You seem lost, neonate. Confused about your place in the world. I've been watching you, you know, seeking answers from all the wrong sources. Mingling with Anarchs and unbound louts. Well, I'll do you a favor and fill you in, but you'll owe me. Deal? Excellent.
What you're going through is natural, neonate, the usual response to a brain ripped free of its mortal ties. The sunlight now burns you, animals reject you, and, let's face it, you're never going to see your friends or family again. These are just some of the sad facts about being Kindred. But chin up, we all had to go through it mate. And it's not all downside either. When you were a breather could you lift a dumpster over your head? Run faster than a speeding car? And those are just the most vanilla benefits. By becoming one of us, you've just joined the most exclusive club the world has ever known, one who's roots stretch back to the middle ages. Yes, with eternal life, we don't just sit around moping all day, you understand. The Camarilla gives us something to do with our time. You might think us weak, neonate, despite our powers, and you'd be right. Mortals outnumber us a million to one. But the one thing we'll always have over them, is time. We will never run out of time.
Don't listen to the jostling rabble who decry us. The Camarilla has been around and survived more persecution and revolts than you know. Yes, it is a strict organization, but those rules have a purpose. You're too young to remember the inquisition, correct? Well, there was a time, not too long ago, when the kine found out about us. In those nights, they put dozens of our kind to the torch, neonate and elder, and that was using only the technology of the middle ages. Can you imagine what the humans would do to us if they found out about us today? Don't listen to the idiotic ramblings of the Anarchs, they would never accept us. As cosmopolitan their society has become, even they are not stupid enough to accept predators in their midst. Even more, don't listen to the inane babblings of the Sabbat, who fight for some foolish dream that they could rule the kine openly even. Kine have weapons, technology and above all, numbers, as well as the daytime on their side. No, we don't stand a chance against them, and that's why the first rule of the Camarilla is the Masquerade. We don't reveal our nature to humans. It's as simple as that. If you break that law, you threaten all of us, and thus, we group together to bring you down. It may seem a harsh penalty to you, neonate, but mortals today have the internet. They have cameras in their phones that can upload video to the web in seconds, and all it takes is some foolish vampire showing off to endanger all of our blood.
The second rule is that of progeny. You don't embrace willy-nilly. Now, I'm aware that this one seems especially harsh, especially given that the sire and childe must both be destroyed. Think upon it from our perspective, neonate. This is a fragile ecosystem. There can be no point in which the mass of predators outweighs the prey. While it is all well and good and romantic for a young Toreador to embrace out of love or obsession, how long do you think that love will last? Vampires have centuries to get sick of each other, form new obsessions and bonds. If we simply embraced on a whim, the Masquerade would have fallen centuries ago. Some Kindred will say that the embrace is there's to give as they please. Some would say that we have no right to infringe upon our citizens. These vampires are irresponsible, young, and have not seen what happens when the embrace is handed out with no respect for the law. Take one look at Mexico city, or Detroit, where the Sabbat embraces dozens of kine to use as shock troops, because that is what it would devolve into. The Camarilla is the only one being responsible with its depredations.
Finally, within the Camarilla, we respect the rule of elders. Again, you may argue, why should age determine power? Well, allow me to clue you in neonate. Elders are specifically those kindred who have come from more turbulent nights, and have lived beyond what a human would consider a natural lifespan. Elders see the long game, they are not blinded by petty human emotions or flaws. Elders see what neonates cannot, because neonates have not yet come to appreciate the patience that is required to play the Jyhad for eternity. Some would call it a weakness, some would see us as slaves, but in truth, our elders are our greatest strength. Look again to Sabbat cities, or those cities of the preposterously named Anarch Free State. Crime, warfare, kinslaying in the streets. Within the cities held by the Camarilla, there is order, and do not let your impulsiveness fool you, fledgeling, order is all that holds our kind together. We are a fragile race, and as a fragile race we must control everything around us, to ensure our unliving conditions are optimal.
Don't listen to the Anarchs who would say we are exclusive. The Camarilla opens its doors to any kindred that wishes to follow the traditions. One of the arrogant Tzimisce, Assamite or even a Follower of Set could claim membership, and as long as they obeyed the rules, they would be welcome to the protections herein. Do not let the naysayers fool you, my friend, the Camarilla is the last line of defence against the very real extinction of our race.
Good night neonate.
- Kephn
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