Ventrue Awards
Clan Ventrue grants awards to commemorate its scions for particular achievements or demonstrations of personal excellence. Almost all awards come in the form of medals, pins, insignias, and other physical symbols that may be worn at clan functions. Most awards are bestowed by the majority vote of a city’s Gerousia, although a few can only be granted a strategos or even the Ephorate themselves.
Sufficiently accomplished Ventrue can possess veritable chestfuls of medals, but they are not expected to wear every single one to the clan’s monthly gatherings: this is only done at formal occasions such as princely coronations, the presentation of childer, significant annual holidays and celebrations, and the like. Under more relaxed circumstances, it is considered within the bounds of good taste to wear up to several awards at once, usually tailored to the situation at hand.
Example: An aedile shipping magnate who wants to discuss business contracts with several gerousiastes might show up to a conference wearing his Sicpio (to advertise the success of his shipping businesses), his Iron Circlet (so they are reminded he places Clan Ventrue above all other interests), and the insgnia of House Antonius Major (so they are reminded he comes from a strong line of Ventrue who are a credit to the clan). He leaves behind his Silver Cross (the fact he’s fought the Sabbat isn’t as meaningful here) and his Couer de Lion (neither is his personal bravery).
Ventrue do not wear their awards at public Camarilla gatherings (the other clans have no business knowing internal Ventrue matters) or to informal occasions, such as private meetings with a peer or inferior. Semiformal occasions, such as monthly Board meetings or private meetings with one’s betters, warrant wearing a “modest” number of awards.
Awards are typically granted at gatherings of the Gerousia and physically bestowed upon the recipient by the praetor. If the praetor is absent, the next-most esteemed member of the Gerousia does so in their place (defaulting to the eldest gerousiastis if two or more gerousiastes are of equal dignitas). Awards are always publicly granted at the clan’s monthly gatherings, even if they have been privately bestowed earlier. It’s considered good for clanmates to see one of their own earn recognition for their achievements.
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The Alph
The Alph was created during the Age of Exploration for Ventrue who backed commercially successful expeditions to the New World. The name refers to the tale of Kublai Khan and the Silk Road, considered by many to one of the most significant developments ever in trade. The Alph was the sacred river of Xanadu and flowed to a sunless sea: even tonight, Ventrue who receive the award symbolically anointed with water from a river along the original Silk Road.
In modern nights, the Alph is bestowed upon Ventrue who incorporate brand new industries into their domains. This award is one of the few chances for innovative young Ventrue to be publicly recognized for their accomplishments and remains a topic of sometimes fierce contention among clan gatherings. Younger Ventrue always seem to be amused when they are able to witness the interplay between a clanmate who received the Alph for “discovering” tea in the South Pacific and a modern pharmaceutical magnate.
The Alph has been awarded to past Ventrue for being the first to invest in notable kine inventions and discoveries, such as electricity or automobiles. In the modern nights it has been awarded for industries such as information technology and green energy.
Awarded for: Being the first Ventrue to successfully back a new industry, discovery, or other resource. Presentation: Awarded the Alph in [year] for [insert accomplishment]. Symbol: The Alph is a two-tone silk ribbon worn somewhere on the torso. The two colors of the Alph are taken from the flag of the country in command of the noteworthy commercial venture. The British and British Colonial colors are red and white and the American colors are blue and white. (The change over from British Colonial colors to American was part of fierce feud that is still waged by some to this very night.) Nominated by: A strategos. Decided by: The Ephorate. Awarded by: A strategos.
Archon
Current and former archons are entitled to wear a blue sash from the left shoulder to the right hip. Current archons wear sashes marked with with white trim. Archons to Ventrue justicars (current or former) wear sashes marked with gold trim.
This award is one of the most contentious ones within the clan: some Ventrue laud a clanmate’s service to any Camarilla justicar commendable, while others frown upon service to non-Ventrue justicars. These blue bloods consider an unmarked sash a proclamation that the wearer is a blood bound pawn to an elder outside the clan and should be treated as such. As a result, some Ventrue conceal their pasts as archons and simply refuse to wear the sash altogether.
Awarded for: Current or former service as an archon to a justicar. Presentation: There is formal presentation for this award. Symbol: A blue sash from the left shoulder to the right hip. • Current archons: The sash is trimmed in white. • Former archons to a Ventrue justicar: The sash is trimmed in gold. • Current archons to a Ventrue justicar: The sash is trimmed in white and gold. Nominated by: N/A Decided by: N/A Awarded by: N/A.
Coeur de Lion
Ventrue who distinguish themselves with great valor in the face of adversity may be awarded the Coeur de Lion. Literally meaning “the heart of a lion,” this award can be earned more than once, depending on the situation and what the Ventrue has been pitted against.
Awarded for: Exceptional valor in the face of adversity. Presentation: Coeur de Lion Symbol: A gold lion pin with a red ribbon. For additional recognition: pips may be pinned to the ribbon. Nominated by: An aedile, gerousiastis, or praetor. Decided by: Majority vote by the Gerousia. Awarded by: The praetor.
The Cornix
The Strix are ancient nemeses to all Kindred, but Clan Ventrue harbors a particular enmity against the Owls for their destruction of the original Roman Camarilla. The Owls are notoriously difficult adversaries to fight, much less permanently destroy, and any Ventrue who can accomplish (and prove) this deed is recognized for it with the Cornix. The award is named for a princess transformed into a crow by Minerva who resented the owl being her goddess’ sacred animal.
Awarded for: Personally killing a Strix. Presentation: The Cornix, [name, location, or description of the kill; only the most significant kill is described at length, while others may simply be counted]. Symbol: The pin of an owl’s head. Nominated by: Oneself Decided by: Majority vote by the Gerousia. Awarded by: The praetor.
The Crescent Moon
This award has its dubious origins in Berlin. Prince Gustav Breidenstein would assign Kindred he suspected of treachery the “honor” of hunting and killing the Lupines that beset his city. To earn the Crescent Moon, a Ventrue must personally slay a werewolf and bring back the beast’s pelt as a trophy. It is popular to make these pelts into clothing or even rugs. Some Ventrue have even gone so far as to make taxidermies.
Lupines are known for their incredible regenerative powers, and a few particularly sadistic (or, arguably, foolish) Ventrue have been known to skin their prey alive so that they can bring back larger pelts. Ventrue who do so are viewed by their clanmates as sadistic if not aberrant, but the Crescent Moon commands no less respect for it. All Kindred know the considerable danger that claiming this award involves.
Awarded for: Personally killing a Lupine and bringing back its pelt. Additional kills replace the original “trophy” if they are considered more difficult. Presentation: The Crescent Moon, [name, location, or description of the kill; only the most significant kill is described at length, while others may simply be counted]. Symbol: A red garter worn on the right arm secured with a silver crescent moon pin. Additional kills may be marked with rubies. The “real” symbol, however, is a garment, rug, or other trophy made out of the werewolf’s pelt. Nominated by: Oneself. Decided by: Majority vote by the Gerousia (though this is little more than a formality when the Ventrue appears before them with a legitimate Lupine pelt in hand) Awarded by: The praetor.
This award is also bestowed by non-Ventrue Kindred.
The Daley Prize
Ventrue take pride in maintaining order and have the fewest Anarchs out of any Camarilla clan after the Tremere. Shortly before the formation of the Ivory Tower, special recognition was given to clanmates who were particularly dutiful in combating the Anarch Revolt and maintaining order at all costs. Ventrue are discouraged from speaking of internal clan awards with other Kindred, but particular care is taken with the Daley Prize. Indeed, this award has no official name, as public recognition of its existence would only inflame resentment. It is informally known in modern nights as the Daley Prize in “honor” of Mayor Daley of Chicago, who broke up riots during the 1968 Democratic National Conventional with brutal force.
The award’s physical form varies from region to region but is always a popular modern instrument of repression. Ventrue have been awarded chains, pikes, jackboots, bayonets, stun sticks, nooses, and the like. Since it varies from Ventrue to Ventrue without pattern, Kindred outside the clan find it easier to ignore.
Awarded for: Putting down insurrectionary activities by younger Kindred that endangered local clan interests. Presentation: Awarded the [weapon] in [date]. Symbol: There is no formal symbol for this award, though if one is able to find a small pin or keychain with their weapon of choice it is appropriate to wear such. Nominated by: A gerousiastis or praetor. Decided by: Majority vote by the Gerousia. Awarded by: The praetor.
Dobrynya’s Blade
The Ventrue who held domain in Hungary and eastern Germany during the Middle Ages fought countless wars against the Slavic East’s Tzimisce voivodes. This award reflects that ancient animosity.
Dobrynya’s Blade is named for a Slavic folktale wherein the hero Dobrynya defeated a dragon named Goryinch by cutting off one of its three heads. The beast swore submission and promised to trouble the local citizenry no further. Being a man of honor, Dobrynya accepted the word of his defeated foe. Goryinch soon broke its vow, however, and kidnapped the princess Zabava. Dobrynya had to hunt the dragon down again, but this time he cut off both of the beast’s remaining heads when he rescued the princess.
The moral to Ventrue is simple and obvious: dragons, be they creatures of myth or the clan that bears their name, can only be dealt with in one fashion. This award carries several further levels of distinction.
Blade of the First Night: The least prestigious awarding of Dobrynya’s Blade was historically given out for killing Tzimisce who held no lands of their own. In the modern nights this is the most commonly granted form of the award, as Ventrue elders consider nearly all Sabbat Tzimisce to be of this lowly status. (Younger Ventrue complain this is a case of “in my days we had to face real opponents” syndrome.)
Blade of the Second Night: This level Dobrynya’s Blade was awarded for destroying a koldun. The fiend’s use of magic must be confirmed either by eyewitness accounts or irrefutable evidence from the field of battle.
Blade of the Third Night: Also called Zabava’s Deliverance after the princess that Dobrynya freed, this award was given for the destruction of a Tzimisce knez (roughly analogous to a regent or minor prince) with land and holdings of their own. This award is granted only rarely in the modern era. Simply killing a Tzimisce pack leader is not enough, but bishops and elder fiends are usually considered sufficiently important.
Blade of the Fourth Night: The rarest level of Dobrynya’s Blade was historically awarded by slaying a voivode—a Tzimisce overlord with sworn knezi. This award was granted only rarely before the formation of the Camarilla and is all but unheard of in the modern era. A Tzimisce of archbishop or higher standing in the Sabbat may be sufficient to earn this coveted award.
Blade of the Fifth Night: This level of Dobrynya’s Blade has yet to be awarded to any Ventrue. Historically, it would have been granted to any clanmate who slew a Tzimisce voivode with vassal voivodes of their own. Only a handful of fiends ever amassed this much temporal power over their clanmates, and though most eventually met final death, none did so at Ventrue hands. Jürgen of Magdeburg hoped to claim this award during his two wars in the 13th century with Vladimir Rustovitch, Clan Tzimisce’s then-voidide of voivodes, but Jürgen was ultimately unable to slay his rival. In the modern nights, it is unknown what the criteria for this award would even be.
Awarded for: Varies. • Blade of the First Night: The confirmed killing of a Tzimisce. • Blade of the Second Night: The confirmed killing of a Tzimisce koldun. • Blade of the Third Night: The confirmed killing of a Tzimisce knez (historic) or bishop (modern). • Blade of the Fourth Night: The confirmed killing of a Tzimisce voivode (historic) or archbishop or higher rank (modern). • Blade of the Fifth Night: The confirmed killing of a Tzimisce voivode with vassal voivodes (historic). No modern equivalent was ever devised. Presentation: Dobrynya’s Blade [date]. Symbol: Dobrynya’s Blade is represented by a sword-shaped piece of jewelry, usually as a pin worn behind the Silver Cross. • The Blade of the First Night is unadorned. • The Blade of the Second Night is marked by the addition of a ruby. • The Blade of the Third Night is marked by the addition of a sapphire. • The Blade of the Fourth Night is marked by the addition of a diamond. • The Blade of the Fifth Night never had its form decided. Nominated by: Any Ventrue (including the recipient). Decided by: Majority vote by the Gerousia. A Blade of the Second Night or higher also requires the approval of at least three current holders of the award. (This could be highly difficult for awards of the Blade of the Fourth Night, and technically impossible for the Fifth Night.) Awarded by: The praetor.
This awarded can be granted concurrently with the Silver Cross.
The Enquerry
Ventrue are stereotyped for being hide-bound and traditional. Sometimes stereotypes are true. Nowhere is this more evident than with the Equerry.
Ventrue appointed to the position of whip are traditionally awarded a horse by their clan’s primogen. For much of the clan’s history, a horse was actually a useful gift. In the 20th and 21st centuries, it’s become a quaint anachronism at best and a burden or even danger to the recipient at worst (see below). Younger and less traditional primogen may gift their whips with cars instead of horses: they argue that cars are a much more useful and logical gift in the modern era. Most Ventrue elders, though, continue to provide their whips with horses because “that’s the way it’s always been done.”
Much can be read into the type of horse (and less often, car) given and the manner of its presentation. Whips who have served their clan with distinction may also be gifted with spurs, a saddle, or a bridle in recognition of their achievements. Whips who receive cars may also receive vanity plates or expensive accessories. (Indeed, riding gear can make a safe if dull choice for deathnight presents to holders of the Equerry.)
Most whips probably wouldn’t complain about receiving a horse if the practice was purely ceremonial. It’s not. The use, upkeep, and health of the horse is traditionally still used to judge the whip’s performance. If the horse looks weak or sickly, the Ventrue may suddenly find their primogen and clanmates casting doubts over their ability to perform their job. After all, “If they can’t take care of something as simple as a horse, how can they be expected to take care of the clan’s interests?” Clan elders have been known to test their whip’s security precautions by attacking or kidnapping horses.
God help the whip whose horse actually dies in their care. While this isn’t immediate grounds for the whip’s dismissal, it is universally considered a sign of incompetence if not ill omen, and has resulted in more than one whip losing their position (and hard-won dignitas). Some particularly nefarious clanmates go so far as to kill the horses of whips they want removed: this underhanded tactic can also result in loss of dignitas for the horse’s killer, but it doesn’t absolve the whip of blame either. The Nosferatu love this tradition, as it has afforded them countless opportunities for espionage and blackmail.
Under no circumstances is a second horse ever awarded. A horse that dies of natural causes after a long life is considered a favorable omen and most whips are only too-glad to finally be rid of the troublesome animals. (One would think this would lead to more whips killing their own horses, but a short-lived horse is viewed with disfavor however it dies.) Primogen have also been known to send a whip’s horse to the glue factory as a mark of displeasure, or even to force their humiliated clanmate to kill the horse themselves in recognition of some great failure or shame.
Animals instinctively fear vampires and avoid their presences. Whips who fail to master the rudiments of animal training find their steed uncontrollable, and primogen often routinely demand that their whips display some skill in this area. Training an animal is but the first step in learning how to control kine. Surprise requests for “horse-riding demonstrations” are not unheard of. Younger whips find this tradition ridiculous at best; a clear example of how out-of-touch the elders are with the modern world. Particularly annoyed whips have used their horses for forays into off-track gambling and stud farming. The logic being that the damn thing is expensive and might as well earn its keep.
Many centuries ago, the French Ventrue Phillipe de Montaigne awarded the Equerry to his childe and protégé Jean l’Heretier. The horse went mad with fear during the ceremony, refused to approach l’Heretier, and trampled several members of the crowd in its attempted flight. This was embarrassing enough, but l’Heretier then went on to diablerize his sire several decades later. The story spread, and though some Ventrue consider it apocryphal, horses that go mad during an Equerry’s awarding are considered a sign that the whip will commit diablerie. Some Ventrue have been put to death on the basis of this evidence in more traditional domains.
When a former whip attains higher office in their city (primogen, seneschal, sheriff, etc.), they are traditionally recognized with an award that complements their original Equerry. This is usually a riding accessory or something fashionable for their automobile. The award is either made of or plated with a precious metal. If the original Equerry’s horse has passed away, it is considered appropriate to present the Ventrue with a small statue commemorating it.
Awarded for: Becoming a whip or being promoted from whip. Presentation: Varies. • Whip: Holder of the Equerry, [date], [optional: number of years served; many Ventrue leave this off if including it would indicate a stalled career or swift demotion). • Former whips: Holder of the Equerry, Esteemed (date) Symbol: Whip: A horse or (less often) automobile. Former whip: An award that compliments their original Equerry, made from precious metals. Nominated by: N/A Decided by: N/A Awarded by: The Ventrue primogen (to whips), an appropriate elder Ventrue (to promoted whips; the prince if the prince is also Ventrue, the praetor if they are not).
Exorcist
Hunting demons and infernalists is a dangerous business. The forces of Hell are often subtle and can corrupt everything they touch. Properly combating these foes is considered less of a one-time occurrence and more of a life-long pursuit. Knowledge of infernal powers can be damning when presented in the wrong light before polite society, but Ventrue who successful root out hellish influence and destroy the infernalist or demon responsible are recognized with the Exorcist award.
Awarded for: The confirmed killing of an infernalist or demon. Additional pips are added for each subsequent killing and are nominated and decided by the same process. Presentation: Exorcist, [description of the most significant kill]. Symbol: A silver pin of a crucifix imposed over a broken pentagram. Ventrue from non-Christian domains may award other symbols. Nominated by: Any Ventrue (including the recipient). Decided by: Majority vote by the Gerousa. Awarded by: The senior-most Sanctified priest (and sometimes Acolyte) among the Structure; the praetor if none are suitable.
This award is also bestowed by non-Ventrue Kindred.
