The Sword of Caine

—Montague Summers, The History of Witchcraft

This means war.

War on the Antediluvians. War against Gehenna. War against the Camarilla, the Inconnu and the cagey independents. War against the witch-hunters, the werewolves, the cowardly anarchs and the herds of humanity. For some vampires, this means war on the very sect to which they belong.

Welcome to the Sabbat. Please keep your arms inside the vehicle, otherwise someone might rip them off and hand them hack to you.

For the Sabbat, being a vampire means being a soldier in a holy war on the ancient, cannibalistic monsters who passed on the Curse of Caine in the nights of old. The Antediluvians - and their mindless puppets, the vampires of the Camarilla - seek to bring the fiery bloodstorm of Gehenna on the world and devour their wayward childer. The Sabbat really doesn't want to see that happen. As part of those selfsame wayward childer, they have better things to do than die at the tangs of their malignant progenitors. After all, they have a world to conquer.

To the Sabbat, the eternal struggle is a matter of "us versus them," in which "them" means everyone who is not of the sect. Although they aren't above a hit of Borgia-esque intrigue or an alliance or convenience, ultimately, the sect comes first. Fanatics to the last, Sabbat vampires gladly throw themselves into the fire for their sect, tailing on their toes in legions, tearing their enemies apart just as a pack of wolves brings down its prey.

At least, this is how the vampires of the Sabbat seem to others. In truth, the matter is much more complex -isn't it always? Neither the mindless barbarians nor the internal zealots others who know of them portray them to be, vampires of the Sabbat run dangerously close to becoming so. Having turned their backs on humanity, Sabbat vampires understand that they are Damned, creatures of the Beast. Rather than bemoan the loss of what they once were, Sabbat vampires revel in their monstrosity - they are more than human, cursed in nature for moving beyond the limitations of humankind. And, as is always the case with the Damned, Sabbat are vampires first and sect-members second.

Of course, this means the sect is as rite with treachery, rivalry and outright hostility as any other group of "Kindred" - a term of weakness among the Sons and Daughters of Caine. The sect is sick, rotting from within, yet rebelling against its own collapse with a ferocity unmatched by other vampires anywhere.

It's not a great time to be alive, and it's a hellish time to be undead. But what choice do you have?

The View from Within

It is inevitable that, as widespread as the Sabbat makes itself, the sect is bound to come into conflict with other denizens of the modern nights. Vampires are secretive creatures, however, as are many of the other things that prowl the darkness, and it is difficult to obtain an accurate picture of who the Sabbat shares the night with. That doesn't stop them from forming their own conclusions, however.

Additionally, the Sabbat suffers its own internal schisms. Elder members of the sect, hundreds of years old and perhaps even present at the formation of the sect over half a millennium ago, see very little in the same light as do the younger Sons and Daughters of Caine. Indeed, most young members have fewer than 25 years under the night, which colors their opinions accordingly.

Young Cainites' Opinions

The Antediluvians

Grade-A, wicked evil on a biblical level. Anything that can boil you away into a fucking puddle of blood by looking at you has no place in this world. Especially when all they want to do is eat you.

The Camarilla

It's a combination of everything that's bad about government, religion and modern culture. Those bastards are greedy, self-centered and they don't even want to know who they're really working for with all their little games of Jyhad. Goddamn, they make me want to tear down everything that gives them comfort. They're so close to fucking humans, they act just like 'em.

The Inconnu

You know, I bet there are about six of these old sons of bitches, and they're so good at playing the game, they've got everybody all terrified of the shit they must be doing because we can't see any of it. The ultimate "less is more" shtick.

The Lupines

Sometimes, if you're a real badass, you and your whole pack can take down one of these. If you're lucky. Either don't fuck with them or, better, become a real badass.

The Mages

I'm not sure I've ever met one, but they're probably bastards like everyone else. I think they're mortal though, so fuck 'em.

The Wraiths

You know, maybe it's stupid of me to believe in vampires but not in ghosts. I guess you can call me stupid.

The Changelings

Yeah, I know plenty of fairies. They're all in the West End. Out and proud.

The Mortals

I'll have a six-pack, please. Fucking cattle. They're food, nothing more.

Elder Sabbat

Half care only about themselves, while the other half care only about themselves but tell you otherwise.

Elder Cainites' Opinions

The Antediluvians

Their evil is so pervasive, I cannot help but see it everywhere. Our purpose is to drive these sanguinary cannibals to their Final Deaths, but that is a long, hard road not undertaken lightly.

The Camarilla

The greatest crime is not that they serve the Ancients who would rise and consume us. No, their greatest crime is that they do it out of ignorance, and that even when you show them the folly of their ways, they refuse to see the truth. Cursed, complacent ticks.

The Inconnu

It is just as well that they have withdrawn from the Jyhad, for their power is considerable and their minds are incomprehensible. They would be just as likely to destroy us as they would the Camarilla, and not out of any allegiance or greater purpose that we can divine. They are best left alone.

The Lupines

Loathsome, offensive brutes, who kill first, kill second and ask questions last. They are mindless beasts, of use only if you can direct one toward an enemy. If you can't, step back, because a weapon uncontrolled is a weapon that turns against its user.

The Mages

A diverse, potent and ultimately forgettable lot. They keep to themselves and have their own concerns, and I can't say that I begrudge them.

The Wraiths

Much knowledge may be gleaned from the spirits of the dead, but one must speak carefully. They are as capricious as any of the Daughters and Sons of Caine, but far more fleeting, and their recourse proves difficult for us to prevent. They vanish as they will, and cannot be so easily controlled as other, more tangible contacts.

The Changelings

The Wild Ones cross paths with us more often than we recognize. It is a testament to their peculiar brand of magic that they either leave us alone entirely, as is most often the case, or destroy our kind in the greatest of conflagrations. Even if one knows he deals with a changeling, he is best served by moving on to other avenues. The fae are as random as the winds.

The Mortals

Why, my meal was fine, thank you very much.

Younger Sabbat

Spoiled childer, but not without their merits. They are still impressionable enough, still new enough to Caine's unrelenting curse, that they may be brought to one's own way of thinking. Of course, that's provided he can get past their vulgarity and bullheadedness.

Sect History

The sect's history prior to the momentous Cainite event known as the Convention of Thorns is less than certain. Some Sabbat claim they recall nights of marauding terror and divine predation, wandering the cities of the Old World as a death cult. Others claim the sect never truly existed as a sect prior to the Anarch Revolt, and instead took the form of roving packs, not unlike the packs of the modern nights. Still others claim that the very name Sabbat defines the sect's origin - a loose confederation of witches and self-avowed monsters claiming servitude to Hell.

In light of the various theories as to the sect's origin, one fact remains somewhat reliable: The sect rose to prominence after the Anarch Revolt. When the young vampires of Clans Lasombra and Tzimisce rose against their Antediluvians, the indisputable reign of elders drew to a close, and vampire society changed forever thereafter.

The Anarch Revolt and Diablerie

The Lasombra Earn Freedom

Sometime in the 13th or 14th century, Clan Lasombra united against and slew its progenitor. Led by a charismatic Cainite named Gratiano, turbulent Lasombra anarchs decided that the stale rule of elders kept them oppressed. As Keepers, true masters of the night, young Lasombra rebelled against the feudal ties of sire and childe that relegated them to roles of eternal subservience. Flocking to Gratiano's banner, Assamites and anarchs of all clans gathered in Sicily, where it was rumored that the mighty Lasombra Antediluvian made his haven. Overwhelmed and unprepared, the haven fell, and Gratiano consumed the Ancient's blood, setting the clan free from tyranny.

Naturally, the story varies from teller to teller, as time and duplicity have eroded the truth of the affair. Of the vampires present - whether they still exist or have fallen to the thirsty fangs of younger Cainites - none has stepped forward to corroborate any of the story's details.

By varying accounts the leader of an anarch band himself, the treacherous childe of the Lasombra Ancient or the puppet of other masters of the Great Jyhad, Gratiano struck the first blow in what would become the most tumultuous period of vampire history ever recorded, with the possible exception of these Final Nights. It is rumored that Gratiano accepted an archbishop's position after the Sabbat rose to power (some centuries after the diablerie of the Antediluvian), but this rumor conflicts with others. Why would Gratiano, who struck the first blow of the Anarch Revolt, settle for a mere archbishopric? If his cause was true, why would he accept an archbishopric? How could this rogue anarch and his motley soldiers fell an entire clan of masters of deception? Numerous questions arose, but for the time between the Ancient's fall and the eruption of the Sabbat, Gratiano and his brood disappeared.

The Fiends Follow

Spurred on by the success of the Lasombra (as dreadful news travels quickly among vampires), the Tzimisce took heart and planned to follow suit.

The Fiends were - and still are - a notoriously fractious family of vampires. Characterized by an unfathomable dignity on one side and a twisted deviance on the other, the clan literally fell to war with itself. As the masters of Eastern Europe, the elder Tzimisce held their lands in fearsome iron grips. Entire lines of Tzimisce vampires held lands since time out of mind. A sickness rotted the clan from within, however. The very lands of the Tzimisce 's demesnes pulsed with magic - indeed, this magical tie to the land haunts the clan into the modern nights. This magic festered within the Fiends, however, turning them against their sires or causing them to put aside past cruelties and rally to the elders' cause. Transylvanian history reflects this chaos, as does the chaotic history of other Carpathian lands. Vampires literally warred every night, ravaging the "land beyond the forest" in their bloodthirsty crusades.

In the end, the passion of the young anarchs won out against the stagnant, crumbling legacies of the elders. Fiends who had governed their holdings for centuries were turned out into the streets or hunted to extinction, put to death at the fiery brands of the Tzimisce anarchs.

(It is a footnote in the history of the Sabbat that very few Tzimisce claim that many of their elders were diablerized. Cainite scholars and historians regard this claim as ominous - why did the Fiends not claim their elders' power? Why do they diablerize only vampires of other clans? Of course, the Tzimisce remain silent on the matter, pointing out a few infamous cases in which childer have committed amaranth on their sires. Other Cainites note the rarity and choose not to press the issue.)

Finally, one night in the late 14th century (according to dubious sources), the Fiends managed to unearth the location of their clan's founder. Converging on the site, a blasted church on a forgotten tirsa, Tzimisce anarchs disinterred their Ancient and committed diablerie on... it. After a long and brutal battle with the twisted minions of the Eldest Fiend, the anarchs had won. Lugoj Blood-breaker, the leader who had partaken of the amaranth, then sank into a torpor, weighed down by the potent blood taken from veins cursed by God long before the birth of Christ. None have seen Lugoj since, and tales circulate among younger Sabbat: Even in claiming victory over the elders, still they manage to draw their childer down.

And the Revolt Begins

With the success of the Tzimisce and Lasombra anarchs (many of whom proclaimed themselves antitribu or "anticlans" to signify that they had turned their backs on their fathers), widespread patricide erupted all over Europe. Unlike any time before, childer disillusioned with their treatment at the hands of their elders embraced open revolt. Elders fell in droves, often taking numerous treacherous childer with them. Indeed, the Cainite population of Europe dwindled as the war continued. Aided by the potent vampires of the mercenary Assamite clan, the anarchs left no stone unturned in their war on the hated elders.

Although no other clans managed to achieve the same success over their Ancients that the Tzimisce and Lasombra did, it wasn't for lack of trying. Even one of the most powerful elders of those dark nights, Hardestadt of Clan Ventrue, suffered a bold attack, and, though he survived, it became obvious that something must be done about the rampant chaos that the anarchs brought with them.

Soon after the Anarch Revolt entered its most active phase, vampires realized that they had gone too far. Mortals, observing the chaos and terror happening around them, discovered that monsters loomed in their midst. After a desperate appeal to Rome, humankind entreated the pope to turn the Inquisition toward the end of rooting out these devils and heretics.

This mission devastated the Cainite community even more than its internecine war had, as now the Cainites had to fear the torches of the Inquisitors as well as each other. Of course, the excesses of the elders continued unabated, as these old, cowardly vampires left their childer to the Inquisition in order to make good their own escapes.

Finally, everything came to a head. Certain powerful elder vampires, among them the presumed-dead Hardestadt, made a call to all "Kindred," claiming that they had found an end to the need for such warfare. This written accord, known as the Convention of Thorns, promised to restore order and sanctity to the race of Cainites.

Of course, in the hands of the elders who created it, the proposal simply offered a return to how things were before.

The anarchs and Assamites had no choice, however, trapped between the Inquisition and the elders (who had centuries under their belts and were infinitely cagier) as they were. As an informal body, the anarchs agreed to the Convention, hoping that they could at least secure for themselves some measure of apologetic return to the fold. Admitting failure, the anarchs and Assamites succumbed to the will of the assembled elder Cainites, drawing the Anarch Movement to a decisive close.

Not every anarch gave up so easily, however. The "decisive" return achieved by the vampires of the fledgling Camarilla, the repentant anarchs and the vast majority of Clan Assamite offered little in the way of remedying the situation that had caused the situation to begin with. Enraged, these anarchs and rogue Assamites rampaged through Thorns, leaving nothing but a burning, bloodied carcass of the town behind them. Although they had yet to organize themselves, the sect that would become the Sabbat had committed itself to its immortal course of action that night.

In the half-century to follow, packs ("sabbats") of antitribu plagued the night, dragging villagers into the darkness and striking ever more precisely at the foundation of power the Camarilla was building for itself. These rebels organized themselves into a cohesive, ideological sect over those 50 years, agreeing on a rough doctrine of cause against the elders and the Antediluvians who pulled their strings. Freedom from the Ancients' Jyhad became the root of their purpose - even though the Lasombra and Tzimisce managed to destroy their Antediluvians, that only allowed the existing Ancients to fill the vacuum. By the mid-16th century, the entity known as the Sabbat had united in righteous opposition to the Camarilla and blind subservience to greater evil.

The New World

During the late 16th century, the Sabbat found itself in a precarious position. Composed as it was of a few headstrong elder Cainites (who would have been the targets of violence had they claimed allegiance to the Camarilla) and a vast majority of young vampires with little power or influence, it had failed to gain a significant advantage over (or even foothold against) the nascent Camarilla.

Bitter war raged between the vampires of the newly formed Sabbat and the not-much-older Camarilla. The Inquisition continued to claim victims while all of Europe's Cainites drew lines in the sand to mark their allegiance. These were not political boundaries, however, as vampires lacked the ability to control heads of state or claim governmental commissions for themselves (to any great degree, that is; some vampires operate at lower levels of governments to this very night). Rather, the lines of influence fell at the farthest extent to which the Kindred and Cainites could extend their grips. Some major cities in (predominantly Sabbat) Spain held powerful communities of Camarilla Kindred while more than one city in France - where the Toreador and Ventrue exercised their influence - claimed large Sabbat populations. In the end, the war was more a nightly litany of guerrilla attacks than open movements on battlefields. Puppet rulers fell or switched allegiance; knightly orders crumbled, science created terrible new weapons with which to strike enemies down and havens burned like winter hearth-fires. In the end, however, the tide turned in the Camarilla's favor.

The Age of Exploration, however, had opened new vistas to humankind and Cainite alike. The Sabbat, composed of younger vampires who were less set in their ways, saw the opportunities the Americas presented and took advantage. Leaving behind all but a few Old World territories (notably Madrid, home to Archbishop Ambrose Luis Moncada, and some of the older, Eastern domains of the Tzimisce), the Sabbat established a resounding presence in what would become the United States.

For a while, the sect flourished in the evolving colonies. Amid a revolutionary and radical mortal backdrop, the Sabbat's presence was easy to hide among the insurrectionists of the region. Two factors conspired to keep the New World Sabbat relatively weak, however. Many of the mortals who fled to the New World did so out of religious persecution, leaving a strong contingent of those with True Faith among the colonists. Additionally, being separated from their elders' lairs, the Sabbat found it difficult to wage its nightly war on the elders. Only the presence of the terrible Lupines prevented them from descending into internecine squabbling, as did the occasional rumor of a powerful native elder Cainite or transplanted Methuselah from the Old World.

The relative prominence of the Sabbat faced opposition, though, as disenfranchised Camarilla vampires also journeyed across the oceans, hoping to carve out legacies for themselves away from the ironbound holdings of European elders. Before long, the Camarilla-Sabbat war that started after the Anarch Revolt drew to a close arrived by ship on the shores of the Americas.

Before long, few mortal conflicts in the New World existed that did not hide the more sinister implications of vampiric conflict. The Sabbat rode the trends of these tumultuous times, using the American Revolution, French-Indian War and the incessant violence of the American frontier as screens for their own campaigns of conquest and parasitism. Like the population-choked cities of the Old World, almost every city had a strong population of vampires, which the exodus to the New World had intended to avoid. Sieges - the "starving out" of Camarilla vampires in cities as Sabbat vampires rampaged through and broke the Masquerade, making discrete feeding nigh impossible - became a popular tactic, but it rarely succeeded in the long term.

Arguably the single most crippling characteristic of the Sabbat is its lack of organization. Rather than establish rigid codes of behavior and Byzantine hierarchies of responsibility, the Sabbat instead embraces freedom. This freedom turned against the sect, however, in what became known as the Sabbat Civil War.

The Lasombra and Tzimisce, the most populous clans in the Sabbat in the late 18th century, fell to warring amongst themselves for the rapidly depleting resources of the New World. The continent was huge and underdeveloped, its cities few and far between, and rare was the Cainite who wished to try to survive in the wilds. Cities became commodities to the Sabbat, who struggled against each other for the dwindling communities of kine that sustained their existence. In fact, many Sabbat adopted the guise of marauding Native Americans, turning entire towns and cities into paranoid powderkegs, reasoning that if they couldn't have the city, no one would.

(It bears mention that a good deal of Sabbat culture draws heavily from Native American practices. Several of the sect's ritae stem from shamanic practices, and a good deal of the sect's greetings and lesser rituals [sharing blood in handshakes, smoke signals, sweat lodges and vision quests] recall certain tribal customs of the New World's indigenous people - or at least the Europeans' interpretations of said customs.)

Amid the struggle between the various Sabbat clans and factions, the Camarilla crept into the New World undetected. By the time the Sabbat realized that they had been surrounded and, in fact, overtaken, it was too late. In a brief 30 years, the Sabbat's work had been undone by the very enemies they had fled in the Old World.

The Purchase Pact

Unwilling to admit defeat, the Sabbat turned inward, pledging to fix its rifts and turn its attentions once again to the targets on whom they belonged: the Camarilla and the Ancients.

In 1803, the year American president Thomas Jefferson obtained all American territory west of the Mississippi River from the French, the Sabbat made an internal accord, known as the Purchase Pact (after the Louisiana Purchase). This pact forbade conflict among sect members expressly, and it is a hallmark decision in sect history. Until the Purchase Pact, all Sabbat had complete freedom - if they so wished, they could make open war on other Sabbat or overtly claim another Cainite's sphere of influence. The Purchase Pact ended the possibility for such conflict (at least openly, as many Sabbat find out to their chagrin). Unwilling to risk destruction at the hands of the Camarilla over petty internal struggles, the Sabbat focused its attention on its true enemies.

Unfortunately for the Sabbat, the Purchase Pact came too late. The insidious influence of the Camarilla had taken root in what had become the United States, and it had also become part of the impetus for the American drive westward.

Sabbat vampires are survivors, however, and despite the obstacles placed in their path by the Camarilla's encroachment, the sect persevered. Establishing strongholds in Canada (for which certain Sabbat vampires' ties to the Native Americans proved immensely helpful) and Mexico (where impoverished conditions and corrupt governments allowed the society of the undead to flourish), the Sabbat had effectively blocked in the Camarilla. Crusades - brutal blitzes that sent numerous waves of vampires to take over cities overtly or covertly - rose in frequency. The rival sect could move only westward, fenced in as it was by Sabbat presence to its immediate north and south. All the Sabbat had to do was hold its borders....

Remaining cohesive proved difficult, however, as old tempers flared and the Tzimisce and Lasombra blamed each other for allowing the United States to slip through the sect's fingers. Cooler heads in the sect noted that, while the Sabbat may have given up the United States, it had laid relatively undisputed claim to Mexico and Canada, which offered much more geographical territory. Cool heads never prevail in times of war however, and another wave of infighting broke out, which culminated in the Second Sabbat Civil War.

This time, divided by geography as well as lineage, the Sabbat almost destroyed itself in the New World. The Lasombra and Tzimisce allowed no Cainites to remain neutral in the conflict, sweeping up clans, factions, cults - anyone who could lend a fighting arm to either side. Mexico was torn apart in the struggle, which resulted in much of its decrepit state even to the modern nights. Conflict in Canada was more subdued - until the Tzimisce discovered the Lasombra were secretly sending reinforcements to Mexico to aid their cause.

Mortal history conspired to keep the Cainites safe, however, as the conflict reached its greatest peak during the Great War. Americans had focused their attention so greatly on events in the European Theater, they had little time to notice secret vampiric conflicts happening to the north and south. Canadians likewise felt little impact, as the majority of the fighting occurred thousands of miles away in Mexico.

The Camarilla assumed influence in numerous Canadian cities, as the Sabbat presence there had become too weak to repel them.

Finally, after becoming painfully aware that their action had cost them more territory, the Sabbat vampires put their differences to rest... for a short time. Convening in New York, which the sect had managed to hold against all the best efforts of the Camarilla, high-ranking Sabbat reconsidered their commitment to the sect's causes. Not content to merely sign a goodwill agreement as they had before, Sabbat vampires took a long, hard look at what was important to the Sword of Caine. An unheard-of congregation of Sabbat committed to document the Code of Milan, a collection of tenets that composed Sabbat ideology supposedly since the establishment of the sect. Additionally, the assembled vampires submitted a few addenda, to bring the code up to date in light of recent affairs.

The revised code proved to be too little, too late, again. After a few scant years of relative peace (which many Sabbat attribute to fear of the Seraphim, who were present at the code's reaffirmation), trouble arose again.

The Third Sabbat Civil War, the briefest of the three, lasted only 100 nights, in the latter half of 1957. Incited by a failed coup of New York on behalf of the Brujah antitribu, violence once again ensued. Ironically, the end of the trouble came as a result of the rarest of Cainite diplomacy-compromise. After the Brujah antitribu coup fell, the clan rose against the united Lasombra and Tzimisce, which was bound for disaster. Out of the ashes of the fighting, however, emerged a unified group of Caitiff calling themselves the Panders, after their leader, Joseph Pander. The Panders had the Brujah antitribu's support, as they were rabble and outcasts, much like the Brujah had become after the migration to the New World. Seeing the opportunity to avoid another protracted (and dreadfully embarrassing) war, the Lasombra and Tzimisce recognized the Panders as a distinct entity, conferring on the group clan or bloodline status. With the mob appeased and little of import given up on behalf of the Fiends and Keepers, the sect narrowly avoided another crippling setback.

Modern Geographical Influence

Some say the Sabbat has matured remarkably in the intervening years. Indeed, it has become a force to be reckoned with in the modern nights, claiming or reclaiming cities long held by the Camarilla and using sieges and crusades with deadly efficiency. This singularity of vision seems to have overcome at least a modicum of the sect's disorganization. Additionally, the sect is younger and more nimble than the Camarilla, and it is able to adopt the ways of the modern world more quickly. Whatever the cause, in the 40-some years since the aversion of the most recent Sabbat Civil War, the sect has made some astounding coups and become a legitimate contender for the Camarilla's crumbling power.

Not surprisingly, the Sabbat exercises a great deal of influence over Third-World nations and the most squalid cities of the world. There, in hives of homeless and faceless juicebags, the Sabbat's vampires feed with impunity and build their own private empires. Without the threats of organized law enforcement and mass media, the Sabbat can indulge in the widespread violence and feeding demanded by many of the younger and more chaotic vampires.

In modernized parts of the world, the Sabbat is careful to cover its tracks. While scorning the Masquerade of the Camarilla (at least in theory, if not in practice), the Sabbat's leadership realizes that the threat of organized and technologically advanced human resistance is too dangerous to provoke. Thus, in cities of Europe and North America, the Sabbat takes some pains to cover its tracks, though its methods - intimidation and murder - are far cruder than the (usually) subtle machinations of the Camarilla. With its limited influence in mortal circles, the Sabbat suffers in modern cities; the Camarilla influence in many human institutions prevents the Sabbat from spreading with ease.

North America

Canada and the United States pose perhaps the most t successful staging ground for the Sabbat. The sect has recently redoubled its war effort along the East Coast of the United States, solidifying its dominance in Miami, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Concerned Sabbat see these victories as paper tigers, however, as the sect's formerly taken-for-granted supremacy in New York City has become contested. Supporters of the war movement hasten to note that the cities of Atlanta, Richmond, Boston and Raleigh-Durham have recently fallen into contention from former Camarilla strangleholds. Obviously, the Sabbat recognizes that North America represents an extremely powerful financial and international control base, and it continually makes strides to advance its control of the region. Nightly, the sect tightens its grip on the United States' Midwest, hoping to crack the Camarilla like a nut between the combined might of Mexico and the East Coast territories.

The Sabbat steps carefully in North America, all too aware that the heavily technology-oriented populace can easily cause serious problems if people notice the sect's activities. The frenzied media of the United States provides too much of an opportunity for the sect to be revealed to the public at large, and that this forces the Sabbat to avoid too much open warfare against its foes. Unfortunately for the Sabbat, this means that much of the battle takes place through influence, which is one of the primary strengths of the Camarilla. Similarly, the difficulty of obtaining weapons in Canada hinders the Sabbat's crusades, which often rely on discreet direct assaults. North America forces the Sabbat to adopt new tactics and to find creative uses for the resources available to the sect but lacking in its enemies.

Detroit
Once the hub of the United States' automotive manufacturing, Detroit, Michigan has become a shell of its former industrial self. Detroit is valuable territory for the Sabbat despite its economic woes, and the sect seeks to revitalize the city with a shift in industrial focus. With one of the highest murder rates in the United States, Detroit (which has been known as "the murder capital of the US") provides ample feeding grounds for its dwellers. Unlike some of their brethren to the south, the Sabbat of Detroit do not concentrate on capturing neighboring Camarilla cities. Rather, the city's vampires focus on bolstering the flagging fortunes of their home. After all, the Sabbat must have the proper resources if it is to launch a successful attack....

Montreal
As part of the hammer that keeps southeast Ottawa in line (with Detroit as the anvil), Montreal boasts a population of exceptionally powerful Sabbat. Highly religious and organized, the packs of the city revel in freakishness. The trade and tourism of the area mean that Sabbat have easy pickings when hunting, and those who dabble in mortal works can lead wealthy and comfortable unlives. However, the same strengths that make the city lucrative and abundant for Sabbat also feed its own rot from within - many members of the sect in Montreal are suspected of being infernalists, and without the constant tests and trials that characterize the sect elsewhere, the Sabbat of the city turn to spiritual decay. The Sabbat Inquisition has taken a keen interest in the affairs of Montreal's Cainites, and several of the latter have fallen to claims of heresy and traffic with demons.

Central America

The greatest stronghold of the Sabbat is Mexico, and the sect places its spiritual and political heart in Mexico City. There is not a place in Central America (excepting a few pitiful and pathetic territories in the Yucatan peninsula) that does not see the guiding fist of the sect. Monterey and Guadalajara, Acapulco and Oaxaca - the hub of the Americas teems with Sabbat. Pushing north into the United States, the Sabbat exerts constant pressure; trickling into South America, the sect establishes a small presence among the variegated states of that area. Among the slums of economically depressed Mexico, the Sabbat finds easy hunting grounds and plenty of fodder for footsoldiers in the Jyhad.

Combining the ritae of the sect with the ancient practices of indigenous peoples, the Sabbat of Central America are among the most ritualistic and fervent supporters of the sect's policies. This fanaticism, combined with easy access to weapons, mercenaries and criminal gangs, means that the Sabbat of Central America are brutal and warlike. Indeed, in many places, the Sabbat members revel openly in their vampiric status, and the wandering packs of the area battle one another for turf and entertainment. A high rate of violent crime means that situations that get out of hand are easily covered up or dismissed, while the overflowing ghettoes provide a surfeit of blood. It is no wonder, then, that the Sabbat of this territory style themselves as brutal gang leaders or reclusive aristocrats.

Mexico City
The center of Mexico claims a population in excess of 20 million people, with the vast majority living in hardscrabble poverty. Dense smog and befouled water make the city among the most polluted places on Earth. Entire towns built on landfills house generations of people who likely never learn of electricity, writing or numbers. Among these masses of uneducated and dying kine, the Sabbat revels.

The current Regent of the Sabbat, a fifth-generation Toreador antitribu, makes her haven in Mexico City, considering the goals of the sect and holding sway over the Black Hand. Vampires who seek true political power within the Sabbat must travel here at some point, to be recognized - or scorned - amidst the hundreds of vampires who fight for prestige and position. Indeed, the vampires here are so numerous that even the city's wardens cannot recognize them all; any vampire who gives the proper countersigns is considered welcome. Entire packs may enter, vanish into the slums, and leave without anyone becoming aware of their existence.

Mexico City epitomizes the Sabbat in many ways: Here, vampires flaunt their powers openly to the kine (even if only frightened street gangs). Blood is always available for the taking (from the faceless denizens of the slums, who will never be missed). Vampires test against one another in bouts of strength and cunning, while industry and trade may be influenced by any Cainite bold enough to exert her will. Some vampires speculate that as many as 1,000 vampires keep their havens in Mexico City, making for a hellish preponderance of urban predators who act in whatever manner takes their whim. So is the mighty, diseased heart of the Sabbat's empire constructed.

Tijuana
Located just across the border from San Diego, California, Tijuana is a coastal city focused on tourism - mainly of the high-school-crowd-looking-to-become-intoxicated kind. As with many of the squalid cities in the throes of economic crisis, Tijuana faces problems with pollution and poverty. Much of the city has a cracked and decaying carnival atmosphere, with winding streets passing huddled clusters of low-life bars and clubs. As the Sabbat's staging ground against the rabble vampires of southern California, Tijuana holds a disproportionate number of Cainites. The high incidence of tourists and poverty-stricken neighborhoods allows the city to support more than its usual share of vampires. Bishop Cicatriz of Tijuana fights a two-front war, organizing War Parties to feel out the anarchs' wartime defenses while simultaneously attempting to exert influence across the border into San Diego-often through the use of immigrants and political conflicts over the border.

South America

In a continent overrun with feudal, balkanized vampiric domains, the Sabbat holds only limited sway. Most of the Cainites of South America support private domains backed up by small coteries of influential allies. As these vampires-cum-potentates have little desire to risk their positions by participating in the Sabbat's Jyhad, the sect has little success with converts in the area. Additionally, though major cities are always prime targets for the Sabbat, the economics of South American countries do not hold the appeal of North America and Europe, so they are often considered secondary targets due to their combined lack of financial power and - incorrectly - importance to the Jyhad. In fact, the neutral attitudes of South America make many of the cities perfect middle ground for meetings with members of other sects or organizations, and when a Camarilla or independent vampire needs to make arrangements with the Sabbat, it's as likely as not to happen here, often rubbing elbows with the war criminals, expatriates and other exiles of the mortal world.

Sabbat vampires in South America are disorganized and fractious. The cities of the area are largely independent, and the given presence of Sabbat in any city is usually limited to a single pack. Additionally, given the antagonistic relationship with the seemingly ubiquitous shapeshifters of South America (who appear to be involved in some war of their own), the Sabbat finds the South American continent very troublesome for any sort of travel.

Europe

As the home of the elders of the Camarilla and the birthplace of the Sabbat, the countries of Europe are prime grounds of subtle warfare for the sect. Here, the Sabbat still fights to overthrow the decrepit "Kindred" of latter nights. Unfortunately for the sect, the presence of many powerful and paranoid elders makes it difficult at best to besiege cities, and the Camarilla is quick with retribution against any perceived attack. As a result, the Sabbat has only limited influence in Europe, primarily in Spain and Italy where the Lasombra clan exercises its traditional sway.

As a whole, Europe is staunchly traditional and orderly. Many of Europe's vampires - including a few of the Sabbat - date back to the Middle Ages and beyond, and they still uphold their old ways. To make gains against creatures of such age, power and guile, the Sabbat must move slowly and cautiously. Additionally, with its feet firmly in the modern world (thanks to the induction of many younger Cainites), the Sabbat makes use of modern technology and institutions that are beyond the understanding of some of Europe's anachronistic elders. The end result is a slow cold war as the Sabbat sacrifices its weak pawns in an attempt to undermine the centuries-old pillars of strength supporting the Camarilla of Europe. Since even the eldest among the Sabbat would be hard-pressed to fight the Camarilla's luminaries here, they must content themselves with waiting for that inevitable change or fatal mistake that will allow them to move into a city and take it in one fell stroke.

As mentioned previously, many of the Sabbat in Europe are quite old. Indeed, some vampires claiming to have been involved in the fabled Anarch Revolt still give counsel in the European nations. As a result, upward mobility in the sect is limited here. Despite the Sabbat's cries of freedom and equality, young Cainites of the area chafe at finding themselves unable to rise in position because older and more cunning vampires already hold the reins of power. Only by dint of the most wildly risky and successful schemes can a young Cainite hope to rise in standing. As a result, the Sabbat packs of the area are mostly old, founded packs, also known as covens; younger Cainites tend to leave for riper pickings elsewhere after a brief "mentorship" with their sires.

Eastern Europe, with the Russian territories and the former Ottoman provinces, is almost a separate continent as far as vampires are concerned. Here, the hoary Tzimisce ply the ancient ways of their clan, some even existing still as feudal overlords in crumbling castles. Vampires who visit here are best served by upholding the ancient ways, lest they find themselves decorating the walls of some abattoir. In the more rural places in the mountains, small villages are lorded over by howling packs of Sabbat vampires, small-scale imitations of the Sabbat dream.

Sabbat vampires of the Old World generally look on their compatriots in the Americas with disdain, often considering them crude and unworthy. As one European ductus, or pack leader, says, "What gravity can freedom have to a Cainite whose greatest moral quandary is deciding whether to take prey from a Burger King or a McDonalds?"

Madrid
Ruled by an ancient and twisted Lasombra, the Archbishop Monfada, Madrid remains a bastion of Sabbat power and prestige. Here, the Lasombra come for confession and to participate in their clan's oldest ritae. No Camarilla would dare attack the city - who would be fool enough to challenge the viper in his own lair? - so the sect's control of the surrounding territory is absolute. From Madrid, Sabbat vampires of all clans spread out through the Iberian peninsula, conducting neutral business in Barcelona or traveling to the rest of continental Europe to engage the Camarilla elders in overt or covert schemes.

Although Madrid is not as large a city as Barcelona, it is the capital of Spain, and is therefore a seat of political power. The Lasombra enjoy their chess games of intrigue here, though Moncada brooks no challenge to his power. With the city's beautiful architecture, Toreador and antitribu alike flock to the location to study the old stonework and paintings. Cainites with a taste for sport watch bullfights in the evenings; some vampires even cultivate their own ghouled bulls, and watch hungrily as the matadors become the victims. In Madrid, aristocratic Sabbat vampires indulge their every depraved whim. Who would stop them?

Milan
Once a Sabbat stronghold in the middle of Italy, Milan recently changed hands. Giangaleazzo, the former archbishop of the city, masterfully orchestrated a purge of the loyal Sabbat elements and pledged his fealty to the Camarilla in a sudden coup. Enraged, the Sabbat has sworn to destroy Giangaleazzo utterly, and to retake the city. However, since Milan is surrounded by Giovanni and Camarilla elements, direct assaults are difficult at best. It appears that the erstwhile archbishop of the city may have his way.

Africa

Considering the fierce rivalry between the Followers of Set and the Serpents of the Light, Africa occupies some of the Sabbat's attention. However, in general, the Followers are too deeply entrenched in their homeland for the Sabbat to confront them effectively. Furthermore, despite their misguided devotion to an Antediluvian, the Setites are less of a threat than the Camarilla. The remainder of the African continent is apparently devoid of vampiric controllers, though rumors of strange native vampires - "Laibon" and other, older names - circulate wildly. Of course, if the loss of Sabbat (and Camarilla) agents in South Africa is any indication, the native vampires, if these "Laibon" are vampires at all, may not see things in exactly the same light.

The Middle East, encompassing northern parts of Africa and some Far Eastern sections of Europe, is an exception to the Sabbat's otherwise minimal presence in the Dark Continent. As the traditional home of the Assamites, the Middle East countries like Turkey and Saudi Arabia are fortifications of strength for the Black Hand. The shifting allegiances of religious factions in the Middle East also make a fertile ground for recruitment; once the Blood has become involved, it is often a simple matter to turn fervent loyalty from a holy mortal cause to an unholy immortal one.

Australia

As a marginally independent territory, the Sabbat finds Australia frustrating. The princes of the area either pay lip service to the Camarilla or hold completely independent cities. Consequently, the Sabbat has pushed its attacks on Australia, as evidenced by rising crime and political unrest. Without reinforcements from outside, the cities of Australia may soon fall to the Sabbat presence, but many major outposts - Sydney and Melbourne in particular - remain remarkably free of Sabbat influence.

With huge expanses of uncivilized territory, Australia is a perfect place for solitary or nomadic Cainites. At least a half dozen nomadic packs roam the bush, though at least two are known to have disappeared while crossing the wastes. The necromancers of the Sabbat claim that unquiet spirits step out from dreams to assault trespassers here, but no magic has yet been able to summon or bind these spirits. Some Cainite scholars whisper that central Australia may be home to an ancient Nosferatu enemy, and that it may have awakened, hungry.

Asia

The Far East remains shrouded in mystery to the Sabbat. The native vampires have little or no interest in contact or cooperation, and none seem to fear the Antediluvians. Those few captured seem able to withstand privation for a preternaturally long time, and they rarely give up any secrets, even when the most wicked Tzimisce apply their tortures. Worst of all, the Vaulderie apparently has no effect on the Cathayans, as evidenced when a "convert" brought back some associates and slaughtered his entire pack. Even when using the underground smugglers who deign to transport Cainites (albeit at a ridiculously high price), the Sabbat finds itself balked by the enigmatic locals and their disdain for the sect's ruthless nature.

Because of Asia's huge mortal population (primarily in China and India) and financial markets (trade with Japan and Korea), the Sabbat is quite interested in establishing power in this region. Unfortunately, aside from a single agent in Hong Kong and a pack in Tokyo, there are no active Sabbat in Asia. Attempts to influence the region have all failed miserably, with Sabbat agents disappearing or dying before achieving any goals. Direct assaults with large packs of fodder meet horrible demises as Cathayans seem to melt out of the shadows wielding terrible powers. Asia is a deathtrap for the Sabbat, and the sect seethes with frustration at these failures.

The only hint to penetrating Asia may lie with Adonai, nominal leader of the Salubri antitribu, who alludes to ancient legends of his former clan's founder's travels to the East. The discovery of a set of ancient and unidentifiable symbols at a ruined temple in Cambodia led to some trepidation when Adonai recognized the signs as a primitive form of the secret writing used by his clan in nights of yore. However, even when confronted directly, Cathayan diplomats refuse to speak of the "family of Zao-lat the traitor."

The Clans of the Sabbat

The Sabbat may have fewer members than the Camarilla, but it is far more cosmopolitan - at least with regard to the lineage of those who make up its ranks. The Camarilla probably has more diversity within the clans that compose it, but the Sabbat prides itself on the universal vision of its vampires. Of course, the vampires of the sect are just as unique as any other Damned in the World of Darkness, though their common ideology tends to unite them more cohesively.

Until recently, the Lasombra and Tzimisce were the most numerous vampires of the sect. In the nights of conquest and siege, however, more vampires of other clans and bloodlines came to populate the Sabbat. Although Lasombra and Tzimisce still outnumber the other vampires, the ratio is no longer as stacked as it used to be. Critics of these two clans wonder if perhaps the leadership of the sect is undergoing a change, as reflected by the increase in "lesser" clans and bloodlines.

The clans of the Sabbat often refer to themselves as antitribu or "anti-clans", having turned their backs on the Camarilla or independent clans that originally spawned the. Little love is commonly lost between the antitribu and the mainstream clans - their respective members parted ways long ago on matters of philosophy, and it appears that reconciliation is hardly possible, especially as Gehenna approaches in the modern nights. Surely, the details of these old rivalries have been lost in the mists of history, but few vampires meet with hostility like that possessed by the antitribu and their estranged parent clans.

What follows is a general description of the clans and bloodlines of the Sabbat. More information on all of them appear in Chapter Two (except the Tzimisce and Lasombra, who are covered in Vampire: The Masquerade).

Lasombra
Clan Lasombra is, without a doubt, the dominant clan in the Sabbat. It claims a history of nobility and prestige, though in the modern nights, it would seem that the Sabbat has twisted this nobility into the blackest of mockeries. Lasombra are jaded, depraved leaders, tempered by their own inner darkness and centuries of ruthless plotting and counterplotting. The Sabbat would likely crumble without the leadership of Clan Lasombra, which claims to have destroyed its progenitor and would lead others to that selfsame victory.

Tzimisce
Eldritch and alien, the Tzimisce are a senescent clan of rotting prominence. Much of the Sabbat's monstrous outlook stems from Tzimisce philosophy and subsequent influence. The Fiends claim a proud history of rulership, governing their vassals in the Old World with iron talons and hoary magic. In the modern nights, many of the sect's priests and councilors hail from Clan Tzimisce, the moral and spiritual backbone of the Sabbat. They possess a twisted honor and a malignant love of knowledge. It is whispered that the legendary Dracula claims this clan as his own, though his allegiance to sect or clan is unknown if it - or he - exists at all.

Assamite Antitribu
The Sabbat Assamites are much like their independent brethren, though their allegiance is to the sect and its purpose rather than the slumbering, antiquated Ancient venerated by the mainstream clan. Assamite antitribu inhabit a comfortable niche among the bloody Sabbat, given as they are to murder and diablerie. Most members of this clan join the subsect known as the Black Hand or become templars, paladins and other enforcers of Sabbat policy. Surprisingly, the clan seems to maintain fairly civil relations with its parent clan despite its "heretical" beliefs in the Sabbat's Noddist philosophy. Sabbat Assamites also maintain a vague hauteur over their forebears, as they never succumbed to the curse only recently broken by the non-Sabbat Assassins.

Blood Brothers
A strange bloodline of vampires developed by Thaumaturgical and other mystical means, the Blood Brothers are created rather than Embraced. Although they count few members, the Blood Brothers display a vicious streak a mile wide, and often find themselves serving as muscle or labor for other vampires in the sect. Blood Brothers move in "circles" that consist only of other Blood Brothers, and their bizarre biothaumaturgical Embrace strips them of personal will. As such, while they cannot be said to happily serve the Sabbat, they do so unquestioningly. Additionally, Blood Brothers undergo a fleshcrafting process during the Embrace that reforms their facial (and sometimes bodily) structures to resemble one another exactly. They are most frequently found - which is a bit misleading, as there is nothing "frequent" about them - in the employ of freakish Tzimisce and scheming Lasombra,' who use them when they need graceless work done with which they would rather not associate themselves.

Brujah Antitribu
Superficially similar to their parent clan, the Sabbat Brujah are ironically much more conservative than the mainstream clan. Brujah antitribu are pillars of stability for the Sabbat, as they care less for causes and more for wanton violence. Many of the Sabbat's shock troops and fodder come from this clan, as their prowess is matched only by their relentless (if simplistic) support of the sect. The Sabbat Brujah are great proselytizers, as well, converting everyone they can with promises of freedom and the destruction of elder tyranny. Unlike the apparent attitude affected by Camarilla Brujah, they do not seem to despise the sect to which they belong.

Gangrel Antitribu
Very little can be said regarding the Sabbat Gangrel as a clan, as their ranks include loners and individualists who would seem to have little use for sects. The clan has two subdivisions, known as the City Gangrel and the Country Gangrel. Country Gangrel are the most like their parent clan, feral and often rustic, preferring their own company to packs and blood-guzzling ritual convocations. The City Gangrel, however, seem to exhibit a more pack mentality, and resemble the creatures of urban nightmare more than their cousins - rather than wolves and bats, their frenzies leave them with the features of spiders, hyenas and... other... beasts. City Gangrel are consummate urban predators, honing their instincts to suit the alleys they prowl. Recently, a great many Gangrel have "defected" to the Sabbat, looking over their shoulders for whatever has spooked them into such a mass exodus and speaking fearfully of "sleeping horrors" awakening.

Harbingers of Skulls
These rare and curious vampires have joined the Sabbat only recently. In fact, until a few years ago, no one had heard of them. The Harbingers present themselves as quiet and conservative, preferring to traffic with the souls of the dead rather than rampage about, leaving wakes of fire and destruction. Nonetheless, they are cold and alien, conducting murder and torture in their laboratories. All of the Harbingers physically resemble corpses themselves; their skin stretches over their bones and gives them a skeletal, emaciated appearance. They affect masks and other manners of hiding their faces, for their skin has stretched so tightly over their heads that they appear as naked, grinning skulls. Some vampires attribute a dark origin to the Harbingers, as their knowledge and power is far superior to any bloodline that has "popped up" recently.

Kiasyd
The enigmatic Kiasyd seem to have little affiliation with the Sabbat, and they are arguably not part of it at all. However, it appears that, for whatever reason, they sympathize with the sect. Those who have heard of the Kiasyd (a rarity in and of itself) believe them to have some mystical connection with the Lasombra, since tangible darkness trails the Kiasyd as it does the Keepers. For the most part, they seem to be content to remain quietly distant from the nightly affairs of the sect, losing themselves in ancient writings and forgotten lore. Few Kiasyd venture outside their havens - which would certainly be memorable, given these vampires' strange, bluish skin, oddly pointed ears, tall frames and pure black eyes. Perhaps it is best that they keep to themselves, for they are obviously unwholesome.

Malkavian Antitribu
The Malkavians of the Sabbat support the sect only nominally, if at all, though they form one of the more populous clans. It would seem that their crippling derangements hinder any attempts at lucidity - they are true monsters, rarely driven by anything other than ravenous hunger or their own rampaging Beasts. In their rare, brief moments of civility, they exhibit the cursed insight of the rest of their clan, often speaking cryptically of events to come or unrevealed secrets forgotten. Sabbat packs are often forced to restrain or incapacitate their Malkavian members, whose explosive and murderous rages are equally as likely to maim friend or foe. Some Sabbat Malkavians have mentioned "infecting" their Camarilla counterparts, but no one outside the clan claims to know what they mean.

Nosferatu Antitribu
Nosferatu in the Sabbat are studies in extremes - among their ranks are some of the sect's most depraved villains and most humanitarian penitents. Although these latter are derided as "soft" by many others of the sect, the clan as a whole is too useful to the sect to write off. Sabbat Nosferatu are some of the most ardent followers of the Sabbat's Paths of Enlightenment, turning their backs on the values of those they no longer resemble. Nosferatu antitribu often form packs with other Nosferatu exclusively and gather secrets much like their Camarilla forebears. In fact, the Nosferatu antitribu maintain probably the best relationship with their mainstream clan of all Sabbat vampires, and it is all but assured that they know more about the Camarilla than any other Sabbat clan, as well.

Panders
Although they are not a true clan in the strictest sense of the word, the Panders have nonetheless accumulated some small degree of status in the Sabbat. The Panders comprise the cast-offs and detritus of the Sabbat - they are the sect's "Caitiff," clanless and wretched, but still committed to the sect's aims. Unlike the Caitiff, however, the Panders are acknowledged as equals... at least in theory if not in practice.

Ravnos Antitribu
The Ravnos antitribu have turned their backs on their Gypsy heritage, and they no longer maintain any relations (outside of hostility) with their mainstream clan. Sabbat Ravnos are some of the wildest vampires in the sect, as wanderlust still runs in their undead veins and their wicked ways have made them even more malicious than independent Ravnos. Almost all Ravnos antitribu are gorgio - non-Gypsies; in turning away from their parent clan, the Sabbat Ravnos have also turned away from their archaic ways. Many Ravnos antitribu serve as scouts and spies for the Sabbat, taking advantage of their nomadic natures and prowess with Chimerstry.

Salubri Antitribu
A recent development in Sabbat history has seen the conversion of a member of the reviled Salubri bloodline to the Black Hand. Bringing and Embracing a small, elite army of followers, this Salubri has declared a personal vendetta against the Camarilla, which he claims has sheltered murderers and kinslayers since its inception. While the Sabbat seems like a strange place for those who take offense at the destruction of elders (at least to other Sabbat) the Salubri antitribu seem to regard the sect's larger philosophy with only lip service. In their minds, their allegiance with the sect begins and ends with the war on the Camarilla. In the tradition of the antitribu, the Sabbat Salubri have turned utterly away from the "clan" that spawned them, regarding their progenitors with antipathy for what they consider weakness and fatalism.

Serpents of the Light
It is believed that the Serpents of the Light began as a heretical offshoot bloodline of the Followers of Set. Following more closely to the tenets of voudun than the arcane Egyptian faith of the parent clan, the faction left the fold at the urging of the Sabbat in the late 1960s (once the sect had established itself in Haiti and turned back Setite presence). Serpents of the Light consider the Setites' attempts to resurrect their undead vampire-god blasphemous and foolish, as doing so would open the door to Gehenna and rouse the other Antediluvians. The Serpents of the Light still have much to prove to the sect, but not for a lack of conviction - they oppose their forebears' support of their Antediluvian with a ferocity not found elsewhere.

Toreador Antitribu
These vampires embody all that is despicable and inhumane in the Sabbat and Toreador alike. Whereas the Camarilla-advocates of Clan Toreador becomes engrossed in beauty, the Toreador antitribu - through their long association with the Sabbat - find human suffering, pain and cruelty beautiful. They are truly depraved, taking pleasure in the torment of others and reveling in the gore with which they surround themselves. Sabbat Toreador are simultaneously in touch with and alienated from their human sides - they know mortal urges intimately, though they twist them horrifically. Some Sabbat speak furtively of the Toreador antitribu, believing them to be more insane than the Malkavians, claiming that the Perverts are interested only in suffering for its own sake rather than any specific end. Like their counterparts in the Camarilla, the Sabbat Toreador make up the "high society" of the sect, though their society is malefic and bloody, indeed.

Ventrue Antitribu
The Ventrue of the Sabbat resemble their parent clan of nights past, and they truly loathe what the mainstream clan has become in the modern nights. While Camarilla Ventrue are powerful financiers and corporate merchant princes, the Sabbat Ventrue are paladins and knights, sworn to uphold the Sabbat's way of unlife and atone for the greed of their predecessors. They possess a grim nobility, and many find places within the Black Hand or as templars. The Sabbat Inquisition, devoted to rooting out and destroying infernalism, is composed predominantly of Ventrue antitribu. Indeed, the Sabbat Ventrue are - some would say ironically - some of the sect's most ardent supporters.

Organization in the Sword of Ñaine

Although it would be difficult to discern from the outside, the Sabbat actually has a codified hierarchy. The sect has leaders and followers, commanders and footsoldiers, like any other war effort.

Of course, the "war effort" is purely subjective to the sect. Sabbat do not spend every night in constant struggle with Camarilla vampires or the insidious Antediluvians. In fact, to the untrained eye, very little exists to distinguish Sabbat-controlled cities from those of the Camarilla, apart from higher crime rates, more missing-persons cases, greater urban human suffering and less hope for salvation. Then again, in the World of Darkness, these things exist on sliding scales, and what may be passable to one city's bishops may earn the Final Death in another.

The Sabbat is not ruled so much as it is led - even the regent and cardinals do what they do out of devotion to the sect's cause. Leadership among Sabbat, however, is a precarious thing. Among the higher echelons, Sabbat vampires tend to lose touch with the younger vampires who fight the battles nightly. At lower tiers of the hierarchy, a ductus' or priest's decisions sometimes carry more weight than those of a city's archbishop or bishop. In the end, the Sabbat's fervent support of its cause proves its undoing, as the disorganization endemic to a sect sworn to uphold freedom prevents it from achieving consistent success.

Despite their seemingly slavish devotion to the sect, members of the Sabbat are vampires first and foremost. Eternal, parasitic creatures, Sabbat vampires must deal with the same fears as the other Damned - witch-hunters, fellow Cainites, the mysterious other supernatural who sometimes pass through cities and even members of "the masses" who catch on to a vampire's depredations all conspire to end a Sabbat's unlife as quickly as they would any other threat. Although they would never call it thus, the vampires of the Sabbat support an unspoken Masquerade; the sect isn't stupid, and it's leaders know that there is no way to succeed if the sect collapses before establishing a way to fulfill its goals.

As such, the Sabbat has created a few "offices" to serve its best interests. These titles are artificial at best, though any vampire who has managed to acquire one certainly has the personal power or influence to back it up. Sabbat vampires, being the passionate creatures they are, also harbor grudges as deeply as any Camarilla harpy or anarch dissident - intra-sect politics are as murky as the Camarilla's, though the Sabbat pretends to be above such things (at least in front of others). Vampires at various levels of the power structure invariably owe some fellow Sabbat favors, harbor vendettas toward others and manipulate all the resources at their disposal toward making things difficult for their foes while gaining (or erasing) debts sworn by (or to) others. It is even said that the recent upheaval wrought by the Inquisition (see below) in Montreal is the direct result of one vampire trying to play too many factions off each other-a consequence any Cainite familiar with the workings of the Camarilla has seen innumerable times.

That said, the Sabbat has pulled itself up by its bootstraps, leading a campaign of conquest unheard of since the colonization of the New World. Recent crusades in Miami, Atlanta and Atlantic City have turned the tide of the Sabbat's war effort on the East Coast of the United States, while relatively bloodless seizures of power in Washington, DC and parts of Europe prove the Sabbat is as capable with intrigue as guerrilla tactics. Conservative members of the sect warn against resting on their laurels, however, arguing that "complacency has lost more than one war." More often than not, Sabbat crusades fail, even as early as the scouting stages, because lines of communication and duty break down, leaving the sect unable to improve its lot.

To delineate responsibilities, the Sabbat has created for itself a rough organization. In theory, this organization provides a strong base for sect leadership, as skilled vampires claw and plot their way to prominence. In practice, however, the model breaks down, as elder vampires demand anachronistic subservience from the Cainites below them, and younger vampires rebel openly against the leaders who should be establishing coups rather than plotting against each other like the depraved Licks of the Camarilla. The Sabbat is perhaps its own greatest enemy, with many of the battles fought in the hearts and minds of the sect's members.

The Regent

The regent of the Sabbat supposedly coordinates the grand-scale master plan of the sect, much like a mortal dictator or corporate president. Supported by a consistory of other powerful vampires, the regent holds little sway over the sect as a whole, however. Young Sabbat often make a big show of rejecting this hypocritical figure of authority as elder Sabbat flout her rule for their own personal gain. In the end, the regent may demand service, fealty and respect, but she had best be able to back it up, as the Sabbat has no lack of wide-eyed megalomaniacs who would not hesitate to usurp the position for themselves.

The regent's nightly affairs - if such can be said of a vampire who spends as long as a month at a time in the cold arms of sleep - consist primarily of entertaining sect luminaries, hearing progress reports, plotting against other vampires (both in the sect and out) and deciding which tactical or strategic maneuvers to make. Add to this list the incessant cultivation of influences, moving and counter-moving to keep one's enemies at bay, presiding over ritae and weathering the countless intrigues inherent to centuries among the undead.

The current regent of the Sabbat, Melinda Galbraith, makes her haven in Mexico City. A member of the Toreador antitribu, Galbraith draws much fire from her many detractors as being more involved with the petty affairs of the sect than with the Sabbat's larger purpose. Apparently content to offer "bread and circuses" to those below her, the regent stages elaborate ritae, replacing actual accomplishment with much pomp and observance of ritual. Galbraith has been instrumental, however, in providing support to some of the key sieges in North America. For this reason, she finds little approval among the Sabbat of the Old World, who tend to believe she concentrates on her immediate surroundings too greatly to see the big picture.

The Cardinals

Cardinals oversee Sabbat affairs in grand geographical regions. As the superiors of the archbishops, cardinals coordinate the Sabbat in their cities and direct them in the Great Jyhad.

Cardinals wield immense amounts of power as their influences cross great distances. Yet, even if they have no direct influence in a particular arena, their underlings generally do. The office of cardinal is far more than simply regional management, however. The cardinals bear the responsibility of the crusades - it is their direct duty to bring cities within their diocese under the Sabbat's sway. Of course, doing so is quite difficult: The fall of a city takes years to plan and execute. Additionally, sweeping in and taking over requires finesse. Simply firebombing an entire town leaves nothing within the town to be desired.

Obviously, the responsibilities of the cardinals are vast. On one end of the spectrum, cardinals must appease their political peers and betters, proving their worth as cardinals and maintaining the Great Jyhad. On the other end, they must exercise caution and restraint, as turning their cities into hellholes diminishes their worth.

Most Sabbat see their cardinals no more than once per year, if at all, as the duties of the office keep them in constant communication with bishops, archbishops, prisci and of course, the regent herself. When the lower echelons of the sect do see their cardinals, it is often during various sect rituals or honorific festivals.

Cardinals vary widely in style - some are bellicose warlords, leading their crusades at the front of the columns and destroying those who stand against them with frightening powers. Others are clever tacticians, carefully orchestrating every move the vampires they lead make. Still others are charismatic firebrands, whipping their charges into frenzies and turning them loose on the unsuspecting, soft Camarilla "Kindred." Almost all cardinals are feared by those beneath them, as their tremendous physical and political power makes them terrible foes, in whose good graces one must remain, lest one meet Final Death.

The Prisci

Preeminent among the Sabbat, the prisci are vampires of great age or power, selected by the consistory to join its ranks as advisors. Prisci require little or no temporal power; they are not responsible for maintaining Sabbat influence in a city, nor must they coordinate sieges or other war efforts. Rather, the prisci offer their unique insight to other members of the sect, particularly the regent, cardinals and archbishops.

Often, however, prisci do achieve some degree of political influence, usually at the expense of those who have failed them. Most prisci belong to Clans Lasombra, Tzimisce and Toreador antitribu, though no formal rules exist as to whether or not a member of a given clan may belong. Of course, becoming a priscus requires that one prove oneself to be of inestimable value to the sect - no vampire younger than 200 years has ever attained a priscus' position.

To young vampires, prisci epitomize the hypocrisy of the Sabbat. Sure, they've proven themselves, but they don't do it consistently. Maybe in some long-forgotten night over a century ago, Priscus So-and-so did something memorable, but what has he done lately?

Naturally, young vampires rarely have a chance to see the prisci in action. Devoted as they are to the regent and her support, much of the prisci's affairs take place in the Sabbat's hallowed catacombs of power. Young vampires have not entirely missed the mark, however. The consistory (which also includes a few cardinals) greatly resembles the upper layers of the Camarilla, as elder vampires stab each other in the back and usurp each other's influence in endless Cainite games of supremacy. The priscus' role is to ensure the Sabbat's long-term success through good advice and careful planning. This role serves the interest of all Sabbat, since it lets the younger vampires see actual results for their efforts as it lets the sect's elders enjoy the luxuries acquired from unlives of treachery and double-dealing along with the occasional important effort.

Most prisci, having reached advanced age, spend a good deal of time in torpor, rising only when needed or when a masterstroke demands their attention. Prisci are responsible for much of the upper-level advancement in the Sabbat - a priscus' patronage is required to become an archbishop, for example, and the consistory selects its own members from lesser ranks of the sect.

Being a priscus not all Blood Feasts and Epicureanism, as should be duly noted. Many prisci were lords or military strategists before becoming vampires, and their vast experience (tempered with the caginess required to attain the position in the first place) serves the sect well. Often, a siege's success or failure rests on a bit of information, such as what defenses a given prince can muster, or which sympathetic vampires may be convinced to look the other way as the Sabbat roars into town. Such is the role of the priscus: to maximize the flaws of the others through proven strategies. Some cities even have prisci on hand to advise the archbishop or bishop's council on matters of Cainite relevance. As kingmakers, they are often the true power behind the obvious figurehead.

The Archbishops

Archbishops officiate the nightly affairs of individual cities, often as the most powerful vampire in the locale. Appointed by the cardinal of a given region, archbishops bear the responsibility for all vampires underneath them, and they must see to the maintenance of the city in the Sabbat's best interests. Of course, the Sabbat's best interests are not always (and in fact, are rarely...) the best interests of the mortals of a given city. As mentioned before, Sabbat-held cities are urban wastelands or teeming dens of violence - which suits the Sabbat reasonably.

Most archbishops support "nondisclosure" policies similar to the Masquerade. Less strict than the Masquerade, however, the Sabbat attitude toward mortals bears more disdain than secrecy. Such is the reason crime rates in Sabbat cities skyrocket; it's often easier to kill a mortal who has observed a vampire in action than it is to clean up afterward. Given the general feeling toward mortals that most Sabbat vampires espouse, most archbishops are fine with this arrangement.

The archbishop, as his title suggests, is the foremost spiritual authority of a given city. Most archbishops were pack priests before attaining their positions. (This fact reveals much about the title, as few archbishops are over 200 years in age. Those who are, however, are often vastly more than 200 years old, and have become de facto archbishops as they are the oldest and most influential vampires in their cities, as is the case with Archbishop Moncada in Madrid and the former Archbishop of Milan, Giangaleazzo. Truly old Sabbat Cainites tend toward the ranks of the prisci and cardinals, or bear no titles at all, allowing their potency to speak for itself.) Archbishops take active roles in many of the auctoritas ritae of their city's Cainites, and they may have a hand in determining local or regional ignoblis ritae as well. In the end, the archbishop balances temporal power with skilled administration: Cities in which the packs run wild become barren, and cities that become barren cannot support the race of vampires.

The Bishops

If a city has no archbishop, it generally hosts a council of three to five bishops depending on the city's size. Similar to the archbishops, bishops bear the responsibility of maintaining Sabbat influence in their cities, as well as the spiritual growth of the vampires therein.

Sabbat bishops often hail from the ranks of the pack priests, but many originate among the ducti as well. Because bishops are generally younger and/or less capable than archbishops, the Sabbat installs the councils. In this manner, no bishop needs to function in a capacity to which he is ill-suited. For example, a charismatic and iron-fisted administrator may not know the first thing about presiding over the mystical ritae, so the sect makes sure it covers all its bases with the bishops. Most bishops, promoted directly from the packs in which they serve, are 200 years old or younger.

This division of power among multiple figureheads often creates conflict. Sabbat priests are rarely known for their even tempers, and a council of headstrong leaders often hamstrings itself. For this reason, bishops answer directly to cardinals, who have no qualms about beating or twisting problematic bishops into their proper places. In some ways, the position of bishop demands more from its title-bearer than that of the archbishop, as diplomacy is key to a bishop while an archbishop can push through his own agendas with less resistance.

The Ducti

Leaders of individual packs, ducti attend to the operation matters of their charges. As most packs number between three to seven individual members, ducti resemble gang leaders or chiefs of small tribes.

The title of ductus is largely honorific, according recognition to the most accomplished member of a pack. Some authority accompanies the title, however, but the ductus who throws his weight around is likely to find his ass kicked and dumped unceremoniously in a trash bin, if not staked out to welcome the next sunrise. Ducti rely more on presence and force of personality to motivate those in their packs. They work closely with pack priests to coordinate attacks, grow sect and pack influence, and act as liaisons to the bishops and archbishops.

Ducti may call esbats, which are pack meetings, and most usually do so weekly. At esbats, the priest generally conducts the most important ritae, after which the ductus assesses the pack's progress. Ducti also assign duties to pack members that fit the group's needs; someone has to maintain the haven, someone has to get rid of the bodies, et cetera.

The position of ductus is, with a notable few exceptions, the highest position to which a nomadic Sabbat may rise. Nomadic Sabbat travel from place to place, obviously, and most are unfit to hold the titles of archbishop or bishop. Nomadic Sabbat have no explicit prohibition from holding the titles of priscus or cardinal (or regent...), but few, if any, ever have.

In matters of rank, the ductus supersedes all others in the pack - though not always the oldest member, he is certainly the most something else, which most ducti can bring to bear should their authority come into question. The wise ductus, of course, listens to his pack, resorting to rank only when others refuse to see the strength of his arguments.

The Pack Priests

Priests bear the responsibility for the spiritual well-being of their packs. Most priests are Tzimisce, but anyone of any clan may become a priest with the proper instruction.

Second in command to the ductus, the pack priest officiates all ritae observed by the pack, and often creates a few for the sole use of the pack. This creates great bonds of loyalty and also bestows a sense of self on the pack - they become valuable, unique individuals with the tradition to prove it.

All packs have at least one priest, though some rare and large packs have two. In the event that the ductus is eliminated, the priest becomes the pack leader pro tern, until a new leader can be appointed by the bishop or archbishop (or in nomadic or autonomous packs, the pack itself).

Priests shoulder a tremendous responsibility: They must keep their packmates from succumbing to infernalism and from letting their Beasts rise to uncontrollability. Priests, most often, have abandoned their Humanity (adopting instead a Path of Enlightenment), and they are encouraged to support their packmates' journeys down their own paths. Obviously, the priest is as much counselor as he is a witch.

The Templars

Also known as paladins, the templars are an elite force of bodyguards appointed by a bishop or greater leader. Although they have no formal organization, being named as a templar is a great honor for the Cainite so titled. Being recognized as such is a symbol of strength in the Sabbat and a public acknowledgment of one's fighting skills.

Templars serve a variety of duties, always in a martial capacity. Most archbishops keep a cadre of paladins in their retinues to handle delicate matters best solved by a judicious application of violence, while the Inquisitors tend to being templars with them as backup muscle for their travels and trials.

Templars are forbidden from becoming members of the Black Hand, which is seen as a conflict of interests as the paladins generally have no secondary factional agendas. Sometimes referred to as bloodhounds or buttonmen by other Cainites, templars are almost always found in the employ of sect leaders, though some may belong to packs for periods of inactivity or have been honorably discharged from their duties in times when said leaders have no need for standing paramilitary attendants.

Factions of the Sabbat

The Sabbat is hardly a unified entity, as its history, cosmopolitan makeup and penchant for personal freedom illustrates. The sect is home to numerous splinter groups, factions of vampires who have united under the Sabbat's banner to achieve their own ends (which often correspond with those of the sect), or to direct the greater body of the sect. In the chaos of the Sabbat, it is not unlikely to find members of these factions among the packs, though by no means does every member of the Sabbat support a faction - most simply support the Sword of Caine itself. Nonetheless, these factions claim a great number of members, and some have become integral to the existence of the Sabbat itself.

The Black Hand

The Black Hand is best described as a sect within a sect; a unique group of vampires distinct from all other Sabbat. The Black Hand (also known simply as the Hand or, less frequently, the manus nigrum) is not a wholly independent sect, however, as all Hand members are loyal members of the Sabbat.

The Black Hand consists of vampires of many different clans, but it draws most of its members from the Assamite and Gangrel antitribu. It also includes many militant vampires, for whom clan is often a tertiary concern at best, as they pursue the Sabbat's ideal of freedom. Members of the Black Hand rarely exist in all-Hand packs; the group instead disperses its number among the other vampires of the sect. A notable few packs made exclusively of Black Hand members exist, but these are rarely seen outside momentous Sabbat events like sieges and crusades.

Conceived as a special militia, the Black Hand is, at its simplest, a military force at the disposal of Sabbat leaders. Like a true army, the Hand specializes in numerous aspects of warfare, from intrigue and intelligence to assassination to outright physical combat. The Black Hand seldom remains active for any long period of time, instead sending small, focused units or packs to attend to the issue at hand. Indeed, very few vampires can even remember a time when the whole of the Hand acted simultaneously at all. Sabbat elders seem to prefer this arrangement, and some secretly fear that the sect-within-a-sect would attempt a coup if kept active for too long a time. Throughout its history, however, the Black Hand has always served the Sabbat with unwavering loyalty.

Sabbat leaders most commonly activate cells of the Black Hand for leading assaults on Camarilla-held cities or sieges already underway. The Black Hand includes many of the deadliest Cainites on earth, and they specialize in terror tactics and breaking the Masquerade. Calling for Black Hand assistance when it is unnecessary, however, casts an individual in unfavorable light - the sect's presence is grave and not necessarily subtle, and calling on it is literally "bringing out the big guns." Any Cainite with a title of bishop or greater may call for the Hand's assistance, and most Hand members are able to contact and request aid from other members of the faction.

High-ranking members of the Hand select other Sabbat Cainites for membership in their group on an individual basis. Membership is a matter of much prestige among the Sabbat, akin to belonging to an elite military force (which, in fact, it is). Knowledge of this practice has disseminated among the sect somewhat, and Cainites who want to draw the Black Hand's attention often make grand displays of their martial skills, sometimes participating alone in Wild Hunts, taking great responsibilities in city sieges and even challenging Black Hand members to personal duels.

The Hand tests its would-be inductees with rigorous trials and ordeals designed to test a vampire's endurance, strength, willpower, cunning and martial ability. Such tests include walks over flaming coals, confounding packs of established Hand members sent to hunt the individual and full-scale "capacity for violence" tests that often leave crowds of mutilated mortals wondering what the hell just happened to them. If the prospective member is accepted, the Hand usually assigns the Cainite a mentor, who instructs the new recruit in the ways of the faction and teaches him to be a better soldier.

Members of the Black Hand bear a distinguishing mark - the faction brands its members with a permanent, mystical sigil on the palms of their right hands. Once the vampire receives this mark, she has become a true member of the Black Hand, and must heed the group's call whenever she receives it. Although this brand may be concealed or made over (which spies for the group often do to keep from revealing themselves), it may never be removed. Membership in the Black Hand lasts until the vampire meets her Final Death.

A group of vampires known as the Seraphim acts as the high military council of the faction, the generals and leaders, as it were. These four Seraphim answer directly to the regent, and they have been known to join the consistory at times when war is imminent or a consideration. Below the Seraphim are the dominions, lower-level sect leaders who organize individual regiments of Black Hand warriors. Beneath the dominions, sergeants, lieutenants and the rank-and-file (if such may be said of such an elite group) conduct most of the actual operations of the faction.

Many Sabbat credit the Black Hand with the cohesion of the sect through difficult times. Indeed, the Black Hand remained solvent during the first and second Sabbat Civil wars, enabling the sect to maintain influence in cities that would have otherwise fallen to the Camarilla once word of the struggle broke out.

One of the Seraphim, Djuhah, has created permanent packs of Black Hand members, much to the consternation of other Sabbat Cainites. To what end Djuhah has assigned these columns is unknown, though some vampires have observed what they call a "quiet" in the Black Hand's activities in the past several years. In fact, much of the Sabbat's successful war effort seems to have come without much visible assistance from the Black Hand, which has many of the faction's detractors questioning its utility.

The Sabbat Inquisition

Taking its cue from the mortal Spanish Inquisition, the Sabbat Inquisition is a political faction charged with rooting out heretics and infernalists. Originally established to combat followers of the Path of Evil Revelations who had hidden themselves inside the Sabbat, the Inquisition has met with tremendous success in the past few years, with notable performances in Detroit and Montreal (as well as several notorious nomad packs). Of course, the faction resembles the mortal Inquisition in other ways as well: If it labels someone as an infernalist, the accusation is unlikely to be denied, and the faction makes a practice of using similarly torturous tactics to their mortal counterpart.

The Sabbat Inquisition has recently doubled in size, from 15 to 30 members, largely owing to its success. All members of the Inquisition are respected and trusted (and powerful...) members of the Sabbat. Cells of Inquisitors travel to all Sabbat-held territories, presiding over and delivering punishments against accused Sabbat. Despite its success in exposing infernalists, however, the Inquisition has acquired quite a reputation for cruelty, which stems from its interrogation methods and punishments. A Sabbat accused of infernalism can expect to be branded, burnt, dismembered and physically beaten, while a vampire who admits to (or is proven guilty of) infernalism receives a long, slow Final Death, complicated by painful torments that, while not intended themselves to kill the subject, certainly make his death a painful ordeal. Many Inquisitors take twisted pleasure in delivering death sentences (known as auto da fe), cutting their victims, delivering insects underneath their skin or flaying their flesh. Most other Sabbat indulge the Inquisitors this eccentricity, at risk of their own accusation.

The Sabbat Inquisition is a political entity as well, in that it possesses the power to depose bishops, archbishops, pack priests and ducti. It stands on the cusp of becoming a political tool, but has yet to do so, largely because its members are devout in their duties and respond poorly to attempts at manipulation.

The Inquisition has unprecedented power, able to move and accuse as it will. Nomadic Inquisitors usually travel in groups of five, accompanied by a pair of templars. Although their success leaves the Sabbat better for its interference, the Inquisition has made few friends among the Sabbat. Many bishops and archbishops actually resent the Inquisition's presence, as the Inquisitors tend to disrupt the usual affairs of the sect and dig up dirt on all Cainites in a given city.

Inquisitors prefer to conduct their business unannounced, as knowledge of their arrival allows those who should hide from them to avoid their ire. On visiting a city, Inquisitors question everyone, from probationary pack members to archbishops and cardinals. The faction considers evidence against all Cainites and will accept any accusation, from any member of the sect. Of course, groundless accusations rarely turn up any evidence, and the Inquisition prefers to leave wrongful accusers, embarrassed, to the whims of the unjustly accused.

Inquisitors have brusque, harsh demeanors, and they don't hesitate to use intimidation in their proceedings. Inquisitors, for all the good they do the sect, are almost always regarded with respectful fear, as all Cainites know their unlife rests in the hands of these stalwart individuals.

A rumored antagonism exists between the Black Hand and the Inquisition. Members of one faction are expressly forbidden membership in the other, and some suspect this rivalry has resulted from the Inquisition's recent successes and the growing complaints of the Hand's impotence.

The Loyalist Faction

The Loyalist faction claims that it is the legacy of the "true" Sabbat, those vampires who shook off the yoke of their elders and desperately grabbed their freedom for themselves. Other Sabbat tend to dismiss Loyalists as anarchists, sociopaths and spoiled childer who want the benefits of the Curse of Caine without the responsibilities.

The Loyalists' philosophy is simple: Each vampire is his own master. The freedom to do whatever one will belongs to all vampires, whether he wants to destroy the Antediluvians or go on a rampage through a suburban mall. In practice, few Loyalists stoop to such recklessness, as they know local law enforcement would hunt them down and destroy them, often at the behest of other vampires who actually value their secrecy.

Obviously, the Loyalists have no organization, and they are considered a faction only in the sense that numerous individuals support the ideology. Most Sabbat have little respect for Loyalists, as they tend to act against their leaders' order just for the hell of it - or because they should, to hear a Loyalist tell it. Naturally, this contrariness for its own sake results in trouble, complicated missions and needless conflict more often than not, but nonetheless, the Loyalists persist.

On the inside, however, Loyalists truly believe in their cause. They point at decadent, staid elders and complain that the sect has left its ideals by the wayside. The night no longer belongs to the Sabbat, Loyalists contest. Sect is irrelevant given the modern state of affairs; Sabbat packs are as powerless as Camarilla neonates or rabid anarchs, because of the apathy and antagonism of their elders. Loyalists do what they do because they must, as did the original anarchs and antitribu in the nights of the Anarch Revolt.

Loyalists accept anyone into their ranks, and they have no codes or secret rituals to identify themselves to one another. The Loyalist sect has no hierarchy of responsibilities, and it is largely composed of young Sabbat (though many older Sabbat once supported the cause, they have since moved past it). Status among the faction comes from tales of elders snubbed and derring-do and other escapades of being "as fucking punk-rock" as a Loyalist can be.

The Loyalists are obviously fairly powerless in the larger picture of Sabbat politics, but their numbers continue to grow. Many elders make the mistake of dismissing the Loyalists, but cautious Cainites see the potential (or menace) they possess, pointing to the Panders as a recent example of what young Sabbat are capable of.

Lesser Factions

Smaller in power and number than the Black Hand, Inquisition and chaotic Loyalists, lesser factions exist among the Sabbat to help the sect and themselves. These lesser factions come and go, springing up almost overnight and then falling out of favor or being wiped out entirely in some grandiose but doomed war effort, like the now-extinct Sabbat Fabians. Some of the longer-standing intra-Sabbat factions include the following.

The Status Quo

As their name suggests, things are good enough for the Status Quo as they are. Made up of a great many Lasombra, Tzimisce and key members of the Black Hand, the Status Quo accepts the nature of vampires and knows that change is relatively impossible. The Great Jyhad continues, for better or worse, and shaking the foundations of the Sabbat serves only to distract it from its greater goal.

The Status Quo supports Lasombra leadership and the internal stability that allows them to present a stern facade to the Camarilla. The Status Quo points to the recent success of the Sabbat war effort as proof that things are happening the way they should, and talk of radical change in any form is unnecessary.

The Status Quo does not want to increase the authoritarianism of the sect - its members aren't after hoarding all the power for themselves (read: any more) because it promotes rebellion in the lower ranks. At the same time, increasingly unreasonable demands from overly vociferous Loyalists and concerned Moderates serve only to agitate other members of the sect, and a compromise must be struck.

Many Sabbat leaders belong to the Status Quo (it stands to reason), but these leaders are not the mad tyrants or megalomaniacs of the sect. Rather, these are the proven leaders who have attained their stations through merit, who phrase their orders as requests and respect the rights of those under them-or at least they pretend to, knowing it gets results.

Moderates

The Moderates oppose what they see as increasing rigidity intruding into the sect. Edicts such as the Purchase Pact and the revised Code of Milan limit the rights of individual Sabbat for the good of a few.

While not as vehement as the Loyalists, Moderates nonetheless oppose the encroachment of "rules and guidelines that have no place among such creatures as" vampires. The faction rests between Loyalist dogma and Status Quo conservatism, acknowledging the need for order and structure, but not adherence to arbitrary codes that offer no benefit to offset their inconvenience. Moderates generally oppose sieges and crusades (though they usually follow orders), but they do not hesitate to question those in charge if an order seems foolish or reckless.

Most of the sect, if it cared to declare such things, would apathetically fall into the ranks of the Moderates - things are good enough, but could get better. This faction includes the most diverse membership of the sect, claiming members from a great many clans and bloodlines. It possesses a bit of political clout, but the shifting allegiances of its members (which often taper off once they find something more interesting than political diatribe) keeps the faction as one of relatively minor power.

Ultra-Conservatives

Predictably composed of the eldest members of the Sabbat, most of whom belong to Clans Lasombra and Tzimisce, the Ultra-Conservatives favor centralization and authoritarianism, hoping to turn the Sabbat into a military force against the Antediluvians and the Camarilla.

The time for freedom is over, claim the Ultra-Conservatives. Gehenna looms around the corner, and it's time to stabilize the Sabbat, lest it fail utterly. The Ultra-Conservatives ironically support the acceptance of the Panders, hoping to rely on them in the coming apocalypse.

Ultra-Conservatives favor strong leaders and Monomacy, ritually removing weak leaders through duels. The Black Hand seems to be slowly leaning toward support of the Ultra-Conservatives, but it remains characteristically quiet when confronted with the issue.

Young Cainites see the Ultra-Conservatives as fat old bastards, more likely to use the sect to settle personal vendettas than to forestall the impending Gehenna. Others view them as millennialist crackpots, fighting a war against invisible enemies out of vampiric senility. When confronted with differing arguments, however, the Ultra-Conservatives are quick to quote the Book of Nod, identifying the portents and omens all around them that foretell the awakening of the Antediluvians.

Old World Tzimisce

Not every Tzimisce supports the Sabbat with her whole heart. Indeed, when it comes to the arcane Tzimisce of the Old World, few support it at all. Of course, aligning oneself against the Sabbat is a good way to end up facing down a pack of self-important rabble who want to strike at the elders for the good of the Sabbat and all such rubbish, so it's often easier to join the society yet abstain from its meetings.

The Tzimisce of the active sect harbor little love for their apathetic old cousins, who seem content to slumber away in rotten castles and disembowel a peasant for sport every now and then. However, the Sabbat Tzimisce reason, at least these vampires keep to themselves instead of plotting away and obliviously working the will of the Antediluvians. There are worse crimes than being an elder, and for all the trouble it would take to annihilate these eldritch Fiends, it's easier to focus on those worse crimes.

Lasombra Antitribu

In the nights following the Anarch Revolt and the Convention of Thorns, the Lasombra were quick to obliterate their elders and assume their fortunes and power. Those Lasombra who opposed the Lasombra anarchs met swift and terrible deaths. To the Lasombra mind, the purge is complete.

In actuality, however, a rogue Keeper arises every now and then, often as a staunch supporter of the Camarilla. The Lasombra loathe the elders and antitribu of their clan, as they remind the Lasombra of precisely why they joined the Sabbat in the first place. While some would argue that there is little difference between a modern Keeper and those who the clan destroyed during the Anarch Movement, Clan Lasombra is quick to point out that it was the anarch Lasombra who set the entire revolution in motion. The Keepers are what all Sabbat should become, to their line of reasoning, and not the least of that transformation is the elimination of rogue elements.

Lasombra antitribu rarely appear more than one at a time - it would seem the clan has done an excellent job of reinventing itself at the expense of what it used to be. They are often Moorish or Spanish in heritage, and many (if such a word has meaning in this context) have taken to the seas, adopting unlives of piracy, for whatever reason. The rest of the clan is quick to rout out the traitor, however, and other Sabbat clans often take cruel glee in the sight of the normally territorial Lasombra uniting in rabid abandon against one of their erstwhile brethren.

The Order of St. Blaise

In Europe during the 14th century, the Church established an auxiliary of 14 saints to protect the plagued masses. One of the 14, St. Blaise, was known for his healing abilities of throat maladies. It became wide practice at this time that on February third, devotees would have their throats blessed by a pair of crossed candles. Cainites active in the Church found it particularly ironic that those same blessed throats would provide a sacred meal for vampires.

It also struck some Sabbat that St. Blaise's feast day is February third, the day after the pagan holiday Candlemas, an ancient fire festival. Several Sabbat members thought that this coincidence contained some synchronistic irony, and they formed the secret society and it's defunct monastic counterpart. (At the time of the order's inception, the monastery proved remarkably useful for shielding vampires of the order from the Inquisition.)

Vampires of the Order of St. Blaise lead dangerous unlives, integrating themselves into the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Through careful manipulation of Church resources and "good works" done at the community level, members of the order influence aspects of their cities in ways most Sabbat traditionally neglect. By establishing herds in soup kitchens and exempting certain buildings from tax status, the Order of St. Blaise expands the Sabbat's power on local levels. Indeed, most Sabbat cities, rife with murder, rape and skyrocketing crime rates, see an increase in Church attendance, brought about by desperate mortals' attempts to find any salvation they can in the World of Darkness.

Lately, the order has established small cloistered monasteries throughout the world. Vampires within the sect maintain minimal contact with the higher levels of the Church, preferring instead to hide among the lower echelons. On the Feast Day of St. Blaise, the order or its ghouls still provide services, usually at a large church.

Children of the Dracon

A bizarre knightly order of Tzimisce vampires, the Children of the Dracon seem to bear more Hellenic features than the Slavic heritage of Clan Tzimisce suggests. The Children seem to be a cultural division, almost like a bloodline, but the distinction is more artificial than that which would be caused by a deviation in the vitae.

The exact agenda of the Children of the Dracon is unknown, but they seem to be at intellectual odds with the rest of the Tzimisce. Perhaps this is due to some past transgression, or perhaps it lies in the difference of mortal stock from which the vampires were originally drawn. Whatever the case, the Children of the Dracon do not antagonize the other Tzimisce, so much as they take a consistent role of the Devil's Advocate. If the Tzimisce favor a siege, the Children posit the values of holding back; if the Fiends support the Inquisition, the Children argue against giving any faction too much power.

Although this seems arbitrary, the Children seem to see themselves as the warders of their brothers. Apparently, sometime in the mists of history, a Tzimisce made a decision that affected the entirety of his clan (perhaps resulting in the clan's odd weakness). The Children of the Dracon have sworn to make the Tzimisce consider the full gravity of their actions... or perhaps atone for them.

The Tzimisce report that no Child of the Dracon has ever held the title of voivode in the clan, and that the Children are either incapable of learning their koldunic magic or they steadfastly refuse to. The distinction means little outside the clan and faction, and others regard it as a curious family affair.

Infernalists

Infernalists - devil-worshippers, Satanists, followers of the Path of Evil Revelations-are not truly a faction within the Sabbat. Rather, they are a sickness that plagues it. The Sabbat infernalist serves himself first and foremost, or so he thinks. The reality is much less glamorous.

Infernalists have no formal structure, as they rarely associate with one another. The business of trafficking with demons is downright medieval - the infernalist is a lone conjurer, dealing only with devils for his forbidden knowledge.

The practice of infernalism runs contrary to everything the Sabbat believes in. While most infernalists see themselves as taking a quick route to great power, the truth is that they are selling themselves into demonic servitude. Sooner or later, the Devil will literally come to collect his due, the infernalist's soul. To the Sabbat, such servitude annihilates the freedom to which the sect is sworn. The sect has had immense problems with infernalism in the past, however, and it has created its own Inquisition to combat it. Their great success, while laudable for its own sake, indicates a darker problem for the sect - so many infernalists found and punished come only as a result of a large number of infernalists to begin with.

Unlife in the Sabbat

Fraught with violence and unrest, the unlife of the Sabbat vampire tends to be short, and it often ends in a burst of flame or at the fangs of another Cainite. Between the Embrace and Final Death, however, much takes place. Crusades, intrigues, run-ins with the Camarilla, political treachery - all these unique events occur during the unlife of a Cainite. The nightly affairs of the Sabbat, however, are no less fascinating.

The following aspects of unlife apply predominantly to young vampires of the sect, who still travel in packs and observe ritae with other Sabbat. The unlives of Sabbat elders, by comparison, differ a great deal. Sabbat elders generally keep solitary havens and carry out scheming, sequestered unlives, punctuated by gatherings with other sect luminaries and nightly plots to confound their rivals. Elders of the sect ironically (though some say hypocritically) resemble the elders of the Camarilla, having acquired great wealth and some degree of undead comfort. They tend to distance themselves from the packs, spending most of their nights in torpor or plotting against rivals. In fact, "sect" seems to have little real meaning to the older members of the Sabbat-it appears that they adopt its trappings only when it would serve to incite a pack of young vampires against a potential enemy. The Curse of Caine, timelessness and stagnation, affects these vampires profoundly, as they find themselves drawn all too often into the hated Jyhad. In the end, all that matters is that one has become undead, as the flames of passion for any cause die and the centuries progress.

Creation Rites

Vampires of the Sabbat perform the Embrace like any other vampires, selecting their candidates with all the care or haplessness that befits them. However, these new vampires must prove themselves to the sect before being accepted as True Sabbat.

Proving oneself generally requires participation in a crusade, siege or other combative trial by fire. (This statement is not universally true, however, as some Sabbat prove themselves with daring bits of espionage or outstanding service to another vampire, such as assisting with a complex ritus or giving aid to a Sabbat in dire need of it.) Ultimately, the decision to give a childe the Creation Rites belongs to the sire. Even so, such rites are not given without just cause - a childe who proves an embarrassment to her sire may never receive her Creation Rites, provided she is not simply destroyed soon after the embarrassment.

Vampires who never receive the Creation Rites are not considered vampires by Sabbat Cainites. As such, they may be ordered around, fed on, even sent into battle with no chance of surviving (as is often the case with mass-Embraces in Camarilla cities). Sabbat vampires feel no hypocrisy over this; they have not made childer and forced them into demeaning unlives. Instead, they have simply created monsters, who may prove one night to be worthy of Sabbat membership, and thus, full recognition as a vampire.

The rites themselves vary, but they are always officiated by the pack priest (or a bishop or archbishop in the case of an elder's childe). The sire determines what sort of special, symbolic form the act should take. Tzimisce, for example, sometimes fleshcraft their childer into hideous monsters, considering the rite to be the childe's restoration (or alteration) of his features. Lasombra Creation Rites often involve meeting one's sire's sire or reciting a litany of one's lineage. Among more violent Cainites, Creation Rites may involve gang-style initiation killings, robberies or other entry-level crimes. A Toreador antitribu's Creation Rite may entail torturing a victim to death-ever so exquisitely! - while a Malkavian antitribu might be bound by the wrists to a speeding truck, and must chew off his own hands to work himself free.

Obviously, Creation Rites are a very personal matter to the Sabbat. No two need be exactly alike, but sometimes certain styles come into vogue or all members of a pack use the same symbolic act. In the end, it's all up to the sire.

Packs

Vampires, at their core, are solitary creatures. In non-Sabbat cities, some vampires may never come in contact with others of their kind, or they may see other Cainites only once in a decade. Solitary, urban predators, vampires stalk the nights alone, as Caine did so many nights ago.

Vampires of the Sabbat do not practice such solitude.

Sabbat vampires move in packs, rude, unnatural families of vampires who share a common purpose. Much like coteries of other vampires, packs often have an overriding reason to have been put together by their elders. Whether as simple as combat or as esoteric as a performance pack that interprets the Book of Nod when the local archbishop oversees the Sermons of Caine, a pack performs some fundamental function.

Naturally, most packs have some martial bent — the Sabbat is a sect of holy warriors, after all. Infinite variations on this theme exist, however. Some packs might specialize in guerrilla warfare while others scout ahead for the packs that follow them. Other packs may focus on breaking the Masquerade in Camarilla cities, while still others may have military or police skills that allow them to fly aircraft or operate SWAT-grade weaponry. A pack may practice duels, fighting its enemies in dramatic hand-to-hand combat while yet another pack may be a biker gang, unloading shotguns through Main Street windows at 60 miles per hour and then circling in the city park as a challenge for anyone to come take them on. The variations are as endless and unique as the vampires who make up the pack in question.

Not every pack serves an exclusively martial purpose, however. The Sabbat creates a pack to handle anything it needs. Spy packs are common among the Sword of Caine, as are teams of computer hackers, relic-hunter packs that dig up forgotten artifacts or search after fragments of the Book of Nod. Some bold (or insane) packs even hunt Lupines, demonstrating their bravery (or lunacy) by bringing down some of the world's most dangerous prey.

To the Sabbat vampire, the pack is everything. It is a surrogate family, in that members share ties of mutual blood (as embodied by the Vaulderie). This unity does not imply that the family isn't dysfunctional - packs are some of the most hellish conglomerations of savage personalities in the world - but some level of sympathy always exists, otherwise the pack simply disbands and the members join another.

The pack also functions as a spiritual guide. The priest leads the individual members of her pack on a journey into what it means to be a vampire. The family that prays together, stays together, after all, and the Sabbat practices an enormous amount of ritae. By confronting their Beasts - or embracing them - members of Sabbat packs have seen each other at their worst, and they depend on the others to help them deal with the curse of being a vampire.

Packs serve as protection as well. Given the intense nature of the sect, their acceptance of the fact that they are vampires, their loathing for humankind and their competitive urges, Sabbat vampires often run afoul of one another. Whether vying for control of the drug trade or hunting an elder during a War Party, packs are going to conflict with other packs, and woe be to the weaker group. Pack members watch each other's backs at almost all times (unless the rivalry within the pack has grown so fierce that some members want others dead, and stranger things have happened...). Yet, packs need not fear only other packs; the World of Darkness veritably boils with danger. Marauding Lupines, vicious elders, Camarilla spies and even mortal threats like gangs, police and rowdy rednecks may make short work of an individual whereas the pack offers its members safety in numbers (it's less likely with the mortals, but hey, still stranger things have happened).

Sabbat leaders use the packs for their war efforts, for attacks on elders and also, perhaps most importantly, to maintain Sabbat influence in their cities. With Sabbat vampires, who adopt a rough semblance of the Masquerade in their own cities, the packs need to prevent Camarilla vampires from using the Sabbat's own tactics against it. Granted, many Camarilla vampires are loath to expose themselves to mortals (as does the Sabbat when it begins a crusade), but packs are the Sabbat's equivalent of social circles, and the entities with which visiting vampires are likely to come in contact. When Cainite moles show up, they've got to fool an entire (likely hostile) pack into believing their story, not just one vampire. Additionally, should the Camarilla ever stoop to overt violence, packs are going to have the numbers to deal effectively with the situation.

All this talk doesn't go to say that Sabbat vampires do everything in packs - just most things. Sabbat vampires still pursue their own agendas, make their own contacts, deal with people they prefer and otherwise lead private unlives. That's part of the freedom of belonging to the Sabbat. The role of the individual, though, is equally as important as the role of the group, as far as the sect is concerned.

Havens: Parishes and Oases

Unlike most vampires, who seclude themselves in private and secretive havens where they can be safe from prying eyes, the members of the Sabbat often share communal havens that support entire packs. Although a full pack may not always be present in a particular haven at any given time, it is not unusual to find half a dozen Sabbat residing in one domicile. In general, each haven has its own single pack, and thus, as the unliving quarters for the followers of the pack priest, that haven becomes the pack's "parish."

Sabbat are not picky about their choice of parishes: Utility serves over appearance for the vast majority of Sabbat packs. As long as the Toreador antitribu has room for "art" without disturbing the cache of methamphetamines cooked up and prepared for "distribution" by the Pander, the haven can take any form at all - abandoned house, hotel, condominium, church, sepulcher, warehouse or business structure. Some Sabbat vampires do enforce their selections of personal tastes on the pack, but even a Tzimisce or distinguished Lasombra may stay in a run-down apartment building if it serves as the best territory for the pack.

Of course, because the Sabbat fanatically fears the influence of the Ancients and the Camarilla, many permanent havens boast spectacular traps and escape routes. It's a poor haven that doesn't have a locker for weapons and a room for ritae. Most buildings are modified to include some sort of emergency exit (since enemies and rival Sabbat alike are fond of burning down pack havens) and may boast additional security if the pack can afford or scrounge up the necessary material. Multiple locks and alarms are ubiquitous, and many havens sport small crossbow-type or explosive traps around important areas, to prevent incursion by the enemy.

Pilgrims, nomadic packs that travel from city to city without a permanent home, often make use of "oases," or semi-settled caches of equipment and material. Typically, a pack of pilgrims leaves behind tools and money when times are abundant, often in a small abandoned hovel, a cavern or even a burned-out car hulk in the back roads and woods. Special signs mark the cache, so that other Sabbat can recognize it and find directions to it through the founded packs of nearby cities. The information about oases thus spreads as nomadic packs place and use them, relaying the appropriate updates to settled packs so that other pilgrims in the area will know where to go for supplies while "on the road." Rumors have spread recently, however, of Lupines learning the signs that identify oases; more than one nomadic pack has met a bloody end in a werewolf ambush near what they thought was a secure site.

Ritae

The Sabbat practices numerous rituals and ceremonies, all intended to foster loyalty inside the sect as well as unite the disparate Vampires that make it up in the face of their foes. These rituals, known as ritae, build bonds that no other society of free Cainites can hope to emulate.

The sect maintains a body of 13 "high rituals" known as the auctoritas ritae and any number of lesser rituals known as the ignoblis ritae, which vary from pack to pack and city to city.

The sect observes these ritae often, generally at esbats and other key times (such as certain weeks or nights of the year, whenever certain packs gather, etc.). The ritae are vital parts of any Sabbat pack's existence, and they are covered in depth in Chapter Five.

Fun and Games

Sabbat vampires lead tense unlives, sworn to eternal righteous duty against the Camarilla and Antediluvians in the Great Jyhad. Not every night sees the hunt of an elder or the siege of a city, however, and the Sabbat has adopted numerous bloody "sports" with which to pass the time on nights when they have no active sect responsibilities to address.

As a whole, the elder body of the Sabbat looks down on these "games," seeing them as vulgar and senseless. The elders admit, however, that fun and games keep the footsoldiers of the sect in fine fighting order. Indeed, when an elder thinks the sect at large isn't looking, she may be known to engage in a few herself.

The Races - A game in which sect members steal any car they can find (police cruisers, delivery vehicles, private cars) and take them out on the streets or highways. Invariably, the races involve accidents, crashes, police pursuit and other opportunities for the Cainites to kill mortals and sometimes feed after the fact.

Drive-By - The vampires literally perform drive-by shootings against other vampires (preferably Camarilla, but rival packs of Sabbat will do). These drive-bys rarely kill the other vampires, but mortals often get in the way and it's great fun to see the people supposedly killed get up and crawl to recuperate. This is one of the key Masquerade-breaking tactics employed by the Sabbat during sieges of other cities.

Football - Just like it sounds, football with the Sabbat tends to be a bit rough. Normally, packs simply go to a park or other recreation site and challenge a group of mortals to a game of football. Of course, blood-frenzied vampires with Celerity and Potence aren't always the best opponents, and the Sabbat rarely play fair, so the games usually result in broken necks and legs for the mortals, who are just as likely to meet their deaths when the vampires "juice up" after the game.

Trick or Treat? - It need not be Halloween for the Sabbat to play this game. Trick or Treat usually takes a violent turn as the homes the Sabbat visits are rarely prepared to offer "treats" during the middle of the summer. Instead, the vampires may take their own treats, (killing the residents and drinking their blood), or they may practice a trick, such as boarding up the house and setting it on fire with the residents still inside.

Human Gladiators - A true bloodsport, this game involves capturing two or more mortals, hyping them up on speed or PCP and turning them loose on each other. The survivor, it is explained, may keep his life (which may or may not be true), and to make things interesting for the Sabbat, they often give the competitors makeshift weapons such as chains, broken bottles, broken-off broom handles and other implements that take a long time to kill their victims but still hurt like hell. Some Sabbat eschew this game, since it is more of a spectator sport than an actual vampiric endeavor.

These are just a few of the pastimes in which the Sabbat engages. Some packs prefer games of their own invention, and it is considered the height of Sabbat pack chic to create a game that others adopt.

Sect Justice

The Sabbat tolerates no treachery. As any army would, the Sabbat protects its secrets with a ruthless code of justice. Final justice rests in the hands of those wronged - most packs enforce their own punishments - but truly grievous crimes against the sect are punished by the local bishop or archbishop.

A Sabbat Lexicon

The vampires of the Sabbat have evolved their own specialized patois, much of which takes into account their holy war on the Antediluvians and the attendant rituals and practices that follow it. Particularly old Sabbat vampires even recall terms and phrases that have long since passed into the nights of forgotten history. Although many of these terms are in common use among Sabbat vampires, some of them take on different meanings colloquially, given the lack of formal communication among sect members. Vampires who would "talk the talk" are advised to be aware of everything they say and what it means.

Abbot: A vampire or ghoul charged with the maintenance of a Sabbat pack's communal haven.

Antitribu: Literally, "anti-tribe" or "anti-clan." The antitribu are vampires who have turned their backs on their "parent" clans and now espouse the policies of the Sabbat instead. One notable exception to this rule are the Lasombra antitribu, who have abandoned the Sabbat in favor of independent or Camarilla unlives. Antitribu are generally held in extremely low regard by their parent clans, which is especially true in the case of the Lasombra.

Archbishop: A vampire who serves as the leader of a city under the Sabbat's influence. Not every Sabbat-held city claims an archbishop; some have councils of bishops.

Auctoritas Ritae: A collection of 13 rituals practiced by all vampires of the Sabbat, upheld in a manner similar to the Biblical Ten Commandments.

Bishop: A vampire who serves or advises an archbishop, or a vampire who maintains Sabbat influence in a city with the aid of others of equal status. (Those who are in the know liken bishops to the primogen of the Camarilla.)

Black Hand: The secret militia of the Sabbat. Some references allude to another organization with the same name. The "true" meaning of this term, if there is one, is a matter of much uncertainty, even among those who claim to be members.

Blood Feast: A victim or group of victims, bound and suspended upside down. Said victims serve as refreshment at Sabbat functions.

Brave: A vampire participating in a war party.

Cainite: A vampire. Sabbat vampires use this term in places where other vampires would use the term Kindred. Sabbat vampires accept and claim descent from Caine, while the Camarilla largely claims him to be a myth.

Cardinal: A Sabbat vampire who oversees the influential affairs of a large territory. Each cardinal is attended by a group of archbishops, who govern affairs on local city levels.

Chief: The leader of a war party.

Code of Milan: An oft-referenced but rarely seen document developed as a code of conduct for Sabbat vampires. Some Sabbat scoff at it, claiming that codifying the sect's behavior runs counter to everything the Sabbat stands for.

Column: A permanent pack of Black Hand members, usually nomadic.

Communal Haven: A single haven shared by an entire pack.

Consistory: The body of advisors to the regent, composed of key prisci and cardinals.

Convention of Thorns: The treaty that supposedly ended the Anarch Revolt and resulted in the formation of the Sabbat.

Coven: A pack of Sabbat that makes a permanent haven in a city; used to differentiate between "founded" packs and nomadic packs. Most Sabbat cities host numerous covens, in addition to providing "hospitality" to a seemingly endless stream of nomadic packs.

Creation Rites: The special ritual marking a Sabbat vampire as becoming a true member of the sect. The Creation Rites differ from the Embrace in that anyone can be Embraced, but until he receives the Creation Rites, the recruit is not a member of the Sabbat (and thus, not considered a vampire...).

Daughters and Sons (of Caine): All vampires. A similar term with the same meaning is "brothers and sisters."

Ductus: The leader of a Sabbat pack. This title is a highly subjective one, sometimes held by the meanest thug in a pack while acquired through genuine merit or ritual combat at other times. The ductus decides the logistical affairs of her pack, though the wise ductus gives careful ear to her packmates' voices.

Esbat: A weekly meeting held by a pack, whether nomadic or founded. Central to the esbats are discussions of events that affect the pack as well as the auctoritas and ignoblis ritae.

Festive dello Estinto: The "Festival of the Dead," a grand celebration held during the second week of April in Sabbat cities. All covens attend the festival, as do any nomadic packs that can make it.

Fire Dance: A ritual and rough celebration in which Sabbat vampires prove their loyalty and bravery by jumping through raging fires. Many Sabbat war efforts and other events begin with fire dances.

Founded Pack: A coven; a pack of Sabbat vampires that maintains a permanent haven in a city.

Great Jyhad: The war for supremacy in the New World, begun in the 17th century and arguably raging during the modern nights.

Hand: The Black Hand.

Headhunter: A Sabbat vampire who collects the skulls of his fallen foes as trophies. Some headhunters collect only vampire skulls, while others collect Lupine skulls, mortals' skulls or the skulls of witch-hunters. These trophies are considered great honors in the Sabbat, according to the degree of difficulty associated with claiming them.

Horseman: A nomadic Sabbat vampire, thought to have been inspired by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Hulul: The figurehead of the Assamite antitribu, who is rumored to be ritually destroyed every 100 years.

Ignoblis Ritae: The rituals practiced by individual Sabbat packs to reinforce unity, loyalty and the causes of the Sabbat. These rituals vary from pack to pack, and they are considered less important individually than the auctoritas ritae because they are not as universally useful. Some Sabbat members observe no ignoblis ritae at all.

Jyhad: The eternal conflict with other vampires. Sabbat vampires use tbis term more loosely than other vampires, because almost all struggle is a holy war from the Sabbat point of view. In his mind, a Sabbat takes part in the Jyhad any time he fights.

Kindred: Non-Sabbat vampires. Most Sabbat use this term derisively, considering Camarilla vampires to be their inferior and laughing at their "big, happy family" of vampires who cower from humankind. Many Sabbat also apply the term "Kindred" sarcastically to vampires of independent clans, whom they perceive as too selfish or foolish to take up the cause against the Antediluvians.

Loyalist: A Sabbat vampire who refuses to acknowledge leaders among the sect out of loyalty to its original goals. Loyalists believe that to be truly loyal to the Sabbat, they must have total freedom. Loyalists are commonly viewed as agitators and dissidents, and they are watched warily by their packmates and elders. Much of the Sabbat's terrifying reputation among other vampires may stem from the actions of particularly fervent loyalists.

Monomacy: A ritual duel between vampires of the Sabbat, held under formal rules. This duel is a traditional Sabbat means of settling disputes, and it often results in the Final Death of one of the participants.

Nomadic Pack: A pack that travels constantly in its duties to the Sabbat. Nomadic packs maintain no permanent havens, but they sometimes keep hidey-holes and emergency havens throughout their regions of travel. Nomadic packs may also stop in cities for indeterminate periods of time, but they eventually return to the roads.

Nomads: Members of nomadic packs.

Pack: A group of Sabbat who have sworn the Vaulderie to one another. A Sabbat may belong to only one pack at a time - usually the one that enacted her Creation Rites - though she may have ties of blood to other packs from her past.

Paladin: A Sabbat vampire who serves another important vampire as an assassin or bodyguard. Also known as templars, paladins are greatly feared for their disciplined martial prowess. Paladins are forbidden from membership in the Black Hand.

Palla Grande: A grand and terrible festival held on All Hallows Eve, when all Sabbat vampires in a city gather to celebrate and revere the sect. It often takes the appearance of a masquerade ball, and humans are sometimes invited as guests - or refreshments.

Path of Enlightenment: A belief system followed by the more alien members of the Sabbat in place of Humanity. Paths of Enlightenment are moral codes that serve to anchor the Sabbat vampire against her ravening Beast, though some paths encourage "riding" the Beast rather than controlling it. The most common paths practiced by the Sabbat include the Path of Caine, the Path of Cathari, the Path of Death and the Soul, the Path of the feral Heart, the Path of Honorable Accord, the Path of Lilith and the Path of Power and the Inner Voice. Some Sabbat follow the Path of Evil Revelations, though these vampires are hunted by the Sabbat Inquisition as heretics and traitors to the sect.

Priest: The leader of Sabbat ritae in a given pack. The spiritual leader of a pack, the priest is (theoretically) below the ductus in "rank," though this is not true of every pack.

Prior: An abbot (vide).

Priscus: A Sabbat vampire, often quite advanced in age and/or generation, who advises the regent and cardinals. Plural prisci.

Recruit: An vampire Embraced against her will, usually in the interests of providing cannon fodder for the sect's conquests.

Regent: The "leader" of the Sabbat, insofar as the sect recognizes one. Only one regent exists at a time.

Sabbat: 1. The vampiric sect that opposes the Camarilla and the machinations of the Antediluvians.
2. A vampire belonging to the sect. Usage: Jasmine is Sabbat, through and through, baby.
3. A group of vampires belonging to the sect. Usage: Yeah, those Sabbat over there have been giving us the once over, and I think the shit's about to go down.

True Sabbat: A Sabbat who has proven himself to the sect and has received the Creation Rites.

Vaulderie: A mingling of the blood of all vampires in a pack, which is then consecrated by the pack priest and consumed by all members of the pack.

Vinculum: A "blood tie" that creates an artificial loyalty to another member of one's pack, like a minor blood bond. Vinculum result from partaking in the Vaulderie.

Vulgar Argot

The Sabbat is a violent, hostile, youthful sect, and the young ones' language reflects as much. Hereafter are some of the (more printable) terms Sabbat vampires casually drop. Many of these terms take their roots from modern slang, with added meaning to vampires, and some even transcend the boundaries of sect, and may be used anywhere.

Bat: An elder vampire of the Sabbat, who often has little in common with younger members of the sect.

Bitch: A probationary pack member, or a Sabbat of lesser status than the speaker.

Chica: A female Sabbat vampire.

Costello: Dismissive term for the Camarilla. (This is suspected to have arisen after some mispronunciation of "Sabbat.")

Counting Coup: Taking the head of a fallen foe as a trophy (see Headhunter). This practice is sometimes called "scalping."

Crowley: A derogatory or dismissive term for followers of the Path of Evil Revelations, or vampires who make ostentatious shows of evil for their own sake. These individuals are also known as Ozzys or Mansons by some packs.

Did: Killed. Usage: Yeah, we did the cop, but only after we caught him snooping around the bishop's haven.

Dog: A Lupine. In certain circles, dog also means an infectious carrier of blood-borne diseases (short for plague dog).

Go Down: A vampire who, usually out of habit, perversity or derangement, commits sexual acts regardless of his or her own vampiric impotence. Also known by a host of other charming epithets including dick, handjob, hummer, etc., usually custom-tailored to the specifics of the vampire in question's behavior.

Headache: Accidentally killing while feeding. Usage: Danny gave that skinny girl a headache.

Injun or Indian: A member of a nomadic pack.

Juice: Blood.

Keg: A "member" of a Blood Feast. In some packs, these individuals are referred to as pints or longnecks.

Pimp: A vampire charged with gathering vices for packmates. The pimp may procure drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, children or any other indulgences for fellow vampires (or mortals...).

Pipes: An exceptional failure, or an object of derision. Usage: That scouting run you guys did was the pipes.

Poet: A member of the goth subculture, especially one who "dresses like a vampire." Also known as Shelleys or Byrons.

Shovelhead: A Sabbat vampire created during a siege or other event that necessitated the "quick and dirty" mass Embrace. Also known as a Thwack or a Clang (after the sound a shovel to the head makes, presumably), which is sometimes used as a verb.

Tongue: Sabbat propaganda, or a Sabbat proselytizer, often spread among the anarchs of Camarilla cities.

V: A vampire.

Veto: A male Sabbat vampire.

Witch: Irreverent term for a pack priest, best used out of earshot of the individual in question.

Old Form

Despite its war on the elders, the Sabbat claims some members who are quite advanced in age themselves. These vampires recall the nights when the Sabbat was born, and have carried over or adopted phrases as old as they are. Beware the vampire who speaks in the tongue of the Sabbat elders, for she is surely formidable and wicked beyond belief.

Angellis Ater: The "black angels" of Clan Lasombra, often young vampires who embrace the stereotypical and shallow evils of the modern night in blatant attempts to become monsters.

Kamut: A nomadic pack of Sabbat formed for a specific purpose, such as hunting Lupines, scouting Camarilla cities or exposing heretics.

Lacheur: A young Sabbat, particularly an insolent one. May be used to refer to any young vampire in some cases.

Manus Nigrum: A mysterious subsect of the Sabbat, or one entirely independent about which very little is known. Younger vampires refer to this group, apparently erroneously, as the Black Hand.

Revenants: Individuals who are born as ghouls. Revenants are families of ghouls that have existed for so long with the blood of their undead masters in their veins that it now passes on to each of their descendants as well. The vampires of Clan Tzimisce seem to use revenants most often, and they are often held in suspicion by others who know of their natures.

Shakari: The eldest vampires among the Assamite antitribu.

Sword of Caine: The Sabbat.

Voivode: The leader of Clan Tzimisce. Some vampires postulate that there is no single voivode, and the title is one of inscrutable significance to only the Fiends themselves.