Sabbat

Unlike Whitewolf's Camarilla, freedom is preached in accordance to the Sabbat belief that every vampire is free to create their own destiny without being hindered by the reputations of their elders, and that no Sabbat has to lay down their life for cowards who cannot take care of their own matters. Of course, it does not always work like this in practice.

Also unlike the Camarilla, the Sabbat believes in Antediluvians, and for the most part considers them a great threat. This is unsurprising, especially considering that the Sabbat was formed in the wake of the Anarch Revolt, and both of the core clans, theTzimisce and Lasombra, claim that their clan founders were killed during this period of upheaval.

All Sabbat adhere to a code of conduct called "The Code of Milan", which preaches loyalty to sect and packmates, and to one's own freedom within the sect, as long as one's own good is never placed above the good of the Sabbat itself.

In addition to a very firm "if you're not with us, you're against us" mentality, the sect considers vampires to be a higher form of life than humanity, and is based upon the principles of Loyalty and Freedom. Loyalty to the sect and to one's comrades is one of the important aspects of the sect, and the Sabbat vampires maintain this loyalty through a ritual called Vaulderie, where strong emotional bonds are created between members of the Sabbat.

Core Clans

• Lasombra
• Tzimisce

Adherent Clans

• Ahrimanes
• Assamite Antitribu
• Brujah Antitribu
• Gangrel Antitribu (includes City-Gangrel and Country-Gangrel bloodlines)
• Harbingers of Skulls
• Kiasyd
• Malkavian Antitribu
• Nosferatu Antitribu
• Pander - Sabbat Catiff
• Serpents of Light (Antitribu of the Followers of Set)
• Salubri Antitribu
• Toreador Antitribu
• Tremere Antitribu (mysteriously destroyed)
• Ventrue Antitribu

Note: These are the Clans and bloodlines that exist in numbers amongst the Sabbat; members of other bloodlines & clans can also be found but are much more uncommon.

Organization

The Sabbat, as a whole, is not a very structured sect. Though they lack the structure that can be found in the Camarilla, the Sabbat does not regard generation as a guideline for promotion. Instead, simply the most capable of vampires fill the positions they are most suitable for.

Despite its open structure at the bottom, the Sabbat maintains several Ranks, listed from "high" to "low" in the sect organization. The highest rank being Regent, although the sect considers this a stewardship until Caine, the Father of all Vampires assumes leadership.

• Regent, true leader of all Sabbat
• Prisci, attendants/liaisons to/of the regent
• Cardinal, War/spiritual leader for a continent
• Arch-Bishop, war/spiritual leader for a given region
• Bishop, war/spiritual leader for a single city
• Templar, the bodyguards to Bishops and Arch-Bishops
• Ductus, war leader for a single pack
• Priest, spiritual leader for a single pack
• Abbot, keeper of the packs haven

Packs

Perhaps the most distinctive part of the Sabbat structure is the formation of so-called Packs of vampires, a state in general the opposite of standard vampire behaviours. The formation of these Packs happens on a voluntary basis. The Vaulderie ritual ensures loyalty to the Pack, reinforcing their loyalty to each other and the Sabbat.

Sabbat packs are divided into two types, founded and nomadic. Founded packs usually stick to one place and do not move around much, instead making one location their base of operations. Nomadic packs, as their name implies, travel from area to area, helping to keep the Sabbat as a whole unified and vital.

Every Pack has a Ductus (a vampire of higher status and experience who functions as leader) and most have a Priest. Priests lead or oversee the rituals of a Pack. There are some universal rituals within the Sabbat, but Packs usually develop their own, with a wide variety of uses.

Territories

The Sabbat headquarters is located in Mexico City, Mexico, the heart of Sabbat power and influence and seat of the regent. Much of the southern and eastern United States cities belong to the Sabbat, except New York City, which was retaken by the Camarilla vampires in 1999.

In Europe, the sect presence is much smaller, although several domains of Europe are held by founded packs of the Sabbat, made up of vampires much more powerful and experienced than those elsewhere. One exception is Spain, where they are in prominence, Madrid and Cadiz being great Sabbat strongholds.

The Black Hand

The name comes from their symbol, an inverted black hand print. The sect is often confused with the Sabbat itself and another mysterious sect, the Tal'mahe'Ra.

The Black Hand, or simply the Hand, are the assassins of the Sabbat. They comprise a special sub-division of the Sabbat, a sect within a sect. They are an elite group of vampires recognized as separate from all other members of the Sabbat. The Black Hand is not truly a separate body, however, since all its members are loyal to the Sabbat over all else.

Often the Black Hand is called to hunt down especially troublesome vampires during a blood hunt.