Anarch
Ask ten Anarchs what their cause is and you’ll get ten different answers. This is especially true in Seattle, where the Movement is “led” by a council rather than a Baron. The vampiric criminal syndicate that ruled Aurora has thrown in with the Anarchs, expanding their numbers, but it remains to be seen what effect this “merger” will have on their activity in Seattle. The Anarchs do abide by the Convention of Thorns, and must announce themselves to the Prince by letter like any other faction. In exchange, they are left unbothered in their headquarters, The Hole in the Wall.
With so many members holding to their own agendas and ideals, the Anarchs don’t have much concentrated sway in the city outside of their closeness to activists and criminals. They focus on neighborhoods at a street level, and politics at a grassroots level, as a general rule.
What is Thorns
Living Under the Convention of Thorns
The Convention of Thorns is an agreement between the Anarch Movement and the Camarilla that establishes the terms of coexistence in a Domain. With the exception of the California Free State and a few other instances, the agreement made during the formation of the Camarilla was upheld until 2012, and was broken by Theo Bell at the Convention of Prague. More broadly in V5 the Anarchs were cast out of the Camarilla and open war now takes place between the two sects.
In SBN the Anarchs attempted to take Seattle from the Camarilla during the formation of the free state. When both sides were exhausted of manpower an agreement was reached that the Anarchs would always be welcome in Seattle so long as they continued to live under Thorns, independent of what the Movement is doing more broadly. This was agreed to and signed by both sides. The Cam can’t rid of them, but the Anarchs can’t openly rebel. This means part of Seattle will always be under Anarch control, even if other Domains fall entirely to the Camarilla. If Thorns were ever broken Prince Cross would have more than enough manpower to defeat the Seattle Movement, as he has the backing of the clans, the inner council, and can call on almost endless resources to secure his Domain.
The Anarchs meanwhile continue to gain territory, swell their membership, develop infrastructure and make alliances. They undermine Camarilla control through subversive sabotage, financial, political and information hoarding, and by showing all their critics that the Anarchs can run a Domain just as well as the Cam. As they look towards the future, many of the leaders see a day when their ranks have swelled to the point where an open war can be won, but in the meantime Cross is saddled with a problem on his doorstep, and one he can’t get rid of as long as Thorns is kept.
So what does living under Thorns actually mean, and how can you play an Anarch living under this system? Here are a list of things your character can do while living under Thorns that opposes the Camarilla but does not start open war.
1. Preach the alternative of the Anarch Movement to those who will listen. Recruit the Movement of tomorrow.
2. Advocate politically with both Movement members and the Tower for what changes your character thinks the Domain needs.
3. Build up Anarch power in their own turf, expand their areas of control, and lay the foundations for the future.
4. Speak truth to power! You might have the Cam dunk on you, but calling out injustice could earn you respect in the Movement.
5. Develop a political belief system for your Anarch coterie.
What would break Thorns:
1. Openly attacking members of the Camarilla.
2. Advocate for open war with the Camarilla.
3. Accuse the Camarilla of breaking Thorns without evidence.
4. Break the traditions in open defiance of the Camarilla.
If Thorns was ever broken on our server it would lead to major changes including the removal of consent for violence between factions, the end of ALL events as resources would go to war, the end of Metaplot and odes as ST’s would be running nothing but combat, espionage, and solving disputes. The Ask system would also likely slow down. Even server culture OOC would likely worsen as bleed might play a role in how people interact. As this would fundamentally alter/damage the balance of the server it’s unlikely to ever happen.
Consider The Movement and the Camarilla as being in a *cold* war. Cold wars are marked not by open violence but instead are wars of ideas. In a cold war the competing powers will engage in espionage, arms racing (allies, contacts, influence), diplomacy (status in opposing factions), competition over assets like other powers (faction alliances), and are won or lost by who is swayed at the end. Which system will endure? They sometimes have proxy wars where things with get hot (odes and metaplot), but are effectively fought in every other field other than between armies.
Seattle Factions
The domain has six total factions, split between the three different sects of the Camarilla, Anarchs, and Autarkis.
Anarch Leadership
The important SPCs in Seattle’s Anarch Faction
Tiffany “Tiff” Bourne
Revolutionary Council MEmber
(She/Her)
She is a Clanless tough girl™ who just wants to keep the Cam’s boot off her neck and other licks out of her business, and make a little money. She finds the Anarchs are the best people to align with, though she used to do a little work with Baron folks back when. She does jobs with Lorenzo typically, handling more hands-on street oriented work.
Chernobog
revolutionary council MEmber
(He/Him)
Known to most by his ‘nom de guerre,’ Chernobog will tell you he has been an actor almost since birth, raised in a touring company. In modern nights, he runs a very popular vampire-themed LARP group and teaches acting classes for adult learners in a night school; arrogant and embodying the word ‘broody,’ he seems to always be in character, but don’t underestimate him for playacting the vampire. He is ruthlessly Lasombra to the core. Instrumental in taking down the old Baron.
Lorenzo Santiago
Revolutionary Council Member
(He/Him)
Wants to change the hearts and minds of kindred to see the corruption of Cam. Is the personable talker also a tricky, cunning little lick. Willing to lie and deceive for Anarch Goals. Has been a tag team with Tiff for decades, he is the “face” of the two.
Josephine
Revolutionary Council member
(She/Her)
Once the lieutenant of the Baron in the faction of the same name. When the Baron got deposed and she happily supported the absorption of their faction into the Anarchs. Josephine has a New Orleans accent and an eye for money flow from many illicit business. Aurora’s many venues and dealers is how she finances the Anarch Movement. Her connections and finances have allowed her to keep a high position. Unsurprisingly she is a Free Ventrue.
Mr. Damp
Sweeper
(He/Him)
A kindred formerly working for the Baron, he is very sociopathic with an enthusiastic appreciation of death and violence. Even with this, he is structured, using a “list” to track those who he will harm.
Knuckles
defense
(He/Him)
A Free Ventrue who has been on the west coast since the 1930’s, Knuckles has been in and out of the Seattle Movement for almost a century. A mysterious figure only recently returned to town, some say Knuckles was involved in the initial Free State revolt and tried to take Seattle for The Movement. In modern nights his loyalty is questioned as he spends most of his time as a mediator between the Tower and Anarchs. His nickname comes from his penchant for beating things out of people during interrogations. He loves his truck, wraps his fingers with bandages and is a notorious flirt.
Damsel
Anarch Emissary
(She/Her)
A visitor to Seattle that stops by everyone in awhile, but she’s usually too busy on an Anarch mission to stay around for long.
Dr. Rakesh Nayar
Emissary *
(He/Him)
A philosopher and eternal student, Rakesh has embraced the opportunities afforded to the Ministers by shedding the skin of their old doctrine. A proud and vocal member of the Anarch movement, they believe that the freedom of belief and expression given to the individual is the ideal state of being for kindred society, and the ideal environment for Ministers to thrive as they never have before. Proudly claiming a new degree in a new subject with every time they change their name, Rakesh is still always a doctor and has thrived in the modern world where they are able to define themselves as they wish
* Ministry Liason to the Camarilla
JAckie
lieutenant to the defense
(She/Her)
A businesswoman who considers the “urban jungle” and the business world her hunting territory. A boardroom Gangrel. Sharklike practices, but not a thief or someone who abuses her wealth and position to punch down. Had her company, Panorama (in Ballard) burnt down by SI via Kesler, is rebuilding. Deals in urban green spaces and urban planning a lot; her money sustained Baron operations, and now Anarch ops instead. Instrumental in taking down the old Baron.
Bull
Lieutenant to the Defense
(He/Him)
Amy
Lieutenant to the Defense
(She/Her)
A Brujah combat boot babe who has little patience for others’ antics. Those who cross her tend to meet both sides of her bat, but she’ll die for her fellow comrades.
Adrien
Lieutenant to the Defense
(He/Him)
Adrien Vega originally presided in the American Southwest until torpored in the Mexican-American War. Awakened during the Anarch Revolt the Toreador served on the front lines until the Movement eventually stalled in Seattle. He keeps close ties to those working directly under him.
Neith
Lieutenant to the Defense
(She/Her)
A Minister working with Adrien. Her favored tactics involve manipulating her targets by impersonating those closest to them. She is unwaveringly loyal to Adrien, and through him the Movement itself.
Ikraam
Lieutenant to the Defense
(He/Him)
(Leader of the local Cult of Ur-Shulgi)
Ikraam Saab of the Banu Haqim spent his early nights in Morocco before making his way to Seattle. He fell in with Adrien’s gang, and has since lent his comrades access to sorcerous aid. One of the few to work with Adrien out of respect rather than through Blood Wedding.
Esme
lieutenant to the defense
(She/Her)
Esme is the enforcer of Adrien’s gang, providing Gangrel muscle to supplement the social and sorcerous abilities brought by the others.