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THE VAULDERIE
The vampires of the Sabbat take their nightly struggle seriously – so seriously that they tolerate no dissent in their ranks. From the lowest new recruit to the most exalted priscus, the Sabbat ensures loyalty to one another through a bloody ritus called the Vaulderie.
The Vaulderie is similar to a blood bond, though it differs in intent and function. No Sabbat would ever voluntarily succumb to a blood bond, reasoning that such bonds are the tools the elders use to enslave their childer. Rather, the Sabbat swear the Vaulderie to each other, bonding themselves to the pack instead of an individual, and thus to the Sabbat’s greater cause.
Those who are ignorant of the Vaulderie’s finer details believe it to be a simple commingling of Vampire vitea in a vessel and the subsequent drinking of it. In truth, the matter is far more mystical. To start the ritual, the priest takes a tool used specifically for the Vaulderie and nothing else and cuts her wrist. The ritual cutting tool can be a small knife, silver straight razor or awl. To impart more gravity to the ritus, many packs use elaborate ritual bloodletters decorated with engraved swirls, spirals or blood droplets. The priest then bleeds into the vessel and passes the cutting device to each Sabbat present, who pierces his own flesh and bleeds into the chalice. The vessel is then passed around the pack again and the priest recites an incantation over it, consecrating it as a terrible sacrament while every member of the pack draws a draught.
Vaulderies take place anytime – before assaults, during important Sabbat gatherings, at the initiation or Creation Rites of new members and almost infallibly at pack esbats. This ritus is perhaps the foundation of the sect’s ritae, and it is afforded the most reverent status.
The results of this ritus is known as a Vinculum, or blood-tie. These ties connect each member of the pack to one another, engendering a mutual loyalty in addition to bolstering pack morale. Because of the mystical nature of Vaulderie, however, Vinculi are imperfect – what one pack member may feel toward another one night may pale in comparison to what he fells on the next. Vinculum ratings may change every time the ritus is observed.
Those who refuse the Vaulderie are not looked upon favorably by other Sabbat. Vampires who refuse to take partake of the Vaulderie at least monthly suffer ostracism from the pack itself.
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The Fire Dance
To most vampires, fire is something that should be feared, respected and avoided, yet not to the Sabbat. While they still fear it, they are not above turning loose on their enemies. In a sense, this fearlessness shows how truly fanatical the Sabbat are. They gladly take something that is anathema to vampires and use it against their foes, hoping it destroys more of their foes than themselves. To be fully Sabbat, one must face Rötschreck and master it. Additionally, mastery of fire emboldens the Sabbat to use it against others of their kind.
This ritus has no particular time or place; priest may create one whenever a morale boost or rally is needed. It is generally held before War Parties, and several packs at one time converge and participate in the fire dance. The ritus is entirely a test of courage. Since the Sabbat values free will greatly, pack member are allowed to refuse to participate in the Fire Dance, but they put themselves at risk of derision and disrespect at their cowardice from the rest of the pack.
To enact this Ritus, the priest lights a large bonfire in a place secure from mortal eyes. Through the rhythmic beating of a drum, chanting or both, participating Cainties enter a trance-like frenzy, whirling around the flames, writhing before them and prostrating themselves in front of the blaze. As the ceremony reaches its peak, vampires rave and chant, and encourage each other to jump through the flames. They make fantastical leaps, some even turning aerial somersaults over and over again to the point of exhaustion. The Fire Dance comes to a close when the last Vampire present has jumped through the flames and collapsed from all the activity.
After a Fire Dance, characters who leapt through the flames gain a temp. bonus to their courage for three nights after the ritus. This temp point can even exceed the max. number of 5 for the virtues limit.
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Monomacy
When two (or more) Sabbat have a disagreement and con not come to a resolution, the ritus of Monomacy serves to settle the issue. To the uninitiated observer, Monomacy looks like a simple duel to the death. In truth however, it is a good deal more. Monomacy serve the Sabbat as the ultimate evolutionary tool; By culling the ranks of those who are incompetent, the sect grows stronger. Monomacy is accorded a sacrosanct status among the vampires of the Sabbat, who recognize that without strong leaders, their struggle against the Antediluvians amounts to nothing. Additionally, the winner of the Monomacy typically diablerizes the loser.
Monomacy is usually practiced by only ranking members of packs. Many young Sabbat are considered too hot-headed to recognize the gravity of ritual combat, and would resort to it every time a pack mate took blood from a vessel they decided they liked. As such, the ritus is conducted by the pack priest, to whom a challenge is issued simultaneously with the challenge to the rival. The Priest then decides whether or not she chooses to preside over the ritual.
Should the Priest deem the cause worthy, the challenged vampire may decide to decline. In theory, there is nothing wrong with declining a challenge, but unless the challenger is of such little consequence as to be below the challenger’s notice, declining usually involves a great loss of face. (And perhaps an unsanctioned duel afterward if those who pursue the Monomacy hail from different packs, it may be necessary to involve a neutral third party, such as another pack priest or even a Bishop or Arch Bishop.
The actual practice of Monomacy varies widely – no formal code exists to the choice of weapon, location or even terms of victory. Most often Monomacy duels are fought to the death in some ridiculously dangerous or highly inaccessible place like an iron foundry or atop a skyscraper. Whether or not the vampires may use weapons, Disciplines or other assets is typically lefty up to the challenged. On the priest invocation of the ritus, the combat begins, and the last vampire standing is declared the winner, usually followed by other ritae and celebration. As Monomacy is an Auctiritas ritus, formal weapons such as sword or daggers are usually used (if any); modern weapons, particularly firearms are considered inelegant and clumsy.
The challenger decided the time and place of the duel. The challenged decides on whether or not weapon will be used, as well as any other details. (Until first blood instead of final death, no Disciplines, etc) The Priest administering the ritus is an official – the duel begins or ends on her word, and it may be aborted at anytime. It is even within the Priest’s power to declare a monomacy null and void after the fact, but the priest who does this to favor his own candidate is looked upon with extreme displeasure thereafter by other Sabbat.
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Creation Rites
This is the rite that only True Sabbat under go, this is the passage from nonentity to entity. Only True Sabbat - those members who have proven themselves in combat or intrigue against the enemy receive the creation rites – may select recruits for the sect. They scrutinize potential recruits carefully over several days, weeks and (in some cases) years, looking for strength of conviction, determination and physical prowess. After the Embrace, the new vampire is eligible for the creation rites only after he has demonstrated his worth to the sect – perhaps the very night of his embrace, perhaps years later.
Creation Rites always take place in the in the presence of a priest. The ritus itself is quite simple – the priest merely touches a flaming brand to the initiate’s head and leads him in an oath of allegiance. The ceremony that precedes the creation rites, however, varies widely, and it is wholly in the hands of the Cainite’s Sire. Some Panders and Brujah antitribu have ceremonies not unlike gang initiations, which involve pummeling the vampire in question until the Sire decides he’s had enough. Tzimisce ceremonies are mush more civil and formal affairs, often involving recitations of one’s lineage and praise of one’s Sire. Some vampires require no ceremony at all, deciding that they have all they proof they need from a given vampire’s performance while others still require Byzantine trials.
The Rites serve several purposes, both practical and symbolic. The flames help reduce the new Sabbat’s fear of fire, while the ceremony teaches him what is expected of a Sabbat member like himself. Immediately following the Creation Rite comes a Vaulderie, which binds the Cainite to the pack, his new immortal family.
Without the Creation Rite, a vampire is not truly a vampire to the Sabbat. Such an unfortunate may not participate in Sabbat ritae or functions until he has received his Creation Rites, and in fact considered vampira non grata, to be kicked about, abused and ordered around by any of the “real” vampire’s whims.
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