Lore: Ventrue

Main Page -X- Secondary Abilities -X- Ventrue

Lore: Ventrue *

You know that the primary Ventrue Disciplines are Dominate, Fortitude, and Presence. (VtM Rev: 81)

You know that Ventrue are a Clan of rarified tastes, and that members of this Clan much feed from very specific types of vessels, or they will not gain sustenance.

You have heard of the Ventrue Antediluvian (often called Veddhartha), and know that the Clan claims that he was the eldest of the Third Generation, and was chosen by Caine to be his retainer and advisor, and to rule over his brethren.

You have heard that the Ventrue of old set themselves up as kings, heroes and classical Gods, and that many classical myths and cults are based on members of the Clan of Kings.

You know that the Ventrue take credit for the foundation of the Camarilla, and that a great deal of leadership positions in the Sect are held by members of the Clan.

You know that the Ventrue have a centralized Clan structure, headed by an organization of elders known as the Directorate (known in archaic times the Ephorate). (CbV [Rev]: 39-40)

You are familiar with the Ventrue concept of dignitas.

Lore: Ventrue **

You have heard that Veddhartha left the Second City in search of Caine, and that it was after this that the other Antediluvians (Especially those of the Lasombra, Tzimisce, Nosferatu and Setite Clans) rose up and plunged the city into chaos, perpetuating it's fall. You know that Veddhartha has not been heard from since, although some charlatans occasionally claim that he has re-arisen to further their own ends.

You have a basic understanding of how the Directorate is structured and you are cognizant of the various titles within. You know of: the Stragetegoi (Elders) who directly serve the Ephorate; the Lictors (Troubleshooters) who specialize in handling certain types of situations and are dispatched when a Stragetegoi cannot be present; the Tribunes (Agents at Large) who act as field operatives to the rest of the Directorate; and the Peerage who represent the group of Ventrue in the Clan generally held in good standing. (CbV [Rev]: 39-40)

You are aware that the local Ventrue Clan structure within a given city is sometimes referred to as the Gerousia, and that it mirrors in many ways the larger global Directorate. (CbV [Rev]: 42- 45) You know that in recent centuries it has somewhat fallen out of fashion and that only a few cities with significantly large Ventrue populations still cling to this model. (UnMasqued Canon Only)

You know about the institution of the agoge, the rigorous training system through which Ventrue neonates are prepared for entrance into the Clan. You know, however, that it is typically only adhered to closely by elders, and that not all new Ventrue undergo it. (UnMasqued Canon Only)

You are aware of the Ventrue Ethic of Succor, and know that no Ventrue can refuse a clanmate aid when it is invoked without suffering a loss of dignitas.

You are aware of the Ventrue Tradition of Accountability, which mirrors the Camarilla tradition of Accounting, only that is connects a Sire's dignitas with that of his childer even after they have been released.

You are aware of the Ventrue Tradition of Courts, and know that any two Ventrue may request a Court of their superiors to convene and settle a dispute.

You are aware that the rarified taste for blood each Ventrue has is imprinted during the first few nights of feeding.

You know that Lucinde is the current Ventrue Justicar of the Camarilla.

You have heard the phrase "Regere sanguine regere in veritatem est" (To rule in blood is to rule in truth), and know that it was once held as the motto of Clan Ventrue. (GC2: 14)

You have at least heard, in passing, of legendary Ventrue, such as: Haardestadt, the founder of the Camarilla itself; and Mitras, the methusaleh upon whom the God of the same name is based.

Lore: Ventrue ***

You have heard that the uprising of the Third Generation against the Second was done at the suggestion of Veddhartha, who did so following Caine's own council, and that after the revolt Veddhartha ruled over the Second City in peace.

You've heard that the Greek Pelopenese was controlled largely by two Ventrue known as Artemis and Lysander, and that they helped to spark the Pelopenesian War with Brujah-controlled Athens.

You've heard of the great Roman Ventrue Camilla (childe of the also famous Collat) who not only launched the Punic Wars but was also responsible for the unification of the Clan into the earliest form of the Ephorate. You know that Rome is considered by many to be the pinnacle of Ventrue achievement, much like Brujah Carthage.

You are know the various splinter groups that formed in Clan Ventrue after the collapse of Rome, and that for a good time, the Clan, like the former Empire was divided between Western and Byzantine factions.

You have a basic understanding of how a Gerousia in a city is structured and you are cognizant of the various titles within. You know of: the Praetors (Managers) who comprise the highest ranking and often eldest segment of the Clan in the area; the Aediles (Supervisors) who keep track of the goings on of lower-ranking Clanmates and report them to the Board; the Quaestors (Foremen) who serve individual elders as assistants; and the Eiren (Associates) who comprise the rest of the Gerousia (the plebs if you will). (CbV [Rev]: 42- 45)

You are familiar with the agoge, and could possibly put a neonate through it yourself. You know that it involves months of rigorous study followed by a presentation to a committee, and eventually culminates in the initiate having to establish a domain for themselves in the region.

You are aware of the various organizational methods that the Ventrue employed before settling on the model of the Directorate. These include a Venture "Senate"; dividing the Clan into smaller sub-Clans; and perpetuating the growth of numerous secret societies with the Clan.

You are familiar with all of the basic rules of Ventrue courtesy, and have a reasonable idea of what will and will not cost you dignitas.

You have a good understand of how the Court system works and know that there is actually know hard and fast obligation on the part of the defendant, the accuser or the arbiter to adhere to a Court judgement.

You are aware of the existence of many cliques within Ventrue Sociey, such as Chess Clubs, Vintage Clubs (where people with similar tastes in vitae gather) and Philosophy Circles.

You have heard that Rasputin was a Ventrue, although this is disputed by other Clans.

You have at least heard, in passing, of famous Ventrue, such as: Fabrizio Ulfia, one of the most powerful Cainites in known history with regards to his sway over the Catholic Church; Jürgen of Magdeburg, a childe of Haardestadt who was actually responsible for one of the major onslaughts against the Tzimsice in the War of Omens; Jan Pieterzoon, another childe of Hardestadt who religiously seeks to stamp out Noddist teaching from the Camarilla; and Kyle Strathcona, the antitribu Cardinal of Canada.

Lore: Ventrue ****

You are familiar with the history behind the post-Roman Ventrue, and know of the Toreador/Ventrue alliances in Europe during the age of Charlemange. You have heard a great deal about the courts of Alexander and Mithras.

You have heard of the Ventrue "sport" of the Olympeans, Ventrue who form societies which play elaborate games based on having pet mortals compete against one another through covert Kindred interference.

You know some of the major movers within the Directorate and are aware that it is the assembled ephors who select the candidate they wish to have as the Camarilla Justicar during each election by the Inner Council. You're aware that some of them probably have sat on the Inner Council, themselves

You are aware that a great deal of the Ventrue history with Clan Lasombra is reactionary and their enmity has been exaggerated in the past due to the influence of the Anarch Revolt and the formation of the Sabbat.

You are familiar with the Avatist movement, which seeks to redirect the Clan back to pre-Directorate organizational models.

You have heard of a now defunct Order of Venture known in the Middle Ages as the Knights of the Blood, who practiced only martial Disciplines (Celerity, Potence, and Fortitude).

You have heard of a mighty supernatural threat known as the daeva, but know little more.

You know that it technically is possible for some Ventrue to change their specific taste for blood if the initial supply of that blood is completely cut off.

You know that the Ventrue had a hand in the Giovanni's rise to power, although you aren't certain of all the specifics. You have heard of a Ventrue known as Lady Jadviga Almanov of Bohemia and the Conspiracy of Isaac, and know that they were somehow instrumental in the foundation of the Giovanni as an established Clan. (GC1: 17-49)

You've heard of some of the fairly obscure Ventrue of note, such as: Alexander, who maintained the Great Court of France (representing the Toreador/Ventrue alliance) during the time of Charlemange; Queen Anne Bowsley of London, Prince of one of the bulwark Domains of the Sect; Anushin-Rawan, a ruler who has claimed the Greek island of Yiaros and declared all of it Elysium; and Ruud Retief, a younger Ventrue who gained both fame and notoriety for revealing that the South African Gerousia was corrupt.

Lore: Ventrue *****

You are aware as to who currently serves on the Directorate and as to what their policies generally are.

You have heard claims that the mysterious Inconnu was originally a Ventrue organization, formed after the fall of Rome.

You have heard that Fabrizio Ulfia put pressure on various factions within the medieval Church to wipe out the Albegensian Heresey (associated with the Toreador at the time), and that these actions might have exacerbated, or even led to the Inquisition.

You know that Clan Ventrue, though Almanov and the Conspiracy of Issac, backed an attempt by the Giovanni to destroy the Antediluvian of the now extinct Clan of Death (The Cappadocians) and to usurp the Clan's place among Cainites. You further know that the Ephorate of the time simultaneously backed Hardestadt and the nascent Camarilla in an attempt to halt such a Conspiracy. Their motivations for such duplicity are somewhat hazy, but you're aware that the elders of the era expected the backlash from either a successful or failed attempt on the life of a Clan Founder to help galvanize efforts to found the Camarilla. (GC1: 8-9)

You have heard of the daeva, and know that Caine charged Veddhartha with overcoming them. They are allegedly a group of all the mightiest of the supernaturals on Earth and include, but are not limited to, the Antediluvians. You are aware that the Knights of the Blood was one of many Ventrue groups dedicated to their destruction.

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