Introduction

As recently as 1999, the Sabbat controlled much of the Big Apple, with the exception of Camarilla activity centered on Manhattan Island. Interest by Lucinda, the Ventrue Justicar with the backing of several Archons and Camarilla Princes across the globve broke the Sword of Caine's presence in the city, allowing the Ivory Tower to increase its foothold. After a few years of reconstruction, Calebros, the Nosteratu Prince pro tempore stepped down, leaving the throne to one of his broodmates, Martin Van Vorst. Prince Van Vorst, fairly outgoing for a Nosferatu, as issued statements welcoming Kindred to his domain, provided they uphold the Traditions, and the particular laws of the city. Despite steps to bring New York out of the state of martial law Calebros imposed after the siege, however, the reigning Prince has yet to dispense with some of Calebros' more authoritarian practices. The continuing lack of a Primogen Counsil, as well as the rumors of multiple nameless Scourges beating the domains borders are two of the most heard-about remnants of the past.

Elysia/Locations of Interest

The Metropolitain Opera House has been an Elysium since Calebros (and his predecesor, the besieged Ventrue Michaela) maintained a private box in which to conduct domain business. Prince Van Vorst continues the practice, although he has expended the boundaries of Elysium to include a secluded upper balcony. This Elysium is where was passes for court convened, as well as where the Prince gives audience and accepts presentations.

The city's Nosferatu Warren is responsible for maintaining Elysium security - jokes concerned certain Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals are always considered to be extremely bad form.

The Bonaventure, a historic aluminum ferryboat sits in permanent moorage in New York Bay. Slightly less stuffy and formal than the Opera House, the interior has nonetheless been redone to suit more rarified tastes. The upper decks and cabins are equiopped with carpet, soft lighting, tables and chairs and plenty of alcoves for discrete conversations. The lower level is unrenovated, save for heavy-duty soundproofing - an ideal spot for loud gatherings. Or, as some whisper, for the Prince's minions to hold torture and/or execute Tradition breakers, Caitiff, anarchs and Sabbat.

The Tremere of the Chantry of Five Boroughs provide Elysium security - including the dedicated night watchman who is highly effective at identifying Kindred guests and deterring others.

The Chantry of Five Boroughs

Rumored to be located somewhere in the vicinity of Cornell University. Historically, the Tremere have held a considerable amount of political clout in New York - though recently, they have turned, as a group into a slightly more reclusive, introspective stance. Whether this is due to any recent change in policy or Sect office in the region, or something more esoteric has never been made clear. This does not stop individual Tremere from leaving their individual mark on the city by any means

Nocturnes

Since the rise of the mortal counterculture movement in the 1980s, Goth clubs and bars have enjoyed a dubious popularity among the younger Kindred subset. The Rack is the perfect place for easy hunting, after all, and areas of high Kindred density often give rise to informal gathering places. The bar Nocturnes is one such place. While not officially a declared Elysium, it is nonetheless a hangout for the city's undead.

No Sect-appointed group claims policing duties - although rumors that one or more of the bar's regular patrons is actually one of Van Vorst's scourges on the prowl occaisionally run rampant.

Hell's Kitchen

The Camarilla likes to think that when they "control" a city, they have sovereignty over everything within it. They are usually mistaken. With Van Vorst's relaxing of some of his predecesor's policies, an anarch outcropping has begun to flourish in Hell's Kitchen - not all that far fromt he heart of Camarilla power in the city

Not so much a tightly-run ship, Hell's Kitchen is actually the extended domain of an old (For an Anarch) Kindred and his retainers. The actual territory is, naturally, smaller than the entire neighborhood, though he claims this all as his own turf. The rules, what few there are, are simple: Camarilla Kindred are welcome, though their politics are not. Sabbat are on a kill-on-sight status, a ruling that's been aided by the gentrification and economic improvement of the area. Anarchs are, naturally, quite welcome here, though anyone conducting any business in the area is usually contacted by a retainer of Baron Vicente Almeida Calling ahead is encouraged.

The actual physical structure of the Barony encompasses a large pawn shop, a nightclub, and several warehouses. Most meetings take place in an office in the back of the pawn shop, which is, unsurprisingly, completely stocked with legal firearms in the case of a seige. The warehouses, as the private front of the entire enterprise, contain equipment of more dubious legality.

Notable Individuals (NPC)

Prince: Martin Van Vorst, Nosferatu

Seneschal: Small entourage of Kindred that rotate the duty amongst themselves

Primogen Council: None. Calebros abolished the Primogen when he assumed Praxis, and Van Vorst has yet to reinstate it. The rumor mill suggests he may just be waiting for a sufficient quantity of his subjects to distinguish themselves enough to make the body worthwhile

Keeper of Elysium:The Tremere of Five Boroughs oversee the Bonaventure, the Nosferatu Warren the Opera House. Both groups have made it very publically known they would like a single figure to take over the position's more social aspects -promoting Kindred events, for one., but there has yet to be a Kindred that has shown themselves capable enough to be considered for the position

Harpies: There will always be Harpies. The position is an unnoffical moniker, rather than a badge of office, and not always a token of pride. To become a Harpy, one must simply act like one - provided one has the connections and clout to back up being one of the city's social critics.

Sheriff. Unlike the scourges,the Sheriff Isabel Hennessy maintains a highly public face. The Brujah encourages any Kindred within the domain to come to her with concernes about Tradition violations, Masquerade breaches and suspected Sabbat activity in full confidence and confidentiality, and expends a considerable amount of effort to appear fair in all of her judgements. Though she claims to be one of the Prince's staunchest allies, Hennessy is also the most vocal supporter of change in the Domain's more draconian policies

Scourge: Depending on who one asks, the Prince has between one and ten scourges appointed at any given time. He does not make their names public, so unless one of them comes out and declares it, no one should know who they really are. Presumably, he keeps their identities hidden from each other,as well.

An apocryphal legend tells of a young Brujah gangbanger bragging - or lying - about his new appointment as a Scourge in a back booth at Nocturnes. As he was leaving the bar, he was coerced into a can by a rough-looking Kindred with pointed ears. And subsequently never heard of again. Most retellings, however, come with 'a friend of a friend's Sire/childe' as a source.