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VAULDERIE and VINCULUMS

The vampires of the Sabbat the thier nights struggle seriously -- so seriously that they tolerate no dissent in thier ranks. From the lowest new recruit to the most exhalted priscus, the Sabbat ensure loyalty to one another through a bloody ritus known as vaulderie.

The Vaulderie is silmilar to the blood bond, though it differs in intent and function. No Sabbat would voluntarily succumb to the blood bond, reasoning that sucj bonds are the tools the elders use to enslave thier 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 to the vaulderie's finer details beleive it to be a simply commingling of vampire vitae in a vessle and teh 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 writst. The ritual cutting tool could be a small knife, silver straight razor, or awl. To impart more gravity to the ritus, many packs use elaberate ritual bloodletters decorated with engraved swirls, twirls and blood dropplets. The priest then bleeds into the vessle and passes the cutting device to each sabbat present, who prices his own flesh and bleeds into the chalice. the vessel is then passes around the pack again and the priest cites an incantation over it, concentrating it as a terrible sacrament while every member of the pack draws a draught.

Vaulderies take place at any time-- before assults, during important gatherings, at the initiation or Creation Rites of a new member and almost infallibly at pack esbats. The ritus is perhaps the foundation of the sects ritus, and it is afforded the more revernt status.

The result of the ritus is known as the Vinculum, or bloodties. These ties connect each member of the pack to one another, engenerdering a mutual loyalty in addition to bolstering the pack morale. Because of the mystical nature of the vaulderie, however, Vinculi are imperfect-- what one pack feels towards another one night may pale in comparison to what he feels towards her the next. Vinculum ratings may change every time the ritus is observed.

Without the Vaulder the Sabbat would probably collapse under its ownm weight and dogma--the chaos and anarchy that follows the sect endemically would erode what little organization it has without the loaylty and sympathy created by the ritus. Those who refuse the vaulderie or oppse it are not viewed favorably by other Sabbat. vampires who refuse to partake of the Vaulderie at least monthly suffer ostracism from the pack at best--and may become vessles for blood feasts or destroyed outright or worst.


SYSTEM:
The first time a character observes the Vaudlerie (or during creation of a Sabbat character), roll a die for each character whose vitae is part of the ritus. That number reflects the Vinculum the character feels toward the individual whose blood she ingested. Every time a new member participates in the vaulderie, each player should roll a die and record the score for her Vinculum rating towards that character.

Each time the pack partakes of the vaulderie, each player should roll one die for each of her Vinculi. If the result is higher then the Vinculum score, increase the score by one (to a max of 10). If the result is 1, lower the score by one. (to a mininum of one)

At times, a character may be at odds with herself over how to react to a given situation because of the Vinculi she possesses toward another vampire. In cases such as these, the player should decide which party her character would favor outside the vinculum. The character then rolls a number of dice for each party equal to her vinculum score for that indiviual against a diff. of 5 (for the party favored regardless of Vinculum) or 7 (for all other parties). The individual who recieves the greatest number of successes earns the characters aid. Such is the natures of the Damed and then Vinculum -- a character who knowns better may sometimes be forced into an obviously bad course of action by the following emotions.

VINCULUM RATINGS

Vinculum Effect
10 You will readily give your life --
or take the life of another for the individual.
9 You will do practically anything for the individual,
including putting yourself in great danger.
8 You will gladly offer resources or influential assistance
to the individual.
7 You may put yourself at moderate risk of harm or the individual and;
depending on your code of ethics, may kill for him.
6 You feel strongly for the individual and help him even if it inconvinces you.
you will gladly fight for the individual.
5 You respect the individual and help him out as long as it no
huge risk or bother.
4 You will aid the individual as long as it doesnt involved risk
or anything out of your way.
3 You are loyal to the individual as long as that loyalty doesnt
interfere with your own designs.
2 You have a minor sense of kinship towards the individual, but
your not going to go out of your way to help him unless there is something in it for you.
1 Fuck 'em. This isnt necessarily hostility. but you dont care
about this person on a Vinculum level, though you may on a personal level.



Notes: It bears mention that, like the emotions engendered by blood bonds, these feelings are artificial, as they are created through ingestion of blood. It is quiet possible for a cahracter to utterly hate someone whom she would risk her unlife, just as it is possible to have immense love for someone who has lil in the Vinculum and everything in between. Players are encouraged to explore the full range of these complexities through roleplaying in thier packs.

All information on the following links are made
Available by the WoD Source books, in reference to VtM; the Sabbat
©1999 White Wolf Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved. The mention
of or reference to any company or product in these pagges is not a challange
to the trademark or copyright concerned.

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