Sabbat Rumors

Posted here can be found various rumors that might have been heard by the Sons & Daughters of Caine, posted in rough chronological order. Some of this is just stolen from the in-game bboard to save the posts from auto-deletion. This can only be considered IC information for True Sabbat who are in good standing and who are either resident within Tijuana or often visit it.

Early 2018:

• Charles Delmare VI, known to the Sword of Caine as The People's Choice, and for a long time considered the front runner to assume the Regency, owing to being the only candidate with the rumored support of both the Black Hand and the Inquisition (an otherwise unthinkable concept) ascended to the Regency in Mexico City. Although many feared there would be a Fourth Civil War between the Lasombra and the Tzimisce Clans, it fortunately never got to that point. Anyone who claims otherwise is likely trying to sow seeds of treason and division.

• Many Grimaldi of the Salamanca family continue to be active in Mexico City and Guadalajara, working on behalf of the Sword of Caine. It seems like the defection to the Ventrue of the traitor Revenant known as Pablo Salamanca was a one off event, involving only a few of his close associates.

Late 2018:

• It has taken some time to reach Tijuana, though word will eventually filter into the city that a great melee has taken place on the streets of Guadalajara, involving forces loyal to Archbishop Gabriela Salamanca of Clan Lasombra, and a horde of Southern Nomad Coalition bikers lead by a Brujah Antitribu known as Vandal. Both the Nomad War Chief and Archbishop Salamanca are said to have fallen within one night of each other. The rumors are imprecise, though the most consistent story is that Vandal and Salamanca's foremost adherent, Paladin Rodriguez, met either torpor or final death at each other's hands in Monomacy, in the Plaza de Armas. There are the usual rumors that posit either Black Hand involvement or machinations among the Prisci of Mexico City, although the simplest explanation seems to be bad blood going back to the Third Sabbat Civil War.

• Guadalajara is currently a No Lick's Land, with nomination of a successor Archbishop paralyzed by political maneuvering. The city, once a bastion of the most ultra conservative faction of Clan Lasombra, has been nearly overrun with shovelheads, as no strong central force remains to place restrictions on such practices. Those who care to find out more, will hear such names as Lucia Vargas y Morales, the neonate Childe of Elian Morales and the grandchilde of Archbishop Gabriela Salamanca who seems to have ambitions for the Archbishopric, and Bishop Alejandro Morales of Mazatlan. The Salamanca y Grimaldi Revenant family is very prominent in Guadalajara and it is unknown who they will ultimately support.

• The Nomad Coalition horde of Loyalist bikers known as 'Martillo de Caine' has regrouped under the leadership of a Brujah Antitribu known as Eric Carver, formerly one of Vandal's top Road Captains and leader of an Outrider pack. Having secured recognition from all currently competing factions in Guadalajara, and the rights to ride through the city, which had been denied for decades by Archbishop Salamanca, they seem to have no more ambitions where Guadalajara is concerned.

January, 2019:

• There are rumors of large packs of gaunt and feral wolves roaming and howling amidst the wastes of the Sonoran badlands, and which have grown so bold as to attack Cainites found traveling south of Guaymas and north of Culiacan. The Sonoran Lupines have been a threat for many decades, but they seem to have become particularly warlike lately. Perhaps they sense an opportunity, with such common foes as the Nomad Coalition distracted further to the south. If it gets any worse, it might soon become necessary for a Crusade, even though such ventures into the Sonoran wastelands have mostly met with disaster in previous centuries.

• Closer to home in Tijuana, there has been signs of more aggressive activity by the organization known as the Castell Cartel. It is mostly located in the Mexican States of Chihuahua and Coahuila, and the American States of New Mexico and Arizona, though with significant interests in Baja California. It is supposedly controlled to a great degree by Arturo Castell, an elder Ventrue who only nominally holds allegiance to the Camarilla, though is supported by the Toreador Justicar, given that Arturo represents one of the vanishingly few remaining Camarilla Caudillos who managed to invade and hold large swathes of Mexico during the mid-19th Century during one of the lowest ebbs in the Sabbat's history, before the Ventrue and Toreador invaders were finally ousted by a noble uprising of the Sword of Caine.

• The Castell Cartel is formally lead by Juan Carlos Castell and several others, with few if any kine knowing of Arturo's existence. It is aligned with the Sinaloan Cartel. It is opposed to the Tijuana Cartel, which is itself aligned with Los Zetas. It is rumored that part of the reason for the Castell Cartel's increased aggressiveness in Tijuana is owing to a perceived weakness of the Sword of Caine in the area, and the freak coincidence of a pack of Sabbat deemed responsible for the death of Juan Carlos Castell's own daughter, several months ago.

February, 2019:

• Located in the La Mesa colonia of Tijuana, La Mesa Penitencia is a prison where many different types of convicts are sent - cartel bigwigs, gang members and leaders, corrupt officials, thieves and burglars and murderers, and even Americans that break the law and get caught. The particular draw of it is how over time the construction within the yards - intended to give prisoners a means of supporting themselves through operating carts, these have grown over time into full fledged buildings, businesses and houses. La Mesa Penitencia is a self-contained town, just one where moving out is much more difficult than merely closing out a real estate deal. The long-standing history of bribery ensures that for those with the money and power, their own personal bodyguards - some even better armed than many of the prison guards! - and their various hustles, their homes and yes, even nightclubs, can prosper.

• Bishop Selena Emilia Saez y Ayala and her personal pack, Quinto Sol, has taken over the prison by subverting the warden, guards and the leading gangs. It is now known to the Sabbat as the La Mesa Parish, and is a haven for all True Sabbat. Showing respect is not just a way to get along with your fellow Sect members; it's a good way not to start a riot and ruin it for everyone. El Pueblito, the town within the jail, will be set as a +hangout to be able to find it more easily. And that would also be where businesses are most easily linked from.

• The formation of a new pack was announced by Bishop Anezka Novacek: I come to all to announce that the Tzimisce known as Zara Reid took the step forward and put herself as a Ductus of the Sword. She was promptly joined by brother Khamael of the Salubri-antitribu and Eden of the Tzimisce. Those who are still wayward have the chance now to approach her and join forces. We raised from only one active pack, Quinto Sol of Bishop Saez, to two with the rebirth of the Lescrowe. With this third one, we do have the opportunity fill the vacuum of power that exists on Tijuana.

• The Cobra known as Hassana was raised to Templar, and the Keeper known as Sinclair to Paladin.

• Salvatore is rumored as having been executed, seemingly brought about by his remarkably poor judgement.

March, 2019:

• The "Festival of the Dead" occurs during the second week of March. All Sabbat in a city take part, and nomadic packs make their way to the nearest Sabbat-held city to celebrate. The purpose is to revel in being a vampire, celebrating immortality by laughing in the face of death and decay. The celebration will culminate in a Blood Feast of epic proportions, and nightly Vaulderies, Games of Instinct and Fire Dances take place among the collected packs, as the Sabbat unite in a show of solidarity to bring Hell to Earth. This event will run from March 6th to March 10th. It will be held in Tijuana, ICly, and all True Sabbat are invited (and expected) to attend.

• The Tzimisce Unifier, known as Selena Emilia Sáez y Ayala rose to power as Caine's Anointed, Archbishop of Tijuana y Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California.

• In a related event, the personal pack of Archbishop Angelina de Vaca known as The Red Circle are said to have been set upon by several different Sabbat packs while attending Festivo Dello Estinto in Tijuana, and thoroughly slaughtered. There are many Cainites who claim to have personally seen Angelina's tiny body resembling a seeming bat-winged girl child of 10-11 years of age, her packmates, including a Gangrel Enforcer known as Killer, and a Tzimisce named John who many claim bore a striking resemblance to Timothy McVeigh, were among the identified slain. There were at least three others slain, for whom no identification has been forthcoming, including a rumored Assamite assassin. Many wonder how Madame Jolan of Mexico City will react to the sudden death of her tiny protege, or if she will be stymied by the new Regent of the Sabbat, Charles Delmare VI, who is known to be her rival.

• Bishop Anezka is said to have gracefully stepped down from her service as Bishop, to better concentrate upon the perfection of her spiritual Path of Enlightenment. She supported her childe Zara as replacement, though the Ductus of the Semper Tyrannis pack knows she will have to prove her own worthiness, as is the way of the Sword.