unwilling to do themself. Some ghouls have entered into this arrangement of their own volition, seeking power in exchange for subordination, but this is by no means a universal experience and many ghouls are forced into this position against their will, made to love the person who has bound them in metaphorical chains.

Caine - The first vampire, according to vampiric myth. Little is actually known for certain about Caine, as the majority of those who claim to know are members of the Sabbat and thus the works of even the most studious of the sect's scholars are left questionable due to their proximity to sycophantic Noddists (defined in the Sabbat section of this guide). Meanwhile, the Camarilla holds that Caine is nothing more than a myth, a story told to fledglings to scare one another, and thus any serious discussion of him within the sect in any official capacity is a faux pas severe enough to, on some occasions, warrant an execution. The little of the story that can be told with any degree of unanimity is that Caine, his childer, and his grandchilder founded the city of Enoch, a place where vampires ruled openly over mortals away from the prying eyes of the Abrahamic God. However, his grandchilder - the Antediluvians - betrayed him and left Enoch to ruin; in retaliation, Caine cursed all of the Antediluvians and their descendants.

generation - The degree of seperation a given vampire possesses from the presumed common vampiric ancestor (often believed to be Caine). This common ancestor is of the 1st Generation, their childer the 2nd, the childer of the 2nd are the 3rd, etc. The smaller the number, the lower the generation, and vice-versa as the number increases. As generation decreases, the potency cap of the Disciplines wielded by a given vampire increases exponentially, while their capacity to learn any Disciplines not native to their lineage vastly diminishes. In modern nights, vampires with generations as high as the 16th are known to exist. The Sabbat exalts generation due to the power and proximity to Caine it implies, while the Camarilla denies outright that generation even exists - though many within the sect still like to gossip and speculate about it in private.

clan - Political organization consisting solely of vampires who share common vampiric ancestry. Most clans have sworn loyalty to one sect or another, but such is not universal (Clan Hecata has infamously chosen to remain independent). The Camarilla has intisutionalized clan participation and cannot properly function without it, while the Sabbat holds that clan is nothing but a petty division and thus does not grant clans any official status. 

antitribu - Minority faction of a clan which rejects the sect allegiance that the majority has sworn itself to; usually due to a profound political and philosophical disagreement with the rest of their clanmates. As a result, this faction joins a sect which better aligns with their views and rivals that of the clan's majority, with the express goal of eventually becoming their clan's majority faction itself; some examples of antitribu include the Ventrue of the Sabbat, the Brujah of the Camarilla, and the Tzimisce of the Anarchs.

clan bane - A dimension of the vampiric curse unique to vampires of a common vampiric ancestry.

Antediluvian - A vampire of the 3rd generation and common ancestor of the clans. Vampiric myth claims that, as punishment for betraying him, Caine placed a unique curse on each of the Antediluvians and all their descendants - the origins of the clan banes. Ironically, the Camarilla denies the existence of the Antediluvians while embracing the clan system, while the Sabbat conversely acknolwedges them as real while rejecting the clans which have sprung from them.

Methuselah - A vampire of the 4th or 5th generation who has lived in excess of one thousand years.

diablerie - The act by which one vampire consumes another, both blood and soul. The perpetrator is called a diablerist, and by performing the act successfully the diablerist can acquire some of the Disciplines known to the victim; they may also assume the victim's generation, should it be lower than their own. Opinions on the act range from utter revulsion and derision of it as an atrocity to zealous exaltation of it, and calls for it to be performed as regularly as possible. A failed diablerie will, in the best case scenario, simply confer no benefits onto the attempted diablerist; at worst, the victim's soul will displace that of the attempted diablerist in the diablerist's own body, essentially stealing it. Common synonyms for diablerie are amaranth and taking the heartsblood.

sect - Political faction within vampiric society; the largest are the Camarilla, Sabbat, and Anarchs.

domain - A geographic location under the control of a vampire or coterie of vampires. Often handed out as rewards for loyalty or other services provided within larger Domains.

Domain - An independent or semi-independent vampiric polity, overwhelmingly established in major mortal urban centers. Very frequently aligned with one of the sects, though not universally so. The vampire (or vampires, in rare cases) who both claim ownership over a Domain and successfully retain that ownership are described as 'holding Praxis'.

Praxis - A synonym for owning a Domain, granting one (at least nominal) lordship over all the vampires which dwell within. When speaking of one's rule over a city, Praxis is often described as the holder's possession; for instance, Prince Laguerre's Praxis (Camarilla, Philadelphia), Baron Dawes' Praxis (Anarch, San Francisco), Bishop Marianne's Praxis (Sabbat, Oklahoma City).

Beast - An aspect of the vampiric curse, inherited universally by all vampires of the 13th generation and lower. It acts essentially as a rider on the vampire's personality, goading them into giving in to their most violent urges. For some it manifests as an instinct, an urge to maim and kill and feed; for others it is a voice in their head, a devil in their ear, doing everything it can to seduce the vampire into cutting loose. The hungrier a vampire is, the violence they have inflicted on another, the closer they come to death, the louder the Beast becomes. When a vampire is unable to assert themselves over their Beast in a given moment, they fall into frenzy. The more frequently a vampire does as directed by their Beast, the more it subsumes their personality.

frenzy - A state in which a vampire has been consumed by their Beast as a result of extreme agitation, and will thus violently pursue whatever it is that their Beast has fixated on. Frenzies take three forms: 1) hunger, in which the vampire will seek the nearest source of blood and feed until fully sated, 2) rage, in which the vampire will attempt to attack the source of their fury until killed or destroyed, and 3) fear, in which the vampire will attempt to flee the source of the fear until far enough away. 

Wassail - The moment in which a vampire's Beast fully consumes their mind, rendering them essentially in a permanent state of frenzy. It is effectively irreversible, as only a small handful of vampires have ever managed to claw their way back and only with extensive assistance. A vampire which has suffered Wassail is known as a wight.

wight - A vampire which has suffered Wassail. Any personality a wight may have had prior to Wassail has been effectively destroyed, rendering them little more than exceptionally clever predators. Most wights are killed shortly after their Wassail by hunters or any other vampires who come across them but some manage to survive for longer; as wights are just Beast-consumed vampires, the older they get the more dangerous a hunter they become.

Path of Enlightenment - A school of vampiric philosophy. Adherents to a Path of Enlightenment alter the nature of their relationship with their Beast, allowing the vampire to engage in actions which would have previously riled it; in exchange, formerly innocuous behaviors now expose the vampire to frenzy. This rejection of 'human behavior' often is accompanied by a noticeable shift in the vampire's habits and appearance; witnesses have often described Path adherents as existing in the uncanny valley, with the particulars of the quirks dependent on the specifics of the Path. Due to the fact that most Paths are centered around a vampire's relationship to their own Beast and humanity, vampiric philosophy is as-a-whole, deeply individualistic. Materialist analysis shows that Paths are, at best, aligned implicitly with classical liberalism, and at worst fundamentally reactionary if not outright fascistic. All fail to provide a holistic understanding of the world to their practitioners, and it has only been in modern nights that vampiric philosophers have begun to challenge these old schools of thought. The Camarilla forbids its members from following a Path, though Elders and some defectors from other sects are turned a blind eye. The Sabbat has the highest concentration of vampires on Paths, though the younger a vampire is, the less likely they are to have found one to follow yet.

Kine - Mildly derogatory term for mortals; commonly used in all three major sects.

Canaille - Highly derogatory term for mortals; most often used amongst Elders and right-wing Sabbat.

Second Inquisition - An international organization dedicated to the total destruction of all vampires, created in the fervor of the War on Terror; this is due to vampires within the Camarilla abusing the paranoia apparatus constructed after 9/11 to screw over their political enemies, inadvertently weakening the Masquerade by alerting the most fascistic and national security obsessed people in Western society of their presence. Structurally, the Second Inquisition (often referred to as the SI for short) is a coalition of specialized hunter departments from national intelligence agencies, religious orders, and really any group of hunters willing to make an alliance with the first two groups.

Lupine - Derogatory term for werewolves, often used by members of the Camarilla in both official business as well as casual conversation; many younger are unaware the term bares a negative connotation.

Camarilla-Specific Terminology:

the Traditions - Six laws which all Camarilla Domains are expected to uphold, originating from the social customs help among pre-Camarilla vampiric nobility. The full descriptions and implications of these laws will be detailed on the 'Camarilla' page of the 'Sects' chapter, but for the sake of building familiarity, the six Traditions are the Masquerade, the Domain (short definitions for both given in the General Terminology section of this guide), the Progeny, the Accounting, the Hospitality, and the Destruction.

Kindred - Synonym for vampire; usage is expected in polite or official conversation within the Camarilla. Also used commonly by Anarchs, though such is generally not mandated. Usage in the Sabbat is a severe social faux pas.

coterie - A small group of vampires (usually around 2-6) who closely collaborate, often sharing resources if not whole domains within the Camarilla (though some Anarchs also use the term). Most often formed due to necessity, shared or compatable goals, or legitimate affinity for one another. 

fledgling - Polite term for a young vampire still under the tutelage of their sire. Used most frequently in the Camarilla where it exists as the lowest codified social rank, though it is not uncommon for vampires of any sect to refer to childer as such.

neonate - Codified social rank within the Camarilla, higher than fledgling but beneath ancilla. It is granted to any vampire within the Camarilla who has survived the traditional period of accounting (approximately 5-10 years in modern nights), and signifies that the specified vampire is considered trustworthy enough to operate independently, but is otherwise of no special note.

ancilla - Codified social rank within the Camarilla, higher than neonate but beneath Elder. It is granted to any vampire within the Camarilla who has either reached a specified age (most commonly 100 to 200, but it depends on the bylaws of a given Domain) or who has acted in the benefit of the Camarilla and Masquerade with notable distinction; holding the rank of ancilla grants increased access to political participation, and signifies that the vampire holding the rank is an upstanding member of Camarilla society. Because of this, ancilla are also the overwhelming majority of vampires appointed as the direct subordinates of the Prince's officers.

Elder - The highest codified social rank within the Camarilla. It is granted to any vampire within the Camarilla who has reached a specified age (most commonly over 300, but it depends on the bylaws of a given Domain). Additionally, the Prince and their officers are considered to be Elders regardless of their age, though they lose this rank should they lose their position and not meet the criteria to be considered an Elder otherwise. Elders make up the ruling class of Camarilla society - even those without an office of their own - and one must be an Elder to be considered for any posts within the sect above the Domain level.

Inner Council

Archon

Justicar

Prince - The title of the holder of Praxis in a Camarilla Domain. []

Elysium - A gathering place for vampires within a Camarilla Domain that the Prince has sanctioned as a neutral ground. Usage of Disciplines and weaponry is restricted to only those officers the Prince has permitted to do so. The Prince has the responsibility to offer the sanctuary of Elysium to all recognized members of the Camarilla within the city and possesses the right to extend this sanctuary to any they deem fit, regardless of sect; this includes a prohibition on any action which prevents a recognized vampire from travelling to and departing from Elysium. Both the maintenance of the Domain's Elysia (plural form) as well as the standards of conduct expected from guests in a given Elysium are handled by the Keeper of Elysium.

officers - The Prince's direct subordinates and advisors, delegated a degree of the Prince's authority to ensure the proper functioning of the Domain and adherence to both the Traditions as well as the Prince's laws. The authority to appoint and dismiss officers is traditionally the purview of the Prince; however, in practice it depends on how steady the Prince's grip on their Praxis. Officers are also permitted to appoint their own subordinates (with the exception of the Seneschal who serves as this sort of subordinate to the Prince directly), investing them with a modicum of the power granted to the respective officer by the Prince.

Seneschal - The Prince's second-in-command, bearing all of their liege's rights and responsibilities in the absence of the Prince. []

Sheriff

Hound

Harpy

Talon

Chancellor

Scourge

Deputy

Keeper of Elysium

Steward

Primogen

Whip

Primogen Council

Sabbat-Specific Terminology:

Cainite - Synonym for vampire; usage is expected by all members of the Sabbat. Usage in the Camarilla is a severe social faux pas.

Vaulderie - 

vinculum -

pack - A small group of vampires (often 4 to 6, though not universally) bound to one another by a vinculum. Packs are the smallest unit of political organization within the Sabbat, and each contains a Ductus and Pack Priest.

Ductus - 

Pack Priest - 

Ritae

Noddism - The worship of Caine, the First Vampire. Practitioners are overwhelmingly members of the Sabbat.

Regent - Nominal supreme political leader of the Sabbat; the title is derived from the presumption that the holder is acting in Caine's stead in his absence. Their authority fluxuates wildly due to constant internal divisions within the sect.

Archbishop - Political head of the Sabbat in a given large geographic region, often encompassing a few large cities or swathes of small towns.

Bishop - The title of the holder of Praxis in a Sabbat Domain.[]

Priscus

mass Embrace - The kidnapping and conversion of a large number of mortals into vampires by Sabbat packs; often done to create shock troops and cannon fodder when going to war. A mass Embrace can turn out anywhere from only a small handful to dozens and dozens of new vampires within the span of a couple of nights. The vampires created by this act are often referred to as shovelheads.

shovelhead

False Sabbat

True Sabbat

Monomacy

Anarch-Specific Terminology:

lick - Slang for a young vampire. Also used commonly in the Sabbat, especially within the Loyalist faction.

Anarch Council

Baron - The title of the holder of Praxis in an Anarch Domain.[]

Barony

enforcers

Miscellaneous Terminology:

Bahari - The worship of Lilith, the Dark Mother. Exceedingly rare outside of the Tal'mahe'ra.