It's Almost Like Freedom
Well, it's over for another year. Last assignment in, last deadline met, no more university work until September.
Sort of. My trip to Peru only technically counts as uni work. I certainly won't be thinking of it as uni work. It's so close now...so very close.
Vampire on Tuesday night was cool. I had my character being as plot active as possible in desperate hopes of finding a reason for him to leave Newcastle for the next two months. I didn't succeed in that endeavour, which really pisses me off for a number of reasons, but no matter. The game itself was still fun, and I'll just have to glaze over a few IC absences between now and September. If the worst comes to the worst, my character can spend another few months down in the sewers with the Sanctified, hunting a particularly nasty demon. Ain't unlife as a Crone just peachy?
On the downside, I accidentally let slip to one of the other players about a surprise birthday party that was planned for her. I was only involved in half the conversation, and kind of missed the bit where it was supposed to be a surprise. Not good.
Newcastle Mortals this month is cancelled. The ST is half way through his exams, so I can understand why, but it's still a pain in the arse. I was enjoying that one.
Development for Carlisle Masquerade LARP is coming along nicely. Characters have (for the most part) now been created, and the list is as follows:
2 Tremere
2 Brujah
1 Gangrel
1 Assamite (sorcerer caste)
1 Lasombra antitribu
1 Toreador
1 Malkavian
1 Giovanni
1 Nosferatu
...plus assorted NPC neonates, ghouls, childer, elders and other background filler. The setting information I've come up with for the domain is as follows:
Vampire the Masquerade - Carlisle:
Setting and NPCs
The Ivory Tower:
(The Camarilla)
The self-styled Kindred “government” called the Camarilla has been dominant in Carlisle since 1894, when a war effort led by Markus of Clan Tremere (and later by Lord William Balfour of Clan Gangrel) drove the long-entrenched vampires of the Sabbat out of the city. Since then things have remained relatively stable, although the Jyhad is as strong among the city’s Camarilla Kindred as it is anywhere else. Squabbles over territory, feeding rights, business interests and innumerable other things keep Carlisle’s vampires occupied, and the deeply feudal and isolated nature of the domain means that many Kindred here bear and even cultivate deep grudges and rivalries.
Carlisle’s politics follow the usual model for the Camarilla, albeit with the lingering influence of medieval Scottish rulership. Rights of domain are taken very seriously, and for one Kindred to claim an interest in another vampire’s domain, they are obliged to swear an oath of homage to the domain-holder. The main movers and shakers in the domain are as follows:
His Honour Lord William Balfour, Laird of the City of Carlisle - Gangrel. The feudal ruler of Kindred society in Carlisle, this elder vampire is both iron fist and velvet glove. A minor Scottish noble in life, Lord Balfour first arrived in Carlisle when Robert the Bruce laid siege to the city. When he first set foot in Cumbria he was already Kindred, and the exact date of his Embrace is unknown except to those he personally confides in. William Balfour tends to be direct in conversation, but few Kindred have any illusions about the sharpness of his political mind, or the sharpness of his claws should his temper be sufficiently riled.
He is known to have been the Laird of Carlisle once before, and that he attempted to repel the Sabbat’s crusade against the city during the English Civil War. During this time, an assassination attempt by the Sabbat left him severely injured enough that he entered voluntary Topor shortly afterwards, rather than risk more battles. He rose from Torpor in 1894, shortly after Markus began his campaign to reclaim Carlisle from the Sabbat. Balfour was furious to find that the city was under Sabbat control, as he had believed that the Camarilla would have been strong enough to repel the crusade. Joining with the efforts of the Tremere, Balfour fought the Tzimisce Archbishop of Carlisle in single combat and bested him, securing the city for the Camarilla once more.
Currently, the Laird’s word is absolute law. He is the final arbiter of all decisions made by Carlisle’s Kindred, and will brook no challenge to his power. While many whisper that Balfour’s leadership is Draconic in the extreme and that he is too susceptible to the manipulations of the Tremere, few have ever dared to call him on this. Despite these misgivings, none can actually deny that Balfour has so far been effective in keeping Carlisle safe from outside attack. It is known that the Laird holds considerable contempt for Ghouls (which he sees as a weakness) and for the Sabbat, and he also makes no secret of his genocidal hatred of the werewolves.
Markus, Seneschal of Carlisle and Tremere Regent of the Borderlands - Tremere. The most potent member of Carlisle’s most potent Clan, Markus is the claimant of the Domain of Stanwix and the Master of Chantry Primus in addition to being the Seneschal of Carlisle. He is Lord Balfour’s closest advisor and publicly one of the Laird’s strongest allies and enforcers. Most Kindred are also aware that Markus’s influence over the city’s mortal institutions is extensive and firmly entrenched. Little about his history is known to Kindred outside of the Tremere Clan, except maybe that he originated in London and claims ties of lineage to Edward Bainbridge, the Tremere Regent of London. He is believed to be between 2 and 3 centuries old.
Markus arrived in Carlisle in the early 1890s, when the city was still a stronghold for the Sabbat. From there he is known to have executed a brutal campaign of reclamation, during which he and his Tremere coterie-mates (none of whom have survived to the modern nights) brought their extensive Thaumaturgical power to bear against their enemies. When William Balfour awoke from Torpor, he was so impressed by the might of the Tremere that he immediately appointed Markus as his Seneschal after the last of the Sabbat were driven out of the city limits. Markus is known by most to be an utter bastard and a pragmatist to the very last. Markus has never been beaten in Carlisle’s political arena thus far, largely because he is too busy making everyone else play by his rules. Markus holds the domains of Stanwix and Belah.
Sir Robert Kael, Sergeant-at-Arms for His Honour the Laird - Brujah. Lord Balfour’s most loyal subject, Sir Robert Kael existed in Carlisle during the Gangrel Laird’s first term of rulership. While at that point he was a mere neonate, this former Scottish Knight was a skilled and deadly warrior even then. Ultimately, Kael is the kind of Sheriff most Princes can only dream of: unswervingly loyal, skilled in the realms of combat and investigation alike, and honourable to a fault. As with Markus, little is publicly known about Kael’s history since his Embrace, although there are one or two Kindred who are aware of certain elements of the Sergeant’s past. Certainly it is known that he takes pride in lineage, and tends to judge other Kindred by how well they keep their promises. Robert Kael has very little time for liars or double-dealers; like the Laird he serves, he tends to be very direct in conversation, especially when contrary opinions are involved.
Sir Robert also serves as the front-line commander in William Balfour’s wars against Sabbat and Lupines alike. When trouble hits the streets of Carlisle, the Sergeant-at-Arms is usually following it.
Mister Jarvis, Master of the City of Carlisle’s Elysia - Toreador. For all appearances, Jarvis is the epitome of what is expected from a Toreador elder; refined, sensual and decadent. He serves as the Master of Carlisle’s various buildings which have been declared Elysium, and his job is to ensure that the Prince’s Court takes place in suitably cultured and secure surroundings. Like most Toreador he is adept in the realms of social combat, and almost every statement he makes contains some double-entendre or veiled comment on the person to whom he is speaking. Jarvis seems to be content with his current position in the Court. While he is perhaps one of the few Kindred who could effectively oppose the Laird, this Toreador does not seem to desire the responsibility of Praxis and prefers to hold a position where he can enjoy unlife’s pleasures and bitch about everyone around him. Jarvis holds the domain of Belle Vue.
Gregory Mycroft, Master Harpy and Keeper of Boons - Malkavian. At roughly 90 years Embraced, Mycroft is one of the younger power-holding members of Balfour’s Court. The accursed insight of the Malkavian Clan is known to be quite strong in him, and he sees a lot of what happens among the city’s movers and shakers. He appeared in Carlisle around 50 years ago, and quickly impressed the Laird with his commentaries on the machinations of the Court. While Mycroft is distrusted by most, the Master Harpy has little trouble racking up boons and favours from those who wish to partake of his uncanny insight.
As the Master Harpy of Carlisle, his job is to ensure that the city’s Kindred live up to their reputations (and Status) and to record any and all boons made between Kindred, to ensure that nobody tries to wriggle out of their debts. Kindred who exchange boons are obliged to inform him of what is owed, by the Laird’s decree. Gregory Mycroft holds the domain of Denton Holme.
Mr Daniel Stark, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Ventrue. The top player among the Privy Council, Stark is the obvious choice to take the throne should anything ever happen to Balfour. This Ventrue Ancilla has extensive business connections both nationally and internationally. While he is secondary to Markus in terms of the influence he wields over Carlisle’s mortals, he is still a major player in the Jyhad in this city. Daniel Stark holds the domain of Kingstown.
Josef Pyoter, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Toreador. Now in his third century of unlife, Josef was a Tsarist noble in Russia prior to his Embrace. It was during the violent nights of the Russian revolution, however, when his passions became truly inflamed and he has not abandoned the cause of social change ever since. Josef serves as the Laird’s advisor on current mortal trends in politics and beliefs, and while he often chafes at the Draconian rulership of William Balfour he understands that there are instances where revolution needs to be brought about through subtlety. Pyoter holds considerable influences among fringe political and ideological movements in Cumbria, and moves in social circles which many would consider odd for a Toreador elder. Josef Pyoter holds the domains of Old Harraby and Upperby and is a vassal of Gregory Mycroft.
‘Nest’, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Nosferatu. It is unknown how old the creature known as ‘Nest’ really is, but this Nosferatu is undoubtedly close to a millennium in age. He claims all of the most run-down areas of Carlisle as his personal domain, and rumour holds that he rules over an extensive group of mortal worshipers, who form a “cult of fear” around him. What influences he holds over the city are anyone’s guess, and questions as to his sectarian loyalty abound. He was undoubtedly in Carlisle during the reign of the Sabbat, and was probably in the city even before Balfour’s first tenure as Laird. While it would seem clear that Nest serves only himself, nobody has ever dared to challenge him. Officially, Nest’s recognised domains are Carlton and the Train Yards.
Professor Nathaniel Reed, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Malkavian. One of the city’s foremost occult scholars, Nathaniel Reed is Carlisle’s self-appointed Professor of Noddist Studies. While his dedication to the study of the apocryphal Book of Nod is unquestioned, his interpretations of that ancient vampiric tome are far from conventional. Reed is a profound atheist, and sees the Book of Nod almost entirely in terms of metaphor and allegory. He does not believe in the literal existence of Caine, and is doubtful that any of the dreaded Antediluvian vampires have survived into the modern nights. Whenever stories about Gehenna and the machinations of the Ancients begin to circulate, Reed is usually the first on hand to discredit them. Reed holds the domain of Morton Park and is a vassal of Gregory Mycroft.
The Sword of Caine:
(The Sabbat)
The Sabbat has not held the balance of power in Cumbria for more than a century now. This dangerous and violent sect of vampires first took Carlisle from the Camarilla in the early years of the English Civil War, using the mortal siege of Carlisle as cover for a crusade orchestrated by one of the Sabbat Bishops of Glasgow. Very little of what happened during the city’s tenure as a Sabbat domain is known by the Camarilla, but even 114 years after the re-conquest it is known that the Sword of Caine refuses to leave the Camarilla alone. The West Cumbrian coastal towns are regularly visited by nomadic Sabbat packs, as are the wild borderlands along Hadrian’s Wall. These packs of Diablerists and fanatics make travel across the border even more dangerous, as if the Lupines weren’t trouble enough.
Known Sabbat members in Cumbria include:
Bartholomew, deposed Archbishop of Carlisle - Tzimisce. One of only a handful of survivors from the time when Carlisle was dominated by the Sabbat, Bartholomew has never, and will never forgive William Balfour for humiliating him by defeating him in single combat. Ever since Balfour’s return to power, the former Archbishop of Carlisle and his pack of minions have been a plague upon the domain. While the Sabbat has not been able to regain its former power and influence since the Camarilla returned to control, Bartholomew has still been able to strike a number of blows against Balfour’s Court over the past century. This Tzimisce is known to be powerful and sadistic, striking against the friends and loved ones of his enemies, stripping away their lives piece by piece before finally destroying them.
Ultimately, his efforts have been consistently thwarted in Carlisle, since the city remains under Camarilla govern. Bartholomew meanwhile continues to push the limits of his vampiric abilities, longing for the night when he can tear down Balfour’s power in the city and claim the elder Gangrel’s blood for his own.
The Anarch Movement:
(The Anarchs)
The Anarch Movement has had little success in Cumbria all in all. The self-styled “free-living dead” are seen as selfish delinquents by the Camarilla and as cowardly fools by the Sabbat. An Anarch coterie is known to eke out an existence in the ungoverned town of Barrow-in-Furness, but it is likely only a matter of time before they are dragged kicking and screaming into Camarilla society, or torn to bloody chunks by the Sabbat. No individual members of the Anarch Movement in Cumbria have achieved anything notorious enough to warrant public recognition among Carlisle’s Kindred.
The Lupines:
(The Werewolves)
The Kindred generally know very little about their berserk and deadly enemies, but in Carlisle the age-old rivalry between Vampire and Werewolf has taken a horrific toll on the Lupines. William Balfour has always despised the wolfish shape-shifters, and during his first tenure as Laird of Carlisle he orchestrated a brutal campaign of extermination against their kind. His war resulted in the Final Deaths of many of Carlisle’s vampires, but when the dust cleared the werewolves seemed to have been entirely purged from the city and its surrounding lands.
When the Sabbat took over Carlisle they continued to slay any Lupines which dared to encroach upon the city, and a good number of Sabbat packs ventured into the countryside to hunt the beasts either for sport or as a test of prowess. As a result, the werewolf populations never really had an opportunity to recover.
Since the Camarilla’s re-conquest of Carlisle, Balfour has continued his genocidal attitude towards the Lupines, helped along now by the Thaumaturgical power of the Tremere. Very rarely, a werewolf pack will venture into the area covered by the CA postcode for a specific mission or goal. For the most part they no longer try, having consigned the city as a lost cause. In more outlying areas of Cumbria, vampires who cross the path of the Lupines can expect little more than a swift and violent Final Death.
Borderer, Alpha of the North West. Lord Balfour’s intelligence agents have identified a handful of specific werewolves in Cumbria, of which the individual known as ‘Borderer’ is the most notorious. This werewolf appears to be a veteran of the struggle between the undead and the shapeshifters in the county, and his hatred of the Kindred is tempered by a keen tactical mind. Perhaps the only reason he has not launched an all-out crusade against Carlisle’s vampires is his understanding that to do so would be to result in a lot of werewolf deaths, and that a potential victory may not be worth the cost. Borderer has also orchestrated a number of devastating strikes against Kindred coteries in Barrow, Kendall, Whitehaven and other areas which lay outside of William Balfour’s protection.
Lykos, the Outcast. According to Balfour’s intelligence files, this creature is a werewolf which is somehow very different and outcast from the mainstream of Lupine society. In appearance, Lykos is said to be a malformed and hideous individual, covered in misshapen scars and sores. It has offered to deal with the Kindred against its fellow werewolves on more than one occasion now, and it is likely that Balfour’s curiosity regarding this individual is the main reason why he hasn’t ordered Lykos destroyed.
The Mortal Spell-Casters:
(Mages & Sorcerers)
Mages in Carlisle have always been in the background of the city’s workings. Their numbers are not particularly high, and whatever strange magics they work are subtle and seldom make headlines. It is believed by some Kindred that a cabal of pagan witches operate in the Cumbrian countryside, but the only mage which is known for sure to exist in Carlisle is a Hermetic spell-caster who operates out of the Bookcase second-hand bookshop.
Victor Pryce, Magus of the Order of Hermes, proprietor of Bookcase. Victor Pryce has been in the city of Carlisle for the last few decades, and during that time he has struck up an agreement with the Laird. Kindred are free to shop in Bookcase as anyone else would, but vampires are strongly discouraged from making any kind of trouble there. In return, Pryce doesn’t go out of his way to step on the toes of the Kindred. There is rumoured to be a more specific agreement between Victor Pryce and the Tremere of Carlisle, though the terms of this are unknown to anyone outside the Clan.
Outsiders and Others:
(Unclassified Entities)
Not every supernatural creature which stalks Cumbria is so easily recognised. There are things out there in the night which follow no rules but their own, and Kindred do well to stay away from that which they do not understand. Note: you will only have heard of these NPCs if you have Occult or Investigation of at least 3.
The Skin-walker. There is a rumour of a telephone number, which when called will put you in touch with a supernatural assassin of tremendous skill. This entity is said to be able to destroy any target, and will never be seen coming or leaving. When called, it takes a name, does the job and dictates the terms by which it will be paid. Those who have tried to wriggle out of paying the entity tend to be found dead and flayed. All kinds of rumours abound regarding the “skin-walker’s” abilities, but so far very little about this monster has ever been verified.
Lucian, Proprietor of Terminus. Above the Terminal 1 Nightclub, an exclusive upper-floor club called Terminus is owned by a wealthy and influential figure named Lucian. For all appearances he is simply a very well-connected mortal who does people favours in exchange for unspecified prices. While Lucian has never been deeply investigated by Carlisle’s Kindred, stories do get around of mortals who have gained clearly supernatural benefits from dealing with him. Whatever prices Lucian charges for his “favours”, his modus operandi shows little to suggest that his intentions are good. Those who deal with his do so at their peril.
Calebros, the Ancient. The ghost of a Celtic druid from before the Roman invasion of Britain, Calebros is the last remnant of a high priest of the Tuatha De’ Danaan who was sacrificed by his own people after a bad year in which his rites clearly failed to please the gods. He remains bound to a buried ritual site atop Scafell Pike, forever railing against his entrapment. On certain nights of the year, his power waxes and the Lake District’s storms lash the Pike with greater ferocity. Most of the time, however, Calebros has nought but an eternity of impotence for company.
The Wylde Hunt. It is fairly common knowledge among the Kindred of Carlisle that on Beltaine Night you stay the hell away from Long Meg. The ancient stone structures form a gateway of sorts between worlds, and while not every Kindred is aware of exactly what they lead to, those who are well-versed in the occult are quite aware that on the other side of this dimensional rift lays the Fae Realm, otherwise known as Arcadia. On Beltaine night the Wylde Hunters ride forth from their world to hunt down a quarry on Earth. Any creature which they lay eyes on is a potential target, and no target of the Wylde Hunt escapes once the chase has begun.
Aidan, the Balance-Keeper. One of the last Celtic chieftains to rule over Cumbria’s tribes, Aidan was mummified upon his death with the promise that he would return to life to fulfil his duties once again. Whether or not this legend of his origins is true (and it has never been confirmed), an entity going by the name of Aidan has interfered occasionally in the affairs of the Kindred, and has been known to both help and hinder vampires depending on the situation. He is believed to be dedicated to maintaining some kind of moral or cosmological ‘balance’ in Cumbria, but he seldom stays around long enough to explain his motives for anything he does.
All in all, I'm quite pleased with what I've got so far.
Sort of. My trip to Peru only technically counts as uni work. I certainly won't be thinking of it as uni work. It's so close now...so very close.
Vampire on Tuesday night was cool. I had my character being as plot active as possible in desperate hopes of finding a reason for him to leave Newcastle for the next two months. I didn't succeed in that endeavour, which really pisses me off for a number of reasons, but no matter. The game itself was still fun, and I'll just have to glaze over a few IC absences between now and September. If the worst comes to the worst, my character can spend another few months down in the sewers with the Sanctified, hunting a particularly nasty demon. Ain't unlife as a Crone just peachy?
On the downside, I accidentally let slip to one of the other players about a surprise birthday party that was planned for her. I was only involved in half the conversation, and kind of missed the bit where it was supposed to be a surprise. Not good.
Newcastle Mortals this month is cancelled. The ST is half way through his exams, so I can understand why, but it's still a pain in the arse. I was enjoying that one.
Development for Carlisle Masquerade LARP is coming along nicely. Characters have (for the most part) now been created, and the list is as follows:
2 Tremere
2 Brujah
1 Gangrel
1 Assamite (sorcerer caste)
1 Lasombra antitribu
1 Toreador
1 Malkavian
1 Giovanni
1 Nosferatu
...plus assorted NPC neonates, ghouls, childer, elders and other background filler. The setting information I've come up with for the domain is as follows:
Vampire the Masquerade - Carlisle:
Setting and NPCs
The Ivory Tower:
(The Camarilla)
The self-styled Kindred “government” called the Camarilla has been dominant in Carlisle since 1894, when a war effort led by Markus of Clan Tremere (and later by Lord William Balfour of Clan Gangrel) drove the long-entrenched vampires of the Sabbat out of the city. Since then things have remained relatively stable, although the Jyhad is as strong among the city’s Camarilla Kindred as it is anywhere else. Squabbles over territory, feeding rights, business interests and innumerable other things keep Carlisle’s vampires occupied, and the deeply feudal and isolated nature of the domain means that many Kindred here bear and even cultivate deep grudges and rivalries.
Carlisle’s politics follow the usual model for the Camarilla, albeit with the lingering influence of medieval Scottish rulership. Rights of domain are taken very seriously, and for one Kindred to claim an interest in another vampire’s domain, they are obliged to swear an oath of homage to the domain-holder. The main movers and shakers in the domain are as follows:
His Honour Lord William Balfour, Laird of the City of Carlisle - Gangrel. The feudal ruler of Kindred society in Carlisle, this elder vampire is both iron fist and velvet glove. A minor Scottish noble in life, Lord Balfour first arrived in Carlisle when Robert the Bruce laid siege to the city. When he first set foot in Cumbria he was already Kindred, and the exact date of his Embrace is unknown except to those he personally confides in. William Balfour tends to be direct in conversation, but few Kindred have any illusions about the sharpness of his political mind, or the sharpness of his claws should his temper be sufficiently riled.
He is known to have been the Laird of Carlisle once before, and that he attempted to repel the Sabbat’s crusade against the city during the English Civil War. During this time, an assassination attempt by the Sabbat left him severely injured enough that he entered voluntary Topor shortly afterwards, rather than risk more battles. He rose from Torpor in 1894, shortly after Markus began his campaign to reclaim Carlisle from the Sabbat. Balfour was furious to find that the city was under Sabbat control, as he had believed that the Camarilla would have been strong enough to repel the crusade. Joining with the efforts of the Tremere, Balfour fought the Tzimisce Archbishop of Carlisle in single combat and bested him, securing the city for the Camarilla once more.
Currently, the Laird’s word is absolute law. He is the final arbiter of all decisions made by Carlisle’s Kindred, and will brook no challenge to his power. While many whisper that Balfour’s leadership is Draconic in the extreme and that he is too susceptible to the manipulations of the Tremere, few have ever dared to call him on this. Despite these misgivings, none can actually deny that Balfour has so far been effective in keeping Carlisle safe from outside attack. It is known that the Laird holds considerable contempt for Ghouls (which he sees as a weakness) and for the Sabbat, and he also makes no secret of his genocidal hatred of the werewolves.
Markus, Seneschal of Carlisle and Tremere Regent of the Borderlands - Tremere. The most potent member of Carlisle’s most potent Clan, Markus is the claimant of the Domain of Stanwix and the Master of Chantry Primus in addition to being the Seneschal of Carlisle. He is Lord Balfour’s closest advisor and publicly one of the Laird’s strongest allies and enforcers. Most Kindred are also aware that Markus’s influence over the city’s mortal institutions is extensive and firmly entrenched. Little about his history is known to Kindred outside of the Tremere Clan, except maybe that he originated in London and claims ties of lineage to Edward Bainbridge, the Tremere Regent of London. He is believed to be between 2 and 3 centuries old.
Markus arrived in Carlisle in the early 1890s, when the city was still a stronghold for the Sabbat. From there he is known to have executed a brutal campaign of reclamation, during which he and his Tremere coterie-mates (none of whom have survived to the modern nights) brought their extensive Thaumaturgical power to bear against their enemies. When William Balfour awoke from Torpor, he was so impressed by the might of the Tremere that he immediately appointed Markus as his Seneschal after the last of the Sabbat were driven out of the city limits. Markus is known by most to be an utter bastard and a pragmatist to the very last. Markus has never been beaten in Carlisle’s political arena thus far, largely because he is too busy making everyone else play by his rules. Markus holds the domains of Stanwix and Belah.
Sir Robert Kael, Sergeant-at-Arms for His Honour the Laird - Brujah. Lord Balfour’s most loyal subject, Sir Robert Kael existed in Carlisle during the Gangrel Laird’s first term of rulership. While at that point he was a mere neonate, this former Scottish Knight was a skilled and deadly warrior even then. Ultimately, Kael is the kind of Sheriff most Princes can only dream of: unswervingly loyal, skilled in the realms of combat and investigation alike, and honourable to a fault. As with Markus, little is publicly known about Kael’s history since his Embrace, although there are one or two Kindred who are aware of certain elements of the Sergeant’s past. Certainly it is known that he takes pride in lineage, and tends to judge other Kindred by how well they keep their promises. Robert Kael has very little time for liars or double-dealers; like the Laird he serves, he tends to be very direct in conversation, especially when contrary opinions are involved.
Sir Robert also serves as the front-line commander in William Balfour’s wars against Sabbat and Lupines alike. When trouble hits the streets of Carlisle, the Sergeant-at-Arms is usually following it.
Mister Jarvis, Master of the City of Carlisle’s Elysia - Toreador. For all appearances, Jarvis is the epitome of what is expected from a Toreador elder; refined, sensual and decadent. He serves as the Master of Carlisle’s various buildings which have been declared Elysium, and his job is to ensure that the Prince’s Court takes place in suitably cultured and secure surroundings. Like most Toreador he is adept in the realms of social combat, and almost every statement he makes contains some double-entendre or veiled comment on the person to whom he is speaking. Jarvis seems to be content with his current position in the Court. While he is perhaps one of the few Kindred who could effectively oppose the Laird, this Toreador does not seem to desire the responsibility of Praxis and prefers to hold a position where he can enjoy unlife’s pleasures and bitch about everyone around him. Jarvis holds the domain of Belle Vue.
Gregory Mycroft, Master Harpy and Keeper of Boons - Malkavian. At roughly 90 years Embraced, Mycroft is one of the younger power-holding members of Balfour’s Court. The accursed insight of the Malkavian Clan is known to be quite strong in him, and he sees a lot of what happens among the city’s movers and shakers. He appeared in Carlisle around 50 years ago, and quickly impressed the Laird with his commentaries on the machinations of the Court. While Mycroft is distrusted by most, the Master Harpy has little trouble racking up boons and favours from those who wish to partake of his uncanny insight.
As the Master Harpy of Carlisle, his job is to ensure that the city’s Kindred live up to their reputations (and Status) and to record any and all boons made between Kindred, to ensure that nobody tries to wriggle out of their debts. Kindred who exchange boons are obliged to inform him of what is owed, by the Laird’s decree. Gregory Mycroft holds the domain of Denton Holme.
Mr Daniel Stark, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Ventrue. The top player among the Privy Council, Stark is the obvious choice to take the throne should anything ever happen to Balfour. This Ventrue Ancilla has extensive business connections both nationally and internationally. While he is secondary to Markus in terms of the influence he wields over Carlisle’s mortals, he is still a major player in the Jyhad in this city. Daniel Stark holds the domain of Kingstown.
Josef Pyoter, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Toreador. Now in his third century of unlife, Josef was a Tsarist noble in Russia prior to his Embrace. It was during the violent nights of the Russian revolution, however, when his passions became truly inflamed and he has not abandoned the cause of social change ever since. Josef serves as the Laird’s advisor on current mortal trends in politics and beliefs, and while he often chafes at the Draconian rulership of William Balfour he understands that there are instances where revolution needs to be brought about through subtlety. Pyoter holds considerable influences among fringe political and ideological movements in Cumbria, and moves in social circles which many would consider odd for a Toreador elder. Josef Pyoter holds the domains of Old Harraby and Upperby and is a vassal of Gregory Mycroft.
‘Nest’, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Nosferatu. It is unknown how old the creature known as ‘Nest’ really is, but this Nosferatu is undoubtedly close to a millennium in age. He claims all of the most run-down areas of Carlisle as his personal domain, and rumour holds that he rules over an extensive group of mortal worshipers, who form a “cult of fear” around him. What influences he holds over the city are anyone’s guess, and questions as to his sectarian loyalty abound. He was undoubtedly in Carlisle during the reign of the Sabbat, and was probably in the city even before Balfour’s first tenure as Laird. While it would seem clear that Nest serves only himself, nobody has ever dared to challenge him. Officially, Nest’s recognised domains are Carlton and the Train Yards.
Professor Nathaniel Reed, Privy Advisor to the Laird - Malkavian. One of the city’s foremost occult scholars, Nathaniel Reed is Carlisle’s self-appointed Professor of Noddist Studies. While his dedication to the study of the apocryphal Book of Nod is unquestioned, his interpretations of that ancient vampiric tome are far from conventional. Reed is a profound atheist, and sees the Book of Nod almost entirely in terms of metaphor and allegory. He does not believe in the literal existence of Caine, and is doubtful that any of the dreaded Antediluvian vampires have survived into the modern nights. Whenever stories about Gehenna and the machinations of the Ancients begin to circulate, Reed is usually the first on hand to discredit them. Reed holds the domain of Morton Park and is a vassal of Gregory Mycroft.
The Sword of Caine:
(The Sabbat)
The Sabbat has not held the balance of power in Cumbria for more than a century now. This dangerous and violent sect of vampires first took Carlisle from the Camarilla in the early years of the English Civil War, using the mortal siege of Carlisle as cover for a crusade orchestrated by one of the Sabbat Bishops of Glasgow. Very little of what happened during the city’s tenure as a Sabbat domain is known by the Camarilla, but even 114 years after the re-conquest it is known that the Sword of Caine refuses to leave the Camarilla alone. The West Cumbrian coastal towns are regularly visited by nomadic Sabbat packs, as are the wild borderlands along Hadrian’s Wall. These packs of Diablerists and fanatics make travel across the border even more dangerous, as if the Lupines weren’t trouble enough.
Known Sabbat members in Cumbria include:
Bartholomew, deposed Archbishop of Carlisle - Tzimisce. One of only a handful of survivors from the time when Carlisle was dominated by the Sabbat, Bartholomew has never, and will never forgive William Balfour for humiliating him by defeating him in single combat. Ever since Balfour’s return to power, the former Archbishop of Carlisle and his pack of minions have been a plague upon the domain. While the Sabbat has not been able to regain its former power and influence since the Camarilla returned to control, Bartholomew has still been able to strike a number of blows against Balfour’s Court over the past century. This Tzimisce is known to be powerful and sadistic, striking against the friends and loved ones of his enemies, stripping away their lives piece by piece before finally destroying them.
Ultimately, his efforts have been consistently thwarted in Carlisle, since the city remains under Camarilla govern. Bartholomew meanwhile continues to push the limits of his vampiric abilities, longing for the night when he can tear down Balfour’s power in the city and claim the elder Gangrel’s blood for his own.
The Anarch Movement:
(The Anarchs)
The Anarch Movement has had little success in Cumbria all in all. The self-styled “free-living dead” are seen as selfish delinquents by the Camarilla and as cowardly fools by the Sabbat. An Anarch coterie is known to eke out an existence in the ungoverned town of Barrow-in-Furness, but it is likely only a matter of time before they are dragged kicking and screaming into Camarilla society, or torn to bloody chunks by the Sabbat. No individual members of the Anarch Movement in Cumbria have achieved anything notorious enough to warrant public recognition among Carlisle’s Kindred.
The Lupines:
(The Werewolves)
The Kindred generally know very little about their berserk and deadly enemies, but in Carlisle the age-old rivalry between Vampire and Werewolf has taken a horrific toll on the Lupines. William Balfour has always despised the wolfish shape-shifters, and during his first tenure as Laird of Carlisle he orchestrated a brutal campaign of extermination against their kind. His war resulted in the Final Deaths of many of Carlisle’s vampires, but when the dust cleared the werewolves seemed to have been entirely purged from the city and its surrounding lands.
When the Sabbat took over Carlisle they continued to slay any Lupines which dared to encroach upon the city, and a good number of Sabbat packs ventured into the countryside to hunt the beasts either for sport or as a test of prowess. As a result, the werewolf populations never really had an opportunity to recover.
Since the Camarilla’s re-conquest of Carlisle, Balfour has continued his genocidal attitude towards the Lupines, helped along now by the Thaumaturgical power of the Tremere. Very rarely, a werewolf pack will venture into the area covered by the CA postcode for a specific mission or goal. For the most part they no longer try, having consigned the city as a lost cause. In more outlying areas of Cumbria, vampires who cross the path of the Lupines can expect little more than a swift and violent Final Death.
Borderer, Alpha of the North West. Lord Balfour’s intelligence agents have identified a handful of specific werewolves in Cumbria, of which the individual known as ‘Borderer’ is the most notorious. This werewolf appears to be a veteran of the struggle between the undead and the shapeshifters in the county, and his hatred of the Kindred is tempered by a keen tactical mind. Perhaps the only reason he has not launched an all-out crusade against Carlisle’s vampires is his understanding that to do so would be to result in a lot of werewolf deaths, and that a potential victory may not be worth the cost. Borderer has also orchestrated a number of devastating strikes against Kindred coteries in Barrow, Kendall, Whitehaven and other areas which lay outside of William Balfour’s protection.
Lykos, the Outcast. According to Balfour’s intelligence files, this creature is a werewolf which is somehow very different and outcast from the mainstream of Lupine society. In appearance, Lykos is said to be a malformed and hideous individual, covered in misshapen scars and sores. It has offered to deal with the Kindred against its fellow werewolves on more than one occasion now, and it is likely that Balfour’s curiosity regarding this individual is the main reason why he hasn’t ordered Lykos destroyed.
The Mortal Spell-Casters:
(Mages & Sorcerers)
Mages in Carlisle have always been in the background of the city’s workings. Their numbers are not particularly high, and whatever strange magics they work are subtle and seldom make headlines. It is believed by some Kindred that a cabal of pagan witches operate in the Cumbrian countryside, but the only mage which is known for sure to exist in Carlisle is a Hermetic spell-caster who operates out of the Bookcase second-hand bookshop.
Victor Pryce, Magus of the Order of Hermes, proprietor of Bookcase. Victor Pryce has been in the city of Carlisle for the last few decades, and during that time he has struck up an agreement with the Laird. Kindred are free to shop in Bookcase as anyone else would, but vampires are strongly discouraged from making any kind of trouble there. In return, Pryce doesn’t go out of his way to step on the toes of the Kindred. There is rumoured to be a more specific agreement between Victor Pryce and the Tremere of Carlisle, though the terms of this are unknown to anyone outside the Clan.
Outsiders and Others:
(Unclassified Entities)
Not every supernatural creature which stalks Cumbria is so easily recognised. There are things out there in the night which follow no rules but their own, and Kindred do well to stay away from that which they do not understand. Note: you will only have heard of these NPCs if you have Occult or Investigation of at least 3.
The Skin-walker. There is a rumour of a telephone number, which when called will put you in touch with a supernatural assassin of tremendous skill. This entity is said to be able to destroy any target, and will never be seen coming or leaving. When called, it takes a name, does the job and dictates the terms by which it will be paid. Those who have tried to wriggle out of paying the entity tend to be found dead and flayed. All kinds of rumours abound regarding the “skin-walker’s” abilities, but so far very little about this monster has ever been verified.
Lucian, Proprietor of Terminus. Above the Terminal 1 Nightclub, an exclusive upper-floor club called Terminus is owned by a wealthy and influential figure named Lucian. For all appearances he is simply a very well-connected mortal who does people favours in exchange for unspecified prices. While Lucian has never been deeply investigated by Carlisle’s Kindred, stories do get around of mortals who have gained clearly supernatural benefits from dealing with him. Whatever prices Lucian charges for his “favours”, his modus operandi shows little to suggest that his intentions are good. Those who deal with his do so at their peril.
Calebros, the Ancient. The ghost of a Celtic druid from before the Roman invasion of Britain, Calebros is the last remnant of a high priest of the Tuatha De’ Danaan who was sacrificed by his own people after a bad year in which his rites clearly failed to please the gods. He remains bound to a buried ritual site atop Scafell Pike, forever railing against his entrapment. On certain nights of the year, his power waxes and the Lake District’s storms lash the Pike with greater ferocity. Most of the time, however, Calebros has nought but an eternity of impotence for company.
The Wylde Hunt. It is fairly common knowledge among the Kindred of Carlisle that on Beltaine Night you stay the hell away from Long Meg. The ancient stone structures form a gateway of sorts between worlds, and while not every Kindred is aware of exactly what they lead to, those who are well-versed in the occult are quite aware that on the other side of this dimensional rift lays the Fae Realm, otherwise known as Arcadia. On Beltaine night the Wylde Hunters ride forth from their world to hunt down a quarry on Earth. Any creature which they lay eyes on is a potential target, and no target of the Wylde Hunt escapes once the chase has begun.
Aidan, the Balance-Keeper. One of the last Celtic chieftains to rule over Cumbria’s tribes, Aidan was mummified upon his death with the promise that he would return to life to fulfil his duties once again. Whether or not this legend of his origins is true (and it has never been confirmed), an entity going by the name of Aidan has interfered occasionally in the affairs of the Kindred, and has been known to both help and hinder vampires depending on the situation. He is believed to be dedicated to maintaining some kind of moral or cosmological ‘balance’ in Cumbria, but he seldom stays around long enough to explain his motives for anything he does.
All in all, I'm quite pleased with what I've got so far.
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