Les Misérables

Sabbat -- Montreal
Background: Les Misérables was founded in 1690 by Preacher and Carlyle, two Malkavian antitribu. When the Protestant Hospital for the Insane (later Douglas Hospital) was opened in Montreal, the two Malkavian comrades split their coven in two and both groups called themselves Les Misérables.

The factions maintained friendly relations until January 9th, 1927. Cedilia of the Tongue, one of Carlyle's coven sisters and a potent infernalist, burned down the Laurier Palace Cinema as an offering to her demonic keeper. The sacrifice must have been well received, because the resulting conflagration killed 77 children.

The Shepherds launched an investigation into the affair and it wasn't long before they tracked the crime back to Cedilia. The Shepherds also discovered that one portion of the split coven had been compromised to infernal powers. Carlyle and the rest of his cronies were subsequently destroyed by the Sabbat Inquisition, though Cedilia was never found. Preacher and his coven were found innocent of any diabolical dealings and were allowed to remain at Douglas Hospital as Les Misérables.

Since that time, little has affected Les Misérables, with the exception of its leader's disappearance. With Preacher's absence since the October Crisis of 1970, the coven has been under constant threat of breakup. The last couple of Archbishops have explored the possibility of disbanding Les Misérables and assigning its members to other covens. Up to the present, however, the coven-mates are treated with as much respect as any Sabbat.

Lair: Les Misérables' lair has been Douglas Hospital for 132 years. Prior to the asylum's opening as the Protestant Hospital for the Insane in 1890, the area was a 110-acre property known as "Headley Farm."

While their initial control of the hospital grounds was limited, Les Misérables enjoyed a golden age during the 1920s and 1930s. A shortage of staff for the hospital's 800 patients allowed many inmates to slip through the cracks and vanish into the care of the coven.

The coven's heyday ended after a mad spree from 1950 to 1956, when its members Dominated the resident doctors to sanction the lobotomies of 140 patients. Les Misérables lost a great deal of control over the staff when Preacher disappeared.

Today, Toy and Skin are the only Cainites left in a hospital complex of 35 buildings and a thousand inpatients. Although he has access to most buildings, Skin refuses to approach the Community Psychiatric Center (CPC) since the opening of the "Brain Trust," Canada's first storage facility for brain tissue. The center also serves as a research clinic for biological psychiatry, behavior modification and the study of mental abnormality.

Between the CPC's souped-up security system and its emotionless black-suited goons, Skin has wisely decided to steer clear of this portion of the hospital. It is better that he does so; the Technocracy doesn't care for the demented antics of vampires, and the New World Order is not known for its sense of humor.

Rites and Practices: Les Misérables has no established rites, but Skin often invites himself to those of other covens. His usually welcome - as long as he brings Toy along for fun.