Domain Summary
The domain of Vancouver is defined by the tear in the fabric of reality, like a scar in the world, which opens into the Abyss. The land and sky are stained black by its presence, and the constant threat of abyssal incursion has hardened the populace and shaped their purpose. The Sept of Eternal Glory fights the dark things which emerge from the Abyss, while the Invictus Imperium amass power to keep the greatest threats subdued. The Order of the Bitter Ashe gathers and protects once-lost holy relics from within.
Life in the Domain
Vancouver's Abyssal scar is a powerful influence on life in the domain. It hangs like an ever-present shroud over the territory. The Invictus Imperium and Order of the Bitter Ashe are omnipresent, along with their Sanctum allies. A constant patrol ensures that any threat from the scar is handled promptly. Fire, from candle flames, to torches, to bonfires, is a symbol of hope and strength for the domain. Vampires with low courage do not survive long in this domain.
Dominant Races
Vampires and Shifters
Paradigm: Mages are uncommon here. Celestial Chorus, Hermetics, and Euthanatos are the most likely to be present.
Costuming Archetypes
Bitter Ashe Paladin, Modern Medieval Businessman, 1940’s Professor Cultist, Glorious Warrior
Politics & NPCs
Prince Siegfried has ruled over Vancouver since long before the Fall of the Shroud, and his hold over the territory is ironclad. The various factions in Vancouver each hold significant power within the domain, but none challenge Siegfried’s rule. Alphonse, Silver Fang Ahroun Legend, leads the Sept of Eternal Glory as their Alpha. Cardinal David Adeline oversees the Order of the Bitter Ashe and, though not sworn to Siegfried directly, represents the New Faith in Vancouver. Xavier Hood leads the Invictus Imperium.
Invitcus Imperium
The Covenant was started in the Conclave of Unification by the Ventrue and Lasombra ambassadors. Members of the Imperium are skilled diplomats, visiting other domains to secure business and trade. No deal is too poor, no influence is unimportant, no favor left uncalled. Their purpose is an all out war against the Abyss and its agents: Lasombra, Abyss Mystics, cultists, etc.
The head of Invictus is Xavier Hood, Paladin to Cardinal David. His power is rivaled by few in this world, but his only interest lies with the Invictus. It's true purpose is to amass power, so when the day comes that Hood slips on his watch at keeping the ancient Lasombra at bay, the Invictus will be strong enough to kill him. In a few hundred years they might have to kill a god.
Sept of Eternal Glory
The Sept of Eternal Glory fights for Glory, Honor, and Duty. They are Vancouver’s front-line against the dark things that come from the scar, and their war has helped to balance the Triat. Through their Theurges’ forays into the scar, they were one of the Septs to free the Wyrm from the Weaver’s prison. The Sept lost many on that day, but their glory is immortalized. For their aid, Vampires are forbidden to feed upon their Kinfolk, and any errant leech caught doing so will be put to death.
Order of the Bitter Ashe
The Order of the Bitter Ashes gathers together vampiric knights who take up the burden of collecting and guarding holy relics and items of faith which serve as tangible evidence of God's presence in the world. For, although the curse of Caine cuts vampires off from the Sun, they need not be removed from the divine Light itself. Members of the Order of the Bitter Ashe are members of the New Faith. They answer to both the head of their order (Cardinal David Adaline), and to the local Lord of Vancouver (Siegfried)
Searchers are members of the order with talents in disguise who infiltrate societies around the world to gather and maintain information about potential signs of holy artifacts. Gatherers are charged with going forth and liberating the artifacts and reclaiming them back home. Any method from friendly diplomacy, to sneaking in at night, to outright murder have been used over the generations. Regardless of the role in the Order, Grail Knights are charged with three primary duties:
- The Order protects holy relics, recovering them from wicked custodians and preserving them for sacred use.
- The Order assists vampires who seek release from the world, through inspiring courage to greet Final Death, through contact with relics that destroy vampiric flesh and vitae, or granting access to other means of leaving the world and entering the realm of the divine.
- The Order fights monsters of all sorts, all beings who consciously serve evil powers.
Character Information
Grail Knights are are not embraced, but rather changed by the Holy Grail. To be a Grail Knight you must have all virtues at 4, a path rating of Chivalry, Heaven, Honorable Accord, or Redemption of 9, and a max willpower score. It is possible to recruit another vampire, but they usually die in the process. Malcolm Belacosi is the only Knight within the past 500 years to survive the process.
Benefits:
- You do not need to feed. You regenerate 1/5th your blood pool each day.
- You can no longer drink vampire blood. Every blood trait from any vampire other than another Grail Knight causes 1 level of aggravated damage per trait.
- You do not take aggravated damage from anything other than magic.
- You are immune to Rotschreck and the effects of True Faith and Unholy Blight.
Drawbacks:
Should your path rating ever fall to 8 for any reason you instantly turn into a pile of ash. Additionally, your character cannot cast any magic, whatsoever. This includes anything and everything from Sabbat rituals to Thaumaturgy, Obtenebration, Necromancy or Sorcery. Magic is cheating the creation of the Divine Light. Sacred Miracles are one thing. You taking on the aspect of the magician is another.
Umbral Realms
- Low Umbra - Shroud 3 (Oblivion - Shroud 1)
- Middle Umbra - Gauntlet 5 (Scar - Gauntlet 3, Abyss - Gauntlet 0)
- Dreaming - Mists 4 (Far Dreaming - Mists 7, Deep Dreaming - Mists 10) / Banality 9
- High Umbra - Periphery 6
