Lore: Ventrue

From OKCbyNight

Ventrue Lore x1

Ventrue Lore at its most basic level is what every childe is taught before they are released. Much of the knowledge imparted by this level of lore is known by those outside of the clan. Along with the basic understanding of the Ventrue Clan, many of the "facts" at this level are known among Elders of the clan to be a very skewed version of the truth. Without knowing the extent of the secrets that are kept by their elders, most newly embraced Ventrue, or outsiders to the clan, take this as the holy gospel. What one’s sire says to be the truth is seldom questioned, and those who hold this level of knowledge would see no need to doubt the validity of all the statements. You know your lineage, and the lineage of your brood mates. You are pretty worthless at detecting infiltrators all by yourself, but you do know one thing that makes the Ventrue Clan advantage universal. You know who to call.

A base history of your own bloodline: This is the basic, but fundamentally important, history of your own Bloodline.

To be able to recite ones own lineage: This is the founding and most basic principle that any Ventrue will cling to: the ability to recite your lineage, from your sire back to Caine. While many of the other clans scoff at the notion that all Cainites are actually descendants of the biblical figure, most Ventrue take it as either being fact, or a tradition so old that it goes without question.

The Mandate of Heaven: Instilled into young Ventrue upon their embrace, it is the reality that they are chosen ones that must lead their fellow Kindred into the final nights. They do not do this for power, for glory, or for honor. They do it because they are the only ones who are capable. It is with a heavy heart that the Ventrue neonate accepts his place as the best, last hope for the Kindred.

The Agoge: There is no greater a tool, nor a greater hardship, in the entire world of newly embraced Cainites. It is the learning times, the formal and informal education a Ventrue receives upon his embrace. It is this stage in the development of Ventrue knowledge that ends the quest of those outside the clan most often. Few of the Gangrel or the Brujah will take the time to learn the use behind the words of Sun Tzu, Plato, or Machiavelli. It is the pure academic schooling, or the experience through a trial by fire, from this learning period that gives you as a newly embraced Ventrue the justification to posses the most basic of Ventrue knowledge. This part of your learning will give you the basic ins and outs of Ventrue society, and of Camarilla law.

An Elder Ventrue is, without fail, always right: A neonate Ventrue, without fail, shall always defer to an elder. To contradict one’s Elders, even in a casual way, is to invite the most horrible of retribution upon yourself and your sire. If they profess the sky to be green, then it must be so. It is more than just grinning and bearing it; a young Ventrue must live it in practice. Any Elder Ventrue, be it one of your lineage or one from a distant line, is to be treated as if they are infinitely wiser than you, and thus what they say is to be taken whole sale.

The Ventrue Clan holds their own Traditions: While you may have experienced some of them first hand, you have only heard rumors of the complete listings of Ventrue Traditions. Some are said to be more important than others, but such talk is discouraged, for all Traditions are applicable at all times. Some of the ones that are rumored to exist include: an Embrace Night Celebration; acceptance to one of the "Gentleman's Club" celebration; a pilgrimage once a year to the place of ones embrace; a sacred pact among Ventrue Harpies; a Right of Succor exist that demands assistance to another Ventrue in need; the authority of a Prince, Justicar, or Elder Ventrue to enter the minds of the young at will; and the Tradition of selection of childer.

Money is what makes the world go round: You know that many Ventrue to consider money to be the absolute factor in determining one’s worth. Be they Elder or Neonate, money makes the man. This leads you to believe that the entire business of "nobility" is something that perhaps once was important, but no longer holds true.

Ventrue Lore x2

Ventrue lore at this level is the basic concepts that a Ventrue learns after his release. This is where a Ventrue begins to learn about things from the perspective of their sires and their mentors. Some of the viewpoints and knowledge below will begin to diverge from the uniform knowledge of your Agoge. If a Ventrue is raised outside of the confines of his or her bloodline, and attain this level of Ventrue lore, they will fall under the "All others" sections. You may only have a legitimate grasp of the knowledge of another bloodline if you purchase a specialty in "Bloodlines" upon attaining Ventrue lore 4. Those with a "Bloodlines" Specialization may access the Ventrue Lore 2 data of another bloodline. You know your brood’s lineage, plus the lineage of your sires brood and your grandsire's brood. You also can name most of the Ventrue in your bloodline, unless they have been hidden or purposely hiding their identity.

A base history of your own bloodline: This is the basic, but fundamentally important, history of your own Bloodline.

The Ethic of Succor: You know this to be one of the true Ventrue Traditions that is upheld without question. Perhaps no tradition sets the Ventrue more apart from other clans than their Ethic of Succor. While other clans, such as the Tremere, are closely knit and often support members, no clan has the same “no excuses, no exceptions” practice of coming to each other’s assistance in times of need. Many Blue Bloods credit this tradition as the foundation for the clan’s continuing strength. While they might fight and compete with one another, the Ventrue invariably rally and fight as one when the time comes and a crisis is upon them, whether they like it or not. Observing the Ethic of Succor means ultimately extending a fellow Ventrue aid, should she ask it, regardless of personal piques and desires.

The First Tuesday: The first Tuesday of every month every Primogen should call together the Ventrue of their city and talk about the events and focus of the clan. One of the members of the city's council of Ventrue should keep minutes of the meeting, and transmit them to the Regional executives desk by the second Tuesday.

The Embrace Night: The Ventrue celebrate the night they were embraced each year, often in a spectacular fashion. Regardless of the nature of your embrace, it is something that holds extreme importance within the clan. No Ventrue simply spends their Embrace Night at home in front of the television, they are expected to be the subject of a party of one form or another. Ventrue who do not hold to this tradition are looked upon very awkwardly ‐‐ why not take the one night of the year you’re allowed to "cut loose" and enjoy it?

The Theory of the Directorate: You have a basic understanding of the Directorate. The elders completely control the Clan. It is through their lineages and their childer that a firm Directorate is formed. The power of an elder is given by proxy to his childer, and theirs to their childer, down the chain. The Directorate varies in it's control of Ventrue, some being the absolute tool of the Directorate and others being from lines that exercise light control and are almost free of it entirely.

What is expected of you: Regardless of the unique personality and methods of each individual Ventrue, there are a few things the Clan as a whole expect every released Ventrue to be able to do. Below is a list that is universally expected of everyone in the Clan.

Politeness: "As the products of five millennia of noble upbringing, class and culture, the Ventrue place great importance on gentility. Ventrue etiquette can become quite complex, especially in Europe where deathless standards persist unto the modern nights. Things are often less formal in the New World, but only by comparison. Even the most casual of Old World cities usually seems stodgy and overly polite by modern standards." Ventrue Clanbook Revised. The careful adherence to manners in public is something that every Ventrue looks for in others of their Clan. Should someone act rudely in any way publicly, they will at least hear about it in passing in private from others of the Clan. It is born from the nature of the beast and the control of the situation that the Ventrue find dear. No matter the circumstance, Ventrue strive to maintain an exceptionally polite demeanor. The moment the leaders of the Cainite race begin to devolve into bickering and rude behavior, the less noble Cainites are sure to erupt into total chaos. Some say the Ventrue rule by their polite demeanors, and by not giving others justification for exploding into frenzied destruction.

Control: The circumstances that many Ventrue find themselves placed in requires a clear head and a crisp wit. The Ventrue know that once control is lost in a situation, it is almost impossible to regain that control. No matter the situation, the masses will remain only as calm as their leader. When a situation devolves, the Ventrue are expected, without hesitation or prompting, to be the picture of serenity. Nothing is as unforgivable as a Ventrue who breaks down under fire.

The Legends: You have heard whisper the names of the legendary Ventrue in our chronicle. You have heard the myths and rumors that surround their aura of mystery.

The Value of a Ventrue: You are familiar with the system of Dignitias and understand the supreme importance of acting and behaving according to those concepts of worth.

Ventrue Lore x3

This level of Ventrue lore is usually acquired after a Ventrue makes a transition from Neonate to Ancilla. The building blocks of years of formal training and the experience of living the life of a Ventrue neonate have given enough bits and pieces for you to begin to realize how much you really don't know. To learn this sort of knowledge from outside of the Ventrue clan would require you to successfully infiltrate the Clan for a long while, or to have a master scholar for a teacher. It takes a long list of those who have this understanding imparting their own bits and pieces of knowledge for anyone who has yet to live it to be indoctrinated into this circle of knowledge. You know the lineages of most of the Ventrue in your line. If you are Dubois, and someone spouts off a fake Dubois lineage, you will nine times out of ten have them dead to rights (at least you can freely question them deeper with IC justification). Have your storyteller consult you on the PC's lineage you are questioning, if you have any questions.

The Directorate: While at first it appears that the Directorate is a childe/sire relationship, it turns out to be much more than that. It is a very subtle method of control that the elders utilize to both empower the young and to extract their due at the same time. While the most direct control still appears to be in the form of sire/childe relationship, you are aware of others outside your own line seem to have certain pull into your own lines affairs. You have heard of instances where an Elder answers to an Ancilla in a matter of business concern.

The realms of control: The mortal realm of control is something very important to both the Ventrue and to the Camarilla. With his level of knowledge, you understand the more advanced forms of your own chosen field of business. Ventrue lore at this level is justification for an ability specialization in Finance, Streetwise, Bureaucracy, or another ability that coincides with your business interest.

The Justicar of the Camarilla: The Ventrue Justicar is Cynric Auctoris, and he holds dominion over Australia and the East. He is of the seventh generation, childe of Antonius Marcus Flavius, childe of Themis, childe of Mercurius, childe of Veddartha, childe of Enoch, childe of Caine.

A more intense understanding of the history of your bloodline:

Other routes of Power: While the directorate holds a direct route of power for most Ventrue, you know now that other organizations exist within the clan that both serve needed roles and offer power in as different form than others. While even as an unreleased childe you have heard mention of these societies, you now understand at least the fundamentals of what these societies are about. You can feel free to contact the heads of any major society and ask for an OOC basic information letter.

One to watch over the flock: You know that the mechanics behind the choosing of the Clan head are complex and political to the extreme. The Clan head derives his powers from those who support him. He can be the right hand of the Directorate, or he can be nothing more than a front man to speak for the Clan to the others of the Camarilla.

You are aware of all the Major Houses in the Ventrue Clan: You are well versed in the existence and basic understanding of perhaps the greatest backbone of the Ventrue Clan. The Major Houses are the fuel that fires the Clan.

The Ties that Bind: You understand that, beyond your own bloodline and associates, there exist a myriad group of Houses that control to a lesser or greater degree those who claim membership within them. Your own experience at this level gives you the history behind your own House, and the rules that govern it.

The Elders who Rule: At this level of Ventrue lore, you know the names of most of the Elders in play. If confronted by a Ventrue claiming to be an Elder, and who is forthcoming with their lineage, you can determine to some extent the truth of their claim. This is by no means a guarantee that you are correct in your assumption, but will allow the more known and recognized Elder players to give you a lore verification of their Elder status. What you know or have heard about the Elder is up to the player of the Elder, and you should always consult first with them and keep a log of your knowledge.

Those who stand alone: While in your primary Ventrue education you learned that the Clan and the Blood is sacrosanct, you have seen evidence now that some stand outside the traditions. While still Ventrue, and far from being considered Caitiff, there are those of the Ventrue who walk outside the rules and boundaries set by the Clan. Some call them Atavist, those who forsake the traditions of the clan to be left alone, to wander for all times. If one declares themselves to be Atavist, they are still kings, but do not owe fealty nor gain benefit from the clans actions. Few would begrudge any Ventrue who turned down a favor to the Atavist, and seldom are they called upon for favors.

Ventrue Lore x4

This level of Ventrue lore is usually acquired after a Ventrue makes a transition from Ancilla to Elder. The building blocks of years of formal training and the experience of living the life of a Ventrue Ancilla have given enough bits and pieces for you to begin to realize how much you really don't know. To learn this sort of knowledge from outside of the Ventrue clan would require you to successfully infiltrate the Clan for a hundreds of years, or to have several master scholar for a teacher. It takes a long list of those who have this understanding imparting their own bits and pieces of knowledge for anyone who has yet to live it to be indoctrinated into this circle of knowledge.

You know the lineages of most of the Ventrue in the bloodlines of Dubois, Khumenes, Doverspike, Mercurian, and Anwar in play, as well as the major aspects of the minor lines. If someone gives you a false lineage, you should feel free to ask a Storyteller for a check against your Ventrue lore level.

The History of the Blood:You know the generally believed conception of the history of the Clan. Feel free to pull most of the knowledge from Chapter One of Clanbook: Ventrue, Revised. Your storyteller is the arbiter of what you do and do not know from that source.

The Directorate: You know the ranking system, and some of the members. You may even be one yourself. The Ephors, of whom only the Chairman of the Board: Lord Alexander of Saulus, name is known to you. The selection of the Stragetgoi is made by the Ephors, who in turn run most of the daily affairs of Ventrue. In the clan now, the Lictors are given great power, and are usually the next in line for Stragetgoi standing. This is also where the glass ceiling comes into play, as few, if any, ancilla ever reach the ranks of Stragetgoi.

The Four Horsemen: The Horsemen are a mysterious coterie of Ventrue Elders and Ancients whose true purpose has always remain veiled behind lethally guarded secrecy. They hold Sigils from the Thirteen, but refuse to discuss their mission except in the most vague way, and there are indications that the "true mission" may vary on the Horseman asked. What has been gathered publicly is that the titles of the Horsemen are pulled from the Revelations passage in the Bible, and reference has been made that they "watch over the Clan" globally whereas a Clan head might just focus nationally. The areas they focus on seem to be specific in nature as well...a Horseman may observe Elder Ventrue Princes rise and fall without lifting a finger, and then interpose themselves brutally when a Neonate Prince is diablerized, even though the power lost to the Clan is minimal. Darker rumors exist as well, that the Horsemen purge the Clan of failed elements regardless of rank or position, though they rarely comment on such rumors. Regardless of their true goals the Horsemen have always been Cainites of exceptional power and influence capable of impacting entire countries with their manipulations. The names of current and previous Horsemen read as a whose who of powerful Ventrue: Stellus, Juan Xavier Monroy, Don Julian Machiavelli, Cornelius Riga, Vladimir omonav. The methods of initiation and entrance into the coterie, like their activities, is clouded in mystery and only known to the Horsemen themselves, who guard membership very jealously. These are the most powerful of the Lictors, some say to powerful.

The Ways of the Blood: You know the generally believed conception of the history of the Clan. Feel free to pull most of the knowledge from Chapter Two of Clanbook: Ventrue, Revised. Your storyteller is the arbiter of what you do and do not know from that source.

A great understanding of your bloodline:

The Thirteen: You have heard of them in the past. They are the Ephorate, the Senior Board of Directors. They are the final and most powerful level of authority in the Clan.

The reasons behind the bloodlines: There have been quiet comments by others of the peerage that there was a distinct purpose for the embrace of each of the 13 Methuselahs of the Clan. What this purpose could be is beyond your knowledge, but you are starting to wonder how far up the ladder are the puppet masters.

Houses and Societies: You are well versed in the workings of Houses and Societies. You can recognize all the Houses in the clan (you can email your House Regent and ask them to get the list of houses from the player of the Chamberlain), as well as all the major societies and several minor ones.

Ventrue Lore x5

This level of understanding and knowledge only comes to true Ventrue who have lived for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. An Elder doesn't automatically know these things, this knowledge is found only by those who dig. With this level of Ventrue Lore, you should become increasingly paranoid of the others of your Clan, as you start to piece together what your purpose and destiny is. Most of what you were taught was only half truths, and you doubt that you will ever know the whole truth. Those outside the clan should have an excessively good reason to posses this level of lore, and if they are ever discovered to posses it should know that a timer on their unlife has started. It is high treason to even mention most of this information to those not of the Ventrue.

Lineages. None are secret from you, you can recount the lineages from memory or from records you posses. It is laughable to present you with a false lineage, only those who have taken the identity of a real Ventrue should consider trying to fool you.

Thirteen bloodlines, each to rule:The creation of the thirteen bloodlines was to ensure governance for the other unruly bloodlines. This is the piece of knowledge that generates more paranoia than any other. Thirteen means that one was made to rule over the Ventrue, as well...

Complete yet partial: You know the Ventrue Clanbook from cover to cover. Only exceptionally rare information should be withheld by your storyteller.

A complete understanding of your bloodline:

The Secret Masters: They exist. Someone, or more aptly named Something, is pulling the strings of many of your Cainite brothers. Perhaps it is the Antediluvians, or some other mythical group of beings. You know that something inside you makes you rebel against their control, perhaps that is why you must lead.

The Ephor: You know the names of at least three of the Senior Board of Directors, and how to contact them. It is a very, very hazardous thing to do, and some would kill you for knowing their names